Every Friday the Jones family sat at the dinner table, but not for dinner. Friday night had become the time for sorting bills; paying the mortgage, car payments, payments of all kinds. Crushed with the weight of debt, life had become very difficult. Bill, the husband and father of three had been recently laid-off from his job. On one particular night, Bill nervously ran his hands through his hair as his wife, Lara, silently prayed, “Dear God, please help us.”
At the same time, across town, a husband and wife sat on their deck talking. The husband with a heavy heart voiced his concern to his wife as they sat in the quiet of their spacious backyard.
“I really have this burden for the Jones Family. I think we need to do something.”
“I’ve felt the same thing. What do you think we should do?” his wife asked.
Reaching for her hand, the couple began to pray.
Two days later, Lara Jones opened her mailbox to see another pile of bills. She carried them back to the kitchen table—doctor’s bills for their son’s recent illness and more credit card bills. Then suddenly something caught her eye—a letter from a family across town, whom they barely knew.
Opening the letter, she read the following out loud, “Dear Jones Family, the Lord has laid your family on our hearts to bless. We really hope this helps and if there is anything more we can do please let us know.” Looking at the check, Lara fell to her knees and began to sob. Walking into the house, Bill saw his wife in tears and ran to her side.
“Honey it’ll be okay, you’ll see,” he said.
Lara looked up at her husband and smiled through her tears.
“Honey, it is okay. Look what Jesus has done!”
Taking the letter and check from his wife’s hand, Bill felt overwhelmed with gratitude.
Kneeling down next to his wife, hugging her ever so tightly, he prayed, “Thank you Father, thank you, thank you!”
In the Same Town at another Home
Jeannie, a teenage girl closed the blinds to her room and locked thedoor.
Her i-Phone was buzzing with taunting texts.
“They posted that risqué picture of you… LOL…you ho!”
“Everyone is laughing at you, you should see the comments!”
Jeannie nervously rocked back and forth. Tormented with guilt and shame she took out a bottle of pills ready to end her life.
Around that same time, her Grandma Alice, who lived in the next town, was busy knitting a scarf for her. Doubting that Jeannie would ever wear it, she continued, if for no other reason than to keep herself busy. Widowed but not alone, Alice talked a lot to her Heavenly Father, especially about her granddaughter. On this day she felt a heavy burden for Jeannie. Putting the needle and yarn down, she prayed, “Father, PLEASE arise within my Jeannie and set her free…set her free in Jesus’ name.”
Jeannie sat fidgeting with the bottle of pills in her hands. Tears streaming, the pain of her past mistakes crushed down on her. Looking toward her nightstand, she noticed her Grammy Alice’s picture and a Scripture reference etched into the picture frame, Proverbs 3:5: “In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your steps.” Jeannie felt a calm fall upon her as she looked for her Bible to read what more it had to say. It was the Bible her Grammy had given her. Finding it buried under her bed, Jeannie rushed through the pages to find the verses: Proverbs 3:5-6. She was shocked to see the Scriptures underlined with a note out to the side of the page:
“Jeannie, this is my prayer for you. Love, Grammy. ‘Dear Lord, Please help my Jeannie to acknowledge you in all her ways, that You might direct her steps, in Jesus’ name, Amen.’”
Jeannie put the bottle down, fell to her knees and cried out to Jesus to come into her life and be her Lord and Savior. Alice was rocking away in her rocking chair, praying her heart out when the phone rang.
“Who in the world? Grammy Alice muttered.
Making her way to the phone, she answered, “Hello?”
“Grammy, it’s me Jeannie,” the voice on the other line winced tearfully.
“Jeannie? Oh, It’s so good to hear your voice,” Grammy Alice replied.
“Grammy, I just have to tell you – I gave my life to Jesus. He saved my life, Grammy.
Jesus saved my life today,” Jeannie spoke through her tears.
Alice looking up toward heaven and whispered, “Thank You Father.”
“Now Jeannie,” Grammy Alice cried out, “I want to hear all about it. I am so happy!”
Across Town
Carl, a city bus driver cruises through his early morning route pondering a passage from Sunday’s service: I will never leave you, nor forsake you. Wow! That is amazing Lord, I almost can’t comprehend that – YOU WILL NEVER LEAVE ME! Joy radiates from his face as he views each passenger as an opportunity to speak some life into. Carl is an older gentleman and drives the bus as “unto the Lord” living each day as if it is his last. Each passenger always exits with a Bible tract in hand—as Carl takes delight in trying to discern which tracts to hand out to each person.
Candy had been up all night, her body aching. Standing on the corner waiting for the bus, she could see the scowls and the scorn. (It comes with the job.) The bus arrives, the door opens.
