WHEN THE IMPOSSIBLE BECOMES POSSIBLE!--GP [Tapes 1 & 2]
Copyright: 1989 by Heaven's Magic
--TAPE ONE
Narrator: Have you ever found yourself in such a hopeless, dangerous or seemingly impossible situation or circumstance that you felt as if your hopes were dashed, your dreams were shattered and all was lost? During such extreme times, when it is apparent that we do not have the strength or ability to overcome the obstacles, to free ourselves from danger, trouble or whatever the problem may be, many of us hope--or in some cases, pray--for a miracle!
The stories that you are about to hear are true accounts of people from a wide variety of backgrounds who found themselves in just such extreme or impossible situations. Yet, for each one of them, the impossible became possible! These thrilling true testimonies provide ample evidence that miracles can indeed happen today!--For you and me!
* * *
Diane: Uh...oh..There's a suspicious-looking man waiting for me at the end of the alley!--Oh dear Lord, please protect me!
Narrator: Diane, a young university student, was home for the Summer. She had gone to visit friends one evening, and the time passed quickly as each shared their various experiences of the past year. She ended up staying longer than she had planned and had to walk home alone. But she wasn't afraid because it was a small town and she lived only a few blocks away. As she walked along under the oak trees, Diane asked God to keep her from harm and danger. When she reached the alley, which was a short cut to her house, she decided to take it.
However, halfway down the alley she noticed a man standing at the end as though he were waiting for her. She became uneasy and shot up a prayer asking for God's protection. Instantly a comforting feeling of quietness and security surrounded her. She had the unmistakable sense that someone was walking with her. When she reached the end of the alley, she walked right past the man and arrived home safely.
The following day she read in the paper that a young girl had been assaulted in the same alley, just twenty minutes after she had been there. Diane thought she could possibly recognise the man, so went down to the police station where she told her story. They asked her if she would be willing to look at a line-up to see if she could identify him. She agreed and immediately pointed out the man she had seen in the alley the night before. She asked the policeman if he would ask the man one question for her. She was curious to know why he had not attacked her.
When the policeman asked him, the man answered, "Because she wasn't alone. There were two tall men walking with her, one on either side!"
Narrator: Who were Diane's ghostly guardians unseen by her, but visible to the one who would have harmed her? If this were an isolated incident we might discount this story as being a figment of the man's imagination. But stories of miraculous intervention by these mysterious beings abound.
* * *
Man: We'll be back to get you, Mister!
Robbie: Hey, I'm afraid, Henry. What can we do?
Henry: There isn't much we can do, Robbie. Let's just lock up the van tight and try to get some sleep, and trust God to take care of us.
Narrator: In September 1971, Robbie and Henry, two American servicemen stationed in the Philippines, were travelling from the Naval Communications Station in San Miguel to Clark Air Force Base near Manila.
It had been raining hard all day and the trip over the mountains and through the flooded valleys was tedious. The roads were gutted with deep potholes filled with water, making driving extremely dangerous. They were both soaking wet from the many times along the way that they had to get out to push the vehicle through the mud. Everything inside the van was drenched as well. They were both totally miserable!
About 9 o'clock that night, they drove into an all-night gas station, feeling it would be a fairly safe place, and asked if they could park the van there until the next morning. They were cold, hungry and tired. Just as they were ready to lie down on the wet seats to try to get some sleep, they heard a knock. Robbie rolled down the window and asked their visitor what he wanted. He offered them young prostitutes. They politely told him that they were not interested in his offer. With his refusal, the man then offered them some drugs. When this was refused, too, the man and his companion became very angry. They walked around the van, kicking at it and shouting loudly that they would be back.
Man: We'll be back!
Robbie turned to Henry and said, "I'm afraid. What should we do?"
"There isn't much we can do", Henry replied, trying not to show his concern. "Let's just lock up the van tight and try to get some sleep, and trust God to take care of us."
After they had prayed together, Robbie stretched out on the back seat and Henry lay down on the front seat. Soon they were asleep.
The night passed and dawn came. The sun was shining and both of them were very hungry. Henry told Robbie he was going to find a place to eat and went to ask the station owner where they could buy some food.
She replied, "You can go around the corner and buy some baked goods at my father's bakery, but that isn't necessary because I've provided some food for you." She had food cooking on the burner, and a small table was set with....6 places.
"Go call your friends and you can all eat here," she said.
"Well, there are only two of us," Henry replied.
"But where are the others?" she asked. "There are supposed to be six of you."
Henry looked puzzled and said, "Six? No, there's just my friend and me. I'll go call my friend."
The owner told him that the workers who kept the station open all night had seen four men with their arms folded, sitting up in the van all night long.
"They thought they were your travelling companions," she explained. She called the night workers over and they assured her this was true.
Henry and Robbie were overwhelmed to realise how God had answered their prayers and sent Angels to guard their van as they slept!
SONG:
Have you(C)ever seen your(Gm)Guardian Angel,
The(F)one who watches(C)over you,
The(F)one whose(Bb)job is(G)you?
Have you(C)ever seen your(Gm)Guardian Angel,
The(F)one who watches(C)over you,
The(F)one whose(Bb)job is(C)you?
* * *
Narrator: Yes, these mysterious beings who possess supernatural power to intervene and protect us during time of need are Angels! The Bible says, "For He shall give His Angels charge over you to keep you in all your ways." You too, if you are one of God's children, are assigned an angelic bodyguard whose job is to watch over you and protect you from harm and danger. Very few people actually get to see their Heavenly guardian here on Earth, but some have:
It was a hot, humid summer day in the American Midwest. Brian stopped by his cousin's house to go swimming. They spent the morning swimming and diving and having fun together. After lunch, Brian left reluctantly to do his summer job of mowing lawns.
That night he had a date with a girl who lived in the next town. As Brian drove home at the end of the evening, he noticed that the stars and moon had disappeared and an eerie stillness filled the air. The hot summer night seemed to have cast a spell over the entire countryside. Everything was so still and so black. Before going home he decided to stop by his cousin's house for a quick dip in the pool. It was late when he arrived, and the house was dark. Everyone was in bed. He tiptoed quietly through the back yard, he imagined how good the cool water would feel!
