I’m sure all of you who have accepted Jesus, have family members that are not saved, and I know it bothers you to no end. But Acts 16:31 lifts that worry from you - "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you and your household will be saved." This is one of the most comforting statements in the Bible.
If one member of a family accepts Jesus and is saved, his or her family will also be saved.
What a great peace of mind it is for any saved person, to know, that no matter how screwed up your family members are, they will eventually find their way to Heaven because of your belief in Christ, and through God's grace.
In Acts 16:31 the Roman jailor in Philippi asks Paul and Silas "What must I do to be saved?" They told him "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you and your household will be saved." And in the following verses, 32, 33, 34, we find the Romans family was saved.
Noah was the only righteous man in his generation, and God told him "Come thou and all thy house into the ark, for you alone in this age have I found to be truly just." (Genesis 7:1) Now we know all of Noah’s family was not as righteous as Noah was, as indicated in Genesis chapter 9. But because of Noah, God saved his whole family from dying in the flood.
Lot and his two daughters were members of Abraham’s family. We know Lot's daughters were not God-fearing people as stated in Genesis 19:30-36. But because of God's love for Abraham, they were saved from the destruction of Sodom.
Another example of this in a grand scale is how the whole Jewish race was saved from extinction through the actions of Joseph, because of God's love for Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Have you got members of your family that act like Noah's son, or Lot's daughters, or Joseph’s brothers, and you worry just where they will spend eternity? Then pray Acts 16:31 over them daily. It works! I personally know of several families where one member through prayer, and belief in Acts 16:31 brought their entire household to God's Kingdom.
And if you know for a fact that nobody, including yourself, has accepted Christ in your house, and you would like to be the one to spearhead the drive and get your mother, father, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, etc. a ticket to Heaven, then say the following prayer "Lord Jesus, I ask You to forgive me of all my sins. I know You are the Son of God. Come into my heart and guide me for the rest of my life. I need You Jesus. And Lord I ask that through Your grace that You come into the hearts of my family and save them all, as you promise in Acts 16:31."
Saying and believing this prayer will make you one of God's children. Then pray over the rest of your family daily (calling them by name) to accept Christ. And eventually, one by one you will see a change in them, as God takes them in as His children.
By George Konig
August 29, 2004
www.georgekonig.org
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