Divine Appointments and Miraculous Moments

By Ron Whited

Ron Whited has masterfully blended scripture with real life events. "Divine Appointments and Miraculous Moment's format is fascinating. Ron takes a story from scripture, crafts it into a historical novel. He then offers a remarkable corresponding present day experience from events in his life. His distinctive, animated writing flair makes the Bible and miracles come alive. The innovative and unique approach of this book will impact your life forever. You will be mesmerized by Ron's numerous testimonies of miracles. Ron's riveting storytelling will keep you spellbound from page one. If you enjoy reading about miracles, you have picked up the right book

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Dec 30, 2016
• ISBN: 9781681977607

Book preview

300497-ebook.jpg

Divine

Appointments

and

Miraculous

Moments

Ron Whited

ISBN 978-1-68197-759-1 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-68197-760-7 (Digital)

Copyright © 2017 by Ron Whited

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.

296 Chestnut Street

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Dedication

For my dad and mom,

who guided me to the gates of God’s Kingdom.

Foreword

According to Google’s advanced algorithms, more than 130 million books have been written in human history, so it’s truly amazing that present day writers are able to come up with titles that haven’t been previously published hundreds of times, but my friend Ron Whited has accomplished this. While the title is original, the focus of this book is as ancient as the earliest events of Scripture.

God shows up throughout the lives of those who trust in him. He orders steps, creates encounters, arranges moments that carry us along the paths of his design. Sometimes we’re immediately aware of his signature upon our experiences, and oftentimes we don’t recognize his coordination of these events until later, maybe even much later.

Ron and I shared such a God moment in the fall of 1974, when we met as eighteen year olds on the west hallway on the second floor of old Welch Hall at Central Bible College. His dorm room was directly across from mine. From the first introduction to the hour I am writing these words, our lives have been intrinsically intertwined.  It’s difficult to define one life apart from the others. A few doors either way, and life, family, and ministry would have unfolded very differently. I’m so thankful that God is still in the divine appointment and miraculous moment business!

I believe this book will encourage you on many levels, that you’ll be reminded of God’s faithfulness and promise, and that you’ll understand anew that he is showing up in your life, day after day, and that what He is designing for you is beautiful, and perfect. 

Thomas Mattiuzzo

Introduction

The journey in which you are about to embark is a compilation of occurrences and miracles that transpired over two thousand years ago and in the last few decades. The same person, Yeshua, performed the miracles then and now.

You will unearth a sundry of characters, with Jesus and Peter emerging in the leading roles. I loved writing about their interaction, their sparring, and deep love for each other.

I share Peter’s gift of impetuousness. I so relate to how it often lunged him headfirst toward a catastrophe and then left him hanging by his fingernails on the edge of disaster.

Fortunately, our greatest weaknesses have our greatest strengths attached to them. Peter’s impetuousness also thrust him into great exploits and incredible miracles that not one of the other disciples attained. As far as we know, Peter was the only disciple to walk on water. His heart was mostly spot on, but his mind and actions were often inherently off course.

The book’s format is atypical. A Divine Appointment and Miraculous Moment is extracted from scripture and presented in a historical novel genre. Then a coupling chapter offers a correlating present-day experience.

The title, Divine Appointments and Miraculous Moments came via reading about Jesus’s personal involvement in people’s lives and the miracles He presented them. A personal corresponding miracle is tethered in the subsequent chapter.

My hope is that when you conclude this book, you will not be satisfied with just reading about divine appointments and miraculous moments. But you will begin observing, living, and journaling your own.

How Ultimate Faith Works!

He had sustained an unrelenting, energetic stride up for hours, leaving the twelve men in His wake frazzled. They were trying to distract their minds from the miserable heat by watching the back of His sandals scooping up sand, tossing it in the air, and fashioning baby, billowy clouds.

His hair, clothes, and sandals had reached their saturation point hours ago. His wet leather sandals were squeaking loudly and working on a blister. Profuse perspiration was cascading down His face outflanking his eyebrows. This natural coolant morphed into liquid fire as it deluged his eyes.

The sun was glistening off the miniature streams, highlighting His ever so slight wrinkles and gentle smile. His heart was pumping desperately, trying to keep pace with the physical stress. But His impenetrable concentration, inner peace, and vivacious joy were insulating Him from nature’s oppressive antics, corporal distresses, and the antagonistic grumbling of His apprentices.

But that smile, oh, that beaming, mesmerizing smile was heralding to his followers that heaven was about to kiss earth. They knew whenever this boyish grin emerged a divine appointment and a miraculous moment were in the near future.

The dozen followers had seen that soft loving smile numerous times. They would be quick to offer a testimony as to how it had melted the hearts of the vilest of sinners, changed swindling tax collectors into givers, and transformed wild-eyed fishermen into followers. It had even cracked the rigid shell of a few religious leaders.

Unenlightened as to the purpose and destination of this mission, the disciples were dawdling like toddlers straggling behind their parent, pulling on their clothes, attempting to slow them down. Their persistent inquiring of How much farther? was definitely tipping off their utter lack of interest.

Peter was not the eldest, but undeniably the slowest of the lot. Being a type D personality, he was always the quickest to dole out his dogmatic opinions, whether you were interested or not. You either loved or hated the man within minutes of your first meeting, most people falling on the latter side of that fence.