Brian climbed up on the diving board and stood poised, ready to dive into the pool. But as he paused and peered into the midnight blackness beneath him, he saw a very strange sight! He saw a gleaming, brilliant glow in the shape of a cross! As he looked closer, to his astonishment he saw that the figure was actually a glimmering Angel with outstretched arms in the darkness below. With eyes fastened on the silvery figure, he slowly climbed down the ladder of the diving board. He came to the edge of the pool and knelt down for a closer look.--And instantly the shining figure was gone!--And Brian found himself looking into a swimming pool without a drop of water in it! The next day, he discovered that his uncle had drained the pool in order to clean it after the family had finished swimming that morning.
This experience happened several years ago and Brian is now a senior in college. But his heart is still thrilled and filled with thanks to God every time he remembers that summer night and the Angel who saved his life!
* * *
Narrator: Listen to this thrilling true story:
Boy 1: Look! Oh no!--It's a lake of burning oil and it's coming right towards us!
Boy 2: We're going to be burned alive!
Boy 3: Oh God, save us! Oh God, save us! Oh God, save us!
Narrator: A lad who knew little or nothing about God or prayer, and cared less, was on a torpedoed ship during World War 2. All on board threw themselves into the water to swim for their lives. Twelve of the boys kept together. Suddenly, horrified, they saw a lake of burning oil raging toward them across the water! It was impossible to escape. What could they do? Just then the only boy in the group who was accustomed to praying began to pray aloud. It was the heartcry of one in dire need to the God of mercy Whom he knew: "O God, save us! O God, save us! O God, save us!" And with that, every one of the eleven, who had never known or thought about God before, followed aloud with, "Please, God! Please, God!" Immediately the flaming oil parted, leaving a clear, wide path directly in front of them. And what do you think the God of Love had placed in this path? A raft!
The lad who told their story ended with, "And no one can ever persuade us boys that God does not hear prayer!"
SONG:
(A)God will take care of you,
Through(E)every day a(A)long the way,
He will take(D)care of(A)you,
(D)God will take(A)care(E)of(D)you!
(Repeat)
* * *
Narrator: Have you ever thought that that may be one good reason why God sometimes allows disasters and seemingly bad things to happen to people?--So that He has a chance to show His power to save them, so they will believe on Him when He miraculously intercedes and rescues them!--And if you think that last story was incredible, then listen to another amazing incident that happened during World War 2.
Airman 1: Here comes the scouting party now, Skipper!
Airman 2: I'm afraid we've bad news, Sir!
Skipper: Why, what did you find?
Airman 2: There's a camp of enemy soldiers just a mile or so down the beach in one direction, and another camp a couple of miles up the beach in the other direction, and we're trapped like sitting ducks in the middle!
Narrator: Captain Johnson was a chaplain in the air force in the Pacific area during World War 2. One day he and his crew were returning from a mission in a B-17 bomber when they ran out of gas. There was nothing they could do but to try to find a place to land. The only trouble was that they were flying over the Pacific Ocean at the time. But by a miracle, they spotted a small uncharted island on the horizon and the skipper of the plane was able to land the huge airplane on a sandy tropical beach.
Immediately, the skipper sent out two scouts to explore the island. However, they soon returned with bad news. There was a camp of hundreds of enemy soldiers just a mile down the beach in one direction, and another camp just a mile in the other direction! The plane and its 10 crew members were trapped like sitting ducks in the middle! It looked like a hopeless situation, and it would be just a matter of time before they would be caught.
However, Captain Johnson tried to encourage the men. "Wasn't it a miracle that we found this island?" he reminded them. "Wasn't it miracle that we found a place to land? Wasn't it a miracle that we landed in broad daylight in the middle of hundreds of enemy soldiers without them spotting us? God hasn't failed us so far, so why should He fail us now?"
"But Captain," one of the men replied, "the plane won't fly without gasoline!"
And another of the airmen scoffed, "What is God gonna do?--Drop the gasoline out of the sky?" And they all roared with laughter! However, Captain Johnson refused to be discouraged. He fell to his knees and began to fervently claim God's promises. As night fell, and the crew slept under the silent stars, the lone figure continued to pray. "Jesus, You promised in Your Word to answer the prayers of Your children. We can do the possible but only You can do the impossible, Lord! For Your Word, the Bible, says, `With God, nothing shall be impossible!' Jesus, please supply the gasoline!" At last, exhausted, the Captain curled up and fell asleep.
But just before dawn, he was strangely awakened. Something told him that he should get up and go down and walk on the beach. So he did. And there on the moonlit water, he saw a mysterious object bobbing on the waves. As he drew closer, he saw that it was a floating metal barge. Wading out with his flashlight to inspect its contents, he was astounded to find that the barge contained 50 drums of high-octane airplane gasoline! Rejoicing and praising the Lord, he ran back to wake up the sleeping crew. The astonished airmen stumbled down to the beach, where they stared dumbfounded at the 50 barrels of airplane gasoline now washed up and waiting for them on the shore!
"Captain", the skipper said, shaking his head in amazement, "I will never again doubt that God can answer prayer--ever!"
"I never believed in Jesus before, but I do now!" said another.
"Me too!"
"And me!" joined in the rest of the astonished airmen.
Quickly they rolled the barrels to the plane and filled the fuel tank with the precious liquid. Suddenly, the stillness of the dawn was shattered by the roar of the massive engines! Imagine the enemy's surprise when the huge airplane suddenly lifted off from within their very midst and flew off into the morning sunrise!
Later, they found out how the Lord had provided the miraculous gift of gasoline. Weeks earlier, 1,000 miles away, an American tanker had gotten trapped in dangerous submarine-infested waters. Realising the dangers of carrying so much explosive gasoline, the ship's captain ordered his men to tie the drums on metal barges and set them adrift. God then navigated one of the barges 1,000 miles, through wind and sea current, past 25 islands, to finally wash the gasoline up at the very feet of the stranded men who desperately needed it to save their lives.
* * *
(A cappella)
(F)The(Bb)day of(F)miracles(Bb)is(F)not(C)past,
(F)The(Bb)day of(F)miracles(Bb)is(F)not(G)past!
Narrator: Yes, the day of miracles is not past! God's miracle-working power is just the same today. God is still alive and well and working today just as powerfully as ever. You just have to give Him a chance! There's no such thing as an impossible situation for the Lord. The Bible says, "All things are possible to him that believes." In fact, it takes an impossible situation for God to do a miracle!--To make the "impossible become possible!" Here now is an almost incredible true story of crazy faith in a seemingly "impossible situation". It's called "The Cloudburst!"
