PAUL AND THE THORN

or His Pain and his Gain


Part One


I think that we may profit by a closer look at what I consider the most remarkable account in the whole New Testament that deals with mortal experience. Certainly there is none like that of St. Paul's being "Caught up to the third heaven" and return. Text: II Cor. 12:1-10


Basic Facts: Paul was "caught up" to the third heaven. We do not know just when this happened - only that this occurred 14 years before II Corinthians was written.


One "Authority" suggests Acts 22:17, Paul's experience in the temple - "I was in a trance."


Another: When Paul was blind for 3 days - Acts 9:9.


How about Acts 14:19, when Paul was stoned and left for dead for a length of time?


The Jews had an expressed belief in seven heavens. Paul settled for three, which he also called Paradise.


Paul states: "I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord." The visions are manifestations that cannot be seen with the eye of sense, and yet presented to the mind; while revelations are the truths conveyed and the ability to apprehend and comprehend.


By saying, "Whether in the body or ... out of the body," Paul is expressing the possibility of belief in an out of the body experience.


In verse 3, the literal translation is, "I know a man," This is Paul's modest way of saying, "I am that man."


In recounting this great experience, St. Paul waits for fourteen years, and then three times states, "I cannot tell." Just think of the possibilities if something even remotely similar to this should happen to some radio or television evangelist! Think of where they could go with that! From day one it could be spread worldwide, and a move be made of it. Yet St. Paul waited 14 years, and then got it told in four verses.


In this "Caught up" experience, Paul said that he heard "unspeakable words ... not lawful for a man to utter." Unspeakably great in content, no doubt. The New American Standard Bible renders "not lawful" as "It is not permitted." Although Paul was a man of many languages, he had no human language that could describe celestial happenings.


Suggestion: Perhaps we should take a lesson from Paul. Don't be too quick to tell something we don't know, or even something we shouldn't tell!


More later, D.V.

I AM BLEST

I hope you will not be turned off when I state that this is about me. I will hasten to explain. In my childhood I was troubled with what in my adult years I self diagnosed as rheumatic fever. Then while I was a student at MU, I was hospitalized with a severe case of scarlet fever.


About three years later, when I was a married man and an expectant father, it occurred to me that some insurance might be appropriate in case my young wife should become a widow. My trip to Dr. Durst was not encouraging. His report to the insurance agent resulted in a denial to my application. The trouble was my heart. However, the agent left the matter on hold with suggestion of another examination. This test was much the same as to results, but the doctor suggested that I might just be an exceptional case - and perhaps a lot of people have had that impression! The insurance agent really wanted to make a sale, and after all, the policy was only $1000. So we closed the deal.


Things went on pretty well for a while. Then about three years later while teaching a class at KCCBS, I had some sort of attack and chest pain. I dropped in my chair and leaned on my desk waiting for the thing to pass. Someone came to my assistance and took me to my residence there on campus. Dr. Grayson was called. He did his examination there at the house. His words as near as I can remember, were, "It's your heart. If you have any insurance, be sure and keep it up, for you can't get any more." I still think that pretty strange, but it was pretty convincing. This doctor turned me over to a grand old heart specialist who had offices in the Country Club Plaza and also in Bell Memorial Hospital. I mention the this last place especially because so many of our KCCBS students of the "old days" have memories of those days. However, many, if not most have already gone beyond the river.


At the close of the school year, we moved to Bynumville in North Missouri where my wife's parents lived and where I still pastored. It was a very quiet summer for me. I was advised by everyone to take it easy. While Still on campus, my three year old son would urge me, "Don't run. Just walk" when I left for the class room. And that was about 66 years ago!


Gradually, things came back close to normal with good help from family, and especially from the Lord. In 1957 I was sent by our mission board on special assignment to Jamaica. This tour lasted for one month. Now, my chauffeur there was the late Bro. Mauck, who, you will remember was slow of speech. However, when he got behind the wheel, got beyond all that. If they have any speed laws down there, they haven't been made public, and all of those people drive on the wrong side of the road. It's a British thing. M heart stood the test, though a few times it seemed to be dislocated and lodged in my throat!


