Monday, April 15, 2019

Do you have anyone else here on earth? Take them and get out!



As we approach the close of the age, I run across many people who are very concerned about their lost loved ones. Will they be taken in the Rapture? What if they get left behind? How will they endure? Worse, what if they die in their sins? As a mother of a prodigal, I agree that it's absolutely terrifying!

Yet God does not give us a Spirit of Fear, right? (2 Tim 1:7) In fact, a quick search of the Bible reveals 170 "Fear nots" and 80 "be not afraids" Fear is the opposite of faith and anything not done in Faith is sin to God. (Hebrews 11:6)  Yikes!  But how can we not fear for our loved ones going to hell? The very thought of it makes me sick to my stomach.

One of my favorite stories in the Old Testament is the story of Lot and Sodom and Gomorrah. There are so many facets to this story that amaze me such as ...

1. That Abraham was allowed to bargain with God to save Sodom if there were a certain number of righteous people in it!  The Lord knew all along exactly how many righteous there were in the city, yet He allowed Abraham to ramble on. (Gives me hope in my prayer life!) They finally settled on 10. Just 10 righteous!

2. Lot was not particularly a Godly man. If you read the stories involving him, he seemed rather selfish, self-centered, and obviously not a good father. What was Lot's saving grace?  He was Abraham's nephew and Abraham loved him. Do you love a family member who isn't displaying Godly character?

You know the story. The Lord sent angels to get Lot and his family out before He rained down sulfur and destroyed the city. A homosexual mob tried to assault the angels. Lot tried to protect them, even offering his daughters to them, but the angels had the final word.  Recently I was reading this story and these words of the angels leapt out at me.  I don't honestly remember seeing them before.

“Have you anyone else here? Son-in-law, your sons, your daughters, and whomever you have in the city—take them out of this place! For we will destroy this place..."  Genesis 19:12-13

Lot then went in search of his son-in-laws. Now, these 2 young men were NOT married to Lot's daughters yet. We know that because the Scripture says Lot's daughters were virgins. They were no doubt engaged to Lot's daughters. Lot found them, but they didn't believe him and didn't want to leave. In fact, Scripture says they thought he was joking.  However, it's obvious from Scripture that if the men had wanted to leave, they could have. This astounds me!  Why? Because these men were obviously not righteous, but if they had agreed to be saved, they would have been. Indeed, they were only asked because of their relation to Lot! 

This gives me great hope for my lost loved ones!  God saves families! God created families! God is the Father of a Family of believers, a bride for His Son!  He understands the bond and love between family members.

And HE is asking you now, “Have you anyone else here? Son-in-law, your sons, your daughters, and whomever you have in the city—take them out of this place!"

How do you do that? By prayer, intense, fervent prayer and fasting. Time is short. Get on your knees everyday and pray for your lost loved ones!  Quote the above Scripture to the Lord and say "Yes, I have others here!" Then name them. Ask for God to open their hearts to Him, to open their eyes. Ask Him to send a Godly believer across their path to witness to them. Ask and never stop asking! God answers prayers, especially prayers of his true children!

I'm also reminded of the stories of Rahab and Noah. Rahab was a prostitute who helped two spies from Israel escape Jericho.  She was a believer in the God of Israel and asked for mercy from the spies when the Israelites attached Jericho. They gave her instructions to gather ALL her family "bring your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household to your own home" and put a scarlet cord out her window. Hence, ALL of Rahab's family was saved.

Noah. The Bible records that ONLY Noah was found righteous. It makes no mention that his wife, sons, and daughters-in-law were righteous. Yet, they all were permitted on the Ark to be saved. 

In Acts 16, Peter told the jailer how to be saved.
“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
Why did he say household? How would Peter know whether the man's household would also believe? 

There are a ton of other Scriptures about families. I encourage you to seek them out. Don't give up! The Lord hears. The Lord loves it when we use His Word in our requests to Him. He cannot help but answer and give us our requests!!! Be encouraged and get to work. Time is short!





10 comments:

  1. Great word, MaryLu, Nearly every believer I know has unsaved or prodigal family members. I love the Verse in 2 Tim. 2:25-26 asking the Lord to grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth! In combination with a willing heart, of course. The spirits of pride and deception are alive and active in our loved ones' lives. Combine that with "self" righteousness and it is a powerful bondage to be sure. But praise God He is stronger! The only thing He will not overpower is one's will. We, therefore, continue in prayer and witness as opportunity provides (unfortunately, my family is not inclined to listen to me, so I pray for God to put others in their lives). Actually, my primary prayer these days is for God to bring the stragglers in, let that last baby be conceived. I know people still have temporal needs, but hard to pray for those when I truly believe we are short-timers! Maranatha!! Judi

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    1. Yes, me too! My concern these days (and my prayers) are primarily for the lost and the sleeping church. We are near the end and nothing else matters! God is stronger than any stronghold or deception! Amen!

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  2. Addendum: so altogether my prayer looks like this: Father please grant them repentance, leading to a knowledge of the truth, that they may wake up, come to their senses and escape the power of the Devil, who holds them captive to do his will, henceforth to obey Yours (2 Tim. 2:25-26). Then bring them The Gospel in a way they can perceive and receive it: “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.” (Acts 26:18)

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    1. I love this! I'm going to copy this down and pray this too! Thank you!

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  3. Thank you for that boost to my faith. I know God is going to do it but sometimes it seems so hopeless.

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    1. I agree... I have a son who appears as far from God as he can get, but God is a God of the impossible! Don't give up hope and faith!

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  4. I would like to think that all 4 of my older kids have been saved, but my two older girls seem so worldly and far from God. My three youngest I want to see saved but only Daniel is open to hearing me read bible and praying with me. I woke up this morning but before I woke up the Lord kept saying read Isaiah 58 and so this morning I read that and kept on reading I was so taken with the Word I was receiving. Proclaiming the Word of the Lord God is so key today, so that others can see the work he is doing in each of us and know that God is real and he is doing miracles and in our everyday lives. As this whole world seems to be going totally mad and in a fast pace, it is even more so needed that we speak up and speak out against the evil of this world and of this time.
    Always enjoy your sharing Sis, Encouraging for me.
    Blessings Unto You
    Linda Marie Finn
    Faithful Acres Books

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    1. Keep praying for your children, Linda! God promises the descendants of the righteous will be delivered! And I couldn't agree more. Proclaiming the Word of God is vitally important and extremely powerful. May the Lord give us boldness to speak for Him!

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