I LOVE TO TELL THE STORY!

I love to hear stories of people’s success in business, in their profession, over addiction, in family, and just about any success story.  I watch YouTube to see some of the great golden buzzers on America’s/Britain’s Got Talent.  When someone comes to the stage and everyone is thinking, What is this Dork doing here?  You watch the crowd’s faces and Simon Cowell when a  fantastic performance brings the crowd and Simon to their feet.  It lifts my spirit, and yes, I will even shed some tears of joy at times.  I don’t have any relationship with the person and no knowledge of their background, but I am FOR THEM.

I have seen many negative things in my life while ministering in many countries and on five continents (North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa.  I have lived in two other countries besides my own.  I have seen brutality, torture, hate, extreme zealots, the aftermath of churches destroyed by radicals, children living in garbage dumps, a baby with cigarette burns on his body, the aftermath of civil war, abuse by law enforcement and military, death,  the aftermath of children lined up along a wall with the father shooting a shotgun between them for discipline, abused children, abused adults, and watched the life of my 35-year-old daughter go quiet after a car accident.

I have had knives pulled on me, and automatic weapons pointed in my face more than once.  My life has been threatened several times, and I have been shot at as a young man with my dad. Because of my uniform, I have experienced the spital of others running down my face, had rocks thrown at me, and had offensive words hurled at me.  I have ministered in dangerous nations and violent cities. I have ministered to bikers who were considered outlaws, prostitutes, madams, johns, bandits, and murderers.  Besides all this, I have visited others in prison.

I could go into detail.  Some reading this know some of the stories; you were with me. I have listened as women shared their stories of bondage, as two of those bikers prayed with me privately and cried for many years of cruelty; I have listened as adults told me of abuse they experienced as children that was so awful, I can’t even remember these without tears of pain,

If you have made it this far, let me say I still have HOPE.  My hope is in the person of Jesus Christ.  I have seen miraculous transformations in lives.  One of the greatest was a man who drank a fifth of whiskey a day for many years.  He was in his 80’s.  He finally came to church with his wife.  That day, that moment, at that time, he gave up the bottle and received Jesus as His Savior.  Never a drop again, and I know, I officiated at his funeral.  He became a great volunteer for things no one else wanted to do.  His countenance glowed.  He had joy.  I could tell you of other transformations that are so wonderful, of women delivered, of airmen changed, of marriages healed, of people turned around by Jesus.

Besides all of this, the protection that God has given me over the years.  Things I could not share in this blog but amazing acts of His grace and provision.  As we look at our country today, I have hope.  Not in the mob.  It is not the violence of so many subversive groups on both sides of our divide, but in the hope that it is Jesus Christ! 

I will be praying for my new President Joe Biden and VP Kamala Harris.  I will pray especially for our President, who, with age, the burden will be weighty.  I have prayed for every President and, to my knowledge, never said he is not my President of any President.

2020 has made Americans understand the fragility of life and how quickly peace can turn to chaos in Portland, Wisconsin, Minneapolis, or the greatest shocker of all at the very heart of the seat of our nation—Washington.  God has proven consistently that He is in the business of reformation, and that gives us hope. Paul tells us in Philippians 4:6,7

⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (NIV) 

Paul says to pray with thanksgiving.  Look back today and consider what God has done.  Focus on the positive and let faith grow in your heart, and HOPE becomes the source of your determination.  My grandfather loved the song. I Love to Tell the Story.  Take time today to tell yourself and someone a story of God’s provision in your life.  Let it bring HOPE.

I Love to Tell the Story

I love to tell the story
Of unseen things above
Of Jesus and his glory
Of Jesus and his love.  

For all the lyrics, go to:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrCpKa_xOcE   and Alan Jackson will sing it for you.

Have a weekend filled with HOPE!

jda/2021