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FEBRUARY, 2008

TWO TRUE STORIES:


A REFLECTION

I am in the camp of those who believe that


the primary reason Jesus performed
miracles was to show people that He was
and reflect with me on two amazing miracles
which could indeed be signs pointing to a
mighty move of God. 1) One of our
truly the Messiah. Signs and wonders have employees at Silver Dollar City popped into
always preceded and accompanied moves of my office and told me that he had an
God and in bringing the Good News to areas amazing story to tell me, but that he did not
of the world where the Gospel is rarely if at have time then and would come back. So, he
all preached. This is why there are many left me obviously wondering what this was
more miracles in some third world countries all about. The next day he returned, asked if
– the people are more open to the Gospel I had some time, and told me the following:
than in places where Christianity is He and his wife’s son was born fourteen
established. Well, if my analysis has any years ago with a major heart defect,
truth to it, then as spiritual transformation including a leaking valve, and the little boy
occurs here and it becomes a place of had open heart surgery at the age of four
pilgrimage, and as a major Awakening months. Things were fine until recently,
happens in our nation, there will be signs when the young teen began experiencing
and wonders pointing to the truth and difficulties again. The doctor told them that
presence of our Lord and Savior Jesus there appeared to be a leaky valve again and
Christ. I remember sitting referred them to a specialist. The specialist
in a car with Don Gabriel agreed, said that the condition was serious
overlooking Branson and and referred them to St. Louis, for test
hear him saying on more confirmation and a second open-heart
than one occasion how he surgery. The night before they went up to
hoped and prayed that there St. Louis, they were at church. (They live in
would be mighty miracles in our area, so Stone County but go to church in Christian
that people in all sectors would find and County.) The pastor asked, after the service,
would see Jesus. Keeping all of that in mind, to pray for the boy. He did, and the family
I have two stories to share; they are so went on their way. The next day at the
powerful that it seems appropriate to make medical center in St. Louis, the staff took the
them the theme of the Reflection in this boy into the examining rooms for the
month’s Newsletter. I heard both stories confirmation tests. Later they came out, with
recently, and within two weeks of each other, puzzled expressions
and both involve employees of Herschend on their faces. They
Family Entertainment. I know they are told the parents that
absolutely true because in one case the man the boy’s heart and
told me himself, and in the other one, which valves were
I heard about, I called the man involved and absolutely perfect. What is more, they told
he confirmed it. So, fasten your seat belts
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the overjoyed family that there was not even opinion about his cancer and if they agreed
any scar tissue from the previous surgery. that he did not have long to live. The doctor
2) The second story also involves a Silver pointed to the test results and informed him
Dollar City employee, who that there was no cancer there. And nothing
lives in Stone County. When I heard about in the tests indicated there was anything in
this, I called him and he gave permission to his blood stream either. Obviously he was
share it but he preferred to have his name astounded, and speechless. He asked the
out of it, as he does not want to call attention doctor if he believed in angels
to himself. He told me that he just tries to be and told him about the
a quiet witness as he works here; for young waitress. The
example, he told me that he tells people to doctor told him that, yes, he
have a blessed day, not a happy day. This believed in angels and that he
man (I was not aware of it) has been battling may well have just met his. He
cancer for several years, and his last returned to Branson and went to the place
prognosis was not good. The cancer had where he had met the waitress. He didn’t
spread and was in his blood stream. He put see her and asked another waitress about the
himself into God’s care and sought only “blonde waitress.” The girl told him that
God’s will, including calling him home if there was no blond waitress who worked
that is what the Lord wanted. He did decide there. She went to another employee and
to get a second opinion and made an asked her is she knew whom he was talking
appointment at the Cancer Treatment about. Neither of them knew who it might
Center in Tulsa. The day before he left he be. One then asked him if he remembered a
was feeling kind of down and decided to go name tag on her. He said that he did and
to the Branson Landing (Taney County). He told them the name on the badge. The older
went into a place there and ordered a cup of girl turned white and sat down. She then
coffee. The young girl informed him that the young girl had
who served him came worked there until the summer of the
back to him and previous year, when she was killed in a car
remarked that he looked accident just outside of Branson. No one
a little down, and asked if spoke for awhile. Don went home and
he was OK. He told her shared his story. Today he is renewed and
that, yes, he was fine. restored – and obviously very grateful to
She then sat down with God, as he shared with me, humbly and
him at the table and pressed him a little for quietly. God is at work, brothers and sisters
more information. He finally told her that – and not just in these remarkable ways.
he had cancer and had an appointment the There are quiet miracles all of the time,
next day, but he was not sure he wanted to miracles of salvation and protection and
go through with it. She touched him on the spiritual insight. Do not lose hope. Our
arm and said, “Please keep your prayers are pleasing to the Father, because
appointment. You will be very glad you we are praying according to His will as
did.” He finished his coffee and stood up to guided by the Holy Spirit and are united
leave; the young waitress came back over with the Great High Priest, Jesus Christ.
and gave him a hug and again encouraged Let’s pray that none be lost, that eyes be
him to keep the appointment. Well, he did opened to the truth and presence of Jesus,
go to Tulsa and took all his records from and that a marvelous and miraculous total
Branson with him. They ran more tests of spiritual transformation happen here and in
their own there. The doctor then asked him our nation.
just what he wanted them to do. He
explained that he just wanted another
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STORY: “YOU TOOK MY SPACE!”

