WITNESS PROTECTION PROGRAM!

No, I have no idea where these things come from.  It just came to my mind when I was thinking about a pronominal event that took place yesterday.  I want to share this story with Eric Wimer's permission (Upword Living Bookstore and Coffee House - downtown Auburn)!

A family situation was weighing very heavily on my emotions and so I was seeking God for an answer.  "What am I missing here?"  After lunch with a dear friend Wendy O., I went to a viewing at one of the local funeral homes.  Afterwards as I was driving through town, I felt a prompting to stop in at Upword for a cup of coffee.  I do mean prompting, because I argued about how I needed to take my pity party and go home.

 There wasn't anyone around except Eric and he was picking up trash and hauling it outside.  Unusually friendly today, he asked me what was I doing today.  So we talked a minute about "life and the things it brings our lives."   Eric has no idea how he ministered to me yesterday and I thank him for a whole new brain cell has attached itself to my spirit.  He began talking about how some people view their prayer life as asking for God's will in things.  We will tend to say, "Well, Lord willing I will be healed, or Lord willing I will be here next year."  I agreed.  He went on to talk about confessing what you want or need in a given situation.  He perked my ears, because I knew somewhere in the new testament was the verse. . ."Call things NOT as though THEY ARE!"  Where was that.  His example blew my mind.

He talked about the time he had a kidney blockage that required a $40,000. procedure.  He had no insurance and no money.  His prayer became this, "Okay Lord, I can't pay the $40,000.00 so 1) you will have to bring me the money from somewhere, or 2),  You do the Healing or 3) It will have to be my time to go, because I do not have any means to do it.   He boldly stated that God healed him and he has not had another anything with his kidneys.  So you do the math.  Another time he felt that God was calling him to go on a missionary trip.  He was young and just newly married, and there were bills to be paid and he was the only income.  It would also cost so much to go on the trip.  It came down to the last few days.  He again confessing that he believe the money would be there.  Not only was it there to pay the bills ahead but the money for the trip.

Witness Protection Program, you ask?  I honestly felt like I had gone somewhere else in the country for several hours.  This young man gave bold witness that God has a PROTECTION PROGRAM for us if we will but only use it.  We do need to be free to witness to people how we have been changed by God. It was clear, it was bold, it was what I needed to hear.  I got it.  I went home and looked it up.

Romans 4: 17 -

NIV Version -    - - -The God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.

It caused me to examine how I was praying about the family situation.   And I realized that how I needed to confess my belief.   And how I needed to change my attitude.  I realize that this has been a controversial aspect for some, so let me be clear.  In my examination, I saw how I prayed and had a negative attitude at the same time.  Na-uh! That won't work.  Think about it.  It jelled for me.Thank you Eric for your bold beautiful witness.  Jesus expects us to follow suit.