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My Son and Daughter-in-Law

Andyindauk
Active

Andyindauk

#1
I have a 29 year old son who works with me so we see each other pretty much every day. He got married this last summer, they've bought their own house so they are fairly financially secure and they have a wide circle of non-believing friends and are very happy and contented with their lives. When I ask Luke about Jesus he reassures me, 'Yeah Dad I do believe and I do pray', and in fairness they go to church once a month, too busy with their friends to go every week.

I hate judging people and that includes my son but I'd say his faith is somewhere between lip service and vanilla. Can you please pray that God will draw them closer to Him?

If any of you lot have close family that are nominal believers or non-believers, let's pray for each others', share a few details and let's pray together. A massive thank you, in advance.

=========================

Dear Lord God, I ask you to send your Holy Spirit to bang loudly on the door of his and his wife's hearts. Whatever it takes Lord please draw them to you so that they can share a true and deep faith with you. I ask this not only for your name's sake but also for the sake of their wellbeing and eternal future.

Amen.
 
B
Moderator
Staff Member

Br. Bear

#3
He sent forth His word and healed them, we read in Scripture.

Andy, for what it is worth, I, too, have a son, about the same age, named Luke and last night, before reading this, was dreaming heavily of him and i can say that i have much the same prayer as you do, so, Brother, let us agree in His word and praise the Lord, for He is good and His merciful lovingkindness endures forever!
While we were yet sinners..... the godly for the ungodly...
He sends the rain on the just and the unjust,
For His merciful lovingkindness endures for ever.

Merciful lovingkindness is His way with man. A little word, chesed, that is the total of His dealing with all, regardless of their standing and only because it is His grace, not ours, His perfection, not ours, His desire, not ours that He is able to convert even one as dirty as me.

May the Lord's will be done in Luke's life and let us rest in Him that it is His will... that it is Him.

May i also be so bold as to say that the Lord prepares the way before us, which includes the dream last night, as if in preparation for this, your request for your son, so be encouraged in the Lord


Bless you ....><>

The LORD is righteous in all His ways, and holy in all His works.
Psalm 145:17
 
Andyindauk
Active

Andyindauk

#4
Br. Bear said:
He sent forth His word and healed them, we read in Scripture.

Andy, for what it is worth, I, too, have a son, about the same age, named Luke and last night, before reading this, was dreaming heavily of him and i can say that i have much the same prayer as you do, so, Brother, let us agree in His word and praise the Lord, for He is good and His merciful lovingkindness endures forever!
While we were yet sinners..... the godly for the ungodly...
He sends the rain on the just and the unjust,
For His merciful lovingkindness endures for ever.

Merciful lovingkindness is His way with man. A little word, chesed, that is the total of His dealing with all, regardless of their standing and only because it is His grace, not ours, His perfection, not ours, His desire, not ours that He is able to convert even one as dirty as me.

May the Lord's will be done in Luke's life and let us rest in Him that it is His will... that it is Him.

May i also be so bold as to say that the Lord prepares the way before us, which includes the dream last night, as if in preparation for this, your request for your son, so be encouraged in the Lord


Bless you ....><>

The LORD is righteous in all His ways, and holy in all His works.
Psalm 145:17
Click to expand...

Dear father God, I pray, pray, pray for Luke and Luke. Reluctantly I accept that you can't force people to love you, that's not love but can draw people to you and you can open their eyes, and that's what I pray for both Luke's. If there's anything that we dads can do to assist that process, lead us and please give us the wisdom, words or actions that will have the desired outcome.

We ask this Lord for your sake but more so for their sakes, dear God.

Amen
Psalm 145:17
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Andyindauk
Active

Andyindauk

#5
Oops didn't press the right button. If you open Dr. Bear's quote you'll see my prayer for both Luke's. Pretty new here and trying to find my way around, or as Luke would put it, 'ole people and technology!' lol

EDIT: fixed Andy
and, amen to your prayer ....><>
 
Last edited by a moderator:
PloughBoy
Loyal

PloughBoy

#6
Andyindauk said:
I have a 29 year old son who works with me so we see each other pretty much every day. He got married this last summer, they've bought their own house so they are fairly financially secure and they have a wide circle of non-believing friends and are very happy and contented with their lives. When I ask Luke about Jesus he reassures me, 'Yeah Dad I do believe and I do pray', and in fairness they go to church once a month, too busy with their friends to go every week.

