I have recently been looking through some testimonies of God’s goodness and activity in the daily lives of friends at Eastgate. I am doing this intentionally to feed my mind on good things, as the Bible instructs us to in Philippians 4:8:

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

This is my normal practice, but I am finding it particularly important at this challenging time where we find ourselves faced with so much troubling news. If we do this regularly, the truth of the God of Peace being with us will become more real in our lives.

So, with this in mind, allow me to share one of those testimonies with you, which I pray will strengthen you in your inner being and enable you to overflow with peace and hope.

“I was walking along the street I felt Holy Spirit highlight a homeless man to me and tell me to give him money for a hot meal. Before I could say what the money was for, he said, “Great! Now I can get a hot meal!” I felt prompted to ask if he had pain in his body as he was sitting on his case looking really miserable and supporting his shoulder with his other arm. He said that he’d been in a fight with two men in the night who had tried to steal his suitcase, in the ensuing struggle he had dislocated his shoulder. He was new to the area and didn’t know what to do, he didn’t know how to get to the hospital and didn’t have any money to get a bus there. I said I was a Christian and could pray for him to be healed. I said, “Before we do anything else, why don’t we see what Jesus does for you?” He agreed that would be okay and stood up with his eyes closed. At Eastgate we had been taught that week not to make assumptions before praying for healing but to pause and ask Holy Spirit what to pray. So, I paused, became aware of God in me and simply stretched out my arm and said, “Jesus” (prior to speaking out what I thought would be a proclamation or prayer). I didn’t touch the man. Before I could say anything else he jumped back and said, “What the **** did you just do?!” I said, “I didn’t do anything” and he replied, “But no, I felt a hand manipulate my shoulder.” In seconds his shoulder was back in place and the pain had completely gone! He laughed out loud, kissed my hand and did a jig around me, oblivious in his joy of what any passers by thought of his celebration. He thanked God and went off pulling his case with his previously bad arm to go and get a hot meal, still laughing in amazement.”

How powerful is the name of Jesus, and isn’t it beautiful what God can do through us in His name?

Pete Carter