Planting a Seed of Truth

Guest blogger, Susan Smith, has been kind enough to allow me to share her wonderful newsletter with readers here at Talk Wisdom.

Dear reader, have you ever experienced an "interruption" in your daily routine that turned out to be a divine encounter? I have!

Susan shares such an encounter that recently happened to her. It wasn't an accident or coincidence. She took the opportunity to plant a seed of truth for two young women, sent by God, to Susan's door.

When you read it, you will be encouraged and blessed!

Christine

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Susan's Newsletter:

The temperature was seventy degrees last Saturday (Shabbat) morning as I sat on my back porch with a cup of tea and my Bible. No reading was accomplished and the time was not important. Giving God one hundred per cent of my attention on Shabbat blesses my life more and more. From the back porch the bird feeders and birdbath are visible. At the beginning of Shabbat (Friday evening) it has become a routine to fill every feeder with seed and tear two slices of bread in half. The bread slices are placed in the top of the chain link fence that surrounds the backyard of the house God has provided.



Never before have I fed birds. Only God knew my needs when I returned from Israel a year ago. He speaks to us constantly. Most of what my ears hear from God comes from His written Word; however, during my five years in Jerusalem, I learned more and more that God is speaking to His people in many different ways. The ways God communicates with mankind are infinite.



Do you remember when God’s Word came to Elijah when he was hiding in the cave? Elijah was afraid of the woman, Jezebel. Jezebel had threatened to kill Elijah after her husband had told her Elijah slaughtered the prophets of Baal with the sword. Now when Elijah was in the cave, the word of the Lord asked him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (1KI 19:9). Have you ever felt as though you are in a dark cave hiding from some danger? The Lord told Elijah to go out and stand on the mountain in his presence, because “the Lord is about to pass by” (1KI 19:11). So what happened next?



A mighty wind tore the mountains apart. After the wind there was an earthquake, and then there came a fire. Finally after the Lord passed by there was a gentle whisper and Elijah heard it so he covered his face with his coat and stood at the mouth of the cave. Do you get the picture? The Lord told Elijah to go out and stand on the mountain in his presence, but it seems Elijah was afraid. He stayed in the cave during the stormy wind, the earthquake and the fire. Can you relate? I can.



So often we have storms in our lives and we are afraid to stand still in God’s presence and listen. God tells us in his written Word to “Be still and know that I am God” (PSA 46:10) “I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” What are we to do? We are to be still and know. We do not have to DO anything. We are human beings. We are not human doings! When we are “in” Christ, then we have it all. We must be still and know God is God. We move and breathe and have our being in God (ACT 17:28). Are you listening?



God is not served by human hands as if he needed anything, because the Lord gives everyone life and breath and everything else...he has even determined the times set for us and the exact places where we should live (ACT 17:25-26). STOP... My dear readers, nothing happens by accident. This newsletter will continue at a later date; however, the Lord just “passed by” in the form of two beautiful young girls. One is in the seventh grade and the other is a sophomore in high school. Let me explain:



As I was typing the scripture reference in the paragraph above, my doorbell rang. Two beautiful young girls were standing on my front porch. They each held a Bible and the older one also held two booklets. I invited them in and asked if they would like a cup of tea. They declined and said they would not stay but a minute. I welcomed them to stay longer, but they said they knew I was busy. The younger girl sat on the couch across the coffee table, and the older girl knelt beside my chair and began talking fast with many words. She seemed to be in a hurry.



She read a scripture from Revelation chapter 21:4 about how God will wipe away our tears and there will be no more death or mourning. My reply was, “Praise the Lord, He is Lord of lords and King of kings. God has exalted His Name above every name, and at the name of Jesus every knee will bow.” My voice then said, “Just as you are on your knees right now beside by chair.” Oh my friends, only God can set up such circumstances and give us the words that come out of our mouths! There seemed to be no “thinking” on my part at all. The words coming out of my mouth were not planned or premeditated. It was as though my brain had been bypassed once again.



