It was long past time for my annual
physical, in fact, I was enjoying such good
health and vitality that it had been three years
since I had visited my doctor. However, at the
conclusion of a thorough exam, the report was
quite disconcerting. (Before I proceed, let me
encourage all of my readers, if at all possible to
go for that annual "check-up.")

"We will have to do some tests," the doctor
explained, "then, in a couple of weeks, we will
know where we stand."

Immediately, my mind was filled with
different thoughts. "Can this be me who is
experiencing this questionable report? No!
My doctor is wrong! What if she is not?" By
the time I got home and shared the news with
Jack I found myself asking God, "What's this
all about?"

In compliance with the doctor, I took the
medical tests and began the long wait for the
results. All the while, we were praying and
seeking the Lord for His divine purpose and
will to be accomplished in my life.

By the end of the two weeks, we found
ourselves rejoicing in the faithfulness of God.
I knew He had everything under control.
Deep in my heart, I knew it would be all right.
"But Lord," I asked, "what is the purpose
behind this trial?"

Then -- the night before we received the
results of my tests -- Jack looked over at me
and said, "I have peace in this matter, so
tonight let's go out and celebrate this victory
in our lives!"

We went to a lovely restaurant that is meant
for celebrating and fine dining. A nice,
handsome pianist softly played the piano in
the corner of the dining room, and candles
softly lit each of the tables. Jack and I laughed,
enjoyed our luscious dinner and shared in a
wonderful conversation about the Lord. It
was an evening I'll never forget.

As we prepared to leave, I expressed to my
husband how much I wanted to go and thank
the pianist for sharing his special talent with
us. Being musicians ourselves we were
impressed with his tremendous ability to
"tickle the ivories."

"You have a beautiful touch on the
keyboard," I told him.

"Thank you," he answered. "I am sorry if
you saw me staring at you and your husband."
He explained: "For a year, my fiancee and I
watched your television program faithfully.
She used your ministry to help lead me to the
Lord, and then... she died. She was only 38
years old and I have been bitter toward the
Lord and unable to pray ever since."

I reached out and took his hand from the
keyboard and stated: "God doesn't want you to
be bitter and neither does she. Your fiancee is
in a better place right now and you will be
with her again -- perhaps soon. The best
thing you could do right now is to get your
heart right with the Lord, so that when He
comes again, you can go and be at her side."

Jack, who has always been sensitive to the
moving of the Holy Spirit, began to explain to
this young man the Scriptures and how it is
appointed unto men once to die (Hebrews 9:27).
Then he added, "Your sweetheart is in heaven
and awaits your homecoming. Be ready, Brian!"

Jack and I were so blessed as we watched the
Lord begin to move in his heart. Right at the
piano, with tears streaming down his face he
recommitted his life to the Lord Jesus Christ.
He looked up at both of us and said, "I can
hardly wait to call my fiancee's twin sister to
tell her what has happened tonight." We had
a word of prayer and promised to send him
our video about heaven.

The next morning, I heard from my doctor.
My tests showed that I was just fine. The
doctor said, "You and Jack go out and
celebrate, Rexella." She did not know that we
had already claimed the good report and the
special blessing we had found in doing so. Of
course, we continue to rejoice and thank the
Lord for the results of the test, but we realize
that if for no other reason we had gone
through this trial, Jack and I could be at the
restaurant that night to speak to the young
pianist.

God's ways are so much greater than ours.
This was probably the Lord's plan all along!
How important it is for you and me as
Christians today to listen to the Holy Spirit
and obey His leading in our lives! The things
and events that surround us are real and at
times they can be overwhelming, and we are
unable to recognize Jesus and the guidance of
His Spirit. Let the circumstances be what they
may. Always maintain complete reliance upon
Him and listen to the often quiet voice of His
Spirit as He leads you into victory and
blessings yet to come. Be totally
unrestraining, be willing to risk everything.
We do not know when His voice will come
again, so be ever-aware and obey.

I realized, there are three very important
lessons in regard to listening to the Holy Spirit
that we can learn from this personal
experience with the young man.

1. We must listen when the Holy Spirit is
leading us.

I Thessalonians 5:19, says: Quench not the
Spirit. That means, when you are being led by
the Holy Spirit, you must listen to His voice.
The little promptings and opportunities that
God passes along your way mean you must be
faithful. Follow the Lord's leading in these
situations so that you do not quench His
ministry in your life.

In Acts the 8th chapter, we read the
wonderful testimony of Philip the evangelist as
he was led to a desert road that descends from
Jerusalem to Gaza. Once there, the Spirit said
unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this
Chariot (Acts 8:29). Arriving at the chariot,
there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court
official, who was reading the book of Isaiah.
However, he did not grasp what the prophet
was saying, so beginning with the passage of
Scripture in Isaiah, Philip led the Ethiopian
eunuch to a relationship with Jesus Christ.

If Philip had not obeyed the prompting of
the Holy Spirit in his life -- and, if Philip had
not preached Jesus to the Ethiopian eunuch --
this court official may never have been won to
the Lord.

