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The Lord will provide

1/6/2020

 
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Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. Matthew 6:33

This true story comes from Bill & Cathy from Canada. They share their story of how God faithfully provided for their needs.​

We were driving along a back street on our way to a prayer meeting at our church on a Sunday afternoon. My wife noticed a car for sale and mentioned she thought it was a really sharp looking vehicle. I decided to pull over as it was quite rare for my wife, Cathy, to notice any vehicle. We pulled over and looked through the window of the car and took down the phone number to call.
 
The next Monday, we were heading out of town and decided to call to get the details of the car for sale. The owner gave us all the details and said he wanted $15,000. They had bought it brand new, and currently weren't using it. The owner told us it was his wife's car, and that she never drove it in the winter and had decided to sell it as she did not use it much.
 
As we came home that week, I could not stop thinking about the car for sale even though we did not have $15,000 to purchase a vehicle. I decided to stop in one day and talk to the owner who suggested we take the vehicle for a test drive. Cathy was not with me, so I decided to come back with her at a later time. She was not thrilled to do this and said, "Why would we drive it and fall in love with it and not be able to buy it?"
 
We had to go into town that evening to get flowers for our daughter's graduation service, so I talked Cathy into just stopping and taking it for a test drive. I drove it first and decided to pull over and let Cathy drive it. She fell in love with it right away and could not believe how smooth it drove. It was a keyless car, and so when we pulled back into the owner's driveway, we were trying to figure out how to turn it off. My cell phone started ringing right at that moment. I answered and recognised the couple on the other end. They said they had been praying about it and believed God wanted them to give us $10,000. We were shocked and told them we were sitting in a car right at that moment.
 
We turned the car off and went inside to talk to the owner. We told him we were evangelists and that we take the gospel all over the world. The owner and his wife were also Christians. He said, "The very best we can do is sell you the car for $10,000."
 
We couldn't believe it! He said the exact amount of the donation that had just come in. We knew at that moment that God wanted us to have this car. God is so good.

An exceeding abundance of bananas

11/10/2019

 
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He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever.
​Psalm 111:5

Darlene Deibler Rose was an American missionary imprisoned in a Japanese POW camp called Kampili (in Indonesia) throughout World War II. The officer in charge of this camp was a Japanese man named Yamaji. For a time, Darlene was taken away from the Kampili camp and placed in solitary confinement in the nearby Kempeitai Prison where she was cruelly interrogated. Her husband, Russell Deibler, died in another POW camp. The following account begins as she looks into a prison courtyard through the bars of her cell. This extract is from her biography, 'Evidence Not Seen'.


The actions of one woman in particular fascinated me. Every time the sentry on duty turned his back to her and marched to the other end of the courtyard, she inched towards a fence covered with Honolulu Creeper. When the guard clicked his heels, turned about, and began to stroll in her direction, she stopped. There he went, and there she went.

"Aha, intrigue. She's going to make contact with someone who's hidden in those vines. Isn't this exciting! Oh, do be careful. With no books to read, I'll watch the drama taking place here before my eyes!" I empathised with her. I wanted her to succeed, and not be caught. Finally, reaching the vine-covered fence, the woman stood very still. The guard clicked his heels and went off again. At that moment, I saw a hand shoot through the tangle of vine. It held a big bunch of bananas. Quickly, she grabbed the bananas, slipped them into the folds of her sarong, and strolled nonchalantly back to join the other women. Nobody knew she had those bananas. But I did - bananas!

I dropped to the floor of my cell. Exhausted from my efforts, I shook all over. Worse still, I began to crave bananas. Everything in me wanted one. I could see them; I could smell them; I could taste them. I got down on my knees and said, "Lord, I'm not asking you for a whole bunch like that woman has. I just want one banana." I looked up and pleaded, "Lord, just one banana."

Then I began to rationalise - how could God possibly get a banana to me through these prison walls? I would never ask the guard. If he helped me and was discovered, it would mean reprisals. I would certainly never ask a favour of the Interrogator or the Brain. There was more chance of the moon falling out of the sky than of one of them bringing me a banana. Then I ran out of people. These three were the only ones. Of course, there was the old Indonesian night watchman. "Don't let it even enter his thinking to bring me a banana. He'd be shot if caught."

