Stamp out the devil!

I've read it many times before, but I received it in an e-mail from a friend, and at the end it asked me to share it... to not be ashamed of the Father. I don't believe in chain letters, but the story is worth sharing. Open up your heart as you read the story...

"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, he 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 theywere 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 are 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 across 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 mancould 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 ask 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 andput in the man's hand. He turned and walked back toward his car and the tears were streaming down his face. He knew that God still answers prayers."

So if there is something in your life right now, maybe you are like the couple, and in these times of a world-pronounced coming recession, you are needing a miracle. KEEP PRAYING! Keep the FAITH alive and strong. It may not be a financial need, it may just be a small thing. It may be a physical, emotional, social, mental need for you or for a friend or family member. BUT KEEP ON BELIEVING! Maybe you are like the young man, maybe you need to stop in life to hear the voice of God, and not only to hear it, but to act upon it! WOW! We are the hands and feet of Jesus, we need to reach out into our community and help our fellow man the only way we know how.... again, it may not be only financially... (as we all have our struggles - but if God is asking you to give, then expect Him to give back to you in great abundance!). Look around, and see the people that you associate with, that you come in contact with. Some may even just need a hug, or a reassurance that they are special and worth something!

GOD STILL LISTENS, GOD STILL ANSWERS, GOD STILL SPEAKS, GOD STILL WORKS MIRACLES!!!

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door

will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds;

and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."

Matthew 7:7-8