Quote:
Originally Posted by Sam
When I think of prayer and its importance, I think of your Dad, Sis. Falla. I remember you telling about him coming home from work and then spending time with the Lord in prayer and the Word and later coming to the dinner table with his eyes red from weeping and being broken in the presence of God.
And then I think of the story you tell about how your family had come into Pentecost and how so many of you are active today in the church. What a heritage! And now you see that being carried on in your grandson's ministry.
I have to think of what we call "family salvation."
God spoke to Noah and warned him of coming judgment and told him how to escape. So Noah obeyed the Lord and prepared the ark. His children grew up seeing that ark being built and when they got old enough they helped with its preparation. Somehow they found girls who would marry them and as a family they escaped when all around them were judged.
When the Lord thought of Abraham he said, "For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment..." Genesis18:19.
John chapter 4 tells about a Nobleman who made the 20 mile journey from Capernaum to Cana to plead with the Lord Jesus to come down and heal his dying son. Jesus simply said, "Go thy way; thy son liveth." The nobleman "believed the word that Jesus had spoken" and went home to find his son healed and he "and his whole house believed"
When the Apostle Paul crossed over from Asia into Europe in October AD 50 as recorded in Acts chapter 16 the first convert recorded is a business woman named Lydia. It says that the Lord opened her heart and she and her household were baptized. Later in that chapter Paul told the jailer, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." Well, we read that Paul spoke to him and to all that were in his house and as a result he and all his family believed, were baptized, and rejoiced in the Lord.
A couple more verses and I'll quit my ramble. In 2 Tiimothy chapter 1 Paul speaks of Timothy's heritage and about the "unfeigned faith" which dwelt in him and had come to him through his mother Eunice and her mother Lois. In the third chapter Paul encourages him to continue in the things which he had learned, and that "from a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation." In the Message Bible this says, "You took in the sacred Scriptures with your mother's milk." Like your family, Sis Falla, baby Timothy received not only physical nourishment but also spiritual nourishment as part of his developmental process and then later became a minister and a man greatly loved and trusted by the Apostle Paul.
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Bro. Sam,
You may call what you just posted "A ramble", but it is a great encouragement to me. It reminds me of an old song we sung through the years, "I Feel Like Traveling on". Your words make me want to "travel on".
Yesterday morning, Landon gave the lesson in the adult class. Anointing like that could only come from the SPIRIT of THE LIVING GOD! Another grandson, Brandon, 26 yrs old, brought a very inspiritual message during the worship service. I believe GOD IS RAISING up a generation of young people as only HE CAN,....AND HE CAN!!!
The previous Sunday a lady that had been only one time before, received the Holy Ghost during the second song. She was sitting directly across the santuary from me. I noticed her with bowed head with her shoulder length hair hanging so you could not see her face. Suddenly her arms went up, her head lifted and with a big smile on her face she received the Holy Ghost. She went on to be baptized and came out of the water speaking in tongues again. The joy of the LORD was evident.
She was back again on Wed. night. A third grandson, Tanner, preached and it seemed he was hesitating at one point. He was silent and then continued...Let's go to Ezekiel, chapter 37. He read verses 1-14. Few comments and sat down. A sweet Spirit came over the congregation, and everyone began to worship. Service ended on a sweet note.
I could tell Tanner (19 yrs old, just finished his first yr of Bible College) felt he didn't do very well. But several told him he did good. When I told him he did good, he said "I don't know about that"! BUT when Marilyn (the new convert) told him that was so good, he said he wasn't sure. She said
"Oh, how could you have known about Ezekiel 37, and those verses. How could you have known that GOD had given me Ekekiel 37, verses 1-14, as a promise to me. GOD just confirmed to me of what HE showed me in prison".
She told Tanner she had been in prison for nine years (drug related). She said she searched for God. There was a preacher that would come and have Bible studies. One day she told him that she had searched for GOD and that HE wouldn't talk to her. The preacher told her, "you know what you need to do". Of course she wanted to know what to do. He told her she needed to be quiet and listen and God would talk to her. She said the next day she kept quite, and didn't hardly say a word. She said she was drawn to
Ezekiel 37, verses 1-14. Here she is in prison and she reads these wonderful promises from God and what HE would do. She took it personally and realized that GOD had now set her (the captive free), among other things. HE had put a new Spirit within her, etc., etc. (Read
Ezekiel 37: 1-14 to get the full impact of what she was taking personally). Needless to say, Tanner was greatly encouraged after hearing her words. The title of his messge was "Fresh Wind".
Marilyn was back yesterday morning, worshipping, and rejoicing with gusto!! I told her about the verses in
Ephesians 2, speaking of those who HE quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins. He raised us up to walk in newness of life.
Falla39
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