FAMILY SALVATIONS—DAD
Dad was counting on his religion to get him into heaven. He observed the changes in my siblings, mom and me, and even attended some family prayer meetings that I held in their home but he never displayed any emotion about our conversions. One of my sisters had her first child. The new grandson was in Houston, Texas, and my parents were in Amarillo, Texas, more than 700 miles away. Mom and dad got on a bus and went to Houston to see their newest grandchild. It also happened that the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International was having its convention in Houston. I flew to Houston, met my nephew and invited my parents to the banquet meeting. I knew my mom would come but I never expected that dad would attend.
Rex Humbard was the main speaker. In the mid 1970’s he was one of the first TV evangelists to be well known. I was sitting at the head table and could see all the activity of our seated guests. When Rex Humbard gave the altar call for all who wanted to make a public profession of faith in Jesus Christ, my dad was the first to come forward. I was thrilled that dad, who was a very private person, made a very public declaration of his reliance on Christ as his Savior.
I had been praying for my dad to be saved for many years. As it turned out, when the rest of the family was at church on Sundays, dad was secretly watching Rex Humbard. He had made a promise to himself that if he and Rex Humbard were ever in the same place, he would accept Jesus as his Savior. Glory to Jesus’ precious name!
Think of all the things that had to happen for me to see my dad come forward to receive Christ—my sister’s baby was born, my parents decide to take a 700 mile trip by bus to see him, the FGBMFI have a banquet with Rex Humbard as speaker and I invite my parents never expecting my dad to attend—all of this for a Holy Spirit appointment for a reserved man who found a way to accept Christ publicly.
If you are praying for that hard-headed loved one, do not give up. Go pray some more! God has a divine appointment where He will move heaven and earth to get that person to the right place at the appointed time. I still rejoice today for the miracle of dad’s salvation.
Terry H Peters, DC
10/29/2007
www.godsarmytx.com