KTK - A Loaf of Bread

A

certain rich man once tried to '\ pretend that he didn't believe in God. He tried not to see God's love in anything or anyone.

He would say, ~

"I'm an atheist. I do not believe in God:"~ I only believe in myself and money." He was very proud but he wasn't a happy man.

Just across the road from the rich man lived a very poor, woman. Unlike the rich man, however, she greatly loved Jesus and although she was very poor in this world, she was very rich in faith and God's Spirit, and was happy, peaceful, and loving to all.

But the rich man was not a good neighbour to her. He could not understand how she could be happy without money. He especially could not

understand her love for Jesus. But if you want to know a secret, he was jealous of the poor woman, and even angry that all his money couldn't buy him the happiness she had for free. So, in his selfishnessand lack of love, he was sometimes quite mean to her.

Often when the woman was walking along the hot dusty road into the village, the atheist would ride by in his fine carriage and say, "Well, how are you today?

Hot isn't it? Why doesn't your God turn down the heat a little for you?"

And then he would laugh at how clever he was and drive on without even giving her a ride.

The rich man was not this mean to everyone. important man in the village.

He was a very

But th_epeaceful woman

reminded him too much about God and so he liked to bother her all he could. He even did many silly tricks and said many unkind things to upset her. In spite of him, however, the poor woman kept her inner peace and her faith never failed.

It was strange that the tricks he played on the woman never seemed to work as he planned.

Still

his lack of love did not make her difficult

life any

easier, and his foolishness often deeply saddened her.. ~

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One day the rich man was out ,for a walk with his dog and passed close by an open window of the woman's little house. Inside he could hear her softly talking to someone. He was very curious to know who she was ~--"'----1trtalking to, so he came closer to the window to listen. , The woman was praying

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and talking to Jesus.

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"Dear Lord, I have no bread to eat today, nor h money to buy more. You said in Philippians 4:19 a you would supply all of our needsthrough your riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Pleaselook after me Lord, in Jesus' Name, I pray."

The atheist was touched inside for a moment, but soon an impish smile came on his face. He thought of a new trick to play on the woman. He ran quickly and got a nice big loaf of bread and tossed it in through the open window.

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The lady was thrilled.

God had answered her prayer so quickly!

Immediately she began to praise the Lord and to thank Jesus. "Oh, thank you Jesus for this wonderful loaf of bread!

Truly you have never failed! "

1I Suddenly she heard

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very mocking laugh. And the atheist stuck his head through the open window. "Ha!" he said, "It wasn't God at all!

It was me! ' But to his surprise, the woman only smiled peacefully and went on with her prayer and praise, "Oh, thank you Jesus! Thank you Jesus! You sent me this loaf of bread, even if you had to make the devil bring it! Thank you Jesus! " The man's face turned a bright red. His joke had not worked again. Off he went in a very bad temper, and was quite grumpy the rest of the day. But deep down inside he felt just ja little afraid. He was wondering if perhaps God really had used him to answer the woman's prayers.

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