"Ask Daniel to Pray for the Fire"

About 4-5 years ago, my son Daniel and I were planning on spending a weekend together at home . . . the girls were going out of town.  Our plans were modest; one of the most anticipated events was cooking up some hobo pies (sandwiches made in cast-iron skillets) over a backyard campfire, and watching late night movies under 'blanket tents' in the family room.  So, all week we were looking forward to hanging out, and I saw the anticipation building in his eyes as the weekend approached.  Simple plans, safe expectations, quality time.  

On Saturday night, we went back to our fire pit and starting gathering wood and kindling.  I'm a bit of a pyromaniac at heart, so with bonfire in my eyes, we crafted a beautifully ventilated tee-pee structure that would cook up those hobo pies in no time flat.  We stepped back to survey our work, and satisfied that this was the stuff of legend, I struck a match and dropped it in the center of our pile.  The first raindrop fell.  I looked up, not realizing the storm clouds that had gathered overhead.  The drizzle began before I had a chance to get the thing started.  It may sound childish, but inside me I began to feel a wild disappointment starting to swell.  After a few minutes of failed attempts, I was planning alternatives to salvage the evening and share it in a way that sounded equally exciting.  At that moment, I had the distinct impression to ask Daniel to pray for the fire.  Doctrine took over, and I dismissed it as wishful thinking . . . but the thought sharpened and poked me again instead of floating away.  Again, I resisted as the drizzle turn into a steady rain.  As I got up to leave, the words burst from my lips somehow - a request for him to pray for the fire.  He gave me a confused look, glanced up at the sky then down at the fire, and back to me.  He bowed his head and prayed a simple prayer for God to let us have a fire for our hobo pies.

My heart raced as I opened my eyes and stared at the pit.

(Read the rest at WTNESS.ORG)



mO Thomas
Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, Michigan

Editor's note:  See this other submission by Mo Thomas.
"In his first encounter with any church, Michigan teen has back and legs healed"

What God’s Voice Sounds Like – (reported experience #7)

(this blog has grown up and is now a full website.  Please go instead to www.wtness.org.)
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God spoke to me one day.  Loud and clear…  "You are going to move somewhere far away."

 

My job was a nightmare.  Actually, my boss was a nightmare.  He seemed to want me fired, and to be trying very hard to set me up for it.  Things were a mess.

I'd actually had a string of bosses who'd been difficult to work for, but this one took the cake.  It didn't start out that way, in fact it started out quite differently.  When I'd first arrived for my assignment in Memphis, my boss and I got along fantastically... in fact, all the bosses in the region were great.  Everyone focused on working together as a team, and doing our jobs, rather than the petty little things people sometimes spend their time focusing on instead of their jobs.  I remember telling my co-workers if I hit the lottery I would keep working because I enjoyed my job so much.  

That all changed virtually overnight.

First one boss, then another, then my own boss were transferred to different positions.  Almost overnight, I had a whole new set of bosses and suddenly I felt as if I went from "can't do wrong" to "can't do right."  I wondered how the same person, doing the same work, could suddenly find himself disrespected vs. respected, criticized vs. praised.  How could this happen to me?

Now I had been languishing now for several years, still not able to figure out what went wrong.  I struggled with boss after boss until I just couldn't see any hope for the future with this company.  I'd never been in this position before and I didn't see it changing for the better anytime soon.  In fact, I was convinced my best option was to take a company buyout as those were rumored to be on the horizon.

But God had a different plan for me.  First of all, He saved me.  He had been working on me all along, but I had been resisting.  I'd called myself a Christian all of my life, but had never actually given my life to Christ.  I just lived the way I wanted to live, while still claiming Christ as my Savior... going to church, yet judging others, claiming I was a good person and trying to be "good" on my own, my own way.  I had claimed Him as Savior, but I hadn't accepted Him as Lord, and I was living like I was my own god.  Then my life fell apart due to the way I had been living and He showed me just who I am, a sinner... and the seriousness of my sin.

When I realized how I had sinned against a holy God and Him alone, I knew I deserved punishment, I expected punishment.  However, what I found was grace, amazing grace... and the sound was so sweet,...

(Read the rest at Wtness.org)

 Steve, Southfield, Michigan

“Take Care of the Needs of Others”

About a month ago, while praying on my couch at home, I heard I ‘voice’ (not audible, ‘heard’ in the back of my head) which I have come to recognize as the Lord’s voice say, “Think less about your own needs.  Think more about others’ needs.  You take care of their needs and I’ll take care of yours.”

