An Amazing Story

An amazzing story and most encouraging, U'll weep
I have never sent something like this before. You will rejoice and weep with joy. ABC sumner

A man from Norfolk, VA called a local radio station to share . His Name was Robert Matthews.  These are his words: "A few weeks before Sept 11th, 2001, my wife and I found out we were going to have our first child. She planned a trip out to California to visit her sister. On our way to the airport, we prayed that God would grant my wife a safe trip and be with her. Shortly after I said, "Amen," we both heard a loud pop and the car shook violently.  We had blown out a tire. I replaced the tire as quickly as I could, but we still missed her flight. Both very upset, we drove home. I received a call from my father who was retired FDNY.

He asked what my wife's flight number was, but explained that we missed the flight. My father informed me that her flight was the one that crashed into the southern tower. I was too shocked to speak.

My father also had more news for me; he was going to help. "This is not something I can just sit by for, I have to do something." I was concerned for his safety, of course, but more because he had never given his life to Christ. After a brief debate, I knew his mind was made up. Before he got off of the phone, he said, "take good care of my grandchild."

Those were the last words I ever heard my father say; he died while helping in the rescue effort. My joy that my prayer of safety for my wife had been answered quickly became anger.

Anger at God, at my father, and at myself  I had gone for nearly 2 years blaming God for taking my father away. My son would never know his grandfather, my father had never accepted Christ, and I never got to say goodbye.

Then something happened.  About 2 months ago, I was sitting at home with my wife and my son, when there was a knock on the door. I looked at my wife, but I could tell she wasn't expecting anyone. I opened the door to a couple with a small child. The man looked at me and asked if my father's name was Jake Matthews. I told him it was. He quickly grabbed my hand and said,  "I never got the chance to meet your father, but it is an honor to meet his son."

He explained to me that his wife had worked in the World Trade Center and had been caught inside after the attack. She was pregnant and had been caught under debris. He then explained that my father had been the one to find his wife and free her.

My eyes welled up with tears as I thought of my father giving his life for people like this. He then said, "there is something else you need to know." His wife then told me that as my father worked to free her, she talked to him and lead him to Christ. I began sobbing at the news. Now I know that when I get to heaven, my father will be standing beside Jesus to welcome me, and that this family would be able to thank him themselves."

When their baby boy was born, they named him Jacob Matthew in honor of the man who gave his life so mother and baby could live.

This story should help us to realize two things: First, that though it has been several years since the attacks, we should never let it become mere tragic memory. And second, but most important, God is always in control.

We may not see the reason behind things, and we may never know this side of heaven, but God is ALWAYS in control.

Please take time to share this amazing story with those you love.

You may never know the impact it may have on someone.

Prophecy

Prophecy: works tried by fire to determine rewards
At the judgment seat of Christ, the believers works shall be tried by fire to determine his rewards.

Works tried by fire
"Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work. If any man's work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire." 1 Cor. 3:12-15.

Wood, hay, stubble
Fire will burn these in a moment. What are these works?

Wood:
"Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" 1 Cor. 10:31. Don't do your good deeds to be "noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven...so that they may be honored by men Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full." Matt. 6:1-4. That comforts me. I don't have to try to judge their motives. God knows and it is built out of wood and will be burned up. I just have to do what I do to the glory of God whether I get any credit down here or not! WOW that says it all.

Hay
"Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father" Col. 3:17. Sometimes I am afraid we do what we do in the name of Baptists or Methodists or whatever instead of the Lord Jesus. That is hay and will be burned up. There wont be any Baptist in heaven just blood washed Christians and I am a Baptist here.

Stubble:
"If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing" 1 Cor. 13: 1-3. If it is not done in love in profits nothing, no rewards. It is stubble.

Judge yourself
We must judge ourselves of our motives and manner or all we do will be worthless and wasted. It will be burned up.

Prayer: Father, help us to be transparent and do all we do for Your glory alone. In Jesus name

God loves YOU and so do I, all because the Lord Jesus suffered and died for our sins, paid our debt in full and rose again so we can be forgiven and go to heaven, sumner.

"First of all, pray for Kings (yours and mine) and all in authority, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life" 1 Tim. 2:1-4. Oh how we need to do this today. God is holy and would never tell someone to blow themselves up and murder innocent people with them and they will go to heaven, first class. "As in the days of Noah" "The earth was filled with violence" Gen. 6:11. Oh, that you would "be men that have understanding of the times to know what (God's people) ought to do" 1 Chron. 12:32.

What about our sins?

What about our sins when we stand before God?

 

THANKS for your questions and comments. They help me. Here is the answer to one important question from one of you. What about our sins when we stand before God?

 

Our sins are remembered no more but our works are rewarded forever. The bottom line is, did the Lord Jesus suffer and die for ALL of our sins, pay the debt in full or didn't He? More on this later.

 

"FOR I WILL BE MERCIFUL TO THEIR INIQUITIES, AND I WILL REMEMBER THEIR SINS NO MORE" Heb 8:12. Why? "The blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin" 1 John 1:7.

 

"He has not dealt with us according to our sins,Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us" Psa. 103:10-12.

 

"Lo, for my own welfare I had great bitterness; It is You who has kept my soul from the pit of nothingness, For You have cast all my sins behind Your back " Isa. 38:17.

 

"I have wiped out your transgressions like a thick cloud and your sins like a heavy mist Return to Me, for I have redeemed you " Isa. 44:22.

 

"You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea" Mich 7:19.

 

God chastens His sons here

"But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged" 1 Cor. 11:31. "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" Rom. 8:1.

 

How does He chasten?

"For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep (many are in heaven who ought not to be there YET)" 1 Cor 11:30. "'Your iniquities have turned these away, and your sins have withheld good from you" Jer. 5:25. Think what some are missing today

 

Your prayers are hindered. 1 Peter 3:7.

 

The Judgment seat of Christ will determine our rewards according to our works for Christ. Don't miss this.

 

Prayer: Father, thank You for saving us and then for letting us be stewards of your gifts so we can lay up treasures for eternity. In Jesus name

 

And I love you, all because the Lord Jesus suffered and died for our sins, paid our debt in full and rose again so we can be forgiven and go to heaven, sumner. Do you believe in that alone for your salvation? Believe and pray to receive Him as your Savior right now. "He that has the Son, has life"