Daily Encouragement For July 13:

God's Provision And Protection

A missionary was serving as a medic at a small field hospital in Africa.
Periodically he had to travel by bicycle through the jungle to a nearby 
city for supplies. It was a two day trip so he had to camp out overnight.
He had made this trip several times without incident. One day however, he
arrived at his destination and saw two men fighting. One was seriously 
hurt, so he treated him and witnessed to him and went about his business.

Upon arriving in the city several weeks later, he was approached by the man
he had treated earlier. "I know you carry money and medicine," said the
man to the missionary. "Some friends and I followed you into the jungle
the night you treated me, knowing you would camp overnight. We waited for
you to go to sleep and planned to kill you and take your money and drugs. 
Just as we started moving into the campsite, we saw you were surrounded by
26 armed guards. There were only six of us and we knew then we couldn't
possibly get near you, so we left."

Hearing this the missionary laughed and said, "That's impossible. I can 
assure you I was alone in the camp site."

The young man pressed his point: "No sir, I was not the only one to see the
guards. My friends also saw them, and we all counted them. We were 
frightened. It was because of those guards that we left you alone."

Several months later, the missionary attended a church presentation in 
Michigan where he told about his experiences in Africa, including this 
incidence of God's protection. One of the congregants jumped to his feet,
interrupting the missionary, and said something that left everyone in the
church stunned. 

"We were there with you in spirit," said the man. The missionary looked 
perplexed. The man continued. "On that night in Africa, it was morning 
here. I stopped at the church to gather some materials for an out-of-town
trip to another parish. But as I put my bags into the trunk, I felt the 
Lord leading me to pray for you. The urging was so great I called the men
in the church together to pray for God's protection over you."

Then the man turned around and said, "Will all those men who met with me
in prayer that morning please stand?"

One by one they stood -- all 26 of them!

Author Unknown

“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.” - Psalm 91:1-4.