Lessons From My Grandfather

Welcome to the intensified Catholic child Stanley Monday, October 3 1010 you can glean important spiritual lessons from godly people today you hear about boy lessons. Dr. Stanley learned his grandfather whatever society is only one generation away from which says that all of us who parents and all of us are grandparents have the also responsibility of sharing with our children and our grandchildren. The truth is that you and I have learned that if change their lives and express to them how God's work in our life because all we have to do is to keep to herself for one generation in this nation becomes a pagan society. That's how simple it is and how tragic and how easily it can happen.

And so one of my primary reasons for wanting to share this this evening is I just want to impress upon your heart have very important is that you and share what God does in our life.

He says in the hundred and seven Psalm. I believe David said, let the redeemed of the Lord say so that is telling.

And so when I think about that. Also think about the 71st Psalm, listen to what David said this was his prayer to God and he said Psalm 71 verse 17 says, oh God, thou has taught me from my youth and I still declare thy wondrous deeds and even when I'm old and gray. Oh God, do not forsake me, until I declare thy strength to this generation the power to all who come in what he was simply saying is this, he says give me the privilege of sharing with my generation and the generation that's following the I want to share with them how you have done what how you have exercised your strength in my life.

How you have exercised your power, how you demonstrated your presence in your power in my life.

Let me say these particular four principles are in the Bible are all very very simple but the way it came about in my own life I just want to share when I graduated from high school I was 17 years of age so I was on my way to college and I decided that I wanted to go see my granddad who at that time I had only seen two times in my life when I was nine years of age and with the same and he preached the weekend I heard him preach for a week and then when I was 12 years of age. I went back and and again and hurting a preacher week he preached revival in church there and sell is in North Carolina. He was a Pentecostal oldest preacher but anyway it made a real impression.

My heart and when I went to see him this particular time all I wanted to do is listen to them. I had some questions and so we talked about what he believed in thought about what I believe in whatever differences there may have been part was very much at all. I just want to hear my granddad tell me how you got it, worked in his life, and I did not know at the time. What I was going to hear.

I just knew that it was something unusual about him and so I disable I disliked asking some questions so in the process of that whole week of sitting on a screened in back porch. He began to share with me what he believed about some things and then in the process of doing that he would give me illustration of illustration of how God worked in his life and so I thought will Lord now.

I will be sure I get this right because if you work in my granddad's life this way what you do in my life. I'm 17 years of age. So the first thing I remember he told me he said Charles obey God. He says if God tells you to run your hand through brick wall. You hit the wall when you get that. Gotta make a hole for what my grandfather was saying is obey God and leave all the consequences to him and so then he told me he didn't say that principle number one. He was just talking about what was going on his life had got it work, which is what he told me said when the Lord begin to work in his life he'd been saved about two years. They started thinking they Lord is calling the preaching and he did not.

He'd had no schooling whatsoever because back in those days that he was born in 1876.

So in those days that have schools everywhere as they just had schools in certain districts in the school only lasted three months of the year so I had to go to school three months but there was no school in his district so he could not go, and he was 18 years of age before school ever came to his district and he was so tall and all. At that time.

At 18 he was ashamed to go sitting go to school so his big struggle was how am I going to preach when I can hardly read and he said he couldn't write the capital letters of the alphabet and so he had a big time struggle. He prayed, he cried, he would tell anybody he struggle and struggle so you know how my going to read description how my going to memorize it. Am I going to preach what I know that preaching whose goal let me preach where my going to preach know what is going listen to me they'll think he's an egg middleman and so he went through all of this until finally he was willing to surrender his life to the Lord and what he said the business. He said you know he said. I learned this, that if I would obey God than gotta be responsible for whatever happened to me and so my way of saying that is we obey God. God assumes full responsibility for the consequences. And so what happened is my granddad started and he had a difficult time reading the script to first base as is.

He tried to read the Scriptures and pray he's not pray on my knees and open Bob the gotta teach me how to read the word, and so the principal he said to me was this. If you obey God. Gotta take care of all the consequences of what happened. He began to preach God begin to open doors of opportunity and he started lots of churches in Virginia, North Carolina and I thought about this till tonight. Also, that the church I was saved in my grandfather established in Denver, Virginia. Little did he know back in the early 30s before I was ever born that I be saved in the very church that he established and then principle number one if someone asked me what is the bottom line principal in my own life. I would say obey God leave all the consequences to him because God assumes full responsibility for the consequences of our obedience.

