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Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781477273272 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | AuthorHouse |
| Publication date: | 09/24/2012 |
| Pages: | 44 |
| Product dimensions: | 8.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.11(d) |
Read an Excerpt
Crackerjack Moments with Jesus
By Freddie Power Jenny Champion
AuthorHouse
Copyright © 2012 Freddie Power and Jenny ChampionAll right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4772-7327-2
Chapter One
What is a "Crackerjack Moment"?
King David is a famous King from the Bible who loved God. On his way to becoming King of Israel he went through many hardships. One hardship was that a tribe of people called the "Amalekites" came and attacked his home base. His home base had all of the possessions and families belonging to David and his six hundred men. The Amalekites took everything: their wives, children, livestock, and other household goods and fled into a vast, unsearchable desert.
When David and his men returned home they came back to a nightmare. Their homes had been destroyed, their families and possessions had been taken. The desert outside was huge and there seemed to be no way of finding their stolen families or recovering their stolen goods.
Every man in David's group fell to the ground weeping. Out of their anguish, some even talked of killing David. But David found strength in God.
Out of his faith in God, David mustered his men and had them set out into the desert. He believed that God was a good God and that He would help them recover their stolen goods even though the situation was dark. A little while after they had set out, David's men found an Egyptian slave, weak and starving in the middle of the desert. They spoke to the slave and found out that, not only had he been with the raiding group, but he knew where to find them! The slave knew the location of all of their women, children and possessions. This was a "crackerjack moment" for David. God, in all His goodness, placed an Egyptian slave with knowledge to save their families in the middle of David's path. Because of this moment, David was able to find his family and the families of his men, all their possessions, and recover them all!
A "crackerjack moment" is when God surprises you. It is when He answers a prayer unexpectedly and you just cannot believe how good He is!
God loves to bless His people with moments like this to reveal His goodness. And just like in Bible days with David, God is still up to it today! I have personally experienced many surprising moments called "crackerjack moments" of the goodness of God. Many of my incredible moments with Him are written in this book. I hope you enjoy reading the amazing "crackerjack moments" that God has given me in my life! It is my hope that these stories will inspire you and help you to identify the "crackerjack moments" in your own life. Our God is a good God and, with Him, a "crackerjack moment" is always just around the corner!
A Crackerjack Moment in a Maximum Security Prison
I am a missionary. Every year I go to South Africa, but this year was different. This time the Lord laid it on my heart to go and minister at a prison.
When we arrived in South Africa I wasted no time in asking our host pastor if he could get me to a prison to minister. He said he would see what he could do and we went about our mission trip.
After being in South Africa for several weeks our trip was quickly coming to an end. The pastor came and said to me, "A very unusual opportunity became possible for us to go to a prison." Unusual was right. This was not just a prison, but a maximum security men's prison.
As soon as we arrived and entered the prison gates, I knew in my heart God was going to do something great. Everyone there welcomed us with open arms.
First, we decided to pray for the prison guards. One of them told us he could not hear out of one ear. We prayed for healing for the man and he began to instantly hear better!
Then the guards led us to the prisoners in the prison's Bible Study room. When we walked in each person greeted us. We hugged them and told them that God loves them. They melted when they heard our words. God drew the prisoners to us so the room we were in got too crowded. We needed a larger space. Then the guards led us to a much bigger room. The prisoners kept coming.
The guards did not stay with us to minister to the prisoners. All of the men who had led us in left and the doors were closed and locked behind them. We were completely alone and locked in with hundreds of male prisoners. But, in that position, we felt a supernatural peace. It was God. God's great peace filled that room with light and love and every man gave their life to Jesus that day! If you looked in the corner, there was a 14 foot angel standing with us in the room. We could not see the angel with our physical eyes but we could with our spiritual eyes. We knew we were in the complete, divine protection of the Lord and He was with us every step of the way.
