No Miracle is Too Big

A man attended one of our meetings who illustrates God’s big love-plan as well as anyone I know about.

He had been born in a very poor home and was uneducated.

As he struggled in life, he began, as a young man, to steal. Then he began to have intimate sexual relations with the girls of his neighborhood. He used them, and if they resisted him, he abused them. Then shame and guilt began to cloud his life.

Finally, he married one of the girls. But he was not satisfied. He continued his promiscuous lifestyle and soon he was the victim of a venereal disease. A little baby was born to his marriage, but its legs were not normal. They never moved or developed.

Guilt depressed him. He knew that he had been responsible for bringing disease to his wife, that it had now affected his child.

As he tried to conceal his guilt by drinking, he developed ulcers, then cirrhosis of the liver, and before long, cancer.

The Price of Depression

There was little food on the table. Tensions mounted. Nerves were on edge. Then the man’s joints began to tighten as the pressures of life intensified. Before long, he could not lift his arms. His legs were painful when he tried to walk. Then he was obliged to use crutches.

Unemployed, afraid, resentful, guilt-stricken and angry, he hated himself—and he hated God.

In that despondent state, he heard of the crusade where we were teaching the gospel. At first, he presumed that we were foreign soothsayers or charlatans deceiving the people.

But then he asked himself, “What can I lose?”

So he hobbled to our public meeting on his crutches.

His wife accompanied him, carrying their little crippled boy in her arms.

There they listened as we taught God’s big love-plan, the gospel, to that field of people.

We did not know about his case in particular. But God’s love-plan had the answer which that father and his family needed.

As I taught, I explained how God created Adam and Eve well and happy, healthy and tranquil, with love and peace, with abundance and with purpose.

As that man stood there on his crutches looking at his little boy who could not walk, he thought to himself: “My wife and I have none of that. We fight and hate each other. We are sick. We have little food. We are poor. We are fearful. We are lonely. We are angry.”

The Beginning of Problems Then I explained how Satan came and caused Adam and Eve to doubt God’s word, and as a result, they lost their right to God’s blessings and were separated from Him.

I explained how that from that point, Adam and Eve became lonely and unhappy as they tried to live without God in their lives. Hate, lust and envy filled their lives. Problems evolved. Nervous tensions mounted. Sicknesses developed in their bodies. Finally they faced death, without God.

This man thought to himself, “That’s why we are lonely. That’s why I am in trouble. That’s why my little boy cannot walk. That’s why I am about to die of cancer. That’s why my body is filled with pain. That’s why I am full of remorse. That’s why my wife and I are nervous. We are out of touch with God. Our sins have separated us from Him.”

Love Never Gives Up

Then I explained about God’s big love-plan. I quoted the Bible verse that says God is love.1Jo.4:8 I explained that God’s love never gives up on us.

I quoted the Bible scripture that says, God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance,2Pe.3:9 and the verse that says, God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him would not perish, but would have everlasting life.Joh.3:16

I emphasized the verse in Romans 1:16 which says, The gospel (the good news) is the power of God.

What is the gospel?

It is good news.

What good news?

I told that crowd that night what the good news is. That man and his wife listened.

It is the good news of what Jesus Christ did for each one of us when He died, as our substitute, in our name, on the cross.

Good News for Whom?

I explained who the good news is for.

It is good news for each one who has sinned. Jesus bore our sins so that we do not have to bear them, but be forgiven and receive His peace.

Good news for each one who is sick. Jesus bore our sicknesses so that we do not have to suffer diseases and sicknesses, but be healed of them and receive His health.

Good news for each one who lives with guilt. He bore our guilt so that we can receive His par[1]don and salvation and be as innocent and blame[1]less as though we had never sinned.

Good news for each one who is condemned by the penalty of sin. Jesus bore our condemnation and offers His forgiveness and freedom from condemnation forever.

Good news for each one who is poor. Jesus bore our poverty in order to share with us His riches. Good news for each one who has failed.

You see, this man was a failure. I did not know his circumstances or that he was there, any more than I know about you, but God knew. So I explained: Jesus bore our failures in order to live in us and to share with us His success.

Good news for each one who is affected by an incurable disease. Jesus bore our diseases and suffered our death, so that He could give us His life.

That man nudged his wife, and said, “That’s the answer. That explains Christ’s death. That’s the gospel I never knew about. That’s not just a religion. That affects us and our problems.”

Then he thought to himself, “This must be too good for me. I am too far gone. My heart is too sinful. I am too sick. My child was born this way. Nothing can help us. We are without hope.”

But I kept teaching. I emphasized that the gospel is the power of God to everyone who believes.Rom.1:16

Believes what? Believes that what Jesus did on the cross, we do not have to do.

I reminded the crowd that Jesus said, If you can only believe, ALL things are possible.Mar.9:23

Tough Questions for a Tough Decision

Out there on that field that man asked himself, “Can I believe in this love-plan? Is it too good to be true for me? Did Jesus take my place?”

“Jesus was a good man. I have been a terrible person. I have wronged so many people. My life has been so destructive. Did Jesus Christ take my place? Did He suffer for my sins? Did He take my diseases, even this cancer, this arthritis?”

He wrestled with his own logic.

He reasoned within himself:

“I know what brought on this cancer. It was my lifestyle, my rebellion. Did Jesus suffer that for me? Jesus was too good to do that.”

I kept emphasizing: The gospel is the power that brings salvation to everyone who believes.Rom.1:16 “Only believe,” I said. All things are possible if you can only believe.Mar.9:23

Then I explained: You must realize that God’s big love-plan, includes healing, and forgiveness, and blessing, and abundance—everything that Jesus died to provide—everything that you can possibly need or desire from God.

And as I kept teaching, that man decided, “I will believe what Mr. Osborn is saying. I do believe it.” When I finished my lesson, then I helped all who wanted to pray to God, by leading them in a prayer.

He repeated the prayer, and as he did, he could not restrain his tears. He confessed all of his wrong doing to God. The reality of His love engulfed him. Peace and joy came to his life.

He and his wife found themselves weeping together, embracing each other.

The Healing Power of Love

They were in each other’s arms, when suddenly he thought of his little son. He told his wife, “Put him down, honey. I believe his legs are changed. Put him down.”

The little boy was perfectly whole. His little legs functioned and had become strong for the first time in his life. They instantly became normal by the miracle of God’s love.

Then he noticed that he did not have pains in his shoulders. His crutches were not hurting him. There was no pain in his knees.

He dropped his crutches aside and discovered that while he had received peace and joy in his spirit, the Lord had healed his arthritis.

He and his wife brought their little boy to the platform. The little boy was whole. There was absolutely no paralysis. They were overwhelmed with joy and gratitude to God for such a big love plan.

The family walked home together. Their house was now a new home, where peace had come to reign.

The happy mother fixed some food. It smelled good to the father. Then he realized that his stomach had no pain. The suffering from stomach ulcers was not there. And his side felt good too. There was no swelling in his liver.

He ate. There was no pain. He pounded his side. His liver did not hurt him. The cancer was obviously gone. The ulcers were healed. He was a new man physically, mentally and spiritually.

The Fruits of Friendliness

He began to tell people about God’s love for him.

His personality became pleasant and friendly.

The Bible says, If anyone is in Christ, that person is a new creature. Old things are passed away; all things are become new.2Co.5:17

He began to express his friendliness to people. He no longer accused and swore at people. He was no longer cynical or sarcastic. He could smile at people.

A businessman observed him and offered him a job. He did good at the job and succeeded. He was promoted in the company. His salary was raised time after time. Now he heads the company.

He is a faithful Christian. He is a product of God’s big love-plan.