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 Baptism during His Way of Hope Evangelistic Series, Negril |
Lord, Show Him that You are God of The Sea!
March 25 2012 #527by Pastor Vencot Dyer
Campaign Site Narrative. The speaker assigned to this site was Vencot Dyer.
We were nearing the end of our three weeks crusade at the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Negril, Jamaica. It was an awesome experience thus far! We already had seven individuals baptized at the end of the second week, and were anticipating a greater Harvest of souls at the end of the final week. However, there was one prospective candidate, Mr. Rose, a local fisherman and the husband of our Community Services Leader at the church, for whom we have been praying for a number of years. He agreed he was going to be baptized, and we were all so excited. However, on the day of the baptism, nine persons were baptized, but he never showed up. One week after the close of the crusade, I received a call from his wife saying I should come by, because he has decided to be baptized now, so I went to see him the Friday evening. He began to relate to me how God has worked to lead him to Christ.
His wife, Sis Marlene Rose, an astute prayer warrior, often prayed for him. About a year ago, he bought a boat and decided to go fishing that Friday night. His wife pleaded with him not to go, but he responded that he was going regardless of what she said, and that she could choose not to partake of any of that draught of fish. She stared him in the face and warned him; “The Sabbath belongs to God! And the sea belongs to God! And the fish out there belongs to God! So go ahead, God is going to show you who is God out there!” that night she prayed; “LORD, show him a sign that you are God of the sea.” He went fishing that night. He admitted that it was one of his best catch ever that night. But on his return trip from sea, his boat broke in two, and they had to swim to shore pulling the boat along, and lost all the fishes in the process. He was confounded and ashamed to return home and report what happened. But he had to. And she firmly reminded him of her words before. He was still stubborn nonetheless, and remained defiant.
When he never showed up for baptism on the final Sabbath of the crusade, she was very disappointed, as her sixteen-year-old son was a part of the baptism, and she wanted to see them both born into the Kingdom of God together…she went home and prayed again; “Lord, Show him a sign out there that his life belongs to you!” that Thursday night he and a friend went out to sea, unaware of what God was about to do. This was to be his most dramatic night yet!
They were approximately three miles out at sea on a little boat. He noticed the time, it was about 11:00 p.m. and the waves began to heave heavily. Suddenly they noticed water entering the boat. Frantic to secure the boat, they began to try helplessly to remove the water, but to no avail – their boat sank. His friend’s foot got caught in a fishing line still attached to the boat.
His friend cried out to him, “Rose, help me!” He swam to his aide, but noticed that the line was wrapped around his leg at least 12 times, and he had nothing to use and cut it. He just could not help! And he was already getting rather tired. He said “hey, you’ve got to try and help yourself!”
His friend called out a second time; “Rose, Help Me!!” Once again he responded, “You’ve got to help yourself, I don’t know what to do!” His friend called out in a very desperate tone a third time, “Rose help me!” He said he could hear death in his friend’s desperate cry, but never responded that time; instead, he began praying in his heart. In a brief moment his friend shouted, “Rose! The line is free!!” Rejoicing at the mercies of the Lord, they began their 3 miles swim to shore, already tired, beaten and battered by the billowing waves.
Their clothes, soaking wet, began to feel like a hundred pounds, so they stripped themselves and continued their swim naked, calling out to each other every now and then; as it was too dark to see each other. With physical strength failing, he continued to pray to God. And then they suddenly noticed a boat docked about a mile and a half out at sea.
They headed to the boat, calling for help, but no one responded. They reached the boat, climbed aboard, but noticed that no one was aboard. They could not understand how no one was aboard, but they praised God for his saving them and providing the boat for them. They rested for awhile, and then swam to shore, rejuvenated, and naked.
When he got home that night, he fell before God in tears and thanked him for his saving grace. He related his experience to his wife, and declared he would no longer be stubborn and defiant to God’s Holy Spirit. As he related his story, I sat amazed at how God has worked to show him the he is God of the seas. That Sabbath morning, Bro Rose took his stand for the God who saved his life from the angry waves. I baptize him that day in the witness of a rejoicing congregation! To God be the glory! Great things he hath done! His stand that day declared that God is still God of the sea.
His wife, Sis Marlene Rose, an astute prayer warrior, often prayed for him. About a year ago, he bought a boat and decided to go fishing that Friday night. His wife pleaded with him not to go, but he responded that he was going regardless of what she said, and that she could choose not to partake of any of that draught of fish. She stared him in the face and warned him; “The Sabbath belongs to God! And the sea belongs to God! And the fish out there belongs to God! So go ahead, God is going to show you who is God out there!” that night she prayed; “LORD, show him a sign that you are God of the sea.” He went fishing that night. He admitted that it was one of his best catch ever that night. But on his return trip from sea, his boat broke in two, and they had to swim to shore pulling the boat along, and lost all the fishes in the process. He was confounded and ashamed to return home and report what happened. But he had to. And she firmly reminded him of her words before. He was still stubborn nonetheless, and remained defiant.
When he never showed up for baptism on the final Sabbath of the crusade, she was very disappointed, as her sixteen-year-old son was a part of the baptism, and she wanted to see them both born into the Kingdom of God together…she went home and prayed again; “Lord, Show him a sign out there that his life belongs to you!” that Thursday night he and a friend went out to sea, unaware of what God was about to do. This was to be his most dramatic night yet!
They were approximately three miles out at sea on a little boat. He noticed the time, it was about 11:00 p.m. and the waves began to heave heavily. Suddenly they noticed water entering the boat. Frantic to secure the boat, they began to try helplessly to remove the water, but to no avail – their boat sank. His friend’s foot got caught in a fishing line still attached to the boat.
His friend cried out to him, “Rose, help me!” He swam to his aide, but noticed that the line was wrapped around his leg at least 12 times, and he had nothing to use and cut it. He just could not help! And he was already getting rather tired. He said “hey, you’ve got to try and help yourself!”
His friend called out a second time; “Rose, Help Me!!” Once again he responded, “You’ve got to help yourself, I don’t know what to do!” His friend called out in a very desperate tone a third time, “Rose help me!” He said he could hear death in his friend’s desperate cry, but never responded that time; instead, he began praying in his heart. In a brief moment his friend shouted, “Rose! The line is free!!” Rejoicing at the mercies of the Lord, they began their 3 miles swim to shore, already tired, beaten and battered by the billowing waves.
Their clothes, soaking wet, began to feel like a hundred pounds, so they stripped themselves and continued their swim naked, calling out to each other every now and then; as it was too dark to see each other. With physical strength failing, he continued to pray to God. And then they suddenly noticed a boat docked about a mile and a half out at sea.
They headed to the boat, calling for help, but no one responded. They reached the boat, climbed aboard, but noticed that no one was aboard. They could not understand how no one was aboard, but they praised God for his saving them and providing the boat for them. They rested for awhile, and then swam to shore, rejuvenated, and naked.
When he got home that night, he fell before God in tears and thanked him for his saving grace. He related his experience to his wife, and declared he would no longer be stubborn and defiant to God’s Holy Spirit. As he related his story, I sat amazed at how God has worked to show him the he is God of the seas. That Sabbath morning, Bro Rose took his stand for the God who saved his life from the angry waves. I baptize him that day in the witness of a rejoicing congregation! To God be the glory! Great things he hath done! His stand that day declared that God is still God of the sea.