TONGUES is a precious gift from God

There are a lot of people around today saying the Holy Spirit taught them this or that; however, it's just false doctrine they've heard somewhere else, maybe with a slight twist. The way to destruction is broad and many find it. False teachers and false prophets run in very big crowds.

Money-related Testimony #2

Not long after becoming Mayor of a certain small town, we rediscovered a decades-old problem with our sanitary sewer system which handles the drainage of residential water (as opposed to the storm sewer which handles the drainage of rain water).

We tried the simple fixes like assuring sump pumps and downspouts ran to the correct sewer system, yet the problem remained. It looked like we were going to have to 'bite the bullet' and fix this problem with real money.

Well this wasn't our first significant issue, nor the first I've taken to prayer. So internally I say "Well God, You did a great job fixing the Police problem and the Public Works problem... You wanna give us a new sewer too?" Having said this half-heartedly in the middle of a council meeting I didn't exactly sit and wait for a reply. So, accidentally, I'd left it "laying at the foot of the cross" as people say.

We contacted an engineering firm, did a camera survey of our piping, and created photo album documenting the problems plaguing the southwest 1/3 of town.

MEANWHILE... a severe thunderstorm hits the area and the Governor declares our county a disaster zone. FEMA funds became available for damages proven to have been created or worsened by the storm. We already have "Before" photos. So we send the camera down again for "After" photos, and submit the application. Our reasoning was "Hey, maybe we'll get 7, 10 or maybe even $30,000". It was worth a shot.

NOTE: I’m abbreviating the remainder of the story.

While waiting, the engineers show us a cool new process of fixing sewers by re-lining them. (Pipe Re-lining Video here) We LIKE the relining option.

FEMA’s reply arrives: “We’re giving you $714,000”.
...We’re ecstatic...
We ask the engineers “Is that enough to re-line the pipes?” Engineers say “Yep.”

God says to me “But you didn’t ask for re-lined pipes.” I reply “Does that mean…??”

Someone notices FEMA’s numbers are based on a pipe depth of only 2 feet. (Ours are buried up to 28’ deep).
We submit a plan for re-lined pipes to FEMA along with a Thank-you letter and mention of the depth error.

FEMA replies “We acknowledge the depth miscalculation. We’ve increased your funding to $1.1 MILLION accordingly. We REQUIRE that you replace all damaged pipe with brand new. If it costs exceed that amount, we’ll cover that too.” (paraphrased)

Total cost of project $1.7 Million. FEMA covered $1.4 Million because we did a few extra projects while the ground was tore up.

CONCLUSION: Yep, it meant God was going to give us NEW, not relined sewer piping according to the original request. Is God good? (UNSPOILER ALERT: Yes. Yes he is.)

Thank-you Jesus!!

Love in Jesus,
Kelby

@shittim ;
on a somewhat related note :

I'm kind of fed up with hiding what God does just because it doesn't fit the doctrines of popular churches. God's people need to know how responsive to their prayers God really is, if they'd just give him credit for being good. (benevolent, kind, compassionate, willing to give good things)

And anyone who truly desires to be one of God's children needs to wake up and realize that the people (pastors, priests, popular teachers, etc) that they TRUST are the ones most likely to lead them astray...(or teach them how to pray in a way that doesn't get anything done, but sounds good and keeps them coming back.)

Don't people get tired of that?

Love in Jesus,
Kelby

Tongues have NOT ceased according to scripture and pure simple evidence of various people (not all but some) in the Body of Christ that do speak in tongues.

Why speak against this beautiful and very precious gift from God?

The unfortunate thing is a lot of people aren't being guided by the Holy Spirit at all but by books that some human wrote, and they believe those books are inspired by God. They don't interpret the scriptures by the help of the Spirit but by the help of some satan-inspired book.

