It's a powerful testimony and I believe you will be blessed by this message from one of God's faithful followers.
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Ordained Appointments
A Falling in Love with Jesus story written by Barbara Ann Laws
Like some Christians, my son and I were Baptist. We were looking for a new church home after having moved, so we prayed to God about finding a church. In answer to that prayer, we found a Bible-teaching church in New Carrolton, Md. We joined AWANAS (Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed), which is a Bible centered program that requires memorizing Bible text. This was one of my first recollections of God’s ordained appointments for my life.
The second ordained appointment in my life was meeting Dr. Warren Harrison who treated me holistically for arthritic pain by changing my diet. He gave me Bible Studies on health from Genesis to Revelation. After getting well, I started going to church with him. For a while, my son and I attended church on Sunday and Saturday. It wasn’t until a colporteur visited my home that I was able to connect the dots on worshipping on the true Sabbath. My son and I because we had attended a Bible teaching church, we understood when we heard the truth. We received God’s truth because we had memorized God’s Word.
When we understood the truth, we started attending church on Sabbath only. A “colporteur” or “colporter” is one who travels about selling and distributing religious tracts and books.
This was another ordained appointment as well because as a result, my son and I were baptized into the Seventh-day Adventist faith. It is through studying and surrendering that I learned how much God loved me. On my baptismal day, I wore white and quoted John 14 in my vows. I was declaring Christ is mine and I am His and my life was not my own. Since that time, I recommit every morning. I know how easy it is to forget who is in charge. Jesus is gentle, kind, meek, and a loving Father. Like the woman who used the entire bottle of Alabaster oil, I love God because He has forgiven me much. God clearly affirms that He does not want me or anyone lost.
Since that time, I’ve had one growing experience after the other. Some are difficult and others are easy. Yet, God is my Shelter and Strength always ready to help in time of trouble (Psalm 46:1). I find that His love for me is far greater than I imagined. One thing for sure, God is always growing us. God is about relationships, Him with me and me with others. I thank God for the people He has put in my life to study His Word and pray together. I thank God for all his humble servants that try to think the way He does. I thank God for teaching me how to pray. Prayer is the most essential part of our Christian walk.
Here’s how I know: After doing a children’s story in church, I recognized the importance of relational prayers, which are a result of seeking God "putting on the full armor of God". After writing the book Are You Fully Dressed: A Christian’s Guide to Wearing God’s Armor, I asked God this question “Lord, what’s next?” That prayer was immediately answered. I received the money for publishing the book the next day. Our relational prayers are prayers that are within God’s will. God constantly communicates with us through the Holy Spirit, the Bible, others, dreams, visions and through Spirit of Prophesy. The testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophesy (Revelation 19:10). “God has been pleased to communicate His truth to the world by human agencies, and He Himself, by His Holy Spirit, qualified men and enabled them to do this work.”—The Great Controversy (pp. 8, 9).
In the epilogue of my book, I list the names of God as I embraced Him through my readings because while reading the Bible we should be searching for God’s name, Who He is to us and who we are to Him and what invitation or warning is He giving specifically to us in this case, me. I love Him because He first loved me, truly like no other.
So I invite you to have a relational prayer with God by putting on the full armor of God.
Salvation is found in Christ alone and we grow in Christ by putting on the full armor. May we all stand having our loins girded with Truth, so that in the end/beginning we may be able to stand on the sea of glass, casting our crowns at the feet of Jesus, singing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb. Be blessed forever!
A Falling in Love with Jesus story written by Barbara Ann Laws
Like some Christians, my son and I were Baptist. We were looking for a new church home after having moved, so we prayed to God about finding a church. In answer to that prayer, we found a Bible-teaching church in New Carrolton, Md. We joined AWANAS (Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed), which is a Bible centered program that requires memorizing Bible text. This was one of my first recollections of God’s ordained appointments for my life.
The second ordained appointment in my life was meeting Dr. Warren Harrison who treated me holistically for arthritic pain by changing my diet. He gave me Bible Studies on health from Genesis to Revelation. After getting well, I started going to church with him. For a while, my son and I attended church on Sunday and Saturday. It wasn’t until a colporteur visited my home that I was able to connect the dots on worshipping on the true Sabbath. My son and I because we had attended a Bible teaching church, we understood when we heard the truth. We received God’s truth because we had memorized God’s Word.
When we understood the truth, we started attending church on Sabbath only. A “colporteur” or “colporter” is one who travels about selling and distributing religious tracts and books.
This was another ordained appointment as well because as a result, my son and I were baptized into the Seventh-day Adventist faith. It is through studying and surrendering that I learned how much God loved me. On my baptismal day, I wore white and quoted John 14 in my vows. I was declaring Christ is mine and I am His and my life was not my own. Since that time, I recommit every morning. I know how easy it is to forget who is in charge. Jesus is gentle, kind, meek, and a loving Father. Like the woman who used the entire bottle of Alabaster oil, I love God because He has forgiven me much. God clearly affirms that He does not want me or anyone lost.
Since that time, I’ve had one growing experience after the other. Some are difficult and others are easy. Yet, God is my Shelter and Strength always ready to help in time of trouble (Psalm 46:1). I find that His love for me is far greater than I imagined. One thing for sure, God is always growing us. God is about relationships, Him with me and me with others. I thank God for the people He has put in my life to study His Word and pray together. I thank God for all his humble servants that try to think the way He does. I thank God for teaching me how to pray. Prayer is the most essential part of our Christian walk.
Here’s how I know: After doing a children’s story in church, I recognized the importance of relational prayers, which are a result of seeking God "putting on the full armor of God". After writing the book Are You Fully Dressed: A Christian’s Guide to Wearing God’s Armor, I asked God this question “Lord, what’s next?” That prayer was immediately answered. I received the money for publishing the book the next day. Our relational prayers are prayers that are within God’s will. God constantly communicates with us through the Holy Spirit, the Bible, others, dreams, visions and through Spirit of Prophesy. The testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophesy (Revelation 19:10). “God has been pleased to communicate His truth to the world by human agencies, and He Himself, by His Holy Spirit, qualified men and enabled them to do this work.”—The Great Controversy (pp. 8, 9).
In the epilogue of my book, I list the names of God as I embraced Him through my readings because while reading the Bible we should be searching for God’s name, Who He is to us and who we are to Him and what invitation or warning is He giving specifically to us in this case, me. I love Him because He first loved me, truly like no other.
So I invite you to have a relational prayer with God by putting on the full armor of God.
Salvation is found in Christ alone and we grow in Christ by putting on the full armor. May we all stand having our loins girded with Truth, so that in the end/beginning we may be able to stand on the sea of glass, casting our crowns at the feet of Jesus, singing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb. Be blessed forever!
~*~
Author bio:
Barbara Ann Laws believes God’s Word and is devoted to a life of prayer. As the author of Are You Fully Dressed: A Christian’s Guide to Wearing God’s Armor, her book explains what it means to walk in the spirit and that unforeseen spiritual warfare is constantly occurring. Her guidebook gives simple but insightful tips for growing as a Christian.
She enjoys explaining what it means to put on the full armor of God.
Barbara is a retired federal employee and a college graduate. She is an avid writer having published several articles during her career in the federal government as well as church-sponsored writing.
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