Personal Testimonies: Doing What the Father is Doing

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-- © GodSpeak International 1998 --
-- Do not republish without written permission from <ts@godspeak.org> --

Doing What the Father is Doing

(Thursday, May 28, 1998)

On Tuesday (May 26) as I was commuting to work, I found myself medidating on Jesus's words that He did only what the Father was doing. Then, I found myself praying this prayer:

Father, I want to be doing what You are doing, too. Please give me some real kingdom stuff You are doing to do with You and please help me to do it Your way.

As I finished praying, God asked me, "Teresa, did you really mean that?" I told Him "yes". Then I paused and wondered what I was getting myself into.

"Good," He replied. "You told Me you want to be about My business with Me. This is good. But to truly be about My business, you have to know more clearly Who I am to be able to recognize what My business is. So, over the next couple of weeks, I am going to reveal Myself more fully to you and help you to recognize what I am doing so you can do it with Me. I want you to start by concentrating on studying Jesus, for He said that 'anyone who has seen Me has seen the father'. Start by reading that portion of scripture and I will speak to you through it."

Well, I knew that was in John 14. So when I got to work, I went to a bible www site and printed chapters 14-16 of John. I read chapter 14 on BART on the way home from work that night... and oh did God have it come alive for me in a whole new dimension.. about how intimacy with the Father and knowing and obeying Him is a key in moving with Him in doing Kingdom stuff.

Wednesday we (God and I) concentreated on chapters 15 and 16. It seemed as if Jesus was literally drawing near to me and revealing the father to me and teaching me about Him. This was awesome, but I still found myself eagar to get on with "doing" some of the kingdom stuff the Father is doing and to do it His way.

This morning, (thursday) He gave me a chance to do something with Him. It was really a neat experience for me. I'd like to share it with you...

As I was coming out the BART station in San Francisco this morning, a homeless man approached the man in front of me and asked for some money to buy is wife a hot coffee as they'd been out in the rain all night and she was not feeling well. Suddenly, I had a sense that the Father wanted to provide them a warm and pleasant breakfast. Before I had time to think about it, I found myself walking up to the may and saying, "I can't give you many money, but if you will come to McDonalds with me, I will buy you both some breakfast."

He was very greatful and called over his wife, a rather frail and petite looking woman. As we walked to McDonalds we began to talk. They were actually pretty nice and somewhat normal people who had fallen on some "bad luck". He was a vet, lost his job and they found themselves homeless.. he wants to get a job more than anything and finds it hard (humbling) to ask people for help. The man appeared to be well educated and was raised 7th day Adventist... he knew about God. He was not on the take, and was concerned that maybe I was spendng too much money on them when I bought them each an egg muffin breakfast meal instead of just a breakfast sandwich.

I had the opportunity to pray over breakfast and after I finished (and to my surprise) the man prayed a blessing over me. I began to realize that this fellow might really know the Lord... We ate together and just visited a bit. After we visited for a while the man gave me his mailing address (they don't have a perminate place of residence) and asked me to stay in touch. I told him that I'd send out a prayer request over the internet and ask people to pray for them... Doug and Rachel. I told them we'd pray for God to turn around their circumstances and give him a job and a safe place to live.

When I originally offered to buy them breakfast, I had not envisioned myself sitting down and eating with them. But this seemed to be what the father was doing... showing His love in a practical way. I actually found it a very pleasant experience. As an added bonus, the Holy Spirit appeared to be tangibly with us... I could sense His sweetness in our midst.

Coincidently, I happened to have that printout of John 14 to 16 from the online-bible www page with me. The fellow, Doug, was internested in the internet and www pages, so I showed him the printouts as an example of a www page. He loved it and then I suggested that he keep them. He said that he had some parts of the book of John memorized, but not these particular chapters. About then, it struck me that John 14 starts with "In my Father's house are many mansions... I go to prepare a place for you..." I was struck by that and how God wants to prepare a place for this family here on earth.... to give them a home and a job and provide for their needs... to pour out His blessing on them and plant them so that they can join a church, etc.

They were eating slow, and after about 20 minutes I had to get on to work. I mentioned that I was about to leave, and wanted to know if I could pray a quick blessing over them... Both were very receptive to that idea. Rachel automatically (without thinking) reached out to take hands as we prayed together... I prayed for a physical healing for her (she got sick being outside in the rain overnight) and for God to bless them and reveal Himself to them and to turn their circumstances around and provide for them. As I prayed, I could see evidences of the Holy Spirit on her (fluttering eyelids, His peace settling over her, etc). I sure hope He healed her!

As I walked out of McDonalds, God spoke to me. "Teresa," He said, "I am very pleased. You just did some of My kingdom business with me."

I know this does not sound like a big or impressive thing, but I believe the Father wanted to bless this couple with a warm and pleasant breakfast and I was so blessed that He allowed me to do this with Him. It was an incredible situation.. His presense was tangible among us as we ate and talked together...

Perhaps this is a part of what taking God's anointing to the streets looks like...

Blessings.

- teresa


-- © GodSpeak International 1998 --
-- Do not republish without written permission from <ts@godspeak.org> --

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