Focal Point

Focal Point
Focal Point is more than a blog. It's purpose is to help us stay focused on Christ through Gods Word as we navigate through life and today's culture.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Who are you influencing today

Today my heart is full and full of praise for the Lord. Yesterday my daughterNlaw wrote on her blog about our granddaughter who is part of their church’s kids praise and worship team. Marty wrote about how she was so thrilled that Peyton loved Jesus and wanted to be part of something that gave worship to the Lord. Then a couple of weeks ago I read on Scotty’s facebook page about his desire to raise his children for the Lord. He stated how important it was not to be so concerned about their financial future, but their spiritual future. Then there is my daughter Kari who is just now beginning her parental experience in raising Addison and I know her and TJ will have the same spiritual desires for their children. Well, on this week approaching Fathers Day, my buttons are popping with pride for my three children and the impact they are making on their families and children. And while I know very well that the spiritual influences in my grandchildren’s life comes from many areas (which include both parents, both sets of grandparents, and their church) I still take spiritual pride in the direction my children are giving them as fathers and as a mother.

Now, as I was thinking about all this, my wife handed me a prayer letter from our missionary Dan Freeman. In his news letter he brought a very interesting fact about the influences in his life and that got me thinking about the influences of my life, my children and now my grandchildren.

In Dan Freemans newsletter he writes this:

“Many years ago, there was an unknown pastor that lead a young man to Christ. The young man’s name was Kimball and he became a Sunday school teacher. His walk with the Lord took him to a shoe store one day and he witnessed to a shoe salesman named Dwight L Moody and lead him to Christ. Moody became an evangelist that was used by God to influence a young man named Frederick Meyer. Meyer began preaching on college campuses and lead Wilbur Chapman to Christ. Chapman in turn influenced another young man Mordecai Hamm who became a great evangelist in his own right. Hamm would later lead Billy Graham to the Lord along with a young man named GB Vick who would be influenced by Hamm to go into the ministry. Vick became the Pastor of Temple Baptist Church in Detroit and later was the first president of Baptist Bible College in Springfield, Missouri (where I attended, along with Scotty for 2 years and Kari graduated from there). While in Detroit, Vick led a young man named Richard Freeman (Dan’s father) to the Lord and Freeman later became pastor of Ryan Road Baptist Church. “

And this is where I insert my story. Because years later Freeman would influence a young man who would get saved during his ministry, and surrender to full time ministry. That young man was me. I was saved and surrendered to the ministry under Richard Freeman.

So, I now have 3 children and 5 grandchildren that are being influenced for the cause of Christ from many directions and other family members. But it’s interesting to know as well that part of their lives have been directly affected by a spiritual family tree that goes back to a shoe salesman.  I doubt he had any idea of the impact he would make for Jesus Christ way back then.

You never know who you will impact for Jesus Christ…..so..what kind of influence and impact are you and I making today?

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