I bowed my head again and prayed, "Lord, there's no one here who could get a banana to me. There's no way for you to do it. Please don't think I'm not thankful for the rice porridge. It's just that - well, those bananas look so delicious!"

What I needed to do was link my impotence to God's omnipotence, but I couldn't see how God could get a banana to me through those prison walls.

When the Japanese officers from the ships docked in Macassar Harbour visited the prison, great hardships were inflicted upon the prisoners. We were laughed at, scorned, and insulted. When our cells were opened, we were expected to bow low at a perfect ninety-degree angle. If we didn't perform to their satisfaction, we were struck across with the back of a cane. These were humiliating and desperate experiences.

The morning after the banana drama, I heard the click of officers' leather heels on the concrete walkway. The thought of getting to my feet and having to execute a bow was onerous, to say the least. My weight had dropped during those months in the converted insane asylum, until now I was skin stretched over bones. ​One nice thing about my streamlined proportions was that the thinner I got, the longer my dress became, so I had more covering at night. I stretched out my hands often and laughed at my bird's claws. The meagre daily rations were not designed for putting on weight. I needed food for strength. I wondered if I could manage to get to my feet and remain upright, but I was determined that when that door opened, they would find me on my feet.

The officers were almost at the door. I reached up, grabbed the window ledge, and pulled myself upright. "Now, Lord," I prayed, "officers are coming. Give me strength to make a proper bow." I heard the guard slip a key into the door; but he had the wrong one and ran back to the office to get the right key. I dropped to the floor to rest, then came to my feet again when I heard his tennis shoe-shod feet moving quickly down the walkway. My legs were trembling, and I clutched the bars of the window to steady myself. "Lord, please help me to bow correctly."


Finally the door opened, and I looked into the smiling face of Mr Yamaji, the Kampili camp commander. This was early July, and it had been so long since I had seen a smiling or a familiar face. I clapped my hands and exclaimed, "Mr Yamaji, it's just like seeing an old friend!"

Tears filled his eyes. He didn't say a word but turned and walked out into the courtyard and began to talk with the two officers who had conducted my interrogations. At roll call in Kampili, I had had to give certain commands in Japanese, but I had made a deliberate effort to learn as little of the Japanese language as possible. It was better not to know it. I couldn't understand what Yamaji was saying but he spoke with them a long time. What had happened to the hauteur and belligerence with which those two always conducted themselves towards me? I could see their heads hanging lower and lower. Perhaps Yamaji spoke to them of my work as a missionary or maybe he shared with them concerning that afternoon in his office after I had learned of Russell's death, when I spoke of Christ, my Saviour, Who gives us love for others - even for our enemies, those who use us badly. 

Finally, Mr Yamaji came back to my cell. "You're very ill, aren't you?" he asked sympathetically.

"Yes, sir, Mr Yamaji, I am."

"I'm going back to the camp now. Have you any word for the women?"

The Lord gave me confidence to answer, "Yes, sir, when you go back, please tell them for me that I'm all right. I'm still trusting the Lord. They'll understand what I mean, and I believe you do."

"All right," he replied; then, turning on his heels, he left.

When Mr Yamaji and the Kempeitai officers had gone and the guard had closed the door; it hit me - I didn't bow to those men! "Oh, Lord," I cried, "why didn't you help me remember? They'll come back and beat me. Lord, please, not back to the hearing room again. Not now, Lord. I can't; I just can't."

I heard the guard coming back and knew he was coming for me. Struggling to my feet, I stood ready to go. He opened the door, walked in, and with a sweeping gesture laid at my feet - bananas!

"They're yours," he said, "and they're all from Mr Yamaji."

I sat down in stunned silence and counted them. There were ninety-two bananas! 

In all my spiritual experience, I've never known such shame before my Lord. I pushed the bananas into a corner and wept before Him. "Lord, forgive me; I'm so ashamed. I couldn't trust you enough to get even one banana for me. Just look at them - there are almost a hundred."

In the quiet of the shadowed cell, He answered back within my heart: "That's what I delight to do, the exceeding abundant above anything you ask or think." I knew in those moments that nothing is impossible to my God.


    Shine like Stars

    Encouraging children of God to shine like stars in dark times. 


    Philippians 2:14-16
    Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life.


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