A Little Boy's Exciting Miracle

Watch, as God answers the faith of a little seven-year-old boy!

"All Ages Enjoy the Excitement of Bicycling!"

 Photo by Petr Kratochvil, PDP.

For weeks, God the Father listened to the earnest, relentless prayers of seven-year-old Brian. I heard him pray for six to eight weeks every breakfast, every lunch, and every dinner, and of course, every evening prayers in the living room with his sisters.

“And God, I want a bicycle. Please, God, give me a bicycle.”

“Daddy, I'm going to win that bicycle!” my son repeated over and over again at home. He seemed to have persistent faith. I was the one who wasn't so sure.

As I drove the family station wagon into town one day, Brian spoke to me with heart touching trust.

“Daddy, will God give me the bicycle

I keep praying for?”

I choked.

“Brian, I know this. God hears your prayer, and he knows exactly what you want. He knows how to answer your prayer. You can trust him.”

“Well then,” said little Brian, “I'm going to keep praying for that bicycle 'cause I really want it!”

When the day of the fair came, my wife, Mary, made sure I'd take Brian and his older sister, Monica. We climbed half way up the steep grandstand steps to select our rather hard seats to perch on. What daddies do for their kids!

The time came. The master of ceremonies in tall stove-pipe top hat conducted the raffle drawing for the “Silver Streak” bicycle. Sitting next to Brian, I watched my son's face and his continued exuberant expressions.

The MC called the first number, 187,

but no child was present to win.

He called the second number, 324, but still no answer came from the audience. The third number, 753, brought the same results.

The announcer took off his tall hat and wiped his forehead. He changed tactics and started calling the ticket numbers in groups over the blaring loud speakers. 17, 648, 429! 518, 921, 36!

As the numbers came, little Brian could not contain his emotions, nor his faith. He stood to his feet and began praying in a rather loud voice.

“Father God, that's my bicycle!

Thank you, Jesus, for my bicycle!”

With determination he prayed louder as the MC called out the numbers. Some 500 people around us must have heard Brian's voice. They grew very quiet, listening to this little boy in T-shirt and torn blue jeans.

He jumped up and down in excited prayer. Something arrested me from stopping or containing his enthusiasm. More numbers were called: 66, 743, 317, 29, 436, 822!

“God, that bicycle is mine,” Brian persisted. “I believe it, that bicycle is mine.”

I could feel the crowd around me holding its breath for Brian. It was better than church! He continued to pray aloud as the numbers were called off. 785, 325, 239, 84, 526, 028!

How can a little boy jump up and down and

pray out loud at the same time?

I felt people around him join in supportive prayer. Tears came to my eyes. I joined in the quiet prayer and could not believe God would not act in his behalf.

(“O ye of little faith.”)

Some seventy-five numbers had been called with no other child present to win. The MC was visibly discouraged. Then it came! 77!

Little Brian tore down those steep bleacher steps like he was flying! I gasped and grabbed at him for his safety, but he was gone!

“He's already down there!” noted Monica.

Brian jumped on the bike and peddled it rapidly in figure eight formations in front of the whole grandstand. He actually took over the show!

The crowd, all five thousand, laughed and let out

a long cheer and a loud applause.

“I wonder what the numerical odds are of this little boy winning this bicycle after so many names were called?” asked the MC over the loud speaker.

As a Daddy, I could hardly breathe! My eyes flowed with tears. I watched God specifically answer a little boy's faith!

“I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 18:3 NIV).

– Bill Hunt

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Jesus Taught the Beatitudes

Can we claim we really follow Jesus? Do we really obey his teachings? Do we even understand these opening points, the Beatitudes, of the Sermon on the Mount?

Jesus Teaches Sermon on the Mount.

(Art by Carl Heinrich Bloch, Danish, 1834-1890)

Jesus, I think, was very interested in teaching us right behavior before God and man. In the beginning of his ministry, he gathered a crowd on a mountain side and taught his great sermon with a few brief and very important opening points, the Beatitudes, too easily overlooked.