During our ministry time, one man with a tattoo of snakes and Satan came up for prayer. He said he was a Satanist and he wanted to repent and give his life to Jesus. A team member prayed for him and he fell back in his chair and received Jesus. He went from great darkness to the brilliant new life of God that day.
We gave prophetic words of encouragement to over 100 men that day. Then we were led by the Holy Spirit to make a fire tunnel for them to go under our arms. A "fire tunnel" is when a group makes two lines together and prays for people as they walk under their outstretched arms. We began praying for and blessing each prisoner as they walked through our two-line tunnel. It was incredible. A great freedom broke out in the prison. By the end of the prayer time the prisoners were so freed up in the Holy Spirit that they wanted to create a fire tunnel for us! Such great joy filled the prison that the prisoners broke out into singing songs. It was an incredible time!
The entire time the Lord did this, we were completely locked-in with the prisoners there. The prisoners could have done anything to us, but the Lord our God not only had us completely protected, but He filled their hearts with a new joy and light! This is the power of God! God totally took over. Each man's heart was touched forever.
When we left this amazing series of "crackerjack moments" in this maximum-security prison, every prisoner was waving goodbye to us! What an amazing day!
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for blind, to release the oppressed to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Luke 4:18-19
Crackerjack Moment About a Trip to China
Sometimes I have visions from God and they come like vivid pictures in my head. In worship one Sunday, I saw a vision of Chinese children. In the vision I was speaking in an underground church in China. Even though the vision inspired me, I felt more of a heart to go to Africa at the time. So I said to God, "I love Africa and I do not really want to go to China." But I continued to feel like the vision was for me.
So I prayed again, "God, I'm going to the House of Prayer today. If you want me to go to China then send someone to approach me and ask if they can pray for me." In all of my visits (and I had visited there eleven times prior), no one had ever asked to pray for me. If someone approached me, I would know that this was confirmation. So I headed out to the House of Prayer.
That day there was a worship team singing on the stage. I stood on the front row worshipping God. Then, all of a sudden, the head worship leader stepped down and asked if he could pray for me. Wow! I knew this was God saying, "That vision was from Me, go to China."
Even with this confirmation my flesh was still wrestling within me. I kept debating with myself, "Do I go or don't go? Go or don't go?" So I felt I needed another "crackerjack moment" where God made it clear to me that I needed to go to China.
So I asked God again for one more confirmation. I was going to go to church again that evening. I told God, "If I am supposed to go to China, send someone to me tonight to say, 'I want to support you in going to China.'" I walked into church convinced that no one would walk up to me and say this. But, as soon as I walked in, a friend came up to me and said to me that her prayer group wanted to support me to go to China! Immediately I said to the Lord, "Ok God, I'm getting my ticket!" Isn't that amazing "crackerjack moment"?
I did go to China and had an amazing trip. And the Lord opened up not one, but two underground churches for me to speak in! Many salvations happened for the Kingdom and, through this "crackerjack moment", I grew in learning how to follow the voice of the Lord. This was a life changing mission indeed!
"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." James 1:22
"He who is of God hears God's words...." John 8:47
Crackerjack Moment with a Credit Card
Every year I take a team to do outreach ministry in the slums of Kenya. The plane tickets were extraordinarily expensive that year due to the dramatic increase of gas prices. I kept putting off purchasing my team's tickets because they were so expensive.
After a few weeks, I had procrastinated long enough. Our deadline to be in Africa was getting very close. I was concerned about the tickets being so expensive. I prayed to God to send me an angel for financial breakthrough. I usually call a travel agent to book my plane tickets for my ministry trips. I started to ask the Lord for an angel to be on the other side of the phone when I called to book the tickets.
After I was finished praying, I made the call. I got a woman on the other line. When the airlines agent searched for available tickets she said the cost came down! I knew God was at work. My team that year was a large group. We had so many people that the total cost of the tickets could not go on one credit card. I had to have another card to pay for them.
