I
read your letter,
"Thoughts on the
blessed hope", that
was on Five Doves.
It was a
very great letter, and
well put together.
Why I am
writing this to you,
is that the letter
made me think me of a
Bill that met 27 years
ago.
In the
chance that he, and
you, are one and the
same, I wanted to
write this letter
back.
So, I
write this, believing
that you are him:
I
owe very much to you.
Even
though we may have had
much arguing, by
letters, about
different things,
there were good things
that stand out.
First, is
the matter of faith in
the word of God.
Before
you, I had never met
any one who believed
every jot and tittle,
with the passion and
faith that you do.
You,
without fear,
professed your faith
in the book, no matter
the mocking by both
believers and
unbelievers.
One time
you asked me what the
scriptures say about
the moving of the sun.
It was
like a blast, where
the LORD brought
scriptures to my
remembrance, and
suddenly there was
strong faith.
Romans
10:17 So then
faith cometh
by hearing, and
hearing by the
word of God.
I was
suddenly able to
believe the
scriptures, which
before I secretly
denied, because of
science falsely so
called.
Some would
say that this was not
a doctrine of
salvation, yet it was
a moment of change for
me.
I caught a
short look at what it
must be like to truly
believe the
scriptures.
I knew
that you believed the
whole book like that,
and I wanted to go
forward like that, and
to not go backward.
Another
thing was that you
taught me from the
book, that the LORD
has had his word
forever.
Psalm
119:89 For
ever, O LORD,
thy word is
settled in
heaven.
Isaiah
46:9 Remember
the former
things of old:
for I am
God, and there
is none
else; I am
God, and there
is none
like me,
10
Declaring the
end from the
beginning, and
from ancient
times the
things
that are not yet
done, saying, My
counsel shall
stand, and I
will do all my
pleasure:
The 66
books of the word of
God were not "new"
thoughts that the LORD
had in time.
Rather, he
is eternal, and his
word is eternal with
him, every word of
God.
Another
is how you confirmed
to me that the
perfect, pure,
preserved word of God,
is what men call the
(Cambridge King
James).
That is
all I have had since I
met you, and there
others who I have
since convinced of the
same.
Finally,
and of greatest value
to me, is your fruit.
Because of
your faith, you
suffered alone,
missing the blessings
of the years of the
growth of your
children.
There are
things that I heard
from others, who know
some people, who
either know you or
your spouse.
Then there
are things that you
told me, the last time
we spoke.
The LORD
blessed you greatly in
turning things around,
to where you could
have time with your
children's children.
I very
often think about
this, and am ashamed
of myself.
I could
have a greater
spiritual affect upon
my daughter's
daughter, if I was
more like you.
Alas, I
have no where near the
fruit that you had,
for the time that the
LORD blessed you with.
I desire
to have fruit like
that, and I am ashamed
at the time that I
have wasted.
I have
spent too much time
before my daughter's
daughter, walking in
the flesh, or speaking
of the world.
I value
your fruit greatly,
for how I have heard
that you walked
uprightly before your
daughter's daughter.
And that
you spent time
speaking and singing
the word of God with
her, and that she was
remembering scripture.
Bill,
you have proved to me
some things, of which
I know, that if I
desire to be a man of
God, I must walk
therein.
Thank
you so much for being
such a great example
and a blessing to me,
Gino