Blessed are the poor in spirit.

The poor elderly widow walked into the temple and contributed a few pennies, showing us a lesson. Jesus, standing aside, pointed out she gave all the money she possessed. I have a feeling this lady knew that if she gave generously, even all to God, he would take care of her. This is not a matter of money, rather faith and dependence on God.

Blessed are those who mourn.

How many times do we find people in the life of the Gospel mourning, even as in modern life. The widow of Nain in the funeral of her son; Jairus, the synagogue leader, whose daughter had died; Martha and Mary whose brother lay buried for four days. All were mourning until Jesus arrived.

Blessed are the meek.

Zacchaeus was such a short, humble man. He was forced to climb a tree to catch sight of the Master walking by in a large crowd. But Jesus stepped over to him and arranged to dine with Zacchaeus in his home that evening.

Blessed are those who hunger 

and thirst after righteousness.

Righteousness is another word for goodness before God. Nicodemus hungered after righteousness. He questioned Jesus for more understanding. “How can a man be born again when he is old?” After Jesus explained a man must be born of water and the Spirit, he asked for more. “How can this be?” He was determined to learn.

Blessed are the merciful.

Jesus told the story of the priest, the Levite, and the Samaritan. The priest and the Levite passed by the man beaten and robbed and lying on the roadside. But the Samaritan rendered aid, poured oil on his wounds, took him to the inn, and paid for his keep.

Blessed are the pure in heart.

Surely, we must see John the Baptist. He dared to condemn the king, Herod, for marrying his brother's wife. Indeed, after the licentious dance of the daughter, she and her mother asked for the head of John on a platter. The Baptist was put to death as a result of their lust.

Blessed are the peacemakers.

The father of the prodigal son should be honored here. When his prodigal son returned, the other brother resented the welcome home feast and favors. The father gently explained to his son that his home position would not be threatened. Rather, they should rejoice together for the return of the lost brother.

Blessed are the persecuted.

The darkness hates the light, always. Look at Paul, the great missionary Apostle! Forced to escape numerous times, slandered, hunted, beaten, stoned, left for dead, sentenced, ship wrecked, and finally martyred. A disciple today can judge his Christian witness by the degree of persecution he receives.

You are the salt of the earth! 

You are the light of the world!

Jesus taught our example before men should be strong and fresh like salt. The light of our witness for him must shine unmistakably in the World, that men may give praise to our Heavenly Father. Jesus taught us, and Jesus, himself, led the way.

– Bill Hunt

What do you need from God?

In our House of Prayer, we will join and pray for you, no matter what your faith is.

Pray for the Freedom of Nations from their Tyrants. Dictators who use violence are afraid of their own subjects. Prayer is the greatest Power on Earth.

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Anointed Power of Holy Spirit

Slain in the Spirit, what it is like. The anointing power of the Holy Spirit is far more universal than the limitations of man.

Christians walk in the shadow of Jesus. 

 (Art by William Holman Hunt, 1870)

“Would you like to join us in a weekly prayer meeting?” The elderly Catholic pastor and a young Baptist pastor prayed with us. Pentecostals and Catholics and Christian brothers and sisters from other denominations all over town joined us. Pete Wasco, a Pentecostal farmer who lost one arm in a farm accident, was one prayer warrior. He repaired lawn mowers with his good arm. We arranged chairs in a circle and prayed with our interfaith group on Monday nights. Together, we grew in Christ.


"The wind blows wherever it pleases.  

“You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit” (John 3:8 NIV).

We learned how willing the Holy Spirit wants to flow among the different denominations! Mary and I held a deep appreciation for the Holy Spirit's unlimited love among the different churches. Because of Him, we felt free to respond to ministry wherever we were invited. You can't put God in a box.

