Page 58 - BR-March-2018
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March 2018                                                                          March 2018
                                                                                                                        baptised.  The pastor, who was surprised by the
                                                                                                                        visit,  asked  what  church  he  belonged  to.
                                                                                                                        “None”,  the  stranger  replied.    “But  I  have  read
                                                                                                                        my  Bible  and  I  know  about  God.    I  know  that
                                                                                                                        Jesus Christ is Lord, and I want to be baptised so
                                                                                                                        that I can be counted as one of His followers.”
                                                                                                                        “A  Bible?”  the  pastor  asked,  for  Bibles  were
                                                                                                                        certainly not plentiful.  “Where could you possibly
                                                                                                                        have obtained a Bible?”
                                                                                           “Well, it’s a strange story, the visitor began.  “I can hardly expect you to believe it,
                                                                                           but I assure you it’s true.  I’m a builder.  Some months ago I was working on a site
                                                                                           near  a  railway  track  when  a  strange  thing  happened.    As  the  train  went  by,  a
                                                                                           book came flying from the window and landed in the dust not far from where I
                                                                                           was standing.  I walked over and picked it up.  It was a Bible.”
                                                                                            The pastor stood there in amazement, listening to these words. He questioned the
                                                                                           builder further and realised it must have been his own Bible that the builder had
                                                                                           found.  Did the visitor have the Bible with him?  He showed it to the pastor who
                                                                                           recognised it immediately.
                                                                                           The book that had served him so well for so long now served someone else.  Here
                                                                                           was a new Christian asking to be baptised, thanks to that Bible.  When the pastor
                                                                                           told him how the Bible had been thrown from the train by the atheist, the builder
                                                                                           offered to return it.  The pastor refused.  “No”, he replied, I cannot accept it.  This
                                                                                           book has done such wonderful things for you that I want you to keep it.   And I
                                                                                           pray that it may do wonderful things for others too.”

                                                                                           The builder went away after his baptism, brimming with enthusiasm to share what
                                                                                           he had learnt from his Bible.  Within a few years, all the people in his village had
                                                                                           come  to  know  Jesus.    A  new  Christian  community  emerged.    All  because  of  a
                                                                                           Bible someone tried to throw away.
                                                                                                                                                       Joyce Healey


                                                                                          BERE HEATH METHODIST
                                                                                          CHAPEL
                                                  Small load  £80    Large load £175
                                                                                          Our next Service here is on Sunday 4  March and will be
                                                                                                                          th
                                                                                          led by Rev Brenda Stephenson.
                                                                                          We  will  be  hosting  a  Lent  lunch  on  Wednesday  14   of
                                                                                                                                        th
                                                                                          March starting at 12.30. Everyone welcome.
                                                                                           For more information contact the stewards: Karen Smith
                                                                                          (01929 471339), Caroline Harrison (01929 471378).

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