August 17, 2002

Running over with excitement

He knocked lightly on the door, he seemed to be afraid to disturb. He didn�t want to intrude into our private world of a rented house, even though he was the owner. He came to welcome us and to make us feel at home in the old house that he had restored. All this was normal politeness, an expression of the famous North Norwegian hospitality.
It didn�t take long for me to discover that his main purpose for coming was a different one. Bernt Tore is devoted believer and a skilled self employed plumber. Last night in their cell-group they had been prayer for one another for boldness and opportunities to share the gospel of the Kingdom with non-believers. Now he was sitting in front of me. He was almost bursting. He was bubbling on the inside. He couldn�t hold back anymore. He had to tell me of his wonderful day.
In the morning he was seeing his hairdresser. While he was having his hair made he discovered that the hairdresser had some problem with a child. That is, the child had problems. Some serious illness had been identified and his mother, the hairdresser, was despairing. Bernt Tore was able to tell her about one of his children that had been healed through prayer in the name of the Lord. He was sharing with her what God had done for him and his family offering to pray for her and her child. She happily accepted that. And Bernt Tore was walking on clouds when he left the hairdresser saloon.
At lunch he met with the local businessmen for lunch. They used to meet every Friday to have a lunch together and keep in touch. Bernt Tore happened to be sitting at the table of a businessman he had been praying for a full year. They were school-mates but had been out of touch in a long time for natural reasons. When the lunch was over and the rest of the businessmen were gone, the two of them were still talking together. Bernt Tore discovered that his friend of old was seeking God, but had been disappointed with the religious establishment. He was able to share with him what God had been doing in his life and how he heard from God and fellowshipped with God. His friend was really interested and accepted the invitation to attend one of the cell-group gatherings. After this conversation Bernt Tore was soaring to new heights in thankfulness to the Lord who had answered his prayers in such a wonderful way this day.
Now he was on his way to his next job assignment. He should install an outdoor Jacuzzi bath for one of the wealthiest businessmen in the area. After finishing the job, the businessman invited him to try out the new bath with him. In this beautiful day, with bright sky, sun shining, magnificent mountains surrounding them, Bernt Tore and the businessman were enjoying the Jacuzzi bath and entering into a talk about the deeper things in life. Again Bernt Tore could from his own experience tell of the emptiness for materialism and share his story of what God was doing for him. The businessman was eagerly listening to him and opening up by telling of his struggles and longing for a greater purpose with life. Bernt Tore was pointing him to Jesus � the unchanging King in the unshakable Kingdom.
It is now wonder that Bernt Tore didn�t know which foot to stand on. He hurried home to share the good news of his day with his wife. She was not at home she had taken the kids to the beach for a quick bath. Now he was sitting in front of me, joyfully telling me how God enabled him to share the gospel with three people that day. He was full to the brim; no in fact he was running over! He was like a refreshing river of life to me. His excitement rekindled something within me, causing me to expectantly rejoice with him.

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