I can not express how beautifully Mary played anointed music on the available piano or organ. Or she sang with her auto harp and led worship in the Catholic, Baptist, Pentecostal, or Methodist churches and in neighborhood prayer meetings. She played the modern charismatic songs and the traditional hymns of Christianity. Through her anointing, the sweet presence of the Holy Spirit immediately flowed over us in worship.

We assisted the local Full Gospel Businessmen's meeting. Mary designed a huge red and white wall banner of the Last Supper to hang behind their head table. We also prayed with our dear friends Abe and Naomi, Charismatic Mennonites, at Grace Chapel. Beautiful it is, to watch the Holy Spirit work in his Love.

Mary remembers one special night as the Holy Spirit spilled over in to our home. I offered to pray for her heartfelt concerns. At first she resisted, feeling a hesitancy with our husband-wife relationship.


"So I asked you to lay hands on me
and pray over me," Mary said.

"I told God: 'Okay, just because Bill's my husband, I'm not going to resist his gift. Whatever you want to do, that's fine'. As you placed hands on my head, the anointing of God immediately came over me so powerfully I collapsed to the floor.

“For sure I was out. I lay on the living room rug for some forty-five minutes. When I fell backwards, the Holy Spirit told me to stop resisting him and to yield. As I lay there, I saw myself looking up at Jesus on the cross. I felt his blood from the cross dripping on my forehead. The Holy Spirit gave me a scripture.


'I have been crucified with Christ...  

“and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20 NIV).

"I just knew the experience of Jesus being the sacrifice for my sins. Then in the Spirit, I was lifted up onto the cross. I was on the cross with him, like in Jesus on the cross. I experienced what Jesus experienced when the Father looked away from him. It was the moment when Jesus took sin for me. And I felt forsaken, the darkness, the emptiness there, when Jesus died.

"At the same time, I can't tell you how this is. In my spirit I experienced the dynamite light explosion of the Resurrection, that same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead. That blackness felt like death, but then I experienced the light explosion!


“I experienced his Resurrection.
That's all I can say.  

"It was an identification with Christ on the cross, of his blood covering me, of what Christ really did when he died for me. He took my sin upon his cross. He experienced death so I wouldn't have to. He did it for me. The power of the Holy Spirit that raised Christ up, raised me up. I felt that."

"And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you” (Rom 8:11 NIV).

Mary fell to the rug-covered floor under the anointing. She rose with the experience of the overwhelming power of the Holy Spirit. She rose with an understanding of Christ's sacrifice on his blood-soaked cross for her. She rose with an understanding of the light of his Resurrection Victory for the World.

– Bill & Mary Hunt

What do you need from God?
In our House of Prayer, we will join and pray for you, no matter what your faith is.

Pray for the Freedom of the people of Iran from their Tyrants. Dictators who use violence are afraid of their own subjects. Prayer is the greatest Power on Earth.

 
For more information click: Holy Spirit
         
  

George Washington's Christian Faith

George Washington's Christian faith can no more be called into question than his American patriotism.

Washington and Lafayette at Valley Forge (PD)

A young “Red Coat”, age 23, rides fiercely in the midst of severe battle delivering the orders of his dying general as his unit is whipped by shots from every side. Four bullets rip into his jacket and two horses are shot out from under him. But he is not wounded. In acts of desperation he encourages his men to retreat and survive, saving the lives of many by his courage. He is the only officer still mounted on horseback out maneuvering the hail of bullets.

Miraculously, he rides. 63 of 86 officers are killed or wounded in the French and Indian ambush along the Monongahela River. The date is July 9, 1775. George Washington served as volunteer aide-de-camp to British General Edward Braddock then gasping for life. The ambush occurred just seven miles short of their objective, Fort Duquesne.

“Protected by the angels,” 

his countrymen said.

Washington lived to serve the Colonies in the Continental Congress, then as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, president of the Constitutional Convention, first President of the United States, and was ultimately proclaimed “Father of His Country.”

Nelly Curtis Lewis wrote a letter to historian Jared Sparks explaining Washington's faith, dated 2/26/1833. Nelly was the Washington's granddaughter but was raised by them from birth at Mount Vernon for twenty years after her own father died. She called George and Martha her “beloved parents whom I loved with so much devotion.”

