JOSHUA TIME 725

THIS WILL GIVE YOU CHILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
>>
>> AFTER A FEW OF THE USUAL SUNDAY EVENING HYMNS,
>> THE CHURCH'S PASTOR SLOWLY STOOD UP,
>>
>> WALKED OVER TO THE PULPIT AND,
>>
>> BEFORE HE GAVE HIS SERMON FOR THE EVENING,
>>
>> BRIEFLY INTRODUCED A GUEST MINISTER
>>
>> WHO WAS IN THE SERVICE THAT EVENING.
>>
>>
>>
>> IN THE INTRODUCTION, THE PASTOR TOLD TH E CONGREGATION
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>> THAT THE GUEST MINISTER WAS ONE OF HIS DEAREST
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>> CHILDHOOD FRIENDS AND THAT HE WANTED HIM TO HAVE A FEW
>>
>> MOMENTS TO GREET THE CHURCH AND SHARE WHATEVER
>>
>> HE FELT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE SERVICE. WITH
>>
>> THAT, AN ELDERLY MAN STEPPED UP TO THE PULPIT AND
>>
>> BEGAN TO SPEAK.
>>
>>
>>
>> "A FATHER, HIS SON, AND A FRIEND OF HIS SON WERE
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>> SAILING OFF THE PACIFIC COAST." HE BEGAN.
>>
>> "WHEN A FAST APPROACHING STORM BLOCKED ANY ATTEMPT TO
>>
>> GET BACK TO THE SHORE. THE WAVES WERE SO HIGH, THAT
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>> EVEN THOUGH THE FATHER WAS AN EXPERIENCED SAILOR, HE
>>
>> COULD NOT KEEP THE BOAT UPRIGHT AND THE THREE WERE
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>> SWEPT INTO THE OCEAN AS THE BOAT CAPSIZED."
>>
>>
>>
>> THE OLD MAN HESITATED FOR A MOMENT,
>>
>> MAKING EYE CONTACT WITH TWO TEENAGERS WHO WERE,
>>
>> FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE SERVICE BEGAN,
>>
>> LOOKING SOMEWHAT INTERESTED IN HIS STORY.
>>
>>
>>
>> THE AGED MINISTER CONTINUED WITH HIS STORY,
>>
>> "GRABBING A RESCUE LINE, THE FATHER HAD TO MAKE THE
>>
>> MOST EXCRUCIATING DECISION OF HIS LIFE: TO WHICH BOY
>>
>> WOULD HE THROW THE OTHER END OF THE LIFE LINE.
>>
>> HE ONLY HAD SECONDS TO MAKE THE DECISION.
>>
>> THE FATHER KNEW THAT HIS SON WAS A CHRISTIAN AND HE,
>>
>> ALSO, KNEW THAT HIS SON'S FRIEND WAS NOT.
>>
>>
>>
>> THE AGONY OF HIS DECISION COULD NOT BE MATCHED BY THE
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>> TORRENT OF WAVES.
>>
>>
>>
>> AS THE FATHER YELLED OUT, 'I LOVE YOU, SON!'
>>
>> HE THREW OUT THE LIFE LINE TO HIS SON'S FRIEND.
>>
>> BY THE TIME THE FATHER HAD PULLED THE FRIEND BACK TO
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>> THE CAPSIZED BOAT, HIS SON HAD DISAPPEARED BENEATH THE
>>
>> RAGING SWELLS INTO THE BLACK OF NIGHT.
>>
>> HIS BODY WAS NEVER RECOVERED.
>>
>>
>>
>> BY THIS TIME, THE TWO TEENAGERS WERE SITTING UP
>>
>> STRAIGHT IN THE PEW, ANXIOUSLY WAITING FOR THE NEXT
>>
>> WORDS TO COME OUT OF THE OLD MINISTER'S MOUTH.
>>
>>
>>
>> "THE FATHER," HE CONTINUED, "KNEW HIS SON WOULD STEP
>>
>> INTO ETERNITY WITH JESUS AND HE COULD NOT BEAR THE
>>
>> THOUGHT OF HIS SON'S FRIEND STEPPING INTO AN ETERNITY
>>
>> "WITHOUT JESUS.. THEREFORE, HE SACRIFICED HIS SON TO
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>> SAVE THE SON'S FRIEND. "
>>
>>
>>
>> HOW GREAT IS THE LOVE OF GOD THAT HE SHOULD DO THE
>>
>> SAME FOR US. OUR HEAVENLY FATHER SACRIFICED HIS ONLY
>>
>> BEGOTTEN SON THAT WE COULD BE SAVED. I URGE YOU TO
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>> ACCEPT HIS OFFER TO RESCUE YOU AND TAKE A HOLD OF THE
>>
>> LIFE LINE HE IS THROWING OUT TO YOU IN THIS SERVICE."
>>
>>
>>
>> WITH THAT, THE OLD MAN TURNED AND SAT BACK DOWN IN HIS
>>
>> ; CHAIR AS SILENCE FILLED THE ROOM.
>>
>>
>>
>> THE PASTOR AGAIN WALKED SLOWLY TO THE PULPIT AND
>>
>> DELIVERED A BRIEF SERMON WITH AN INVITATION AT THE
>> END. HOWEVER, NO ONE RESPONDED TO THE APPEAL. WITHIN
>>
>> MINUTES AFTER THE SERVICE ENDED, THE TWO TEENAGERS
>>
>> WERE AT THE OLD MAN'S SIDE.
>>
>>
>>
>> "THAT WAS A NICE STORY," POLITELY STATED ONE OF THEM,
>>
>> "BUT I DON'T THINK IT WAS VERY REALISTIC FOR A FATHER
>>
>> TO GIVE UP HIS ONLY SON'S LIFE IN HOPES THAT THE OTHER
>>
>> BOY WOULD BECOME A CHRISTIAN."
>>
>>
>>
>> "WELL, YOU 'VE GOT A POINT THERE," THE OLD MAN REPLIED
>>
>> GLANCING DOWN AT HIS WORN BIBLE. A BIG SMILE BROADENED
>>
>> HIS NARROW FACE. HE ONCE AGAIN LOOKED UP AT THE BOYS
>>
>> AND SAID, "IT SURE ISN'T VERY REALISTIC, IS IT? BUT
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>> I'M STANDING HERE TODAY TO TELL YOU THAT STORY GIVES
>>
>> ME A GLIMPSE OF WHAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN LIKE FOR GOD TO
>>
>> GIVE UP HIS SON FOR ME. YOU SEE...
>>
>>
>>
>> I WAS THAT FATHER AND YOUR PASTOR IS MY SON'S FRIEND."
>>
>>
>>
>> Take 60 seconds & give this a shot!
>>
>> Let's see if Satan can stop this one!
>>
>> All you do is simply:
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> 1) Say this small prayer for the person who sent you this,
>>
>>
>>
>> Father, God bless this E-mail sender in whatever it is
>>
>> that you know he or she may be needing this day! Amen
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> 2) then send it on to say five other people. Within
>>
>> hours five people have prayed for you, and you caused
>>
>> multitude of people to pray to God for other people.
>>
>>
>>
>> Then sit back and watch the power of God work in your
>>
>> life for doing the thing that you know he loves.
>>
>>
>>
>>"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that
>>whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting
> life"
>>John 3:16