If it's not too late

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Seeker24

Guest
#1
#1
My dad died yesterday. When i heard, my husband and I went to his house and waited for the funeral home to come pick him up. ....honestly I am not comfortable in grief type situations and I didnt know what to do or say. He lived his life saying he didnt believe in God, though I am sure at some point in his life he did, and was "saved"

The only thing I could think to do was to read the psalm of David (I am ordained)- sort of like a "last rites" thing although I think a person has to be alive in order for it to count.

The only thing that is comforting right now is imagining that he is in a better place- hopefully with his mom/dad and my cat dezzy (if pets meet you in heaven)

I dont know if it counts, id like to think it does. But if its not too late for him to be saved- please pray for him. his name was Warren Pottinger (went by Bill) died of "natural causes" but an autopsy was not done because he had heart/lung disease.

The saddest part is that I am sure he was awake when he died. He was found by my sister who drove to his house after he was not answering the phone, she found him hund over in his recliner already dead. I wonder what he must have been thinking, I wonder if he was scared, I wonder if he KNEW it was his time. I am glad his dog was at least with him and stayed by his side the entire time. (I took the dog home with me, where he will stay)

he didnt want to be alone when he died, and i feel horrible because up until april of this year I had lived with him. I moved out because I was sick of living with a parent and I wanted to start my own life. I was so mad at him I didnt even call him on fathers day.

I know this kinda goes beyond what this post was originally for, but it just all came out. Everything I am thinking and everybody keeps asking and I just say "nothing, im fine"

he was 65 years old.
 
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princessbella

Guest
#2
#2
Seeker im sending a massive hug your way , you must be feeling pretty numb and also full of guilt at not been there , i pray that God will comfort you and give you peace, and that he will give you confirmation in your heart, if your dad chose not to beleive in God there is nothing you could have done his mind was already made up, but i pray that even at the last minuite God intervened in his love and mercy ...

You need to forgive yourself for not being there because in your heart you did what you felt needed to do, i know your not feeling ok right now, but know God is with you, and i pray he wil give you stength
 
dscherck

dscherck

Banned [Reason: persistent, ongoing Catholic heres
#3
Aug 3, 2009
1,272
3
0
#3
Lord have mercy on the soul of your servant Warren and grant him peace. Eternal rest grant unto him and guide him to the place where the souls of the just repose.

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk
 
damombomb

damombomb

Senior Member
#4
Feb 27, 2011
3,801
68
48
#4
Mabe it was meant for your dad to be alone before he passed. You never know what his last words might have been,He may have cried
out to god you know. It is hard on anyone to care for someone whos older, especially if you feel they dont care anything about the
Lord. May you have peace in Jesus name.
 
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nanabean

Guest
#5
#5
It is never too late to pray for you to find peace, and I will do that. I honestly do not beleive there are very many who think they have the right words in these situations, but being there for each other, praying, letting God guide us, and doing the best we can, one day (even one hour or moment) at a time, is what sees us through. I don't have any answers for you......but remember, all is in God's hand, and is according to His divine will. May your dad rest in peace, and may you find peace within yourself as well.
 
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enduretotheend

Guest
#6
#6
If your father had not accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior, before his death, then he will never enter Heaven. And I have no idea whether your father accepted the saving work of Christ or not.
 
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nanabean

Guest
#7
#7
No one knows exactly where each other stands in their own walk with God.......but we can encourage each other that our loved ones are loved by God, and that they may have peace knowing that much. I will continue to pray for that peace in this situation.
 
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enduretotheend

Guest
#8
#8
wow, nana, negative rep for honest answer,,,oh well
 
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enduretotheend

Guest
#9
#9
Question was asked by the living and was answered,,,,negative rep says,,,"this is sadly uncomforting....nanabean",,,i can either answer the lady with fluff or tell her the truth,,she's still living and i checked her 'spiritual status' and it reads 'unsure',,,so i have to carefully consider what i say as to not allow her to believe that she can push the question of salvation off like maybe her father did...and the compassionate thing and loving thing,,,,,,,even if it is without your approval,,,,is,,,,to let her know NOW is the time to decide ,,, don't wait till it is too late to make that decision,,,when you are dead your fate is sealed. Now nana,,,give me a negative for this one too and go on and sooth the minds of the unsaved as they slip into dispair ,,,,, comfortingly.

