“These things command and teach. Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them; for in doing this THOU SHALT BOTH SAVE THYSELF AND THEM THAT HEAR THEE (capitals mine).”
1 Timothy 4:11-16
Those of us with children, friends and/or family are clearly instructed by the Bible to teach them what God has said and to live as examples of His Word. Personally, we can only do this with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. But I was moved to write this article when I recently read the above Scripture. I believe the Lord miraculously also put into my hands at almost the exact same time a letter I wrote to my children on October 9, 2001 when they were 21, 19 and 17 years of age. The article below was originally written by Rev. E.C. Chron, a retired minister/missionary from Carrollton, TX. It was written on September 14, 2001, just days after the 9/11 attacks. I sincerely hope and pray you get as much out of what Pastor Chron wrote as I did.
“There is one thing out there about what happened last Thursday/Friday that came in under the radar and escaped most Christians.
For the first time in history, one man (Billy Graham) spoke the gospel to the entire world at the same time. He gave the sermon at the National Memorial Service and it was broadcast on every major television station in the U.S. and by satellite to the entire world. Every country in the world received this broadcast…and because it was a very important Geo/Political event, every country’s leader watched and heard it translated into his/her language.
Many preachers have their messages broadcast in other countries and carried around the world, but this is the first time in history that the entire world listened to the Gospel preached at one time. The world and all its leaders turned in and heard the gospel. Never before has one individual preached to the leaders of the world and their country at one time!!
“And the gospel must first be published among all nations.”
Mark 13:10
“And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”
Matthew 24:14
“But I say, Have they not heard? Yes, verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.”
Romans 10:18
My read on this is that through Billy Graham today, Biblical prophecy was fulfilled. As I listened to him today, I was in a store that had the entire service broadcast throughout every speaker in the store’s audio system. It was on virtually every TV and radio station and people across America held hands and wept before God. It is my personal belief that the Holy Spirit came upon Billy Graham just as it did upon John the Baptist announcing the Kingdom of God is at hand. I also believe that this is the most significant prophecy to be fulfilled since Israel became a nation in 1948.
Agree or not, it was staggering to hear this today. Jesus tells us often to watch and “take heed”, keep on the alert, for you do not know when the appointed time is. Mark 13:33
Just thought you might want to watch and keep alert! I was sure you would find this interesting. Hope you are having a great day in the Lord.”
When I re-read this it reminded me today of the technology available today which fulfill so many of the prophecies made in the Bible over 2,000 years ago. While this sermon broadcast by Billy Graham occurred shortly after 911, it was the fulfillment of one of the many prophecies to happen in the Last Days. Of course, the End has not yet happened but if John the Baptist many years ago can say “The Kingdom of God is at hand” then I believe Pastor Chron was correct in pointing out yet another fulfilled prophecy. With that knowledge and knowing the 144,000 Jewish evangelists and two Witnesses will evangelize the entire world during the first half of the Tribulation ( Where did the 144,000 come from and what are they doing here?), it is incumbent upon each of us to teach our children what the Bible says is coming. Do not rely on your church to do this because most churches today do not teach End Time prophecies. It is up to you!
Perhaps the following note I wrote my children when I forwarded Pastor Chron’s message to them may help”
I hope each one of you are ready. Today everything that was prophesied to happen before the Rapture is to come HAS happened. I would hate to think that the Rapture would come and anyone of my family would be left behind. I know each one of you have accepted Christ as your Savior at sometime in your life. I know the Baptists believe “once saved always saved” and Pentecostals believe in certain circumstances where you can actually lose your salvation. What sin could actually happen to cause you to turn away from Christ? Thankfully, the Bible answers that question! I believe you should always be ready and to love God at all times! As He tells us in 1 John 2:3-6:
“And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.”
Many thanks to my wife Diane for not throwing out this email years ago. It reminded me just how important it is for each and every one of us to teach our children what the Bible says. Not just the many signs He gave us to know we are living in the Last Days but HOW we must live and believe. It is comforting to know the Bible is so clear on what we must Believe in order to be saved. This week, while comforting others, please tell your children to accept Christ today as their Savior. You can do this, not to scare them, but to make them aware of what is coming. This will fulfill one of the requests Jesus gave each of us and that is to “…therefore comfort one another with these words.”
May God Bless you AND your children!
Recent Comments