Recently, while crossing the ocean, a boy fell overboard from the deck. The ship’s surgeon did not know who he was, but he told the crew they had better go out and try to save the boy. One of the crew pulled him up. They took off his outer garments, turned him over a few times, worked his hands and feet, and when they had done all they knew to do they said, “Haven’t we done all we can?” “Yes,” replied the surgeon.

A sudden impulse told the doctor that he ought to go over to see what he could do. He went and found that the boy was his own son. Then he did not think that the last thing had been done. He jerked off his coat, bent over the boy, blew into his nostrils, and begged God to bring him back to life. For four long hours the lad hung between life and death. Finally, a flutter of breath told that he lived.

What a great difference it made when the doctor knew that it was his own son! We would possibly win more souls if we were actuated with this same love and enthusiasm for the unsaved that the doctor knew for his son.

(Excerpts from “Answered prayers and soul-winning incidents – published in 1940)

Jesus said,

“You call Me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord’, and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”

(John 13:13-15)

Jesus said,

“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last. Then My Father will give you what ever you ask in My Name. This is My command: Love each other.”

(John 15:13-17)

In the army of the Lord we need more men with the spirit of the little flag boy of the Civil War. During one of the raging battles, while bullets were flying everywhere and men were falling by the hundreds, the little lad forgot everything but to keep the flag before the army. In his haste he forgot the army. Finally, he heard a shrill call saying, “Bring that flag back here!” He turned to see the army retreating and the commander beckoning for him to retreat with them.

The lad cried out, “Bring the army up to the flag, sir!” This one sentence stirred the soul of the commander until he ordered the men to advance against the enemy. It is said that out of the seeming defeat a great victory was won.

This reminds one of the little drummer boy who was with Napoleon in one of the battles. It seemed that the army of France could not overcome; thousands were falling. Napoleon said, “Lad, can you beat a retreat?” The boy replied, “Sir, I have never learned to beat a retreat, but I can beat a charge that will stir the last remains of the patriotism of the army.”

The Emperor cried, “Beat a charge then, lad.” And that charge beaten from the drum was the means of the victory being won that day.

That is the spirit we must have in the work of the Lord – that we shall never know how to retreat in the face of the enemy of the kingdom of Heaven, but that we shall be able to beat a charge that will cause others to take courage and fight on until the last foe is conquered. This is the spirit of God’s heroes.     

(Excerpts from “Answered prayers and soul-winning incidents – published in 1940)

We just received this testimony this week from Pr. Charles that coordinates Harvest Vision Ministries in central Uganda.

“There was a magical tree in a certain village full of witches. The people told us that every evening at around 9pm a motor sound would come from it and village members would come and worship there bringing sacrifices asking for rain so they could have a good harvest during the season. But a certain family bought the land with the tree but they didn’t know the “do’s and don’t’s’. Their daughter went and burnt rubbish around the tree and then she fell into a deep coma. They used all kinds of charms but they all failed. Finally, they traveled a journey kilometers away to my home and I prayed in the name of Jesus and the child came back to normal condition. Immediately as they went back home, all the eight members got saved and they gave us the tree for free. We cut down the tree and everybody was amazed even the witch doctors that stood by trying to intimidate us. During the chaos, we got twenty-five more who got saved. We finally sold the tree for three hundred dollars and we put that money on the church building. The villagers are bringing chickens to our family to eat, praising God. I thank my Lord Jesus.  Pastor Charles.” 

Please visit the www.harvestvisionministries.org website under Africa Leadership Team and read Charles personal testimony.

Jesus said,

“Believe Me when I say that I am in the Father and Father is in Me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in Me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in My Name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask Me for anything in My Name, and I will do it.”

(John 14:11-14)