Last winter one of my messages that Our Lord gave me was about a cat that had come to live outside of my house. The cat did not obey. He did not stay off the mobile home roof and got hurt one night when he jumped off in the dark and did not see where he was landing. Another rule that he had to obey was to stay out of the 40’x60′ storage building.

Last Saturday I decided to mow the lawn. When using the lawn mower, I always leave the storage building open. I mowed most of the day. At one time I saw the cat, stopped and fed him, and then continued mowing. That evening, after I had finished the mowing, I drove the mower into the building, shut it off, got off, pulled the large door closed, and went into the house. Later that evening I noticed that the cat had not eaten all of his food, so I did not give him anymore. The next morning, as I left for church, I noticed that his food bowl was empty but I did not give him more because he was not around. That evening I fed him again and the next morning his bowl was empty but again he was not around so I did not feed him any more. Monday morning I did not see him so I did not feed him.

On Tuesday mornings I always go to the jails in Hartville and Ava, Missouri and am always gone until late in the night. Tuesday night I got home at 10:40 and went to bed as soon as I had read God’s Word for the day and prayed myself to sleep. On Wednesday, I always stay home to write a message, write letters and do the things around home that need to be done. That morning I was out burning a stump in the yard when a neighbour who had an electrical problem stopped at my house. I had finished the message, my Bible study, prayer time and letters for the day. I wanted to go to town to check in with my boss and also check the Post Office box to see what mail had come in that week. So I tried to tell the man how to fix his electrical problem himself. He left telling me that if what I had told him did not work that he would be back in a few minutes. I told him that would be fine.

If I had to go to his house that would work in with my going to town, as they were both in the same direction. He returned and I told him I would be there in a few minutes.

I got into the car and Our Lord spoke to me to get an empty gas container from the storage building. I thought “but I don’t need gasoline for the mower, I am not going to mow today,” so I went on to the neighbour’s house. I was finished in a few minutes and as I started to pull out of his driveway, this small, still voice spoke to me again and told me to get that empty gas container. I am a slow learner but I have learned that when Our Lord speaks the second time, I had better listen.

So I returned home, got out of the car, unlocked the door to the storage building and was about halfway across the width of it when I heard this almost dead sounding, “Meow, Meow”. I looked as the cat crawled out from under a car. I asked, “Tom cat, what are you doing in this building? You know you are not to be in here.” The cat did not answer me but Our Lord did. He said, “Bill, sometimes we put ourselves into places that we have no business being, like this cat did. And when the door closes we are trapped and we cannot get out for spiritual food and water.” It was then that I realized that the cat had been trapped in that metal building since Saturday afternoon. Three hot days in a metal building without food, water or light. No wonder he looked almost dead.

Now the truth came to me. For the last three weeks I had been going into enemy territory, putting myself in a position where I had no business being. Our Lord, in His Loving Kindness and all His Grace, had for the last three weeks been telling me that I was putting myself in much danger. A married woman had been coming to my house one day a week for prayer and Bible study. Fortunately I had mentioned this to Pastor Gary Stigall when in Ava each week. The first time he warned me that I was going into enemy territory. I assured him that there was no problem, I would not weaken, and I was in control. From that time on my relationship with God was more distant, my prayer life seemed as though it was brass; my reading of God’s Word seemed as though it did not speak to me.

Wednesday morning when I awoke, I read Proverbs 13 (on the 13th day of the month), and did it ever speak to me, along with remembering the two near car wrecks that could have been fatal and now the disobedient cat. As I drove to town, Our Lord and I had a talk. I would obey Him. I would tell the young lady that if she wanted to continue to have prayer and Bible study that she would have to bring her husband with her. As soon as I obeyed, I began to experience The Power of God returning in my heart. I really started to experience His Presence that afternoon when I followed through with the commitment I had made to Him to not allow any more prayer and Bible study alone with this young lady. The real joy came later that evening while cooking my supper over that burning stump. The Lord spoke to me and said, “Bill, I Love you so much that I allowed that cat to starve, thirst and suffer the heat so that I Could Use him as an example to get your attention.” He, in His All-Knowing Knowledge, knew what it would take to get me to listen.

Now restored, I tell you after those last three weeks, “It is a fearful thing to fall into The Hands of The Living God” (Hebrews 10:31). I know in my heart that if I had not chosen to stop having the Bible study that the door would have closed and there would have been no escape left. Our Lord has been trying to get the attention of some of you reading this, as He was mine. Stop now, repent, turn from your sinful ways, and seek Him. He Will Restore you to His Holy Presence.

Now while there is still time, get out of enemy territory. Get back on safe ground while there is still time.

Author unknown. If anyone has a proprietary interest in this story please authenticate and I will be happy to credit, or remove, as the circumstances dictate.

Thanks to Bill Dorman chaplain@bdadvertising.com