At about 4 a.m. this morning, I read the above statement on Facebook, and the Holy Spirit drove it into my heart. Yes, drove it: pressed, pushed, steered, ran, hurled, plunged, well, you get the drift. Anyone who has told you that God the Holy Spirit is always gentle doesn’t understand Scripture well. This statement hit me like a ton of bricks.
On December 5, 1970, while stationed in England, God called me to preach the Gospel. I had many excuses, but I eventually yielded. I was 20 years old. I knew my mission. Out of all the universe, He had called me, as He had called many others before me, to follow Him. I have not always listened, but God has continued to call. Even in my deep period of darkness when we lost Christa, the call remained, but the evidence of that call was smothered by grief.
Lord willing, I will be 75 in late July —fifty-five years older than the young Airman who answered the call in England. I have been given many opinions, and most have been to relax, take it easy, enjoy life, stay away from stress, you’ve done your time, etc. But before all these opinions, God gave me a mission, a purpose, and I have not heard him change it. It is why I started a blog. It is why I spend 30 to 40 hours a week working on my YouTube channel and Facebook. So, as I approach 75 and knowing I am living on the short end of the candle, and recovering from a stroke, I still seek His will to accomplish my mission.
Let me say that the Holy Spirit prepared my heart earlier yesterday evening when one of my best friends called. We talked for nearly an hour. The gist of our conversation was him reminding me to stay in the race and challenging me to pick up the pace. He also offered to help me pick up the pace. His phone call and the message on Facebook have greatly impacted me.
I’m not sure what picking up the pace looks like. I’ll be praying. It could mean investing more time, energy, and dollars in social media. It could mean a more personal, face-to-face, and public ministry. It could mean something I have not considered. Others speak into my life, and I will listen to their prayerful counsel, not opinions, in the days ahead. I ask for your prayers, your thoughts, and your support. I hope to drop a YouTube video with this same message soon. Please subscribe so you don’t miss it.
https://bit.ly/overflowingHope180 Subscribe button is just to the right of my picture.
May we all continue to run the race and be able to say with the Apostle Paul:
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4:7
Dr. James D. Allen
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Dr. James D Allen
Dr. Allen served as a seminary VP, pastor, and as a trustee on a Christian mental health Board. He has earned a BA, MA, MA Biblical Counseling, Doctor of Ministry. Dr Allen has also preached on 5 continents, lived in 3 nations, and so has a diverse Christian experience. He has a distinguished career of being a pastor, consultant, author, and educator. MY FIRST LOVE--Being a Pastor and encouraging others!