It was during the dangerous days of the Chinese Boxer Rebellion in 1900. William Harquist, a dedicated missionary, and a group of Chinese Christians were fleeing from the enemy. They had travelled six days and had come to a point where they had to make a choice!--Either to continue their journey over high mountains, or go by boat down the Han River. However because of a drought, there was no water in the Han River at the time, as it hadn't rained for months. Furthermore, their porters and guides refused to travel any other way than over the hills. Even though the circumstances seemed to give them little choice in the matter, Harquist felt that they should not make any decision in a hurry without first asking the Lord. So a prayer meeting was held in a native inn to ask God's guidance. However, after desperate prayer, Harquist and a majority of the group felt strongly that for some reason the Lord did not want them to go over the hills, which left them no other alternative but to travel by river. But there was no water in the river! And so completely and totally by faith, the Christians bought two large flat-bottom river boats. They also bought food and provisions and placed them on board, along with their baggage.
Long hours passed as they sat in the boats in the dry riverbed, a laughing stock to the local villagers who thought they must be completely insane! In his diary, William Harquist himself tells the rest of the story:
(Harquist:) "The place where we stayed was surrounded by high hills. As we prayed and waited, about mid-afternoon, heavy dark clouds came over the hilltops, and from them came pouring down the heaviest rain I have ever seen! It must have been the biggest cloudburst that ever happened! In a very short time, the riverbed was filled with water, so we could release the boats and off we floated down the swirling river. After several adventuresome days on the raging river, we safely arrived at the British fort. There we found out the reason why the Lord had not wanted us to travel by land. In a mountain pass, several hundred Boxer bandits were waiting to kill us! Praise God! He sent us the safe way! We were kept by the power of God!"
Narrator: That's one of my favourite stories of crazy faith in an impossible situation. To the logical, analytical, earth-bound mind of man, faith is insane. There's no sanity to faith! But even if something sounds crazy and looks crazy and you don't see how it could possibly work, if the Lord said it, then that's that!--It's just got to be right!
Faith, mighty faith,
The promise sees,
And looks to God alone,
Laughs at impossibilities,
And cries, "It shall be done!"
SONG:
(F)Got any rivers you(Bb)think are un(F)crossable?
Got any mountains you(Bb)can't tunnel(C)through?
(F)God specialises in(Bb)things thought im(F)possible!
And He can do(Bb)what no(C)other one can(F)do!
Yes, He can do(Bb)what no(C)other one can(F)do!
>>>>>>SIDE 2<<<<<<
Narrator: This next amazing, miraculous, true-life story is called, "Where the Bullet Stopped!"
Lieutenant: The enemy's spotted us, Buddy! We're going to have to make a dash for it!
Buddy: I'm with you, Lieutenant! Let's go!
Lieutenant: Aaaaah!
Buddy: Lieutenant! Aaaah!
Narrator: During World War 2 on a battle field in Europe, a Lieutenant and his friend, Buddy, were sent out on an important mission! They had to get a message past enemy lines without being seen. However, they hadn't gotten far when suddenly they were spotted by a group of 20 enemy soldiers! Their only hope of escape was to make a run for it across a small clearing and try to make it to some woods on the other side. Praying desperately for the Lord to protect them, they made a dash for it through a hail of enemy gun fire!
The Lieutenant took a bullet in his chest and didn't make it.
Lieutenant: Aaaaah!
And Buddy too, fell down wounded at his side.
Buddy: Lieutenant! Aah!
Narrator: However, as Buddy lay there next to the body of his friend, he desperately prayed that the Lord would somehow help him not to fail in this vital mission. He remembered a Scripture in the Bible which says that the Lord is not limited by many or by few, and he also recalled the story of how the Lord helped Samson to slay 1,000 enemies with only the jawbone of an ass. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the enemy soldiers coming across the clearing to inspect the bodies of the two men whom they supposed were both dead. Suddenly, Buddy grabbed both his and the Lieutenant's machine guns and stood up, letting the enemy soldiers have it with both guns blazing! By the time Buddy was through firing, not one of the enemy was left alive!
But the story doesn't end there. Suddenly Buddy heard a voice behind him! He spun around. It was the Lieutenant! "Lieutenant!" he exclaimed, "You're alive! But...that bullet hit you in the chest!" "Yes, I can't understand it!", replied the Lieutenant, "I should be dead! But it only stunned me!--I wonder why?"
Then to their amazement they found that the little Bible, which the Lieutenant always carried in his breast pocket, had absorbed the impact of the bullet and saved him from getting killed! But even more amazingly, they found out that the bullet had bored a hole through the cover and had gone all the way through Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus and ... well, guess where the bullet had eventually stopped? It had come to rest in the middle of Psalm 91, where they found the bullet pointing like a finger at the 7th verse, which read, "A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee!" Both the Lieutenant and Buddy rejoiced and shouted praise and thanks to God for His supernatural and miraculous protection!
Narrator: Well, that thrilling story reminds me of the proverb which says, "It is more secure to be on the front line of the battlefield with Christ, than to be seated in your living room without Him!" The Lord and prayer are your best protection and greatest security, and He never fails to keep those who trust in Him.
* * *
SONG:
(A)God will take care of you,
Through(E)every day a(A)long the way,
He will take(D)care of(A)you,
(D)God will take(A)care(E)of(D)you.
(Repeat)
Narrator: August the 6th, 1945. The Japanese city of Hiroshima became the first city in the World to be destroyed by an atomic bomb.
Most of the city was completely decimated and 75,000 people were killed. Within a two-mile radius, only 12 people survived that hellish blast. Within a one-mile radius, only 2 survived. One of these is Mr. Yoji Saito, who today is manager of one of the largest hotels in Macau. For the first time, he tells his incredible story:
(Spoken in Japanese with following English translation:)
Saito: My family was very well known in Hiroshima. I come from 17 generations of Hiroshima Samurai. In Japan, the Samurai are the educated professional class. My grandfather was a famous doctor and owned a hospital where my father also practised. We lived in a large house in the hospital compound.
