Posts Tagged ‘Dr. Gayle Woods’
1 Samuel 18:6-11
My parishioner was a bitter woman. She was easily peeved. She inhaled gossip and exhaled criticism. The past wrongs that she had suffered were her favorite topic of conversation.
She seldom missed church, but on the other hand she had never been a Christian. When I repeatedly spoke to her about her need, explaining the way of Salvation in simple terms she would say, “But, Bro. Woods, it seems so hard. I just can’t understand.” She was too old to take the chance of not understanding.
I was concerned and baffled. What would cause a person who seemed so interested in the church and spiritual matters to go through a long life to never enjoy the benefits of Salvation?
I discovered that she and another lady who attended our church had a disagreement years earlier when they attended the same grade school. Unforgiveness and bitterness were the result which corrupted her heart with an evil spirit. Such a small thing, and yet such a big thing. Small enough to seem petty to all who were not involved and yet big enough to block a person from entering through the pearly gates.
Dr. Gayle Woods
Matthew 8:28-34
Thomas was an older man who had been saved before. Each time, he went back on his faith because of the power cigarettes had over his body. He told me “A Christian can’t smoke. Until I can overcome cigarettes I can’t be a Christian.”
The church continued to pray for Thomas. Then the tragic news came. I rushed to the hospital. Just before he was to go in for open heart surgery I talked to him about his heart need. “Yes,” he said. “I want to ask God to forgive me of my sins.” We prayed and Thomas testified to victory.
During surgery the doctors nearly lost him. For the next month he hung between life and death. It was a struggle for life and for deliverance. It was pitiful to see him make hand signals as he begged for a cigarette. He pawed at his chest where he had always kept a pack of cigarettes in his shirt pocket. He went through the motions of puffing imaginary cigarettes. But God totally delivered Thomas so that he was able to live for the Lord in victory the next few years before he went to heaven. A miracle? Yes, a miracle of God’s healing power. Although slow and painfully drawn out, it was a conclusive miracle nonetheless.
Dr. Gayle Woods
