Page 3 - Good News December 2008 paper

GOING A LITTLE FURTHER

Pastor Bill Marks, Christian Fellowship, Potchefstroom, (018) 293 1608 or 079 311 6515

ust the other day one of our heard the good news that the asks receives." events are moving so fast that
friends from Edenvale kidneys and bladder started According to the Wall Street nobody can keep up with them.
Jcontacted us on a Saturday working again. The doctors also Journal, Corporate Leaders and But in Matthew 6:8 it says, "Your
morning and said that they were said that they have not seen any others in high stress jobs are Father knoweth what things ye
coming through to visit family. other child come out of ICU so turning to yoga, drugs and have need of before ye ask Him."
They asked if they could come quickly. We give God all the glory! Chinese chants. God knows and cares and that is
and say "hello" to us. During October the Holy Spirt The man written about in Luke all that matters.
They arrived with their third child, spoke a word of comfort to me - a 11:5-8, persisted to ask his friend Luke 11:11 - "Which of you
a precious little girl, three months promise from God's Word: Luke to lend him three loaves of bread, fathers, if your son asks for a fish,
old, who had a hole in her heart. I 11:9 - "Ask and it will be given to because he had nothing to offer a will give him a snake instead?"
laid hands on her and dedicated you. Seek and you will find. Knock friend of his who had arrived at How much more will your Heaven-
her to the Lord. We all prayed and the door will be opened to midnight. Because of this man's ly Father give the Holy Spirit to
together and trusted God for a you." boldness, his friend got up and those who ask Him? The Lord
miracle. In this passage Jesus was urging gave him as much as he needed. gives the Holy Spirit to those who
Not long after their visit, doctors His disciples to persist in prayer. How are we to prepare for the end ask Him.
operated and sealed the hole in Have you been praying and it feels times? 1 Peter 4:7 states: "The Your release must come by faith.
her heart. We received an SMS as if the answers to your prayers end of all things is near. Therefore So, if you desire to go a little
from them urging us to keep on are not coming through? be clear minded and self- further, pray that the Holy Spirit
praying. We continued to pray but Do not believe the lies of the controlled so that you can pray." will kindle your fire, help renew
later we received news that her enemy, because Jesus gives us Peter is saying, 'Be sober minded, your faith and draw you closer to
kidneys and bladder had stopped the assurance that God does stay calm, for there is no need to God's heart.
functioning. answer prayers. panic. Instead, keep on praying'. BELIEVE THAT ASKING IS
We kept on praying and then Luke 11:10 - "For everyone who At this moment in time, world RECEIVING!

ne day a man saw an old the cold. He knew how she felt. It nuts, she opened the window and about eight months pregnant, but
lady, stranded on the side was that chill which only fear can began to talk to him. She told him she never let the strain and aches
Oof the road, but even in the put in you. that she was from St. Louis and change her attitude. The old lady
dim light of day, he could see she He said, 'I'm here to help you, was just passing through. She wondered how someone who had
needed help. So he pulled up in ma'am. Why don't you wait in the couldn't thank him enough for so little could be so giving to a
front of her Mercedes and got out. car where it's warm? By the way, coming to her aid. stranger. Then she remembered
His Pontiac was still sputtering my name is Bryan Anderson.' Bryan just smiled as he closed her Bryan…
when he approached her. Well, all she had was a flat tyre, trunk. The lady asked how much After the lady finished her meal,
Even with the smile on his face, but for an old lady, that was bad she owed him. Any amount would she paid with a hundred dollar bill.
she was worried. No one had enough. Bryan crawled under the have been all right with her. She The waitress quickly went to get
stopped to help for the last hour car looking for a place to put the already imagined all the awful change for her hundred dollar bill,
or so. Was he going to hurt her? jack, skinning his knuckles a time things that could have happened but the old lady had slipped right
He didn't look safe; he looked or two. Soon he was able to had he not stopped. Bryan never out the door. She was gone by the
poor and hungry. change the tyre. But he had to get thought twice about being paid. time the waitress came back. The
He could see that she was dirty and his hands hurt. This was not a job to him. This waitress wondered where the lady
frightened, standing out there in As he was tightening up the lug was helping someone in need, could be. Then she noticed
and God knows there were plenty, something written on the napkin.
who had given him a hand in the There were tears in her eyes when
past. He had lived his whole life she read what the lady had
that way, and it never occurred to written: 'You don't owe me
him to act any other way. anything. I have been there too.
He told her that if she really Somebody once helped me out,
wanted to pay him back, the next the way I'm helping you. If you
time she saw someone who really want to pay me back, here is
needed help, she could give that what you do: Do not let this chain
person the assistance they of love end with you.'
It cost Mary and Joseph the comforts of home during a needed, and Bryan added, 'And Under the napkin were four more
It cost Mary and Joseph the comforts of home during a
long period of exile in Egypt to protect the little Babe.
long period of exile in Egypt to protect the little Babe. think of me.' $100 bills.
It cost mothers in and around Bethlehem the massacre
It cost mothers in and around Bethlehem the massacre He waited until she started her car Well, there were tables to clear,
of their babies by the cruel order of Herod.
of their babies by the cruel order of Herod. and drove off. It had been a cold sugar bowls to fill, and people to
It cost the shepherds the complacency of their shep- and depressing day, but he felt serve, but the waitress made it
It cost the shepherds the complacency of their shep-
herds' life, with the call to the manger and to tell the good as he headed for home, through another day.
herds' life, with the call to the manger and to tell the
good news. disappearing into the twilight. That night when she got home
good news.
It cost the wise men a long journey and expensive gifts A few miles down the road the from work and climbed into bed,
It cost the wise men a long journey and expensive gifts
and changed lives. lady saw a small cafe. She went in she was thinking about the money
and changed lives.
to grab a bite to eat, and take the
and what the lady had written.
It cost the early apostles and the early church perse-
It cost the early apostles and the early church perse- chill off before she made the last How could the lady have known
cution and sometimes death.
cution and sometimes death. leg of her trip home. It was a dingy how much she and her husband
It cost missionaries of Christ untold suffering and pri- looking restaurant. Outside were needed it? With the baby due next
It cost missionaries of Christ untold suffering and pri-
vation to spread the good news.
vation to spread the good news. two old gas pumps. The whole month, it was going to be hard...
It cost Christian martyrs in all ages their lives for
It cost Christian martyrs in all ages their lives for scene was unfamiliar to her. The She knew how worried her hus-
Christ's sake.
Christ's sake. waitress came over and brought a band was, and as he lay sleeping
More than all this, it cost God the Father His own Son -
More than all this, it cost God the Father His own Son - clean towel to wipe her wet hair. next to her, she gave him a soft
He sent Him to the earth to save men.
He sent Him to the earth to save men. She had a sweet smile, one that kiss and whispered soft and low,
It cost Jesus a life of sacrifice and service, a death cruel
It cost Jesus a life of sacrifice and service, a death cruel even being on her feet for the 'Everything's going to be all right.
and unmatched in history.
and unmatched in history. whole day couldn't erase. I love you, Bryan Anderson.'
The lady noticed the waitress was - Selected