Psalms 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.

Greetings in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Learned gentlemen of the board,

I’ve read much of what is posted on this site and find it to be Biblically accurate and inspired of the Holy Spirit.

I would greatly appreciate the board’s thoughts on what I have to write. I hope you will excuse the casual way in which it is written. I’m not up to an essay, so I have decided to write as if to a friend.

It is of course important that you know something about me. As I sit here, looking at the predominantly blank screen, I wonder, what really is important for me to write about myself. I come to only this conclusion - the moment God first made himself manifest in my life.

When I was twelve, while lying on a bare bed, in a filthy whole of a room, among the dog urine and feces of the animals with which I shared the room, naked in the cold of winter, without linen or covering, because I was being punished, I prayed out to God. I prayed to a God I knew nothing of, for I had never been taught anything about God.

My life until that moment was nothing but fear, pain and hopelessness. Something that revels in the pain, fear and hopelessness of children, was trying to murder my spirit. And it almost succeeded. It succeeded in doing so to my brother, God rest his soul.

In that moment of utter despair, I cried out to God to rescue me from this anguish. I cried out to Him to take my life; to mercifully end my life that I would not have to suffer any longer. No sooner than that prayer left my mind to be received by the mind of God, an answer came back. It was the first time God spoke to me. He had answered my prayer, but not in the way that I expected. Whereas he took my life, he took it to himself. My life was now His. The screen blurs as I remember again the joy of that moment and all the many ways that God has blessed me since. It was at that moment, that all the fear, pain and hopelessness of my life disappeared. The world had no more hold over me. God had snatched me from the jaws of Satan.

Although I knew God, I did not know Jesus nor the Gospel or Scripture. Other than hearing an occasional, “Jesus loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life”, I knew nothing of the Word of God for 30 years. For 30 years I lived in the world, but always felt God’s presence. But He was not Lord.

The path that I traveled in those 30 years could have only been made possible by God. It was against all odds that one would have survived that kind of journey, much less to have arrived at such an opportune time and place to serve Him now. Everything in the world had been working against me. So God had to be working for me, to His purpose. My life defies the laws of probability.

30 years later, I’m an IBM senior consultant. There were also some other minor consulting companies before then, but for the sake of brevity, I will start with the last. I did not have the degree required for that position, but God had made me so fearless in my pursuits, and I had built such an impressive resume’ pursuing excellence (excellence pleases God) in all my endeavors on my own, that IBM offered me $125,000+ to apply my skills for them. Money had never really been my objective in my career. What ever one does with excellence, they get paid well for doing. And that was always the case for me. I was divorced at the time. My ex-wife was a good mother, and for the love of our son, we shared well the task of raising him.

But I allowed myself to be seduced by Satan and his money. I took the job with IBM, and went off hither and dither at the whim and will of my now new lord and master, mammon. In doing so, I abandoned my son, and left him to the unmerciful forces of the world. It was the greatest sin of my life. All for the love of money and the things it could buy. Mark 8:36

It was only after 4 months with IBM that I could really feel the forces of evil bearing down on me. As an independent consultant, I could still be my own man, God’s man. But IBM wanted my soul. It was then I was starting to realize the problems my son was having in my absence. So I had a decision to make. It was time to stop living with one foot in Satan’s world and one in God’s world. It was time to make a commitment, heart, mind, body, and soul. It was then that I decided to leave IBM and fully commit my life to God. Matthew 6:24

Well versed in the Internet, I started to seek out God’s word. But His word was still foreign to me. It could not reach me, yet. 1Corinthians 1:18 Then I ran across a sermon on the Internet at SermonAudio.com Not any sermon mind you. It was one of the old sermons; a sermon preaching the Moral Law. Romans 7:7

I was smitten. What were these words that stripped me of my façade and left me bare? What was this feeling of conviction that I could not escape. This feeling that my conscience was a witness to; this offense for which I knew there was a price to pay; the price being God’s eternal punishment in Hell. 1Corinthians 6:9-10 I already knew God’s perfect love, or so I thought. But now I was learning about His perfect standard of righteousness, His perfect judgment. Later I would come know His perfect mercy and grace.