I believe that is the absolute bottom line of our Christian walk. Obey God leave all the consequences to him. He assumes full responsibility for principle number one principle number two, my grandfather, and not only struggle over this whole issue of whether the preach not is what happened to tell the story said he was so distraught he rebelling against God because he was afraid he didn't know how will he ever get started. Who would listen to Vince in 19. He was some on his way home and he was so distraught just crying and weeping and crying out to God showing what in the world to do. He said he knelt down and out of his desperation, he said God if you really calling me to preach you going to show me how to do this I gotta have some kind of evidence on this can ask you. Let me see a star fall. Now my granddad another thing a meeting on the start and make a difference. God knew what he was asking for say looked up that that time when I'm just shocked to this guy will he said. Then he really got worried because he still felt the same thing that he was still struggling and so he said he was scared. He said God just out of desperation. God please one more time.

Would you let me see one more just please one more option you listen this. Thank God what's going on my granddad's. I looked up there was another one is that I get about Mondays when they can tell my wife gotta call me preach never said a word about it to Lynn. He said I never doubted from that moment on what that say to make is what it said to me when you really want to do the will of God. Gotta move heaven and earth to show you his will, whatever takes you that what does he say trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding.

In all thy ways acknowledge him and he will direct our path. Well, I heard that story. It was four years later and I was a senior University Richmond and God was really working on me and them. I came in on a Monday night and the knelt on the pray little bit before I start studying. I had a private room is because I was B-17 G to hold his real small room and got on the praying just like God just walked out of my life I thought was going on so I tried to pray nothing now knew all about praying through and how to get through.

When times are hard and yet somehow I just I just couldn't get nowhere so funny goodbye Saturday and I'm out was really as depressed as you can possibly get in the knew I had done very well in my testing know what was happening and so I went down there. The next section of the dome and every which it was my hometown that he was down in Austin.

David Letts goes up to Westhampton Village and get something to eat. He said okay so he and I woke up I got is Hamburg and we started back. He said why don't we cut across is a shortcut back behind this Episcopal Church is so he said let's just go back this way is that okay so we were walking along and across the Episcopal Church back lawn there and David stopped. He looked up he said in this beautiful night allowing very excited about the night but I looked up at that time I looked up. It's like I love the blackness of the sky to bright lights just fail just like that he said you say that I sit here my vintage so he went back to his room. I went back to Martin right outside of my room was a sink in the mirror away brush her teeth and eyes natural looking in the mirror.

So I got said to me would you ask me for in Austin. I remember thinking that's what I've seen that happen before and it's like God said to the time know and secondly but had you have asked me before. No, I went back in my room got on my knees before God and settled once and for all what I was going to the rest of my life no matter what I did say to me.

Gotta move heaven and earth to show you his will and he knows you really want to know his will. So when somebody says to me I been trying to find God's will, but I can't.

You know what yes you can.

If you willing to tell him that you will do whatever he wants you to do, no matter what it is, no matter what it costs no matter where it send you willing to do God's will, no matter what.

Somehow, someway, God will assume responsibility for showing you his will and when I think about that I think about the 32nd Psalm out when he says it so very clearly.

He says I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go. I will counsel you with my appointment but he gives a little warning. He says I don't be like the horse of the view which have no understanding whose trappings include bit and bridle the whole and in check. Otherwise there might come near you. That is can be stubborn and rebellious have it our way. God, what is your will and I can tell you that that experience in my life impressed me to the point that I realized that moment on God. Whatever you need to show me in life you show me no matter what it takes. I believe you will do exactly what you promise to do so.

Principle number one obey God and leave all the consequences to him because if you don't leave the consequences to him. His will happen.

You may obey him, and then you may get right in the way and frustrate what God is trying to do in your life at the leave the consequences to them.

