My Dad

[melanie]

I’m so sorry to hear of your Dads passing Annette. I know how difficult that must have been.
Sending you all my love

[Storyteller]

I'm struggling today guys.
I keep thinking about whether my Dad found Christ. I know before he died he didn't believe in God and that scares me. I can't bear to think of him being separated from God for eternity.
I've been pondering, and praying, about this a lot and I keep coming back to the fact he looked so peaceful. My Mum and brother were with him as he passed away and they said he smiled. I'm hoping that maybe he found Christ just at that last second. I'm hoping that maybe when we die we get one last chance to accept Christ. Christ went looking for that one lamb that strayed didn't he? Is it possible that He keeps searching, keeps asking, that He is willing to give unbelievers every last chance to accept Him?
I have to believe that my Dad found Him. The thought that he didn't torments me.
God is with me, I feel Him. I feel protected. I am grieving, in stages, there are times when it still doesn't feel real then moments where it hits me and I sob. I think it's Gods way of helping me handle this, of letting my grief out in manageable chunks so I don't become overwhelmed.
I want to believe my Dad found and accepted Christ. I can't bear the alternative.

[Byblos]

It does no good to question such things, Annette. Trust in God's infinite mercy and His unbound grace, that is all we can do.

[Philip]

Whenever I have a loved one die that I am uncertain about whether they were saved, I realize the following:

First, God loved them more than they could ever know AND that He desired their salvation, but does not change His terms for anyone, as ALL are free to choose His terms (faith and submission to the Jesus of the Bible), and He will never force someone to desire or submit to Him.

He gives all people an awareness of Himself, enough to at least have a sense of the importance to further search to see Who He is and if He really matters. As to deny God takes a lot of intentional hard work. I also believe that He'll provide for persons' reasonable questions and doubts IF they really want them answered. So, God requires that people love Him as well, by reaching BACK to Him as a first step in their desire for Him. If they'll only do that, He'll He's more than willing to do whatever it takes to guide those so willing to faith in Christ. I believe that God will provide any relevant knowledge required for anyone who is willing to seek it and truly wants to know it - short of forcing them to faith. Jesus said many would not have believed if they had not seen various miracles - a need far beyond what most believers today require. But Jesus wanted these people to come to faith in Him - so He did the spectacular to accomplish their salvation.

I realize that if a deceased person is not with God, it is THEY who did not desire Him, and not the other way around. No, they don't desire the punishments of Hell, the revealing of their hatred of God, or the revealing of their own full narcissism - but neither do they desire God.

If they are not with God, that is a GOOD thing for all believers and lovers of eternal peace and tranquility. God does not let rebels into His House - those who desire Heaven but don't desire Him. Such would infect Heaven with the very things and attitudes that have so ruined the earth - those who only want what THEY want, to be their own personal god, while rejecting the true God. The ultimate and true joy of Heaven is ALL about God - the very aspect of it they have rejected.

Luke 13's the parable of the Narrow Door tells us that there will be a time in which people will desire to come into God's house, but that it will be too late. And as they stand outside knocking and pleading, it's interesting that they remind Him of irrelevant reasons as to why they say He should open the door. None say they love Him, desire Jesus as Lord, etc. Consider also Hebrews 9:27: "And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment" - this verse would seem to indicate that there are NO opportunities to choose Jesus AFTER death. And God knows just when to close that door, as even if it were still open

But we should also realize God is fully capable of reaching anyone, in ANY way. IF they ever had a KNOWLEDGE problem that was preventing them from desiring Him, God is quite capable of remedying - even possibly reaching them in their unconsciousness state, but BEFORE death. God has reached people asleep through dreams (Joel 2:28) - so is it any stretch to believe that a dying person, even unconscious, can be reached by God. I do believe that if such would be effective to ignite their desire for Jesus and to open their eyes to Him, that God would do that. And only God can know whether communicating whatever lacking knowledge of Himself would be effective. I imagine such would only occur IF there would still some knowledge deficit preventing faith, yet to be provided and remedied by God, even though they are in their last unconscious state.

For all people dying without leaving us with certainty over their faith and fate, we know that God loved them, did all necessary for them, and was more than willing to provide them whatever they personally required to come to faith - as long as they weren't permanently resistant to Him. And if they are not in Heaven, it's because they decided to never reach back or to seek God. He passionately desired them to, but didn't force them to Himself. It's difficult to understand a person that KNOWS they are going to die, and not pondering God or crying out to Him - even if just in a desperate hope that He might exist - and that there might yet be some hope.

