Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain who build it; except the Lord build the city, the watchman waketh but in vain." Psalm 127:1.
Our lives do not come with built in Christian faith and Christian character. Nor does Christian character come from being born by Christian parents and being reared in a Christian home. Christian character is developed when we love our Lord and his way of purity and holiness more than the ways of sin. Faith is based on the credibility of the testimony and evidence of God's love, holiness, justice and forgiveness as revealed in his word. A trusting faith must be developed by placing our lives in God's hand to be molded, used and protected from all the evil influences about us. I was fortunate to have been born and reared in a Christian home. We knew the rules and we knew they would be enforced, if necessary, by a switch from a peach tree growing in the fence row of our big yard. Mother was the chief disciplinarian, for Dad was usually in the fields at work, but she used the threat of telling Dad when he came is if we (4 boys and 2 girls) failed to respond to her orders.
I have often wondered what kind of man I might have become with out the love and discipline of loving parents, and learning to love and share with my brothers and sisters. I am truly grateful for having had a loving wife for 68 years, and for the three children we loved and enjoyed so much, and I still do, as well as several grandchildren, great grandchildren, and even great great grandchildren. She answered the summons to "Come Home" at 86.
I am so grateful unto God that he counts me worthy to preach the gospel for over 56 years with fruitful ministries in several churches. I have also blessed memories of conducting many revivals. Forty years ago it was customary to conduct two-week revivals. My first one I preached my heart out until Thursday of the second week without a response, but by Sunday I had four to baptize and two transfers of membership. I am looking forward to sitting at my Savior's feet and listen to him in person, and telling him how much I loved him and enjoyed serving him.