On that fateful day of August the 6th, 1945, I remember being awakened early in the morning by the wail of the air-raid sirens. It seemed that some kind of an attack was expected, but by 7:30 all was quiet.--Too quiet. As I set off to walk to school as normal, I couldn't help but notice that a strange and almost frightening stillness seemed to hang over the city. I arrived at the school building just before 8 o'clock, and lined up as usual with the other 250 students to do our routine morning exercises in the school yard. I was 13 years old at this time. Then suddenly, as I stood there in the yard, we were all struck by an incredibly bright flash of blinding light! That was the last thing I remember.
I don't really know exactly what happened to me after that, or for how long I was unconscious. All I know is that some time later I woke up to a living nightmare of horror and death. Stunned and bewildered, I found myself 200 metres away from the place in the school yard where I had been before the bomb exploded. The bodies of many of my classmates were strewn all around me. Not all of them were dead, but the ones who were still alive...I couldn't recognise who was who any more!--Their faces had melted and they all looked the same! Some had no eyes, no hands, and the skin had burned and melted off of their bodies.
I remember one boy was crying and crying uncontrollably. I couldn't recognise him, so I asked his name. To my dismay, it was my best friend, Suar! Pitifully he pled for water, but couldn't see, so I managed to lead him through the rubble to a large river a few hundred metres away. However, once there I couldn't find the surface of the water. It was completely covered with the bodies of people and horses and wood and debris that had been blown into it by the tremendous blast. Suar died there at the river.
I then tried to find the way to my house. Only one word can fitly describe the ghoulish horrors that were all around me--Hell!--It was really Hell! Fires were raging everywhere, and even though it was the middle of the day, the sky was dark and hazy and filled with smoke and an eerie glow from the burning flames. Everything was melted and black. The very few buildings still standing were gutted and almost unrecognisable. The pitiful moans and cries and sobbing of the dazed and dying survivors filled the air. Normally it took me 20 minutes to walk from school to my house. On that day, it took 12 hours as I stumbled over the rubble trying to find my way to the hospital compound. Sometimes hands would reach up out of the debris beneath my feet and grab my ankles. I would stop and try to rescue or help those I could. Not everybody died immediately in the blast, for some it took 2 or 3 days while they groped and staggered through the streets, scarcely recognisable as human beings, the living dead.
Finally, at 8 o'clock that night I found the pile of rubble that used to be my house. I rejoiced to see that miraculously my mother was still alive! She too was overwhelmed to see that I had survived, and we fell weeping into each other's arms. "Why, Yoji!" she then exclaimed, "You're naked! Where are your clothes?" It was then that it dawned on me the incredible miracle that had taken place: The fiery blast of the bomb had blown every last stitch of clothing off of my body, and every single hair off of my head, and yet incredibly I did not have one single burn! This was truly miraculous because I was later to find out that the school yard where I was standing was only 700 metres--that's less than one kilometre--away from ground zero, where the bomb was detonated.
Later on, some soldiers on a truck came and took my mother and me to a bomb shelter, where we tried to sleep that night. The next morning, most of the fires had stopped burning, and for the next few days I wandered throughout the blackened ruins of Hiroshima searching in vain for my father. I can only assume that he was buried under the rubble of the hospital, because we never heard from him again.
In those days, nobody knew anything about radioactive fall-out and radiation sickness, and so even though God had miraculously spared me from the initial blast, I soon became very sick from exposure to fall-out, and from eating and drinking contaminated food and water. I soon came down with a very high fever, and could not eat. While I was delirious with fever, I had terrible dreams and hallucinations in which I relived the ghoulish horrors I had witnessed. I expected any day to die. It was then that I began to pray to God, that if there was a God, that He would please take away those horrible nightmares and visions, and save my life! The nightmares ceased, and mysteriously I started regularly bleeding through the tips of my fingers and the back of my neck. I believe now that God was miraculously expelling the infected blood from my body in answer to my prayers.
For the next five years I remained very weak and sick from radiation sickness. During this time I did not grow at all. My voice remained the same and I did not mature as normal boys did. My mother was worried, because she thought I might end up as a dwarf in a circus! But still I prayed daily that God would restore my health completely, and sure enough, when I was 19, I miraculously grew 15 centimetres in one year and my body matured completely. That same year, I decided to join the Navy.
Over many years, I told no one about my experience because those who had been affected by high doses of radiation were looked upon as being different from others. People looked on you as the living dead, and it was only a matter of time before you would die. It was also thought that those who had been exposed to radiation would have abnormal and deformed children. However, I felt that I should tell my future wife about my background and experience, and several girls refused to marry me because of this. Eventually, however, one girl agreed to be my wife, and thanks to God, we have had three normal, healthy, beautiful children.--Another miracle!
In the Navy, I pursued my career and rose through the ranks to become an Admiral, a position I retired from just recently, and it was shortly after starting my new job as General Manager of one of Macau's largest Hotels, that I met a girl who told me about Jesus and His plan of Salvation, and I asked Jesus to come into my heart. Before I could not understand why it was that God should have so miraculously spared me out of all the others. But now I believe the Lord wants me to tell my story, in order to warn the World of the nightmare of nuclear war.--A war that is absolutely insane, suicidal and without honour, where millions of innocent men, women and children can be wiped out in one burning flash.--A fiendish and diabolical war that unleashes the very horrors of Hell on Earth!--Horrors that I have experienced, and hope will never be repeated again. Also, I would like my story to encourage you and anyone else who hears it, that God can do miracles to protect you, and that if He wants you to live, then nothing can kill you, not even an atomic bomb!
* * *
Narrator: Truly an amazing testimony!--A literal and wonderful fulfilment of God's promises in the Bible to His children. He says, "Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night, nor for the arrow that flieth by day. Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness, nor"--as in Mr. Saito's case--"the destruction that wast-eth at noonday! A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand, but it shall not come nigh thee." Well even though Mr. Saito did not believe in Jesus at the time, the Lord knew that Mr. Saito was His child just the same, and that one day he would come to believe in Him, and so He preserved his life by this outstanding miracle. The Lord saved him physically so that one day He could save him spiritually.--And that is the greatest miracle of all--the salvation of a soul, the miracle of a changed heart and life.
