It’s been forty years now since Jesus Christ showed up at the lowest point of my life and claimed me for His own. I remember it like it was this morning, and my passion to share that experience with someone every day is the one thing in my life that I can honestly say never changes. I am so blessed that God allowed me to write my book, “Face-to-Face with God.” It had been a dream of mine for many years, and now it has become reality. My prayer to God is that He will use this book to bring many people to Himself and also to encourage those who are struggling to help loved ones who appear to be on a course of self-destruction. After I sent an early version of the manuscript to a friend who has a prison ministry, he relayed to me the following story. In some ways, if this was all this book was meant for, it was a complete success, as far as I am concerned. But my prayer is that God will use it in the same way, many more times, to show others that no one is beyond the love of God.
“Jim, I gave your manuscript to one of the prisoners who is leading our Bible study here at the prison, and he took it back to his cell to read. He had been trying to share Christ with his cellmate, and he had just been told to mind his own business. So, here is a letter from our Bible study leader:
‘Well the day I brought back the manuscript I just laid it down in the cell and I left for some reason and when I came back my cell mate was reading it. I really didn’t know what to say so I just remained quiet about it for awhile. After a few hours my cell mate jumped off his rack and all of the sudden starting dancing around our cell saying “I got, I got, I got it”; I now know that I have not gone too far and I know that Jesus can forgive me and I know that He will love me like He did Jim. We prayed together and I saw Jesus transform his life right in front of me.’”
Well, when my friend gave me this letter, I just wept and remembered once again that moment when Jesus came to me and asked if I wanted Him to cleanse me and forgive me. I was just completely overwhelmed by God’s presence once again, because I knew the angels in heaven were rejoicing. In Don Wilkerson’s forward he mentioned how this book would minister to the up and outers as well as the down and outers. God has used me to minister to presidents of companies and very wealthy people with the same story of His amazing grace that touched this prisoner. At the cross we are all equal. The story of the cross doesn’t change because we all are sinners who need the Savior. My heart’s desire is for God to use me to bring others to Him through any means He wants to. My prayer is that God will use my book as I surrender it to Him as an offering to bring many others to Himself. In addition to evangelism, for over twenty-five years, God has led me to His men who shepherd His people in all types of ministries, and He uses me through the power of the Holy Spirit to renew their prayer lives and to encourage them in their walks with God. Dear pastor, ministry leader, man of God, if you are in a tough place in your walk with God, if the pressures of life and ministry are just too much right now, my heart’s cry for you is for God to renew you through a fresh touch of His hand by the power of His Holy Spirit. God has used me to minister discreetly to many of His leaders, and it would be a blessing to spend time with you in His presence. If I can help you in any way, please contact me today, and I know that God will meet us with His power.
