Club 52

January 16, 2009

An unusual thing happened to me just a little over a year ago. I was on my boat on a warm September day, anchored off a small island, worshipping God. I had only my Bible, a note pad, and some water and bread (I always carry bread in case the swans swim up to the boat, I feed them).

Suddenly, it was as if Jesus walked up to my boat and asked me a question. “David, will you help me raise up 52 new millionaires in the church?”

“Are you kidding me,” I thought, “I don’t know how to do that.”

Again, “David, will you help me raise up 52 new millionaires in the church?”

“Lord, you can do it, but I cannot. I don’t know how.”

“Throw some bread in the water,” I thought I heard the Lord say. So I did. Instantly, there were birds everywhere! I tried to count them, but I couldn’t. As near as I could figure there were 50 birds or more.

“Okay, Lord, I’ll do it if you show me how,” I breathed softly to the Lord.

Later I told my wife Mary Jo about this experience. The next week she wanted me to take her to the spot where I thought I heard from the Lord. So we boarded the boat, cast off, and headed for my “prayer island.” We came to the approximate spot and I dropped the anchor.

“It feels so holy here,” Mary Jo whispered. “Give me some bread.”

So I gave her some bread and she threw it into the water. Nothing. Again she threw some bread on the other side of the boat. Nothing. Still again, she threw some bread in front of the boat. Nothing. I then took the bread and threw a small piece overboard. Instantly, there were birds everywhere. I didn’t know where they all had come from. This time I could count them because they were separated on the port, starboard, and forward sides of the boat: 14 forward, 17 starboard, and 19 port … 50 birds in all. (I thought maybe there would be 52, but there were only 50.) Just then I looked, and there appeared two beautiful swans swimming up to the side of our boat. They were huge, much larger than the other birds. But the two swans made exactly 52 birds!

I sort of felt like this was a sign from God that 50 new millionaires and 2 new multi-millionaires would be raised up in our church. I have such a heart for missions and reaching the lost, I knew that if these people would use their wealth for the Kingdom of God, we could achieve wonderful things, God working with us.

Where do I start, I wondered?

So, I started on my knees and in God’s Word. He began to give me instructions step by step. It’s amazing walking with God. It’s not about money; it’s about obedience.

I didn’t want to be called one of those money-type preachers. Yet I said, “Yes, Jesus, if you’ll show me how.”

Over the course of the next several months, the Lord did just that!