26 GUARDS
Here's a message that will bring you chills.
Have you ever felt the urge to pray for someone and then just put it on a list
and said, "I'll pray for them later?" Or has anyone ever called you
and said, "I need you to pray for me, I have this need?" Read the
following story that was sent to me and it may change the way you think about
prayer and also the way you pray.
A missionary on Furlough told this true story while visiting his home church in
Michigan. "While serving at a small field hospital in Africa, every two
weeks I traveled by bicycle through the jungle to a nearby city for supplies.
This was a journey of two days and required camping overnight at the halfway
point. On one of these journeys, I arrived in the city where I planned to
collect money from a bank, purchase medicine and supplies, and then begin my
two-day journey back to the field hospital.
Upon arrival in the city, I observed two men fighting, one of whom had been
seriously injured. I treated him for his injuries and at the same time talked to
him about the Lord. I then traveled two days, camping overnight, and
arrived home without incident. Two weeks later I repeated my journey.
Upon arriving in the city, I was approached by the young man I had treated. He
told me that he had known I carried money and medicines. He said, 'Some friends
and I followed you into the jungle, knowing you would camp overnight. We planned
to kill you and take your money and drugs. But just as we were about to move
into your camp, we saw that you were surrounded by 26 armed guards.
At this, I laughed and said that I was certainly all alone in that jungle
campsite. The young man pressed the point, however, and said, 'No, sir, I was
not the only person to see the guards. My five friends also saw them, and we all
counted them. It was because of those guards that we were afraid and left you
alone.
At this point in the sermon, one of the men in the congregation jumped to his
feet and interrupted the missionary and asked if he could tell him the exact day
this happened..... The missionary told the congregation the date, and the man
who interrupted told him this story:
"On the night of your incident in Africa, it was morning here and I was
preparing to go play golf. I was about to putt when I felt the urge to pray for
you. In fact, the urging of the Lord was so strong, I called men in this church
to meet with me here in the sanctuary to pray for you. Would all of those men
who met with me on that day stand up?"
The men who had met together to pray that day stood up. The missionary wasn't
concerned with who they were, he was too busy counting how many men he saw.
There were 26.
This story is an incredible example of how the Spirit of the Lord moves in
mysterious ways. If you ever hear such prodding, go along with it. Nothing is
ever hurt by prayer except the gates of hell.
After you read this give God thanks for the beautiful gift of your faith, for
the powerful gift of prayer, and for the many miracles He works in your own
daily life. Who says God does not work in mysterious ways?
I asked the Lord to bless you as I prayed for you today. To guide you and
protect you as you go along your way.... His love is always with you, His
promises are true, And when we give Him our cares you know He will see us
through. So when the road you're traveling on seems difficult at best, Just
remember I'm here praying, and God will do the rest.
God bless and let's all just keep on praying....because friend prayer works! May
God hold you in the palm of His hand and Angels watch over you.
I pray this has been a blessing to you