Washington's Faith.

Nelly told how the Washington's attended the beautiful Mount Vernon Pohick Church where George served as vestryman. His pew was near the pulpit. When serving the colonies in Alexandria, he attended Christ Church. In New York and Philadelphia, she wrote, he never omitted attending church. “No one in church attended to the services with more reverential respect.”

At home, George rose before the sun and remained in his library until breakfast. He was not one of those who prayed to be seen by men. Nelly said at times she noticed his lips moving, but no sound was perceptible. Martha, herself, never omitted her private devotions. George Washington was a devout Episcopalian.

“I now make it my earnest prayer that God would...most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility, and pacific temper of the mind which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion,” Washington stated in his closing address to Congress.

“Deeds, not Words” and “For God and my Country”

are George Washington's mottoes.

Resources: Wallbuilders.com

Barton, David, The Founding Fathers on Jesus, Christianity and the Bible. Wall Builders, 05-2006. <http://www.wallbuilders.com/LIBissuesArticles.asp?id=8755#FN125>

Barton, David, Was George Washington a Christian? Wall Builders, 01-01-2000. <http://www.wallbuilders.com/LIBissuesArticles.asp?id=127>

George Washington, The Last Official Address of His Excellency George Washington to the Legislature of the United States (Hartford: Hudson & Goodwin, 1783), p. 12; see also The New Annual Register or General Repository of History, Politics, and Literature, for the year 1783 (London: G. Robinson, 1784) p. 150.]

Spivey, Larkin, Miracles of the American Revolution. Fairfax: Allegiance Press, 2004. <http://www.amazon.com/Miracles-American-Revolution-Intervention-Republic/dp/1594672032/ref=sr_1_1>

– Bill Hunt

What do you need from God?

In our House of Prayer, we will join and pray for you, no matter what your faith is. 
 
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For more information: George Washington

George Washington The Christian

How Washington Prayed

 

Honest Abe Lincoln Stands Tall

Abe Lincoln was respected as a tremendous statesman of character who avidly read his Bible and kept it with him.

Pinkerton, Lincoln, Gen. McClernand at Antietam, Oct 3, 1862.

 

“America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.” President Abraham Lincoln is famous for his honesty across the ages, a quality our fellow Americans appreciate more and more as we find it less and less in today's situational politics. As such, he proved himself less a politician and more a statesman.

Once, a store owner, Mr. Offut, hired the young Lincoln to serve as clerk in his country store in New Salem, Illinois. The tall 6'4” young man was a good salesman, and the customers liked him. Mr. Offut bragged his clerk knew more than anyone else, and that he could outrun and out-wrestle any man in the county.

People nicked name him “Honest Abe” because he set an example of integrity. As a store clerk, Lincoln overcharged one lady customer six cents and walked three miles to settle the debt. Another time, he left a small weight on the scale while pricing tea and again walked a distance next morning to return the right amount of tea. Several stories of his honesty followed him through his legal and political career.

“No man ever had fewer advantages than Abraham Lincoln,” wrote author James Baldwin. “As a boy, he was the poorest of the poor. No rich friend held out a helping hand. But see what he had already accomplished by pluck, perseverance, and honesty! He was very awkward and far from handsome, but he was so modest, so unselfish and kind, that every one who knew him liked him. He was a true gentleman—a gentleman at heart, if not in outside polish.”
("The Story of Abraham Lincoln/In the Legislature," Wikisource, The Free Library <http://en.wikisource.org/w/index.php?title=The_Story_of_Abraham_Lincoln/In_the_Legislature&oldid=646004>, accessed February 4, 2011.) 


Lincoln began his political career when he was elected to the Illinois State Legislature at the age of 22. Two years later, the people re-elected him for a second term. 
 
