Divine Appointments

Paul Whitley
Jun 24, 2022
7 min read

Updated: Jun 30, 2022

Someone needs a prayer

“Jesus, Jesus, how I trust him! How I've proved him o'er and o'er!”

The words of this old song passed through my mind today as Karen and I started our devotions. We pray every morning to be able to minister to someone. We trust Jesus for that. I prayed for two ladies this week. One was the nurse who gave Karen and I Covid tests . . . right up the nose and tickling the brain. After we stop sneezing, I felt led of the Lord to ask her if I could pray for her. She said, “Yes” and I laid my hands on her arm as she stood outside of our car as the tears began rolling down her checks. She was being touched by the Lord. Afterward she thanked us and said she and her family really needed that prayer today. When we were leaving, I reassured her of Jesus’ love for her and her family.

The second divine encounter happened while we were in Asheville. We thought we came here to have the opportunity to see our 11-year-old granddaughter, Haley, receive an award at the elementary graduation ceremony but God had more in mind. Unfortunately, we got lost in the hills of North Carolina where there were no cell phone signals, no GPS signals but, of course, there was a very upset grandmother. We arrived at school an hour-and-a-half late. The ceremony was over, and the children were back in their classrooms. We were let into the school and explained our situation and how we came all the way from Georgia. They were nice enough to let Haley come out of the classroom into the office. We told Haley how sorry we were that we missed the ceremony and how proud we were of her. We gave her a hug and her gift, and the Office lady took a picture of the three of us.

We were so disappointed. We felt like terrible grandparents and that we had messed up God's will for the day. But God was not finished with us yet . . . we had a divine appointment waiting for us in Asheville. God used our previous delay to get us back to Asheville just in time for the new waitress start her shift. (What satan meant for evil God can turn to good).

During lunch we could see that the waitress seemed to be very nervous. At the end of our meal,

I told her that she was a very good waitress, but I could see that she still seemed to be a little nervous. I asked her if this was her first day at work. She said it was and then I asked her if we could pray for her. We prayed and asked God to help her and bless her as she waited on people. You could tell she was very visibly touched by our prayer and thanked us that we were so sensitive to her situation. Her name was Shariada. The smile on that little waitress’ face and knowing that we allowed God to use us turned our very difficult morning into a beautiful day.

In both situations we had one plan and God had a another - a divine appointment. All we needed to do was to be sensitive to His Holy Spirit. In each case we were not in the church, we were not in a sanctified place, but God was waiting on us to let his children know how much He loved them and cared about their needs. Both of these ladies, the wonderful nurse and the sweet waitress, were in need of a touch from the Lord. What have we learned when things seem to be going wrong? Trust in the Lord!

Let me encourage you to pray every morning and trust Jesus for your own divine appointments, then be sensitive to those around you and to the Holy Spirit. Each of these encounters only took a very few minutes but each also made a great impact. God wants to use you to make a difference in someone’s life, someone needs a prayer!

We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work. (John 9:4 NLT)

News from Bolivia:

GUERRAHUAYCO

The May 27 Mother's Day evangelistic meeting went great. We got a good report from Pastor Joseph and Miriam. Because of your help and prayers, we were able to send them $300 and really bless the mothers. Joseph and Miriam want to give our supporters a heartfelt ‘thanks’ for encouraging them and coming along side with your help and prayers. They want to share one of the stories of the mothers that they helped and encouraged.

Alice is 45 years old. She has two children, one from a previous marriage and one child from her current husband. Her husband is addicted to alcohol. He is constantly angry with her and verbally abusive to her. Alice was also sexually abused when she was very young. She is a very hard worker and has taken all sorts of jobs to help support her children. She now works as a bricklayer’s helper.

Several years ago, Alice knew God and served Him for a while but then she separated from God and went back into the world. However, because of the ministry that is happening in her village, Alice is now reconciled with God. She is so grateful that we came into her village. She said that knowing God as Father has brought her great peace. Now Alice knows that she is loved by God and that she is the daughter of God, and she can take refuge and trust in Him.

