Welcome, my name is Jack van der Tang from The Hague, The Netherlands, welcome to God Today. Today I want to talk about the scripture that was very important for me. I hope I can share how you can use it also if you have a situation where you need this scripture. It is about Proverbs 21. “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord. As the river of waters. He turns it to any place he will. Every way of man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the hearts to do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.”
It is about the heart of a man, it is about the heart of a king. It is so interesting. If you read also about Pharaoh and how Moses spoke to Pharaoh, you see in the first part Pharaoh hardened his heart, but then you see at the end, about 8 or 9, that the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh. It is very interesting to see how important it is and God is in control of our hearts.
I remembered I used this scripture when I was invited to fly and go to Minsk in Belarus, to speak there for some churches. And when I came to the airport, it was a little bit messy. I didn’t know what was going on, but later I found out there was a strike. I had no idea at that moment. When I was there and I went to check-in, they refused to check me in. They said, “Your name is not on the list.” I said, “I checked in, I have my paper and I am here.” I started to argue with him and he said I had to buy a new ticket. I said, “I am not doing it. I have paid and I am not going to pay again.” We started arguing and he became angry at me. Later, I think that was because of the strike. He said, “I am going to speak with my chief.” I said, “Okay, that is okay.” I was praying and I started to pray, “Lord, let this man, who is not a king, so it is much easier for you than the king, let his heart be in your hand so he will do, as the scripture says, what you want him to do.”
So, after a while, he came back and he said, “Jack, I can’t help you, but I am willing.” Wow, he is willing to help me. “But, my chief said if my computer is refusing, you have to pay. Even a ticket.” I thought, “Don’t react. First, wait.” I was trying with the computer to change the computer and change my name. He said, “It is not working.” I prayed very quietly, “Lord, the computer is not the heart of a king. It is much easier for you. I want to ask you that you will change something in the computer so that it works and he can change my name.”
Soon he said, “Wow, I don’t know what happened, but your name is allowed to change and I can check you in now. You can take the plane.” For me, it was such a lesson in what I am trying to do more when I am dealing with people and they are acting strangely. I say and I pray, sometimes soft in my heart, “Lord, let this person, his heart, be in your hands that he will do what you want him to do.” That is also what I want to say to you. If you are dealing with people and you don’t know why they are so cruel to you, pray this and God will deal with them. That is my lesson for you today. My name is Jack van der Tang.