I hate judging people and that includes my son but I'd say his faith is somewhere between lip service and vanilla. Can you please pray that God will draw them closer to Him?

If any of you lot have close family that are nominal believers or non-believers, let's pray for each others', share a few details and let's pray together. A massive thank you, in advance.

=========================

Dear Lord God, I ask you to send your Holy Spirit to bang loudly on the door of his and his wife's hearts. Whatever it takes Lord please draw them to you so that they can share a true and deep faith with you. I ask this not only for your name's sake but also for the sake of their wellbeing and eternal future.

Amen.
Click to expand...
It is painful to have grown up children who are “nominal Christians”. Now imagine a wife too! They love “The Prosperity Gospel” They call me the “prophet of doom”. My prayers are with you.
 
Andyindauk
Active

Andyindauk

#8
PloughBoy said:
It is painful to have grown up children who are “nominal Christians”. Now imagine a wife too! They love “The Prosperity Gospel” They call me the “prophet of doom”. My prayers are with you.
Click to expand...

We shouldn't I know, but you can't help but want Jesus to defer His return. It really doesn't bear thinking about does it? But please don't ever give up them, I firmly believe that the Holy Spirit will answer your prayers by convicting your beloved of their need, just keep praying and asking for them to be turned around. Obviously the loved ones have free will, but with lots of love and encouragement they should hopefully come round.

A few years ago Luke wouldn't go inside a church, now of his own volition he goes himself once a month to a church near where he lives as opposed to the church I go to, so I suppose he's going for himself rather than just to please me. I suppose it's a start, but I'm impatient, I want that total commitment - NOW!

Jesus had the same problem with his brothers in John 7:5 but they were part of the early church after His death, Acts 1:14, Galatians 1:19, 1 Corinthians 9:5 and almost certainly believers.

======================

Dear Lord, I pray for @PloughBoy 's family, we love you God so much, we love our family so much, we just want you and them to come together and for them to accept you God as their redeemer and to dedicate themselves to you. Lord God please send your Spirit to work on them to realise their need, for their sakes and indeed yours. Lord thank you for family and loved ones, we love loving them. We ask God that you'll make us effective signposts pointing to you, not necessarily by preaching but more by living in your image, radiating your love that we can draw them to you. That's a big ask of us and only possible by your transforming us to be like you. So in the best interests of you Lord, our families and ourselves, we ask that you work in perfecting us to be like you, which is how you originally created us.

Amen
 
B
Moderator
Staff Member

Br. Bear

#10
Andyindauk said:
Dear Lord, I pray for @PloughBoy 's family, we love you God so much, we love our family so much, we just want you and them to come together and for them to accept you God as their redeemer and to dedicate themselves to you. Lord God please send your Spirit to work on them to realise their need, for their sakes and indeed yours. Lord thank you for family and loved ones, we love loving them. We ask God that you'll make us effective signposts pointing to you, not necessarily by preaching but more by living in your image, radiating your love that we can draw them to you. That's a big ask of us and only possible by your transforming us to be like you. So in the best interests of you Lord, our families and ourselves, we ask that you work in perfecting us to be like you, which is how you originally created us.

Amen
Click to expand...

amen
 
Brother-Paul
Loyal

Brother-Paul

#11
Greetings @Andyindauk

The devil will do everything he can to stop souls coming to Jesus, in doing so, he so often breaks up families and relationships, he knows where it hurts most.

But we have a God of miracles brother, a God of love, a God who let His One and Only Son die for our sins so that through Him souls can, will be and are being saved. The greatest miracle that can ever happen is salvation, if we every had to ask for one miracle this is the one we should all ask more.