It was now with a feeling of urgency that I started searching the Word of God. How was I going to escape God’s death sentence for me? How was I going to get right with God? It was then that the Bible started to speak to me. Galatians 3:24 It was then that I found out what God’s perfect love was really about. I discovered that He loved me so much, that while I was still a sinner, He sent His son, made of a woman, sinless, to die for my sins, so that I would be redeemed in the eyes of God the Father. Romans 5:8 It was then that I threw myself upon the mercy of Christ. It was then that I became His bond slave, He my Lord and Savior. It was then that I was redeemed in the eyes of God the father and became a child of God. It was at that moment I became dead to the person I was and became a new person in Christ, with a new heart, with new desires and a new purpose in life - to serve the Lord. I was now born again into the Spirit of the Lord. Praise the Lord! 2Corinthians 5:17

My son and I had been estranged for years, because I had abandoned him when he needed me most. He had also become seduced by the evils of the world. The later part of this time he was in Iraq fighting the Islamic evil. For years after I had been born again I prayed for our reconciliation; that I could make right the great evil I had done. For years the world seems to constantly conspire to keep that from happening.

Shortly after, I left IBM. In 2000 the technology market collapsed. Virtually eliminating the contract work I was expecting to return to, for which I would not have to sell my soul. Then the 911 attacks hurt business. Then the government decides to allow hundreds of thousands of foreigners into the country to take the tech jobs for which I was qualified, and with the experience they gained, the foreigners could then take the jobs back to the their own countries. But I continued to pray, trusting in the Lord that in His time and His way, he would be merciful to His loyal and loving servant.

Then it happened. It was with a heavy hand that God answered my prayers. Hurricane Katrina struck. I was there in Lakeview New Orleans for the entire disaster. And I thank God I was. I could not believe what I was witnessing. I pulled two women, an 8 year-old girl and an 18 month old baby out of the flood water. They were fleeing the 17Th Street Canal breach, but had been cut off by the London Avenue breach.

After 3 days I evacuated. I then found myself on the side of the I-10, with thousands of other evacuees, with nothing but the clothes on my back. I of course decided to put it all in the hands of the Lord. That began a 9 month saga of endless opportunities to glorify God. As strange as it would seem to the world, it was the best thing that could have happened to me. The events that followed have helped me immensely to grow closer to my Lord and become a better servant. In my wildest dreams, I could not have imagined this happening. All is according to His divine will and plan.

To bring the story to-date, I now live in a FEMA trailer in Lafayette, La. I love Lafayette. It has all the infrastructure and conveniences of a city, but with a Cajun country charm. My son, back from doing his duty in Iraq, lives in a FEMA trailer in the same park. The park manager is a great guy. My son is now soundly saved and hungers for the things of God. The change in him and in our relationship has been nothing less than miraculous. Only God changes people this way. I am blessed more than any man has a right to be. We are even starting a business together. He has started college and is taking Communications. He is enrolled in an online School of Biblical Evangelism; a school that is part of the ministry whose teachings were instrumental in both of us being soundly saved.

I performed my first witnessing in Winn Dixie a couple of days ago. I keep with me a million dollar bill in the top pocket of my shirt. It is not real of course. But it has a Gospel message on it with the web site addy of Living Waters, a ministry that teaches the salvation methods of that of our Lord and Master, hence the name of their course, Way of the Master. I also keep with me an optical illusion cards with a Gospel message. It will be great for getting the attention of a family with young children. And I also keep some micro pamphlets with more detailed information. All of it has the Living Waters web site addy on it. The million dollar bill is also good for slipping inside of things. Like an NIV Bible in Walmart, he he!

When the bag boy in Winn Dixie asked me about the bill he saw in my top pocket, I responded in the way I had been training for months. It was surprising how easy it was. It only took a moment until I had several people around. I could not take too much time because I was in the middle of their business. But I don’t know when I’ve seen more intense looks on people’s faces. Some were smiling ear to ear, ecstatic that someone would care enough about them to take the time to tell them about the things of God. Others looked as if their consciences were bearing witness to the sin in their lives. You can tell when the Law is doing its work. Romans 3:19 Especially when it is done by someone who is Spirit filled. They can feel the power of the Spirit in you, even though they do not know it yet. I’m having a business card made that I can pass out with the Gospel tracks. I call it a Bible card. I’m having my contact information and web site printed on it. The back of the card will have Bible study resources of the type that helped me.

http://www.wayoflife.org/
http://www.swordsearcher.com/
http://www.livingwaters.com/listenwatch.shtml
http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermonsbible.asp

I am now 50 years of age. My son is 21. For years God has be leading me in prayer to a ministry to His glory. I am careful not to become willful and be led off by the force of my own will, which is the path of destruction. So I do as the Lord commands and pray “unceasingly”. I don’t need to know the ultimate goal of what God wants me to do. I only need to know that I’m doing what He wants me to do, today. We will see about tomorrow when it comes.

