Entertaining Angels Unawares
Thurmon Harris
November 3, 2011
During my lifetime many angels have been sent by my Lord to minister to me. The word “angel” means messenger of God. I know that there are in the words of the song, “Angels watching over me.” In addition to divine beings sent from heaven angels may also be humans that minister to us. These angels are not aware of what they are doing for us. They can only be described as “angels unawares” (Hebrews 13:2) because we usually fail to recognize them.
Today I am thinking of three that impacted my life. Not one of them was aware of how they ministered to me. I could mention many others, but I will only mention three.
The first angel was a lady at Bethel College back in 1956. This incident occurred the first day of our second year there. This girl was hunch-backed and unattractive, at least to a 19 year-old boy who was interested in pretty girls. Went we met that day she stepped up and looked me in the face and said very audaciously, “You are the last person I thought I would see back here.” Well, that pierced me right to the deepest depths of my soul. How dare her to say such a thing. I made no response even though I could have said the same thing about her. She had good grounds for thinking that because I was a very poor student and had flunked world history under Miss Polly Davis, the hardest teacher at Bethel.
How could I ever think this girl was an angel by insulting me like that? Here is how I see her remark 54 years down the road. She was sent by the Lord to give me a message that I needed to do better, to work harder, and to study more. There was God given potential in me, but I had to work to develop it. Honestly, I made little progress that second year in college. But that is not the end of my story.
I went on to graduate from Union University in Jackson, Tennessee. The first year there I did myself a favor by getting on academic probation. In order to be allowed to stay in school I had to make all “B’s” in three out of my four classes. Miracle of all miracles, I managed to do it. I had never studied as much or as hard as I did that semester.
Then God sent a second angel. I had a few years before felt the call into the gospel ministry. Knowing that I needed more education and training to be better prepared, I wanted to go to seminary. Southern Baptist Seminary in Louisville seemed to be the logical choice. Thus, when a recruiter from Southern visited Union’s campus during my last semester I talked with him. He asked me what grades I had made in college. I told him that I was a “C” student. He lost all interest in telling me about the seminary. I remember him telling me that Southern was a highly academic school and that I probably would not succeed there. In effect, he told me that they weren’t interested in students of my caliber. They wanted smarter students. That ended our interview. I thought about that encounter and came to the conclusion that this man could not determine my destiny and I did not have to take his advice. With a dogged determination that fall I enrolled in the seminary in Louisville. Guess what! Seminary was much more demanding from the academic standpoint than I had experienced in college. However, the good news was that I made better grades there than I had made in college, even made a few “A’s.”
How was that recruiter an angel to me? I wasn’t thinking of him as an angel, but God sent him to prod me on or to give me a good hard kick in the rear, so to speak, that I so much needed. In our short discussion he certainly could not determine my destiny or how I was to press forward in trying to fulfill my calling in Christ Jesus. I thank God for this angel unawares.
A third angel was Dr. John Carlton, professor of preaching at the seminary. Of the three he is the only one whose name I can recall. I well remember him because he had such a great impact on my life in the two classes I had under his great teaching. Students were required to preach in a lab. The sermon had to be written and handed to Dr. Carlton at the time of preaching. I cannot remember the title of my sermon, but I can vividly remember how nervous and scared I was as I stood before about 20 other students and my professor. Students were required in a couple of days to meet with Dr. Carlton in his office to critique the sermon. I had rather taken a beating that to face him that day.
Dr. Carlton was very gentle and gracious to me. He began by saying that he realized I was a very shy individual like himself. He pointed out that though he was about 45 years old he had never married because of being so timid. Then he got down to the business of discussing my sermon. The bad news was that my delivery was as poor at any in the class. The good news was that the sermon content was a good as any. Then he said that he had been grading my papers. That was usually done by graduate students known as fellows. He told me that he discovered that I had the gift of writing and if I would write my sermons I would do well as a preacher.
What an angel sent from God Dr. John Carlton was to me! The first effect was that realizing for the first time that I might be a decent writer, I began making “A’s” on the papers that I submitted.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Power of the Spoken Word
God's word is powerful. Two weeks ago, on a Friday, I stood by an open grave and delivered a funeral message for a lady from our church.
We were in the midst of a lot of rainy weather. If it were cloudy or raining I knew it would be a hindrance to a good service. The day before I prayed asking the Lord to send a clear sunshiny day. Sure enough it was warm and the sun was shining brightly. The ground was solid. It was not muddy or soggy as I feared it might be. Weather conditions could not have been better.
