A few posts ago, I shared how in the short time it took to read a blog, 36 people had died without knowing Jesus as their Savior.
I talked about the growth of our church, and how although it has been growing, it has not been growing due to new births.
Well, yesterday that all changed.
A man came forward yesterday and embraced Jesus as his Lord and Savior!!!
His wife had been praying for him for many years, and as he shared with me, his heart was heavy and you could see the emotion in his face, especially in his eyes.
His prayer was simple, yet moving. Among other things he said, "God I've been running from you for a long, long time. I'm lost. I want to be found."
He shared with the church what had happened and said, "I was lost, but I've been found!"
There was shouting....especially from his wife....and clapping and cheering!
Please join me in prayer that he will be the first of many. We also need prayer abut space (we are now having more people coming to services than we have seats for), and for me to no longer be bi-vocational. It is getting harder and harder to pastor this group of brothers and sisters, and continue to put in 40 hours a week as an eligibility worker for the Welfare Department.
Oh, and in case you didn't get the title of this blog....it's very simple, 36 people may have died without Jesus normally during the time it took you to read this blog, but this time, it is one less.
I leave you with the lyrics of a favorite song of mine (I will list the author of the lyrics at the end of the post....it just might surprise you.)
"SAVED"
I was blinded by the devil
Born already ruined
Stone-cold dead
As I stepped out of the womb
By His grace I have been touched
By His word I have been healed
By His hand I have been delivered
By His spirit I Have been sealed.
I've been saved
By the blood of the lamb
Saved
By the blood of the lamb
Saved
Saved
And I'm so glad
Yes, I'm so glad
I'm so glad
So glad
I want to thank you, Lord
I just want to thank You Lord
Thank You Lord.
By his truth I can be upright
By his strength I do endure
By His power I've been lifted
In His love I am secure
He bought me with a price
Freed me from the pit
Full of emptiness and wrath
And the fire that burns in it.
I've been saved
By the blood of the lamb
Saved
By the blood of the lamb
Saved
Saved
And I'm so glad
Yes, I'm so glad
I'm so glad
So glad
I want to thank you, Lord
I just want to thank You Lord
Thank You, Lord.
Nobody to rescue me
Nobody would dare
I was going down for the last time
But by His Mercy I've been spared
Not by works
But by faith in Him who called
For so long I've been hindered
For so long I've been stalled.
I've been saved
By the blood of the lamb
Saved
By the blood of the lamb
Saved
Saved
And I'm so glad
Yes, I'm so glad
I'm so glad
So glad
I want to thank you, Lord
I just want to thank You Lord
Thank You, Lord.
(Courtesy of Mr. Robert Zimmerman, better known as Bob Dylan, from his album "Saved".
Ok, so there's that.
Pastor Dave
Thoughts on Scripture and life, from a small church pastor. Exploring what it means, that everyone needs the Good Shepherd.
2 comments:
that is awesomely exciting...i cant imagine how much fun that day must have been...i wish you luck (better than that..i hate it when secular phrases interfere with God phrases)...
i pray that you will find an answer to relieve yourself of the 40 hour job and be able to support yourself in your passion as a pastor in aiding other people to see the Grace that is given in His son Jesus...
i also pray you find an awesomely God sponsored problem to your space issues...but what a wonderful problem to have...
here in salt lake city (often referred to by the association as the foreign mission of the USA) for a long time we had the opposite problem...same size... for a long time same size..but now God is moving here to... in ways that are just really exciting... probably about 50 more people and we're out of cushy chairs and into folding metal ones......praise God for both of our "problems of space"
In Him ...preston...
So, tell us, Pastor Dave...if you are released from your 'secular' position...will you have more blogging time? Your thoughts are desperately needed in the blogosphere:-)
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