For the umpteenth time Mrs. Youngston came to her pastor to tell him, “I’m so scared!  Joe says he’s going to kill me if I continue to come to your church.”

“Yes, yes, my child,” replied the pastor, more than a little tired of hearing this over and over.  “I will continue to pray for you, Mrs. Youngston. Have faith – the Lord will watch over you.”

“Oh yes, he has kept me safe thus far, only…..”

“Only what, my child?”

“Well, now he says if I keep coming to your church, he’s going to kill YOU!”

“Well, now,” said the pastor, “Perhaps it’s time to check out that little church on the other side of town.”

A businessman was in a great deal of trouble. His business was failing, he had put everything he had
into the business, he owed everybody it was so bad he was even contemplating suicide. As a last resort
he went to a pastor and poured out his story of tears and woe.

When he had finished, the pastor said, “Here’s what I want you to do, put a beach chair and your Bible
in your car and drive down to the beach. Take the beach chair and the Bible to the water’s edge, sit
down in the beach chair, and put the Bible in your lap. Open the Bible; the wind will rifle the pages, but
finally the open Bible will come to rest on a page. Look down at the page and read the first thing you
see. That will be your answer, that will tell you what to do.”

A year later the businessman went back to the pastor and brought his wife and children with him. The
man was in a new custom- tailored suit, his wife in a mink coat, the children shining. The businessman
pulled an envelope stuffed with money out of his pocket and gave it to the pastor as a donation in
thanks for his advice.

The pastor recognized the benefactor, and was curious. “You did as I suggested?“ he asked.

“Absolutely,” replied the businessman.

“You went to the beach?”

“Absolutely.”

“You sat in a beach chair with the Bible in your lap?”

“Absolutely.”

“You let the pages rifle until they stopped?”

“Absolutely.”

“And what were the first words you saw?”

“Chapter 11.”

A guy named Joe finds himself in dire trouble.
His business has gone bust and he’s in serious financial trouble.
He’s so desperate that he decides to ask God for help.

He begins to pray… “God, please help me.
I’ve lost my business and if I don’t get some money, I’m going to lose my house as well.
Please let me win the lotto.”

Lotto night comes and somebody else wins it.

Joe again prays… “God, please let me win the lotto!
I’ve lost my business, my house and I’m going to lose my car as well”.

Lotto night comes and Joe still has no luck.

Once again, he prays… “My God, why have you forsaken me??
I’ve lost my business, my house, and my car.
My wife and children are starving.
I don’t often ask you for help and I have always been a good servant to you.
PLEASE just let me win the lotto this one time so I can get my life back in order.”

Suddenly there is a blinding flash of light as the heavens open and Joe is confronted by the voice of God Himself:

“Joe, meet Me halfway on this. Buy a ticket.”