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God Works in Mysterious Ways
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"I shall pass
this way but once, therefore, any good that I can do or any kindness that I can
show, let me do it now, for I shall not pass this way again."
PLANTING SEEDS
OF FAITH
INSPIRATIONAL READINGS
The Mysterious Ways, Works and Blessings of God
The following story is true. It happened in Ft. Payne, Ala., in Feb. of 1999. It's one of those things that you hear about, But when you hear about it happening to someone near by, it makes it even more real and can bring you to your knees praising God.
There is a couple whose
little boy, 6, has a tumor in his brain that is very rare and without
treatment will kill him. They have been told that there is only one doctor in
the world
that has experienced success with this particular type tumor. The problem is,
this doctor is
in Asia. The family, their friends, and their church all prayed for God's
compassion as this
little boy has grown sicker and sicker. The family cannot afford to take the boy
to Asia
for the necessary surgery. As a matter of fact, they couldn't afford the surgery
if they had
access to the doctor. Consequently, most of the prayers have simply asked God to
prevent
the child from suffering as the tumor kills him. The boy's dad is a salesman at
a local Ford
dealership. Last week, a very well dressed man stopped at this Ford
Dealership. The dad
talked to him. The customer said that he didn't need a car. He obviously
could afford it,
but he explained that he didn't need a vehicle. He added, that he wasn't
sure why he had
even stopped. Upon hearing this, the dad suggested that they go into his office
and talk and
look over some brochures. As they exchanged introductions, the dad discovered
that the man
had the same last name of the Asian doctor who could operate on his son's tumor.
Upon
hearing the name, the dad fell to his knees and wept. He began praying
that the man might be
a relative, a brother, or at least know the doctor.
He was thinking that if he were a family
member or knew the doctor, maybe he could intervene and make some arrangements
to get
help for his son.
Noticing what
was happening, the other staff members of the Ford dealership began gathering
around the dad and the stranger. The customer was more than a little surprised
by this
reaction to his name. It was only when the dad related the story about
his son's tumor that
it all began to fall into place.
For, you see,
the customer was not a family member of the doctor, or even someone who knew the
doctor. He was the doctor. He explained that he is moving from Asia to begin
practicing medicine in the United States. In fact, he is going to practice
medicine in the University of Alabama Hospital in Birmingham, Al., which is just
two hours from Ft. Payne. He promised that as soon as he completes his move from
Asia to the US, that he would perform the surgery on the little boy, free of
charge. Now, you might ask, why would a very successful and wealthy doctor from
Asia, who is in the process of moving his practice to Birmingham, Ala. stop at a
Ford dealership in Ft. Payne, Al.?
Who knows?
God works in mysterious ways.
God's Mysterious Works
On a Saturday night
several
weeks ago, this pastor was working late, and decided to call his wife
before he left for home. It was about 10:00 PM, but his wife didn't
answer the phone.
The pastor let the phone ring many times. He thought it was odd that
she
didn't answer, but decided to wrap up a few things and try again in a
few
minutes. When he tried again she answered right away. He asked her
why
she hadn't answered before, and she said that it hadn't rung at their
house. They brushed it off as a fluke and went on their merry ways.
The following Monday, the pastor received a call at the church office,
which was the phone that he'd used that Saturday night. The man that
he
spoke with wanted to know why he'd called on Saturday night.
The pastor couldn't figure out what the man was talking about. Then the
man said, "It rang and rang, but I didn't answer." The pastor remembered
the mishap and apologized for disturbing him, explaining that he'd
intended to call his wife.
The man said, "That's, OK. Let me tell you my story.
You see, I was planning to commit suicide on Saturday night, but before
I
did, I prayed, 'God if you're there, and you don't want me to do this,
give me a sign now.' At that point my phone started to ring. I looked
at
the caller ID, and it said, 'Almighty God'. I was afraid to answer!"
The reason why it showed on the man's caller ID that the call came from
"Almighty God" is because the church that the pastor attends is called
Almighty God Tabernacle!!