The next year I spent one month on a mission trip to Bolivia. Eight more trips followed this one. I will forego any attempt to describe the roads there, for you wouldn't believe me. We went over passes at about 15,000 feet elevation and around sharp bends where; if you went over, you would land about a quarter of a mile below. There were no warning signs, and no guard rails. All of this wind-up is to praise the Great Physician for His restorative and healing power that has helped me to pursue His call to service.


The Psalmist wrote, "He restoreth my soul," and that's good. But when He rebuilds worn physical equipment and permits one to minister into the ninth decade of life - well, that' double good! That's all bonus.

THE GREAT PHYSICAN

The Threefold Ministry of Jesus: Matt. 4:19; 9:35; Isa. 53:5

Teaching, Preaching, Healing.

The "All manner of sickness and disease" comprehends more than bodily illness.

Note: Isa. 1:6 repeated I Pat. 2:25. It was not the beating He took, but the death He died that heals.

I The Physical Healing Ministry

Wherever Jesus went there were all kinds of healings

· He had compassion on hurting people

· His miracles gave witness to his divinity.

Jesus still heals today. Scripture refers to the gift of healing but the fellow who claims to be a healer, probably isn't.


II Healing of the Mind

Dr. Paul Ernest Adolph, retired Lt. Col. of the Medical Corps. "Eighty percent of all illnesses encountered in general practice in our large American cities have a predominantly psychic causation, the half of these 80% involve no demonstrable organic causative factors whatsoever.

Dr. Carl Jung, Psychiatrist (in Modern Man In Search of a Soul) - "During the past 30 years people from all people from all civilized countries of the earth have consulted me. I have treated many hundreds of patients. Among all of my patients in the second half of life - that is to say, over 35 - there has not been one whose problem in the last resort was not that of finding a religious outlook on life."

Dr. William Sadler, Psychiatrist - Writer of Medical Textbooks for physicians - A Doctor's Doctor - Gives strong emphasis on prayer and systematic Bible reading.

Stress is a major crippler and killer.

Illustration: The lion caged, restless and stressed, has very large adrenal and thyroid glands, lives about 25 years. The lion has a furrowed brow "like a man making out his income tax forms." The crocodile has very small adrenal gland, lives a lazy life and is still young at 100. (Don't misunderstand me to say that if you'll just lie around all the time you'll live to be 100!)

III Jesus is the Healer of broken hearts

No need, no problem is too small or too personal to bring to Him.

· He is the Perfect Comforter

· Ps. 23; "He restoreth my soul."

IV Jesus is the Healer of Personal Relationships

Carry with you the Golden Rule and lay it down on all human relationships.

See Matt. 5:23-24 - Remember, Reconcile, Return

V Jesus is the Healer of the Soul's Disease - Sin.

The Moslem says, "Go to Mecca; The Catholic says, "Go to Rome," but Jesus says, "Come unto me."

"Come as you are, and come now." All sins have forgiveness when confessed, repented of and abandoned. Jesus came to give healing for the whole man as stated in 1 Thess. 5:34 - Spirit, soul, and body.

Admittedly, this is a lop-sided outline of a larger message. We desire to emphasize the exercise of the will, the adjustment of attitudes, the bringing all under the will of God and in conformity to Christ.

RIGHT DOWN TO THE WIRE

I hope that my readers will not think I am stuck in a rut when I send out consecutive stories that are remarkably alike. The subjects of both concern strong young men aged 28, and both subjects of fatal accidents.


I was in my study at the church when a call came for me to rush to Bell Memorial Hospital, (now K. U. Medical Center) on the Kansas side of the state line.


The victim of the accident was coming home from a night class in south Missouri when his vehicle was struck by a drunk driver whose vehicle lights out. The crash was fatal to both drivers.


The man I went to see was conscious but unable to speak because of a spreader in his mouth and other equipment. Two young doctors and numerous nurses were attempting to save his life. The room was a large one so that there was plenty of room. However, I assured the medical people I would not get in their way in my attempt to help the patient. One of the doctors replied that "He's in your hands if you can help, because we're not able to save him." They had already given him over forty units of blood, but his crushed body was unable to retain it.


I asked the dying man, "Orville, are you saved?"


He shook his head to give me a negative answer. Other questions followed, such as do you want to be saved? Are you praying to be saved?"


