The following message was sent by one of our customers in Nigeria:

Dear Friends,

On 10th Sept around 10 pm we set off from Abuja to LKagos with the popular Night bus. I had an appointment in Lagos the following money. I went for the first Project management conference in Abuja where I took an exhibition stand to sell my books. These days everty opportunity to sell matters in order to pay our mounting bills to our publishers who we represent.

After 2 hours, the bus broke down at around 12 midnight. We were about 20 mins away from Lokoja. This area was bush and forest! after working on the bus for about 20 mins, the announcement came that we should all get down and hike a ride with any other bus that comes around. 2 busses came and of course people rushed them. I could not be carried because of my luggage. Now, with the benefit of hind sight I should have requested to pay for the load!

About 10 of us were left. Another Ekeson bus came around loaded with pasengers for Onitsha. The driver opted to help his stranded colleague. For about 15 mins they were trying to fix the car when all of a sudden we heard gun shots and we left our luggage and ran into the forest.

The aremed robbers pursued us into the forest and we just kept running until I found a"safe place under a thick coverin of bush and decided to lie down motionless.

After 15 mins, the armed robbers came. I could see them but they could not see me. Aparently because of the bush and maybe God answered my prayers to blind their eyes! I heard them say " they are all gone, captain let us go back to the road". I remained in the forest till 6am when it was daylight and came out to the road. I was met with 4 others.

That was how God delivered us.

Lesson:

1. NEVER travel late. The roads are bad, visibility poor and armed bandits are all over.

2. Plan your journey well ahead of time. No matter the appointment always take safety first.

3. When in Danger dont panic but depend on Gods ability to save and deliver.

 
I will be doing a thanksgiving last sunday of september in my church. Please join me to thank God for deliverance.

Tony Akpokene

submitted by Vito Sawtell

 Humor me, and let me steer you to some thoughts to ponder.

Especially now, but has always been, we like things to be cost effective.  We want value.  We want to get our moneys worth. If we decide to pay a LOT for something we had better use it.  It had better be worth the sacrifice.  If dad buys a high dollar boat, you can bet mom is calculating just how much it is being used for that "family time together" line dad used in his rationalization to buy it.    Humor me some more---

Lets say you bought a bulldozer.  How much do they cost?? [I have no clue but for A LOT]  How often would you have to use it to feel right in having it??  I would say, a full 40 hour week for sure if not more.  When you did not have it scheduled to be used yourself, I would hope you would rent it to someone else.  Say you wanted to take a trip, would you feel right to take a vacation without someone using it while you were gone?  If at all possible, would you want your dozer to spend any time unused?

Ok, lets say someone bought that dozer for you.  Paid for it in full --- OK,  lets say they paid for it with ---- THE LIFE OF THEIR ONLY SON.   Killed, died, paid for, it's yours now, no payments.   Are you starting to follow me now??  Has the value of that dozer dropped?  Expectations for the dozer being used to be worthwhile changed??

God needs that bulldozer to be used.  He needs roads built that lead to His Kingdom.   You have nothing, but for what God has given you, and Paid dearly for.  You are a tool.  Built by the materials and experiences God has put into you.  A tool is of no use - unused.

Reflect – Give yourself to God.  Allow yourself to be used, worn, 'broken in', scratched, dented, dirty.  Only by the hands of the Master on the tool can anything be accomplished.  You know it --- 'tools make the job'.  Are you an accessible tool for God?  You have been paid for by the shed blood of Christ.   –Think on this some, and may you let God put His hand upon you.