Soft, confident, authoritative.  Not dictatorial.  Loving.  Friendly. Knowing. 

As usual, it said a lot in a little.  Here are all the things it said to me (in addition to the direct and obvious message):

•  It reinforced the idea that as a Christian, I must die to myself.  (John 12:24, Luke 9:23)
•  It reinforced the idea that the time I spent worrying can and should be replaced with action to meet the needs of others, and that it will render the worry useless.  (Luke 12:22, Matt 10:19)
•  It helped me to trust more in the Lord’s promise to...

(Read the rest at Wtness.org)

To read more stories like this, click the link "Sound of God's Voice" below this posting, in the Categories area.

Tell her "God hates mommies and daddies” (what?!)

Graham Cooke

[Graham Cooke] tells the story of being invited to a church in England. Following the Sunday morning service, the pastor invites him to his house for dinner. When he arrives at the house he is introduced to some of the church elders as well as to a young lady whom he is told is soon going to be sent out by the church as a missionary to China. Following the meal, the pastor then asks if he would pray for the lady. First, however, the young woman shared her vision for China and what she hoped to be doing. It was then time to pray. Immediately [Graham] bowed his head, and the Lord spoke a clear word into his spirit. "Tell her I hate mommies and daddies." This man has a good sense of humor and thought to himself, Sometimes I detest this gift. Why can't I be a teacher? The Lord, however, kept impressing this thought upon his mind, "Tell her I hate mommies and daddies."  

He then shared some valuable insight into the "prophetic" realm. He said, "the mind receives information , the spirit receives revelation, and the mind and the spirit don't always agree." The
Bible says, "the natural mind understands not the things of the Spirit of God, because they are foolishness" (see 1 cor. 2:14). And his mind was saying, "this is foolishness. This doesn't make sense. Why should I tell her that You hate mommies and daddies, and I'm not going to embarrass myself by saying that You hate mommies and daddies. I can't."

(Read the rest at Wtness.org)

Heard the Lord tell him "Feed My Sheep"

Not the real professor who wrote this blog entry

In my lifetime, despite the fact that I have always identified with "doubting Thomas", I have had some personal Epiphanies. Not because of any merit, holiness or special faith on my part but because I have asked questions of the Lord and received answers.

I had an experience I've never shared before. It’s of a prayer I offered on my 50th birthday and the answer I received...

(Read the rest at Wtness.org)

How does Jesus Talk to Us? (#2)

I went to Planet Fitness today to work out my back, since it was sore.  The place was massively crowded with the folks who made New Year resolutions.  A few of them were young ladies in tight outfits.  I say a few because at least half were people out of shape or old like me. Can you guess which exercisers caught my eye the most? 

This is an embarrassing thing to discuss.  Even to a piece of paper.   

There are two camps here.
1.  Men are like that; it's natural.
2.  The Lord does not like even a hint of lust.

I know the truth. It’s been a message He’s been trying to get thru to me since I was in my mid 20’s. I know the truth.  It’s been the one area where I’ve only progressed to a certain point and still hold out from the Lord.

After looking, then refusing to look, looking, then refusing to look, I closed my eyes. Wanted to resist.  I filled my mental space with prayer for friends, relatives, co-workers who have hard situations.  Prayed for one person quickly then another.  Started to relax. 

I wondered to myself, “Lord, I don’t question your way, but I am curious.  Since you can do anything you want with or without human intervention, why ask us to pray for others?”

Once again, the grace of understanding seemed to come. I wish I could remember the exact words, since it’s always so simple and efficient and loving.  But it was something like this: “God is Love. To be a part of the Kingdom of God, you must Love. Prayer is a form of love. You are making a contribution to building the Kingdom when you pray for others. You are displacing selfishness with selflessness. If you catch sight of a woman doing jumping jacks and see her clothed breasts moving, don’t have a selfish thought that pleases only yourself.  Replace it with a loving thought with no lust.

