Concerned

Dear Judy, I've been praying for my brother's salvation for many years. My mom prayed for him before she passed away. He seems to be getting further from believing in Jesus. I don't understand the place of prayer and free will. How can my brother's mind change to start believing something he thinks is a myth? I love my brother. He is getting old and I'm concerned for his salvation.

Dear Concerned,

Many people can relate to this question, myself included. Our job is to tell people the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and it is the Holy Spirit to bring the increase to their heart. This scripture helps me understand this: Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. (1 Corinthians 3:5-7)

God created all people with a free will. Each person has to accept the truth and realize they are a sinner and that Jesus took their sin on the cross, died, was resurrected, and is sitting now at the right hand of the Father in Heaven!

Prayer causes movement in the spiritual realm and is in accordance with the will of the Father. The Lord wants no one to perish so when we are praying for someone, I believe it is only a matter of time before somehow and somewhere the timing of the Holy Spirit will bring the increase of faith into their heart to receive Jesus as their Savior. My job is to speak to them which is planting seeds and keep watering that seed with prayer until it increases to salvation! My job also is to not compromise my belief and to live a godly life showing others the light of Jesus Christ. We are to be in the world but not of it. We are to not act, talk, or look like the world.

We stand in faith for others knowing that only God truly knows the heart of a person, and it is His will that all be saved. So no matter what we are seeing, we just keep praying and believing that the Holy Spirit is working in their heart.

Recent Dear Judy Posts

Woman contemplating
By Dr. Judy Baus January 28, 2026
There is no true good success outside of the Bible. Here are a few tips that I hope help.
Jesus is Alive
By Dr. Judy Baus January 3, 2026
I can’t figure out what it really means to “abide in Christ.”
hands raised
By Dr. Judy Baus December 7, 2025
How do I get rid of all this anxiety this time of year? At times I feel so much pressure and confusion, it takes my breath away.
Truth
By Dr. Judy Baus November 10, 2025
I go to church, and I also listen to services online. It seems to me there is a trend toward thinking that hell is not real. Is this true? Is there a real hell?
Show More

Recent Food For Thought Articles

purple sunset
By Dr. Judy Baus January 28, 2026
We need to be very aware we are living in the last of the last days. All around us we see so much evil. Our manual for success (Bible) is very clear about these days in which we are living. But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come. 2 Timothy 3:1 Perilous times means dangerous and morally corrupt.
fireworks
By Dr. Judy Baus January 3, 2026
I find that many people I minister to are fully earth-bound and are not eternally focused. I’m not talking about unbelievers but Christians!
a cross against a blue sky
By Dr. Judy Baus December 7, 2025
This article is titled Food for Thought so why don’t we give some thought to our walk with the Lord as we close this year out. What have we learned from this year? What things do we want to change and not take into the coming year?
Hooded person with a gun
By Dr. Judy Baus November 10, 2025
We need to rise in gratefulness and thanksgiving to our Lord and Savior. We need to praise Him more than we ever have. Like no other time has it been more important that we be in our manual for success, the Bible. We need to know for a fact that if we should die today, we are going to heaven. Heaven and Hell are real,
Show More