It was a tense time. His parents whom I knew were in an adjacent room struck almost dumb with sorrow. I heard his wife cry out to the doctors, "He can't die. He's not saved!" When I had access to the patient, I kept up encouraging him to pray, and when the medical staff were not busy him I was in the corner of the room on my knees, pleading for his salvation.


One thing I thought exceedingly strange. The dying man's right arm was crushed, but he kept raising his left hand to look at his wrist. We discovered that he wanted to know what time it was. With almost no time left he wanted to know the time!


This running interview with a man who could not talk went on, with its intermissions, for about an hour. We will come to the point. At the last we questioned, "Orville, have you confessed your sins and trusted Jesus to save you?" There was a nod in the affirmative! Again, one more question, "Are you saved?" And once more there was as firm an answer as he could give, a nod of affirmation.


We closed with a prayer of gratitude and Orville Good was in the hands of God!

NO TIME TO SPARE

For today's script, how about an emergency run to the hospital? There are many of those in a preacher's life. In fact, this one is a late night run. Last night there was a call a little past midnight, and now about the same time another one. The patient had been swimming in a small lake in North Missouri. A miscalculation in water depth and a broken neck had sent Glen Guthrie to Research Hospital in Kansas City. The previous night I had made this trip and found the patient paralyzed from the neck down. Heavy weights attached to the skull kept the head immobile.


I had never net Glen. He was 28 and married. His wife and her sister-in-law had been with him constantly since his being brought to the hospital. On my first call Glen had been only partially clear in his mind and was anxious to make his peace with God. The special nurse was a lady I judged to be past middle age, and was concerned for her patient and didn't want him to be disturbed. However, Glen spoke out, and said, "Nurse, I'm trying to find God, and I want this preacher to help me." After that, she made no objection. After all, a dying man's request ought to have some bearing on the matter.


It was a race against time. I explained the way of salvation a plainly as I could. There was no time for theological discourse, just simple facts on the line, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins ....." No mention of particular sins, just the basic route, and Glen picked up courage and did his own simple praying. The victory was won, and peace came! All at once, the patient was calm and quiet.


Knowing that the two ladies had been at his bedside for such long hours, I suggested that they might like a break and reminded them that just across the street there was a place that stayed open 24 hours where they could find refreshment. (That was the Old Research Hospital located at 23rd and Holmes.)


I assured these ladies that I would stay at the patient's side until their return. Thus assured they went on their way. About that time, Glen began to pray for his children. Up to this time, I did not know that they had children. First, he named the oldest girl and prayed for her; then for the second girl, he gave her name and prayed for her. Lastly, he said, "And there's little Butch, he's just three," and having prayed for his little boy, he was done. All was quiet until the women returned.


About the time the ladies came back into the room, the pains came back upon him. Glen Guthrie had gotten saved in the last half hour of consciousness! He had stated, "My mother-in-law will be happy to get word that I got saved! I won't need those cigarettes anymore." There had been no mention of cigarettes or anything like that. And his very last words were in prayer for his children!


That's what I call getting in at the last hour!

THE HILLS OF GOD; Part Two

Prior to this we have called attention to the Psalmist's statement in Psalm 121, "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, whence cometh my help." This declaration of the will is followed by a statement of knowledge and confidence: " My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth." Surely a Heavenly Father of such power and magnificence can surely furnish all the help a mortal needs! We encourage the discouraged to look up for God and heaven are above us.


Today, I purpose to give a sketchy review of some of the hills of God.


I Mount Moriah; Genesis 22 :2


This is the place where Abraham offered up Isaac, the son of promise. Actually, the Bible reference tells us that Abraham was directed to the land of Moriah and "to one of the mountains which I shall tell thee of." Later, "Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh." Verse 14. We have a reference in II Chron. 3:1 to Solomon building the temple in Mount Moriah. It is now almost universally accepted that this is the very spot where Abraham offered up Isaac. However, we have no valid proof from any source that this is the spot. What is of supreme importance is that on some hill of the Lord's choice there was that monumental demonstration of a faith that illustrates the offering up of God's only begotten Son. There is nothing else in all of holy writ or human history that can match it. It is typical of a justified believer's consecration to surrender all to God.


II Mount Sinai


This is the place where Moses received his commission from God to lead Israel out of Egyptian Bondage. Exod. 3:12, " And God said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee ... when thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain." God sent Moses on a serious errand, to lay God's commands upon Pharaoh and eventually lead out of a bondage of more than four centuries that great multitude of Israelites. Now the record picks up at Exod. 19:3; "And Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain ..." God keeps His promises!


