{"id":4328,"date":"2019-11-06T07:13:22","date_gmt":"2019-11-06T12:13:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.theprodigalpig.com\/?p=4328"},"modified":"2019-10-29T10:41:01","modified_gmt":"2019-10-29T14:41:01","slug":"what-is-first","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.theprodigalpig.com\/?p=4328","title":{"rendered":"What is First"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Me:\u00a0 It is another nice day to be outside!<\/p>\n

Prodigal:\u00a0 So I figured we could share while we are walking.<\/p>\n

Me:\u00a0 I already have something picked out!<\/p>\n

This is from the book My Heart’s Cry by Anne Graham Lotz<\/p>\n

Dr. Alan Redpath was an outstanding Bible teacher and preacher from Great Britain.\u00a0 For years he pastored the great Moody Bible Church in downtown Chicago.\u00a0 At the height of his ministry, the church was exploding while many national opportunities were opening for him to speak and write.\u00a0 One day Dr. Redpath was in his study when he suddenly fell to the floor, unable to speak or move.\u00a0 When his daughter discovered him, he was rushed to the hospital, where it was determined that he had had a massive stroke.\u00a0 For three months he was totally incapacitated with no mobility at all.\u00a0 He could not lift his head nor open his mouth nor move his feet nor raise his hand.<\/p>\n

Yet, interestingly, his mind was clear and active.\u00a0 Without ceasing, he bombarded the gates of heaven with his prayers for victory over the stroke, believing it had been sent by the devil to halt his ministry.\u00a0 Day after day he asked God why he was allowed to remain in what was almost an outward vegetative state.\u00a0 He became more and more defeated and depressed.<\/p>\n

One day, lying propped up in bed, he looked over and saw his Bible lying on the table beside him.\u00a0 It was open, and his eye fell on Psalm 39:10\u00a0 “Remove thy stroke away from me:\u00a0 I am consumed by the blow of thine hand.”\u00a0 With shocking realization, he knew his stroke had been sent to him by God!\u00a0 At the same moment, he knew the reason for it–that he had allowed busyness of his work for God to take precedence over his worship of God.\u00a0 He had concentrated all of his time and attention and effort on bearing what he thought was fruit, and he had ignored his personal relationship with Christ!\u00a0 As a result, while his life was extremely busy and active, it wasn’t fruitful from God’s perspective and therefore not acceptable to Him.\u00a0 Immediately, Dr. Redpath repented of his sin.\u00a0 Almost in the same instant, he found he could move and speak!\u00a0 His health was restored!<\/p>\n

The doctor declared it was a miracle, and it was!\u00a0 The doctor also told Dr. Redpath he would have to greatly reduce his schedule and that he would never preach again.\u00a0 Dr. Redpath just smiled.\u00a0 When I heard him tell this story thirteen years after his stroke, he was preaching as he told it!\u00a0 But he never again allowed his personal relationship with Christ to take a secondary position in his life.<\/p>\n

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.<\/p>\n

Romans 5:12<\/p>\n

Jennifer Van Allen<\/p>\n

www.theprodigalpig.com<\/p>\n

www.faithincounseling.org<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Me:\u00a0 It is another nice day to be outside! Prodigal:\u00a0 So I figured we could share while we are walking. Me:\u00a0 I already have something picked out! 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