I plundered through my desk drawers until I found an old credit card. Unfortunately, I noticed that the expiration date had expired. I felt a nudge from God say, "Use this card." I gave the airline agent the card number. When we got to the expiration date I made up another date. Guess what: the card was approved! We bought all our tickets that year by the grace of God! It was one of those "crackerjack moments" that really shocked me! They actually took my card and my team and I went to Africa!
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."
Phillippians 4:6
Five Dollars is a Crackerjack Moment
I attended a Christian Conference as an intercessor (someone who prays) for the conference attendees. After several hours into the conference I realized that I had forgotten to bring money with me. It was lunch time and I was hungry. I began to pray and pray that someone would hand me five dollars for dinner.
A young lady came up to me for prayer. After spending some time with her a second woman came up for prayer. While I was praying for the second lady the first one came back and said, "Excuse me, but my mom said that the Lord wanted her to give you this five dollars." Then she handed me five dollars! Wow! Normally, I would not take money after praying for someone but this time I did. I knew that it was God meeting my daily needs. This was incredible. I have prayed at conferences for fifteen years and no one has ever given me money before. Even to this day, I have never been handed money at a conference. This was God's way of surprising me.
"And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19
Crackerjack Moment with a House that Did Not Burn Down
For 9 months I lived on an Indian reservation and God opened up an opportunity for me to teach Bible Clubs for kids. The club size grew quickly to over 50 children.
A friend and I decided to have an outreach to an Indian village called "Two Strikes." We planned a meal of chili, hotdogs, chips, dip and drinks. We packed up the food and off to the village we went. What I did not realize was that I had left a towel on top of the electric coil stove while it was still on.
We arrived at the village and invited everyone to come to the club house and eat. Not only children came, but adults came too. After everyone was seated and eating we asked if there was anyone that wanted prayer. The people were shy and no one came forward. Then we asked more specifically for any one that wanted prayer for healing. One man came forward. He was dirty and skinny. His clothing was torn. He carried his chair and turned it away from the group and faced it towards us. The man asked for prayer for healing of lung cancer. We laid hands on the man and prayed and prayed. After praying for him we taught the children Bible and many of the adults gave their hearts to Jesus.
A couple hours later, when we returned to the house, we walked in and smelled something burning. We entered the kitchen and saw the cloth on top of the hot coil burner. The cloth was already smoking and about to catch fire! It would have started a
major fire, but I felt like God had protected us while we were out doing what He had called us to do! It was one of those great "crackerjack moments" that made me stop in my tracks. I stood there, in the kitchen, just staring at that cloth on the stove and could not believe that it had not caught fire.
I kept the cloth for many years to remind me of our God's faithfulness in taking care of us when we are serving him.
"Obey my voice and I will be your God, and you shall be my people." Jeremiah 7:23
One year later, we went back to visit that same reservation, and a man we did not recognize approached us. He asked, "Do you remember me? I am the one you prayed for to be healed of lung cancer." The man had gained 30 pounds and looked like a totally different person! He said he had never felt better. He had experienced a total transformation after the prayers were said over him. He had a new faith. He said, "God is our great healer!"
"They will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." Mark 16:18
Amazing Crackerjack Moments at Christmas
Every Christmas I give gifts to inner-city kids. I count on the community around me to give for this project. The needs are very large and without the help of the community I would not be able to provide for the children's wishes.
This particular year money was not coming in. People in the ministry began to pray for the stockings for each child to be filled. Still nothing was coming in.
"God said, 'Give and it will be given to you.'" Luke 6: 38
The Lord said to me, "Empty your refrigerator and cupboards and give all your food away." So I emptied out all the food in my refrigerator and pantry. One of my neighbors had a lot of children and I felt led to give to her all of the food.