O ne day, a man went to visit a church.


He got there early, parked his car and
A rtie was a loan shark. He had the
reputation for being able to get money
for people when others could not; but he also
got out. Another car pulled up next to him had the reputation of being very tough and
and the driver said, “I always park there! very hard on people who did not pay back
You took my space!” The visitor went inside their loans, with the high interest, in a
for Sunday School, found an empty seat, and complete and timely manner. One day a
sat down. A lady approached him and said, man repaid a loan, but he was a dollar short
“That’s my seat! You are invading and did not say anything. Now, many people
my space!” The visitor was would overlook this, but not Artie. He
somewhat distressed by this rude fumed and vowed to himself to get even, to
welcome, but he said nothing. After teach the man a lesson. One day he was in
Sunday School, he went into the the local Wal Mart and he spied the man
sanctuary and sat down. Another walking down an aisle. Artie rushed up to
church member walked up and the debtor and demanded his dollar. The
said, “That’s where I always sit! man just laughed and told Artie not to get so
You took my space!” The visitor was even upset over a trifling amount of money. Well,
more troubled, but he just moved over and this sent Artie over the edge. He grabbed
said nothing. Later in the service, as the the man and began strangling him. As the
congregation was praying for Christ to lead man slipped into unconsciousness and death,
them, Christ to guide them, Christ to be with another person ran up to him and told him
them, the visitor stood up and his to stop. Artie was totally out of control by
appearance began to change. He was now, so he grabbed the Samaritan and
scarred all over the parts of his body that strangled him, too. Finally, the police came
were showing – face, hands and feet showing and hauled Artie away. The next day the
through his sandals. People noticed and local paper had this screaming headline
cried out, “What happened to you??!” He (ready?):
replied, as a tear fell from his eye, “I took “ARTIE CHOKES TWO FOR A DOLLAR
your place.” Lent is a preparation for the AT WAL MART!”
celebration of Jesus’
Resurrection. The greatest form
of “fasting” and penance is to
reach out to others with renewed
love and sensitivity and find ways
to include them rather than to
exclude them, ways to love them
rather than to judge them, ways to
forgive them rather than to remain
in unforgiveness, ways to reach out to those MORE ON THE LIGHTER SIDE
in need without their having to ask, bringing
a smile and an encouraging word to those
who are troubled, letting people know that
S ome short and pithy sayings: A
recording on the voice mail of a
telephone: “I am not available right now,
we love them, and that the Lord loves them. but thank you for caring enough to call. I
am making some changes in my life. Please
leave a message after the bleep. If I do not
return the call, you are one of the
changes.”…”Aspire to inspire before you
ON THE LIGHTER SIDE expire.”…”My wife and I had words, but I
didn’t get to use mine.”…”Frustration is
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trying to find your glasses without your from surgery…Kathy Boyd (UP), recovering
glasses.”…”Blessed are those who can give from an auto accident…Linda Erwin,
without remembering and take without recovering from a heart attack…Church
forgetting.”…”The irony of life is that, by Army and in thanksgiving for their ministry
the time you’re old enough to know your and continued growth…Mary Jo (UP), death
way around, you’re not going in family and finances…Brenda Young and
anywhere.”…” God made man before Tom Otley and their work in the prayer
woman so as to give him ministries of St. Louis…Steve Bartlett and
time to think of an City-Wide Prayer Movement in Lee’s
answer for her first Summit, MO, and for IHOP (International
question.”…”I was House of Prayer) in Kansas City, and for our
always taught to son, John, newly appointed to the position of
respect my elders, Director of Internship…our son, Mike, for a
but it keeps getting positive resolution of issues related to a
harder to find one.”… previous business…our daughters, Mandi
And from Jay Leno: “With hurricanes, and Megan…my wife, Barb, who is suffering
tornadoes, fires out of control, mud slides, terribly with chronic illness…Ann
floods, severe thunderstorms tearing up the Tomlinson (UP), health…Pastor Jim and
country from one end to another, with the Gloria Cariker (UP) and their mission trip
threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks (and I and their church…in thanksgiving for
would add, “with a shaky economy”), are we Pastor Chris Williams (UP), becoming
sure this is a good time to take God out of pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Shell
the Pledge of Allegiance?” (and I would add, Knob…Tom Fish, battling cancer, and his
“or off our money, or out of public places, or family…Vicky’s mother, critically ill, and
out of schools?”) her father, and for strength for Vicky…John
and Sue, finances…Hilary, health, and in
thanksgiving for her deep love for Jesus…
Chuck Pennel (UP) and all government
officials in our areas…God’s perfect will to
be done with regard to the proposed Cross
project north of Branson…Larry Green and
his ministry…Emil Bartos, health…family of
PRAYER MOBILIZATION Don Rhodes, who died recently…the Halley