Peter’s face was beet red, partly from the sun’s rays, partly due to heat exhaustion, but mostly annoyance. The other eleven were trailing him because he always had to be in the lead. Fatigue was exposing itself in his attitude and pace. When the others attempted to overtake him, he began swearing and informing them they had better back off. They followed his orders, not out of compliance, but to insulate him from their snickering. They knew this big burly teddy bear was more thunder than lightning.

Peter’s heart was pounding so loudly it was echoing in his ears. He was positive it was about to explode in his chest. The burning sand felt like flames leaping over the sides of his sandals, leaving his feet swollen and barking like big dogs.

John, the beloved disciple and Peter’s best friend, was walking beside him. Not intimidated at all by Peter, he inquired with a smile, Hey, old man, can’t you take it? Need me to carry you? My mother could walk faster! Knowing how to push Peter’s competitive button, John teasingly probed, Want to race to that tree?

Before John finished the sentence, Peter had taken the bait and was off running, or at least walking faster. After ten steps, John had a twenty-foot lead. John paused, turned around, and yelled, Is that a herd of winded camels I hear? Oh no, that’s Peter gasping for air.

Jesus and the other ten burst into laughter, making Peter’s face even rosier.

Peter abruptly stopped and bent over, put his hands on his knees, leaving his head dangling about waist high. He was doing everything humanly possible to ward off nausea and a looming feeling of fainting

In between wheezes, Peter began yelling, "Master, Master, Master, I’m a fisherman not a camel! Where’s the fire? You have kept this pace up for six hours. I’m dying here. We have to stop!"

Jesus, being out front, kept His face straightforward, hiding the fact He was chuckling. Knowing Peter was a drama queen, He just kept walking, pretending He didn’t hear Peter. He knew but didn’t tell His little flock that within two miles they would be drinking cool water from a well and finding relief from the sun’s overbearing heat under the shade of trees.

A half hour later this tiny band was clustering around a well. Jesus had lowered a bucket into the well, filled it with precious life-giving water, and was now making sure each man had a drink. Each disciple took their turn drinking from the common bucket, finishing it off with an, Uh delicious. He dropped the bucket into the well again, replenishing it with earth-chilled water.

The disciples, assuming he was reloading for a second round, were left wondering, Why would a King be serving his devotees? Shouldn’t we be the ones serving our Lord?

Jesus walked up to Peter and declared, In the Kingdom, the squeakiest wheel gets the first greasing. Bending over as if He was going to put the bucket to Peter’s lips, He poured it on his head instead.

Peter screamed, Sweet Jesus, what are you doing?

Jesus threw down the bucket and took off running, perused by a laughing, soaking wet Peter. Like two little schoolboys playing cat and mouse, they ran around trees, the well, and in circles around the eleven disciples, until their oxygen-deprived bodies fell on the ground in absolute exhaustion.

James picked up the cue and the bucket and slung the remaining water on Thomas. Judas picked up the bucket, refilled it, and chased down Thaddaeus. This continued until every disciple was soaking wet and saturated with joy.

Playfulness had ripped through this serious, worn-out group, transforming these strapping men into little boys, allowing them to escape momentarily from the scorching arid air, the Roman oppression. All the problems of life faded as they frolicked in this oasis of fun.

After the last snort of laughter was exhaled, it was as if God put a supernatural blanket of peace over each disciple, lulling them into two hours of baby-like sleep.

The next thing they were aware of was Jesus smiling and gently nudging each of them saying, It’s time. Each one made a mental note of how He lovingly woke them up. After the last disciple had opened his eyes, Jesus turned and with the same passion and vigor headed north again, initiating the second leg of the trip.

These private interludes with His dear friends unearthed an effervescence behavior that no miracle He performed ever did. Interaction with this tiny motley crew brought a sparkle to His eyes, which no huge multitude ever could.

Within the hour, this diverse little ensemble relapsed into their corresponding level of grumbling. The smack talk among the group was the resolute look He was toting, which meant the Father had given Him an assignment and that neither hell nor all the cantankerousness in the world could impede Him.

His elated, steely stare mesmerized them. The last time such a look had captured His face, they had walked about thirty miles in similar ungodly heat and there was a woman involved, a half-breed Jew.

Even though it had been two years, they vividly recalled that Jesus had tricked them on that trip to Sychar by sending all twelve into town to buy lunch, which Thomas said should have been their first clue. Leaving Jesus alone resting beside a well, they took off to purchase food. When they returned He was fully engaged with some morally loose Samaritan woman.

Today, they were preparing for any such trickery. There were pockets of discussion of what they would do if Messiah tried to send them away. The consensus was that they would not be so naïve and leave Him alone.

Thomas raised his voice above the chatter addressing the entire group, If He tries to send us away again, half us will stay with Him and the other half can go buy food.

Phillip, the comedian of the group, threw out a one liner as if he was fishing, How many disciples does it take to buy lunch?

Andrew taking the bait, inquired, How many?

Phillip with a grin responded, Twelve, one to purchase it and eleven to haggle over the price.

Laughter rippled through the group, severing the palpable agitation.

Jesus chuckled, turned around, looked at them said, You know I can hear you, right?

This caused another round of laughter to rip through the group.

Peter, true to his serious nature, piped in, making sure the eleven heard, I am staying with Him, and I don’t care what the rest of you do! As if putting an exclamation mark on his statement, he scampered up to Jesus and began engaging Him in a conversation.

Jesus, smiling, turned to Pete and said, Simon, I know this is a long journey, but I must be in Tyre by the morning. Father has informed me someone will be meeting us there.