Yesterday seemed like a typical day, but it didn’t end up as such. I received an email from a man whom I do not know that read:
“Hi Bob – I have just called the Honey Lake Church to make contact with you and Grace kindly gave me your email address. I’m a Christian businessmen in the UK and also a part time church leader at www.livingrockchurch.org.uk
The reason I’ve got in touch is because the Holy Spirit woke me in the night and spoke to me about ‘the Jesus Alliance’ which I had never heard of before. It’s a very simple message, but I want to be faithful and pass it on once we’ve made good contact. It would be great to speak if you wish. I would be happy to call you if there’s number to call. Many blessings – Simon”
I responded and told him that I needed to hop on a conference call for a few minutes, but we agreed that we would talk immediately thereafter. So he called me and we talked.
WOW!
After hearing what he had to say, I was so excited and emotional that I was afraid that I would forget some details and I asked him to please write it down and send it to me. Here is what he wrote:
“Early last Saturday morning at 1.20am I was awakened and I felt the presence of God and sat up momentarily to pray. The Holy Spirit said to me “Tell the Jesus Alliance I’ve heard their prayers”. This was so clear that I waited for any more information that the Lord might share, but that was it. I heard nothing more.
I have never even heard of the Jesus Alliance so I reached for my phone and typed a quick reminder for the morning. This is not a common occurrence for me. I read the Word daily, love the Lord with all my heart and hear him through the Word and ‘still small voice’. But this was striking and clear. Not audible, but clear.
On Saturday I Googled ‘Jesus Alliance’ and instantly found your site. It was interesting but I had little time and so I pondered the word I had heard and got on with the family plans. Later in the day I searched further and found your church website and also info about yourself. I watched part of a video of your testimony.
Deciding to make contact I filled in a form on the website but as of yesterday (Monday) had heard nothing. So I filled in contact info on the Honey Lake Church website but the form wasn’t working. (It said in red that I had got the math wrong!)
Today I decided I had to make contact so phoned the church direct. I spoke briefly with Grace who gave me your email address!! I’m 49 years old, married to Liz 25 years and have 3 wonderful children. I run a technology company and a smaller import business. I’m also a part time leader at Living Rock Church in Leicestershire, UK. Blessings – Simon”
WOW! – WOW! – WOW!
I was literally weeping with tears streaming down my face as he told me what the Lord had said. I rushed in to tell me wife who has been completely bed-ridden for the past three days from her latest chemo treatment and she was equally moved.
I’ve thought about this practically non-stop since it happened yesterday afternoon. I wondered why God would choose a nondescript businessman who lives in a small nondescript town half way around the world in the UK who has never heard of the Jesus Alliance, and/or me to reveal this encouraging message.
I suspect He chose Simon Rowland to perform this task, because he is a nondescript person, living in a nondescript small town in England and he had no idea what God was talking about regarding the Jesus Alliance. God knew that Simon would not quit at the first obstacle and would use Google to find us, and in spite of malfunctioning websites persevere and make international calls until he reached me and successfully delivered the message per God’s instructions.
There are other of God’s servants that would have persevered, but primarily I think Simon was chosen because God in His wisdom knew that those who have doubted and have little faith would believe him versus if God had given this message to one of our supporters or leaders right here in the United States. Many would probably have doubted its authenticity coming from someone so close to home, but Simon lives in the UK and has never even heard of us. God chose the perfect vehicle to deliver His message and that should convince all but the most stubborn of doubters.
My faith has remained intact even though my family and I have been attacked by dark satanic forces with life threatening excruciatingly painful health problems and many other difficulties. I’ve worked hard but have run against a solid block wall time and again when trying to come up with the necessary funds to launch the Jesus Alliance and have not had much luck with volunteers. Nonetheless my faith was still intact, but admittedly I was weary and beat up and definitely needed encouragement at this particular time. I cannot think of anything I could have heard from the Holy Spirit than “I have heard your prayers!” to reignite my fire to a blaze again.
I look for great things to happen soon, but if you don’t remember anything else about today’s entry, please- please remember that Jesus responded to prayer! The Jesus Alliance has prayer intercessors praying daily. I’m also praying continually throughout the day. Prayer works, but we must stay at it.
Remember Luke 11: “Then He said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and goes to him at midnight and says to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and from inside he answers and says, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been shut and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.’ “I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs.”So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you . . .
God might not personally reveal to you that He’s heard your prayers as He did in today’s WFTD, but nonetheless He hears and He loves every single one of us. Keep praying and praying and it will be opened to you.
Pray with faith and don’t doubt.
1 John 5:14
And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.
June 17, 2015 – Click here to listen