Would you like Him to work such a miracle in your life? He can! He wants to! Jesus wants to help and save you and fill your life with His peace and Love! He says, "Behold, I stand at the door of your heart and knock! If you will hear My voice and open the door, I will come in!" and it doesn't matter to Him what religion you are--Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, Catholic, Jewish--Jesus wants to come and live in your heart and stay with you forever as your closest personal Friend and Helper. Receiving Jesus into your heart is not merely a religious ritual or initiation of some kind, it is the way you can enter into a personal, loving, and never-ending relationship with the Creator of the Universe.--Who loves you, and will solve all your problems and heal all your heartaches, and will give you love and joy and peace of mind both now and forever after!
To receive Jesus is just so simple! You don't have to go to a Church, Mosque or any kind of Temple. You can receive Him right here and now, wherever you are, by sincerely praying this little prayer:
"Dear Jesus, I need You to do a miracle in my life! I know that I need help and that I can't save myself. I have heard that You are the Son of God, and that through You I can personally find and know the God of Love. Jesus, I need Your Love to cleanse me from all fear and hate. I need Your Light to drive away all darkness. And I need Your peace to fill and satisfy my heart. So I now open the door of my heart and I ask You, Jesus, to please come in and give me Your free gift of Eternal Life! Thank You, Jesus, for suffering for all the wrongs I have done and for forgiving me and hearing my prayer. In Jesus' name, amen."
God bless you! We love you, and would love to hear from you if you'd like to write us at the address on the back of the cassette jacket. And for more thrilling stories of God's miracle-working power in action today, please be sure to listen to the second cassette in this unique and exciting series, "WHEN THE IMPOSSIBLE BECOMES POSSIBLE!"
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WHEN THE IMPOSSIBLE BECOMES POSSIBLE!
--TAPE TWO
Narrator: We have some more thrilling and remarkable stories for you!--Stories of supernatural protection, miraculous provision, and angelic intervention! Stories of when the unbelievable becomes the undeniable, when truth becomes stranger than fiction, "WHEN THE IMPOSSIBLE BECOMES POSSIBLE!"
* * *
Doctor 1: Sssssh! What's that?
Doctor 2: An animal maybe?
Doctor 1: No! I can hear running footsteps!
Doctor 2: Oh, Lord! Help me not to be afraid!
Narrator: Two missionary doctors in Malaysia had walked to a distant town to collect some money which had been sent to them at a bank. But night overtook them in the jungle before they could get safely home. It's very dangerous to get caught in the jungle after dark, so they prayed together desperately for God to protect them as they lay down to sleep on a lonely hillside. Once they thought they heard the snap of a twig, followed by the sound of running footsteps. But besides that, the long night in the dangerous jungle passed without incident, and in the morning they reached home safely.
However, some weeks later a native came to their mission hospital for treatment. He looked intently at the missionary doctor.
"I have seen you before," he said.
"No, I don't think we've met before," said the doctor.
"No, but I have seen you before! Several of us saw you withdraw some money from the bank in town. We followed you into jungle intending to rob you when it was dark. As you and your friend lay down to sleep, we crept slowly towards you. But to our surprise, as we neared you, we saw that you were surrounded by soldiers!"
"Soldiers?--But there were no soldiers with us!", gasped the missionary.
"Oh, yes! But there were! 16 of them!", insisted the native. "Their huge swords were drawn and pointed at us! We were all filled with fear and ran away!"
* * *
Narrator: The Bible says, "The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him and delivereth them", and never was that verse so literally and spectacularly fulfilled as during the Chinese Boxers' famous 55-day seige of the British fort in Peking.
Trapped inside the fort were 450 British soldiers, 3000 Chinese Christians and many missionaries! One night, a certain Dr. Goodrich was on lookout duty, when suddenly thousands of Boxers rushed out of the darkness in an all-out attack against the fort!
With blood-curdling shouts and screams they began to storm the fort, swarming up hundreds of ladders which they threw against the walls. They were within seconds of achieving their objective, when suddenly the Boxers let out a gasp of horror! Then, for no apparent reason, the entire attacking force turned and fled in complete confusion, screaming into the darkness!
However, some of the Boxers were captured, and when asked why their army had fled when they were only a few moments away from victory, they answered, "As we are attacking the fort, we saw the walls suddenly swarming with spirit-warriors in white! We cried out, `The gods have come down to fight on the side of the foreigners! Our cause is lost!'"
(A cappella)
(F)The(Bb)day of(F)miracles(Bb)is(F)not(C)past,
(F)The(Bb)day of(F)miracles(Bb)is(F)not(G)past!
* * *
Narrator: Maybe you've read in the Bible how God rained manna from Heaven to feed the children of Israel in the wilderness. Maybe you've even read how God sent ravens to feed Elijah by the brook Cherith. But have you ever heard how Marquita Bischop was kept alive by..."A Chicken from the Sky"?
During the Second World War, the enemy forces mounted a ruthless invasion of the Indonesian island of Java. Like many others, Marquita Bischop and her small daughter were forced to leave their home and flee for their lives from the face of the advancing enemy. After travelling a long way, they came at last to the house of a kindly old Dutchman. He allowed them to stay in a little hut on his plantation, and helped them with food and supplies.
But after some time, this man was captured and taken away by the enemy, and though the mother and her daughter stayed on in their hut, they were in great need. They had no food, and were close to starvation. In despair, they went out to dig in the ground to see if they could find any roots to eat.
Suddenly Marquita decided to ask God for help. She got down on her knees and prayed, "Dear God, we are starving, and must have meat. And, please, God, we need it now!" Then they sat back and waited.
Almost at once the little girl looked up and said, "Look, Mother! There's a huge bird flying toward us. It's carrying something in its claws! What is it?"
As it came near, the big bird dropped its burden only a few yards away from the starving mother and child. To their delight and surprise, it was a chicken! They were able to cook the chicken and eat it, and their lives were saved!
Telling this story to unbelievers afterwards, Marquita would say, "Of course there is a God!--And of course He still does miracles!"
(A cappella)
(F)The(Bb)day of(F)miracles(Bb)is(F)not(C)past,
(F)The(Bb)day of(F)miracles(Bb)is(F)not(G)past!
* * *
Narrator: Yes, the same miracles of power, protection, provision and healing that happened in Bible times can happen now if we need them, and they are happening to God's children around the World, and we'd like to thank those who sent their thrilling testimonies to us.--People like Max, who is an airline pilot with Air India:
Max: Ladies and gentlemen, this is your Captain speaking. Please make sure your seatbelts are fastened, and take up your positions for an emergency landing!