It weighs heavily on my heart that so many hunger for the Word of God but can not find it. Overwhelming, the churches, even in the Deep South are increasingly apostate; even those who call themselves Independent Fundamentalists Baptists. One of the things God had me do when I was first saved was to discover the state of His churches. There were 16 affluent churches within a 1 mile radius of my former home in Lakeview. What I found was sobering. But the lesson was essential in my walk with the Lord and, I believe, my ministry to come. At the time I didn’t understand why He was sending me out into that apostate world. But as I have written, I don’t need to know in order to obey Him. What I also discovered though, was that there are still Bible believing churches, filled with the Holy Spirit. But one really has to look for them. They are few and far between, literally.

So I believe my ministry is this; connecting Bible believing churches with those that are lost in the world and seeking God’s Truths, using the technical and communications talents and skill I’ve developed over the last 30 years. Everything that has happened in my life to-date, I believe has prepared me for this ministry.

This is what I am planning, and only by the power of God, will it be accomplished. I think of these as God sized objectives. As the Spirit filled sons of the Almighty, it is in those terms that we should be thinking.

I want to create video “stories” of people and groups who are doing the Lord’s work. Documentaries would not really be an accurate description. Perhaps a new genre of story telling would be required. I have pioneered new techniques and methodologies in the computer industry for 30 years, so venturing into the unknown and creating “out of the box” solutions is not new to me. And that is certainly so for God. It is only by the power of the Holy Spirit that I will be able to create the videos that God is leading me to do.

I have a lot of ideas on the format, formula and style this story telling might take. It is really still in a conceptual state in my mind. Of this though, I am sure, the Lord is still doing miraculous things in the lives of sinners, and I feel I can tell that story, and through the Internet, and other electronic distribution mediums, bring it to a world that is desperately seeking answers.

The objectives of the videos would be:

1) Lead the lost to the knowledge of their sinful state. Not by cursing the darkness, but by showing them their sinfulness by applying the Law of the Lord - The Ten Commandments - then shining the light of God’s perfect justice, mercy and grace on their sin, by showing them examples of the lives of Christian who are examples of that light. And in doing so, bring conviction. One could describe it as salting a horse’s oats and then pointing it in the direction of the pond. That, at least, is a good starting point. We must bring them to Mount Sinai, before they will seek Mount Zion.

2) Lead the lost to the Internet resources where they can get soundly saved. I have found that the resources I listed previous to be effective for someone beginning in their walk with the Lord. It worked for me. The combination of audio sermons, Bible study software with commentary and a web site that promotes sound doctrine is a formidable combination. Perhaps a discussion board would be a useful addition.

3) Lead the lost to a body of Bible believing Christians for fellowship, so that they can grow in their faith. The body of believers that the video was made for would certainly be a good place for fellowship.

My son and I have all of the equipment needed to make professional looking videos for delivery via DVD and over through the Internet. That includes prosumer production equipment like camera, microphone, light and reflectors. We also have the prosumer post production equipment like the video editing computer, designed specifically for this type of work (built it myself) and all the needed software. It is all digital, so it will look and sound great. We can do it in either TV format 4x3 or theater format 16x9.

We also, by the grace of God, have a well known family of Christian musicians willing to provide the music track. That was a real blessing. One of my requirements was a Christian soundtrack, created by Christians. I am prepared to use professional voice-overs if that is required. But I am inclined to let them tell their own story in their own words and voices. The appropriate Scripture will be used. That is of course, where all the authority lies.

So what we are doing now is looking for a story to tell. Preferably, near Lafayette, La. All the churches in this locale are highly apostate. It makes me ill to be in them. I don’t believe that the pastors are ignorant of what they are doing. I can’t fathom what kind of men those pastors are that they lead the lost to Hell but the droves. The churches are run like cults. One of the characteristics of a cult is the unquestioning loyalty to the cult leader and his doctrine.

I am seeking the opinions and suggestions of this board. What do you think about what I want to accomplish? Do any of you know of a church that would be willing to work with my son and I to tell their story? The product would be a DVD that they could use in their soul winning efforts. This will be our first attempt at creating such a video. So they would have to be willing to work with us and be patient. We are not asking to get paid. Although room, board, and a home cooked meal for the few days that this videography will require will offset our out of pocket costs.

I don’t know what will become of this initiative. But it is what God has been guiding me to do for the last 5 years. Thanks for taking to time to read this. And may the Lord bless you and yours.

In His service,
Search4Truth.

This post was last modified: Fri Jun 16, 2006 04:05 PM by Search4Truth.