Thinking that there probably would be people there who not only were not Christians, but who simply did not believe in God or life after death I spoke on the subject, "Believe in God, Believe in Jesus," from John 14:1-6. I was thankful that the message seemed well received. However, I had no idea if God's Word had struck deeply into the heart of anyone.
Two days later on Sunday morning we were in the beginning stage of our worship service at our small church. A man burst in through the front door as we were singing the first hymn. I did not know him and was somewhat startled because he looked like a man looking for help. Usually such intruders are looking for a monetary handout. He paused momentarily and then came right down the aisle and sat down on the front row. As soon as the invitation hymn was being sung he came forward and knelt down facing the pulpit platform.
I told him that I wanted to help him. I ask him why he had come forward. He really did not know how to answer, but told me that the message in the cemetery had really made him think. He said that he was one of those who had not believed in God or afterlife. I learned that he did not know much at all about God or the Bible. I briely explained to him what it meant to be a lost person. I explained the plan of salvation in as simple words as possible. I told him that God loved him in spite of his sins. He told me that he was a horrible sinner. I further told him that he needed to ask God to forgive his sins. He needed to ask Jesus to save him. I had intended to lead him in a prayer that I hoped he would repeat after me. However, before I began the prayer, he uttered a prayer asking God to forgive him of his sins. I did not present him to the congregation for church membership, but told him that we needed to talk more. I suggested that we meet at the church on Tuesday. He agreed.
Tuesday afternoon we met for more than an hour. I learned that he had only been to church twice before in his 44 years of life. I shared with him many truths that I thought a person who knew so little about God needed to know. He was as convicted of his need for the Lord as anyone I have talked with in a long time. As much as I was able to discern I believe that he had really met the Lord and given his heart and life to Christ.
Since he did had no transportation to church I promised to pick him up for Sunday School and church the following Sunday. He is currently living a mile from our church with the husband of the lady whose funeral we had just conducted. When Peggy and I drove up at the house at about 9:40, sure enough he was ready to go. This time when he responded at the invitation I presented him to the church as a candidate for membership by baptism.
He and I have been together three times since last Sunday. Since he did not have a Bible I gave him a copy of "The Living Bible" and told him to start reading in the Gospel of John and 1 John. Yesterday when spent time together he asked me some questions about what he had read in the Bible. His life seems to be changed and he truly seems to be a new and different person.
I have promised to be his mentor and help him grow in his newfound faith. His journey of faith will not be easy. He must have the love and support of a caring church family. I am committed to helping him as much as I can. I hope others will join me in helping this man become a strong Christian.
We were in the midst of a lot of rainy weather. If it were cloudy or raining I knew it would be a hindrance to a good service. The day before I prayed asking the Lord to send a clear sunshiny day. Sure enough it was warm and the sun was shining brightly. The ground was solid. It was not muddy or soggy as I feared it might be. Weather conditions could not have been better.
Thinking that there probably would be people there who not only were not Christians, but who simply did not believe in God or life after death I spoke on the subject, "Believe in God, Believe in Jesus," from John 14:1-6. I was thankful that the message seemed well received. However, I had no idea if God's Word had struck deeply into the heart of anyone.
Two days later on Sunday morning we were in the beginning stage of our worship service at our small church. A man burst in through the front door as we were singing the first hymn. I did not know him and was somewhat startled because he looked like a man looking for help. Usually such intruders are looking for a monetary handout. He paused momentarily and then came right down the aisle and sat down on the front row. As soon as the invitation hymn was being sung he came forward and knelt down facing the pulpit platform.
I told him that I wanted to help him. I ask him why he had come forward. He really did not know how to answer, but told me that the message in the cemetery had really made him think. He said that he was one of those who had not believed in God or afterlife. I learned that he did not know much at all about God or the Bible. I briely explained to him what it meant to be a lost person. I explained the plan of salvation in as simple words as possible. I told him that God loved him in spite of his sins. He told me that he was a horrible sinner. I further told him that he needed to ask God to forgive his sins. He needed to ask Jesus to save him. I had intended to lead him in a prayer that I hoped he would repeat after me. However, before I began the prayer, he uttered a prayer asking God to forgive him of his sins. I did not present him to the congregation for church membership, but told him that we needed to talk more. I suggested that we meet at the church on Tuesday. He agreed.