After giving all of it away, a friend called me. She lived in Nebraska and had no way of knowing what my needs were. She told me that she and her husband had money to sow and that my ministry had come to their minds. Then she told me that they were sending a check by mail! I had no idea how much the check was for. The check came and when I opened it I could not believe my eyes. It was exactly what I needed: one- thousand four hundred dollars!
Whatever you give out to others, God will give back to you! When I need money for ministry I often give things away. God always blesses the giver. This was another one of those great "crackerjack moments"!
"For if you give, you will get! Your gift will return to you in full and overflowing measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over." Luke 6:37-38
Giving Brings in a Crackerjack Moment
One time God told me to give money to a worship leader at church. My mind kept telling me, "You are going to Africa and you need to hold onto money for the trip." I kept hearing God tell me to give money to the worship leader but I kept putting it off.
After church service on Sunday, I heard the gentle reminder of God again to give money to the worship leader. This time I did not ignore His request. I went over and gave one-hundred dollars to her.
Then I went and sat down at church. Immediately, a man I had known for five years came up to me and said, "I've been looking for you and I want to give you a check." The check was for two-hundred dollars, twice the amount that I had given! Then a few minutes later another miracle happened. A lady came to my table and gave me another two-hundred dollars! God is so good!
This was such a fast "crackerjack moment" with the Lord! He reminded me of how giving away to others brings a great harvest!
"He who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life." Galatians 6:8
Crackerjack Moment when the Kids Gave the Stolen Money Back
I serve inner-city and homeless kids on a daily basis. My regular kids that faithfully come usually do not steal from me. In fact, they watch out for me. But, sometimes new kids will come up that will try to steal from me when my back is turned.
I was in Concord, North Carolina, teaching Bible to kids on the sidewalk. The car was behind me so I did not have a clear view of my belongings inside. As I taught, I started to notice that some of the older kids were acting strange, but I had no idea why.
I finished the lesson and started to get ready to leave when one little girl approached me and said, "Miss Freddie, that boy over there took all the money out of your billfold."
I went and checked my billfold and two-hundred dollars in cash was missing. I started to pray in the middle of the kids there in the street. Most of the children were on bikes surrounding me in a circle. I decided to pray loudly so they could hear. "Oh God have them give me my money back, just have them give me my money back. Touch their hearts, touch their souls, just have them give me my money back."
Then I told the kids that I was going to close my eyes and hold my hands out and wait for all the money. The kid that stole the money was new to the group and had distributed the money among the other kids. All of their feet seemed frozen in place. At first no one would move. You could have heard a pin drop. Then, all of a sudden a hundred dollar bill was in my hands. I continued to pray out loud and twenty dollars more came into my hands. Twenty more, twenty, twenty, and finally ten dollars was placed back in my hands. When I counted, all but ten dollars was returned to me! I could not believe that these children gave money back!
Praying out loud had touched the hearts of the children. I will never forget how "frozen in place" they were that day. God did another "crackerjack moment"!
"See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people. Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:15-18
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Crackerjack Moments with Jesus by Freddie Power Jenny Champion Copyright © 2012 by Freddie Power and Jenny Champion. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Contents
What is a "Crackerjack Moment"?....................3A Crackerjack Moment in a Maximum Security Prison....................5
Crackerjack Moment About a Trip to China....................8
Crackerjack Moment with a Credit Card....................10
Five Dollars is a Crackerjack Moment....................12
Crackerjack Moment with a House that Did Not Burn Down....................13
Amazing Crackerjack Moments at Christmas....................15
Giving Brings in a Crackerjack Moment....................17
Crackerjack Moment when the Kids Gave the Stolen Money Back....................18
Even In Hard Times God Brings Crackerjack Moments....................20
I Got My Crackerjack Moment Sitting In a Parking Lot....................23
A Surprise Crackerjack Moment....................25
Crackerjack Moments in Russia....................27
A New Year's Crackerjack Moment....................29
Crackerjack Moment Going to Greece....................31
A Love Letter from God to You....................33
Closing Letter....................38
Special Thanks....................40