I am so glad the Holy Spirit prays on our behalf. There have been many times when I don't know what to pray or how to pray for someone.
When I have prayed the same prayer over and over again for someone or some circumstance but have not yet seen an answer, I have to trust that God heard me.
I have to trust, too, that all the prayers of the past still count. One more will not change God's mind about His will. He has a perfect answer, and often it is not what we think it should be or what we want.
Romans 8:25-27 "…25 But if we hope for what we do not yet see, we wait for it patiently. 26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know how we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words. 27, And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God."
It is astonishing that so many people think they know the best answer for someone else, or the best action that should be taken, even though they have never asked God for wisdom about His heart and desire.
Christ desired that all men would be saved and died to provide that salvation for everyone, but knew that most would not trust in Him.
1 Timothy 2:3-4 "3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth."
Isaiah 53:1-12 "Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces, he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed."
We have to accept that sometimes our prayers for our loved ones will not be answered, not because God doesn't want to answer, but because He never overrides someone's free will to choose Him.
Just as our desire is that our family members would repent and trust in Christ most will not, this was Christ's experience and it will be ours too.
Yes, we should pray as led by the Holy Spirit and sometimes we are led not to continue to pray because God already knows the heart of those we pray for and knows they will not just as most will not trust in Him.
Psalm 22:7 "All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;"
This was Christ's experience and it will be ours too. Rejected and mocked by most because we live in a world that wants to feel safe in church but has no devotion to Christ Himself.
Many church people bring a false gospel, a pretend life without dedication to the word of God, picking and choosing from the Bible what they wish to believe while ignoring many of God's commands and principles.
To deny the Word of God is to deny Jesus Christ because He is the Word.
1 Peter 5:8 "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour."
The devil has infiltrated most church gatherings and intimidated the attendees to believe they must have a special leader paid to do a job, leaving them silent in the pews while believing everything this leader tells them without a desire to read the Word for themselves, while praying for wisdom. This is the state of the institutional gatherings led by men, but not led by the Holy Spirit.
John 16:13-14 "13 However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come. 14 He will glorify Me by taking from what is Mine and disclosing it to you."
When we walk in the Spirit of Truth, God will be glorified. When man does his own thing according to his own desires, it is man who is glorified.
Tuesday, June 9, 2026
Monday, June 8, 2026
Salvation by Faith Alone in Christ
There are those who think a sin will lose them their salvation. It is the sinful nature that sends people to hell when they refuse to trust in what Christ did for them on the cross.
Good works are not evidence of salvation; the fruit of the Spirit is the evidence, the very character qualities of Christ.
Galatians 5:22-23 "22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
Walking in the ways of the Lord is not a requirement for salvation only believing. We do walk in the ways of the Lord as a lifestyle if we are born again. If we mess up because of weakness we remain saved but suffer conviction until we confess it to be cleansed.
The thief on the cross had no opportunity to obey in works, all He did was admit Jesus Christ is God that He claims to be and that He did not deserve to die because He had no sin.
1 John 2:1 "1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate before the Father— Jesus Christ, the Righteous One."
Unsaved people do not have an advocate with the Father, only believers do. Those who are not disciplined are bastard children.
Hebrews 12:5-7 "…5And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you. 6For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.” 7Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?…"
Hebrews 12:8 " 8 If you do not experience discipline like everyone else, then you are illegitimate children and not true sons."
If we sin the Holy Spirit goes silent so that we do not have His help until we confess sin.
Revelation 3:19 "Those I love I rebuke and discipline. Therefore, be earnest and repent."
1 Corinthians 11:32 "But when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world."
1 Thessalonians 5:19-22
"19 Do not quench (silence) the Spirit, 20 do not utterly reject prophecies, 21 but examine everything; hold firmly to that which is good, 22 abstain from every form of evil."
When Christ seals us with His Holy Spirit, it is for eternity.
Ephesians 1:12-14 "…12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, would be for the praise of His glory. 13 And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth— the gospel of your salvation— you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the pledge of our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession, to the praise of His glory.…"
Christ paid the penalty for our sin because we could not pay it. There is nothing we could do that would be good enough; it's why Christ had to die. We could not die for our own sin what makes us think we could do anything less than die to earn or keep our salvation?
Those who fall back were never saved. They were never transformed by Christ and are in need of salvation for the first time.
Matthew 7:21-23 "21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’"
Good works are not evidence of salvation; the fruit of the Spirit is the evidence, the very character qualities of Christ.
Galatians 5:22-23 "22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
Walking in the ways of the Lord is not a requirement for salvation only believing. We do walk in the ways of the Lord as a lifestyle if we are born again. If we mess up because of weakness we remain saved but suffer conviction until we confess it to be cleansed.
