ONCE! ISRAEL AVILA, SR
A FUGITIVE FROM GOD
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BORN IN SAN ANTONIO TEXAS IN 1916
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BORN AGAIN IN SAN ANTONIO TEXAS IN 1951
NOW! EVANG. ISRAEL AVILA SR A SERVANT OF THE LORD
Three things you can be sure of... There are those who say we can't be sure of anything these days, others say only two things we know for sure, death and taxes. I would like for you to consider three things you can be sure of.
First, you can be sure of the Scriptures. Psalms 19:7 The law of the loard is perfect. David says Psalms 93:5 Thy testimonies are very sure.
Second, Numbers 32:23, you can be sure of your sin will you find you out. Galatians 6:7 Your body, be not deceived; God is not mocked: For whatsoever a man so weth, that shall he also reap.
third, You can be sure of salvation. II Peter 1:10 Thank god you can make your election sure.
I was 58 years old in 1974, Ive had life for 23 years, existed 35 ans served the devil faithfully for 23 years, day and night with overtime. I was born July 7th, 1916 on a farm 31 miles south of San Antonio, Texas. I spent most of my life in San Antonio from the age of four. I was the last childe of a family of six. The baby boy born before me died at five. My mother died after my birth, I was adopted by my mothers sister. All of my family were devouted Catholics. My foster mother and father were God- fearing Methodists. My mother was always a good Christian and a hard working famers wife taught me that there was a god to serve. I can say that they never drank hardliquor nor went to dances, ect. They taught me a different way than I followed when I got older I, like most people today, believed in God, but acted like the devil. I didn't know the saving power of Jeasus Christ, and that we must be born again. I'd chosen the life of excitement. I grew up in the middle of a tuff neighborhood.
1929, I was 13 years old and I started my hoodlum career. I exercised hookey from school three out of five days weekly. I started to smoke just to me smart. I thought I could quit at any time I wanted to , but this is where the divel lied to me. There are not any that can stop drinking, danceing, smoking, fighting, and stealing. At age 15 I organized a gang of several boys to join me in a well planned shoplifting tour in the large department stores in San Antonio. As i reached my teens, I got to the place where I would not trust myself. Liquor ruled me, i would sneak out from home on saurday nights with the boys and hijack someone in the dark in order to provide money to purchase beer and bootleg whiskey. On sundays we would play baseball, drink and fight all of the day and part of the night. I worked my up the area of real excitement. I became a taxi friver in the district of prostituation. Soon 3.2% beer became available in public taverns and liquor was legally sold, so i took on the sport of gambling I spent many all night dice games in the basement of a large beer tavern...May I pause to thank my God for a praying mother. Never case praying for your childre. For in this gambling spree one night there before my eyes was, four of my buddies were shot. Everyone of us was involved and conducted pimp operations and serves as a go between for the prostitution ring. I barely escaped with my life, I crawled over the bodies of my buddies in the dark and made a narrow escape with my life, I jumped through a second story window.
"1937" 21 years old... sick in body, ulcers tormented with serious disease, and very sick in my soul, depression at the highest scale. So, i turned to drinkling wine. Wine is a substance that will deaden your brain when taken in a good amount. I was going from bad to worse. On my way to town i could not pass up a beer joint or other hell holes, that's what they are. Let me pause, dear reader, to tell you i tried to quit drinking, using tobacco and several other wicked habbits, but i couldn't do it. I was a slave to everything the devil would present to me. I ran away from home several times for I hated my parents way of life and discpline, my mother wouls plead before God to spare me and save me. One incident i will never forget, this night i came out of a gambling saloon after spending all day and most of the night shooting dice and sipping beer and seven men attacked me. I was kicked in the face and several knifes went straight into my stomach, slashing from every directio while I lay on my back at their mercy. May I say, this i know, no one came to rescue but God. When i hobbled home, I dressed the cuts on my body I discoverd that my jacket was slased to shreds.
At 24 years of age I met a girl that became my wife and mother of my five children. She was a Godfewaring Baptist. She teamed with my mother in pleading with God on behalf of my soul. She waited on God faithfully from 1040 throught the year 1951.
The devil had full charghe of my life. Some drinking sprees would carry me away from the city. I would disappear from there three to five days, spend all of my mone and would return and act like a violent maniac toward my wife and he realtives. In the meantime, our children were wondering what kind of monster they had for a daddy. My wife would beg me to quit drinking so heavy, I like most drunkards would promise her I would quit, but but those promises were always broken.
I became a special police officer in the night club that I patronizes the most. Then a city bus driver in San Antoino, Texas. One night a man pulled a knife and tried to hijack me. While i got the drop on him, I pistol whipped him to near death, and i was forced to leave town to keep from being killed. I moved to the surburbs of Chicago, obtained a job in a steel plant and later my wife and my children joined me. And here is when the turn in my life began. My sins started to catch up ith me... the nights without sleep that my mother and wife spent while the worried over me as they would hear ambulance or police sirens roar through the streets. They would call on God to spare my life for I was lost and without god.