[1over137]

My dear Annette,

I am sorry you are being tormented.
Before your dad passed, didn't he mention God at all?
Even if not, he could kept things for himself.
I think it was for three days I was being tormented some days even if I felt peace and love immediately after my Tomi passed away. Now I know it was an attack from the Attacker.

Annette, my dear. Our Father is loving Father. Please, run to Him will all your wounds and pain. Tell him you are hurting for your dad.

I wish I could be of more help. Can only offer my hug.



We can talk more via pm.

[Philip]

To echo a bit of what Hana noted - just because we didn't receive confirmation of a dying, unconscious person's faith in Christ - and one of my points above - is we can't know what transpired between God and them in those last days. And just because we don't know does not mean they are not in Heaven. And we know of God's great love and that He did everything possible to bring about this faith, and that He is unlimited in how or when He might reach a person. It's very possible that Annette's father's dying smile was God's smile and message of comfort. And God may well have powerfully used her amazing love and going to the father who didn't otherwise deserve her forgiveness and love to open his heart and mind to the Lord, and that made such love and forgiveness possible. That had to have a powerful emotional impact and sudden realization upon a man who knew his time was so short.

[1over137]

Amen.

[1over137]

Luke 23:39-43 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

39 One of the criminals who were hanged there was [a]hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!” 40 But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving [c]what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come [d]in Your kingdom!” 43 And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”

[Storyteller]

The service was beautiful.
Sad because of our loss, happy because he was part of our lives.
My dad used to shoot rabbits. When we went to look at the flowers, after, we saw a cat. It had a rabbit, the cat walked up and down the line of flowers, looking, then sat next to my dads.

It was a good send off.

I love him.


In my heart are many memories
Of the loving things you've done,
And today I want to tell you
That I'm thankful for each one.
There is a special memory
I'd like to mention too...
Ever since I can remember,
I remember loving you.

[Storyteller]

P.S.

Every rabbit, every pheasant, anything my dad shot and killed was with a clean shot and was always eaten.
His thinking was if you're prepared to eat it, have the balls to kill it.
He didnt kill for "sport" he would rather hunt, and kill than eat an aminal bred for meat.

My dad was the kindest, most generous, moral man.
He was a man of principle.
Oh God, I love him.
I am going to miss him so very, very much.

[Nicki]

My dad passed away recently as well (after my mum a while before - I shared more about it in Blessed's Grandma post but that's been bumped down - maybe he didn't like being questioned ) I don't think he was saved - he definitely seemed sceptical and had no interest in church all the time I was around. We didn't get on all that well when I was growing up - he certainly upset me a lot as a thin-skinned child - so maybe it doesn't bother me as much as you about your dad. But God is just - he doesn't give people more than what they deserve. How that works out with hell the way it's usually represented, I'm not sure, but I'm sure God is just. Well, as sure as I am about the rest of Christianity. I'm praying you find peace to carry on with the Lord through life.

[1over137]

I love him.


In my heart are many memories
Of the loving things you've done,
And today I want to tell you
That I'm thankful for each one.
There is a special memory
I'd like to mention too...
Ever since I can remember,
I remember loving you.

Lovely

[mrtzur2015]

Guys...
My dad is dying.
I have had no contact with my family for years, and God help me, I haven't wanted to (long story) I have been trying to forgive them, to offer it all up to God.
I found out last night that my dad now has cancer that has spread to his bones. He has been given between three months and a year.
I feel so many conflicting emotions.
I feel numb mostly, or pain, or anger, and confusion.

Pray for me, for clarity, strength and wisdom as I sort out how I feel. Please.

I will try and explain this all a bit better later but I'd appreciate your prayers anyway.

Father in the name of Jesus we come together with my sister into your throne there is no distance in spirit
Father we ask for your guidance and wisdom as my sister here facing hard time we ask and pray that you will lead her and help her short her emotions shes asking for clarity , strength and wisdom , we ask that your will be done in her life.
Father we love you and we praise your name we in faith believe and receive everything we prayed for, we pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

[Kurieuo]

ST, I didn't know you have a sex change?

More seriously, I pray you've been holding up alright.

[mrtzur2015]

ST, I didn't know you have a sex change?

More seriously, I pray you've been holding up alright.

its fixed