Tuesday afternoon we met for more than an hour. I learned that he had only been to church twice before in his 44 years of life. I shared with him many truths that I thought a person who knew so little about God needed to know. He was as convicted of his need for the Lord as anyone I have talked with in a long time. As much as I was able to discern I believe that he had really met the Lord and given his heart and life to Christ.
Since he did had no transportation to church I promised to pick him up for Sunday School and church the following Sunday. He is currently living a mile from our church with the husband of the lady whose funeral we had just conducted. When Peggy and I drove up at the house at about 9:40, sure enough he was ready to go. This time when he responded at the invitation I presented him to the church as a candidate for membership by baptism.
He and I have been together three times since last Sunday. Since he did not have a Bible I gave him a copy of "The Living Bible" and told him to start reading in the Gospel of John and 1 John. Yesterday when spent time together he asked me some questions about what he had read in the Bible. His life seems to be changed and he truly seems to be a new and different person.
I have promised to be his mentor and help him grow in his newfound faith. His journey of faith will not be easy. He must have the love and support of a caring church family. I am committed to helping him as much as I can. I hope others will join me in helping this man become a strong Christian.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Jeff's Ride to Church
Jeff is a young man who lives here in town at a care facility for people with disabilities, certainly less than a desirable place to call home. I have known Jeff since he first came approximately four years ago. I had not seen Jeff for about two months. At that time he told me that recently he was walking toward downtown. A man stopped and offered him a ride. When he learned where Jeff lives and that he has no means of transportation he offered to pick him up the coming Sunday and take him to his church, the First United Methodist Church in town.
Jeff is a Christian and happily accepted the man's invitation. The next week I saw him and he told me that he had gone with the man to Sunday School and worship. He was looking forward to going regularly since the man had graciouly offered to pick him up.
This morning Peggy and I went to the 8:30 worship service at the Methodist Church as our services had to be canceled due to the snow and ice. Recently, I had not thought of Jeff very often and didn't know if he was still going to the Methodist Church. To my surprise Jeff was seated two pews in front of us.
When the service ended I did not get to talk with Jeff, but I was thrilled to know that he was there. I do not know the name of the man who picks Jeff up for church. Neither do I know where he lives. However, I think this man is a serious Christian. He is willing to bring someone to church who doesn't have a ride. He believes that every person is important to God. He believes that all are welcome in the Lord's house on Sunday. In fact, he takes seriously Jesus' command to go into the highways and invite them to come in. I thought about Jesus' commendation, "Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these...ye have done it unto me" (Matthew 25:40). If I properly interpret what Jesus said, this man is, in effect, taking Jesus to church when he takes Jeff.
Wouldn't it be great if all church members would take Jesus to church every Sunday by bringing someone else? Couldn't we expect to see great things happen if we obeyed our Lord? Souls would be saved, lives would be changed, God's Kingdom would be enhanced and expanded. Churches would be strengthened. The Lord Jesus Christ would be pleased.
I commend the man at First United Methodist Church for his obedience to the Lord and the example that he sets for others and the blessings he brings to Jeff. May his tribe increase!
Jeff is a Christian and happily accepted the man's invitation. The next week I saw him and he told me that he had gone with the man to Sunday School and worship. He was looking forward to going regularly since the man had graciouly offered to pick him up.
This morning Peggy and I went to the 8:30 worship service at the Methodist Church as our services had to be canceled due to the snow and ice. Recently, I had not thought of Jeff very often and didn't know if he was still going to the Methodist Church. To my surprise Jeff was seated two pews in front of us.
When the service ended I did not get to talk with Jeff, but I was thrilled to know that he was there. I do not know the name of the man who picks Jeff up for church. Neither do I know where he lives. However, I think this man is a serious Christian. He is willing to bring someone to church who doesn't have a ride. He believes that every person is important to God. He believes that all are welcome in the Lord's house on Sunday. In fact, he takes seriously Jesus' command to go into the highways and invite them to come in. I thought about Jesus' commendation, "Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these...ye have done it unto me" (Matthew 25:40). If I properly interpret what Jesus said, this man is, in effect, taking Jesus to church when he takes Jeff.
