{"id":1034,"date":"2015-08-29T17:41:04","date_gmt":"2015-08-29T17:41:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/coffeewithpat.com\/?p=1034"},"modified":"2015-08-29T17:41:04","modified_gmt":"2015-08-29T17:41:04","slug":"the-guest-minister","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/coffeewithpat.com\/?p=1034","title":{"rendered":"The Guest Minister"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"lifering\"<\/a><\/p>\n

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given;
\nand the government will be upon His shoulder.
\nand His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor,
\nMighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
\n( Isaiah 9:6 )
\nThe Guest Minister
\nAuthor: Unknown<\/p>\n

AFTER A FEW OF THE USUAL SUNDAY EVENING<\/p>\n

THE CHURCH’S PASTOR SLOWLY STOOD UP,<\/p>\n

WALKED OVER TO THE PULPIT AND,<\/p>\n

BEFORE HE GAVE HIS SERMON FOR THE EVENING,<\/p>\n

BRIEFLY INTRODUCED A GUEST MINISTER<\/p>\n

WHO WAS IN THE SERVICE THAT EVENING.<\/p>\n

IN THE INTRODUCTION, THE PASTOR TOLD THE CONGREGATION<\/p>\n

THAT THE GUEST MINISTER WAS ONE OF HIS DEAREST<\/p>\n

CHILDHOOD FRIENDS AND THAT HE WANTED HIM TO HAVE A FEW<\/p>\n

MOMENTS TO GREET THE CHURCH AND SHARE WHATEVER<\/p>\n

HE FELT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE SERVICE. WITH<\/p>\n

