Guest P_W Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 If my father was alive today he would be 105 years old! Dad was a righteous and godly man. He loved the Lord, and he feared Him. He taught his family to do the same. Dad said when he was a boy that one of the men in his church would choose a specific young boy to mentor and teach the ways of the Lord. An older man shadowed the lad and talked with him often about the Bible, teaching Scripture to memory. Dad said that because of the man who led him he followed closely in the steps of Jesus and he reflected often about the man who helped him in his walk with Christ. He said, "Every time I was faced with choices in life, I would remember Oliver and the choices Oliver had made." Oliver chose to work and work hard. Oliver chose to put God first in his life, and his wife and family second. Oliver made the most important choice any of us can make; he chose to be a "Fisher of men...." One day I will see Oliver in heaven and I will thank him for caring so much about my father's spiritual health and well being. The efforts of one man who loved the Lord in a special way affected the lives of numerous families. Praise The Dear Sweet Lord! amen Maybe 100 years ago it was easier for men to go about the work of the Lord? I mean, every day working class Joe .... he cared enough to set aside time for mentoring a new disciple in Christ. Maybe he was a coach? Maybe, a Scout Leader? Maybe he chose to tag along with a couple of teen age boys instead of watching the Colts play? We need to see to their salvation, but we need to be there after. Having a hand to hold as we all work out our own salvation is truly the best way to go ..... and to learn. PTL Thank you, Oliver! I can just see now God blessing you in ways we cannot even image! See you soon! shalom, prairwarur Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest P_W Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 I forgot to mention that Dad's dad left them when he was only eleven. I cannot imagine his heartbreak, but he never talked about those things, and he never complained. I had the peaceful notion that my dad had truly come to peace with it all, and that he forgave his daddy a long, long time ago. Dad taught us all about forgiveness. He taught us that without forgiveness it is impossible to please God. Without forgiveness, it is impossible to meet God! Jesus said we must forgive, just as we have been forgiven. His warning about what would happen if we refused to forgive was dire! I cannot imagine having to forgive a dad who walked out on me! My dad was there every day and all the way! He fought many of my battles for me, and no one dare harm his child. This puts me in mind of my Heavenly Father. God has been there for me my entire life, defending and protecting, holding me dearly when I had been wronged. Giving me courage to stand up and do the right thing when I was wrong. He is my perfect Father! The Great I am! ... and He loves me! I am, "The apple of His eye..." He loves me! And, He loves you!!! Never, ever forget that! Like my dad, his earthly father left him, but he forgave. He did not let what his dad had done in this life to affect the relationship he had with his Heavenly Father. He understood sin, which we all have been found guilty of practicing, even when we were trying to do our best. He understood that without a Savior, we'd all be lost forever. He also understood that because of his Savior Jesus Christ, he would one day be reunited with his earthly father and what a joyous reunion that will be! Because of the precious Blood of Jesus Christ, I will get to meet my grandfather, too. Finally! and I can't wait! How glorious it is going to be ..... and my friends, we will meet each other, too! Hallelujah! We'll know each other right away, I am sure. We will not need introductions! Glory to God! When we all get to heaven!!! ..... what a day of rejoicing that will be!!! ..... When we all ..... see Jesus! ..... (and each other!) ..... we'll sing and shout the victory! Praise God! I love Him so! Peace to you, all and God bless you magnificently! amen PrairWarur Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chloe_fantastic Posted April 11, 2014 Group: Royal Member Followers: 2 Topic Count: 22 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 868 Content Per Day: 0.18 Reputation: 221 Days Won: 2 Joined: 06/09/2011 Status: Offline Birthday: 03/17/1981 Share Posted April 11, 2014 Some of my most painful experiences have been the times I've grown most in my walk with the Lord. When my husband and I were first married.......I'd been saved less than a year and I was soooooooo ridiculously immature. When I've needed correction from my brothers and sisters in Christ who are more mature than me......feels rotten but is something I'm truly grateful for. Well, this one not so painful but having children......definitely a transforming and humbling experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willa Posted April 12, 2014 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 68 Topic Count: 185 Topics Per Day: 0.04 Content Count: 14,224 Content Per Day: 3.34 Reputation: 16,647 Days Won: 30 Joined: 08/14/2012 Status: Offline Share Posted April 12, 2014 I had a small group 10 Basic Steps Bible Study that emerged from Campus Crusade. Most of these women also had met with an interdenominational prayer group. But it was an older Lutheran lady from the first group and another, an older Baptist lady from the second who mentored and supported me, who prayed for me and encouraged me before my husband was saved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorningGlory Posted April 12, 2014 Group: Royal Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 1,022 Topics Per Day: 0.16 Content Count: 39,193 Content Per Day: 6.12 Reputation: 9,977 Days Won: 78 Joined: 10/01/2006 Status: Offline Share Posted April 12, 2014 The one who brought me to strong faith in Jesus was....Jesus Himself. I just didn't 'get' it until I asked Him into my life; then the veil disappeared. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCurseOfTheRodain Posted April 12, 2014 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 0 Topics Per Day: 0 Content Count: 149 Content Per Day: 0.04 Reputation: 20 Days Won: 0 Joined: 10/27/2013 Status: Offline Share Posted April 12, 2014 Jesus of course, and His Word, and my college Bible cell group, then Joseph Prince, Kenneth Copeland, Jesse Duplantis, Jerry Savelle, Keith Moore, Creflo Dollar, Rick Renner, Kenneth Hagin, Oral Roberts, John Hagee, George Pearsons, Jeremy Pearsons... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyKay Posted April 12, 2014 Group: Royal Member Followers: 12 Topic Count: 385 Topics Per Day: 0.10 Content Count: 7,692 Content Per Day: 1.94 Reputation: 4,809 Days Won: 3 Joined: 05/28/2013 Status: Offline Share Posted April 12, 2014 I did not grow up in a Christian home. My parents belived in God but that was about as far as it would go. I was around 6 years old when one Saterday I was staying with my grand parents. A lady who was a family friend stop by for a visit. The grown ups talked and as it happen the lady drove around in her van picking up kids or adults who needed a ride to church. She asked me if I would like to go tommrow to church. Grandma said it was alright so I told her yes. The next day she pulled her big van full of other people she and her husband picked up for church in fount of my grandma's house. I got in and my jorney to know Christ begain. That lady picked me up and brought me to church ever Sunday. On one of them Sundays I felt the Holy Sprit and acepted Christ into my heart. I spoke at this lady's funeral, and I told everyone there that because she was willing to pick up a little 6 year old kid that Sunday; that a life was changed. That lady. Martha was her name. Her simple act of picking me up for church is the reason I am here telling you this story today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorningGlory Posted April 12, 2014 Group: Royal Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 1,022 Topics Per Day: 0.16 Content Count: 39,193 Content Per Day: 6.12 Reputation: 9,977 Days Won: 78 Joined: 10/01/2006 Status: Offline Share Posted April 12, 2014 I did not grow up in a Christian home. My parents belived in God but that was about as far as it would go. I was around 6 years old when one Saterday I was staying with my grand parents. A lady who was a family friend stop by for a visit. The grown ups talked and as it happen the lady drove around in her van picking up kids or adults who needed a ride to church. She asked me if I would like to go tommrow to church. Grandma said it was alright so I told her yes. The next day she pulled her big van full of other people she and her husband picked up for church in fount of my grandma's house. I got in and my jorney to know Christ begain. That lady picked me up and brought me to church ever Sunday. On one of them Sundays I felt the Holy Sprit and acepted Christ into my heart. I spoke at this lady's funeral, and I told everyone there that because she was willing to pick up a little 6 year old kid that Sunday; that a life was changed. That lady. Martha was her name. Her simple act of picking me up for church is the reason I am here telling you this story today. That made me smile LK. Thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest P_W Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 Beautiful! Thanks to all for sharing! God bless Martha so much, it is women, and people like her who do make a difference. When my mother passed away we chose the song by Ray Boltz that best described my mother's service to the Lord. The song is, "Thank You" ... thank you for giving to the Lord ... for I was a life that was saved .... Mother taught Sunday School for years and years. She always gave time for any child that wanted to receive Jesus before the class ended. I cannot imagine how many little children gave their lives to Christ right in Mom's Sunday School class. God definitely blessed me with great parents! I am so very, very grateful to have had Christian parents who loved the Lord more than they loved their own lives. There are so many godly men and women who do just that - they give of themselves to the Lord. I think they have a very special reward awaiting them in heaven. I am grateful for you all, too, my dear brothers and sisters in the Lord Jesus! My friends! I love you! Peace to you all and may God richly bless you, amen. PrairWarur Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atwood Posted April 13, 2014 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 7 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 285 Content Per Day: 0.08 Reputation: 61 Days Won: 0 Joined: 03/30/2014 Status: Offline Share Posted April 13, 2014 You raise a great issue. My guess is that while there must be millions of would-be Bible teachers and preachers, there are few disciplers. Yet the great commission is not to make converts, but to make disciples (not that it is bad to be an evangelist or to make converts). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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