Wouldn't it be great if all church members would take Jesus to church every Sunday by bringing someone else? Couldn't we expect to see great things happen if we obeyed our Lord? Souls would be saved, lives would be changed, God's Kingdom would be enhanced and expanded. Churches would be strengthened. The Lord Jesus Christ would be pleased.
I commend the man at First United Methodist Church for his obedience to the Lord and the example that he sets for others and the blessings he brings to Jeff. May his tribe increase!
Thursday, January 20, 2011
God Is My Salvation
Dr. Elmer Towns, a great Christian leader, tells about a conference he once led at a church in Texas. In the very first service a big old rough and tough man named Joe caught his attention. Joe weighed about 300 pounds and stood about 6'5". It seemed that he could whip anyone in the state of Texas. Dr. Towns said he had not seen anyone more excited about the Lord than Joe. He sat on the front seat of every session of the conference.
Dr. Towns asked the pastor about Joe. He shared some of Joe's amazing testimony. A few years before Joe had been one the the vilest sinners. He was a truck driver. Once his work took him out of town for three months. The day he came back to town, he couldn't wait to get down to the bar, the saloon. He was looking forward to spending time with his favorite prostitute.
He went in, ordered a drink and looked for this lady. She was not there, so he asked about her. He learned that two months before something happened to her, she said she got saved. Shortly she walked in with her Bible and looked so different that Joe barely recognized her. She sat down beside old Joe and told him how that God had become her salvation, and how that God wanted to save Joe also. Joe was reluctant to listen, but for the next two hours she opened the Bible to him. Finally, the Holy Spirit broke Joe's old hard-sinful heart. Tears welled up in his yets. They both got down on their knees and old Joe cried out to God for mercy, begging God to forgive Him of His sins, inviting Christ to come into his heart and take over his life.
Joe didn't know all that it meant, but the next Sunday he was in church. To the amazement of everyone who knew him in that service he professed his faith in Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. He met Christ. He was transformed into a new man. From then on Joe was not his own man, but God's man. Indeed he was a powerful man of God.
Joe developed a new slogan that he used from that day on. He told everyone he met, "God is my slavation and He wants to save you, too."
Dr. Towns asked the pastor about Joe. He shared some of Joe's amazing testimony. A few years before Joe had been one the the vilest sinners. He was a truck driver. Once his work took him out of town for three months. The day he came back to town, he couldn't wait to get down to the bar, the saloon. He was looking forward to spending time with his favorite prostitute.
He went in, ordered a drink and looked for this lady. She was not there, so he asked about her. He learned that two months before something happened to her, she said she got saved. Shortly she walked in with her Bible and looked so different that Joe barely recognized her. She sat down beside old Joe and told him how that God had become her salvation, and how that God wanted to save Joe also. Joe was reluctant to listen, but for the next two hours she opened the Bible to him. Finally, the Holy Spirit broke Joe's old hard-sinful heart. Tears welled up in his yets. They both got down on their knees and old Joe cried out to God for mercy, begging God to forgive Him of His sins, inviting Christ to come into his heart and take over his life.
Joe didn't know all that it meant, but the next Sunday he was in church. To the amazement of everyone who knew him in that service he professed his faith in Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. He met Christ. He was transformed into a new man. From then on Joe was not his own man, but God's man. Indeed he was a powerful man of God.
Joe developed a new slogan that he used from that day on. He told everyone he met, "God is my slavation and He wants to save you, too."
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
A Timely Compliment
Today when I went swimming at the "Y" I realized that I had not spoken to anyone in keeping with my desire to lift folks spirits by some compliment. I breathed a silent prayer that the Lord would give me that opportunity. These little encounters must come spontaneously. It just doesn't seem to work when I try to manufacture them.
I stopped at the hardware store to pick up a light bulb. Two gracious young checkout ladies greeted me. One of them offered to show me where to find the bulbs. As I was paying, I noticed some things that looked like writing pens that stirred my curiosity so I asked what they were. I was told that they were reading glasses.
I preceded to say that I did not need any other aid to help me see how to read because I wear trifocals. The young lady who had taken me to find the bulb was astounded and asked me why I needed trifocals. I took them off and showed them to her explaining that with bifocals I could not read my sermon notes. By this time another man had approached the counter to check out his purchase. They wanted to know where I preach. I told them that the church is outside Dawson Springs. The girl spoke up saying that her grandfather had been a pastor at Dawson Springs. I asked his name and she said he was Rev. James_______. She was a bit amazed that I knew her grandfather. I told her that I had visited him several times in the hospital before he died and that I also knew her grandmother who passed away three weeks later.