Matthew
 
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nanabean

Guest
#10
#10
I need to pray.....and think....and pray.........I still think your post could have been worded more compassionately than it was considering the OPs grief at this time, however.....maybe yes, I was too quick to rep you. I will add tomorrow what I deducted today....I am sorry.
 
Megatron

Megatron

Banned
#11
May 6, 2011
640
2
0
#11
enduretotheend said:
If your father had not accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior, before his death, then he will never enter Heaven. And I have no idea whether your father accepted the saving work of Christ or not.
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wow...so uplifting and comforting in someone's time of need.

Also...ellipses are made from periods, not commas.
 
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enduretotheend

Guest
#12
#12
ty, the intention was never for harm and an attempt at tempering the starkness of the answer was set forth after the "And",,,the hope is her father did accept before his death but for us we will never know till we are in glory with our loving Father.

Ecc 7:2 It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.

Now i for one HATE funerals...but there is a sobering effect to them. Sin brings death,,,,all of us have fallen short,,,,through Christ we may live forever.

At a funeral we see an end...but what does that mean for the living? Hopefully we will be more sober as to our life today for time slips away soooo fast. But if my hope is in Jesus,,,one day i will receive a body that NEVER dies and will have no pain. And through Him we will receive the greatest gift,,,,eternal life with Him,,,,knowing and sharing and living and growing and loving,,,,God is Love! Let's grow in Him now and ready for His return.
 
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enduretotheend

Guest
#13
#13
Megatron said:
wow...so uplifting and comforting in someone's time of need.

Also...ellipses are made from periods, not commas.
Click to expand...
go ahead, mock,,i will just place on ignore
 
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NMsmile

Guest
#14
#14
Heavenly Father I ask you to comfort Seeker24, his sister, family and friends while they grieve. Lord God you are kind and you love us and I ask you to send your love to your child in his time of grief. Lord hold him close so that he knows you are his Father. Jesus I ask you to supply peace, joy, patience and wisdom to your child so that he can minister your love during this time. Lord God I ask you to make yourself real to him as he goes about his day. Almighty God if there is any guilt or doubt I ask you to remove it because there is no condemnation in you. Lord we love you and we know that you love us. We thank you for you son's sacrifice by whicht we are saved. Thank you...we thank you.
 
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enduretotheend

Guest
#15
#15
Regarding the question: "I dont know if it counts, id like to think it does. But if its not too late for him to be saved- please pray for him. his name was Warren Pottinger (went by Bill) died of "natural causes" but an autopsy was not done because he had heart/lung disease." --- Seeker24

After a person dies no amount of praying for their soul will change what decision they made in the land of the living. The Bible says: "Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:". There is no turning back the clock or reversing decisions made once the breath of life has left us. We can only find salvation in Christ here and now while the decision can still be made. Seeker,,the LORD is at your door knocking,,please let Him in; He is a beautiful and Wonderful Master,,there is joy you can receive even in the darkest times.

also: "he didnt want to be alone when he died, and i feel horrible because up until april of this year I had lived with him. I moved out because I was sick of living with a parent and I wanted to start my own life. I was so mad at him I didnt even call him on fathers day."

Feeling horrible would be the right emotion,,if you didn't then the question would be, "do you have a conscience?". It is something that you should mourn and feel bad about and forgiving yourself is not the first action you should take. Seek out God for forgiveness,,,this is what you must do in order to have true peace - rather than a seared conscience. If you are truly sorry and hurt terrible for what you did and you seek out God for forgiveness then you will have true freedom from this pain. Peace comes by Christ: "Joh 14:27 I give you peace, the kind of peace that only I can give. It isn't like the peace that this world can give. So don't be worried or afraid."