Another True Story of God's Infinite Wisdom,
Teaching & Mercy
The Lord was just
about to take my Father, whom lived in Pennsylvania. Only 3 out of 6
of his children could afford air fair to fly out of Texas to see him at last
minute, myself
not being one of them. As my other siblings made their reservations and started
to pack,
I remember feeling shut out and empty, I wanted to see him one last time. My
mom was
remarried but still arranged to fly out before anyone and be by his side. They
were married
over 20 years and always loved one another despite life's differences. As the 3
siblings
arrived to Pennsylvania, I received a call that my Mother had a brain aneurism
and had less
than a few hours to live. What a shock, now I have both of my parents leaving
the earth and
no way to see them before they go. The man my Mother had remarried bought four
round trip
tickets to Pennsylvania for himself and the 3 of us that couldn't afford tickets
so we could
be with my Mother. We arrived at the hospital, my Mom was having surgery that
lasted a few
hours and I was able to visit with my Father the whole time, we laughed, cried
and said our
goodbyes. The Doctor came out and said my Mother would be fine, like a miracle
she had no
effects of this usually fatal brain surgery. We took her home and a few days
later my
Father passed away. It was difficult for that to have happened to my Mother,
but if it hadn't,
I would have never gotten to spend that quality time with my Father. That's why
I always say,
"God does everything for a reason".
Sincerely,
Jen from Texas
Prayer Heals
a reader's story
Hi; My name is mac.
Back in 2001 my wife and i sold our house in yakima washington, and
moved down to palm bay florida. My step-daughter kathy moved down there a few
years earlier, and married her boss. So my wife, cathy now was offered an office
job were she could work right with her daughter. I was also offered a job
delivering exotic plants. My first day on the job was hard, because of it being
may 30th, and very humid that time of the year. It was a long day, and after
supper my wife and i retired to the living room and tv. I went into the bathroom
to brush my teeth , and get ready for bed, when suddenly i started having severe
heart palpatations. I got scared, and told my wife, "something is happening to
my heart" i,ve never had anything happen to me before like this. cathy drove my
down to the palm bay hospital emergency room, my heart was still beating
irregular, all over my chest. After about two or three day,s of examining,
testing, probing i was diagnosed with having an "atrial fibulation". During the
exam, testing, and probing the doctors also found that i had two partialy
clogged arteries in my chest. my doctor warned me not to just go home, but he
said as long as i was in the hospital , he suggested i undergo an angioplasty.
The doctor assured me that through all the testing i did have two partialy
clooged arteries. I agreed to go through with the procedure, but i was scared.
after the doctor left, and i was alone in my hospital room, i had a little talk
with jesus. I said "jesus, i,m afraid to go into that operating room alone, i
want you to go with me, i,m not going i there unless you go with me. I felt
better that i had that little talk with jesus.
My appointment for the angioplasty room was for 1:30 the next day. The next
morning i was ready to face the angioplasty procedure. At 10:45 the nurse came
in and told me that another patient had cancelled there appointment, and i was
to take his place which was at 11:30. the nurses rolled me into the angioplasty
room, helped me onto the operating table, preped me, and started the procedure,
it was over in about ten minutes. I looked up at the doctor while i was still
lying on the operating table, and asked him, "how did it look in there doctor"?
He said "You,ve got arterys that look like you,ve just been born with". It took
me a couple of seconds to relize what he just said. I started crying, and tears
were running down my face into my ears."Jesus healed me" He not only came into
the room with me, but he healed me too. There was now talk in the hospital about
a miracle that happened in the angioplasty room. Usually after an angioplasty
procedure they wheel you into "icu for four to six hours with a weight on the
incision, because of the large vien. They wheeled me right back to my room, and
my nurse, a jamican, well we just had church in my room, singing, and praising
god for my miracle. My wife called while we were praising god, but i couldn,t
talk, because i was crying so. But my nurse told my wife that
jesus just healed me.
God bless.
Another Inspirational Story
Bobby was getting cold sitting out in his back yard in the snow. Bobby didn't wear boots; he didn't like them and anyway he didn't own any. The thin sneakers he wore had a few holes in them and they did a poor job of keeping out the cold.
Bobby had been in his backyard for about an hour already. And, try as he might, he could not come up with an idea for his mother's Christmas gift. He shook his head as he thought, "This is useless, even if I do come up with an idea, I don't have any money to spend."
Ever since his father had passed away three years ago, the family of five had struggled. It wasn't because his mother didn't care, or try, there just never seemed to be enough. She worked nights at the hospital, but the small wage that she was earning could only be stretched so far.
What the family lacked in money and material things, they more than made up for in love and family unity. Bobby had two older and one younger sister, who ran the household in their mother's absence.
All three of his sisters had already made beautiful gifts for their mother. Somehow it just wasn't fair. Here it was Christmas Eve already, and he had nothing.