The thief on the cross had no opportunity to obey in works, all He did was admit Jesus Christ is God that He claims to be and that He did not deserve to die because He had no sin.
1 John 2:1 "1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate before the Father— Jesus Christ, the Righteous One."
Unsaved people do not have an advocate with the Father, only believers do. Those who are not disciplined are bastard children.
Hebrews 12:5-7 "…5And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you. 6For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.” 7Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?…"
Hebrews 12:8 " 8 If you do not experience discipline like everyone else, then you are illegitimate children and not true sons."
If we sin the Holy Spirit goes silent so that we do not have His help until we confess sin.
Revelation 3:19 "Those I love I rebuke and discipline. Therefore, be earnest and repent."
1 Corinthians 11:32 "But when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world."
1 Thessalonians 5:19-22
"19 Do not quench (silence) the Spirit, 20 do not utterly reject prophecies, 21 but examine everything; hold firmly to that which is good, 22 abstain from every form of evil."
When Christ seals us with His Holy Spirit, it is for eternity.
Ephesians 1:12-14 "…12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, would be for the praise of His glory. 13 And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth— the gospel of your salvation— you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the pledge of our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession, to the praise of His glory.…"
Christ paid the penalty for our sin because we could not pay it. There is nothing we could do that would be good enough; it's why Christ had to die. We could not die for our own sin what makes us think we could do anything less than die to earn or keep our salvation?
Those who fall back were never saved. They were never transformed by Christ and are in need of salvation for the first time.
Matthew 7:21-23 "21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’"
Obedience and Salvation are Two Sides of the Same Coin
If someone has been born again, they will never lose their salvation over sin. The question is whether or not those who defiantly remarry after divorce were saved in the first place.
And, those who defiantly support those who are remarried may have never been born again. The thing about God's transformation of our spirit into His Spirit causes us to desire to obey Him. Sin drops off after salvation because no born-again believer can tolerate the conviction of the Holy Spirit while remaining in sin.
1 John 3:8-10 "…8The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the very start. This is why the Son of God was revealed: to destroy the works of the devil. 9Anyone born of God refuses to practice sin, because God’s seed abides in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10By this the children of God are distinguished from the children of the devil: Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is anyone who does not love his brother.…"
Born-again believers may fall into sin for a time but they do not stay there, and they do not lose their salvation. Here is why:
,
Hebrews 12:5-7 "…5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.” 7 Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?…"
We do not become born again by stopping sin; we become born again by trusting what Christ did for us on the cross, and then He begins the cleansing process while He lives in us.
Those who have been transformed by Christ into a new creation hate sin and love righteousness. When they fall from weakness into a sin, they cannot remain there; the conviction of the Holy Spirit in them will give them no rest.
If someone is born again and does not turn from their sin, the Holy Spirit will go silent and will not hear their prayers. They lose rewards in heaven and do not see the blessings of His wisdom as long as they remain in their sin.
John 9:31 " 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but He does listen to the one who worships Him and does His will."
God hears those who "does His will."
1 Thessalonians 5:19-22
"19 Do not quench the Spirit, 20 do not utterly reject prophecies, 21 but examine everything; hold firmly to that which is good,
22 abstain from every form of evil."
A sinful nature keeps unbelievers out of heaven until they repent and desire to be cleansed by Christ. Willfully engaging in sin will keep God from hearing the prayers of the born-again believers.
The salvation message is for those who have never been born again, and rebuke to return to obedience is for those who have already been born again. Sometimes it is hard to discern who is saved and who is not because believers in these last days often have false ideas they learned from their culture and cannot let go of.
May each one seek Christ to see if they are born of the Spirit of Christ or not.
2 Corinthians 13:5 "5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Can’t you see for yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you— unless you actually fail the test?"
And, those who defiantly support those who are remarried may have never been born again. The thing about God's transformation of our spirit into His Spirit causes us to desire to obey Him. Sin drops off after salvation because no born-again believer can tolerate the conviction of the Holy Spirit while remaining in sin.
1 John 3:8-10 "…8The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the very start. This is why the Son of God was revealed: to destroy the works of the devil. 9Anyone born of God refuses to practice sin, because God’s seed abides in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10By this the children of God are distinguished from the children of the devil: Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is anyone who does not love his brother.…"
Born-again believers may fall into sin for a time but they do not stay there, and they do not lose their salvation. Here is why:
,
Hebrews 12:5-7 "…5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.” 7 Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?…"
We do not become born again by stopping sin; we become born again by trusting what Christ did for us on the cross, and then He begins the cleansing process while He lives in us.
