Welcome, my friends, to your 24/7 week-long online church service. As we always say and mean, everyone, and we do mean everyone, is welcome in this place.
A lot has taken place this past week, my friends. On Wednesday, the 21st of this month, the doctors discovered I had two blockages in my right coronary artery. The devil would love to put me out of commission and close down the anointed Word of God from proceeding forth from this ministry. But God has another plan and the devil is a defeated foe. The doctor, a Muslim, was able to take care of both blockages with a long single stent. I thank God for using that Muslim doctor to help me out of serious trouble, my friends. You know I am always aware of Psalm 91 14-16.
"Because he has set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me and I shall answer him: I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him with long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."
Thank you my Father for long life. I will serve you, Lord, all the days of my life. Thank you, my friends for your prayers, emails and comments. You were a great source of strength for me. You did for me what a church is supposed to do. You lifted me up to the Father in prayer. We must always do that for each other.
Satan tried a double-punch effort on me this week. When my wife visited me in the hospital on Thursday, she had devastating news for me. My lifetime friend since fourth grade (fifty seven years), Nick Schloh, had a massive heart attack and passed away. Nick was quite a character. I often told him he was the most obnoxious man I knew. However, what most people didn't know, under that hard surface was a man filled with love for his family and, as evidenced many times, love for my family. He loved to tease our kids, my wife, and myself. He loved the "gotcha" moments. For over forty years, he called me, "Toad" and I called him, "Toad." Our wives were Mrs. Toad. This loss was like a punch to the gut. Toad and I talked on the phone at least every few days. I already miss his voice, his sarcasm, his teasing, but most of all, the love he had for us but didn't like to show. My tears would not stop Thursday, for I had truly lost, my best friend.
People asked me about, "do I think he was saved or not?" My answer to those types of questions are always the same. Our God is a fair and just God. Whatever reward Dr. Nicholas Schloh is supposed to receive, he will receive. What I do know is, I consider "the Toad," Dr. Schloh, to have been a gift from God in my life and he will be eternally missed by me and my family. So long, Dr. Schloh. I will always love and miss you. Our sympathy and prayers go out to his wife, Sue, and daughter, Michelle. Please pray for them this week.
I told you this was quite a week! Satan, I'm sure, thought this would discourage me and turn me away from God. But instead, I have chosen to put on a garment of praise for the Spirit of heaviness. Refer to Isiah 61:3:
"To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning (thank you Lord) the garment of praise for the Spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He might be glorified."
You are glorified, my Lord. Thanks for your help in a time of trouble.
The subject last week was "then along came Jesus." I shared a couple of personal testimonies and asked you to submit any testimony you'd like to share. I was very pleased with the comments and emails we received. There are two testimonies that I would like to share with you. The first one is from my sister, Rose, in Louisiana. She relates how when God wants you to do something, He will provide for it. Please, do not fail to read this as it will encourage you and help build your faith. Thank you, Rosie. I love you and pray God's blessing on you and your family.
Rose.
Barbara's testimony:
I didn't know you were a youth director of a church. ... I love this message. It reminds me when I was interning and Ashley and I were going through a transition. She was coming to live with me and I had little money and no child support from her father. (still don't and that was 5 years ago) I was trying to provide a good home and I was living in a one bedroom apartment and needed a 2 bedroom and I was behind in rent. I went to my place of interning 45 miles one way when gas was $3.50 a gallon, and a man that worked there approached me. He told me he and his wife tithe not to a church but to people God tells them to bless. No one there knew of my financial need and I had much faith that God would provide if this was meant to happen with Ashley and me. He said he wanted to give me $400.00. He never asked me if I needed it or not. He had no idea what I was going through. I understood that this beautiful person and his wonderful wife were living in a trailer and lived very modestly. Most people in my thinking of his caliber would live a lavish life style. His wife was a writer and had 2 books released already and he was a funding advisor for a counseling office. I felt I couldn't take the money because he knew nothing about me. I thought if he knew who I really was he wouldn't be giving it to me. I felt so unworthy. My past hasn't been the greatest and if he knew that ...... Anyway, I was in awe. Before I accepted the money I checked my motives. Did I take the money because I needed it. of course I did. I checked my heart. I had faith that God would provide and he was. I questioned myself and God. I continued to pray about it all day before I gave him an answer if I would accept it. My answer from the Lord was "this is a gift, use it for you and Ashley If you don't then you are throwing it back at God." The Holy Spirit also convinced me that it is not only my blessing but the person who is giving it to me who is blessed. I cried all the way home in amazement of how the Lord works. I also felt for the first time how the holy spirit works and feels. The Lord provides even when it doesn't feel like it now I know. He is working behind the scene all the time. With me witnessing how He works has strengthened me even in crisis. I have learned that in the present God is here even if we don't feel it. I learned this in hindsight. Hindsight has taught me to KNOW many times that God has been here all along.
Does not this testimony stir you, my friends? Barb, even though feeling unworthy, had not lost her confidence in her Heavenly Father and He rewarded her. Refer to Hebrews 10:35:
"Cast not away therefore you're confidence which has great recompence of reward"
To be sure that reward comes in many ways. However, in this situation, it was provision for a need. God bless you, Barb, for sharing this wonderful testimony. I pray God's blessing on you and your family. You are special, Barb. God loves you and will continue to supply your every need.
Well folks, I'm going to have to cut it off here for this week and get back to full recovery mode. Next week we will have more anointed, Holy Ghost teaching for you. This week, I am asking each of you to praise God in all things. God loves you, my friends. He really does.
God bless you,
Bro. Bob
Rest In Peace, Toad.
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