Thursday, June 06, 2013

2021

THEY WILL NOT BELIEVE- EVEN IF SOMEOME CAME BACK FROM THE DEAD



As I get ready for my final departure- what I would like to do is tell a couple of the ‘best of the best’ type stories on my way out.

Many years ago- in the early 80’s- I was going to a Fundamental Baptist church- I was the youth leader and filled in for the preacher at times.

Good church- great people.

But- this style of Christianity looks down upon what the bible refers to as the Charisms- or the gifts of the Spirit.

Now- as a teacher for many years- one who tries to ground himself in the historic church.

The main teaching- by most of the churches- is the gifts do indeed still operate today.

But- you have lots of ‘silliness’ in some of the expressions of them- and of course- you have out and out charlatans too.


So- during this time- I was a young believer- just got kicked out of the Navy [maybe will tell that one next?] and was painting houses for a contractor [right before I got hired at the Fire Dept.].

One day we were painting this dentists house- Charles Clements- and I’ll never forget.

I was downstairs in a room- and I thought I heard a bloodcurdling scream!

I went to the spot where I thought the scream came from- and sure enough- the mother of the kids had pulled her young boy out form the bottom of the pool- he drowned to death.

My job foremen- Randy Maltby- started doing CPR- well- he actually just tried to do mouth to mouth- and water was coming out of the boy.


Now- I worked 25 years at the Fire Dept.- I have seen lots of dead folk- this kid was dead.


But- at this time- I did not have the experience and simply asked the mom ‘do you want me to pray’?

She was hysterical- and screamed YES!!


I will never forget the prayer- I was very calm- and simply started praying for God to raise the boy from the dead- for God to put the boy’s spirit back in him.


As I prayed- I heard the boy cough- and in a short time he was awake.


Now- the ambulance came and took him to the ER.


About a week later the news paper came to interview me and the other carpenters- they did a front page story about the boy.


It read ‘CHILD SAYS HE SAW THE LORD’.


The boy was around 3-5 years old- but he made- what the doctors called- a miraculous recovery.


He recounted the story to them.

He said when he as at the bottom of the pool- Jesus came to him and told him he was going to bring him back to life.


The paper [Kingsville Record- early 80’s- maybe you can find it on line?] ran a full story on it- they did say ‘Chiarello was in the room- praying’.

As you can imagine- this was somewhat of a shock for the Baptist Church I was going to.

And the story was the talk of the town.


To be honest- I didn’t see what all the fuss was about- I thought everyone believed God could do stuff like this.

But as the years went by- I realized lots of people- some more Charismatic types- they talk a lot about this stuff- but in actuality- it rarely happens.



In Luke chapter 16 Jesus tells the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus.


The rich man had it made- all the stuff you ever could want- a ‘more than enough’ mentality for sure!

The poor man was begging every day at the gate- the dogs came and licked his sores.


One day the rich man dies- goes to hell.

Lazarus dies- goes to heaven.

The rich man sees Lazarus with Abraham- and asks father Abraham to send Lazarus with some water- the rich man is hot!

Abraham says he cant- there is this gulf- and you can’t pass over.

The rich man says ‘well- at least let Lazarus go back to my brothers who are still alive- maybe he can warn them’.

Jesus says ‘they have Moses and the Prophets [their writings] let them get warned by that’.

The rich man says ‘no- but if one comes back from the dead- they will listen’.

Jesus says ‘if they won’t be convinced by the Old Testament writings- then neither will they believe if one rose from the dead’.



The boy in the above story is Andrew Clements- his dad is a famous dentist here in South Texas- he runs an ad every week in the paper.

Charles Clements.


Some might think ‘gee John- how do we know your not making this stuff up’.


Look- I take no money- have nothing to sell- and to be honest- at this point- have no reputation to defend.

Why the heck would I make this stuff up?

Yeah- some of you will believe- but some wont- even if one Rose from the Dead.








Note- Do me a favor, those who read/like the posts- re-post them on other sites as well as the site you read them on. Thanks- John. Don’t forget to scroll down on the timeline [FaceBook] - I have posted lots.



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