Hello,

I have a new question.
I am often called upon to pray for people in my congregation. As I am reading and coming to an understanding of the things you speak about on your site (I don’t understand/ agree with it all, but my eyes are opening to much of what is taught on your site), I’m starting to feel like a fish out of water.
Meaning, the things I think about concerning the Lord and His Word are becoming so vastly different from what others around me believe. Would you say this separation from others is a part of the death we must experience?
So now I find myself feeling unwilling to communicate to fellow believers about the things of God since my thoughts are so foreign to theirs.
Just the other day, I had to pick up a young lady walking on the street who coincidentally enough had just run into a member of my congregation and both had begun walking together.
I offered them a ride to their different destinations.
The young lady, it was relayed to me, was feeling like she wanted to kill herself and felt life was worthless. I encouraged her the best I could – let her know God loves her, He created her for a purpose, tomorrow will be a better day, etc. etc. She really didn’t appear to be in any danger and was in fact rather indifferent to the things I was saying, kind of like ‘lady, will you be quiet and just take me where I need to go’.
I prayed out loud for her and dropped her off where she wanted to go. As I thought about the situation later, I realized there was no way she was ready for anything very heavy in God’s word other than ‘God loves you, Jesus died for you, give your life to Him’, and I felt I SHOULD direct her to Babylon/ traditional church because at least there she will begin to get some understanding of the things of God.
At that same time, I found out from the other individual that they were separating from their spouse. Again, other than praying for God’s wisdom for this family and his mercy, I was at a loss of what I could say.
How do I bear the burdens of others in light of the things I am learning? I can ‘weep with those who weep’ and ‘comfort others with the comfort wherewith I have been comforted’, but for those who are seeking an answer to how do I now live, why are these things happening, etc. I’m having trouble formulating words.
I think people are going to believe I’m ‘too heavenly minded to be any earthly good’.
Is there any PRACTICAL help and words of advise I can give to the drug user, the fornicator, the prostitute etc. who are coming (or wanting to come) to a basic understanding of who God is and what this life is about?
It’s almost like I’m getting so deep into the weightier things of God that I’m losing touch with the simple babes who need to learn to crawl before they can walk.
Can you help me with this dilemma? I’m thinking I need you to direct me to articles on your site that pertain to counseling baby believers and the unsaved, but maybe the Spirit will allow you to see my predicament differently?
With appreciation,
S____

Hi S____,
Thank you for your questions.
Your first question was:

Would you say this separation from others is a part of the death we must experience?

Yes, I certainly would. If ever we are granted to understand that God’s words are addressed to the church and that it is His own church who is guilty of His crucifixion, then we just might begin to be granted “to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God.”
It is “those Jews [ God’s people, Christians] who believed on him” who wanted Christ crucified.

Joh 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Joh 8:33 They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
Joh 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
Joh 8:35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
Joh 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Joh 8:37 I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.

So yes, “this separation from others is a part of the death we must experience.” It will always be at the hands of God’s own people who we all are when we cannot receive His doctrine, and therefore His “word has no place in us” during this stage of our walk.

2Co 2:15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:
2Co 2:16 To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
2Co 2:17 For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.

It is verse 17 which reveals who is being spoken of as thinking of us as “the savour of death unto death”. Look at that verse in the Concordant Literal Version:

(CLV) For we are not as the majority, who are peddling the word of God, but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God in Christ, are we speaking.”

So it is God’s own people to whom those who ‘speak the word in sincerity, as of God’ become the smell of death unto death”.
Your other questions seem to be about both prayer and counseling.
The two really do go together. If we “pray not for the world”, then neither would we ‘cast our pearls before swine.’

Mat 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
Joh 17:9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.

And yet we are told “God so loved the world…” (Joh 3:16), and we are told to pray for ‘all men, and our leaders and all that are in power’.

1Ti 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
1Ti 2:2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

We even see Christ Himself praying for those who crucified Him:

Luk 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

So do we pray for the world or not? Do we counsel the world or not?
We have had a very good and rather thorough discussion on this very subject on our ‘body e- mail’ the past couple of weeks as the result of a brother who wanted to know the answer to this same question.

First of all it is important to note that Christ’s prayer for those crucifying him was not that they would be saved in this age. He did not pray for their conversion at that time. So He was not contradicting Himself when He said, “I pray not for the world, but for them… you have given me”.

It will also serve us well to note that Paul is not encouraging us to pray for the conversion of all men and our worldly leaders at this time. Rather he is telling us:

1Ti 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
1Ti 2:2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; [ For what reason are we exhorted to pray for “all men… kings, and for all that are in authority?] that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

There it is, “that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.” It is not that they will be given the wisdom of God to make godly decisions and help us to save this world for Christ.
Here is what is to be our frame of mind towards this world:

1Jn 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1Jn 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
1Jn 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

So when we read:

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

We know from “the sum of [ God’s] word (Psa 119:160, ASV) that the saving of this world is not in this age but is when “the end” comes, after the millennium and through the great white throne judgment and the lake of fire.
The fire of that lake is what Paul speaks of in these verses of 1 Corinthians:

1Co 3:12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
1Co 3:13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
1Co 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1Co 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

“Every man” means ‘every man’.
I hope this all serves to answer your questions and to give you some direction in making the decisions you are facing. If I can be of further assistance, do not hesitate to let me know.
God will guide you and give you the answers you need when you need them, if Christ really is living His life within you. That is His own promise:

Mat 10:19 But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.

Your brother in His service,
Mike