Hi! My name's Max, and I'd like to share my experience of how the Lord saved my life and the life of my passengers on the Boeing 707 that I was flying one evening recently.
A few weeks ago, while coming in to land at Bombay airport in India after a long and tiring flight from Southeast Asia with a full load of 185 passengers, I discovered that we were unable to extend the right landing wheels of the airplane. We made several attempts, but all failed, including the emergency systems, and eventually we were committed to an emergency landing. I briefed my crew, and alerted the airport Fire and Crash Tenders that we were low on fuel and I was going to have to attempt to land the plane with just one set of wheels! All the "big shots" of my company gathered at the airport to watch.
In the last five minutes, I was overcome with thoughts of how hopeless our situation was. The probability was that the aircraft would crash and burst into flames upon touchdown. I finally went into the toilet and prayed desperately, and asked the Lord to please deliver us out of this danger, and to somehow help us. Then I went back to the cockpit, took the controls, and hoped for the best.
Well, what happened next was truly a miracle! As the airplane touched down on the runway with the left wheel, miraculously the force of the impact jerked the right wheel down also...We landed safely without a scratch! I told the crew members to thank the Lord, because it was certainly His hand that had saved us! It was a miracle for which I will be eternally grateful.
Well, I've been asked many times how I did it. I wonder how many believe me when I say that I didn't do it, but that it was Jesus, in answer to my prayers.
* * *
Narrator: Another proof of the miraculous is God's power to heal. In fact, if you need healing then we have a whole tape full of miraculous healing testimonies called "You Can Be Healed!", which you may be interested in ordering. Well this next story is a remarkable healing miracle that happened to a personal friend of mine:
Sandra: One fateful day, when I was 12 years old, the car that I was riding in with the rest of my family was involved in a rear-end collision. Afterward, it appeared that none of us were seriously injured. However, just to be safe, my father had all of us children X-rayed. It was then that the doctors discovered a C-shaped curvature of my spine, a disorder known as scoliosis.
I immediately had to begin a rigid program of physical therapy under various specialists and doctors. My father had strong faith in God, and did his utmost not only to pray that God would heal and straighten my back, but he also tried to get me the best physical therapy and medical attention that money could buy. He even had an indoor heated swimming pool built so that I could swim daily to try to strengthen my back muscles.
But in spite of all of this, the curvature gradually worsened from a C-shape to an S-shape! The most acclaimed spinal specialist in the United States explained that if uncorrected, my condition would continue to worsen, and I would grow up to become a hunchback, and would most likely be bound to a wheelchair by the age of 25. The correction he prescribed was that I be immediately fitted and strapped into a very uncomfortable 14.5-pound metal and leather back-brace. To try to forcibly straighten my spine, the brace applied constant pressure under my chin and around my hips, thus keeping my neck and spine in continual traction.
The back specialist said I would need to wear the brace for the next five years, taking it off only for daily swimming therapy. Every month he would adjust and tighten the brace, increasing the tension and traction in an attempt to straighten my crooked back. The pain was almost unbearable sometimes, and it was often very difficult for me to walk or move about.
Throughout this entire ordeal, my father's faith in God never seemed to waver. He would often visit my bedside and pray for me in the night, sometimes praying so desperately that he would weep. After being confined to that brace for 2-1/2 years, the example of my father's faith, perseverance and prayers finally got through to me, and I thought, if he can still have faith, I should too, so I began to desperately cry out to God, asking Him to heal me.
Then one night, while alone in bed, weeping and crying out to Jesus with all my heart, "Jesus, please heal me! Jesus, please heal me!"...to my great astonishment, a powerful figure suddenly appeared in my room, and stood before me, calmly looking right into my eyes! There was a bright, unearthly light glowing all around him, and I immediately knew that I was in the presence of a messenger from another realm, an Angel of God! His folded wings reached higher than the ceiling, and he had beautiful shoulder-length blond hair parted down the middle. There was a very sober but peaceful and loving look on his face. Although I was awestruck, I was not scared, and though he never spoke an audible word, he somehow communicated mentally with me, and said, "God has healed you, God has answered your father's prayers. You are already healed!"
I was thrilled! I knew that God had answered my prayer! My condition, which had been worsening up until that point, suddenly drastically improved, and within 3 short months my back was totally healed and the doctor released me from the back-brace, exclaiming that it was a miracle!
From this point, I went from being a handicapped, bitter, crippled and brokenhearted girl to one who was so physically fit and robust that I became a professional cheerleader!--Who tumbled around the country instructing cheerleading on college campuses, and was a cheerleader for the National Football League's Dallas Cowboys professional football team, the American Basketball League's Dallas Chaparrals team and the Dallas Tornadoes soccer team! The doctor was so astonished by my healing and consequent cheerleading career that he posted a photograph in his office of me cheerleading the Dallas Cowboys for an encouragement to all of the other crippled adolescents who would enter his office and face wearing that back-brace.
God had so miraculously healed me, sparing me from a life of pain and agony, that when at the age of 21 He called me to serve Him, I couldn't possibly say no. I've now been serving Him fulltime for the past 16 years, have had four beautiful children--which the doctors said I would never be able to do because of the weakened condition of my back and spine--and have been able to strengthen many others' faith through this true personal testimony. Praise the Lord!
* * *
Narrator: Now here's another Angel story that will thrill you, and also show you that Angels don't always appear as glowing beings of light. Sometimes they may look like old ladies or bums or sloppy looking garbage men, or waiters or anyone. The Apostle Paul tells us in the Bible, "Do not forget to entertain strangers, for in so doing some people have entertained Angels without knowing it." Mark and Sarah in Europe sent us this story of meeting an Angel:
Mark: We arrived in Copenhagen and didn't know our way through the city to the ferry. Our gas tank was almost empty and we hadn't exchanged any local money yet. In our desperate situation, we prayed specifically for an Angel to help us, and when we looked up, a young man on a bicycle was there. We asked for directions, and he guided us through the whole city, riding before us on his bike. Suddenly, we remembered asking for an Angel, and just as we did, he turned around, smiled and then--poof!--just disappeared! We were thrilled!
* * *
SONG:
Have you(C)ever seen your(Gm)Guardian Angel,
The(F)one who watches(C)over you,
The(F)one whose(Bb)job is(G)you?