Wiping a tear from his eye, Bobby kicked the snow and started to walk down to the street where the shops and stores were. It wasn't easy being six without a father, especially when he needed a man to talk to. Bobby walked from shop to shop, looking into each decorated window. Everything seemed so beautiful and so out of reach. It was starting to get dark and Bobby reluctantly turned to walk home when suddenly his eyes caught the glimmer of the setting sun's rays reflecting off of something along the curb. He reached down and discovered a shiny dime. Never before has anyone felt so wealthy as Bobby felt at that moment.
As he held his new found treasure, a warmth spread throughout his entire body and he walked into the first store he saw. His excitement quickly turned cold when salesperson after salesperson told him that he could not buy anything with only a dime.
He saw a flower shop and went inside to wait in line. When the shop owner asked if he could help him, Bobby presented the dime and asked if he could buy one flower for his mother's Christmas gift. The shop owner looked at Bobby and his ten cent offering. Then he put his hand on Bobby's shoulder and said to him, "You just wait here and I'll see what I can do for you."
As Bobby waited, he looked at the beautiful flowers and even though he was a boy, he could see why mothers and girls liked flowers.
The sound of the door closing as the last customer left, jolted Bobby back to reality. All alone in the shop, Bobby began to feel alone and afraid.
Suddenly the shop owner came out and moved to the counter. There, before Bobby's eyes, lay twelve long stem, red roses, with leaves of green and tiny white flowers all tied together with a big silver bow. Bobby's heart sank as the owner picked them up and placed them gently into a long white box.
"That will be ten cents young man," the shop owner said reaching out his hand for the dime. Slowly, Bobby moved his hand to give the man his dime. Could this be true? No one else would give him a thing for his dime! Sensing the boy's reluctance, the shop owner added, "I just happened to have 20 some roses on sale for ten cents a dozen. Would you like them?"
This time Bobby did not hesitate, and when the man placed the long box into his hands, he knew it was true. Walking out the door that the owner was holding for Bobby, he heard the shop keeper say, "Merry Christmas, son."
As he returned inside, the shop keepers wife walked out. "Who were you talking to back there and where are the roses you were fixing?"
Staring out the window, and blinking the tears from his own eyes, he replied, "A strange thing happened to me this morning. While I was setting up things to open the shop, I thought I heard a voice telling me to set aside a dozen of my best roses for a special gift. I wasn't sure at the time whether I had lost my mind or what, but I set them aside anyway. Then just a few minutes ago, a little boy came into the shop and wanted to buy a flower for his mother with one small dime.
When I looked at him, I saw myself, many years ago. I too was a poor boy with nothing to buy my mother a Christmas gift. A bearded man, whom I never knew, stopped me on the street and told me that he wanted to give me ten dollars.
When I saw that little boy tonight, I knew who that voice was, and I put together a dozen of my very best roses."
The shop owner and his wife hugged each other tightly, and as they stepped out into the bitter cold air, they somehow didn't feel cold at all.
Author unknown
Man on the Street
Author unknown
It was an
unusually cold day for the month of May. Spring had arrived and everything was
alive with color, but a cold front from the North had brought a rough winter's
chill back to Indiana. I sat, with two friends, in the picture window of a
quaint restaurant just off the corner of the towns-square. The food and the
company were both especially good that day. As we talked, my attention was drawn
outside, across the street. There, walking into town, was a man who appeared to
be carrying all his worldly goods on his back. He was carrying, a well-worn sign
that read,
"I will work for food."
My heart sank. I brought him to the attention of my friends and noticed that
others around us had stopped eating to focus on him. Heads moved in a mixture of
sadness and disbelief. We continued our meal, but his image lingered in my mind.
We finished
our meal and went our separate ways. I had errands to do and quickly set out to
accomplish them. I glanced toward the town square, looking somewhat
half-heartedly for the strange visitor. I was fearful, knowing that seeing him
again would call for some response. I drove through town and saw nothing of him,
then made some purchases at a store and got back in my car. Deep within me, the
Spirit of God kept speaking to me: Don't go back to the office until you've at
least driven once more around the square." And so, with some hesitancy, I headed
back into town. As I turned the square's third corner. I saw him. He was
standing on the steps of the storefront church, going through his sack. I
stopped and looked, feeling both compelled to speak to him, yet wanting to drive
on. The empty parking space on the corner seemed to be a sign from God: an
invitation to park. I pulled in, got out and approached the town's newest
visitor.
"Looking for the pastor?" I asked.
"Not really," he replied, "just resting."
"Have you eaten today?"
"Oh, I ate some-thing early this morning."
"Would you like to have lunch with me?"
"Do you have some work I could do for you?"
"No work," I replied. "I commute here to work from the city, but I would like
to take you to lunch."
