Would I Have Spoken?
By Arlene Rorhbacker

Luke 23:26 - 49

When I read Luke's account of Jesus' crucifixion I wonder...
When Jesus was led down Calvary's road, where were the multitudes he had preached to? Where were the scores of people whose lives had been changed by his message? Where were the hundreds he had healed? Surely, "they" would come to his defense now! Surely this multitude could have changed the overwhelming tide against this innocent man. But, no, not one shout was heard on in his behalf.

Verse 49 says it all to clearly ... " they stood afar." Indeed, even his closest friends, his beloved disciples, scattered. Not one word is mentioned throughout God's word that indicates the soldiers had to keep back an anguished crowd in Jesus' defense. Not one person is recorded to have tried to stop this insane crime to kill this innocent man. God's plan to give His Son away in death for "us" was carried out with not one to resist for Jesus.

But "we"say, "If I had been there, I would have done something! "
Let's get personal. Would we have tried? Sometimes I wonder....
Jesus has saved me ... do I speak out to proclaim that Good News?
He has healed me .... do I tell of his miracles alive today?
He has put a song in my heart .... do I sing outloud with unreserved praise & joy?

You see, my precious sister, if we don't speak out now.. then no, we wouldn't have spoken out then either.

Today we can change that!
Lord, help me to proclaim Your glory!

God is Still in Business - A True Story
by Carol Skipper

This happened in Ft.Payne, Alabama. Feb. 1999
I just heard this from my mother. It's one of those things that you hear about and read about. You believe that they really happen. You are encouraged by hearing or reading it. But when it happens close to you, it will bring you to your knees praising Him.

There is a family that lives near me in Fort Payne. Their little boy, 6, has a tumor in his brain that is very rare and without treatment will kill him. But the only doctor in the world that has experience in treating it lives in Asia. The family, their friends, their church all prayed for God's compassion as this little boy grew sicker and sicker. The family cannot afford to take the boy to Asia for the surgery. As a matter of fact, they couldn't afford the surgery if the doctor were in the US. The prayers asked God to prevent him from suffering as he died from this tumor.

Well, the dad works at a local Ford dealership, selling cars and trucks. A very nicely dressed man stopped at the car lot last week. The dad talked to him. The customer said that he didn't need a car. He certainly could afford as many cars as he wanted, but he didn't need one. Actually, he wasn't real sure why he had even stopped. The dad suggested they go into his office and talk while they looked over brochures. As they sat down, the dad introduced himself to the customer. The customer's last name was the very same last name of the doctor in Asia that could operate on the little boy. The dad fell to his knees, praying and weeping. He couldn't believe that there in his office was someone with the very same name as the doctor. Maybe it was a family member, the doctor's brother. Maybe he could arrange for the doctor to help his son.

The rest of the staff of the Ford dealership began gathering around to see what was happening. The customer was more than a little surprised by the reaction he had gotten to his name. As the story was told about the little boy, the customer began to understand much more.

You see... The customer was not a family member of the doctor. He was the doctor. He was moving from Asia to practice medicine in the US. Actually at the University of Alabama in Birmingham, which is only 2 hours from our little town. 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. Why would a man from Asia, that is a very successful, wealthy doctor moving to Birmingham, Al, stop at a Ford dealership in Fort Payne, Alabama? There is only one reason. The only reason for anything at all.

Praise the Lord. He is so good! Please feel free to pass this on. I may have some of the precise details wrong. But I promise to you that this IS a true story.

Give Jesus the glory!

The Power of Prayer - Another True Story
by Margo Bentzler

Have you ever felt the urge to pray for someone and then just put it on a list and said, "I'll pray for them later"? Or has anyone ever called you and said, "I need you to pray for me, I have this need"? Read the following story that was sent to me and may it change the way that you may think about prayer and also the way you pray. You will be blessed by this one.

A missionary on furlough told this true story while visiting his home church in Michigan...

"While serving at a small field hospital in Africa, every two weeks I traveled by bicycle through the jungle to a nearby city for supplies. This was a journey of two days and required camping overnight at the halfway point.

On one of these journeys, I arrived in the city where I planned to collect money from a bank, purchase medicine and supplies, and then begin my two-day journey back to the field hospital. Upon arrival in the city, I observed two men fighting, one of whom had been seriously injured. I treated him for his injuries and at the same time talked to him about the Lord Jesus Christ. I then traveled two days, camping overnight, and arrived home without incident.

