A church that we were affiliated with in Iowa, had the privilege of funding a building project in India at the same time they were building their facility in Iowa. Church members received many updates about the faith of Christian believers in that area of the world as a result of the church’s involvement with that orphanage. One story was especially inspiring.
A local pastor visited a village where a woman was suffering and near death’s door. The village elders had used their usual methods of healing, all to no avail. When the pastor visited, God used him to heal the woman, who rose from her death bed almost immediately. The entire village became Christians.
There are all kinds of stories about how one member of a family becomes a follower of Jesus Christ and then several of his family members follow suit. Since my own conversion, my mother, a cousin, and a brother have expressed a similar belief. And our home became a breeding ground for Christian discipleship as our children accepted Jesus as their personal Savior, something that would not have happened if my husband and I had not turned toward Him in faith.
The bible, in Acts 16:30,31 tells the story of one man who approached the disciples and asked “Sirs, what must I do to be saved? They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved –you and your household.” They told him that his entire household would be saved. Why?
Light dispels darkness. When one person in a household receives Jesus, genuinely and honestly, everyone whom he comes in contact with cannot help but see the change in that person. As he reflects Jesus back toward the others, they are drawn to placing their lives into the Lord’s hands also. There are some who profess faith but it doesn’t go any further than their mouths. They affect others in the exact opposite way.
There’s a reason why some cultures excommunicate a new believer. They know his faith cannot help but influence others. Is it a guarantee that the household will become believers? I don’t think so but they certainly have a better chance than if there was no believer amongst them at all. In our home, one member remains separated from the gospel but we are still praying that someday, if not through us, them through someone else, he will relent and accept God’s forgiveness.
Prayer is a major part of influencing our household. Words hardly ever do it. Our actions are the most important but prayer is something that we can do around the clock and prayer changes lives. Are you praying for your family … for your household? The most important thing you can do for them is pray. Take a few minutes right now. Place your loved one on the throne of God, and ask for God to intervene in their lives.
(an excerpt from More Than Bells, Devotions on Prayer)
Barbara Ann Derksen has written five devotionals to date and is working on the sixth. Her books are read all across the US and Canada with a few, so far, sold in Europe.
Coming Soon – More Than Bells, Devotions on Prayer
Mail to a friend
