She Loves Jesus YET She is drinking herself to death

[st. Worm]

My question would be what is the position of her church and elders regarding her situation? Has she been confronted with her ongoing drunkenness and apparent lack of concern for it. Unfortunately we live in a time when most churches do not become involved in the process of church discipline which is designed to bring repentance.

Have you considered approaching one of the elders in her church about this as a friend, not to rat her out but to allow them to help her deal with it?

[Guest saved4eva]

Greetings~

I am a little confused over this. I have a friend who states she loves Jesus, yet she is drinking herself to death. She says GOD loves her just the way she is. She can do what she wants and GOD doesn't care because Once Saved Always Saved.

She is very angry with me because I sent her a letter telling her, she should give up the drinking. I tried to explain that she has a choice.

I saw her tonight and she told me, she was so angry at me that she could KILL me, I ruffled her feathers pretty bad.

She called me a FAT individual. She ie right I am very overweight. However, I am trying to loose my weight. I choose to swim 3 times aweek. Plus I will be in counseling with VA Doc, who works with Vets that have emotional eating disorders.

I know we are not saved by works or deeds. However, how can I say I "love Jesus" and, not try to change.

Please use TLC when applying back, for I am upset already.

Thanks,

Snow4JC

That is so sad. That is really sad. You know we can't try to do it our of our own strength. See if she believes that then she should believe the Bible. But I don't want to make it sound like I'm whacking her head with a holy Bible. Pray for her. God can do some of the greatest things ever through prayer. God can od miracles. And yeah I'm pleased that are you choosing ways to change because your overweight. It's a great thing you do that, because it shows you are a hard working person.

[Bolts]

first of all, it is NOT up to any person to judge the state of another's heart or their salvation. she may not be showing fruit, but that doesn't mean she has not been saved. i'm not about to turn this into a OSAS or non-OSAS thread, my views on that can be found elsewhere on this board.

the point is, not every saved person matures at the same pace. not every saved person immediately has an overnight change of lifestyle. your friend is in dire need of prayer, and of gentle and compassionate reminders that when we love someone, we desire to please them, and drinking oneself into a stupor deeply disappoints God.

Hi LadyC,

I hope I haven't caused any bad feeling from my post. But just to clear up any misunderstanding, I was referring to Snow4JC guarding her heart against criticism in general. I was not referring to Snows friend. Snow4JC is putting in a lot of effort to get her weight down. It would be sad if she were discouraged because of rudeness.

Proverbs 4:23 says: above all else guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.

1 Corinthians 16: 13 says, be on your guard stand firm in the faith be men of courage be strong. Do everything in love.

God knows Snows heart and he will bless her accordingly. He will also do the same for her friend. God is a gentleman. If we give him and inch he will only take an inch. But if we give the devil an inch, he will take a mile.

[Guest LadyC]

not at all, bolts, in fact i think we were typing at the same time... if i remember correctly, when i submitted my post, i saw that you had just posted yours.

i was actually speaking in more general terms, not directing it at anyone in particular, although my reason for saying what i did was kinda prompted by apothean's comment... and i'm not even trying to pick on him, but rather that line of thinking that is shared by many people... that if one doesn't suddenly start showing fruit of their salvation then they were never really saved in the first place. i strongly disagree with that line of thinking, because it defeats the message of grace. we don't become perfect overnight... while some people are instantly delivered from addictions, that is the exception rather than the rule.

[Giaour]

I think what we need to remember is that alcohol can be an addiction. Alcoholics are not thinking clearly. It is not them but the poison in their systems.

It takes control of them. Changes them and eats away at them.

My uncle died from liver failure due to alcoholism on Christmas morning a few years ago.

He had disappeared and we did not know where he was until it was too late.

You need to intervene.

Save her life before it's too late.

Pray pray pray.

[MrSealedEternal]

I struggled with quiting smoking and fell flat on my face over and over again. It was in my heart and that was where the problem was. I tried to do it my own way so many times before I finally gave up it to the Lord. Prayer and the Lord's prescence really helped me in ways nothing else could. He dealt with me from the heart. Keep praying from a sincere heart to the Lord asking for His wisdom and encourage your friend with the sound words of God and genuine Christ like love. Forgiveness is a beautiful gift from God. Ultimately, it is between both of them, but I know with God all things are possible.

God Bless,

Mrs. SE

Edited January 1, 2006 by Mr*MrsSealedEternal

[Snow4JC]

My question would be what is the position of her church and elders regarding her situation? Has she been confronted with her ongoing drunkenness and apparent lack of concern for it. Unfortunately we live in a time when most churches do not become involved in the process of church discipline which is designed to bring repentance.

Have you considered approaching one of the elders in her church about this as a friend, not to rat her out but to allow them to help her deal with it?

Can't approach one of the elders in her church because she doesn't go to church anymore. This is why I sent the letter to her. I shared with her that if she were in a church an elder surely would have contacted her.

She is very angry with me. She believes that I am judging her. Maybe she is right! However, I do care about her and believe her situation is very SAD.

I can't sit back as a Christian friend and say nothing. Sure won't be a good reflection of Jesus, on my part.

I believe GOD is working on her.

I will keep praying for her. Thank you for your prayers for her.

Snow4JC

[Guest LadyC]

My question would be what is the position of her church and elders regarding her situation? Has she been confronted with her ongoing drunkenness and apparent lack of concern for it. Unfortunately we live in a time when most churches do not become involved in the process of church discipline which is designed to bring repentance.

Have you considered approaching one of the elders in her church about this as a friend, not to rat her out but to allow them to help her deal with it?

I can't sit back as a Christian friend and say nothing. Sure won't be a good reflection of Jesus, on my part.

I believe GOD is working on her.

I will keep praying for her. Thank you for your prayers for her.

Snow4JC

snowy, what you can do though is sit back and say all you need to say to God... He's got ears that will hear your pleas, even though right now, she doesn't.

i was very fortunate recently to have found a church that mark and i are comfortable with, and one that he was really in need of. it's often fondly referred to as a "recovery" church, because about 3/4 of the congregation are recovering from addictions to alcohol or drugs or gambling, and the other 1/4 are probably family members of the addict. people don't judge, but prayer for those still struggling is a regular part of each service... i don't know how common it is to find such a church, but the preacher says that God has put a real "bee in his bonnet" for addicts. perhaps you could ask around, make some phone calls, and maybe find a church that really is on fire for God while at the same time feels that God has given them a desire to minister to addicts, and then invite her to visit...