Thanks to God for His faithfulness

November 6, 2016

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Sunday service, Erlo Stegen, 06 Nov 2016

(Diamond wedding anniversary of two of Rev Stegen’s brothers and their wives)

Acts 16:31, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household”

The 65th anniversary is called the blue sapphire anniversary. A sapphire looks like a diamond but it’s blue. In different countries it’s known by different names, some calling it the iron anniversary.

But we commemorate this day to give thanks unto God for His faithfulness and that He had kept them faithful and protected them all these years. Very few reach such a milestone, having lived 65 years together. That’s no small thing. But God will look after those, and keep those, who have lost their husband or wife. In England, if a person reaches such an anniversary the Queen writes a card for them from Buckingham palace. But even if we don’t receive a card from an earthly monarch we receive it from the King of kings and Lord of lords.

I’m thankful that since the revival started my brothers and their wives supported me. Their homes were like my home. I will be guilty if I do not thank them. It’s wonderful to grow old with people of such a caliber.

Their wedding text was, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household” (Acts 16:31). God tests us sometimes to see if He is greater to us than our children. When time goes by and they’re not saved it can be difficult. Sometimes they’re only saved after our death.

One day we went to visit my brother Heino and it was a hot day. We sat under a tree. A girl was standing at a distance, looking at us. I beckoned to her to come, and we asked her what the matter was for she looked troubled. She asked us if there was a book in the Bible called Isaiah and we affirmed it. She asked that we read Is 59:1-2, “Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear”. She explained that she used to lead others to the Lord daily but for the last few weeks nobody came to the Lord through her. As we read the text, she said that she knew what the matter was. She confessed her sin and went home rejoicing. On her arrival at home there were people waiting for her to meet with the Lord.

Revival is when God works.

There was a man who was a drunkard and lived in other sins as well, that go together with drunkenness, especially immorality. His sister, who was a witch, got converted. She told her brother to go to Dalton to speak to my brother. He didn’t want to go, but eventually he got so sick that he decided that he had to go. He couldn’t keep down any food anymore. My brother agreed to meet him at a certain place. He explained his problems, and my brother explained to him the way of salvation. He started to confess his sins and went deep. After that they set some food in front of him. He ate the food and this time everything was fine. He quickly got better. This was Mr Sibisi.

If you walk with the Lord in truth God will work. If He’s not working then there’s something wrong.