• Bro. Zhanxiang Liu •
The Lord Loves to Hear Us Pray
for the Salvation of Souls
A Kindly and Personal Elder
Old brother Liu is a very kindly and personal elder. First time I’ve met him, is on a Saturday afternoon when I was freshman in high school, the day I was baptized, the first day I stepped in the meeting hall of the Church in Hualien. When I saw old brother Liu, he was busy handling some manual services of the church, only until the pre-baptismal interview that I know it’s him. After passing the pre-baptismal interview, old brother Liu baptized us, that was the only one time I’ve met him. Although I’ve only ever meet old brother Liu once, but the words of exhort he gave for us two newly baptized young people in the meeting afterwards, still helps and encourages me even now.
Exhorting Us That We Especially Pray
for the Salvation of Our Family Members
Old brother Liu exhorted us to: read the Bible every day, to attend meetings of the church… To pray, that we must pray for other’s salvation, especially for the salvation of our family members, the Lord loves to hear and grant our prayer for the salvation of souls. No promises for others, but this type of prayer, the Lord will listen, and the Lord will eventually grant us what we prayed for. This word made a great impression in me, and affected me deep and far.
Continuous Prayer for Forty Years,
Father Finally Got Saved
Due to both my parents and all of my younger brothers and sisters haven’t believed into the Lord, I started to pray for them. A couple of years later, my family got saved one by one. But my father keeps on being stubborn, not willing to accept the Lord. At first, I was disheartened and disappointed, felt that I cannot continue to pray, I remembered what old brother Liu said: “The Lord loves to listen to our prayer for the salvation of souls…this prayer, the Lord definitely listens.” This word strengthened my faith for the Lord, after continuous prayer for over forty years, my father finally got saved.
I am extremely grateful of old brother Liu’s service for us on life, his word not only allowed me to be steadfast in prayer for the salvation of many, but also pray unceasingly for those continuously lukewarm, backsliding, dormant saints that doesn’t meet.
Thank the Lord! May the Lord bless old brother Liu’s descendents, let them live forever and ever in the church life, and serve God in His house unto eternity.
Footnote: Due to the Lord’s sovereign arrangement, after over thirty years, old brother Liu’s grandson John Lii and my oldest daughter Yifan Lee, when studying in UC San Diego, met in the church life, and eventually got married. When both the bride and the groom’s parents met for their children’s wedding, for the first time, then find out about this past in the Church in Hualien.
Sister Jia-Li Lee-Yang
April 11, 2016