"Sure," he replied with a smile.
As he began to gather his things, I asked some surface questions.
"Where you headed?"
"St. Louis."
"Where you from?"
"Oh, all over; mostly Florida."
"How long you been walking?"
"Fourteen years," came the reply.
I knew I had met someone unusual. We sat across from each other in the same
restaurant I had left earlier. His face was weathered slightly beyond his 38
years. His eyes were dark yet clear, and he spoke with an eloquence and
articulation that was startling. He removed his jacket to reveal a bright red
T-shirt that said,
"Jesus is The Never Ending Story."
Then Daniel's story began to unfold. He had seen rough times early in life, had
made some wrong choices and reaped the consequences. Fourteen years earlier,
while back-packing across the country, he had stopped on the beach in Daytona
and tried to hire on with some men who were putting up a large tent and some
equipment. A concert, he thought. He was hired, but the tent would not house a
concert but revival services, and in those services he saw life more clearly. He
gave his life over to God. "Nothing's been the same since," he said, "I felt the
Lord telling me to keep walking, and so I did, some 14 years now."
"Ever think of stopping?" I asked. "Oh, once in a while, when it seems to get
the best of me, but God has given me this calling. I give out Bibles. That's
what's in my sack. I work to buy food and Bibles, and I give them out when His
Spirit leads me."
I sat amazed. My homeless friend was not homeless. He was on a mission and lived
this way by choice. The question burned inside for a moment and then I asked:
"What's it like?" "What?" "To walk into a town carrying all your things on your
back and to show your sign?" "Oh, it was humiliating at first. People would
stare and make comments. Once someone tossed a piece of half-eaten bread and
made a gesture that certainly didn't make me feel welcome. But then it became
humbling to realize that God was using me to touch lives and change people's
concepts of other folks like me."
My concept was changing, too. We finished our dessert and gathered his things.
Just outside the door, he paused. He turned to me and said,
"Come Ye blessed of my Father and inherit the kingdom I've prepared for you; for
when I was hungry you gave me food, when I was thirsty you gave me drink, a
stranger and you took me in."
I felt as if we were on holy ground. "Could you use another Bible?" I asked. He
said he preferred a certain translation. It traveled well and was not too heavy.
It was also his personal favorite. "I've read through it 14 times," he said.
"I'm not sure we've got one of those, but let's stop by our church and
see." I was able to find my new friend a Bible that would do well, and he seemed
very grateful. "Where you headed from here?" "Well, I found this little map on
the back of this amusement park coupon."
"Are you hoping to hire on there for awhile?"
"No, I just figure I should go there. I figure someone under that star right
there needs a Bible, that's where I'm going next." He smiled, and the warmth of
his spirit radiated the sincerity of his mission.
I drove him back to the town-square where we'd met two hours earlier, and as we
drove, it started raining. We parked and unloaded his things. "Would you sign my
autograph book?" he asked. "I like to keep messages from folks I meet." I wrote
in his little book that his commitment to his calling had touched my life. I
encouraged him to stay strong. And I left him with a verse of scripture from
Jeremiah, "I know the plans I have for you," declared the Lord, "plans to
prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a future and a hope."
"Thanks, man," he said. "I know we just met and we're really just strangers, but
I love you." "I know," I said, "I love you, too." "The Lord is good." "Yes, He
is. How long has it been since someone hugged you?" I asked. "A long time," he
replied. And so, on the busy street corner in the drizzling rain, my new friend
and I embraced, and I felt deep inside that I had been changed. He put his
things on his back, smiled his winning smile and said, "See you in the New
Jerusalem." "I'll be there!" was my reply.
He began his journey again, heading away with his sign dangling from his bed
roll and pack of Bibles. He stopped, turned and said, "When you see something
that makes you think of me, will you pray for me?" "You bet,"
I shouted back, "God bless."
"God bless." And that was the last I saw of him. Late that evening as I left my
office, the wind blew strong. The cold front had settled hard upon the town. I
bundled up and hurried to my car. As I sat back and reached for the emergency
brake, I saw them... a pair of well worn work gloves neatly laid over the length
of the handle. I picked them up and thought of my friend and wondered if his
hands would stay warm that night without them.
I remembered his request:
"If you see something that makes you think of me, will you pray for me?"
Today his gloves lie on my desk in my office. They help me to see the world and
its people in new way, and they help me remember those two hours with my unique
friend and to pray for his ministry.
"See you in the New Jerusalem," he said.
Yes, Daniel, I know You will...
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