Monday, January 26, 2009

Faith Story - Tony Schofield

Three months ago my brother, Tony, was doing a simple painting job on the side of his home. Because he could not reach high enough, he got a ladder and climbed higher. He had nearly finished the task, when he discovered that he needed to reach out a little further. When he did, the latter moved and he fell fifteen feet to the pavement below. In so doing he crushed his left ankle. His wife rushed him to Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville. His ankle had to be completely rebuilt.

There was some question of whether or not he would be able to walk without crutches. He called friends and asked for prayer. Today, I received a report from him as an answered prayer:

"After 3 months in a bed and wheelchair the doctor released me on Tuesday to put full weight on my left leg and start walking again. When we came back from the doctor I actually held on to the rail and walked up the front steps (beats the heck out of crabbing on my butt up and down). I am walking with crutches now for about 30 minutes a day. I can take a few steps without them, but I look like a drunk sailor in a hurricane. Anyway, the doctor says I should be able to walk a mile without assistance in 6 weeks. God is good. I am scheduled to get back to work on March 1st and can't wait. The only good thing is winter has passed me by. Thanks to all who have kept me and my familiy in your prayers."

A few weeks ago our son, Stephen and I went to Nashville to The Congress on Evangelism. We spent two nights in the home of my brother, Tony. We had some good times sharing with each other. We prayed together. It is good for brothers to pray with each other. In The Congress on Evangelism we heard Dr. Billy Abraham share how God had opened a new door in his life by getting to know a friend, who has become a prayer partner with Billy. The friend shared with us how he became a Christian by being influenced by the writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who wrote, "The Cost of Discipleship" while he was in a prison camp before he was put to death by the Nazis. The friend of Billy Abraham shared how he learned from the writings of Bonhoeffer the power of "The Jesus Prayer." Once he started praying "the Jesus prayer" throughout the day, his doubt began to be replaced by saving faith.

Let me challenge you to pray the Jesus prayer the first thing you do in the morning and the last thing you do before you go to sleep; "Jesus, the Son of God, have mercy on me." The Gospels reveal the power of one sentence prayers. Jesus assured the thief dying next to Him on a cross that "This day you will be with me in paradise," after the dying man had prayed, "Lord, remember me when you come to your Kingdom." Jesus told the story of how a man, considered to be unclean by the religious leaders, found a way into the Kingdom of God by sitting in the back of the worship service and praying, "God be merciful to me, a sinner."

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