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Bible Study Outlines
Adultery
Affliction
The
After-Life
Angels
Backsliding
Blood
Atonement
Chastening
Children
Covetousness
Creationism
Cults
Deity of
Jesus
Deliverance
Depression
Discernment
Divine
Healing
Dreams
Drunkenness
Euthanasia
Evolution
Faith
False
Prophecy
The
Family
Fasting
Forgiveness
Fornication
Freedom
from
Fear
Gifts of the Spirit
The
Godhead
("Trinity")
Gossip/Backbiting
Gratitude
Guidance
Halloween
Healing
Hell
Holiness
The Holy
Spirit
Homosexuality
The
Humanity
of
Jesus
Inspiration
of
Scripture
Intercession
Jealousy/Envy
Jehovah's Witnesses
Knowing
God
Laying on of
Hands
Loneliness
Lying
Marriage
Mary
The
Ministry
of Music
Miracles
Mormonism
Obedience
Occultism
Old
Age
Pleasing
God
Prayer
Repentance
The
Resurrection
Revelation
Roman Catholicism
Salvation
Satan,
Demons
& the
Powers
of
Darkness
Second
Coming
Seeking
God
Sex,
Extramarital
Signs &
Wonders
Spiritual
Growth
Spiritual
Warfare
The Teaching Ministry
Temptation
Thanksgiving
The
Tongue
The
"Trinity"
Unanswered
Prayer: Why?
Visions &
Dreams
Watchtower Society
The
Weather
The Will of
God
Words of our
Mouth
Worship
The Written
Word
...&
more!
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©
2000 by Diane S. Dew
en Espaρol
While going through months of
chemo last year, besides feeling lousy physically, I felt extremely isolated and frustrated that I couldn't leave the house, even to go to church, because my counts were so low.
(Chemotherapy reduces the white cell count to dangerous lows, at times, making
one susceptible to catching anything
with no resistance to fight off the simplest infections.) I was so sick of being in the house.
One day, while lying on the couch (that was
about all I ever had energy to do), I prayed that somehow, even in this situation, I could be useful to God. (The enemy had been using all kinds of deceptive mind tactics to make me feel useless, etc.
probably a side effect of the drugs.) I couldn't even witness to people, I thought; I was "stuck" at home! In my discouragement, God spoke to me
not audibly, but in my spirit
and said: "I will bring them to your door."
It was so real; I started thanking the Lord.
Just then, my doorbell rang. There stood three boys, shy and fumbling for words. They ranged in age from about 10 to 13.
"Wanna buy a candy bar?" one asked. It was some kind of fundraiser for their school, they said. I didn't want candy and I didn't have extra money because I had been out of work for months.
"No, thanks," I said; "I don't eat candy."
They turned to leave and I closed the door.
Suddenly I felt grieved in my spirit. I realized I had missed an opportunity! I rose quickly and went back to the door.
The three boys were down the street
and I called to them. (At this point, I didn't care how silly I felt or looked; I
knew I had to talk to them, that GOD had sent them to my door.)
I waved my arm, motioning for them to return, and they came running back to my porch.
I told them I didn't really want a candy bar but would buy one
but that what I really wanted was to tell them the most important thing anyone would ever say.
They listened intently as I began sharing the love of Jesus Christ with them. One
was fighting back the tears.
I told them how my childhood was so difficult, because I didn't know God loved
me. I gave them a tract of my testimony, how I met Jesus at age 16 while contemplating suicide. They promised to read it.
It was the first of many encounters with the three boys. On their second visit, they returned with the tract in hand, ragged and worn
and said they had read "the story" (my testimony). It seemed as though they must have
just read it then, because they appeared to have been crying.
"We also read it to our cousin," they said, because he was in town visiting and staying with them.
Next time they returned, I gave them each a small Gospel of John booklet. Another time, they returned "just to visit," they said
but began to open up about family problems. When they visited, we prayed, we discussed all kinds of topics
even abortion.
(They were appalled that such a thing could be legal!) I knew God had some kind of special plan for each of their lives.
Weeks passed, and the
three boys didn't come by for awhile. I began to wonder what was happening in their lives and continued to pray for God to keep them from the evil one, as the upcoming years would bring peer pressure and all kinds of new temptations. Maybe they had moved to another neighborhood, I wondered.
While riding the city bus one day about a mile from my home,
I asked God to show me they were okay
I couldn't believe my eyes when the bus approached the next intersection
and there they were, crossing the street!
Yes, God can bring them even to our doors! Our challenge is to "be instant (ready) in season and out of season," to have a word of encouragement "for him that is weary"
and to be obedient to seize the opportunities presented to
us in our daily lives. I'm convinced many such opportunities pass us every day, if we would only recognize them.
Copyright
© 2000 by Diane S. Dew
Email: Diane@dianedew.com
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