I have five children brother, none are saved, three want no contact with my wife and myself, but it is me they are bitter with. Thirty years ago I accepted Jesus, prior to that I was a bad person, it was common to hear those who knew me say, if I disliked someone they may as well be dead. I had been approached by Christians on a number of occasions, but they were shot down with words before they could open their mouths and say one word. One was persistent over time but he got the same replies every time.

My situation was due to past experiences as many are, not going into details here, in the midst of the turmoil I was introduced into the church to learn how to be a good person, something I wasn't, but this led to sexual abuse by the vicar and a hate that started with him and grow to hate everything he stood for, it was fatal for anyone to mention God, Jesus church or anything to do with it. I was worldly in every way, doing well in business, no worries I thought, then thinks changed in a small period of time, the business was wound up, we moved 300 miles to a place we had never been to in our life, everything fell into place I got a good job but had more time on my hands, my heart started searching, I accepted Jesus and changed completely. My family knew me how I was, my wife said I was not the man she married, she set the kids against me, the marriage was on the rocks.

I was in a trap, I felt, all those years I had rejected God, rejected Jesus and anything to do with the church, yet now I knew without doubt I had been wrong, I had an inner peace I cannot explain, but was torn apart by the possibility of losing my wife and kids. How could God do this, we knew He didn't. How could this be happening, I accepted Jesus and look at the state of things. I knew in my heart my faith was more important than anything, but in the flesh I was tugged to my family. It was a living nightmare.

I stopped going to the church I went to, I couldn't have a Bible visible in the home, I laid everything at the Lord's feet in prayer and yes men cry, something I had never done before. God opened a door, I was not getting fellowship and prayer and one day I visited a couple whilst doing my job, the guy was a retired Pentecostal minister, we met a lot, prayed a lot, I learnt a lot in a short time, God always provides a way. It was three and a half years before things started to level out, become accepted that I was one of them, they were not one of them. But the kids held grudges and went there way, three of them I never have contact with, I/we were rejected they want nothing to do with us at all, one other is in contact but we cannot talk Jesus, the other daughter is still rejecting but her children were sent to a Church school.

No matter what happens, the devil got is claws in but that is not the end, we pray, others pray for us, as head of the family we 'claim' their salvation in Jesus Name, we trust and leave it to the Lord and the Holy Spirit.

What about my wife, I just loved her through it, over the last few years she has mellowed, the Holy Spirit is working on her heart. She now listens to what I say, more than I sometimes realise, be she is a breath away from accepting Jesus. We can do nothing brother, just claim their salvation as head of the family, pray in faith and believe they will be saved. No prayer returns void.

The devil gets his claws into our loved one but that does not stop them from ending up in Christs grip. God's speed prayers will be answered, we pray in faith, God is faithful. We worry for their salvation, Jesus could come tonight, yes he could, but our prayers were in God's hands first brother. The spirit can quicken in an instant, God's will, will be done brother, and His will is not one souls will be lost.

We Trust in the Lord and lean not on our own understanding, we acknowledge Him and He will guide our paths.

In all things God works for good for those who believe and are called according to His purpose.

Bless you my friend, prayers are with you and your family.
 
Andyindauk
Active

Andyindauk

#14
Brother-Paul said:
Greetings @Andyindauk

The devil will do everything he can to stop souls coming to Jesus, in doing so, he so often breaks up families and relationships, he knows where it hurts most.

But we have a God of miracles brother, a God of love, a God who let His One and Only Son die for our sins so that through Him souls can, will be and are being saved. The greatest miracle that can ever happen is salvation, if we every had to ask for one miracle this is the one we should all ask more.

I have five children brother, none are saved, three want no contact with my wife and myself, but it is me they are bitter with. Thirty years ago I accepted Jesus, prior to that I was a bad person, it was common to hear those who knew me say, if I disliked someone they may as well be dead. I had been approached by Christians on a number of occasions, but they were shot down with words before they could open their mouths and say one word. One was persistent over time but he got the same replies every time.

