We old folks were invited to visit a Bible study group where no one is over 40. For a couple of weeks the study is meeting near where we live. Yesterday morning during devotions (my mind wanders a lot - sometimes prompted by God) I thought that I should invite a young man I know to come to the study with us. He has Christian "leanings" but is not yet a follower of Christ. So I sent him a text invitation at 8:30 am.
We invited him to come for supper and then the Bible study. To our delight he accepted the last minute invitation and asked to bring his girlfriend who has no Christian background. We four enjoyed dinner together and then went to the study.
This group regularly listens to a sermon podcast by a well known American preacher and author, then discusses the sermon. Last night the sermon was good but the topic was "The wrath of God"! Throughout the sermon I was praying that in spite of the topic not being "seeker friendly", God would use it in our friend's life. And God did!
During the discussion, to our great delight and surprise, our friend commented: "How come I have often heard about God's love but never about His wrath? I was glad to hear about this and that His wrath is a controlled wrath. I think our society is too soft and undisciplined." (paraphrased) Obviously God spoke to our friend through this sermon.
After a lot of fast moving discussion, I wanted our friend's girlfriend to hear some of God's truth in her own language since her English is very limited. At my suggestion, someone in the group, fluent in the other language, shared her testimony for a few minutes. I don't know exactly what was said, but I think it may have been the first time this young woman has ever heard the Christian message.
During the sermon the preacher shared an illustration from the movie Amadeus. Do you remember that movie about Mozart? The movie is over 25 years old! Poor choice of an illustration, especially for a group most of whom were in elementary school 25 years ago - except. Except that one of the woman in the group had been struggling spiritually and really wanted a special word from God. During the discussion she shared how recently she bought a bunch of old movies. Guess what movie she had watched just two nights before the study!?
She was sure this reference to Amadeus was not a coincidence, it was a word from God for her. She asked me after the discussion broke up, what exactly God was saying to her through the Amadeus illustration. Since we know her well, I was able to tell her what I felt God was saying to her - and that it was very relevant to her struggle.
Jan and I came home last night rejoicing at the evidence of God at work. Who would have thought that a sermon on the anger of God preached in the USA a few months ago; and an illustration from an old movie, would be just what was needed by at least two people last night! Isn't it fun to watch God at work?
We invited him to come for supper and then the Bible study. To our delight he accepted the last minute invitation and asked to bring his girlfriend who has no Christian background. We four enjoyed dinner together and then went to the study.
This group regularly listens to a sermon podcast by a well known American preacher and author, then discusses the sermon. Last night the sermon was good but the topic was "The wrath of God"! Throughout the sermon I was praying that in spite of the topic not being "seeker friendly", God would use it in our friend's life. And God did!
During the discussion, to our great delight and surprise, our friend commented: "How come I have often heard about God's love but never about His wrath? I was glad to hear about this and that His wrath is a controlled wrath. I think our society is too soft and undisciplined." (paraphrased) Obviously God spoke to our friend through this sermon.
After a lot of fast moving discussion, I wanted our friend's girlfriend to hear some of God's truth in her own language since her English is very limited. At my suggestion, someone in the group, fluent in the other language, shared her testimony for a few minutes. I don't know exactly what was said, but I think it may have been the first time this young woman has ever heard the Christian message.
During the sermon the preacher shared an illustration from the movie Amadeus. Do you remember that movie about Mozart? The movie is over 25 years old! Poor choice of an illustration, especially for a group most of whom were in elementary school 25 years ago - except. Except that one of the woman in the group had been struggling spiritually and really wanted a special word from God. During the discussion she shared how recently she bought a bunch of old movies. Guess what movie she had watched just two nights before the study!?
She was sure this reference to Amadeus was not a coincidence, it was a word from God for her. She asked me after the discussion broke up, what exactly God was saying to her through the Amadeus illustration. Since we know her well, I was able to tell her what I felt God was saying to her - and that it was very relevant to her struggle.
Jan and I came home last night rejoicing at the evidence of God at work. Who would have thought that a sermon on the anger of God preached in the USA a few months ago; and an illustration from an old movie, would be just what was needed by at least two people last night! Isn't it fun to watch God at work?
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