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A Foretelling of My Future
Working my way through college with my young family was a time of difficulty. Carrying the workload of the Major coupled with 40 hrs. of two outside jobs was stressful for my family as well as for me. However, I was purposed in providing for my family in addition to being determined to obtain a college degree for the purpose of supporting my family the best I could. I was not a church member at the time, but I had a love for the Lord and believed in the Lord’s finished work and his sacrifice for us for eternity. This became evident to the Manager of the local YMCA when he called me in to discuss the head janitor who was a gentle out-spoken man and full of the love of the Lord. His name was Carole. The Manager wanted to know if Carole’s statements regarding the Lord were bothersome to me. I explained that I loved the Lord and that Carole’s statements and promptings were not a bother whatsoever. He explained that other people he had hired to assist Carole sometimes complained but was very glad to hear that I was not bothered but shared a love for the Lord. My favorite memory of Carole was every evening after work he would tell me, “Jesus loves you!” I would say, “Yes, I know Carole!” I learned a lot about Carole. Suffice to say that Carole, like me, was a picture, in his early years of the Prodigal Son parable. My view is that so many of us believers, in our youth, only really call on the Lord, when, due to our poor decisions, our options become very few and our outlook is less than bleak at best. It is then, when we are weakest when God’s power is released. (2Cor 12:9) I don’t believe God causes the strife, as fallen man will eventually find his end on his own. But, I think, God often waits until both ears and eyes are ready to see and hear Him. (I can imagine some of you are nodding) So here we are, Carole and I, both broken and pieced together, men of experience with resolution of the One we have submitted to. But, Carole had experienced his immersion. A condition, I learned, when God answers the most important prayer a believer can pray. After some time, Carole began telling me things that would happen to me in the future. For example, we were driving in Carole’s car from the store for supplies when a black 1974 brand new Chevy Impala passed us at break-neck speed in the right-hand lane. It was October of ‘73 and the new cars for ‘74 just became available. Carole said to me, “You’re going to have one of those. It won’t be that nice as it won't be brand new so don’t get too excited.” I laughed as I certainly didn’t believe him. However, 12 years later I found myself driving a yellow, rust-ridden, 1974 Chevy Impala. I never gave Carole’s statement 12 years earlier any credit at all! All I know is that upon driving that car after I had purchased it sometime before hand, I recalled sitting in Carole’s car 12 years earlier with him telling me that I would own a 1974 Chevy Impala someday. This is one of 14 foretelling statements that Carole explained to me. Every one of them came true. The last one was fulfilled 27 years later. One time while we were mopping the men’s locker room, he told me that I would be a big shot someday for a small manufacturer. He told me the manufacturer’s name. I certainly didn’t believe him and I never heard of the company. But he told me that I would wish I had asked him more questions about this job. He was right about everything as it all came true 7 years later. Another was that I would someday come back to the YMCA with my new wife and son. I would inquire of him. They would not know who he was nor ever heard of him. He told me he would be dead, but not to sorrow, as he would be with the Lord. After I had gotten the job Carole foretold, I hadn’t yet made the connection, but I had to go to the university library for some market research. I completed library searches nationwide for information I was introduced to while at college. My last effort was to go to my Ale Ma Mater’s library approximately 50 miles from my new job. I searched and searched but could not find the book or the info I was after. However, as I put the last book back in its place, Carole’s foretelling came to mind. I recalled mopping the men’s Lockeroom at the Y while Carole told me about this new job. It was like the Lord put me back in time with Carole as I mopped. This was the first foretelling I recalled. This was a revelation that became an anchor of my Faith and from which I referenced when the other foretelling's were revealed to me in their due time. Please understand that I did not have these on my mind, nor did they influence my actions to fulfill what Carole had said. It became clear to me that these were spoken to me from the Lord, Jesus Christ, from whom Carole was clearly gifted. (Later Bible study revealed to me that God hides things for his own purposes. Please note Duet 29:29 or Rom 16:25 or Luke 18:31-34 for examples.) As Carole’s statements came true, the same thing would occur. The Lord would put me in the space at the Y where Carole was speaking so that I would not miss one word or miss any meaning of Carole’s foretelling. A week later I had the opportunity to go to Chicago with my new wife and my new son. With the first fulfilled foretelling fresh on my mind we passed through the University town; I told my wife about Carole. I told her about Carole’s foretelling of my job as well as visiting the Y with my new wife and son. I went in an inquired of Carole. It was like going into an old theater to watch a movie I had already seen. I parked in the parking lot of the YMCA. I went in and inquired about Carole. Much to my anticipation, they knew of no one named Carole there. With that response I thanked them and went back to my car knowing that Carole was dead but with Joy as he was with the Lord Jesus Christ. The foretelling's have all been a blessing. Although some were not pleasant. Yet they all showed me who is in control. Paul tells us we were chosen before the world began to do good work for the Lord as He has predestined us to do. No one waived a red flag in front of us the day we believed or told us what we would have to endure to capture the life lessons we needed (sometimes for all eternity) to complete what He has started in us so that we can continue to complement each other as we work together on His agenda. Once we are saved, I believe it is then we must remind ourselves to fasten our seatbelts for the ride of the ages! Now with God’s Holy Spirit indwelling us, God continues to pursue and guide us to the locations and the mind sets and the lessons we must learn in order to do the work He has pre-ordained us to accomplish for Him. Rom 11:32 - “For God has concluded (bound) them all (all mankind) in unbelief (both Jew and Gentile) so that He can have mercy upon all.” (Please note that this is your journey. No one can tell you how to follow it or embrace it or actuate it. This is ALL YOU. YOU AND GOD ALONE. All prayers, complements, initiatives, events are yours, exclusively. The Lord wants to hear from you and your heart. He doesn't want to hear a wrote prayer nor what any person or Pastor may tell you what to do! It is your heart the Lord wants to hear from. So...give it to him in your way with your own heart.) In 2001, after one of the less joyous foretelling's came true, not only did God show me the scene where Carole had spoken this foretelling but spoke to my heart that this was the last one. I became frustrated and angry with the Lord. Here I was 27 years later since the first foretelling and although fully aware of God's hand on my life, I was no closer in understanding WHAT IN HEAVENS NAME WAS HE DOING! My outspoken demand was, “What is going on, Lord?!! I want to know the truth! I don’t want to know it from a Priest a Pastor or a Holiman! I want to know the truth from you and only you!!” The very next day the Lord put me into His book. He put an insatiable diet for His Word in my heart. I craved His Word. I read it every waking free moment I had. I even would have my wife read while I drove. I would dose off with it on my face. I would have dreams of the Lord and I reading together. All this gave me every bit of insight I needed to understand this fallen world and the remedy the Lord has already provided for every person that has or will ever live. The Lord showed me its perfection, its truth and the Revelation of who He is! The Creator out of time and space who is in the past, present and future all at the very same time just for YOU! What God did for me is no secret or a special circumstance just for me. He does this for every person. Please pray the prayer or rather the prayer He has prompted YOU to pray. Just please remember Romans 11:32. He has bound all to sin so He can have mercy on all. He did it, once for all. Now he does it just for YOU to bring YOU into relationship with the Himself. None-the-less, the Lord will tearfully and with great Joy in His heart for you, gladly, willingly and lovingly oblige YOU. Thank you, Lord. |
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