He was ultimately sworn in as president on March 4, 1861, and fought four years against an onslaught of counter-mixing opinions to preserve the nation against all odds. He met the humane purpose of the war head-on with the Emancipation Proclamation to free the slaves. 


On November 19, 1863, Lincoln delivered a most eloquent speech, the Gettysburg Address, over a terrain littered with thousands of Civil War dead from both sides. 
 

“He had not had access to many books, but he knew books better than most men of his age. He knew the Bible by heart; he was familiar with Shakespeare; he could repeat nearly all the poems of Burns; he knew much about physics and mechanics; he had mastered the elements of law.” Lincoln avidly read his Bible and kept it with him. 
 

“In regard to this Great Book, I have but to say, it is the best gift God has given to man. All the good the Savior gave to the world was communicated through this book” (Baltimore, 1864). 
 

“Neither party expected for the war, the magnitude, or the duration which it has already attained,” he commented on the Civil War. "Neither anticipated that the cause of the conflict might cease with, or even before, the conflict itself should cease. Each looked for an easier triumph, and a result less fundamental and astounding. 
 

“Both read the same Bible, and pray to the same God, and each invokes His against the other. It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God's assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men's faces; but let us judge not, that we be not judged. The prayers of both could not be answered; that of neither has been answered fully. The Almighty has His own purposes” (Second Inaugural Address, March 4, 1865).

– Bill Hunt

What do you need from God?

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Inner Healing Touches Wife

The anointing love of God enters the rocks of marriage and guides the union between husband and wife. 

"God has called us to live in peace" (1 Cor 7:15). 

Photo by Bill Hunt c. 2011. 

Something happened in that prayer. My Mom's friend, a Spirit-filled Christian, set aside some time for me to pray with her for inner healing. I drove to the northern part of the county to her home. As she softly prayed with me, a burden lifted from me like a heavy load. I now felt peace in my soul that I had not known.

"As the geese know when to fly, 

 

you'll know when to return home."

That night, I heard a flock of geese overhead honking and the Lord spoke to me. “Okay, Lord, I'm willing.” I remember sitting out on the patio and praying. “Lord, place the love in me for my husband.” God tenderly comforted me with grace.

SHE: I started to feel love again for my husband, and I believe that was the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit. It took a lot of courage to be willing to go back. It was also the scripture: a woman either leaves or returns.

“A wife must not separate from her husband.

But if she does, she must remain unmarried

or else be reconciled to her husband. And a

husband must not divorce his wife”

(1 Cor 7:10-11 NIV).

Little by little, God healed my feelings. By the time you sent me airline tickets, I was feeling love again for you emotionally. God gave me this gift.

HE: I was a humbled but eager man when my wife returned through the airport gate with our children. As we walked from the plane, I presented her with one regal red rose.

SHE: I didn't want to stay in the city, so you agreed to give up your current graduate studies and move back home. We packed the house together and drove back East. Then we both went to Christian counseling together. God even opened a house for us to purchase.

We entered a spirit-filled church family that 

 

loves each other and knows the Lord.

So much changed when God delivered us from stale religion. A woman has all kinds of support in the Body of Christ, sisters to talk to, prayer friends. For instance, I can just go and have lunch with a Spirit-filled sister in the Lord. God is going to meet our needs, just in conversation. I trust the Lord to do that. 

 

Any Christian couple that belongs to a Christian Church should have help in the pastor. I also know there can be different women in the church praying for me, even as I pray for them. I expect the Holy Spirit to use the normal channels of the Christian life in a healthy church to bring answers, so these kinds of crises will not happen. 

 

HE: The point is God loves his people so much that he intervenes in our lives and heals us. We looked to his face and passed through the rocks together and came out on the other side. I learned to meet the emotional needs of my wife. God is the necessary first partner in any marriage.

“A threefold cord is not quickly broken” 

(Eccl. 4:12 NKJ).

-- Bill and Mary Hunt 

What do you need from God?

In our House of Prayer, we will join and pray for you, no matter what your faith is.

Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Is he this for you?

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