It is as though God had said, "You go and carry out my plan, and when you get back, I'll be right here." And He was. There were thunders and lightnings. The whole mountain "quaked greatly" and was enveloped in fire and smoke. There was the long sounding of a trumpet. Moses came down with ten commandments. As some have stated, "They are not 10 suggestions. They are 10 commandments."


The God who says, "I am the Lord. I change not" fixed in place the moral framework for humanity for all time to come. As there are fixed natural laws in the physical universe, just so there are moral laws by which a moral people are to be governed. Those who break God's laws or challenge His right to rule His world should be reminded that they do so at their peril.


III Mount Calvary


All of these mounts are mere hills in comparison to the Alps or Himalayas. It is not the height of the hill, but what occurred there that gives significance. It was at Calvary, that low eminence outside the walls of old Jerusalem, that the Lamb of God suffered and died for the sins of the whole world. This was the most remarkable transaction ever to take place on planet earth!


The plans had been made in the counsels of eternity before the foundations of the earth were laid. Prophets had foretold it. Abraham's offering of Isaac had prefigured it. Isaiah 53 had pictured it! Zech. 13:11 stated that a fountain for sin was opened. It was there on Golgotha that Jesus cried, "It is finished!"


Reason asks, "How can God be just and justify the ungodly?" And revelation answers back, "By forgiving confessed and repented sin, by removing the barrier and cleaning the guilty."


IV Mont Olivet - Jesus ascended from the Mount of Olives.


This hill of His departure was also the place of promise. Angels confirmed the promise. This same Jesus will come again as He promised.


Here again Jesus promised the coming of the Holy Spirit and the reception of power by those who received Him.
 
Again, in essence, was the giving of the Great Commission.
 
Jesus will return!

A PENNY POST CARD

This brief narrative dates back about sixty-five years when a post card could be bought and mailed for one cent. As pastor of a village church in North Missouri, I used this instrument to invite people to a revival in our church. An old couple with an unmarried son and daughter still living at home received this missive and all came to the meeting and never once returned to their former church. The addition of four adult members is no small gain to a not too large congregation. Not long afterward, I was called upon to conduct the funeral of the father, and later that of the mother.


Now, a penny is not much of an investment, but "little is much when God is in it." One day the son appeared at my door with an unusual request. He had just purchased a tract of land, something over 700 acres of fertile river bottom land and wanted his pastor to go with him to have a prayer of dedication on the property. It was the only task exactly like that I have ever had. You can be sure I was glad to accommodate him!


We knelt under a large cottonwood tree, near the river. I led in prayer; he followed and my son about four years old chimed in and added his part. This farmer told the Lord that if He would bless his effort that he would give back a double tithe of his income. It soon became evident that the Lord of the harvest was pleased to have a tenant like that. He had bumper crops year after year and gave generously of multiplied thousands of dollars at a time to the work of God, especially Bible schools, and at his death left a great legacy to the kingdom of God. Pretty good return for a one cent investment!

FATHER HOLLAND

All of our friends know that Carol and I have two sons. However, not many are aware that on one occasion I was placed in a very special situation where I was "Father" for a day, or at least, part of a day. I hasten to explain.


On a visit to Bolivia it was my duty and pleasure to visit the church at Baja Pampajasi where Bro. Allejandro Flores was pastor. I was to preach the morning message, and was told that at the close of the service a Catholic lady was to become a convert. Many of her friends had been converted and she had seen the great change in their lives. Now she had made up her mind and announced the fact. Possibly the great change had already taken place in her heart, but the way to do this thing was to "go public" at the altar.


At the close of the message, I made an appeal to the unconverted. It was the custom there for the women to sit at the left of the speaker and the men at the right. From the back of the church a lady headed for the altar, and from the other side of the church a man followed. To the surprise of all, it was her husband. Together they burst out in tears and earnest praying. Spanish was a puzzle to me, and Aymara was something else. I'm not sure what the mixture was, but felt they were sure what they were after, and that praying like that would be answered.