My situation was due to past experiences as many are, not going into details here, in the midst of the turmoil I was introduced into the church to learn how to be a good person, something I wasn't, but this led to sexual abuse by the vicar and a hate that started with him and grow to hate everything he stood for, it was fatal for anyone to mention God, Jesus church or anything to do with it. I was worldly in every way, doing well in business, no worries I thought, then thinks changed in a small period of time, the business was wound up, we moved 300 miles to a place we had never been to in our life, everything fell into place I got a good job but had more time on my hands, my heart started searching, I accepted Jesus and changed completely. My family knew me how I was, my wife said I was not the man she married, she set the kids against me, the marriage was on the rocks.

I was in a trap, I felt, all those years I had rejected God, rejected Jesus and anything to do with the church, yet now I knew without doubt I had been wrong, I had an inner peace I cannot explain, but was torn apart by the possibility of losing my wife and kids. How could God do this, we knew He didn't. How could this be happening, I accepted Jesus and look at the state of things. I knew in my heart my faith was more important than anything, but in the flesh I was tugged to my family. It was a living nightmare.

I stopped going to the church I went to, I couldn't have a Bible visible in the home, I laid everything at the Lord's feet in prayer and yes men cry, something I had never done before. God opened a door, I was not getting fellowship and prayer and one day I visited a couple whilst doing my job, the guy was a retired Pentecostal minister, we met a lot, prayed a lot, I learnt a lot in a short time, God always provides a way. It was three and a half years before things started to level out, become accepted that I was one of them, they were not one of them. But the kids held grudges and went there way, three of them I never have contact with, I/we were rejected they want nothing to do with us at all, one other is in contact but we cannot talk Jesus, the other daughter is still rejecting but her children were sent to a Church school.

No matter what happens, the devil got is claws in but that is not the end, we pray, others pray for us, as head of the family we 'claim' their salvation in Jesus Name, we trust and leave it to the Lord and the Holy Spirit.

What about my wife, I just loved her through it, over the last few years she has mellowed, the Holy Spirit is working on her heart. She now listens to what I say, more than I sometimes realise, be she is a breath away from accepting Jesus. We can do nothing brother, just claim their salvation as head of the family, pray in faith and believe they will be saved. No prayer returns void.

The devil gets his claws into our loved one but that does not stop them from ending up in Christs grip. God's speed prayers will be answered, we pray in faith, God is faithful. We worry for their salvation, Jesus could come tonight, yes he could, but our prayers were in God's hands first brother. The spirit can quicken in an instant, God's will, will be done brother, and His will is not one souls will be lost.

We Trust in the Lord and lean not on our own understanding, we acknowledge Him and He will guide our paths.

In all things God works for good for those who believe and are called according to His purpose.

Bless you my friend, prayers are with you and your family.
Click to expand...

Hi Paul,

Have to say first thing - WOW! I totally admire your open frankness and honesty. James 5:16 we're advised to confess our sins to one another. I don't think for a minute James is meaning it in the Catholic context, I'm pretty sure he's telling us not to hide our problems and issues and just give a bleached account of our lives: Christian happy mask, glassy smile, gritted teeth - 'Oh life is wonderful, God is good, praise the Lord, hallelujah' ... when in reality ...... hmmm ... No mate, hats off to you that you're so brutally honest and forthright. You know something? You're in real danger of people being able to relate to you. What a breath of fresh air.

Can anyone reading this, please stop reading here, just for a moment and say a quick prayer for Paul and especially his wife and kids. You're absolutely right Paul, our enemy who rarely smiles because he's no sense of humour, cracks a wry satisfied smile when families break up and seethe in hate and bitterness - meat and gravy. Jesus of course predicted that this would become an increasing issue. Luke 12:53. However He did not say we should accept this as inevitable. Jesus is a massive fan of families and went to great lengths to encourage that bond that ideally should bind families together. Might I be so bold as to suggest that there isn't a better time of year to reach out to your estranged family with love. It's really fantastic that you've already made progress in this direction with Mrs. Paul - lovely, and please build on this a lil at a time. God bless you - both.