This beautiful teenager then began to tell me how so many are afraid today, etc. I prayed silently for God to give me words as she talked, and then I interrupted her. She stopped talking, and there was eye contact with both girls. I told them I would listen to them and hoped they would let me talk for the same length of time when they finished. They both nodded and agreed. The older girl on her knees then told me about two issues of their publication she held in her hand. She said the booklets would direct me to the Bible.



It was very easy to explain how I did not need their books to direct me to the living Word of God and how I read the Bible every day. I told them I had returned last year after five years in Israel as a Christian volunteer. The older girl told me her dad had been to Saudi Arabia on business with the Arabs. Then I explained about the young people I worked with in Israel from the UK, South Africa and Australia. The two girls were listening. They were told when I left the US to travel to Israel in 2002, I thought their generation was lost, but I was wrong. I told them there are young people all over the world who are “sold out” for Jesus. They are “on fire” for the Lord.



My visitors were quiet, and then the younger girl on the couch mentioned how her friends dressed at school. The two girls were both dressed nicely in skirts and blouses. They had told me they were in seventh grade and tenth grade. My words told them I understood how they were under a lot of pressure in this culture today including the sin of homosexuality. Then the words just kept flowing. I told them I was an active lesbian for more than twenty years and Jesus delivered me. I told them I was a drunk for more than thirty years and Jesus delivered me. Then I said, “I had a baby out of wedlock and gave the child up for adoption.” I explained I have a friend who had an abortion and some young girls have been tormented by demonic spirits coming against their minds after they have had abortions. I said, “Jesus Christ has transformed my life!”



They were told about my testimony being recorded for Straight Talk Radio during a visit back from Israel and I asked if they would like a copy of the CD. They said, “Yes.” So I walked in another room and found one for them. When I returned to the living room, I handed the CD to the older girl. Then I asked if I could pray for them as I sat down and the older girl said, “I don’t think so.” She was standing by my chair. I slide to my knees out of the chair at her feet and looked up at her face. I said in almost a begging voice, “I would love to pray for the Lord to bless your lives. Christians pray for one another.”



She then asked, “What religion are you?” I told her I am a Bible-believing Christian and then I said, “No denomination has a lock on truth. Jesus is the truth.” Young people all over the world today are looking for truth! Denominationalism will not satisfy the X-generation. Organized religion is not the answer they so desperately need. They need Jesus the Messiah. Jesus is the truth. Christ is the answer every heart on earth, both young and old, is seeking today.



Oh my friends, these two innocent young hearts had been prepared by God to listen and receive. So what happened? The doorbell rang again. I looked up and a nice looking middle-aged man was standing outside the glass storm door with a black briefcase in his hand. I said, “Who is that?” The sophomore told me he was her dad. I was pleased, opened the door, introduced myself and invited him in. He declined and asked the girls if they had offered “Mary” the literature. I said, “Who is Mary? Mary was the mother of Jesus.” He said he was sorry and then called me “Susan” as he seemed a bit flustered. I said I would like to pray for him and the girls. He said “no thank you,” and then he said they had to leave. I told them to come back any time.



They left and I watched as they gathered with a half dozen or more men and women in the street outside. As they walked down the street, they seemed to be talking a lot. The older girl had walked out with the CD in her left hand. I noticed as she walked away with the group that she did not appear to show it to anyone. Then I watched as she placed the CD in her shoulder bag that was hanging on her right shoulder. May the Lord’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven. My prayer is for the gospel of truth to touch those girls and transform their hearts and lives.



My friends, accidents do not happen. God does indeed determine the exact places where we should live, and it is no accident I am living here in this house that is owned by a friend’s sister. God’s timing is always perfect! The Lord provides, and God gives us everything we need in order to do his will every single day of our lives. His will and purpose is all that matters in heaven and on earth. Do you believe? Call to God and he will answer you...he will tell you great and mighty things you do not know (JER 33:3). He speaks to us in storms, earthquakes and through fire in our lives. He also speaks in a still small voice. Are you listening? Are you ready to come out of your cave and stand on the mountain? God speaks in marvelous and miraculous ways to direct our words, deeds and actions. Can you hear the Holy Spirit? ~ Susan Smith