“Thanksgiving” for Christians is a time to remember and thank God who has "supplied every need (of ours) according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:19). In Canada it is on October 10th, 2016, and in the U.S.A. it is on November 24th, 2016. 

When I was the Pastor of the "First Presbyterian Church" in New Jersey, I visited a man from our church in a hospital in Freehold. There was a man who shared the room with him, who must have watched and listened to me while I prayed. This man took the liberty to ask me, “Are you a Christian?” For the moment I hesitated, as an underlying truth instantly came to mind - not all Pastors are necessarily born again Christians. 

Just because church ministers (Pastors, Reverends and Priests) become ordained, that doesn't make them exempt from receiving Jesus' full Salvation package. "All have sinned and fallen short of glory of God" (Rom. 3:23). Without God's grace, their ministries are like "clanging cymbals that lack in God's (agape) love" (1 Cor. 13:1; 13:4-7). Nevertheless, I assured him that I was an "authentic Christian" (Mk. 16:17), who was able and willing to pray for his needs.  

As we talked, I learned about his ailment, which led me to pray for his healing. Later I went to visit him in his home, where I discovered he had a cancerous tumor. Now I knew why his belly was so huge - he looked like a woman who was 9 months pregnant. I ministered to him by his bed side, and watched as he struggled to raise his head up off the pillow.

My concern for him grew by the moment. With his permission, I decided to call his doctor to ask if he would accept him back into the hospital again. The Doctor explained, “Rev. Williams, I have sent Mr. Bryant home to die. All you can do is to comfort him and be his friend.” I swallowed hard and continued to pray for him.

That Friday evening, before Thanksgiving Sunday, my wife Ruth and I went to his house on our way to our prayer meeting. When I arrived, his wife and daughter were away shopping. Entering his house, I left the lights out because I didn’t want him to see my face - I  never had to tell anyone that they were going to die.

After I told him the doctor’s diagnosis in the dark, he took hold of my hand and asked me a question I didn't want to hear, “Pastor, do you believe the Bible? Do you believe that Jesus did what it said?” “Yes!” I said reassuringly. Then he asked me the dreaded question, “Do you think that Jesus would heal me?” I don’t know,” I replied, ”but let’s ask Him.”  

My mind raced through the Bible scriptures. I remembered James wrote, “If any of you is sick, let him call the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord...and the Lord will raise him up (Jas. 4:14–15).  

There was no phone in the room to call a church elder. Then I remembered what Jesus said in Mark 16:8, “These signs will follow those who believe…..they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover".  I had never prayed that way before, so I laid hands on him and prayed, believing in his healing. Then I left. 

That Saturday morning, one of my Trustees, Calvin Sawtelle and the president of our Youth Group, Lydia Coulson, took a Thanksgiving Dinner out to Mr. Bryant’s home. Both of them saw Mr. Bryant up and out of bed walking, his stomach flat and with no sign of the cancerous tumor. Calvin asked him, “Mr. Bryant, what has happened to you?” He said, “I believe the Lord Jesus has healed me!” It is a miracle!

Driving home, Calvin realized that he had never asked Jesus to forgive him of his sins. Without hesitation, he pulled off to the curbside, prayed for Jesus to forgive him, and then drove home. When he arrived, his wife asked him to put up the Christmas lights as she did each year at Christmas. As she went to cover her ears dreading to hear his cussing and swearing, she heard him singing instead, “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so”. 

Later she called me and asked, “What happened to my Calvin? He is different.“ "He is now a changed man," I replied, “and a new man in Christ” (2 Cor. 5:17). Calvin had decided to keep his roadside salvation experience between God and himself.

That Sunday morning during our service, Mr. Bryant, his wife and his daughter came down to the alter for prayer. I saw tears of thanksgiving coming from his eyes as he walked down the aisle towards me. We all prayed and rejoiced together, thanking Jesus over and over again for Mr. Bryant's healing miracle.

Later I realized Jesus had done three miracles that weekend. First, He healed Mr. Bryant; second, he saved my friend Calvin; and thirdly, He taught me a lesson in healing ministry!

I'm reminded of Mr. Byrant's testimony often, and especially during Thanksgiving time. Thank you Jesus for your amazing grace! 

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." (Eph. 2:8-9)

Do you want to thank God for his amazing grace? If you, your family and/or friends would like to receive either Salvation, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, a Gift of the Holy Spirit, healing, deliverance, etc., I invite you come to one of our house meetings or contact me. Everyone is welcome! I pray that you and your loved ones are "blessed overflowing" this coming Thanksgiving season (Prov. 3:10). In Jesus, Rev. Gordon Williams  

New Testament (NT) Abbreviations

Act  (Acts)
Col. (Colossians)
1 Cor. (1 Corinthians)
2 Cor. (2 Corinthians)
Eph. (Ephesians)
Gal. (Galatians)
Heb. (Hebrews)
Jas. (James)
Jn (John)
1 Jn. (1 John)
2 Jn. (2 John)
3 Jn. (3 John)
Jd. (Jude)
Lk. (Luke)
Mk. (Mark)
Matt. (Matthew)
1 Pet. (1 Peter)
2 Pet. (2 Peter)
Philem. (Philemon)
Phil. (Philippians)
Rev. (Revelations) 
Rom. (Romans)
1 Thess. (1 Thessalonians)
2 Thess. (2 Thessalonians)
1 Tim. (1 Timothy)
2 Tim. (2 Timothy)
Tit. (Titus)