On spet 20th, 1946 at 5:30 a.m while on the night shift assingment in this steel mill operating a nail manufacturing machine, handling steel rods 1/2" thick, my right leg got intangled. With terrfic speed it pulled me into the machine which makes 1,500 nails a minute, in the matter of seconds my leg was almost severed. In my last effort to save my leg i was able to reach the emergency cord that turned off the power in all 30 machines. I layed on the floor in agony, screaming for help. Finally one man raised the nerve to cut my leg loose from the two inch loop that was around the largest part of my leg. Doctors declared my leg was seriously injured... tendons,veins, muscels were cut through and the bone was crushed and the marrow was damaged. After two weeks in intense medical care, three doctors approached my wife with some documents to be signed to give her consent to amputate my leg immedaitely, as thgis was the only solution to sva emy life, since gangrene was developing in my leg. Sister Avila refused time and time again to give her consent to remove my leg. May I pause here and now to give my thanks to my Lord, for it was her determination to hold on to God for a creative miracle on me behalf. That night she fell on her knees with our four children before the Lord and claimed this miracle to sva emy leg. And the miracle working God heard her plea and he came on the scene. Glory to his name. My wife visited me daily and in the intensive care ward. There were times we would smile to each other and speak,other days pains were so severe on my leg and the fever very high that it made it very difficult to visit and speak. But, Jeasus bless his holy name turned the tide. One morning as she nurse changed my dressing she was suprised to see the evidence of new flesh and no infection. The doctors were amazed to see a miracle peformed befor their eyes. Hallelujah, the loical medical staff up to this day can still remember when they saw me walk out of the hosptial on my two legs. But god didn't stop, at a later timed i returned to San Antoino and obtained a sivel service position in the Us Air Force3. At this time the Lord blessed with our fifth child. My wife and mother and trhe Christian people kept praying for the salvation of my soul. One day, led by the Lord a full gospel lady minsister invited my wife to a tent revivial and on April 1951 during this tent revial sister Avila recived the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Then she really went to work on me. Under conviction I was really running from Gopd, at a highest level of rebllious action. Wrapped up in the dailey tavern tours, sick in the body, passing out spells, ulcers, migrane headaches and I may pause to say to you wives, "Never give up" and you to dear mothers, " Never give up on praying for the salvation for your loved ones." One night as I arrived from from my daily visit to the tavren, a group or prayer warriours joioned my lwife. as they surrounden my car they beged me to go along with my five children to the tent revival. i told myself, no harm in going along for good manners. I concealed my gun underneath the car seat and placed a pack of cigarettes in my hip pocket. Little did i know that was my night. The love of God convinced me and converted me on May 7, 1951. I can say something got ahold of me.I had a head on collision with the master, the hand of god broke my rebellious will, and he gave me the greatest miracle he gives to man or women. As a Pator Taylor sang and played his accordian, at the same time with his heart burdened for souls he pleaded for sinners to come and recieve Jeasus. For the first time in my mature age tears came flowing from my eyes. Well, glory to my Jesus, I remember like it happend last night. Suddnely without me thinkingmy feet and legs carried me swiftly from the rear of the tent all the way to the alter bench. The Lord met me there, the more I cried for mercy the lighter I felt. I felt his arms around me. At 11:30 p.m a few prayer workers along with the Pastor and my wife rejoyced with me as they saw a new man walk over to be baptized. Just a few days later i recived the baptisim of the Holy Ghost.
God didn't stop there,11 years latr after several years of seaking and studying his word I surrendered to the ministering of his word. Gos spoke to me ...I have called the world of sin to be soulful winner burdened for souls in the missionary field. June, 1962; led by the hand of God i resigned my civil service post at Kelly Air Force Base in San Antoinio where i punched a clock for 17 years and accepted the position in the the army of the Lord of Jesus. And that day to this Jesus has been so good. As we go full time Sister avila and i, in the Republic of Mexico and in the Usa declair ing the same message the healed me in body and soul,and set me free.
We've seen the glory of God aswe stand amazed at the power of God to save and heal. We've have been tested in the deep waters, but God never fails. We sold our home, pulled up our stakes and burned the bridges and followed Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. Truly as we feed his sheep and bring the glad tidings, as we work in this work of faith and labor of love he has caused many to pray and stand with their grace giving, for the Lord has promised to supply our needs.
Dear reader, may I ask you if you are a child of God? Are you faithfull to the Masterin whatever he has spoken ? Some to go, others to stand with those that can go. And may I say to you sinner friend, JESUS LOVES YOU. Bow your head with me now, Thank God you can make your calling an election sure...Amen. I beg you to consider the tugging of the spirit of God as you read this testimony. I will agree with you for the Lord Jesus to reach down and forgive your sins. Wont you accept him now. His grace is sufficient to forgive and heal you. I ought to know, for I am the product of his miracle working grace. Act on his word, John 3:14 Jesus said as Moses lifted up the serpant in the wilderness, even so must the son of man be lifted up...Amen. Sinner friend, wont you write me, let us share with you your burdens. We will go before the throne of God on your behalf. Child of God let us hear from you. Send your requests of prayeras we gather once weekly in the tabernacle where we labor in the missionary field in Mexico, till the answer comes. God is moving in this hour on behalf of his people.
AMEN
