Friend turning criminal?

[Syreth]

When I started my summer job, I happened to meet one of my old best friends. He moved a while back because he had to change schools since he was expelled for drinking during school hours in the ninth grade. People, the wrong kind of people, have been his stumbling block for a long time. In his new home, he got into harder drugs (he had previously only been into marijuana and alcohol) like ecstasy. He nearly had his life turned back around at one point when he went to a Christian camp. His mentor there began discipling him and teaching him about about the Bible and he was sober for a year. Then some dreadful things happened. His mentor was arrested for being involved with child pornography. Also, one of his best and oldest friends committed suicide because she was raped and couldn't handle it. He's infuriated at God and doesn't believe in the Bible anymore. He has lost the value of his own existence and the value of life in general in a very intense way. One day, he was talking to me about how Timothy McVey (I dunno if that's how you spell it) was justified in what he did (not to bring up a political issue), but the whole deal made it sound like he wanted to do something crazy like that. He was telling me before about how he just wants to kill people sometimes. This doesn't necessarily mean that he'll go insane and start murdering people, but I'm really worried about him! It would ease me so much to know that my brothers and sisters on CAA would labor with me for my friend in prayer. Please, his name is Matt.

[Rogie]

I'll pray for him, Syreth. Also, you should probably tell someone about his thoughts of killing people. He may never do anything, but just in case, I would tell someone who can help in some way.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

Matt will definately be in my prayers

[Sakura15]

I will definatly be praying for him.

[Yumie]

I will try my best to remember him in my prayers! I know its scary seeing a friend go through that and have nothing you can do but pray. I'm struggling with my own Matt, as a matter of fact (not in situation, mind you, but in name .) Just keep doing the best you can to show him what Jesus is really like!

[holysoldier5000]

Matt will be in my prayers. How is his family life? A lot of times kids say things like that just to get attention, but there are other times when they mean it. If there is anything he needs right now it is God to work a miracle in his life and change his heart. Just like Paul, or Balam. I pray so very much that God will just move into this young mans life and touch his heart. He needs God, and I pray that God will just lay hold of him and not let him go.

And you need to make sure that you don't get into any dangerous situations by hanging out with this guy. You can show him the love of God, but watch yourself, and be careful.

God Bless
HS5000

[Syreth]

Thanks so much for the prayers, guys. I really appreciate it. By way of update, I guess things between Matt and I have cooled down a bit. We used to get into heavy discussions about life, God and everything else, but he seems to have backed away quite a bit. I really hope it wasn't anything I said, although I didn't say anything directly insulting to him. Even so, people don't like it when they're told that they're wrong, even if it's in love.

I'll pray for him, Syreth. Also, you should probably tell someone about his thoughts of killing people. He may never do anything, but just in case, I would tell someone who can help in some way.

I would totally tell someone if I could. I've lost touch with his parents over the years and he doesn't go to church, so the options seem to be few as far as that goes, but I'll definately be looking for any way to help him.

Matt will be in my prayers. How is his family life? A lot of times kids say things like that just to get attention, but there are other times when they mean it. If there is anything he needs right now it is God to work a miracle in his life and change his heart. Just like Paul, or Balam. I pray so very much that God will just move into this young mans life and touch his heart. He needs God, and I pray that God will just lay hold of him and not let him go.

And you need to make sure that you don't get into any dangerous situations by hanging out with this guy. You can show him the love of God, but watch yourself, and be careful.

His whole family is Christian. I suppose he might be one of the many exceptions of the proverb, "raise up a child in the way he should go..." and you know the rest. He's always seemed to be a follower and seems to go after the wrong crowd. Much of it might be just opinions of other people that he's absorbed for the sake of fitting in. He doesn't seem to be afraid of doing extreme things for the sake of fitting in, though.

As for dangerous situations, the warning is well noted. That would be tragic if I got involved in something shadey because of him, but the only times I've hung out with him has been over breaks at work.

Thank you all for your advice and much more for your prayers. I just want him to surrender to God again and start following after Him with his whole heart, you know. It breaks my heart to see my friends lose their faith.

[Azier the Swordsman]

I will be praying for him.

[Tommy]

I`ll be prayin` too, man.

[Ryupower]

Get him saved Lord

[Yojimbo]

Sounds like a very tortured soul. I pray he let's God into his life.