Not only is the broad road populated by many people, but many of those people are authors and have littered the way with many useless books. Remember, the purpose of selling books isn't to spread truth but to make $$$. There may be a few good books around, but all the mainstream books that sell by the millions aren't good.

Lafftur,
I apologize to you for there was a time I didn't have much confidience in you.
She always posted as if were fantabulous to live your life and bc of this I felt you were a fru fru and had no depth.
I am sorry. We all must keep that joy apparent for the joy of the Lord is our strength.

Money-related Testimony #2

Not long after becoming Mayor of a certain small town, we rediscovered a decades-old problem with our sanitary sewer system which handles the drainage of residential water (as opposed to the storm sewer which handles the drainage of rain water).

We tried the simple fixes like assuring sump pumps and downspouts ran to the correct sewer system, yet the problem remained. It looked like we were going to have to 'bite the bullet' and fix this problem with real money.

Well this wasn't our first significant issue, nor the first I've taken to prayer. So internally I say "Well God, You did a great job fixing the Police problem and the Public Works problem... You wanna give us a new sewer too?" Having said this half-heartedly in the middle of a council meeting I didn't exactly sit and wait for a reply. So, accidentally, I'd left it "laying at the foot of the cross" as people say.

We contacted an engineering firm, did a camera survey of our piping, and created photo album documenting the problems plaguing the southwest 1/3 of town.

MEANWHILE... a severe thunderstorm hits the area and the Governor declares our county a disaster zone. FEMA funds became available for damages proven to have been created or worsened by the storm. We already have "Before" photos. So we send the camera down again for "After" photos, and submit the application. Our reasoning was "Hey, maybe we'll get 7, 10 or maybe even $30,000". It was worth a shot.

NOTE: I’m abbreviating the remainder of the story.

While waiting, the engineers show us a cool new process of fixing sewers by re-lining them. (Pipe Re-lining Video here) We LIKE the relining option.

FEMA’s reply arrives: “We’re giving you $714,000”.
...We’re ecstatic...
We ask the engineers “Is that enough to re-line the pipes?” Engineers say “Yep.”

God says to me “But you didn’t ask for re-lined pipes.” I reply “Does that mean…??”

Someone notices FEMA’s numbers are based on a pipe depth of only 2 feet. (Ours are buried up to 28’ deep).
We submit a plan for re-lined pipes to FEMA along with a Thank-you letter and mention of the depth error.

FEMA replies “We acknowledge the depth miscalculation. We’ve increased your funding to $1.1 MILLION accordingly. We REQUIRE that you replace all damaged pipe with brand new. If it costs exceed that amount, we’ll cover that too.” (paraphrased)

Total cost of project $1.7 Million. FEMA covered $1.4 Million because we did a few extra projects while the ground was tore up.

CONCLUSION: Yep, it meant God was going to give us NEW, not relined sewer piping according to the original request. Is God good? (UNSPOILER ALERT: Yes. Yes he is.)

Thank-you Jesus!!

Love in Jesus,
Kelby

Just shows that God has everything under control even when our situation appear chaotic. We often underestimate the providence of God, when with trust and patience we see God working things out according to His will.

Imagine what God would have done if the Israelites would have been thankful for their small just enough daily portion of manna….they missed a tremendous blessing….

I loved how Kelby was thankful for the little….. then, God caused FEMA to increase it.

Within this past year, so much has happened in my life….I’m so FULL of thanksgiving!!!

Just be thankful for the little….God will multiply it if we are thankful!

Imagine what God would have done if the Israelites would have been thankful for their small just enough daily portion of manna….they missed a tremendous blessing….

Hey Lafftur, from one charismatic babbler to another...bless you!
Reading about the Israelites complaining about the manna in Numbers 11 reminds me to be thankful for what the Lord provides, especially in our pittied, pampered, and petted society!

So when opportunity to testify was again given in church, I gushed. I said so much and talked so long that I embarrassed myself.

Whoever said that the Israelites were not grateful for their meat and their bread?