Have you(C)ever seen your(Gm)Guardian Angel,
The(F)one who watches(C)over you,
The(F)one whose(Bb)job is(C)you?
Narrator: I haven't. In fact, most of us will probably never see an Angel here on Earth, but we can recognise the results of their care and protection. None of us has any idea of how many times an Angel has stepped in to protect us and alert us to avoid some sudden danger, such as a speeding car. When we get to Heaven and look back on our days here on Earth, we are going to be surprised at how many occasions God sent His Angels to protect and deliver us from harm. In many cases, their intervention has been truly miraculous, as in the story of "Linda and the Ladder".
Linda and her husband had been painting the outside of the house. Since it was a warm, sunny afternoon and the children were in bed taking a nap, she thought it would be a nice surprise if she could finish the trim around the upstairs windows before her husband arrived home from work.
She got out the tall ladder and climbed to the top. There wasn't any place to set the can of paint, so she had to hold it with one hand and paint with the other. She felt a little nervous up there so high above the ground. When she looked down, she noticed that the cyclone fence surrounding their property had a very sharp, jagged top. She thought to herself how terrible it would be if she fell and landed on top of those spikes.
As she continued painting, the ladder suddenly tipped backward! When Linda started to fall, she called out one word, "JESUS!!"
The next thing she knew, she was standing quietly on the ground, still holding the can of paint in her hand--not one drop had spilled. The ladder lay broken on top of the cyclone fence. Linda is sure that, in that brief instant, Jesus heard her frantic cry for help and sent an Angel to set her gently on the ground.
* * *
Narrator: Of course, we don't always know exactly how God rescues us from some of the dilemmas we find ourselves in. But whatever kind of Heavenly agent or supernatural power God uses to do the job, the fact is that God does answer prayer, and He will miraculously intervene in times of distress and need, when we cry out to Him to save us out of some desperate situation. How He does it doesn't really matter.
>>>>>>SIDE 2<<<<<<
Narrator: Have you ever noticed how during great disasters like earthquakes, some buildings remain absolutely untouched while others nearby are totally demolished? God can be very selective in His judgments. Mateo and Priscilla were serving as missionaries in Mexico during the great quake of 1985.
Priscilla: In a city that was severely hit by the earthquake, we met a woman who owns a small maternity shop. We had asked her if she could donate some maternity clothes to our Christian work, but she refused. However, as we spoke with her about the Lord and His Love, she began to cry and open her heart as she told us about some personal problems she was having. As we consoled her and showed her God's answers and solutions from the Bible, she decided to pray with us and ask Jesus to come into her heart. After receiving Jesus, she had a complete change of heart, and was much happier!--And though we'd forgotten all about it by this time, she then insisted on donating some clothes that were needed by our pregnant sister.
Well, a few days later, the killer quake struck! Miraculously, her store was totally spared and stood completely unscathed, although all the other stores on the entire street were completely flattened! She told us that she knew that God had protected her because she had personally received Jesus into her life, and because she had done what she could to help His children.
Narrator: What a way to ensure your survival and protection in time of war, social upheaval or disaster!--If you have personally received Jesus into your heart, then you know that God is with you, and you can expect Him to take care of you.--And if you are somehow doing God's will, serving Him or helping, caring or trying to be a blessing to those who love God and have dedicated their lives to Him, then God has promised in His Word that He will bless you!
SONG:
(A)God will take care of you,
Through (E) every day a(A)long the way,
He will take(D)care of(A)you,
(D)God will take(A)care(E)of(D)you!
(Repeat)
* * *
Narrator: Someone once said, "Salvation excels all the miracles ever wrought." There's no greater miracle than the miracle of a changed heart and life. Let's hear one such miracle:
Stephen: Hi! My name is Stephen. I grew up in a conservative city in Latin America, then moved to continue my studies. In my new city there was another reality that I hadn't seen before. I saw how the officials were permitting assassinations! I saw hundreds of children die daily of hunger, while at the same time the government spent millions to buy arms! You couldn't protest openly or they would shoot you, so I ended up in a guerrilla group at my university. We burned buses and cars in the beginning, and they soon promoted me.
I was willing to die for my cause--the cause of the people! With more risky action and intensive training, I climbed up in the organisation ladder until I had more than 100 others under my command. After one year, we undertook a commando attack in which three of my best friends got killed and also a girl who was very close to me. Soon two other companions were killed in the city where I was studying. I witnessed how the police killed one of them by blowing him up with dynamite.
After that, I was really confused and in a state of shock. I asked for some time off because I wasn't in a condition to command anything. At that very time, I saw a couple and their children singing in a park--very happy--and I was dumbfounded by the fact that even in spite of the way things were, someone could enjoy life! I sat down to listen to the message they brought to me and to the World--a message of Love. They talked with me about Jesus and invited me to visit them. In their Home, I prayed with them to receive Jesus into my life, and He gave love, understanding and peace to my troubled, aching heart.
I immediately went out and started telling others about Jesus, and had a marvellous time! I asked for my discharge from the guerrilla group, and the Lord spared me from any problem with them. Each day I went out in the power of the Spirit of Love to change the World with the best method--the Love of God. I found that Love can do what the force of arms cannot do!--It changes the root of the problem by transforming men's hearts.
SONG:
(A)God will take care of you,
Through(E)every day a(A)long the way,
He will take(D)care of(A)you,
(D)God will take(A)care(E)of(D)you!
* * *
Narrator: Do you know the God of miracles? Do you have His miracle-working power in your life? His Love is waiting to miraculously transform your life too, if you'll just ask His Son, Jesus, into your heart! He says, "He that believes in Me shall not die, but have everlasting life." If you receive Jesus and His free gift of Eternal Life and Salvation, death will be the most wonderful miracle of all, for you will wake up alive and well and young and strong--free forever from this mud-bound temporal existence, free forever to revel in the joys and wonders of that great eternal Heavenly Kingdom that lies beyond! What does this World of Wonders that awaits us look like? Believe it or not, hundreds of people living today have been through the miracle of death and have been allowed to come back to tell the tale. One such case is Maria in Spain who had this remarkable "life after death" experience.
Maria: Every year, people drown in the ocean on the Northern coast of Spain, where swimming is very dangerous. When I was 13 years old, I went there on vacation with my mother, brothers and stepfather.
