Lost Hope
During the winter in Washington state, I had heard of a man in our area who had been in a logging related accident. One of his legs had been crushed and he had been held pinned under a pine tree without any help for an extended time. When he was finally found, he was air lifted to a trauma unit in the next large city to us. He was taken into surgery the next day and had much work done to put his leg back together again. Surprisingly, he was home within a few days.
My wife and I knew of this family and their struggles and the Lord put them on our heart to care for them. We wondered how we could help in their time of need. It didn’t take long for us to hear that they had no firewood cut to keep their home warm. To add misery to the whole thing, he lived alone with his daughter who was sick in bed with the flue. The church I serve has a ministry arm called Men A Fire, where the men get together once a month, go out and help someone with gardening or minor home repairs. I knew the men would love to help this man so I made the call and gathered the troops. The next day seven men showed up at his home and began to cut and split logs which were on the property. It didn’t matter that it was snowing or cold to us. We knew this man needed a blessing in his life. We even stacked some of the wood next to his front door so his daughter would have easy access to it while dad recovered.
After the job was completed, most of the men. I wanted to go in and pray for him so another man and me stayed behind. We knocked on the door and he yelled for us to come in. We found him laying on the couch in the living room with a cast going from his ankle to his hip, and he was clearly in pain. I asked him how he was doing and he confirmed the pain but was thankful to have his leg. I looked at it and saw that it was bright red and a mess even after the surgery. I knew the leg was infected.
I looked at him and said, “Clearly the devil has tried to kill you… Are you now ready to be saved?”
He looked at me and immediately said, “I am!” You see, the ground in his heart had already been plowed by God. He was already prepared for someone to come along and just ask the most important question we can ask a person; “Are you ready to be saved?” We don’t need to labor knowing God has already gone ahead in preparing others to receive His Son. Most of the time, people are just waiting for an opening to say “Yes!” This is why the Bible says the fields are white and ready for harvest. God has already done the tilling. We just need to go reap and take the crop.
I led him to ask Jesus to forgive all the sin in his life. He did. I could tell he really meant it too. Then I had him open the doors over his heart and ask Jesus to come into him and save his soul. He did. He took his hands and grabbed both doors over his heart and opened them up wide, and Jesus entered him right then and there. I could see his countenance change instantly. We talked a bit about what was going to change in his life now that he had asked Jesus into it. He was so grateful to hear that good was coming instead of all the hatred and anger he had lived throughout his life.
I asked him what was ahead for his leg and recovery. He told me that the leg had an infection and the doctor had already set up a surgery for the next day. It was beat red. The infection was taking over his leg and if not taken care of, he would lose the leg after all. I asked him if I could lay hands on him and told him he would be healed. He said, “Yes! I would love that” So I anointed him with oil and then laid hands on him and commanded the infection to die and leave his leg. It did. Right in front of us it disappeared. So awesome!
I saw him soon after and had a chance to get caught up with what has been happening in his life. He told me the rest of the story. He had already taken a digital photo of his leg before we showed up to cut the firewood and sent it to his doctor. It showed the leg bright red and infected. The doctor set up the surgery time immediately. After I prayed for him, the infection died and had left his leg so he called and cancelled the surgery that afternoon. The doctor hearing the surgery had been cancelled called him and told him he would lose his leg if he didn’t get to the hospital. After some conversation, the man sent the doctor a new photo of his leg which was white and doing great. The doctor couldn’t understand how that had happened, but the new believer in Christ told him what had happened. Not only had he been saved, he was already testifying to what Christ can do in a person.
I hope this testimony builds your faith where you will use it to bless your own life and those around you. Believe and walk in faith. God will respond to it.
God bless you
Pastor Jeff Mauer