(Read the rest at Wtness.org)

Experienced a living Jesus while living a sinful life

After turning back to Christ in the 80's, for the second time, I was really trying to understand God and was still wondering if this whole concept was real, or if it was just something to keep people in line, like "Love Thy Neighbor" and "Treat others as you would have them treat you". I was not married to the woman that I was living with and still married to my second wife at that time. But, the more I sought God, the more He moved us apart. She soon moved out and lived with a friend that I use to do a lot of drugs with. I had my two oldest kids with me at the time, whom they had come to know her as "Mom". After church one Sunday, the kids wanted to visit her.

We walked over and when we entered the house, she was sitting at the table playing monopoly with my friend and his wife. He was tripping, and she and his wife were drinking. My kids went to play in the other room with his kids. I felt a really strong urge to get away from there. I went into the bathroom before I left and prayed. As I started to pray, in the spirit, I was brought up to what I believe was Heaven.

Then, Jesus appeared, sitting on the throne. He spoke three words, "I AM ALIVE", more plainly then if someone right beside me said them...


(Read the rest at Wtness.org) 

Alan from Lebanon, New Hampshire

Harry Lindback's small miracle

Harry Lindback, a resident of Dearborn, Michigan, is a systems analyst at a large corporation in the Detroit area.  In March of 1991, the announcement came that his department would be divested within the next 12 months, and all the people would either go along to the new firm or lose their jobs.  Harry is over 50, and has a family to support, so he was especially concerned about being able to find other suitable employment outside the company.  So he focused his efforts on transferring within his company to another department.

Before he knew it, it was January, 1992, and ten days remained before the divestiture.  In the previous ten months, he had been unable to find an alternate position. His last hope was a position in the Electronics Division, so he called the manager there on a Tuesday and left this message: “Whatever you do, please don’t lead me on.  If you have a position for me, that’s wonderful.  If you don’t, please let me know.  I don’t want to get my hopes up.”

The next day, the manager returned Harry’s message, saying, “Harry, I’m terribly sorry.  We did have two positions, but we filled them both.  I’m so sorry we couldn’t help you out”, and continued apologizing for several minutes...

(Read the rest at Wtness.org)  

What God's voice sounds like (reported experience #6)

My 88-year-old mother has not been feeling well lately. last week on a particularly bad day, she was feeling fearful and did not want to be alone. since someone cannot always be with her, I prayed that God would take away her fear and give her peace. A few days later when I saw her she told me that the day she felt the sickest and didn't know what to do, she heard a voice inside her saying, "Don't be afraid." She knew beyond a doubt that God was speaking to her. My mother's fears vanished. Even though her physical health was not immediately restored, she was a peace because she knew that God was with her, taking care of her. What an answer to prayer!


Kathy Droste

The Lord's help during a sad time

For several months, two people who are important to me have effectively shut me out of their good graces.  We can't avoid interacting with each other, and when we meet, conversation is reduced to perfunctory exchanges, with not much enthusiasm.  I will be frank here and admit that it hurts more than a little.  In fact, I pass through most days with a melancholy accompanied by a lack of energy for most things.

I have tried to force myself to keep a happy disposition, and I've been temporarily able to use diversions such as seeing other friends or watching a movie to make myself feel better, but beneath it all, there is a long sadness about this.

Today I went to take a walk in the woods near a stream.  I feel closer to the Lord then.  I sat on a log an prayed.  I had been spending regular time with the Lord in readings and prayer and fasting since January, so I'm starting to recognize Him when He's there, though it's nothing as certain as looking at a photo or talking on the phone.

My prayer began as a jumbled mess, with a hundred topics and questions. It didn't take long for Him to jump in and calm me down.  I felt an involuntary calming down of my nerves, and then I had some thoughts that I wondered whether they were my own.  They were not like the thoughts that in the last several months I had voluntarily generated.  Those were like "What can I do to fix this?" "What did I do wrong?" "How can I say how unhappy I am with the mistreatment without making matters worse?"

This calming thought was like this: "You are already taking the right approach by not reacting angrily or upset by this.  You are doing the right thing by purposefully deciding to treat them well." 

I admit, it did calm me down.

(Please to to WTNESS.ORG to read the rest of the story)

What God's voice sounds like (reported experience #5)

This story from Chris, who I know from church. 