On the last day, the sea was rough, but we went swimming anyway. Suddenly, I was overpowered by the waves and swept under water! As I struggled in vain to reach the surface, I ran out of strength and remember thinking, "Oh no, I must be dead now!" But it was all so easy and painless!
Then I found myself moving through darkness with a very high-pitched ringing in my ears! A brilliant warm light came, brighter than anything I had ever looked at, but it didn't hurt my eyes. Nearby, there was a Person who looked like an Angel. I faintly remember a beautiful landscape and buildings in the distance, but I wasn't paying much attention to that, as this Angel then opened a book with pictures of my entire life, of everything I'd ever done!
One picture of my early childhood, when I'd been bad really stuck out to me, and I was very ashamed and wondered, "How can he know all that?" The Angel just answered, "Here we know everything!" Although sober, he wasn't angry at me, but very loving, very forgiving, very merciful, he just knew!
After showing me my entire life up to that point, the question came, "Do you want to stay here?" I had a little time to think, and pictures came to mind of how my mother cried when my father died. I didn't want to put her through that again. I wanted to go back and be nicer to her.
At that instant, a wave hurled me onto the shore! and I was back! God, in His mercy and love, gave me a second chance at life!
* * *
Narrator: Maria's story is no isolated incident. Psychologist Kenneth Ring has written two books about his study of NDE, or Near Death Experience. He says, "From what people who have been there say--and their reports are highly consistent--death is one of the most beautiful experiences one can have, and Heaven is all that a human could wish for."
One young man who nearly died as a result of complications during a minor operation describes his experience, which Ring presented in his book "Life At Death." "I took a trip to Heaven," says the man. "I saw the most beautiful lakes! Angels were floating around like seagulls! Everything was white! There were the most beautiful flowers! No one on Earth ever saw such beautiful flowers!"
Ring adds that visitors to Heaven often report seeing impossibly beautiful countryside. It was the most wonderful thing they had ever seen! Says a woman who had clinically died due to respiratory failure, "I was in a field, a large empty field, and it had high, golden grass that was very soft, and so bright! I was really very happy in that place--soft, silky, very brilliant gold! The grass swayed. The grass was so outstandingly beautiful I will never forget it!"
One woman who suffered a massive haemorrhage following surgery, described Heaven as an immense city that seemed to float without any support at all: "The flowers and flower buds along the street were all like precious rubies, diamonds, and sapphires! Heaven also has super-modern buildings, much better constructed than ours. The lush vegetation in Heaven is not all green as here, but gold with varying shades of pink, orange and lavender, like the rainbow!"
* * *
Narrator: We know that Heaven is an incredibly beautiful place, not just because of the accounts of those who have temporarily died, been revived and come back to tell us about it, but also because the Bible itself, in its final two chapters, Revelations 21 and 22, gives us a vivid and detailed description of the joys, wonders and pleasures that God has in store for us There!
SONG:
As Earth re(C)cedes, Heaven(Am)opens
To the(Dm)World waiting A(G)bove.
We let go of(C)time, pain and (Am)sorrow
For this(Dm)glorious Kingdom of (E)Love.
In the(Am)morn(Am+7)ing(Am7)at(D7)dawn
I'll(Dm7)meet you(G7)Over(C)There!(F-C)
Heaven is truly the World of the miraculous. In fact, the miracles that you've heard about on this tape are just a little foretaste of the Heavenly powers that will be freely available to everyone in the Wonder-World that awaits us! There, you will have an indestructible Heavenly resurrection body, and you will be able to fly through the air with the greatest of ease! The Bible tell us that we who know and love the Lord will have bodies like Jesus' body was when He rose from the dead! After He came back from the grave, He was able to appear or disappear, walk right through solid walls or locked doors, and fly from one place to another with the speed of thought! And we will be able to do the same!
In our new, powerful, wonderful, miraculous super-bodies, we'll still be able to eat and drink and have fun, make love and enjoy all the God-made pleasures of this present life! But then it will all be even better than anything we've ever experienced here!
Of course, one of the most wonderful things about our life in Heaven is that it will never end! We'll enjoy each other and the Lord and all the heavenly wonders of His creation forever!--With no more pain, sickness, sorrows, tears, sin, evil or death.--Only love and laughter and peace ever after! Will you be there?
You can be!--In fact, you can enter a wonderful World of Heavenly happiness, love and peace right now, by receiving God's Son, the greatest Maker of miracles, Jesus Christ Himself, into your heart. He loves you and will come in if you invite Him. Simply pray:
"Dear Jesus, I need You to do a miracle in my life! I know that I need help and that I can't save myself. I believe that You are the Son of God, and that through You I can personally know Your loving Father. Jesus, I need Your Love to cleanse me from all fear and hate. I need Your Light to drive away all darkness. I need Your peace to calm my troubled mind. You promised in Your Word that if I'd open the door of my heart, You would come in. So I now open my heart to You, and I ask You, Jesus, to please come in and give me Your free gift of Eternal Life! Thank You, Jesus, for suffering for all of the wrongs I have done, and for forgiving me and hearing and answering my prayer. In Jesus' name, amen."
Well, now that you've asked Jesus to come into your heart, you have His miracle-working power in your life. For you, the impossible has become possible, and there is no obstacle in life that you will not be able to overcome, if you sincerely pray, read and claim God's promises to you in the Bible, and expect Him to fulfil His Word!--He says in Jeremiah 33:3, "Call unto Me and I will show you great and mighty things which thou knowest not." You are now His child and all the wonder-working power of Heaven is at your disposal to help, protect and provide for you in time of need. And most miraculous of all, as you pray and read God's Word, the Bible, you will find your life changing day by day in so many wonderful ways!
SONG:
As Earth re (C) cedes, Heaven (Am) opens
To the (Dm) World waiting A(G)bove.
We let go of (C) time, pain and (Am) sorrow
For this (Dm) glorious Kingdom of (E) Love.
In the (Am) morn(Am+7)ing (Am7) at (D7) dawn
I'll (Dm7) meet you (G7) Over (C) There! (F-C-E+5)
In the (Am) morn(Am+7)ing (Am7) at (D7) dawn,
I'll (Dm7) meet you (G7) Over (C) There! (F-C)
For more inspiring tapes and literature, please write us today at the address on the cassette jacket. God bless you! We love you!
[end]