If I don't leave the consequences to I'm going to be fearful a try to take a detour at the leave all the consequences him God, whatever you choose to do I'm going obey you and you you take care the consequences. And secondly, God will move heaven and earth to show you his will for your life if you really and truly want to do it not want to consider this if you like the idea but if you committed to doing the will of God, and it is the thing you have to remember, God doesn't want waiting to make a decision for doing his will. When we found out what his will is our relationship to him should be such, we are committed to doing his will, even before we know what is with God, whatever you will, is choose to be obedient to you no matter what third principle. The third principle is this and that is that God will supply all our needs. If we will trust and obey him.

I think both of those words are important. God will supply all of our needs.

If the trust and obey him. Now my grandfather told me the story. After the Lord, the preach he needed tenant and he did have a tent so here is go to work Lord and get a 10 with a tent cost $400. This check and that they be sure I did figure out $400 in the 20s was an enormous amount of money my granddad.

He got a job. This was his job.

He was cutting ties to make railroad ties and they paid in 20 since the time that we, cut trees down and trimming them down. 20 since each.

He worked for weeks and weeks and weeks and weeks. He finally had $40 and so he knew that it take a long, long time to get $400 and so he is going back on that same old road get on the road list on his knees at night crying out to God is a logical been preaching at a habitat while he was praying he said he just in a brief moment just saw this house in a nearby town and he said it was only: it had trees and rosebushes of the yard and had a fence around he said God told him he go there, he would have what he needed so he said with great hesitation, he went and he walked out on the streets until he finally found this particular house and sure enough and rosebushes trees. The fence is only: then he had to get up enough courage to go knock on the door when what you say to somebody, God sent me here now so finally he knocked on the door they came to the door and she said well Mr. Stanley, I've been wanting to see you by demand and sat down and talked for a while and then she said I have something I need to give you so she goes back and brings them out a paper sack and told him that God told her to give him well when he left.

I don't how long it took Hathor.

He went voice out that a curiosity candidate. I think I would have $401 bills would that say to him, God will supply all your needs.

If you will trust in and obey. Well, over and over and over again.

I watch the Lord supply my needs. What my granddad said proved to be absolute true that if you and I will trust in he will supply every single need. We had but I want to say again, it isn't just trusting him it's trusting him and obeying him.

And so what my grandfather said his use trust him. Leave all the consequences to heal, do whatever necessary to show you his will for your life and he's going to provide everything you need.

You don't have to worry about that.

You just trusting forth principle, my grandfather shared with me that is, God assumes responsibility for our protection when we walk in obedience to him. So my grandfather told me lots of stories about how he had opposition so forth of what happened, but he told me this particular one that I remember one Sunday morning he was preaching in his church and there were two fellows who came in over to his right little bit Edison around that church and they will sit back there about two thirds way and both him or draw, and so he told him needed to be quiet to get out and so they stayed a few moments and that they left and so after the service is over and people shaking hands, though he can become as deacons. It is the color. Mr. Stanley Mr. Stanley those two drunks out there and both of them got a kitchen which night listening to Kitty we call the police. He said now don't you call the police we can accomplish. He said no. I want you to call please. I just want you to leave when I go leave you yet you go leave me well so he they left so he said got aunt Elder reminded God that he: the preach provided God that he was in his care and reminded God the at responsible. Take care. So he says he walked to the head of steps to get old Thompson chain reference problem would appear next to his heart. While Gander steps walk right between those two drunks all the benefits are nine easy to smell their breath they didn't budge. They were frozen. Now everything I've said could be wrapped up into words. Can somebody tell me what they are. Trust and obey. It is that simple. Trusting and obeying if I really trusting ongoing obeying my obedience to him is an expression of my faith in if the bottom line is obedience and he will show me his will provide form and protecting what else do I need those four principles absolutely summarize everything. My grandfather said to me in that week but those four principles were enough because he says he will supply all of our needs according to his riches in glory.

That is, with its needs and ministry, but his physical needs, but this material needs, God will supply everything but the key and everything on those principles you got trust and obey what the reasoning there is no other way to be happy in Jesus, the trust and obey.

Thank you for listening to lessons from a grand Manning.

If you like to know more about Charles Stanley more in touch ministries that Marianne taxed at a lighting podcast is a presentation of intense ministries advantage I can