The Lord Works in Mysterious Ways. Thank you God.

[Gregory Matthews]

I have a sister who has had a very rough life.  For the majority of that time she has not been involved with any church.  Over a period of years, she had gotten her life on top of some of the issues that she has faced.  She has come to terms with the Seventh-day Adventist Church.  Probably, in the past six years, she has attended a SDA Sabbath service either two (2) or three (3) times.

 

 

She has a female friend who also has had a rough life, which in some ways, not others, has been like that of my sister.  My sister has successfully supported and encouraged her friend to get of top of the issues that she faced.

 

Yesterday, this friend telephoned my sister and made the following request:  I believe that I need to begin attending the Seventh-day Adventist Church, take Bible studies and join it.  But, I do not want to go alone.  You understand me and have been with me in my struggles.  Would you take me to a local SDA church and attend with me? 

 

My sister's response:  Of course I will go with you.  There are three (3) local SDA congregation near-by.  Let us visit them all and meet their pastors.  Let us see which one you feel most comfortable with and I will be able to go with you next week.

 

NOTE:  There is another important factor involved in this.  My sister lives on a low income level.  Her earned income comes from a part-time job that supplies clinical services to people who need them.  A big part of these services are provided on Saturday in one person's home.  Recently she was notified that the person she cares for was moving this week to a permanent care facility and last Saturday was her last day of work for that person.  She has now lost a big part of her income.  But, she is now able to attend church with her friend.

 

My favorite verse in scripture:

The Lord is . . . not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9

 

[Gregory Matthews]

Yesterday, October 11 came and early in the morning my sister got a telephone call from the woman who had asked my sister to take her to church--something had come up and she needed to go out of town and would not be able to go to church.  My sister's response:  I told you I would be going to church today and I will.

 

As my sister prepared to go to church, she could not find her Bible.  So, she want through her house saying:

 

1)  Satan, you will not keep me from going to church by hiding my Bible--she never did find it, but went to church anyway.

 

2) Satan, you will not keep me from going to church by keeping my car from starting--her car started.

 

3) Satan, you will not keep me from going to  church by making my shoe fall apart--a couple of years ago when she attended with us, her shoe came apart in the church parking lot and she went into church in bare feet.  No, her shoe did not fall apart yesterday.

 

I asked her what she planed to do next week.  She said:  I told her that I was going to attend the local congregations so that I could decide which one would be best to attend with her.  So, next week I will attend the  _______ church whether her friend can come or not.

 

By the way, I told you that she has lost  a job, which required her to work on some weekends.  An emergency situation has come up, in another part-time job, which now requires her to work for the next several weeks, but not on weekends--her income continues.

[phkrause]

Awesome Gregory, Praise the Lord

[Gregory Matthews]

Last Sabbath an emergency situation prevented the woman from attending with my sister.  So, my sister told her:  I told you I would take you to church today, that is what I has planned, so I will go without you.  She did.

 

I shall know later what happened today

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