Bruce Johnson, the wayward son in my family. Raised in church, "walked an aisle" at age six, but not of the Family of God until much later in life. Walking the aisle of the church does not make you saved, trusting the finished work of God in Christ Jesus does, and that did not happen at age six for me.
The greater rebellion began in my youth and teen years. I stole, lied, and disobeyed my parents, regu-larly. I used drugs, stole money for pornography, and had my first drink. None of which I advocate for the youth of today. I regret every minute of it now and would change it if I could go back and do it over.
I was told about God, Jesus, and church stuff many times throughout my life. I saw those things lived out in my parents. However, I never really heard or understood until one night in a revival service at our local Baptist church, the man preached that there is no safer place in the entire world than to be in the boat with Jesus. It does not matter the size of the storm, He has the power to calm it. (Matthew 8:23-27)
At that point in my life there were many storms blowing, not the kind storms that come and go but the kinds that stay and seem to last forever. Lots more drinking, smoking, cussing, never home, and those were the new ones I added to the ones from my teens. Things never change for the better until you meet someone with real power over the weather (sin) in your life. His name is Jesus.
I was driving an eighteen-wheeler three months after that revival service and was really feeling the weight of the storms that were bearing down in my life. I pondered many things... like, "I walked the aisle when I was six so I must be saved and am just hanging out of the boat a little." No, maybe a little worse than that, looking at all the stuff (sin) that I am doing, "I must be hanging on to the anchor rope and am being dragged through the water", NOT.
June 21, 1991 - 2 A.M. - West Texas, I saw the boat coming toward me and realized I was in the water (sin), drowning, and I had a terrible sinking feeling. Oh how I was in need of a Savior. If the Lord Jesus would not save me I was going to die, He was my only hope. His was, and is, the only boat on the water. I cried out, "Jesus". In that instant He reached over the side and pulled me into the boat with Him.
Sweet salvation!, A permanent part of His Family - Forever changed, I have never been the same since. He had, and has, the Power to calm the storms of life.
Forgiven of my past, present, and future, I owe to Him the life He saved out of love, respect, and awe for who He is. Jesus, my Lord, and my Redeemer.
Ordained deacon - 1992
Ordained minister of the Gospel - 1995
Commissioned as a missionary - 1996 and currently serving in Honduras, Central America.
Jesus lives! You want to know how I know? Its because He lives in me!
Ask me what you want, I'll tell you like it is. I've got nothing to hide for I have seen the Master and have been redeemed.
A Prayer for God to Bring You Through an Exhausting Life Phase - Your Daily Prayer - May 9
I came across Habakkuk 3:19 in my attempt to refuel my sunken strength and journal out these thoughts in my morning quiet time. And what spoke to me is this…