THAT, AN ELDERLY MAN STEPPED UP TO THE PULPIT AND<\/p>\n

BEGAN TO SPEAK.<\/p>\n

“A FATHER, HIS SON, AND A FRIEND OF HIS SON WERE<\/p>\n

SAILING OFF THE PACIFIC COAST .” HE BEGAN.<\/p>\n

“WHEN A FAST APPROACHING STORM BLOCKED ANY ATTEMPT TO<\/p>\n

GET BACK TO THE SHORE. THE WAVES WERE SO HIGH, THAT<\/p>\n

EVEN THOUGH THE FATHER WAS AN EXPERIENCED SAILOR, HE<\/p>\n

COULD NOT KEEP THE BOAT UPRIGHT AND THE THREE WERE<\/p>\n

SWEPT INTO THE OCEAN AS THE BOAT CAPSIZED.”<\/p>\n

THE OLD MAN HESITATED FOR A MOMENT,<\/p>\n

MAKING EYE CONTACT WITH TWO TEENAGERS WHO WERE,<\/p>\n

FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE SERVICE BEGAN,<\/p>\n

LOOKING SOMEWHAT INTERESTED IN HIS STORY.<\/p>\n

THE AGED MINISTER CONTINUED WITH HIS STORY,<\/p>\n

“GRABBING A RESCUE LINE, THE FATHER HAD TO MAKE THE<\/p>\n

MOST EXCRUCIATING DECISION OF HIS LIFE: TO WHICH BOY<\/p>\n

WOULD HE THROW THE OTHER END OF THE LIFE LINE.<\/p>\n

HE ONLY HAD SECONDS TO MAKE THE DECISION.<\/p>\n

THE FATHER KNEW THAT HIS SON WAS A CHRISTIAN AND HE,<\/p>\n

ALSO, KNEW THAT HIS SON’S FRIEND WAS NOT.<\/p>\n

THE AGONY OF HIS DECISION COULD NOT BE MATCHED BY THE<\/p>\n

TORRENT OF WAVES.<\/p>\n

AS THE FATHER YELLED OUT, ‘I LOVE YOU, SON!’<\/p>\n

HE THREW OUT THE LIFE LINE TO HIS SON’S FRIEND.<\/p>\n

BY THE TIME THE FATHER HAD PULLED THE FRIEND BACK TO<\/p>\n

THE CAPSIZED BOAT, HIS SON HAD DISAPPEARED BENEATH THE<\/p>\n

RAGING SWELLS INTO THE BLACK OF NIGHT.<\/p>\n

HIS BODY WAS NEVER RECOVERED.<\/p>\n

BY THIS TIME, THE TWO TEENAGERS WERE SITTING UP<\/p>\n

STRAIGHT IN THE PEW, ANXIOUSLY WAITING FOR THE NEXT<\/p>\n

WORDS TO COME OUT OF THE OLD MINISTER’S MOUTH.<\/p>\n

“THE FATHER,” HE CONTINUED, “KNEW HIS SON WOULD STEP<\/p>\n

INTO ETERNITY WITH JESUS AND HE COULD NOT BEAR THE<\/p>\n

THOUGHT OF HIS SON’S FRIEND STEPPING INTO AN ETERNITY<\/p>\n

“WITHOUT JESUS.. THEREFORE, HE SACRIFICED HIS SON TO<\/p>\n

SAVE THE SON’S FRIEND. ”<\/p>\n

HOW GREAT IS THE LOVE OF GOD THAT HE SHOULD DO THE<\/p>\n

SAME FOR US. OUR HEAVENLY FATHER SACRIFICED HIS ONLY<\/p>\n

BEGOTTEN SON THAT WE COULD BE SAVED. I URGE YOU TO<\/p>\n

ACCEPT HIS OFFER TO RESCUE YOU AND TAKE A HOLD OF THE<\/p>\n

LIFE LINE HE IS THROWING OUT TO YOU IN THIS SERVICE.”<\/p>\n

WITH THAT, THE OLD MAN TURNED AND SAT BACK DOWN IN HIS<\/p>\n

CHAIR AS SILENCE FILLED THE ROOM.<\/p>\n

THE PASTOR AGAIN WALKED SLOWLY TO THE PULPIT AND<\/p>\n

DELIVERED A BRIEF SERMON WITH AN INVITATION AT THE
\nEND. HOWEVER, NO ONE RESPONDED TO THE APPEAL.<\/p>\n

WITHIN MINUTES AFTER THE SERVICE ENDED, THE TWO TEENAGERS<\/p>\n

WERE AT THE OLD MAN’S SIDE.<\/p>\n

“THAT WAS A NICE STORY,” POLITELY STATED ONE OF THEM,<\/p>\n

“BUT I DON’T THINK IT WAS VERY REALISTIC FOR A FATHER<\/p>\n

TO GIVE UP HIS ONLY SON’S LIFE IN HOPES THAT THE OTHER<\/p>\n

BOY WOULD BECOME A CHRISTIAN.”<\/p>\n

“WELL, YOU ‘VE GOT A POINT THERE,” THE OLD MAN REPLIED<\/p>\n

GLANCING DOWN AT HIS WORN BIBLE. A BIG SMILE BROADENED<\/p>\n

HIS NARROW FACE. HE ONCE AGAIN LOOKED UP AT THE BOYS<\/p>\n

AND SAID, “IT SURE ISN’T VERY REALISTIC, IS IT? BUT<\/p>\n

I’M STANDING HERE TODAY TO TELL YOU THAT STORY GIVES<\/p>\n

ME A GLIMPSE OF WHAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN LIKE FOR GOD TO<\/p>\n

GIVE UP HIS SON FOR ME. YOU SEE…<\/p>\n

I WAS THAT FATHER AND YOUR PASTOR WAS MY SON BEST FRIEND.<\/p>\n

Blessings, Love and Prayers,
\nPastor Pat Aman<\/p>\n

Also, please know that:<\/p>\n

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with Joy.
\nPhilippians 1: 3-4<\/p>\n

I end each message with “My Blessings, Love & Prayers,” I truly mean that, and I pray for each of you every morning and evening.<\/p>\n

Click Here to Contact Pastor Pat<\/p>\n

Devotion Written By: Pastor Pat Aman Book \u00a9 1996\/2013 “Coffee With Pat Daily Devotionals”<\/p>\n

Bible Verses: The New King James Bible
\nUnless otherwise stated, all content on this site is \u00a9 2006 – 2015 by Coffee With Pat, and\/or their Respected Authors
\nPlease do not take any of the graphics or written content without written permission. Thank you for being kind and honest, and for respecting copyright laws.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. and His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. ( Isaiah 9:6 ) The Guest Minister Author: Unknown AFTER A FEW OF THE USUAL SUNDAY EVENING THE CHURCH’S […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1034","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-devotions","author-admin"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/coffeewithpat.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1034","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/coffeewithpat.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/coffeewithpat.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/coffeewithpat.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/coffeewithpat.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1034"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/coffeewithpat.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1034\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1036,"href":"http:\/\/coffeewithpat.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1034\/revisions\/1036"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/coffeewithpat.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1034"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/coffeewithpat.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1034"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/coffeewithpat.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1034"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}