Setting myself free.

[MatthewFive]

I'm a little stuck on what I should do. I've read various passages in the bible and have prayed on the subject, but I guess I'm just looking for reassurance.

For the past 2 years or so my brother has been a permanent fixture in my living room. He had asked me if he could stay with me because he felt emotionally abused in his previous living arrangement, so I showed him the compassion I should as a brother and built a partition in my livingroom for him to have some privacy.
When I had to confront my landlord about it, they had strong reservations about allowing him to live here - mainly because it's only a one-bedroom apartment - but he is now on the lease. I stood up for him. Our lease does not allow for pets, he has had a cat since before he moved in with me, and I have had to both lie and hide the existence of his cat when the landlords are around.
Even prior to all this I had risked losing the only job I had found in a year of searching to help him move across the country to be closer to family, because again he is my brother.
We, my family and I, have helped him through problems more times than we can remember and even though he's my brother (he's 37 and I'm 33) he hasn't done anything in the past 6 or 7 years to progress in his life. He has a medical marijuana card due to a problem he has with his leg, and he is holding a job but has purposefully reduced his hours because he said it hurts his leg to stand for too long.

I've read Psalm 101 by recommendation by my aunt - Not looking on anything wth approval of that which is vile, conducting the affairs of my house with a blameless heart. Having no part in what faithless people do, the perverse heart will be far from me and I will have nothing to do with what is evil. But most importantly, No one who practices deceit shall live in my house.

However, John 3:17 reads: "If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?"

So, I guess my quandry is simple, do I abandon him to his choices in life and move into my own place again, or allow him his devices in the home we share, knowing he is not a follower of Jesus and I will have to continue to live against Psalm 101, and therefore God's word?

 

[Truehearts]

Hi Matthew,

I am grateful with your love and concern about your brother, the fact that you let him in to stay with you and your desire to help him. Sometimes you will really get to that tiring point. You said that he is not yet a Christian? Have you shared the Word of God to him?
God could have actually placed him with you to do this... If you have so, have you talked to him about the burden you are feeling?

As a brother you are indeed suppose to help him, you are doing what is right

Hebrews 13:16 NASB
And do not neglect doing good and sharing; for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

1 Timothy 5:8 ESV
But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.


But there is also a warning for idleness, if you feel that he is already abusing you in a way,
2 Thessalonians 3 7-10 ESV
7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. 9 It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.

1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 NIV
Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.



However since he is not yet a Christian this maybe hard to understand, the response is on you.

I encourage you to talk to him first before making a decision, ask God for wisdom and for Him to prepare you and your brother's heart for this matter. I think being in his late 30's and not achieving anything, he is going through a hard time. Be a brother for him, not just by providing material needs and shelter, but a brother to whom he could talked to and share. I know that God blessed you even more, so that you can be an instrument for his change.

God bless.

 

[MatthewFive]

Praise Jesus for you, and for the words you've written. Thank you for the scripture and the thoughts they provoke. It is only through Him that we can understand the life he has given us to live.

In answer to your question, yes I have talked with him numerous times, but perhaps I wasn't using the proper wording. To live according to His word is to use His word in our daily lives, and I guess it would be helpful in my situation to do just that.

I'll bring him to the edge of the cliff known as Christ, but it will be up to him to take the leap of faith.

Thank you again, Truehearts. May God bless you and your family in many ways from this day forward. Amen.

 

[Brighthouse]

Hi brother MatthewFive! I sure do not wish to sound mean in any way,but after reading what you wrote about your brother,these words hit me right away!( 2 Thess 3:10) If anyone is not willing to work,nether shall he eat. Now I sure do not profess to know you brother in any way!

I know many Vietnam Veterans who also have a card to do this for there pain. And while in many cases this really does work well for them,there is also a downside to all who use this. LAZY! Is brought to the forefront! Any reason not to do something is brought to light.

And depending on those around them,this will not only continue, but grow worse in time. When my brother was out of work for 20 months,I did as you to him,i let him feel sorry for himself for a while,but saw this was doing him no good,he was also dragging us down with him.SO!

I gave him a kick in the seat of his pants! I asked him how long he would spend on a job? Well he said 8 hours,ok, then take 8 hours to look for work! The more he resisted this,the more I made him do this.For the Lord says those who seek find,not those who wait!( matt 7:7) He got real mad!! LOL Mom was upset as well,awww mark can't you see he is trying? How is he trying mother sitting in front of the tv all day and half the night?

She could give no answer. But I knew through Holy Spirit in me,that if he did not seek,he would never find!6 months later God provided a job! He learned,I learned. This is just something for you to consider is all! You know your family far better then I,but when I read this message you wrote I was led by the Lord in me, to tell you this.I hope this confirms what I believe you already know. Blessing bro!

 

[MatthewFive]

Yes, Brighthouse, and thank you. I've actually spoken with him this morning, and amazingly enough it was simple and didn't lead to an argument. I simply mentioned that I'm going to find myself a little apartment when our lease is up, and expressed my concern for his well being - but brought up 1 thessalonians 4:11 regarding living a quiet life and minding ones own business (thanks, truehearts) - and he agreed. So, I'll go do my thing and live my life as he continues on with his own.

Oddly enough, this conversation probably wouldn't have happened had it not been for an unruly cat upstairs making a huge racket and waking me up. God sure does work in strange ways.

 

[evan]

I think everyone has given such great advice. One thing that has not been addressed. His leg. I have awful pain in my leg if I stand too long. I have found Physical Therapy helps alleviate some of the pain. Does he have Medical Insurance. Physical Therapy can strengthen his leg muscles so he could have less pain when he is at work.

Have you thought about asking him if you could pray for his leg to be healed. The Lord and the diciples saw people get saved from miraculous healings many times. I believe in miracles, I believe they are for today and I believe they happen often to people who need salvation, because the Lord knows the unbelievers need evidence of his existence. If you ask the Lord to increase your faith to pray for a miracle, he will, all you need is faith of a mustard seed and the Lord will provide the rest. What have you got to "loose" but a brother who needs to get better and saved.

God Bless your good heart for caring for your brother and being there for him to help him move up (and out) in life.

 

[Quasicentennium]

If Adam and Eve ignored Satan's 'pick it and taste it' fruit-picking request for God's Tree Of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden, our human history would have been sinlessly perfect in youth, health and spiritual wealth of the wisdom of the Word Of God.
Adam and Eve would still be alive today after living for several centuries while God would have continued to create adult male and female couples from dust - just like Adam and Eve. I believe children born from female pregnancy through partnership would not be a requirement if God continued with his adult human creation.
No man or woman would be left alone to suffer the financial challenges of remaining an umarried single individual in this modern community of the computer age - had Adam and Eve stuck to God's forbidden fruit instructions.
I pray that the supernatural faith of Jesus bring super-confidence to both of you brothers, to find a Christian young single lady to help you both financially and have a nice family home for each of you brothers.
We Christians in our global community wait patiently for the coming of our victorious Lord Jesus, hopefully very soon in the future, so that Satan will be defeated and sin will be deleted once Jesus has transform our old earth-born selves to new glorious minds and bodies of Christ..::*::..
as we socialize together in peace and harmony in God's most modern and most massive place of community: the Kingdom Of God on a new planet Earth where Christ's supernatural joy will be so superjoyous that our hearts will be so very positive and our faces so very always smiling.:*:.
:shade: