God Phoned Me
Here is a story that I read years ago, in a great book, and it is only one of a huge collection of God’s intimate and miraculous caring for his children. This comes from a book called “Mega Shift” and it was written by James Rutz and this is miracle 135. On Page 54.
Quote; “It’s very motivating to know that God has your name … and not just “on file.” He also has your phone number. In 1990 I spoke to Ken Gaub, now 66, a pastor who was once on vacation in a motorhome. He and his family stopped for food on Rote 741 south of Dayton, Ohio, and he took a short walk to get a Coke and stretch his legs. Strolling past a gas station, he noticed the phone ringing incessantly in a booth in front of the gas station. Out of curiosity, he answered it.
The operator said, “Long distance call for Ken Gaub.” He almost choked on a chunk of ice from the Coke. The call was from Pennsylvania, a woman who had heard him speak on TV. Sobbing profusely, she told Ken that she felt he was the only one in the world who could help her. She was writing a suicide note when God gave her the phone booth number.”
Here is another from page 26 of the same book. Quote; “In The 2 Minute Miracle, my colleague Lynn Reddick relates a story from a friend of his, gospel singer Candy Hemphill Christmas. It’s about a childhood friend of hers named Bobby. Over the years he became rebellious as anger, bitterness, and resentment took root in his life – against God, his parents, and his church. His life became consumed with drugs and he gradually became shackled in addictions. One day Bobby disappeared. His heart broken parents didn’t know if he killed himself with an overdose or was murdered by a drug gang. For two years they didn’t hear anything from their son, not one phone call or letter. He simply vanished.
Bobby’s dad felt the crushing grip of months of pent up frustration and pain while driving on the outskirts of the Arkansas city where he lived. He pulled his car off on the side of the road, got out and walked off some distance from the highway. He pointed his finger towards the north and yelled with all his might “BOBBY, COME HOME!” Turning to the south, he shouted in the wind, “BOBBY, COME HOME!” To the east and west, same words.
Two days later, this dad heard a knock at the door. There stood Bobby. Bobby was home. It didn’t take long before his dad asked, “Son, what brought you home?” “Dad,” Bobby said, “I was sitting on the front porch of an old shack on the edge of the desert in Arizona, stoned out of my mind. A wind started blowing and suddenly grew stronger. Dad, I could have sworn that I heard your voice in the wind, “BOBBY, COME HOME!” And Dad, I got here as fast as I could.” Proverbs 18:21 “Life and death are in the power of the tongue.”
James 1:26-27 “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion [is] vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, [and] to keep himself unspotted from the world.”
James 3:1-17 “My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same [is] a perfect man, [and] able also to bridle the whole body. Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though [they be] so great, and [are] driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue [is] a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; [it is] an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet [water] and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? Either a vine, figs? So [can] no fountain both yield salt water and fresh? Who [is] a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but [is] earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife [is], there [is] confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, [and] easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.”
Dear Reader; Let us use our tongues to “Bless” and to “Confess,” to confess our sins firstly, and then to be a blessing to those around us, and let God use us, as God knows exactly where we are.
