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Wednesday, November 21, 2007

BEFORE I WAS SAVED...

1. I was on the broad way (road) leading to destruction (Matthew 7:13).
2. I was lost (Luke 19:10; 2 Corinthians 4:3).
3. I was condemned already because of my unbelief (John 3:18; compare 1 Corinthians 11:32).
4. I was a lover of darkness (John 3:19).
5. I was under God's abiding wrath (John 3:36) awaiting God's coming wrath (Luke 3:7; Ephesians 5:6; Colossians 3:6).
6. I was an ignorant worshipper (John 4:22).
7. I was an evildoer deserving judgment (John 5:29; compare 3 John 11).
8. I was of the world and from below or beneath (John 8:23).
9. I was yet in my sins (John 8:21,24; compare John 20:23).
10. I was a child of the devil (John 8:44).
11. I was a Christ-rejecter (John 12:48).
12. I was a Christ-hater (John 15:18) and a hater of those belonging to Christ (John 17:14).
13. I was under the power of Satan (Acts 26:18; 1 John 5:19).
14. I was unthankful, not giving honor to God (Romans 1:21).
15. I was unrighteous (Romans 1:29-31; 3:10; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10).
16. I was under sin (Romans 3:9) and sin-sick (Luke 5:31-32).
17. I was unprofitable (Romans 3:12; compare Philemon 11).
18. I was without the fear of God (Romans 3:18).
19. I was guilty before God (Romans 3:19).
20. I was a sinner (Romans 3:23; 5:8).
21. I was without strength (Romans 5:6).
22. I was ungodly (Romans 5:6; 4:5).
23. I was God's enemy (Romans 5:10; Colossians 1:21).
24. I was a servant (slave) of sin (Romans 6:17,20; John 8:34).
25. I was deserving of death (Romans 6:23; compare 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9).
26. I was in the flesh (Romans 7:5; 8:8).
27. I was in danger of perishing (1 Corinthians 1:18; 2 Corinthians 2:15; Luke 13:3,5).
28. I was a natural man who considered the things of God as foolishness (1 Corinthians 1:18; 2:14).
29. I was under God's curse (1 Corinthians 16:22).
30. I was blinded by the god of this age (2 Corinthians 4:4).
31. I was part of this present evil world (Galatians 1:4).
32. I was dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1,5; Colossians 2:13).
33. I was walking according to the course of Satan's world (Ephesians 2:2).
34. I was a child of disobedience (Ephesians 2:2).
35. I was a child of wrath (Ephesians 2:3).
36. I was without Christ (Ephesians 2:12).
37. I was an alien from the commonwealth of Israel (Ephesians 2:12).
38. I was a stranger from the covenants of promise (Ephesians 2:12,19).
39. I was one who had no hope (Ephesians 2:12) and no foundation (Luke 6:48).
40. I was without God in the world (Ephesians 2:12).
41. I was far off (Ephesians 2:13).
42. I was walking in the vanity of my mind (Ephesians 4:17).
43. I was one whose understanding was darkened (Ephesians 4:18; Romans 1:21).
44. I was alienated from the life of God (Ephesians 4:18; Colossians 1:21).
45. I was ignorant (Ephesians 4:18).
46. I was blind and hardened (Ephesians 4:18).
47. I was given over to unbridled lust (Ephesians 4:19).
48. I was corrupt according to deceitful lusts (Ephesians 4:22).
49. I was once of the darkness and of the night (Ephesians 5:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:5; 1 John 2:11).
50. I was in the realm and under the power of darkness (Colossians 1:13; Luke 1:79; Acts 26:18).
51. I was one who did not know God (1 Thessalonians 4:5).
52. I was foolish (Titus 3:3; Romans 1:22).
53. I was disobedient (Titus 3:3).
54. I was deceived (Titus 3:3).
55. I was one who served various lusts and pleasures (Titus 3:3).
56. I was one who lived in malice and envy (Titus 3:3).
57. I was one who was hateful and was hating one another (Titus 3:3).
58. I was a sheep who had gone astray (1 Peter 2:25).
59. I was one who lived in the flesh to the lusts of men (1 Peter 4:2).
60. I was one who walked in lasciviousness, lusts, abominable idolatries, etc. (1 Peter 4:3).
61. I was sensual, having not the Spirit (Jude 19).

