Todays blog comes from an excellent article form Challenge Weekely a weekly christian newspaper avaiable online http://www.challengeweekly.co.nz/ and through christian bookshops
Fasting, prayers turn son’s life around by John McNeil
The power of fasting and prayer to change things was vividly illustrated by a father and son who addressed a national children’s leaders’ conference in Christchurch this month.The conference was organised by the Link national network of children’s ministries and Grace Vineyard church.
Andrew Shepherd, children’s pastor at Crossway Baptist Church in Melbourne, said that although his son, Luke, had been brought up in a Christian home, he had gone away from God, and become immersed in the death metal music culture. Luke’s life was causing torment in the family, to the point where he had to ask him to leave unless he brought his life into line within the family home.
In the middle of last year, Mr Shepherd was challenged about fasting after reading a book by Jensen Franklin. “At that time, Luke, aged 18, was as backslidden as you could be. It was causing incredible grief in the family. So we decided on a fast for 40 days. But I was so desperate for a breakthrough in my son’s life that I decided to go for 45 days,” he said.Luke – who attended the conference with his father – said he had decided when he hit high school he was going to live for himself. “I got into death metal music, which is satanic.
It was more than music to me – it became my life. My life turned into hatred of anything to do with the Church, everything I had grown up believing. I loved mocking my parents and the things of God.” Luke said that one Friday night last September, he went as usual to a friend’s place to party. While there, he started having visions, and an encounter with God. “God began to soften my heart, and speak to me about everything I was doing.” At 2am he called his father to come to pick him up. From that time, he had a total turnaround and his life has been changed.
“The next day in everything I did I began living for God. I burned all my music, all my clothes, all that had to do with my old life. I ran into a church to rededicate my life. I am now doing an internship at Planetshakers Church in Melbourne.” Mr Shepherd told the conference that leading up to that night nothing appeared to have changed. A week before it was as bad as it had ever been. The day after the encounter, everything had undergone a radical change. People did not recognise him.
“If last March you had told me that I would be bringing my son to this conference, two months into a remarkable internship, spending two hours a day reading his Bible, I wouldn’t have believed it.”
He reminded the leaders of a saying by John Wesley, that God is limited by only two things: unbelief and a lack of prayer.
Andrew Shepherd, children’s pastor at Crossway Baptist Church in Melbourne, said that although his son, Luke, had been brought up in a Christian home, he had gone away from God, and become immersed in the death metal music culture. Luke’s life was causing torment in the family, to the point where he had to ask him to leave unless he brought his life into line within the family home.
In the middle of last year, Mr Shepherd was challenged about fasting after reading a book by Jensen Franklin. “At that time, Luke, aged 18, was as backslidden as you could be. It was causing incredible grief in the family. So we decided on a fast for 40 days. But I was so desperate for a breakthrough in my son’s life that I decided to go for 45 days,” he said.Luke – who attended the conference with his father – said he had decided when he hit high school he was going to live for himself. “I got into death metal music, which is satanic.
It was more than music to me – it became my life. My life turned into hatred of anything to do with the Church, everything I had grown up believing. I loved mocking my parents and the things of God.” Luke said that one Friday night last September, he went as usual to a friend’s place to party. While there, he started having visions, and an encounter with God. “God began to soften my heart, and speak to me about everything I was doing.” At 2am he called his father to come to pick him up. From that time, he had a total turnaround and his life has been changed.
“The next day in everything I did I began living for God. I burned all my music, all my clothes, all that had to do with my old life. I ran into a church to rededicate my life. I am now doing an internship at Planetshakers Church in Melbourne.” Mr Shepherd told the conference that leading up to that night nothing appeared to have changed. A week before it was as bad as it had ever been. The day after the encounter, everything had undergone a radical change. People did not recognise him.
“If last March you had told me that I would be bringing my son to this conference, two months into a remarkable internship, spending two hours a day reading his Bible, I wouldn’t have believed it.”
He reminded the leaders of a saying by John Wesley, that God is limited by only two things: unbelief and a lack of prayer.
“At the start of this year, as I looked at my children’s ministry of about 700 on a Sunday and 1200 that we reach over the week, God gave me a vision to have about 3000-plus by 2010. “It’s going to take an incredible explosion of growth. I tried all the strategies, and they’re starting to kick in, but there needs to be some incredible shift for this to happen.”
As he considered this, he went on another 40-day fast, and read four books on prayer. He noticed a common thread in the life of every person who shifted the world – they all had a lifestyle of extraordinary prayer. “I felt God challenge me to pray a couple of hours a day for a year. He was calling for a radical shift in lifestyle around him.“Our prayer life is the only thing that will change things. God is looking for people who will take on the dare of being extraordinary.”
Wow great story, I am so challenged
What could God do through my life if I applied the principles in this real life story?
What could he do in your life ? "
Prayer is not overcoming Gods reluctance but laying hold of his highest willingness"
As he considered this, he went on another 40-day fast, and read four books on prayer. He noticed a common thread in the life of every person who shifted the world – they all had a lifestyle of extraordinary prayer. “I felt God challenge me to pray a couple of hours a day for a year. He was calling for a radical shift in lifestyle around him.“Our prayer life is the only thing that will change things. God is looking for people who will take on the dare of being extraordinary.”
Wow great story, I am so challenged
What could God do through my life if I applied the principles in this real life story?
What could he do in your life ? "
Prayer is not overcoming Gods reluctance but laying hold of his highest willingness"
1 comment:
Hi Jeremy,
Thanks for posting this. I attend Crossway with Ps Andrew Shepherd, and I just wanted to confirm the sense you get from this article that he and his wife are indeed powerhouses for God. They are prayer warriors and amazing leaders in our church.
Our children's ministry is an amazing group of people doing amazing things for God... not because they're superheros or anything, but because they know how to pray and put Him first.
Thanks again.
-Alister
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