I came from a background of religious confusion. I had changed churches, denominations and even been an atheist for a while because all the religion I had been exposed to left me troubled and doubting.
To this very day, the big names won't touch me. They are skeptical of me. When I converted to Oneness Apostolic Pentecost, I came in like a barnstormer. It was the most exciting thing that had ever happened to me. I loved the Oneness, Jesus' name doctrines. I loved holiness with a passion.
And I had lots of first-hand experience with Truth's competitors - those who preach and teach contrary, unbiblical doctrines - so I decried them vehemently. That unnerved a lot of people (and still does). Made them want to stay back from me. Lots of Pentecostals at that time were softening their convictions and compromising their doctrines, so the kind of stuff I was preaching was NOT what they wanted to hear. (Many of them have departed from the Truth since those days.) And to this day, a lot of my brethren refuse to trust me. They just think I’m too controversial.
Consequently, my 30+ years in Pentecost has not been easy. Satan has fought me like the Beast that he is. He has tried to kill me, destroy me, slander me, break me, stumble me, ruin me, and take everything that I have, over and over again.
The ministry that I have today was built with a giant bulldozer. I have bulldozed against all odds to reach multitudes of unregenerate lost souls. And by the grace of God, I am reaching and teaching daily Apostolic Bible studies to multitudes of subscribers and readers in virtually every nation and island of the earth every single day via an extensive Internet ministry. I press on. By the grace and help of God, I now preach to more people in a single day than a lot of preachers preach to in their lifetimes.
I think there is a lesson for all of us in this.
If you want to do the will of God, first of all you have to have a real relationship with God that is not diminished when men won't support you, and when slanders and rumors own the day. You have to persevere even when you are alone and nobody is paying attention. You have to pray and fast and cast out devils just about every day of your life.
But if you will press on, following nothing but the pure Word of God and the fresh leading of the Holy Ghost, God and His angels will direct your path. Doors will open. Ears will hear. Hearts will follow.
When all of this is finished, there will be a crowning day when every Child of God who ever lived will have to stand in silence as the King of Kings Himself places a crown on my head, and in the hearing of a multitude that no man can number, He will look directly into my eyes and say,
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| The Crown of Life |
That is the only recognition that really matters, and it should be all that we really need.
Some of you have had similar experiences. If you are in any kind of similar place today, take heart. You were born to serve the Lord, not men. And if you will be faithful to HIM, He will give you the Crown of Life that fadeth not away.
“Hold fast that which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.”
Never forget.
It's all for that Crown.
God bless you.
