MR. VISITOR!
(as the little children would say)
Luke 1:77-79.....click |
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Allow me to
tell you of an elderly lady I met while in a village in
the Philippine Islands. I was living in a coffee
shop at the time, the owner of the shop (come
residence) was a barrister and very well known and
looked up to in the village.
I ended up living in his house because I had nowhere to
live. The previous place I stayed was a mission run by
an AOG pastor. I did what I could for this mission,
everything from painting the place, cleaning the toilet,
providing foods and clothes for the household and I sold
my car in Australia to buy them a car for their
visitations but still it wasn't enough for this
pastor.........click.
I heard from peoples in the village that this pastor was
laughing at me behind my back and joking to
peoples how he had a servant who cleaned his toilet
(obviously this man was very humble) and the people
said that this pastor really didn't speak very kindly of
me at any time. This pastor once said to my face "I have
Korean ministers who give more $$$$ than what you own".
After some time I began to clearly see that
this minister was a man who loved money and thought very
little of 'messengers of Yahweh', he was too
zealous building his carnal dream, empire, mission to
listen to what Father was saying to him or even
sincerely care for the poor.
Father had me cut out a picture of John the baptiser,
baptising Jesus at the Jordan, frame it and hang it on
the freshly painted wall in the dining-kitchen area
along side a picture of a donkey, it was meant to be a
helpful-hint. Endeavouring to quicken the pastor of his
lack of gratitude, humility and respect toward
Yahweh.....click.
In the end I did read (explain) the mural out clearly
to him before I left the mission, no, he refused to
receive what I had said. I did warn this man that Father
was going to humble him, he just smiled at me. It was
about two weeks later that one of the biggest typhoons
that had ever struck Negros Island - 1995 and this village
arrived. The
winds and rain were fierce, the entire roof was peeled
off the children's pre-school and every room in the
mission was full of water ankle deep, every room was
attacked except the room that I stayed in.
Coincidence you may say, at least, a fool would anyway.
Father quickened me one evening to move on, he said,
"in the morning you will leave here for I have prepared
a place for you in this island". I had no idea
where to go, here I am a white man wandering through a
village of foreigners, hot, humid, discouraged and unable
to speak the language with no help save an invisible
friend, saviour, God.......Jesus the Christ, Yahweh.
I walked for a time till I came to a cross-road
intersection where I stopped to rest and put my luggage
down. The heat and humidity was not pleasant, with sweat
running down my arms, legs and brow I looked up and
quietly said within myself, "lord, what is going on,
it's just not on, which way do I travel from here?
I've got no idea".
Then a voice cried out to me from a window in a two
storey house, hey Joe! what are you doing, are you
alright?...I didn't know whether to cry or laugh, it was
a joyous sound. It was as if I knew this man but I had
never met him before, he called me over and told me to
sit down and have a cool drink. Besides my name
isn't Joe......click.
It was only about one hour after I had left that mission
that God used unsaved people to provide me with food,
shelter and drink. I kind of think of it as 'raven help'
ref/Elijah, brook Cherith.....click.
It was a wonder filled stay and the coffee shop
underneath the rooms was a meeting place for many, many
were healed that came for prayer from the foreigner,
salvation was a daily happening, children came in the
morn while I ate my breakfast and gazed into my face
hoping to receive some of the fish and eggs I was eating
and they did.
I really loved it there but there is no room for our
loves when 'the' master 'the' Christ is master
and orders our steps.........Matthew 10:34-39,
Matthew 8:21, 22 1 Corinthians 6:20.
One person in particular 'an elderly lady' who's
name I never got to know properly although mentioned
came with children one morn and she had such a clear
smile, like clear shining after rain, she was wanting
some rice, just a cup. So I sent a servant to the shop
for rice and he came back joyfully with the rice and the
look on her face was glorious. The servant boy I mention
was the one the owner of the house-business gave to help
me, he was always partaking of gifts and opportunities
to eat out wherever I went........the labourer is
worthy of his wages.
This elderly woman took me to her house and showed me
where she rests of a night. I was full of admiration for
this lady who showed no sign of complaining of her lot.
She put her hands on that kilo of rice given her and
grasped it as if there was no tomorrow. I had to laugh
and laugh again while I sang aloud.......what a
friend we have in Jesus!!!!!
Here I was nowhere to live and here she was with her own
home established in prime island real estate district,
what a pair, what an experience, what joy divine, what a
wonderful saviour. If I was sent to the Philippines just
to give some children some of my fish and eggs and one
old lady one kilo of rice it was a trip more than worth
it's while.
So much more went down, roofs in some cases. The
young man who diligently served me from the day I got to
the barrister's house to the day I left ended up giving
his life to Jesus and scored all my jeans, shirts and
even my desert boots he loved so much but most of all he
found Jesus or should I say Jesus found him tucked away
in an unknown insignificant village that has no dealings
with presidents, prime ministers or Wall St.
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There were many widows in Zarephath but Elijah was sent to one only and there
were many lepers in the Elisha era but to one only was Elisha sent to help.....this saying
made many
wrath......ref/Luke 4:24-30, selah.
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Taking this message of my
Father to the whole world
Pastor Paul Sheehan
November 2007
Click.....Click....Click.
P.S. The children would say to me each morning
"Good morning Mr. Visitor!"
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