Those who have been transformed by Christ into a new creation hate sin and love righteousness. When they fall from weakness into a sin, they cannot remain there; the conviction of the Holy Spirit in them will give them no rest.
If someone is born again and does not turn from their sin, the Holy Spirit will go silent and will not hear their prayers. They lose rewards in heaven and do not see the blessings of His wisdom as long as they remain in their sin.
John 9:31 " 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but He does listen to the one who worships Him and does His will."
God hears those who "does His will."
1 Thessalonians 5:19-22
"19 Do not quench the Spirit, 20 do not utterly reject prophecies, 21 but examine everything; hold firmly to that which is good,
22 abstain from every form of evil."
A sinful nature keeps unbelievers out of heaven until they repent and desire to be cleansed by Christ. Willfully engaging in sin will keep God from hearing the prayers of the born-again believers.
The salvation message is for those who have never been born again, and rebuke to return to obedience is for those who have already been born again. Sometimes it is hard to discern who is saved and who is not because believers in these last days often have false ideas they learned from their culture and cannot let go of.
May each one seek Christ to see if they are born of the Spirit of Christ or not.
2 Corinthians 13:5 "5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Can’t you see for yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you— unless you actually fail the test?"
Sunday, June 7, 2026
Saturday, June 6, 2026
Isolation from Grandchildren by Rebellious Adult Children
We are watching a generation of adult children who are rebellious in their own hearts, concocting in their own minds reasons why their parents were not perfect enough, and punishing them with isolation from their grandchildren.
Adult children nowadays are jealous and entitled; they do not want their children, our grandchildren, to love us. They desire that their children only love them.
The emotional and verbal abuse of grandparents violates the command of God to "honor father and mother." This has nothing to do with gifts on holidays; it has to do with valuing them, caring for them in their elder years when they cannot care for themselves, and speaking well of them to the grandchildren.
Sadly, many adult children model to their children the disrespect for their own parents that causes the grandchildren to disrespect their grandparents too. It is true that "more is caught than taught."
If the adult children show up for holidays but speak against their grandparents or roll their eyes in covert disapproval in front of the grandchildren, the grandchildren will do what their parents do. No words even have to be said; just the mocking disapproval over small and silly things is enough to cause grandchildren to be rude and impolite in subtle ways.
When grandchildren observe their parents dismissing grandparents, they, too, will dismiss them.
I have heard adult children complain that the grandparents don't pay enough attention to the grandchildren. I laugh a little at this because what the parents are modeling in front of the grandchildren is the way the grandchildren are acting toward the grandparents, and it does not foster a desire to be with them.
Who wants to be around grandchildren who have no desire to see you except to fulfill their obligation for a short visit, just to say they did it?
When the grandchildren model this subtle disrespect toward the grandparents that was taught to them by the parents through example, it is not likely that the grandparents will enjoy the company of their grandchildren.
Many grandparents are being treated with dismissiveness, a lack of excitement to see them, and even demanding that the grandparents measure up to their own idea of perfection.
We are not obligated to spend time with disrespectful, entitled adult children or grandchildren.
Every time you see your adult children, they criticize everything you say and do, petty to the core, then we lose the desire to be around them. Who would want these kinds of people for our friends?
When good things happen, and the adult children act bored, dismissive, or even irritated, then they are not people who can be our friends.
I love people, but that does not mean I will tolerate consistent emotional and spiritual abuse. We are living in times when adult children call it love to show up but bring with them disdain and contempt for us. They only want to appear to love us, for their own glory, but they do not know what love is God's way.
The following verse tells us to walk away when we bring the gospel, and those hearing reject us. This is applicable when we want to live out our Christianity, and our children work to undermine or deny it.
Matthew 10:14 "And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town."
Luke 10:16 "Whoever listens to you listens to Me; whoever rejects you rejects Me; and whoever rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.”
When adult children choose to disrespect us, we are not obligated to make them our friends; they are divisive and destructive to our walk with Christ.
Titus 3:10-11 "Reject a divisive man after a first and second admonition, knowing that such a man is corrupt and sinful; he is self-condemned."
Matthew 10:40,41 "He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me."
We are living in an age in which adult children have disrespected their parents, but don't believe they have; they have little understanding of what it is to honor father and mother.
There are abusive mothers or fathers who cause drama and trouble in the family in a big way, but this is not an article about them. This article is about normal parents who did their best with all their warts and flaws, who generally protected and cared for their children as they were growing up.
May Christian parents who love their children learn to let go of rebellious entitled children when they disrespect, while praying for them. If the children refuse to respect, then it is time to get on with your life, serving the Lord without the distraction of unnecessary family drama.
