A Call To The World Ministries
  • Home
  • Prayer & The Pen Ministry
  • Blog
  • Decision and Destiny
  • Preaching
  • About Us
  • Doctrinal Statement
  • Daily in the Word
    • DITW Archive

The Faith Of A Friend.

5/4/2015

1 Comment

 
Picture
 
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Hebrews 11:6

 

After a lengthy battle with cancer my good friend Virgil Bland went home to be with the Lord.  I wanted to re-post this blog of an interview I did with him in February 2014.  Please pray for his wife Bonnie and the family.

On December 28, 1985 joy rang out in heaven when at his home Virgil Bland cried out to the Lord to save him. Two years prior to his salvation, Virgil’s brother Dale was gloriously and victoriously saved. After Dale was born again, he had a burden for the unsaved and one of those on his heart was his brother, Virgil.  Virgil noticed a huge change in the life of Dale. Dale wasn’t playing games and he didn’t just get religion or join a church. Virgil witnessed the transforming power of the new birth and a man who was a new creature in Christ.  In the words of Virgil, “Dale got after me like a big ole bloodhound.” There was another who was concerned, Virgil’s godly, prayer warrior mother, who, for over forty years, prayed for Virgil and his brothers. You see there was a third brother and two years after Virgil was saved his brother Mike got saved as well. The prayers of their mother had been answered.

Virgil shared with me that after he was saved there was a man that helped disciple him. This dear man would often quote Psalm 119:165 “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.”  This would be the first verse that bro. Virgil would memorize. "I thank God for that great peace" Virgil told me, "I am ready no matter what the Lord has for me because I know where I am going" and then confidently, Virgil echoed the words of the Apostle Paul, "I know whom I believed." Bro. Virgil's confidence and trust is completely in the Lord and the promises found in His word. Does bro. Virgil have tough days? Yes he does. Would most people know when he has had a tough day, no they would not.

I can't count how many times I have called bro. Virgil and asked him to pray for me. Sometimes it has been when my wife and I have been on the road and on our way to where I was scheduled to preach. Other times it has not been when I was wearing a suit, but when I was soaked with sweat and covered in grass from a hot and hard August day. The idea behind the writing of this blog was by no means to exalt a mere man, but to glorify God and in turn, to encourage you, the reader with the wonderful true life account of Christ working through and in the life of my friend Virgil Bland. Virgil has been and continues to be an example of a man who exalts and extols the living God no matter what the circumstance might be- A man whose faith does not waver, A man who is not moved by circumstance, but who stands in and boldly upon the scriptures. It is always easy to praise the Lord from the mountain top when all is just right. Virgil has set before me the example that our praise should be and can be just as powerful down in the valley. And that for the born again believer there really is no difference between the mountain top and the valley because the Lord is with us in both places.

The faith of my friend was on display over and over again as the cancer was at work in his body, but that did not diminish his love for the Lord and his complete trust in Him.  I am blessed to have been able to call him friend and brother.


1 Comment
Darren
5/4/2015 11:07:30 pm

Bro. Tracy, enjoyed seeing the comments about our friend.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Translate this page into another language using Google Translator.

    Archives

    May 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    December 2022
    October 2022
    August 2022
    January 2022
    November 2021
    June 2021
    December 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    September 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    February 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Copyright 2014 A Call To The World Ministries