Jesus' Death, my Death, and Your Death

On Father's Day 2015, I was taken to a mental institution. It was a profoundly humiliating event. Yet out of it God taught me many things: He brought me closer to the Lord Jesus than I had ever been before, he gave me greater confidence in the full truth of Holy Scripture, and he gave me greater kindness and tenderness, especially toward my dearest friend, my beloved Sandy.

June 21, 2015 seemed to be my darkest day. Yet because the Lord Jesus Christ was willing to die, falling into the earth as a grain of wheat, he bore much fruit (John 12:23-24). That fruit is evidenced in the changed lives of millions of people over the centuries.

What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. It is by his death and sacrifice that we are saved, not our own sacrifices (John 12:27-33).

Yet the Lord Jesus connects his death with a call on each of us to deny ourselves, our dreams and desires (John 12:25-26). And by his work, we are given the ability to follow in that same path.

What began to happen to me on that dark, dark day, was that God was carrying out his good plan for my life. God has healed and restored me. He has also fulfilled a second great calling on my life. In addition to serving as the pastor of a local congregation, God has called me to be a pastor to pastors.

Because of Jesus' death and resurrection, I have been able to embrace my death to self more fully. And I have a new ministry.

I have never been more fulfilled than I am now.

You have heard the precious story of Jesus.

You have heard my witness to Jesus' story in what happened to me.

What is your story? How might we pray for you?
What a good God we serve!