Looking up at the driver, Carl cheerfully exclaims, “Good morning!
Welcome aboard, your chariot awaits.”
Candy skeptically replies, “Good Morning,” and with a slight chuckle takes her seat.
Carl begins to pray, “Which one, Lord?”
Candy’s mind is overwhelmed with the cares of this life, but notices that the driver’s lips are moving. Who is he talking too? she wonders. He doesn’t have an earpiece on, so it’s not a cell phone…
Unaware that Candy has her eyes on him, Carl continues to mouth his prayer, “Father, thank you for each one of these passengers. Thank you that I have this job. Please use me for your glory.”
When the time came for Candy to exit from the bus, Carl reached toward a stack of small books (which he proudly collects for moments just like this).
“Miss, I want to give you a small gift.”
“What is it?” she asked.
“It’s a special message just for you. Will you promise to read it?” Carl asked earnestly.
Candy looked at the little booklet titled, You Are Worth a Great Price. She nodded her head as she exited the bus. Over the years Carl had handed out Bible tracts and booklets containing Christian messages in hopes that it would be life-changing for many.
Candy arrived home and opened the door to her apartment. She wasimmediately greeted by her cat. She poured herself a strong drink preparing to drown out all of life’s sorrows and cares. She stared at the gift from the driver and began to read about a woman caught in adultery.
“Woman where are thou accuser’s? Go and sin no more.” Candy continued to read: Dear One: If you are reading this and you are dealing with guilt and shame, do you not realize that before you were even born, Jesus came and gave His life, having thought you to be a great prize? If you want to know this Jesus, please call upon Him today and then come and tell us this Sunday at New Hope Church.”
Candy’s life would never be the same. Because of Carl’s obedience, Candy read the booklet, asked Jesus to be Lord of her life, and was gloriously saved.
All across the globe people were being about their “Father’s business.”
Meanwhile up in heaven…
HOLY, HOLY, HOLY IS THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, WHO WAS AND IS AND IS TO COME…HOLY, HOLY, HOLY.
The angelic host worship around the Father’s majestic throne. Sitting at His right hand is the Son of the Most High. Both are carefully overlooking all of creation with focused intensity. As a sweet aroma fills the air, an incense of “prayers” continues to ascend. The Father and Son’s eyes are filled with such love and compassion. They turn ever so attentively to the hearts of those who are crying out, “Jesus save me…Jesus, come quickly.”
Jesus ever interceding, glances knowingly to the Father and says, “These are mine, which you have given me, Father.” A holy pause transcends the celestial chorus as God the Father stands. A great group of witnesses bow in awe. Joining along, twenty-four elders take to their knees awaiting a decree. Looking to His right hand, God the Father says, “Son, it is time!” Jesus’ face lights up with a smile for the ages as the Father continues, “Son, go get my children.” A roar of praise is lifted-up in unison. Then the blast for all the ages goes forth—followed by a shout:
“COME UP HERE.”
Footnote:
This concludes my series, Preludes to the Rapture. It has been a tremendous honor to share these short stories for “His Glory.” I’d very much like to thank Rapture Ready for giving me this platform to share these stories, and be a part of a ministry that has the heart to reach out and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I’d also like to especially say a huge “thank you” to Kit Olsen, who has been so gracious and willing to go to great lengths in editing, to help me in presenting these stories. “Thank you Kit.”
I pray these stories have spoken and stirred intercession, outreach and repentance toward Jesus Christ (while there is still time.) I have added a short salvation guide and prayer below. Thank you for reading and may God bless you all.
In Christ,
Tim Cameron
Are You Rapture Ready?
How Can I Be Saved?
It is my prayer as you have read these stories that God has been speaking to your heart and you are now asking, “What must I do to be saved?” Salvation is something that cannot be earned, only received by faith (Ephesians 2:8-9).
How to receive Jesus Christ?
1. Admit your need (I am a sinner).
2. Be willing to turn from your sins (repent).
3. Believe that Jesus Christ died for you on the cross and rose from the grave.
4. Through prayer, invite Jesus Christ to come in and control your life through the Holy Spirit (receive Him as Lord and Savior).
What to Pray:
Dear Lord Jesus,
I know that I am a sinner and need your forgiveness. I believe that you died for my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I now invite youto come into my heart and life. I want to trust you and follow you as my Lord and Savior, in Jesus’ name.
If you have received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, be sure to find other true born-again believers you can grow with. Get involved in a good Bible study and in a Bible-teaching church or home group, where you can study the Bible and pray together with others. Make the Lord number one inyour life!
“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).