The same was true for Jack and me as we
talked with this young pianist that night. If
we had just walked out, not wanting to get
involved, or if we had talked with the musician
about his fine musical skills and not talked
about the Lord or the Scriptures, this young
man may never have received the ministry he
so desperately needed.

2. When the Holy Spirit guides us, He will
empower us to do His will.

A beautiful example of this dynamic
thought can be found in the life of the Apostle Peter.

Previous to Peter being filled with the Holy
Spirit, he was a spiritually weak man. Who
can forget the night when Jesus was brought
before Caiaphas the high priest, and the
scribes and the elders? Peter lingered outside
in the courtyard where he was confronted by a
servant girl who asked if he was one of Jesus'
disciples. Peter vehemently denied the Lord
three times that night.

Remember, this was before the Holy Spirit
filled Peter's life.

Oh, the grace of God! Only 50 days after
the denial, we read the wonderful account in
Acts, chapter 2, of Peter's boldness on the Day
of Pentecost. This was the event Jesus
prophesied before he ascended: But ye shall
receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come
upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both
in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria,
and unto the uttermost parts of the earth (Acts 1:8).

After Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit,
he stood up before the crowd that day --
unashamed and unafraid -- proclaiming the
Good News of Jesus Christ. Three thousand
souls were won to the Lord!

Soon after this, Peter and John were
brought before the Sadducees who
commanded that Peter and John no longer
teach in the name of Jesus (see Acts 4:13). But
Peter would not be intimidated. He said
(along with the Apostle John), Whether it be
right in the sight of God to hearken unto you
more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot
but speak the things which we have seen and
heard (Acts 4:19,20).

Scripture also records: With great power gave
the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord
Jesus: and great grace was upon them all (Acts 4:33).

What made this difference in the life of the
Apostle Peter? It was the Person of the Holy Spirit.

Previous to being filled with the Holy
Spirit, Peter was so weak, in and of himself, he
denied Christ in front of a damsel. After the
infilling of the Holy Spirit, Peter became bold
in faith and proclaimed the Gospel in the face
of beatings and eventually, martyrdom (he was
crucified upside down).

3. When the Holy Spirit leads and
empowers us for the sake of the Gospel, and
we faithfully obey His promptings -- not
quenching the Holy Spirit... then blessing comes!

That evening, after Jack and I shared in this
precious conversation with our young pianist,
we walked away rejoicing. We were happy
about the wonderful things God did in that
man's life -- and in ours -- by bringing us all
together for this special moment of ministry.
We felt truly blessed! Winning souls and
witnessing for Christ always produces joy.

For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of
rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our
Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For ye are our
glory and joy (I Thessalonians 2:19, 20).

Jack and I have often found that in
attempting to bless others, we are also blessed.
As we attempt to reach out and water the lives
of others with Scripture, we are watered
ourselves. As we comfort others, our own
comfort is increased. We find consolation and
gladness in our own lives as we give to others.

Jesus said, Give, and it shall be given unto
you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken
together, and running over, shall men give into
your bosom. For with the same measure that ye
mete withal it shall be measured to you again
(Luke 6:38).

Proverbs says it this way: The liberal souls
shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be
watered also himself (Proverbs 11:25).

We must remember: Whosoever will save his
life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life
for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save
it (Mark 8:35). True life is found as you give
yours away in service to others.

In closing, I am reminded of the Dead Sea,
located between Israel and the Jordan, whose
water content is so salty that very little is able
to exist within its waters.

The intrinsic problem of the Dead Sea
results from the fact that it has several inlets
that flow into it -- the Jordan river is one of
them -- but has no outlets to share its waters
with other bodies. In other words: All
receiving and no giving results in a body of
water that has no life.

As followers of the Lord, we must never
become like the Dead Sea -- where all we do
is sit, soak and sour! We must get rid of the
desire to be a part of the "bless-me-club," and
become a member of the "blessing club." The
way to receive a blessing... is to be a blessing.

We must become an effervescent witness for
Christ having a wellspring of living water
flowing out of our hearts and into the lives of
others. That well-spring of life, that Jesus has
given to each of us as believers, is His precious
Holy Spirit (see John 4:14 and John 7:37-39).

Let us determine that we shall always listen
to the voice of the Holy Spirit inside us...
even if it means encouraging and witnessing to
a pianist in the middle of a restaurant!

During the winter Olympics in
Lillehammer, Norway, the finest athletes from
all over the world gathered to compete in
various sports events. Jack and I were
especially interested in the skiing and skating
competitions, and watched in awe as both
men and women set new world records.

What a thrill to see these champions receive
the victor's reward and be presented with the
Olympic Gold Medal with the great crowds in
the stands looking on, and the television
cameras providing international coverage; the
whole world was watching!

Most of us could never compete in a world
class sports competition like the Olympics,
but as Christians, we are faced with the
challenge of running a race for the Lord. The
whole world is watching to see how we run the
race -- will we be champions or defeated
competitors?