She said that she probably saw me at the hospital when I visited her grandparents. I grabbed my opportunity to compliment her. By the way, she is a pretty girl! I finished our conversation by saying, "I am sure I saw you there because I remember they had some beautiful granddaughters. You are one of them." She didn't quite know how to respond, but when she collected her wits she merely said, "Thank you."
As I walked out to my car, I said, "Thank you, Lord. Perhaps that girl needed to have her self-image boosted a tad." I hope this old man old enough to be her grandfather or even great grandfather had blessed her and lifted her spirits.
I stopped at the hardware store to pick up a light bulb. Two gracious young checkout ladies greeted me. One of them offered to show me where to find the bulbs. As I was paying, I noticed some things that looked like writing pens that stirred my curiosity so I asked what they were. I was told that they were reading glasses.
I preceded to say that I did not need any other aid to help me see how to read because I wear trifocals. The young lady who had taken me to find the bulb was astounded and asked me why I needed trifocals. I took them off and showed them to her explaining that with bifocals I could not read my sermon notes. By this time another man had approached the counter to check out his purchase. They wanted to know where I preach. I told them that the church is outside Dawson Springs. The girl spoke up saying that her grandfather had been a pastor at Dawson Springs. I asked his name and she said he was Rev. James_______. She was a bit amazed that I knew her grandfather. I told her that I had visited him several times in the hospital before he died and that I also knew her grandmother who passed away three weeks later.
She said that she probably saw me at the hospital when I visited her grandparents. I grabbed my opportunity to compliment her. By the way, she is a pretty girl! I finished our conversation by saying, "I am sure I saw you there because I remember they had some beautiful granddaughters. You are one of them." She didn't quite know how to respond, but when she collected her wits she merely said, "Thank you."
As I walked out to my car, I said, "Thank you, Lord. Perhaps that girl needed to have her self-image boosted a tad." I hope this old man old enough to be her grandfather or even great grandfather had blessed her and lifted her spirits.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
The Saga of the Lost Camera
At our church's Thanksgiving meal our son-in-law and grandson were walking in the cemetery. They found a camera. No one at the meal had lost a camera or knew of anyone who had. We left the camera at the church thinking that someone might come looking for it.
After two Sundays the camera owner had not been located. A sign was posted in the front door window and a number to call in case someone came searching the cemetery. No calls came, so my wife Peggy decided to post a few of the pictures on Facebook. Within thirty minutes she received a post from someone who recognized the folks in the pictures.
It was close to 10 P.M. but Peggy called the family whose name she had been given. The man was surprised and overjoyed that his daughter's lost camera had been found. Peggy gave him the phone number of the man to whom we had given the camera. He made the call and they agreed to meet at Cracker Barrell the next day.
Soon after this Peggy and I attended a musical event at First Baptist Church in Madisonville. Amazingly, Peggy recognized the man and his wife she had talked to. She introduced herself as the one who had called him about the camera. They were very thankful that the lost camera had been found and returned to them. Their plan was to wrap it and give it to her as a Christmas present. Remarkably, even though the camera had been lost for sometime and exposed to the weather it still worked.
I have no idea if the young lady who lost her camera had prayed that it would be found. Yet, I believe that God engineered the finding of something that was important to the owner.
After two Sundays the camera owner had not been located. A sign was posted in the front door window and a number to call in case someone came searching the cemetery. No calls came, so my wife Peggy decided to post a few of the pictures on Facebook. Within thirty minutes she received a post from someone who recognized the folks in the pictures.
It was close to 10 P.M. but Peggy called the family whose name she had been given. The man was surprised and overjoyed that his daughter's lost camera had been found. Peggy gave him the phone number of the man to whom we had given the camera. He made the call and they agreed to meet at Cracker Barrell the next day.
Soon after this Peggy and I attended a musical event at First Baptist Church in Madisonville. Amazingly, Peggy recognized the man and his wife she had talked to. She introduced herself as the one who had called him about the camera. They were very thankful that the lost camera had been found and returned to them. Their plan was to wrap it and give it to her as a Christmas present. Remarkably, even though the camera had been lost for sometime and exposed to the weather it still worked.
I have no idea if the young lady who lost her camera had prayed that it would be found. Yet, I believe that God engineered the finding of something that was important to the owner.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)