A Phone Call from Oregon
By Dean Honeycutt
Mitchell County
This past week I received a phone call from an 80-year-old woman living in Oregon. I hesitated to respond to the phone call because I do not know anyone in Oregon, and I have never received a phone call from Oregon in the past. This woman left two voicemails saying she really needed to talk with me. So, I called her back and sure enough, this was a legitimate phone call. This woman had received my number from her nephew who lives in Nebo, North Carolina. This nephew reads the Blue Ridge Christian News and had sent a copy to her. It is amazing how God uses this newspaper.
As I began this conversation with an 80-year-old woman, I heard the concern in her voice and the fear she had. She began to share with me the concern she had for our nation and our President. She shared with me the riots that have been taking place in Portland and that her car had been vandalized in her parking space at her apartment complex. She told me she was afraid to say anything about her support for the President in fear of retaliation. I could tell this woman was afraid and genuinely concerned about our nation.
My heart began to hurt for her as she shared concerns for her son and family. I began to understand that Christian influence and Christian people she could confide in were scarce where she lived. As we continued our conversation, I shared the hope of Jesus Christ with her and the sovereignty of a loving all-powerful God who is in control of all things. Yes, God is in control of all things. Even in things that may appear to be chaos God is in control. God is not the author of confusion or fear. In God, our Father we have peace, not chaos, hope and not fear, love, and not hate, and assurance in the all-knowing and all-powerful Father which is in heaven. Heaven is His throne and earth is His footstool. God rests His feet upon the earth.
Proverbs 19:21 (KJV 1900) 21 There are many devices in a man’s heart; Nevertheless, the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand. “
As we continued to talk about God and the Bible a calmness began to come over this dear woman. A conversation that started very anxious became calm and peaceful. I asked her if she thought God might be protecting President Trump? Because God’s ways are higher than our ways and that God might be doing something that we cannot understand or see right now. She asked, “what do you mean?” I told her some presidents have been assassinated and other lives have been targeted. I shared with her that God is doing something, and we need to trust him, and the best thing we can do is pray. God never makes a mistake, and no one is fooling God. We need to trust God and what He does is always for our benefit even when we do not understand. This woman replied, “I never thought about that.”
I asked if we could pray together over the phone and she said yes. So, we prayed together trusting in God for all things. I felt a peace about our conversation, and I believe she did as well. She thanked me for calling and spending time with her on the phone. She asked me to pray for her son. We said goodbye and hung up.
I believe many people are afraid just like this woman. But what can we do to help? May I suggest the following?
At a perfect time in our past, the Father sent His Son Jesus. The world at the birth of Christ was extraordinarily complex and difficult, to say the least. King Herod was a ruthless leader. It has been said it was better to be Herod’s hog than one of Herod’s sons. The truth being a pig is safer in Herod’s house than one of Herod’s sons. Remember it was Herod who had all the male children two years and under killed for fear of the newborn Messiah King Jesus. What may have appeared to be a hopeless situation for many people the Father gave us Jesus. The Prince of peace and the King of kings took on flesh. Praise the Lord. Galatians 4:4 (KJV 1900) 4” But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,”
Our good and gracious Father is still in control. What may appear to be hopeless is not hopeless with God in control. God is at work and He is always at work around us. God is bringing his plan and His purpose together. God never fails and never makes a mistake. I trust Him. Our job is to tell others about Jesus. And when Jesus is in your heart, what do we have to fear?
Merry Christmas
Pastor Dean and Pam Honeycutt
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Pastor Dean Honeycutt shepherds Snow Hill Baptist Church in Bakersville, NC. He may be reached at 828-385-0213, snowhillbaptist@gmail.com, or visit their website at www.snowhillbaptist.com.
You can read more good Christian news from Dean HERE.
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