I was working as Religious Education director for Shrine Parish which is literally six houses down the block from where I live.  Not a long walk and one that I took often.  This time, it was fall and I was, as usual, too busy with working full time, four little children and multiple ministries I was involved with.  This walk, I had my two year old toddler Elena, in tow.  I remember her darling little pink coat and bonnet and little white high top shoes.  Remember those? I was in a huge hurry but my toddler was not.  She was busy with the important things in life; looking at the brilliantly painted leaves along our path, stopping to have a little conversation with the ants industriously bustling somewhere, that sort of thing.  I remember becoming increasingly impatient with her meanderings and trying to hurry her along.  I was filled with anxiety.  as I was grabbing her little arm to get her to move faster, I heard a distinct CHRIS! loudly in my mind.  I was startled and literally stopped in my tracks.  I said out loud WHAT!?  Then a gentle nudge and the distinct words, "My daughter, life is not in the destinations, it is in the journey."  I was holding my breath as I looked around, not sure what to expect next.  At that moment, a deep sense of peace engulfed me and my perception shifted to my darling little girl and the awesome world she was seeing through her eyes.  Although my daughter is twenty-nine years old, I still revisit that moment to refocus when I am feeling stressed. Thank you God!

My commentary: Is God Real?  I take this as more evidence.

To read more stories like this, click the link for the label "Sound of God's Voice" below this posting or in the right-hand column.  You'll see all stories with that theme.

What God's voice sounds like (experience #5)

Roughly eight years ago I was really into ice cream.  I must have eaten the equivalent of a half gallon every week.  Then I'd try to kick the over-doing of sugar and was able to stick with it for a few months, and then got back into the ice cream.  I was concerned about my sugar consumption because my brother Jim and my uncle Henry are both diabetic.  So I was at higher risk.

At one point I prayed to Jesus for will power, and nothing changed for several weeks.  But after staying with the prayer, I eventually "heard" this answer in silent prayer:  "I will be your sweetness".  

Quite enigmatic, eh?  Poetic too. Trust me, that's not a phrase I would have thought of on my own.

What it meant to me was that if I spent more time in prayer about this with Jesus, that he would replace my desires for sugar with a desire for more sweet time with Him, and that I would find that tradeoff to be more than satisfactory compensation.

I'd like to say that I reacted exactly as he had offered, but I must admit that I was only able to give up ice cream for about another month.  Then I got back into it.  Over several see-saws like this I heard His phrase "I will be your sweetness" over and over.  But when I was not responding adequately, the phrase stopped, and I continued to struggle with over-doing the ice cream.

Just three years ago my doctor did a blood sugar test and said that my blood sugar was getting too high.  I slacked off the sugar a little bit, but not well enough.  At the next annual physical exam, my doctor reported that I was on the verge of being diabetic, according to my blood sugar reading.  It scared the crap out of me, and I cut out sugar out of fear.

I'm embarrassed to say that I paid more attention to fear more than love.

I also noticed that had I taken Jesus' advice years ago, I would probably have never reached the point of being tested as pre-diabetic. Even though He must have known that I would respond to fear, He did not use fear in his message.  There was no "or else" communicated.  Only God would be that patient.  I'm learning that God is not a demanding boss.  He offers with love, and hopes that we trust Him enough to respond to what He knows is the best overall big-picture option for us.

What God's voice sounds like (experience #4)

In the previous post, I mentioned that I needed reminders to maintain a respect for the female form.  Here's one where, in my absolutely convinced view, God provided another reminder. 

I've been married for a very long time now and have held true to my vows, having sex only with my wife.  But according to Matthew 5:28, I'm still not in the best shape spiritually because of where my eyes go.
 
Last month (July) I was grocery shopping for my family on a Saturday morning.  In July it's hot out, and I wear shorts and so do the women.  Many of us "people watch", and that activity can be harmless or not.  I noticed that I was looking way more at the beautiful women and way less at the ugly old men.

I've been attempting to put more time into my relationship with the Lord by prayer since Jan. 1 of this year.  And I've noticed I "get" what he wants to say more quickly now.  The sermon messages and Bible verses and Bible study conclusions that apply to particular situations come to mind more easily, and they seem to be "just what I need". 

But on this day, I again believe I heard the Man's "voice" in the back of my head.  Here's what I "heard":   "To me, that woman has no greater or lesser worth than any other person you see.  All are souls."

The implied message I got from this was that I should also do the same.  In this case, I have been able to repeat that phrase to myself whenever I find myself glancing towards a pretty woman, and I'm able to see her as a soul.  Not 100%, I admit.  But much more readily.

To read more stories like this, click the link for the label "Sound of God's Voice" below this posting or in the right-hand column.  You'll see all stories with that theme.

