Post 259




Amity on her salvation day!

September 5, 2013:
Amanda, the kids, and I were going to Meijer. As we pulled into the parking lot, Amity started asking some questions. She asked, "Does Jesus live in my heart? Will I die?"
I thought, Wow, these are some pretty deep questions for a three-year-old!
I decided to stay in the van with the kids and talk with her while Amanda went into the store.
Amity asked, "Will I go to heaven?" I had to tell her, "Sinners go to hell."

I asked her, "Are you a sinner?"
Amity: "No." 
Me: "Sin is bad things, like lying. Have you ever lied?" 
Amity: "Yes."  
Me: "That's sin."

I told her disobeying is a sin and asked her if she had ever disobeyed. 

Amity: "Yes." 
Me: "That's sin. Are you a sinner?" 
Amtiy: "No."

We kept talking and after a while she blurted out, "Do you want me to go to hell?" 
I said "NO!"

After some more discussion, I asked again if she is a sinner. She said, "YES" and broke down crying.

I told her about how Jesus had died to clean away our sin (I John 1:7b) and asked her if she would like Him to clean away her sin. She said yes. I asked if she would like to pray and ask Him to. She said, "Can you do it?" I said "No, you have to." I then understood that she was wanting me to help her pray. So I started her out in a repeat-after-me prayer. I said, "Dear Father". She prayed, "Dear Father." I said, "I know I am a sinner." She broke down crying again. It was like she didn't want God to know she was a sinner. She cried quite a while. Eventually, while still crying, she yelled out, "JESUS, WILL YOU SAVE ME FROM MY SIN!" Then I started crying because it sure sounded to me like it was from her heart, a true salvation according to Romans 10. 

When we finally stopped crying, she started asking more questions. "Is Shiloh saved? Is Asa saved? Are you saved? Is Mommy saved?" I told her I'm saved and mommy's saved, but I don't know about Shiloh and Asa. So she prayed, "Dear Father, thank you for Shiloh and Asa to be saved, 'cuz I really love them. Amen."

We went into the store to join Amanda and tell her the news!

Half an hour later, while still in the store, Amity asked me, "Am I saved?" I said I don't know, because I can't tell her heart for sure. She said "I'll ask God." Right away she bowed her head. Then looked up and told me, "He said 'yes' because He loves me so much."


I believe it is the happiest thing that a father could ever go through with his child. It still brings me to tears to remember that night. Amity got saved!

For about a month I was cautious to share Amity's experience with others, because I worried that it may not have been from the heart, seeing as how she was only three; and if I told others, I would be supporting it as genuine. But then I thought about how Jesus  said, "Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not." I remembered how Jesus spoke highly about the faith of a child, and I saw that age is never given as a qualification for salvation. So, based on Romans 10:13, "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved," I truly believe Amity was saved that night!

Now, of her own initiative, Amity regularly tells people she is saved, and continues to pray and be concerned for others to be saved.


Neighborhood Bonfire!






Yummy lemons


At the zoo!









"Come in the river, you've lived long enough. Dip, lay your life down. A new life's begun."
I painted this in 2006. It lasted until 2013. Farewell, old friend!




Singing at the Curnell's church


Fanny Shetler holding Justus


Amity with her little friend, Jana Rose



He Hath Done All Things Well 

10-20-13


Mark 7:32  And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him. 

33  And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue; 

34  And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. 

35  And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain. 

36  And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it; 

37  And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak. 

 

I would like to point out the phrase, "He hath done all things well." Whatever Jesus does, He does it well. He does a good job. He doesn't leave a mess.  He does it completely and thoroughly well.

 

Now let's look at some other stories of what Jesus did...


Mark 8:22 And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. 

 23 And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. 

 24 And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. 

 25 After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly. 

 

 

Jesus never healed someone halfway:


John 7:23 … I have made a man every whit whole… 

 

Mark 9:25 25  When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. 

 

Unlike Jeremiah 8:11 where they were healed slightly, Jesus never heals halfway. 

 

 

Jesus never healed someone temporarily:


Luke 7:47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. 

48 And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. 

49 And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? 

50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace. 

 

 

Jesus never forgives only part of our sins. He never saves halfway. He always saves completely. He always saves permanently and eternally.


John 13:10 …He that is washed need not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit.

 

Mark 2:5, 11 The sick of the palsy is forgiven of his sins, and healed. 

 

Application:

Have you placed your faith in Jesus to save you from all your sins, completely and eternally? You can have that peace!

Then... 

Will you do all things well?




Papa Biddinger got his garage all set up to hang out in. Here we are playing ping pong.







The Fall Challange...

Amanda woke up one night with this idea. We could have a Bible study challange for our church.  I thought it was a great idea from the Lord, so we did it. It was three months long: September, October, and November. We had Bible Quizzing, Bible Character Reports, Service Projects, Bible Memory, and Bible Drills. I was astounded by the enthusiastic participation of all ages. They all worked so hard. Many put in hours each week studying God's word. It helped the young people especially to grow a lot.

I was most blessed to see Amanda in action, using the gifts God has given her to serve Him and His people.


A Fall Challenge meeting





Church Game Day, hosted by Jeriah and Aurora...







Digging for buried bean-bags


Walking across tree stumps




Bobbing for apples


Searching for darts in a bag of leaves






We had a blessing time for Asa when he was about six months old. All the family gathered around and blessed him.




They fell asleep.






Ice skating


Sridevi and Milan


Amity at Noelle Campau's Princess Birthday party!




A little something my brother Levi made.


First snow!










Grand Opening of the first Peet's Coffee and Tea in Michigan! We got up early to be there for their opening promotion.
(You'll notice Levi is sitting right by Charity. Looks like something's going on between those two.)


Grandpa Biddinger with Grandpa Biddinger. Two men I'm proud of.




With my niece, Aviella.






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Brother Bear
1312 New Life
Rochester, MI 48309
BrotherBear@BrotherBear.org
(248)656-7000
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