My Testimony






  

My Testimony


I was born December 1 1959. As a small boy of about 5 or 6 me and my brother Rick were dedicated to the Lord. Through a word of prophecy the Lord spoke His plans for my life. "You shall be a minister of the Lord". This prophecy would stay with me throughout my turbulent years of running from God. Soon after this event the family quit gong to church. Without Christ in the home each life began to fall apart. My brother went into drugs and alcohol which ended with his death in the city jail in 1988 at the age of 27.
As a boy from the age that i learned to read i loved reading books on the occult and horror stories. With out Christ i was plagued by emotional problems through out my early years. Anger, deep depression, and suicidal thoughts all hung over me like a dark cloud. As I grew i became compulsive having to touch things or due things a number of times believing if i didn't something bad would happen to me or others. Due to drastic mood swings i spent time in the hospital. Councilors placed me on medications to level out my moods.
With my life so messed up and having no control the devil would speak to me and offer me power and position in exchange for my soul. At first I fought these ideas until life became to miserable. At this point i accepted the devils offer and relinquished control of my soul. I never became a robe wearing candle burning Satanist but never the less i began to study and practice occultism. To people i was a nice boy that just had terrible emotional problems but in reality i had more problems than they or even i myself realized.
Through the prayers of a crippled and retarded aunt and the love and prayer of a mother in anguish for her son the Holy Spirit began to draw me. Life was becoming even more difficult emotionally. It was getting to where i could not be around people and could not function in school. I was also now becoming fearful of what i had done concerning my aggrement with the devil. In all of my torment, i would cuss and beat my hands bloody punching holes in the walls of the house, screaming and running out the door only to return late in the evening or early morning hours. I spent that time wandering the streets crying to God in anger to just kill me. When i would come home every one would be asleep but my mother. Mom would be sitting at the kitchen table with tear stained eyes waiting for her child to make sure he was ok.
It was during these times that God would speak to me through my mother. She would tell me about Jesus love for me and how serving God would help me and change my life "Jack if you will give Jesus your life I will to. We can start going to church together". These words touched me deeply that particular Saturday night. Jesus offers hope to the hopeless. That Sunday the Lord touched me at the alter. I went from a hopeless mess to a child of God with a purpose in life. To love God and serve Him. My mother and I began to attend church and my life began to change. Through out the years I have grown with the Lord. I have went from a paranoid, lost, mentally tormented occultic kid that had sold his soul and could not function in daily life to a child of the king. God took that high school drop out with a 1.70 grade average and made him a straight "A" student in bible school. Through God's blessing i now have an Associate in Theology and am presently working on a Bachlor in Pastoral Ministry. Most of all, the Lord fulfilled His word, he took a boy that could not even be around people and made him a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. A person who has a hope and a purpose in life.
I am married to a very beautiful lady, Becky. Together we have 7 great children. Jack, Sarah, Cassie, Jon, Chris, and Katelyn and Jason.  I also have 7 grand children.  We are the pastors of New Hope Christian Fellowship formerly known as Friendship Baptist Church, a charismatic Baptists church, in Ponca City, Oklahoma. My desire is to preach and teach the Word of God. Equipping the saints for the work of the ministry and to reach those lost and with out hope with the life changing message of Jesus great love for them.