What God's voice sounds like (experience #3)

The previous post reminds me of a time when I too believe I "heard" God enouraging me.  So I'll share it here too.  This is also "R-rated", but worth being frank about.

I was about 27 years old, not dating anybody, and working out by myself in a weight room.  Nobody was around. While laying on my back on a bench, pressing iron, I was feeling pretty in-shape, and started to dream about sex.  In my mind I was picturing (excuse the directness) a woman's vagina, and very much enjoying staying with that image as long as I wanted.  It's important to say that I was in enjoyment mode and not feeling any hesitation or guilt despite what my parents taught me about respecting women. 
 
In a completely unexpected moment, I "heard" a strong, caring, father-like voice say very clearly to me "This is one of my greatest creations.  Respect it as such."  

This was the first time anything like this had ever happened to me.  I was quite alarmed.  The words were quite distinct, even though I did not hear them through my ears.  I heard them in the back of my head.  It was not a thought of my own.  It came from someone outside of me. 

You would think that my alarmed reaction would be akin to being caught by the school principal smoking behind the school, like "Man, I'm in trouble now!".  But it was not that kind.  I was alarmed at the idea that the God I already believed in was someone who would interact with a mere peon like me.  I was alarmed that He was that close to me.  I was alarmed that He knew exactly what I was thinking. 

But curiously, the alarm did not translate to fear.  His delivery was distinctly more loving and undertanding than a school principal.  But at the same time I did not feel like he was telling me that savoring those pre-marital sexual ideas were OK.  He was reinforcing His commands, but in a way that I felt more loved than chastised. 

There was no question in my mind that it was God, and I will hold that memory my entire life.  

Being a human though, the way it affected my behavior wore off over time and I needed additional reminders over the years.

To read more stories like this, click the link for the label "Sound of God's Voice" below this posting or in the right-hand column.  You'll see all stories with that theme.

What God's voice sounds like (reported experience #2)

This post takes a risk.  It is "R" rated (not for the immature).  But it covers a topic that's very real and very difficult for many many men. 
A man I know confided in me this very personal story.  For obvious reasons, I will not give any clues about his identity.  I'll pretend his name is John Doe.

This was at a point when John had not had sex for many years.  He was dreaming an especially sexual dream one night, and getting very worked up. He said to himself, "If I could get a hooker tonight, I think I would do that, despite knowing that it's a huge sin".   Then a few moments later, he appealed to God by thinking, "Lord, this is just NOT FAIR!"  

John tells me that he heard a voice in the back of his head, not through his ears. But it was definitely a voice, using words, not thoughts.  He cannot fully explain the timbre or tone of the voice, but after it spoke, he was absolutely convinced that it was not a thought from his own mind, but that it was God. 

The voice said, "Trust in Me and you will see my power".  

John tells me that he has not told anybody else this story because of the general perception that if you say you heard a voice or heard God that people, even Christian people, will think of you as Schizophrenic.  But he says that there is nothing anybody can say that will convince him he did not hear God. 

He says that the voice had several characteristics:
1.    It was loving and authoritative.   But not demandingly authoritative.
2.    It was definitely a different being than himself.  He did not initiate the thought. It occurred.  The speaker identified himself as being unique by saying "Me" and "my".  Joe has never had a thought like that.

I want to add that I noticed that the message was not a condemning message.  It was an encouraging message.  It did not say that sexual sin was acceptable.  It said "Trust in me", implying "Trust in my commandments, and you will see that what you give up in my name will be replaced with something much greater if you persist."

God Whispered to Her

One time when my wife was in college and really overwhelmed by the massive amounts of tough homework and by the lack of contact with her family and friends, she was feeling very depressed.  She didn't have much energy for anything, but found five minutes to clear her mind and pray.  In that five minutes, she appealed to God for something that would help her.  She very clearly "heard" Him whisper "Do you have any idea how much I love you?".

Her depression went away. She felt completely loved by the author of Love and the tedium and burdens didn't seem to matter.  She had the wherewithall to keep moving forward after that. 

My observation about the characteristics of this message from God:
1.   It's loving and authoritative.
2.   He identifies himself as being a different person than you.
3.   His message is in response to what your current need is.
4.   His message corresponds to Biblical teaching.
5.   The impact on the listener is to both support the listener and bring them closer to God.