1st Samuel 14:45, “And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid: as the LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not.”
In the Old Testament, king Saul made a big mistake one day. He had sworn a public oath that if any man of Israel eats food, before the king defeated the Philistines in battle, that person would be cursed. Well, Saul's son Jonathan didn't hear about his father's oath. The people were weary from the fighting and retreated into some woods, where they found a honeycomb. Since Jonathan hadn't heard about Saul's oath, he innocently ate some of the honeycomb.1st Samuel 14:26-27, “And when the people were come into the wood, behold, the honey dropped; but no man put his hand to his mouth: for the people feared the oath. But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath: wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in an honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened.”
1st Samuel 14:43-45, “Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in mine hand, and, lo, I must die. And Saul answered, God do so and more also: for thou shalt surely die, Jonathan. And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid: as the LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not.”
I'll bet Jonathan found a new love for those dear people. Let me tell you! It's not every day that someone saves your life from being killed.
I am glad to say that I also know the inexplicable feeling of joy and gratitude, toward someone who saved my life years ago. As I remember it, it was around 1991 in Chicago. I believe it was in 1991 or 1992. I was changing a defective engine starter on a Ford Tornado, which was a front wheel drive car. All the weight was in the front, where the engine and transmission are. I jacked up the heavy vehicle and did use jack stands. But I made a nearly fatal mistake, I didn't lower the weight of the car onto the jack stands. So when a pebble jammed under the wheel of the creeper board that I was laying on, and I grabbed the side of the car to pull myself free of the pebble, I caused the car to topple the jack stands over and fall on me. Oh my God in Heaven, what had I just done!
I had thousands of pounds crushing down upon me, and I was on a creeper, gasping for breath. I still have nightmares to this day thinking about this horrific accident. I caused it to happen, in my utter ignorance and not paying attention to what I was doing. I couldn't breath. No one was around. This was in a secluded neighborhood, in front of the rescue mission where I voluntarily helped my father for eight years as his assistant pastor. I was getting ready to faint, unable to breath, screaming as loud as I could: “Help me! Please, help me! I am trapped! Help, help, please help!” My panicking cries were blood curling, the screams of a desperate man about to die under the crushing weight of a massive car! I was trapped and time was running out. After 30 more seconds I would have blacked out and died.
But praise be to God, it wasn't yet my time to go. A dear older black man, I'd guess about 50 years old, came over to help me. There was no other soul in sight anywhere around. His hands were trembling, shaken by my horrifying cries for help. He didn't know what to do. I realized that if I didn't calm down and explain to him exactly what to do, I was about to die. Even if someone had called 911, I would have been long dead by the time help came. I explained as calmly as I good, while gasping for lack of air because of the crushing weight of the vehicle on top of me. I told him to take the jack handle and turn the screw on the jack clockwise, and then jack up the car. There never was a man who felt more thankful and relieved as that 4,000 pound car was lifted off of my chest.
I shudder in horror just thinking about it. I had a wife and four little children at the time, who were all under 5 years old. It pains my soul to think about what would have happened to my wife and children, had that precious black man not been there that fateful day in my life. Was it solely a matter of time and chance that that black man was nearby (Ecclesiastes 9:11), or was God looking out for me, protecting me because He still had work for me to do. I honestly do not know dear friend. Some things we just cannot know, and we'll have to ask God when we get to Heaven. To this day I refuse to ever get under a car again! No matter what happens, I will not crawl under a car, terrified by the trauma that I suffered and still suffer in my soul.
I went to the hospital after the car fell on me, for x-rays. They said that nothing was broken, but I came close to dying. The next morning my entire chest and abdomen were as black, blue and yellow as anything I have ever seen. My entire upper body was black and blue from damaged veins that had burst under extreme pressure from the weight of the vehicle. I literally cried while trying to rise up out of bed. I just couldn't get up. So I had to turn to the side slowly, and take plenty of time, before I was able to stand up. It was so horrible and painful. It took me over one month to heal.
For the life of me I don't know the name of the black man who saved me, but I love him so much for rescuing me that day. I was thinking about that dear man today, praying for him if he is still alive (I have no idea), telling the Lord as I often do that if he is in Heaven, everything I own in Heaven is his too! If it weren't for that man's responsible attitude, to help another human being in need, I wouldn't be writing this blog right now. I wouldn't have been able to raise my children, and provide for my wife, and enjoy my family over the decades.
If it weren't for that blessed African American man who saved my life that fateful day in the early 1990's, there would be no Jesus-is-Savior.com website ministry. There would be no Soulwinning.info or Jesusisprecious.org, et cetera. I just started two new websites called: Faithalonesaves.org and Believeonjesuschrist.com. I couldn't believe that this domain name was still not already taken! Ha ha, it's mine!!! Each website is another VOICE for God to reach the lost, and to inspire and feed Jesus' sheep. I am just a humble sinner, who is allowing God to work through me as an ambassador for God to the world. God wants every Christian to be His ambassador (2nd Corinthians 5:20-21). You are the only Jesus that someone knows!
As you can imagine, I love black people! I loved them before a black man saved my life 30 years ago, but I love them even more today, knowing that a black man (who for umpteen reasons could have just ignored my pleas for help, in revenge for how whites have mistreated blacks for centuries in America). But he did the right thing to save my life, and I am forever grateful to that unsung hero. I don't even know who he is, but God does. I know that he attended our churches services at the Grace Mission Church in Chicago, which no longer exists. Here is some pictures of the mission...
'Captain Marvel' At The Rescue Mission
Here are some more photos of my childhood and life in Rescue Mission Work. The need is great no matter where we turn in the big cities of America. Jesus said that the poor and homeless would always be with us. If we don't help them, who will? Jesus said in Matthew chapter 6 that we should lay up for ourselves treasures in Heaven, by giving to the poor, fasting and praying to accomplish God's work on earth. God is great! Just like in Bible times, the problem today is a lack of faith in believers. We've become apathetic, indifferent and complacent in our churches. Today's corrupt Bible colleges and churches have turned God's free gift of eternal life into a reward for the righteous, instead of a gift for the guilty!
Dear friend, there is someone who saved you too! That man's precious name is JESUS!!! All mankind are sinners, both by nature and by choice. The Bibles says that we have all earned wages for our sin, which is to be punished in Hell for all eternity. But God in His wondrous love made a way of escape, by sending His only begotten Son into the world, to die on a cruel and lonely cross for the sins of all humanity. Jesus rescued the human race! As much as I appreciate that black man who saved my life that frightening day around 1991, I am even more thankful to Jesus for saving me from a burning Hell forever and ever without hope!!!
Thank God for saviors and most of all for THE SAVIOR!!!
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