P lease pray for: Ron’s Dad, health…the


upcoming Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast
(and the speaker, Jordan Lawrence, from
family…Bill and Pam Keyes, mission trip…
Ron Mousel, health and his daughter,
Georgette, recovering from an accident…
the Alliance Defense Fund), the Marketplace Jonas Arges, in thanksgiving for the
Prayer Summit, and other prayer events on wonders God is performing in his spiritual
the National Day of Prayer…the awareness life and for his testimony…Akers and Arney,
of God’s choice for the annual Kingdom and all businesses…in thanksgiving for
Builder Award, given at the Mayor’s Prayer Smith Brookhart, recovering from
Breakfast…for the men of Christian surgery…healing for Larry VanGilder’s
Businessmen’s Committee (CBMC), the men knee problem (UP)…the Loftens, Reflection
of Businessmen’s Fellowship International of Christ Ministry, and their work with
(BMFI) and their families…Ozarks/Branson homosexuals…Malcolm Nichols, in Iraq,
Christian News (and thanks to them for and all military…God’s perfect will in the
doing an article on the UP Team in the 2008 national election, State elections, and
January issue)…George Terry, recovering the cloning issue in Missouri…Jack Urbec,
thanksgiving for his recent sharing of
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testimony and for his health, and his wife, From coast to coast, people are hearing and
Jan…Grant Mosier III, struggling with drug sharing this call from God to repent.” This
addiction…the Lamb and Rizzo families, is another confirmation of what we are
guidance…Ken G., spiritual and financial seeking through the Uninterrupted Prayer
guidance…Love, INC, that an increasing Team. If there are some of you who could
number of churches partner in meeting come together and pray on Saturday, April
needs of area people, including the offering 26, and/or if there is one of you who would
of relational ministry…Christian Associates be willing to contact some folks for this
of Table Rock Lake, with its expanding purpose, please let me know.
ministry, Christian Action Ministries,
Salvation Army and other ministries
reaching out to people in need…all churches
and ministries in our areas…continued
growth of the UP Team, to include reaching
24/7 quickly and partnering with other
prayer groups…all other needs, requested
and unspoken.
PSALM 23: TWO POINTS OF FOCUS
1) Pastor Emil Bartos of Peace Lutheran
Church in Branson shared a
brief reflection at a recent CBMC morning
prayer meeting. He read Psalm 23 and then
zeroed in on the phrase "I shall not want” as
a source of great comfort, hope and rich
meaning. We sometimes just pass by this
phrase in the first line of the Psalm: “The
MARKETPLACE PRAYER SUMMIT Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.”

