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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 witnessed to him of 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, 26 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 church 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 to 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 feel 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. Have a great day!** 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...
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