I pray that all recieves this in the Spirit.

[Maryanne Winder Lester]

Wow, what an Awesome God we Serve

First let me say, ”Glory be to God the creator of the heavens and the earth who has dominion over everything in it and to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ whom I serve faithfully.” The Holy Spirit moved me to share this with you this morning. Yesterday I was looking all over our house trying to find my wallet and I looked everywhere too! I checked all my pants pockets; no wallet, checked all my suits; no wallet, searched every drawer and cabinet; no wallet. I began to worry because this is something I don’t normally lose. Being truthful I began to worry thinking to myself how could I lose my wallet with my I.D. in it and all my important papers too! While I was back in our clothing room looking very hard, getting kind of ticked and continuously saying, “I can’t believe I’ve lost my wallet,” I could hear yelling and screaming on the tv in the living room.

So I went into the living room to see what the person was yelling about on the tv. It was the Oprah Winfrey Show my mother in-law was watching. They were playing the 911 call of a woman who’s friend was being attacked by her pet chimpanzee. She was screaming and threw down the phone “He’s killing her. Please hurry and send some help. My monkey is eating her alive.” The 911 person asked, “Is she moving?” She screamed, “No, she’s dead!” Listening to that 911 call was horrible. By the time the police got to the house, the monkey attacked the officer so he shot and killed the monkey. I ran back to my bed room so I could let my wife hear this horrible tragedy. When I turned the tv on in the bed room to Oprah Winfrey, the paramedics were saying it was a miracle she was still alive. The monkey tore her face off and her hands and arms were lost also. This really saddened me and my wife. After the commercial, Oprah walked the woman out on stage and began to interview her. This was the first time she had spoken in public since the horrible attack. She revealed that she also lost her sight. Now, in the middle of the interview, Oprah asked the woman if there was anything she regretted not doing before her attack. And she said, “Yes, I wish I would have spent more time with my daughter because her prom is this year and now I won’t be able to help her pick out her dress, I wish I could eat a hotdog or a piece of pizza.” She no longer has a mouth anymore and she must use a straw to consume only liquids. Me and my wife began to cry together for this woman.

See saints, through this tragedy, the Spirit of God showed me that while I was in the back room looking for my wallet, getting ticked about losing it and how bad it was losing it, there was a woman losing things far more valuable than a wallet that I could always replace. At that time the Holy Spirit took me to the book of Luke 10:41-42. And Jesus answered and said to her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.’ As I read these verses I began to praise my Lord for being so good to me when I’m not good to myself. See, we tend to worry about things that God promised us He’s already got covered. One of the greatest statements I heard the woman say was, “I don’t have time to be mad at my friend for calling me over to help her with her monkey. I’m more concerned about beginning my healing and going forward with my life.” She didn’t want to remember the past because it would only hinder her in the present. We tend to get lost in our priorities about things God says we shouldn’t be concerned with like what we are going to eat or what we are going to wear. Are we not worth more than that?

We send this to you this morning giving all Glory to God for His mercy endureth forever. Jesus wept for all mankind and I wept for the suffering of this woman, for the injustice of her disfigurement because she had been a beautiful woman. Yet in this horrific moment, she lost her eyes, her nose, her mouth, her hands. She could no longer see or smell or taste or feel. Then I realized the miracle He had performed. Had she died, the glory of God would not have been shown. He revealed his mercy and his magnificence by making her a living testimony. Jesus said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it. John 11:4.I am weeping still, because in all that she lost, He allowed her to keep her ears and her ability to hear. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Romans 10:17. I don’t know if this woman was saved or if she knows Christ. But He left her with the ability to hear so that she could find faith and hear the Word of God. And for that, I praise His name. We don’t always know why God does what He does. And we as humans often question His actions. King Solomon was the wisest of men and God blessed him with Knowledge, Wisdom and Understanding. It was through Solomon that God spoke these living words, Trust in the Lord with all thy heart and lean not on your own understanding. Remember Him in all that you do and He will lead you down the right path. Proverbs 3:5-6.

In your daily quiet time, I ask you to remember this woman and pray for her healing, both physical and spiritual. Remember every gift He has given to us as believers and thank Him for His mercy, His grace and His suffering for us. How blessed we are to have such a merciful God who loves us no matter what we do. Pray that we continue to be guided by God’s Holy Spirit. And pray that we stay on His path by having faith in His Word, a heart for obedience and deep repentance for any actions we take that are not God’s will for our lives. Faith and obedience will get us on the Highway of Holiness, walking in the Spirit and not in the flesh will keep us there.

Pray this prayer with us this morning: Lord, I pray your Holy Spirit would guide my heart and my mouth so that I will speak only those words that edify and bring life. Fill me with Your love so that out of the overflow of my heart will come words that build up and not tear down. As I walk in the Spirit, may I bear the fruits of the Spirit which are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Keep me on the Highway to Holiness so that the way I walk will be integrated into every part of my life. Transform my thoughts into Your thoughts. Create in me a clean heart, Oh God, and renew a right Spirit within me. Thank you Lord for calling me to be Your Disciple. I pray in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who died for me. Amen.

Maryanne and Melvin Lester

2010

Please keep us in your prayers as you are always in ours. God bless you!