30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
Acts 16:30-31 ESV
It has been over a year since I last posted how I am able to pray in faith for unsaved family members, even though God gave them free will to make their own decisions. I admit my understanding of the Bible on this matter is a little “out there” so please pray, study, and come to your own conclusions.
Now the Bereans were more noble-minded than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if these teachings were true.
Acts 17:11 BSB
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a worker who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.
2 Timothy 2:15 NASB
I heard a sermon where the pastor said this verse is not a specific promise, because God will not override someone’s free will.
Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6 NKJV
I have come to reject that pastor’s understanding. Like I believe that John 3:16 is a promise I can stand on, Proverbs 22:6 is also a promise I can stand on. Here is why. First, Jesus taught that Scripture has different levels of importance.
37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
Matthew 22:37-40 NKJV
There was nothing wrong with Psalms 91 that the devil quoted to Jesus, but Jesus essentially replied that in this situation other Scripture was higher priority.
5 Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written:
‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’
and,
‘In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ”
7 Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ ”
Matthew 4:5-7 NKJV
Next, God clearly states in the Bible His desire for mankind – Salvation!
3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
1 Timothy 2:3-4 NKJV
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
2 Peter 3:9 NKJV
21 “But if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 22 None of the transgressions which he has committed shall be remembered against him; because of the righteousness which he has done, he shall live. 23 Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord God, “and not that he should turn from his ways and live?”
Ezekiel 18:21-23 NKJV
I rank this understanding of God’s desire #3 in Scripture priority. (You make your own decision.)
- Love God with everything you are.
- Love your neighbor as yourself.
- God wants all mankind to be saved and live with Him forever.
God spoke through Moses to Pharaoh in Exodus 9:16, and Paul expounded on it in Romans 9:14-24.
13 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Rise early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh, and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord God of the Hebrews: “Let My people go, that they may serve Me, 14 for at this time I will send all My plagues to your very heart, and on your servants and on your people, that you may know that there is none like Me in all the earth. 15 Now if I had stretched out My hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, then you would have been cut off from the earth. 16 But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth. 17 As yet you exalt yourself against My people in that you will not let them go. 18 Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause very heavy hail to rain down, such as has not been in Egypt since its founding until now. 19 Therefore send now and gather your livestock and all that you have in the field, for the hail shall come down on every man and every animal which is found in the field and is not brought home; and they shall die.” ’ ”
Exodus 9:13-19 NKJV
By my current understanding there could be a verse 16.5 like this:
15 Now if I had stretched out My hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, then you would have been cut off from the earth. 16 But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth. {{16.5 Pharaoh, I had to look far and wide to find someone as hard-hearted, stubborn and unwilling to believe in Me as you are. I delayed your birth 150 years so you would not be a slave, but I could put you as Pharaoh when it was time to bring My people out of Egypt.}} 17 As yet you exalt yourself against My people in that you will not let them go.
Exodus 9:15-17 NKJV {{My commentary; verse 16.5 is not in the Bible!}}
David wrote in Psalms 139:
13 For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.
Psalms 139:13-16 NKJV
God is in charge of who is born into which family. Therefore I can stand on this verse as an absolute promise because God would not have given me children who would not respond to Him.
Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6 NKJV
There is just too much Scripture about families being saved!
30 And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
Acts 16:30-31 NKJV
Though they join forces, the wicked will not go unpunished;
But the posterity of the righteous will be delivered.
Proverbs 11:21 NKJV
“But if it is unpleasing in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD!”
Joshua 24:15 BSB
12 Who is the man that fears the Lord?
Him shall He teach in the way He chooses.
13 He himself shall dwell in prosperity,
And his descendants shall inherit the earth.
14 The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him,
And He will show them His covenant.
Psalms 25:12-14 NKJV
25 I have been young, and now am old;
Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken,
Nor his descendants begging bread.
26 He is ever merciful, and lends;
And his descendants are blessed.
Psalms 37:25-26 NKJV
17 But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting
On those who fear Him,
And His righteousness to children’s children,
18 To such as keep His covenant,
And to those who remember His commandments to do them.
Psalms 103:17-18 NKJV
12 Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem!
Praise your God, O Zion!
13 For He has strengthened the bars of your gates;
He has blessed your children within you.
Psalms 147:12-13 NKJV
The righteous man walks with integrity;
blessed are his children after him.
Proverbs 20:7 BSB
Indeed, this is what the LORD says: “Even the captives of the mighty will be taken away, and the plunder of a tyrant will be retrieved; I will contend with those who contend with you, and I will save your children.”
Isaiah 49:25 BSB
I will give them one heart and one way, so that they will always fear Me for their own good and for the good of their children after them.
Jeremiah 32:39 BSB
38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”
Acts 2:38-39 NKJV
Remember that God’s Word works! It does not return to Him void!
10 “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,
And do not return there,
But water the earth,
And make it bring forth and bud,
That it may give seed to the sower
And bread to the eater,
11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”
Isaiah 55:10-11 NKJV
Jesus is coming very soon. Be ready!
4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.
1 Thessalonians 5:4-6 NKJV
32 “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors! 34 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.”
Matthew 24:32-35 NKJV
34 “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. 35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
Luke 21:34-36 NKJV
Has the rapture happened? You can still be saved and go to heaven! --- Are you following God's plan for your life? You should. Your plan is not going to work. It is a really, really bad plan. Please come to Jesus to escape your plan! Most people are WRONG! WRONG! WRONG! Jesus is coming. Are you ready to meet Him? Give your life to Jesus Christ. Time is running out.
Updated from Pharaoh and Praying in Faith for Family – Repost
Lift Up Your Eyes! 