HOW GOD SPARED OUR LIVES

By Mrs Evangeline Massey

 

                               “For God have his own plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

                                Plans to give you hope and a future” Jer. 29:11

Sometimes we feel sad when our prayers are not immediately answered same was the case with me when I with my two sons Stalin and Steve and my mother visited my sister in Canada.

It was my first trip to Canada to spend my summer vacation with my elder sister and her family in Toronto.

As we landed things moved out well and visited many of the big cities in Ontario. The Kenyan Ambassador invited us to spent our Sabbath with his family in Montreal. After spending the Sabbath with them next day move to Niagara Falls we enjoyed the beauty of Niagara Falls spent time in Skylon revolving restaurants we enjoyed the beautiful scenery from all sides my children enjoyed sitting in go-carts etc etc.

We really enjoyed for two weeks and things went all well then one day little misunderstanding took place with my sister and me and that came to the verge to make me decide to shorten my trip. I decided to go to Air India office in downtown to get my flight cancelled and take an early flight. The man at the reception said to me “ma’am have you gone crazy, you want to go early whereas people come here to extend their tickets”. I simply told him I am running a school so it is an emergency. “Ok ma’am at present we have no seats available, give your phone number we will call you if there is any cancellation”. I said ok and gave my phone number.

I was down on my knees praying hard that I may get early flight to India I was so desperate to return that I cried while I prayed. Lo and behold I got a phone call from Air India office that three seats are available for 15^th of June. (Those days Air India flights were only on weekends) I hurriedly went to Air India office to get the new tags put on our tickets so that there won’t be any problem at the airport. Though my sister was not happy for our early return and persuaded us to stay little longer. But I was adamant to return home early. Anyways we took the flight on 15^th of June by Chandragupta Air craft and reached Delhi airport next day.

As we were sitting and watching TV news at our home in India we heard shocking news that Air India air craft (Kanishka) exploded near Ireland. The people who exchanged their flight with ours did not reach home as the air craft by which they exchanged with us got exploded near Ireland over Atlantic ocean. Not a single soul was saved, all the passengers died.

This is the biggest miracle God has done in my life saving me, my two sons and my mother. Special thanks prayer and offerings was offered by me and my whole family. I knew there is a purpose that God has saved us from this tragedy.    

 

I strongly believe that if we are faithful in praying and giving our tithes and offering in gratitude God opens his windows and showers the blessings in abundance. Every Christian is a steward of God entrusted with His goods.

“All things belong to God. Men may ignore His claims. While He bountifully bestows His blessings upon them, they, may use His gifts for their own selfish gratification; but they will be called to give an account for their stewardship.” T.vol 9 pg 246.   

Mrs Evangeline Massey is Director of Hillview Adventist School in Ajmer and  faithfully  supports  the  Church  with Tithes & Offerings

Indeed! He Opens the Windows

By Dr. Bharat D. Singh

Early in 1960s Adventist truth was accepted by my Anglican family. The missionaries inculcated in my parents, the faithfulness to God and Church by truthful return of tithes and offerings. I was a young lad in my teens then, and one day I found my grandmother quarreling with my father, for paying Rs. 25.00 as tithe on Sabbath day. Her disagreement was that no one pays that big an amount to the church.

My father, however, continued in his faithfulness to God and his new faith that he was planted in. At the outset, the family's economic conditions seemed topsy-turvy, as Satan never wanted my father to continue in his newly adopted practice. Nevertheless my mother being convinced of the truth, supported my father, and they both continued in their endeavor,concealing the truth from the knowledge of my grandmother.

Years rolled by and the family income kept increasing and so were the tithes and offerings. The children were well educated, no major illness in the family; marriages took place and extended families developed. The Lord was blessing each member in His grace and each member continued to grow as a good steward in his/her own way as the God of heaven had enriched them.

Retrospectively, my tithes which were in few hundreds grew to thousands and to lacks. Paying royalty (tithe) to the king, the maker and sustainer of this world is to lean on a bank which allows me to draw limitlessly. "Test me in this," (in paying the royalty) says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it…" Mal. 3:10.

What is the harm in testing Him? However, remember! Returning tithe is not enough; returning tithe faithfully and honestly is important in the sight of God.

Dr.Bharat Singh, is a Leading educationist and owner of Children’s Academy ICSE School and an upcoming Shalom International College at Jaipur. A great supporter of the Church and faithful steward of the Lord.

The Answered Prayer

By Mrs. Sostina James

The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, and He adds no trouble to it. Proverbs 10:22

I  am  Sostina  James  from Jodhpur and  was  a member  of  the  CNI  Church. I  retired  from  the  post  of  a  Nursing  tutor  and  was  looking  for  a  job after retirement  as  we  had a  huge bank  loan of  Rs 300,000.00 payable as interest. The  family was  under  intense pressure to repay  the  money against  our  retirement  benefit of  Rs 500,000.00  as  our  only  saving,  there  was  no  hope  and  we  reeled  into complex situation worsening  our finance  each  day.

My  son  was  seriously  taken  ill  when Pr Rawal Gill, A  pastor  from  the  Seventh- Day Adventist Church at Jodhpur  along  with  his  wife  Mrs  Sunila Gill knocked  at  our  door. As  they  were  invited  in we  had  a  season  of  prayer. Our  faith  in  the  Lord  grew  stronger as my  son  gradually  began  responding  to  medicine  and  he  was completely  healed in  a  couple  of  months. Our  meetings  continued  with  the  pastor  and  I  began  to attend  the  Church  Services  on Sabbath days.

One  Sabbath the  pastor  appealed  for  the  tithe  and  Offering  and  emphasized  the importance  of  our  faithful return of  tithe  to the  Lord. I knew  that  I  was ignorant  of  the blessings  which  the  Lord had  promised as  I began returning His  share faithfully I got  a job of  Rs  5000/-  which  was just  a  beginning. Our  family  consistently prayed  to the  Lord  to  help us come  our  of  the  debt  trap. We have spent hours  in  earnest  prayers  and  the Lord  heard  our supplication and   believe it that   the  Bank  announced waiving of  the Rs 300,000.00 interest on loan. It  was a  miracle in  our real life. This did  not  stop here after a  few  days, One  of  the  Nursing College in Jodhpur offered me  to  head  the  College  as  Principal with  a salary  of  Rs 20,000.00 along with fully furnished  accommodation.  I can never estimate what a prayer  can  do  to  humans. The Lord has certainly opened the Windows of heaven for me. I praise and glory His name.

A testimony by Mrs Sostina James, Jodhpur