Two weeks later I repeated my journey. Upon arriving in the city, I was approached by the young man I had treated. He told me that he had known I carried money and medicines. He said, 'Some friends and I followed you into the jungle, knowing you would camp overnight. We planned to kill you and take your money and drugs. But just as we were about to move into your camp, we saw that you were surrounded by 26 armed guards.'

At this I laughed and said that I was certainly all alone out in that jungle campsite. The young man pressed the point, however, and said, 'No sir, I was not the only person to see the guards. My five friends also saw them, and we all counted them. It was because of those guards that we were afraid and left you alone.'"

At this point in the sermon, one of the men in the congregation jumped to his feet and interrupted the missionary and asked if he could tell him the exact day that this happened. The missionary told the congregation the date, and the man who interrupted told him this story:

"On the night of your incident in Africa, it was morning here and I was preparing to go play golf. I was about to putt when I felt the urge to pray for you. In fact, the urging of the Lord was so strong, I called men in this church to meet with me here in the sanctuary to pray for you. Would all of those men who met with me on that day stand up?"

The men who had met together to pray that day stood up. The missionary wasn't concerned with who they were--he was too busy counting how many men he saw. There were 26.

**This story is an incredible example of how the Spirit of the Lord moves in mysterious ways. If you ever hear such prodding, go along with it. Nothing is ever hurt by prayer except the gates of hell. I encourage you to forward this to as many people as you know. If we all take it to heart, we can turn this world towards Christ once again.**

THE POWER OF PRAYER

As the above true story clearly illustrates, "with God all things are possible" and more importantly, how God hears and answers the prayers of the faithful. After you read this, please pause and give God thanks for the beautiful gift of your faith, for the powerful gift of prayer, and for the many miracles He works in your own daily life. . . and then pass it on . . .

Her Baby's Tiny Hands
-By Joyce Folsom Johnson
Submitted by Julia Townsend

While pregnant with her son
Beneath her heart within,
She'd often feel his hands
Moving inside her skin.

He'd stretch his arm and hand
And push out on her side
She'd lovingly push it back
With a smile so sweet and wide.

She could hardly wait
For his upcoming birth
To touch his tiny hands
And welcome him to earth.

Then it finally came,
The night that he was born.
With joy she couldn't contain,
She held him until morn.

She explored his tiny fingers.
She counted all his toes.
She wanted to get to know him,
His ears, his cheeks, his nose.

The wonder of it all,
At this new baby boy!
She could not hold back.
She wept with tears of joy.

She touched his tiny hand,
A miniature of her own.
He squeezed it tight on her finger.
Such joy she had never known!

The time passed and he grew.
As a toddler, it was grand
To walk along and hold
His fleshy little hand.

She taught him many things.
Together they spent hours.
She'd take his little hand
And touch it to a flower.

When she would hold him close,
He soon developed the knack
Of hugging her 'round the neck,
His tiny hand patting her back.

As her son grew older,
His young hands also grew.
He learned many ways to use them.
Each day brought something new.

She helped him learn to read.
She helped him learn to write.
Then, as the day was ending,
She'd pray with him at night.

He learned to use a hammer
With which to drive a nail.
He'd sometimes strike his finger
And let out quite a wail!

Her son continued growing
And soon became a man.
She loved him just as much
As when his life began.

His hands were now full grown,
So strong, yet tender, when
He, with deep compassion,
Comforted a friend.

She was extremely grateful
When his hands would fold;
And bowing his head in prayer,
To his Father in Heaven he'd hold.

As the years flew swiftly by,
She watched her son with pride,
His strong but gentle arms
And hands there at his side.

She then thought her life was over.
She suffered unspeakable loss
When her son's beloved hands
Were nailed to a wooden cross...

But that was just the beginning.
For he died and rose again.
Her sorrow then was ended,
And joy replaced her pain.

For, you see, her son was Jesus,
God coming to earth as man,
To save us from our sins
According to His plan.

We cannot save ourselves.
Our sins would lead to death.
God put our sins on Jesus,
The perfect and the best.

With this came our forgiveness
If we believe in Him
And ask Him into our hearts,
He'll take away our sins.

As He was resurrected,
Eternal Life He'll
To all who have faith and believe
And to His hand will cling.

---

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