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About Me

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I'm just, a nobody, trying to tell everybody, about Somebody who can save anybody. First I want to give love to the Father for giving me the opportunity to be an instrument for him to live in and live through for the glory that belongs to only him and Him alone. I served in the United States Navy for twenty one years and retired September 2003. During the last 3 years of my naval career, I served as co-pastor of Greater New Refuge COGIC in Fallon, Nevada under the tutelage of Pastor Gregory L. Brown. While there, I diligently served my pastor and church with the construction of a new sanctuary, and caring for the needs of all ministries, while simultaneously striving to stay focused on the mandate that the Lord had placed upon my life to preach the Word of God without compromise. I was licensed to preach November 2002 and Ordained June 2003. While stationed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, I proudly served and as constituent of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church for seventeen years under the leadership of Bishop Elect W. D. Scott, Sr. and presently serve under the leadership of Bishop B. Courtney McBath at Calvary Revival Church in Norfolk, Virginia.

MY THEOLOGICAL TRAINING:

It brings to my face a unadulterated smile each and every occasion I am asked, “Elder Dre, What Theological Training do you have?”

My heart beams with joy at the opportunity to humbly give full glory to God as I reflect on on how the prophets, patriarchs and apostles of old would have respond: Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joshua, Gideon, King David, Elijah, Elisha, Jeremiah, John the Baptist, Matthew, Mark, Peter, James, John and the other disciples, not forgetting the Saviour Himself.

How would they have answered the question: “What theological training do you have?”

The words of the prophet Amos also came to mind: “Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit:” Amos 7:14

I surely am not impliedly decrying theological preparation, education or training: I consider it essential, but not as much as some think. For the fact is, the Almighty raises up believers according to His own standards.

Educational qualifications, wealth, fame, talent, social standing, outward appearance etc. are useful; but they are secondary in His sight. Qualities like faith, obedience, holiness, humility, honesty, absolute loyalty to one’s spouse, the ability to raise one’s family to fear God and keep His commandments etc.; these are the things the Most High values.

“Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”

Only on the Day of Judgment will it be known how truly educated, weighty and effective I have been. That is why I have to smile when the question arise.

The vanity of the question is only matched by the foolishness of my answer.

As the wise man wrote: “Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; all is vanity.” Ecclesiastes 1: 2 or as the apostle Paul commented in 2 Corinthians 11:16-30 when rattling off a long list of impressive qualifications “... I speak as a fool.”

Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. All who proclaim that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. 1 John 4:14-15 (NLT)

I am a preacher, but most of all, I proclaim that Jesus is the Savior with various applications of that truth in my everyday life. My dear friend, if you are a Christian, you are a preacher also. Whether you have been ordained or not, hired by a church or not, or ever been recognized as a preacher or not is beside the point. All who have God living in them are called to proclaim the Savior to the world. It is a Holy calling, and a demanding one. It will pull you out of your comfort zone, challenge your commitment, and help to develop you into the person God has created you to be.

John spoke as an eyewitness to Jesus' saving power. We speak as heart-witnesses; ones who have not seen Jesus with our eyes, but have experienced Him through personal transformation. I speak, and you speak, as a representative of Christ on earth. The message that we bring is simple, yet profound; that God the Father sent God the Son into the world to save those who are lost to bring them into relationship with Him. As you tell the story, and I tell the story, some will listen and receive the grace that God has sent us into the world to proclaim.

PRAYER THOUGHT: Father, what a privilege to be a spokesperson for You.

Thank you for stopping by. Stay encouraged and please do come back.