After a while they both looked up at me with tears on their cheeks but with smiling faces. Each one had something to say, but I don't know what it was. Many of those people are bilingual, but I, for all those courses in Latin and Greek, was still locked up in English as far as conversation is concerned.


These new converts had perhaps often gone to the Catholic Confessional with sad faces and heavy hearts to tell the priest, the Father, their sins. Now, they had gone to a higher level and were hilariously happy about it. They were making their confession to me, and I knowing only a bit of their language, could only say "God bless you" in Spanish. I think that the missionary and the Bolivian pastor were thinking that they were having all the fun in observing my awkward performance, but they had it all wrong.


It was one of the high points of the whole trip!

THE HILLS OF GOD; Part #1

Today let us take a look at Psalm 121 for a devotional lesson- more of a study than a sermon.


At a glance we see:


· A statement of determination - I will.


· A recognition of need


· A knowledge of the Source of help


· an expression of faith


· a comfort of security


Many of the later translations place the last part of verse one into a question - "Whence cometh my help?" But the net results is the same.


Throughout the Psalm the personal pronouns are prominent.


· Verse one and two: I, my, mine.


· Verse three - eight: Thee, thy, thee.


The times of deepest need pressures us to seek the help that comes from a higher source. Other Psalms relate times of uncertainty and darkness; Times of imminent danger; times of intense enmity, of disappointment, of friends who prove to be unfaithful, etc.


Note Ps. 61:2 When my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock which is higher than I. Help comes not from around me, but from above me. This rock gives elevation, purer air, clearer vision, protecting permanence.


There are certain laws of spiritual geography and topography that apply to spiritual matters.


1. God is Creator. The God who created the universe from nothing and upholds and sustains it by His power can surely attend to what He has created, including ourselves and our need.


2. God is a dependable watchman. Since God is Spirit, and not physical, He has no demand or requirement for sleep. He is always alert, available, on duty. Ps. 33:18; Ps. 34:15; Ps 101:6.


The late Bishop Quayle, when a college student, late at night was walking the floor worrying how he could pay his college tuition his rent, and support his family. Then he felt that the Lord spoke to him: "Quayle, why don't you leave all that up to me and go to bed. I'm going to be up all night anyway."


3. God is protector. Shade is metaphorical, as also in Ps. 91:1 - 10. Shadow of the Almighty.


vs. 11. "He shall give His angels charge over thee ... "


Ps. 17:8. "Hide me under the shadow of thy wings."


This protection is continuous - day and night.


4. God Preserver. Physical - From all evil. Spiritual - Of the Soul.


5. He is God of Promise - All this. How long?


Verse 8: "From this time forth, and even forevermore."


Matt. 28:20. Jesus said, "Lo, I am with you always (and all the ways) even unto the end of the world."

AN OLD TEXT WITH PRESENT DAY MEANING

Eccl. 11: 1 Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.


If you take this verse literally, and throw bread unto a stream it will soon disintegrate. However, we have seen some bread that was hard enough to last a while. But this is not the point. Some commentators try to make this apply to the planting and harvesting of rice.  

Obviously is has its main application to charitable giving, the giving to the poor and such like. It could apply to giving to multitudes abroad, to missions or to the recent help sent to Haiti in their time of distress. Jesus taught that that which was given in His name would not go unrewarded.


My story has to do with a very different situation. When I was a student at Missouri U. I often attended the Columbia church where Bro. Cowen was pastor. In a revival there on a Sunday night there were several seekers at the altar. There came a lull in the praying. Some of the seekers were not getting through to victory, and I felt a strong urge to start that old song "Step Out On The Promise." That was not an uncommon practice away back there over seventy years ago. However, it was rather uncommon for me to be the person doing the singing. But this was one of those times when it seemed it must be done! So I leaned hard on my courage, just knowing that others would join in and sing with me.


That's where I was surprised. If anyone knew the song, they didn't make it known. So I sang a solo of a grand old song. The Holy Spirit fell on the scene and swept the altar clean. Seekers came up with victory and glory stamped on the countenance. Part of the song goes like this:


Vs. 1: O mourner in Zion. how blessed art thou,


          For Jesus is waiting to comfort thee now;


          Fear not to rely of the Word of thy God,


          Step out on the promise, get under the blood.


Vs. 4: The promise don't save, tho' the promise is true;


          Tis' the blood we get under, that cleanses us through:


          It cleanses me now, hallelujah to God!