Since we are no longer responsible for adult children, we must let them go if they refuse to respect us. Set a boundary. If they refuse, then set another more extreme boundary; if that does not work, then ban them from your life.
We lived without children once in the beginning of our marriage, we can live without them now if they reject us because of our boundaries.
Lastly, moving on from rebellious and hateful adult children does not mean we do not love them, we do!!! We just cannot live with the mean-spirited hatred they bring with them. We wish it could be different, but we accept when we cannot have them while leaving them to God.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 "Godlessness in the Last Days
3 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.
2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good,
4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people."
Look at verse 4, which tells us that these people will claim to be godly, but they deny Christ by their resistance tothe word of God.
Look at what the 5th verse in this passage says: "Avoid such people."
Adult children nowadays are jealous and entitled; they do not want their children, our grandchildren, to love us. They desire that their children only love them.
The emotional and verbal abuse of grandparents violates the command of God to "honor father and mother." This has nothing to do with gifts on holidays; it has to do with valuing them, caring for them in their elder years when they cannot care for themselves, and speaking well of them to the grandchildren.
Sadly, many adult children model to their children the disrespect for their own parents that causes the grandchildren to disrespect their grandparents too. It is true that "more is caught than taught."
If the adult children show up for holidays but speak against their grandparents or roll their eyes in covert disapproval in front of the grandchildren, the grandchildren will do what their parents do. No words even have to be said; just the mocking disapproval over small and silly things is enough to cause grandchildren to be rude and impolite in subtle ways.
When grandchildren observe their parents dismissing grandparents, they, too, will dismiss them.
I have heard adult children complain that the grandparents don't pay enough attention to the grandchildren. I laugh a little at this because what the parents are modeling in front of the grandchildren is the way the grandchildren are acting toward the grandparents, and it does not foster a desire to be with them.
Who wants to be around grandchildren who have no desire to see you except to fulfill their obligation for a short visit, just to say they did it?
When the grandchildren model this subtle disrespect toward the grandparents that was taught to them by the parents through example, it is not likely that the grandparents will enjoy the company of their grandchildren.
Many grandparents are being treated with dismissiveness, a lack of excitement to see them, and even demanding that the grandparents measure up to their own idea of perfection.
We are not obligated to spend time with disrespectful, entitled adult children or grandchildren.
Every time you see your adult children, they criticize everything you say and do, petty to the core, then we lose the desire to be around them. Who would want these kinds of people for our friends?
When good things happen, and the adult children act bored, dismissive, or even irritated, then they are not people who can be our friends.
I love people, but that does not mean I will tolerate consistent emotional and spiritual abuse. We are living in times when adult children call it love to show up but bring with them disdain and contempt for us. They only want to appear to love us, for their own glory, but they do not know what love is God's way.
The following verse tells us to walk away when we bring the gospel, and those hearing reject us. This is applicable when we want to live out our Christianity, and our children work to undermine or deny it.
Matthew 10:14 "And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town."
Luke 10:16 "Whoever listens to you listens to Me; whoever rejects you rejects Me; and whoever rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.”
When adult children choose to disrespect us, we are not obligated to make them our friends; they are divisive and destructive to our walk with Christ.
Titus 3:10-11 "Reject a divisive man after a first and second admonition, knowing that such a man is corrupt and sinful; he is self-condemned."
Matthew 10:40,41 "He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me."
We are living in an age in which adult children have disrespected their parents, but don't believe they have; they have little understanding of what it is to honor father and mother.
There are abusive mothers or fathers who cause drama and trouble in the family in a big way, but this is not an article about them. This article is about normal parents who did their best with all their warts and flaws, who generally protected and cared for their children as they were growing up.
May Christian parents who love their children learn to let go of rebellious entitled children when they disrespect, while praying for them. If the children refuse to respect, then it is time to get on with your life, serving the Lord without the distraction of unnecessary family drama.
Since we are no longer responsible for adult children, we must let them go if they refuse to respect us. Set a boundary. If they refuse, then set another more extreme boundary; if that does not work, then ban them from your life.
We lived without children once in the beginning of our marriage, we can live without them now if they reject us because of our boundaries.
Lastly, moving on from rebellious and hateful adult children does not mean we do not love them, we do!!! We just cannot live with the mean-spirited hatred they bring with them. We wish it could be different, but we accept when we cannot have them while leaving them to God.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 "Godlessness in the Last Days
3 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.
2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good,
4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people."
Look at verse 4, which tells us that these people will claim to be godly, but they deny Christ by their resistance tothe word of God.
Look at what the 5th verse in this passage says: "Avoid such people."
Friday, June 5, 2026
Do not fall into the narcissists game, his/her trap!
2 Timothy 3:1-5 "But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!"
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