Please be praying for safety for Alice and her children. Also please pray for her husband's deliverance from alcohol and to be saved.

Each Sunday the work with the children in the village of GUERRAHUAYCO continues and as you read in our last newsletter, it is a very difficult village. The children of the village have a newfound place of security and love as they learn about our precious savior. Please pray for Pastor Joseph and Miriam as they endeavor to move forward.

Caption: Pastor Joseph meeting with children | Meeting to honor mothers

TRAIJA

Pastor Elias and Milka have been asked to come alongside a young church in Tarija. Many years ago, this young pastor came to Elis and asked to partner with Pastor Elias' church in evangelistic meetings. Some years later he left for Argentina to go to Bible School. He has returned to Tarija last year and started a church there.

At this time, they have been evangelizing in remote, low economic neighborhoods in Traija where there are a great number of children and young people who need to hear the word of God. These neighborhoods are made up of families where there is a lot of violence, teenage pregnancy, and alcoholism. Evangelistic events have been organized to help support small churches and children's ministries that operate in these neighborhoods. The events have been very successful, and the children love to see them coming. The following is just one of the stories that is happening to the children, teenagers, and their parents.

Jose’ is a young man who had been depressed and was experiencing panic attacks. He was determined that he was going to take his own life and commit suicide. He happened upon one of these meetings and heard the word of God preached and learned that he was loved by Christ and that God had a plan for his life. That that meeting and the one that followed turned his life around. He says the Word brought life and hope into his heart. Jose’ and his Mother now attend church on a regular basis, and God is using Jose’ as he manages the stage lights during the church services.

Please be praying for safety and more anointing for Elise, Milka and the team as these neighborhoods are very dangerous.

News from Togo, Africa:

Report from Pastor Mawussi

The Disciples of Christ in Togo has gone through a very difficult time the last two years during

the COVID-19 pandemic because of the very strict regulations from the government. Our nation had been on locked down. Five churches were locked down due to government restrictions in the far-out regions with no means of transportation for me or my leaders to get to them.

However, the rest of the churches are growing in other regions with a continual move of the Holy Spirit in miracles of healing and deliverance.

Recently seven Muslims got saved and received Jesus as God. One of them who was near death from throat cancer was miraculously healed. The church in Kpalline has rapidly grown through house-to-house evangelism and many days of revival programs. Our strong weapon against the devil is prayer. We have many prayer meetings before we start a revival program. We sincerely ask for God to be in control, and He is faithful. We recently baptized 67 people - most of them were baptized with the Holy Spirit as they came out of the water, Praise the Lord!

Please be in prayer for Pastor Mawussi and his leaders. Pastor Mawussi has a double hernia

which causes him a lot of pain. The hernia makes it very difficult for him to walk. Recently the doctors told him if he didn't have the operation, it may cause infection to get into his bowels. The operation will cost $1200. Thanks to your support we were able to send him $600. We still need to raise the other $600. Pastor Mawussi is very grateful to God for his leaders. They have been doing so much of the work and visitation while he has been so ill. Please continue to pray for pastor Mawussi and his leadership team.

Thanks from Paul

We want to thank you, our Partners in the ministry, for your prayers and support. People in different parts of the world have been touched because of your faithfulness. We are especially grateful that your prayers and financial support have continued during my walk through the Valley of the Shadow . . . it is so good to be walking through this miracle of being restored to health. This is the first blog post I have made since 2020!

Please continue to pray for me and my ability to read, it has been slowly improving, but I cannot wait to be able to read the Bible.

Please pray for:

That the Lord orchestrates the plans for Karen and I to be able to return to Bolivia in September.
Maria, our faithful bookkeeper, who is having health problem.
Haley, our granddaughter, who has been hit with depression and strong emotional highs and lows.
Bev, our editor and technical advisor, she is having some health issues and trying can you start a new business.
Pray for the prayer requests in each section of this post.