          I rest on the promise, I'm under the blood.


The years swept by, a generation and more. Then one day 66 years after this experience, I received a letter from a girl - now an old woman - who had prayed through to victory on that memorable Sunday so long ago. She still had the victory!


Here's part of her letter, partly direct quotation and partly summarized. "At that time I respected Christians but had no desire to be one of them ... Upon arriving (at Church) on Saturday night, my best friend (C.R.) told me that she was saved the night before. She wanted us to sit near the front of the church as I might want to be saved also. I assured her that this would not happen, so we sat near the back."


Both evangelist and pastor invited her to seek the Lord. She told them what she had said since grade school years. She didn't want to be saved. Four of her girl friends - I knew all of them - begged her with tears, to seek the Lord. "Though unmoved, I did tell them to ask God to give me the desire. The next morning I woke up with a fear I could not shake." That night she knelt at the altar for the first time in her life.


"Now your part: No altar worker could have instructed me as clearly as the song you started singing. After going through fourteen hours of total misery I was in need of everything the song promised. I've underlined the words that really spoke to me. Brother Holland, I have felt for some time that you should know how much your singing that song meant to me. I thank God for the song and want you to know on my appreciation to you for singing it when I needed it so much".


The underlined song she sent me was a little different from the copy I have in that old Best of All song book. It was copyrighted in 1884 by E.F. Miller who wrote the music.


So, we look back to our text: Cast thy bread upon the waters - or air waves - for thou shalt find it after many days. Truly 66 years represent many days! More than a lifetime for many. The writer of the letter which I received in 2004 is still living in victory today. Though the letter was long in coming, it was gladly received.

WEDDING NOTES

If people have been following my blog, they have noticed that I have observed a recess of sorts. There are reasons for this that would not interest you. One is that I was obligated to go to Kirksville to conduct the funeral of a long time friend. Now back to business.


The life and labors of a minister involves many venues. Weddings form a part of the ministerial duty. For some you have no advance notice. Talk about premarital counseling; that's out of the mix.


One night at bedtime - or really, some time thereafter, there came a knock at the door. A young couple wanted to get married. That was before we were engaged in World War II. The groom was in uniform and was, I believe, ready to be sent overseas. The room was serving as both living room and bedroom. With good grace I invited the couple and the two persons who had come along as witnesses into the room where my wife was in bed. By doctors' orders she was confined to the bed for some days due to the fact that our first son was but a few days old. The company made our room somewhat crowded.


To assist us during my wife's confinement, one of her sisters was with us at the time and was asleep in the adjacent room. As a precautionary move, I placed the baby's crib as quietly as possible in the next room.


Fortunately for me, I was fully dressed when this intrusion occurred, but not with coat and tie. Since it was a "come as you are" visit, I "went as I was" to perform my first wedding assignment. I learned later that my sister-in-law on waking up in the next room heard me reading from the minister's manual: "Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God, and in the face of this company to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony ... " She was struck with wonder! What's he doing? practicing his lines for a wedding? Well, it was sort of a trial run, and the precursor of many to follow.


I agree with Bro. R.E. Carroll who said, "I don't think that boys and girls ought to marry." Then as soon as the astonished people had time to catch their breath, he continued, "I think they should be men and women." It seems fair to state that too many too often rush into marriage too soon and too ill prepared for marriage. This reminds us of the story - real or not I know not - of a very young couple of kids who were being married. When the minister read the words for the boy to repeat, "And with all my worldly goods I thee endow," the groom's father spoke right out, "There goes Junior's bike!"


In 1957, the Annual Youth Camp of the Church of God was held at Morrison, Colorado, near Denver. I was the evangelist for this camp. Several young people were converted and among them a young man I judge to be about "of age", which in those days was 21, not 18 as of today. It was at this camp he met a fine young lady who became his wife. It was quite some time after this meeting that their wedding was performed at Overland Park. Just after the ceremony, the wedding party formed a line and friends were passing by to congratulate the bride and groom. As I came by to greet the groom, he stepped out of line and fell on my neck, and bawling like a baby, exclaimed, "You were the cause of all of this!" Really, he was overjoyed and connected his conversion under my ministry to this happy occasion.


I've surely been accused of being the "cause" of worse things!