The Apostle Paul had visited Greece where
the first Olympic Games were held centuries
ago. No doubt he was thinking of the
comparison between Christians and
Olympians when he wrote. Know ye not that
they which run in a race run all, but one
receiveth the prize. So run, that ye may obtain.
And every one that striveth for the mastery is
temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain
a corruptible crown: but we an incorruptible. I
therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not
as one that beateth the air: but I keep under my
body and bring it into subjection: lest that by any
means, when I have preached to others, I myself
should be a castaway (I Corinthians 9:24-47).

Dedication and Commitment

In order to be a winner, a competitor must
meet certain prerequisites and prepare his
body for the race. No one is born a Gold
Medal Olympian.

Athletes train and condition their bodies to
compete. They are temperate, or moderate, in
all things. They watch their diet, engage in
challenging, strength-building exercise, and
get proper rest.

The apostle says, "If they do this to gain a
corruptible crown, a reward that will pass
away, how much more should we be dedicated
and committed to winning an incorruptible,
eternal reward."

What does it mean to be temperate in all
things? We are to have pure lives! We are to
keep ourselves from contamination.

One of the saddest moments of the
Olympics in Lillehammer was when one of the
athletes was disqualified after tests revealed
illegal drugs in his blood. He went home in
shame and disgrace.

Paul warns that the same thing can happen
to us, but with far greater consequences. He
said he continuously worked to keep his body
pure and under subjection. Paul was saying
that he did not want to run the race, then be
disqualified. I keep checking up on my
personal dedication and commitment, he said,
lest that by any means, when I have preached
to others, I myself should be a castaway.

I'm sure you know of Christians who failed
to be temperate in all things... who did not
keep their lives pure. Perhaps they dropped
out of the race altogether, or sadly faced the
humiliation of being publicly disqualified.

I heard a report about a group of ministers
that came from all across the nation to attend
a convention at a major hotel. After the
meeting was over, the hotel management said
that 75 percent of the rooms occupied by these
preachers requested X- and R-rated movies.

Turn Loose of Hindrances

God help us to keep our lives pure.
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about
with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside
every weight, and the sin which doth so easily
beset us (Hebrews 12:1).

Let's lay aside "every weight" -- we can't be
just partially pure, you see. We must lay
everything aside. The writer goes on to say,
"and the sin which doth so easily beset us." I'm
fully convinced that each of us has a tendency
toward something that could cause us to fall.
The passage doesn't say "sins," but the one
particular thing that so easily gets to you. You
know what it is in your life -- I know what it
is in mine.

We need to examine ourselves to know
where our weaknesses lie so that we can defend
ourselves against the devil's temptations.

I was reading a devotional book about a
woman who was extremely obese and was
having a real struggle losing weight. (She may
have been like the person who said temptation
never bothered him because when it came
around, he succumbed.)

As this lady was praying, she said, "Lord,
You see what a problem I'm having. Why don't
You just take away my appetite?"

And the Lord answered, "If I did, what
would you have to do?"

You can keep yourself under control. You
can avoid things you know are hindrances to
victorious living. You can lay aside the weights
that slow you down... the temptations that
are your greatest weaknesses. God will protect
you from the evil one. He will not protect you
from yourself!

Patience to Endure

Let us run with patience the race that is set
before us (Hebrews 12:1).

Everyone in the race can look like a
champion at the starting line. But that's not
where it counts! The winner is determined at
the end of the course!

It's not enough to start strong. We must be
patient... and have endurance. I noticed in
the Olympics that particularly in the long
races, the winner often was not the runner
who started off in front. Sometimes the
winner didn't make his move to the front until
the final lap.

Patience and endurance are just as
important to a successful Christian life as the
dedication and commitment one has at the start.

At the end of his life, the Apostle Paul could
say, I have fought a good fight, I have finished
my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there
is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which
the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at
that day (11 Timothy 4:7,8).

Keep Your Eyes on the Goal

As I watched the Olympic contest I noticed
that no one ever turned to look at anything or
anybody else -- they kept their eyes on the
goal. If someone fell beside them, they kept
moving. If another athlete came near them,
they kept their eyes straight ahead.

I love what Hebrews 12:2 says -- Looking
unto Jesus. Even though it's a continued
thought, this statement is part of the verse
before it that talks about laying aside weights
and sin, and running with patience. While
you're doing this, the apostle says, keep your
eyes on the goal. LOOK UNTO JESUS!

There are many distractions in the world.
There are discouragements, especially when
we get weary, and when we see other
Christians failing and falling out of the race.

But if we look unto Jesus, He will help us
stay in the race. If we keep our eyes on the
goal, we can make it to the end. If we keep our
eyes on the Lord, it matters not what others do.

I hope you'll join Dr. Van Impe and me in
a new resolve to run a better race for the Lord.
There is a reward for those who finish the
course... and you can be a winner. "So run,
that ye may obtain." The Lord has a very
special race for each of us to run. You know
what your challenge is.

So we must be built up in the faith and
ready for the challenge ahead of us. I'm excited
about being in the race and... competing for
the gold.