With regards to that vicar, there's a common euphemism, a special place in Hell. Totally non-scriptural, but this guy comes close, Matthew 18:6 I probably don't need to tell you, you were sinned against, you were not to blame, what he did was undiluted evil and he will have to account. The vast majority of abused kids' lives are screwed up to a greater or lesser extent. I pray that somehow through a miracle the Holy Spirit has managed to heal the damage caused to you. However if you think that maybe the root cause of the angst between you and your family might be caused by such damage, it would be right to share that with them so that they could see the other side to their story.

I'm sure I don't need to remind you about marathons, not sprints. Three things needed here, prayer, wisdom and patience - in that order! May I join you in that prayer?

==============================

Dear Lord God,

Thank you that each one of us was in your mind when you were planning our rescue from the fate that we deserved and which was awaiting us. You God readily and freely sent your son Jesus to His death to redeem and rescue us. What we have to appreciate is that if we're so precious and special that you're prepared to do that, your love is just completely overwhelming. Given that we now know the lengths you're prepared to go to for us, that should make us feel very loved, safe and contented. In faith God we can relax in you, and not worry about what others have done or might do to us. You're in control of our lives / situations, your power and love is truly without any limit, totally dependable.

With that in mind we pray about Paul's past and future. Thank God for reaching out to him and drawing him to you. I pray Lord for more and more blessings for him. We thank you God for the amazing changes in his life which is work in progress, more to follow. Following you God, learning about you, experiencing you and your Spirit is truly wonderful God, we want more, more, more.

I pray Lord for our brother Paul Lord, especially for the hurts in his life and especially for his family. I pray not for reconciliation - not good enough. Lord I pray for love, I pray for closeness and a total reconnect, in fact more even than that. Love Lord flowing once again in that family. Healed relationships and lots of love.

I pray God you'll draw very close to our brother at this time, using him to bring about your will in that family. We love you God.

Amen.
 
Brother-Paul
Loyal

Brother-Paul

#15
Andyindauk said:
Hi Paul,

Have to say first thing - WOW! I totally admire your open frankness and honesty. James 5:16 we're advised to confess our sins to one another. I don't think for a minute James is meaning it in the Catholic context, I'm pretty sure he's telling us not to hide our problems and issues and just give a bleached account of our lives: Christian happy mask, glassy smile, gritted teeth - 'Oh life is wonderful, God is good, praise the Lord, hallelujah' ... when in reality ...... hmmm ... No mate, hats off to you that you're so brutally honest and forthright. You know something? You're in real danger of people being able to relate to you. What a breath of fresh air.
Click to expand...


Certainly not in the catholic tradition brother, father forgive, wrong father wrong way. Back to the world till next confession.

Andyindauk said:
Can anyone reading this, please stop reading here, just for a moment and say a quick prayer for Paul and especially his wife and kids. You're absolutely right Paul, our enemy who rarely smiles because he's no sense of humour, cracks a wry satisfied smile when families break up and seethe in hate and bitterness - meat and gravy. Jesus of course predicted that this would become an increasing issue. Luke 12:53. However He did not say we should accept this as inevitable. Jesus is a massive fan of families and went to great lengths to encourage that bond that ideally should bind families together. Might I be so bold as to suggest that there isn't a better time of year to reach out to your estranged family with love. It's really fantastic that you've already made progress in this direction with Mrs. Paul - lovely, and please build on this a lil at a time. God bless you - both.
Click to expand...


I continue to try brother, prayers first of course, a 40th birthday card with a message recently, a funeral invite for nanna, God's speed is essential along with Faith and Prayers. Thank you, to you and to our dear brothers and sisters in Christ for your prayers. It is right, it is important, to pray for each other, giving God the Glory, through Jesus Christ His Son our Lord.

Andyindauk said:
With regards to that vicar, there's a common euphemism, a special place in Hell. Totally non-scriptural, but this guy comes close, Matthew 18:6 I probably don't need to tell you, you were sinned against, you were not to blame, what he did was undiluted evil and he will have to account. The vast majority of abused kids' lives are screwed up to a greater or lesser extent. I pray that somehow through a miracle the Holy Spirit has managed to heal the damage caused to you. However if you think that maybe the root cause of the angst between you and your family might be caused by such damage, it would be right to share that with them so that they could see the other side to their story.

