A young man had been to Wednesday Night Bible Study. The Pastor had shared about listening to God and obeying the Lord’s voice.

The young man couldn’t help but wonder, ‘Does God still speak to people?’ After service, he went out with some friends for coffee and pie and they discussed the message.. Several different ones talked about how God had led them in different ways.

It was about ten o’clock when the young man started driving home. Sitting in his car, he just began to pray, ‘God…If you still speak to people, speak to me. I will listen. I will do my best to obey.’ As he drove down the main street of his town, he had the strangest thought to stop and buy a gallon of milk. He shook his head and said out loud, ‘God is that you?’ He didn’t get a reply and started on toward home.

But again, the thought, buy a gallon of milk.

The young man thought about Samuel and how he didn’t recognize the voice of God, and how little Samuel ran to Eli. ‘Okay, God, in case that is you, I will buy the milk.’ It didn’t seem like too hard a test of obedience. He could always use the milk. He stopped and purchased the gallon of milk and started off toward home.

As he passed Seventh Street , he again felt the urge, ‘Turn Down that street.’

This is crazy he thought, and drove on past the intersection. Again, he felt that he should turn down Seventh Street.At the next intersection, he turned back and headed down Seventh. Half jokingly, he said out loud, ‘Okay, God, I will.’ He drove several blocks, when suddenly, he felt like he should stop. He pulled over to the curb and looked around. He was in a semi- commercial area of town. It wasn’t the best but it wasn’t the worst of neighborhoods either. The businesses were closed and most of the houses looked dark like the people were already in bed.

Again, he sensed something, ‘Go and give the milk to the people in the house across the street.’ The young man looked at the house.. It was dark and it looked like the people were either gone or they were already asleep. He started to open the door and then sat back in the car seat .

‘Lord, this is insane. Those people are asleep and if I wake them up, they a re going to be mad and I will look stupid.’ Again, he felt like he should go and give the milk.

Finally, he opened the door, ‘Okay God, if this is you, I will go to the door and I will give them the milk. If you want me to look like a crazy person, okay. I want to be obedient. I guess that will count for some thing, but if they don’t answer right away, I am out of here.’

He walked a cross the street and rang the bell. He could hear some noise inside. A man’s voice yelled
out, ‘Who is it? What do you want?’ Then the door opened before the young man could get away.

The man was standing there in his jeans and T-shirt. He looked like he just got out of bed. He had a strange look on his face and he didn’t seem too happy to have some stranger standing on his doorstep. ‘What is it?’ The young man thrust out the gallon of milk, ‘Here, I brought this to you.’ The man took the milk and rushed down a hallway.

Then from down the hall came a woman carrying the milk toward the kitchen. The man was following her holding a baby. The baby was crying. The man had tears streaming down his face.

The man began speaking and half crying, ‘We were just praying. We had some big bills this month and we ran out of money. We didn’t have any milk for our baby. I was just praying and asking God to show me how to get some milk.’

His wife in the kitchen yelled out, ‘I asked him to send an Angel with some. Are you an Angel?’

The young man reached into his wallet and pulled out all the money he had on him and put in the man’s hand. He turned and walked back toward his car and the tears were streaming down his face.

Now He knew that God still speak to people and answer our prayers.

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This is so true. Sometimes it’s the simplest things that God asks us to do that cause us, if we are obedient to what He’s asking, to be able to hear. His voice more clear than ever. Please listen, and obey! It will bless you (and the world). – Phil 4:13

There is so much pain in the world. Bigotry, poverty, captivity, disease. Through it all, God is trying to get our attention. Why do we find it so hard to let go of the monkey trap and reach out to Him?

You know what a monkey trap is? In Africa the monkey hunters drill a hole in a coconut, just big enough for a monkey to stick in his hand and arm, so long as the hand is open and extended. However, if the hand is in a fist, it cannot enter or come out.

The monkey hunters put a worthless shiny stone in the coconut, big enough to ensure the monkey’s hand cannot come out while clinching the stone. The monkey is curious. He is attracted to the shiny object he spots inside the hole. Sticks in his hand and grasps the shiny, worthless pebble. Now he is possessive. He won’t let go. The coconut is anchored to the tree. The monkey hunters come. The monkey is screaming in fear, but he is captured, because he is holding onto a shiny, worthless pebble which becomes more important to him than his freedom.

I called a young lady in California one week ago. She has been to Haiti and knows the calling of God. But she has gotten her hand in a monkey trap. She was holding on to hurt and bitterness. And she was miserable.

Is ANYTHING worthwhile for losing our freedom in Christ? Is ANYTHING worth going to hell for when we have the opportunity to obtain heaven right now? Rush Limbaugh told it better than any preacher has ever said it: Forgiveness is not for the other person, it is for our own health. We cannot physically, emotionally and mentally bear up under the weight of endless unforgiveness. It will kill us as surely as a tiger trap.

When we get sick and tired of being sick and tired, I know where you can find rest and deliverance, and He will take your burden and carry it for you. All it costs is all of you for all of Him. That is a bargain K Mart or Wal-Mart can never dream of matching. Will you let go of the monkey trap and let God take control? Does Eternal Life sound so scary? Are you so sure of your own abilities that you chose your own decisions over your Creator? Hey, friend, chose life in Jesus Christ. Want to know more? Ask me, or someone else who knows Jesus.

Excuse me for “preaching”, but the work of the “junk man” – the devil who kills, steals and destroys - has gotten to me a bit, and I cannot let the day go by without telling someone there is not need to continue on part of the junk heap.

The Lord bless you and keep you and give you peace!

—— Brother Dan ———-

Once there was a pawn who wanted to be independent. He was sad, and chafed against his limitations. These rules are so unfair, said the little pawn. I can only move forward, and then only one space at a time, except for my first move.

Furthermore, complained the little pawn, I cannot attack an opponent directly in front of me, nor beside me, nor behind me. I can only attack at the front angle to the right or left. This is so unfair!

How the little pawn pined and longed to be a bishop or a knight. Sometimes, he even longed to be a rook. It was just so irritating to have to be linked to other pawns to have any strength. The little pawn wanted to be able to stand on his own and have an impact on the contest, instead of being a disposable, lowly pawn.

As the game progressed, the little pawn advanced and advanced. He helped his team by holding his spot. For, as lowly as he was, no other stronger piece in the opponent’s team cared to be sacrificed for a mere pawn. Such strength! To be so lowly the enemy would not attack the little pawn for fear of its losses.

Finally, the little pawn was standing on the 7th rank. Suddenly, the chessmaster spoke to the little pawn: “you will now bring victory for our team. For of ALL the pieces on the board, only the insignificant, lowly pawns have the potential to become the strongest of them all, a queen!”

We are all like pawns: in the greater overall events of the world and history, we are insignificant. And, we all lean upon something. Some lean upon alcohol. Some lean upon material possessions. Some lean upon prozac.

But to become a victor in this life, the only true leaning post is Jesus Christ. We need the Body of Christ in order to be strong. And, if we persevere, in the end we will win the prize, a crown of Life.

In the midst of the battle of daily life, we can become frustrated with the need to be dependent. We were designed that way, by God, however. And under His direction and empowerment, we can manifest a divine strength and defeat the enemy. Hallelujah!

Jesus said: “Apart from me you can do nothing”. Much better crutch than booze or pills or anger, eh?

The peace of God is found in fulfilling the created purpose of God for our lives: Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.