God loves you,,He stretched out His arms this wide
to show you. Will you call on Him today?
 
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dscherck

dscherck

Banned [Reason: persistent, ongoing Catholic heres
#16
Aug 3, 2009
1,272
3
0
#16
Our Lord is ever merciful and loving. While we cannot know for sure the status of anyone's soul after death, there is nothing stopping us from asking for God's mercy. I think it's a very natural and loving thing to do.
 
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enduretotheend

Guest
#17
#17
"Your a jerk" ,,,, author unknown.

Keep pouring on the negatives people but it doesn't change the truth. It's sad though because this is suppose to be a Christian chat place.
 
pickles

pickles

Senior Member
#18
Apr 20, 2009
14,479
182
63
#18
Seeker24 said:
My dad died yesterday. When i heard, my husband and I went to his house and waited for the funeral home to come pick him up. ....honestly I am not comfortable in grief type situations and I didnt know what to do or say. He lived his life saying he didnt believe in God, though I am sure at some point in his life he did, and was "saved"

The only thing I could think to do was to read the psalm of David (I am ordained)- sort of like a "last rites" thing although I think a person has to be alive in order for it to count.

The only thing that is comforting right now is imagining that he is in a better place- hopefully with his mom/dad and my cat dezzy (if pets meet you in heaven)

I dont know if it counts, id like to think it does. But if its not too late for him to be saved- please pray for him. his name was Warren Pottinger (went by Bill) died of "natural causes" but an autopsy was not done because he had heart/lung disease.

The saddest part is that I am sure he was awake when he died. He was found by my sister who drove to his house after he was not answering the phone, she found him hund over in his recliner already dead. I wonder what he must have been thinking, I wonder if he was scared, I wonder if he KNEW it was his time. I am glad his dog was at least with him and stayed by his side the entire time. (I took the dog home with me, where he will stay)

he didnt want to be alone when he died, and i feel horrible because up until april of this year I had lived with him. I moved out because I was sick of living with a parent and I wanted to start my own life. I was so mad at him I didnt even call him on fathers day.

I know this kinda goes beyond what this post was originally for, but it just all came out. Everything I am thinking and everybody keeps asking and I just say "nothing, im fine"

he was 65 years old.
Click to expand...
I understand the thoughts and emotions you're feeling.
My father, long story short, abused and abandoned us.
In the last years of His life different family members brought him home and tried to help him.
Time and time again, he would leave, no reason why.
He finally died alone many states away.
I do wonder if he recieved Jesus in his last moments, my hope is that he did.
I know only that this is all we have, the faith, hope and love in Jesus that he knew in his last moment the salvation and love of Jesus, anything less, seems to doubt the love of Jesus.
My prayer and hope is that on the last day, when we who have recieved Jesus are gathered,
that my father will be among the multitude.
I know also, that if it is anything else, that the presance of Jesus will fill all that is not among us,
with a comfort and joy so great, that any sad knowlagde will be filled with His healing love.
So I rest this concern in Jesus with faith hope and love.
I hope this brings the same to you for your father, I know the question is to heavy to carry, so let Jesus carry it for you by resting your hope in Him. :)
I will pray for all you ask in Jesus Christ is Lord.

God bless.
pickles
 
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dmdave17

Guest
#19
#19
Dear Seeker24,

I have often prayed for the souls of recently deceased people, asking God to welcome them into Heaven, and I will do so for your dad. I don't know whether it does them any good, but I know it helps me face the reality of sudden, unexpected death. I know that Jesus is loving and compassionate, and I can't help but think that He might respond to the prayers of loving believers who pray for a deceased soul; although there is no direct scriptural evidence that this is true.

When faced with the situation you are in, I like to read Jesus' words in Luke, chapter 20, in response to a question concerning marriage and resurrection, "...for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection. But in the account of the burning bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.” (Romans 20:36-39, emphasis added)

God be with you. I will pray for your father.
 
J

Jojo2u2

Guest
#20
#20
Pickles - A perfect reply. God bless!
 
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