I'm sure I don't need to remind you about marathons, not sprints. Three things needed here, prayer, wisdom and patience - in that order! May I join you in that prayer?
Click to expand...


No problem Andy, not hurt, no bad wishes, totally forgiven, we cannot change history, but we have two options for the future, make it easy and be at peace, make it hard and stress ourselves do to experiences we found ourselves in.

I have no bad feelings against anyone, my mother walking out before I was three, my dad losing control! The vicar and more.

I have no bad feelings against the three doctors who 'prescribed 13 different drugs' causing me to go into an isolation ward where I almost died of liver failure, I was called the yellow man. This was around the time I came through and accepted Jesus, just after if I remember rightly, my wife put my change and faith down to hallucinations caused by the drugs and experience at that time.

That was thirty years ago, my liver over the period has stabilised, it is the only organ in the body that can heal itself, with a little help from above brother. My liver is now classed as stable, but is susceptible to drugs and we do not know which, so I have to take them slowly when needed to see if there is a reaction. I cannot have anaesthetic, there was a scare about five years ago, I had a double hernia in my sack, they couldn't operate, it took months before they came up with an injection in my back to be able to carry our the operation whist I was awake. It took a full two hours and my sack ended up so swollen it was down to just above my knees, two years to return to normal. The biggest scare was not the operation it was the drugs that followed to kill the pain, I remember passing out with the increased morphine, I was ready if the Lord was calling me home, but I am still here PTL.

FAITH is key brother, total trust in Jesus, I was 40 when I came to Christ, my faith was so strong, after so many years hating, rejecting I had given in, I knew everything I thought in the past was wrong, there was a Jesus, there is a Jesus, there is a God, God is Love. Looking back I appreciate the change was massive, the light was shining in my life, Jesus was that light, hence the spiritual battle I had to endure, and for many years, the battle continues to this day, but in a different way, the breaking of the family.

But all is not lost my friend, Jesus is Lord, the Spirit is active, I accepted in prayer long ago, 'Lord I realise I may have to die in this life for my family to be saved, you are in control Father, I believe and Trust in you, may your will be done.' I rejoice in God my Saviour. I have claimed their salvation in Jesus Name as head of the family, two items remain, Faith and Trust, they are 100%.

I know my prayers will be answered, I have Faith and Trust in Him, I do not need to worry about the rapture or when it will be, my prayers and the prayers of others are with the Father through Jesus Christ our intercessor, Lord and Saviour, it is God's will not should be lost, the spirit will quicken as God requires, souls will be saved. We give God the Glory and Rejoice in God our Saviour, in Jesus Mighty and most Precious Name. Amen.

Thank you again for your very kind words brother and for yours and everyone's fervent, believing prayers.
 
Andyindauk
Active

Andyindauk

#16
Hi Paul, there's not a lot more I can add to that, you've done wonderfully well with a pretty poor hand. That's so God that is, He can work miracles through the poor, struggling and humble, God seems to struggle to work well with the 'self made man', the upwardly mobile and the success story. I just read a post by @Fragrant Grace about Mary, it was really touching and spoke to me. My only advice to you is keep on keeping on!

God bless you brother and God heal your family and draw them to Him. Really love you bro, you're doing great!!
 
Brother-Paul
Loyal

Brother-Paul

#17
Andyindauk said:
Hi Paul, there's not a lot more I can add to that, you've done wonderfully well with a pretty poor hand. That's so God that is, He can work miracles through the poor, struggling and humble, God seems to struggle to work well with the 'self made man', the upwardly mobile and the success story. I just read a post by @Fragrant Grace about Mary, it was really touching and spoke to me. My only advice to you is keep on keeping on!

God bless you brother and God heal your family and draw them to Him. Really love you bro, you're doing great!!
Click to expand...


Onwards and upwards, In Faith, brother.

May the Lord Bless, guide and protect all His children, in Jesus Name Amen.
 
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