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I read the comment recently by a classmate that she had turned 70. We all know it is hard to believe but its true we are all getting there, if we have not already. I would like to take this opportunity to share some thoughts with anyone who is interested. Let me begin with a personal testimony. As you can see from my profile I am a pastor. I have pastored RockPower Church in Des Moines for 31 years. I have no plans to ever quit. In fact I expect the next 10 years to be my best. I was not a nice person in school. I thought more highly of my self than I ought. I mostly hung out with guys in the class of 1963, with the exception of Joe Childs I never had any close friends in our class. I was raised in an upper middle class home, I never went hungry and I never attended church. I was an unbeliever until Christmas day 1967. I was in the army, in the mechanized infantry in Viet Nam. As I was walking that day, around 12 noon I took an step and instantly I knew there was an God. In fact I said out load, my God there is a God. And I knew instantly that God was nothing but good. I knew God was not the problem, and that He could get me out of Viet Nam whole I did know known anything else about God, I knew nothing about the Bible, I knew nothing about Jesus. I has only 1 prayer and that was God please get me out of here with my arms and my legs. I prayed that prayer thousand of times. I eventually threw that prayer out and prayed God please get me out of here alive. I was wounded and sent to Japan where the doctors said to the nurse keeping then paper work leave here 30 days and send him home. After making sure what they meant by home. I raised my hand in the bed, in a room with over 100 other beds in it and I said out
loud thank you God, if I ever need your help again I will ask.
Now to make sure you understand I was not a Christian just because I believe in God. If I had been killed I would be in hell.
I went to a hospital in Texas and the day they sent me home on leave, I went to get draw some clothes, I was the only one in the room with 2 legs.
I did not talk to God again for 6 years. Then one night I came home about midnight, I owned Pizza Villa in Marshalltown. I turned on my dining room light and went into a dark living room and prayed for the 1st time since leaving Viet Nam in 1968. I simply prayed God help me I am unhappy. And my living room lite up bright and my living room floor became a checker board and at one end on a stool was Jesus, I thought it was God, I did not know no man has ever seen God At the other end of the board on a stool set Satan the devil. I was shocked, I never thought there might be a devil. But there is. And I was the only one on the checker board, and I was at the wrong end of it. I knew instantly what the message was, just as you do. I imagine some of you think I am crazy or lying. But I am not crazy and I have no reason to lie. God is real, Jesus is real and the devil is real. I did not know what to do, I did not know any one I could talk to, and I would not have talked to anyone if I did. I got out a Bible and turned to the New Testament but I did not find the answers. A few days later a customer asked me if I would like to go to a free Jonnie Cash concert at the John O'Donnel baseball stadium in Davenport. I went and John and his whole crew played, and they took a break - they never came back on stage- and a preacher named Tom Barnet came out and preached the gospel. I was 27 years old and I had never heard the gospel. I never heard that Jesus went to the cross willingly to pay the price for my sins and yours. I knew I was a sinner, but I did not know there was a way to be changed. He gave an alter call to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior and I did. And I was born again. I had a gun in my pocket, I had carried a gun since I got out of the army. I was born again on a Sunday and on Monday I went to the pawn shop and sold that gun. The want to was gone the hate, and strive in my heart was gone. That Sunday I made the most important decision of my life. I made a life changing decision, I made an eternal decision, the best decision I ever made.
I said all that to say to you if have read this, there is only one way to heaven
There is only 1 name given under heaven my which a man can be saved.
There is only 1 person who ever lived who was sinless and could die for your sins. I have nothing to gain by telling you these things, but you have a lot to say by listening. Many of you were raised in a church, I had to tell my own mother that just because she went to church she was not a Christian.
I do not mean to offend any of you, but I do hope to enlighten you.
There are many good things about church, but church cant save you, baptism is great but it wont save you. Good works are good but they wont save you.
My younger sister Roberta, whom I know some of you know, said I know being born again is real because he used to be terrible. I man in the Bible asked what must I do to be saved. The answer is found in Romans 8:9,10
You must believe in your heart, that Jesus died in your place, He died for your sins, and believe that he rose from the dead [which is the proof that God excepted His death for yours] and receive him as your savior by declaring with your mouth that HE IS NOW YOUR LORD. And you shall be saved. Please do not count on any religion to save you, they can't. Jesus will.
If you have any questions or comments and wish to contact me my e-mail is pastorrockpower@aol.com My cell phone is 515-979-1948. or you can contact me through our web site just google RockPower Church. I hope I have been of some help to some one.