O n the National Day of Prayer,


Thursday, May 1, the second annual
Marketplace Prayer Summit will be held at
What this signifies is that God said it and He
means what He says. If we trust the Father
and the Son and the Holy Spirit and follow
the Plaza View Hotel. This event is the Son, we indeed shall not want. As I
sponsored by the Silver Dollar City reflect on this, it certainly does not mean
Foundation, and Pastor Howard Boyd will that we will never have troubles or trials,
be the facilitator. Members and friends of perhaps very severe ones. But it means that
the UP Team are invited to participate. He promises to bring us through them, with
There will be more information later, but an incredibly glorious light at the end of the
mark your calendars now! tunnel, one that will shine forever in Heaven.
So, when the going gets tough, let’s
“REIGNDOWN USA” remember Psalm 23: “I shall not want.” 2)

T his is a national ministry that is


encouraging group and individual
prayer for our nation, with focus on
Here is a sort of tongue-in-cheek version of
Psalm 23, but still full of meaning for
anybody in the workplace:
repentance. On April 26th, in conjunction “The Lord is my real boss, and I shall not
with a gathering in Washington, D.C., the want. He gives me peace, when chaos is all
ministry is requesting simultaneous prayer around me. He gently reminds me to pray
in communities around the nation. To quote and do all things without murmuring and
their first Newsletter: “The word has been complaining. He reminds me that He is my
spreading across our nation like a wild fire. source rather than my job. He restores my

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sanity every day and guides my decisions, that hurt and in crisis, call 1 Corinthians 13; you
I might honor him in all that I do. Even wonder about Christianity, call 2
though I face absurd amounts of e-mails, Corinthians 5: 15-18; you feel like an
system crashes, unrealistic deadlines, budget outcast, call Romans 8: 31-39; you are
cutbacks, gossiping co-workers, seeking peace, call Matthew 11: 25-30; it
discriminating supervisors and an aging body feels as if the world is bigger than God, call
that doesn’t cooperate every morning, I still Psalm 90; you need Christ for insurance, call
will not stop – for He is with me! His Romans 8: 1-30; you are leaving for a trip,
presence, His peace, and His power will see call Psalm 121; you are praying for yourself,
me through. He raises me up, even when they call Psalm 87; inflation and investments are
fail to promote me. He claims me as his own, hogging your thoughts, call Mark 10: 17-31;
even when the company threatens to let me you are depressed, call Psalm 27; you
go. His faithfulness and love are better than require courage for a task, call Joshua 1;
any bonus check. His retirement plan beats your bank account is empty, call, Psalm 37;
any 401(k) there is! When it’s all said and you lose faith in mankind, call 1 Corinthians
done, I’ll be working for Him a whole lot 13; it looks like people are unfriendly, call
longer and for that, I bless His Name!” John 15; you are losing hope, call Psalm 126;
you want to bear fruit, call John 15; you
want a secret for happiness, call Colossians
SOME BRAIN TEASERS (WORDLESS) 3: 12-17; you want to get along better with
The answers are at the end of the Newsletter. others, call Romans 12; when you are afraid,
Don’t peek; let’s see how good you are! call Psalm 3: 47; you need security, call
1) LOI’MVE/YOU 2) BALLO T Psalm 121:3; you need assurance, call Mark
3) THAENRGE 4) DICE DICE 8: 35; you need reassurance, call Psalm 145:
5) STAND 6) OSO – GROSS 18.”
I
7) GESG 8) PAS
Please call if you have ideas for the
CLOSING REFLECTION Newsletter. Please recruit one more UP

D uring this time of Lent, one of the member this month! My cell phone, day and
things we can do that will be highly night, is (417) 331-1028. Peace to you and
pleasing to the Lord and spiritually yours.
I’m in love with you; 2) split ballot; 3)

enriching for us is spending more time in


scrambled eggs; 8) incomplete pass.
ANSWERS TO BRAIN TEASERS

the Word. To that end, I share with you


Bob Burton
I understand; 6) Oh, so gross! 7)

something I received via e-mail. I challenge


you, and me, to look up and meditate on the
hang in there; 4) paradise;

Scriptures.
“EMERGENCY TELEPHONE
NUMBERS: These are more effective than
911. When you….are sad, call John 14;
have sinned, call Psalm 51; are facing
danger, call Psalm 91; people have failed
you, call Psalm 27; it feels as though God is
far from you, call Psalm 139; your faith
needs stimulating, call Hebrews 11; you are
alone and scared, call Psalm 23; you are
worried, call, Matthew 8: 19-34; you are

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