I read your testimony. I am also a SOBE graduate and it has exploded my heart for sharing the soundly-saving gospel. I am creating a local website, 4given4ever.com, that was to simply contain 100's of testimonies of people sharing their coming-to-Christ stories, orgainized into categories of addictions, pornography, illness, adultry issues, loneliness, or even searching for meaning. Your testimony is excellent because it clearly describes in detail the real spiritual journey of your bancruptcy and guilt under the law, repenting for your sins, seeking mercy, and having been greatly loved surrendering your life to the Lord Who bought you with His blood, and leaving the world behind.

I am very intrigued with your ministry dreams. I have had ideas for the same but without the tech savvy to produce what you have described, so I have focused on the website (not up yet - I am no tech-head). I am a Head-hunter by trade (formerly an IBM core recruiting partner before the tech crash).

Please tell me what you are producing. I always thought it would be very effective to produce witness DVD's pointed to high school students and college age, containing theory-tale of evolution, believer's testimonies, slams on revisionist history by quoting the raging Jesus lovers that founded our country, etc.

Hi Brother Dave,

Thanks for taking the time to read my testimony. I had all but forgotten that I wrote it. Going back and rereading it was interesting. I can't believe I wrote all of that. It's the first time I've told that story publicly.

In marketing one learns the importance of defining one’s target market. After much thought, prayer and the guidance of others, I have defined my target market as primarily church going Christians.

A respectable polling company published the statistic that only about 2% of those that call themselves "Christians" or it may have been "born again Christians", it really doesn't matter, share their faith. It was C. H. Spurgeon who said, "If you are not sharing your faith, you are not a Christian". And I believe that is true. If one truely believes that they indeed have the gift of eternal life, a free gift of God, then how could they not want to share it with a world that is perishing?

Apostasy is the great challenge for the body of Christ in this age. One could see that as a great problem. I see it as a great opportunity. Remember in the story of the Prodigal son, how joyful both the father and son were, when the wayward son who was once lost, returned home again, to a great celebration.

I believe there is a great hunger for the things of the Spirit in the Church. I intend to feed it. To help bring home those who have wandered astray.

The Free Presbyterian Church, who separate from the world and error, have created some interesting videos. They are also Calvinists I believe. I don't understand Calvinism, but I see some of the Biblical authority for it. So did C. H. Spurgeon. There is a danger though, in trying to get into the mind of God. I don't think that I need to understand all that God has to say in His word, in order to be His obedient servant. I am after all, just a servant of the Lord. Their position does not dampen their zeal for evangelism though.

I have spoken with two Pastors with their Free Presbyterian Church denomination. Pastor David DiCanio creates their videos for them. He is Godly man with a talent for communicating through a multimedia medium. Here is a link to his latest creation. Mission to Africa. It is a most worthy endeavor.

http://sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?cu...=690616185

I am not opposed to doing something like that, if the Lord leads me to do so. Pastor Dave is graciously sending me some other video of what he has done for the church. I might even get some raw footage from him to reproduce something he has already done. Just for practice. Although, for what I want to do, I have very specific raw footage requirements.

Below is something of the type I am more inclined to start with. Mine would be about 15 minutes long and would tell the story of a single Christian individual’s need. I could do numerous ones in a single trip. I would then bring the story of that need back to those who can fill it. I can find the prospective individuals through the local churches there in the Philippines.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLpTqxQ8K7s

One of the problems I see in the church is the profound lack of gratitude on the part of those who have everything. I am hoping that connecting those who have nothing, but the Spirit of Christ, with those who have everything, except the Spirit of Christ, will benefit both. It is that kind of symbiotic synergy I am looking for with the presentations I create.

I like the Philippines as a starting place for my work, because it is an easy country to travel to, is relatively stable, friendly to Americans, speaks English and has a tremendous need. I have traveled to inhospitable countries such as in Eastern Europe and South America, and I know the realities of being in an entirely foreign environment. Without an extensive support structure, you are helpless. Which is dangerous.

That then brings us to the subject of distribution. How do I get the presentations I create in front of my target market?

As I mentioned earlier, my target market is primarily church going Christians. So I could send these presentations to the churches through the Pastors. I would do so through the various places Pastors congregate, like Sermon Audio, discussion boards and their various associations all online on the Internet. My distribution cost will be nil because all I have to do on the Internet is publish a link to the video file. There will be no copyrights of course and copying will be encouraged.

So that is my starting plan, I have no idea where it will go from there. That is up to the Lord to decide. I will follow where ever He leads me. My son will be an integral part of whatever I do.

Now we move on to your idea.

Here again, you must define your target market. Are they Christians? Or are they unrepentant sinners? I believe on the advice of a successful Christian Movie maker that Christians are a much easier market to target for spiritual things. And true, born again in the Spirit Christians, on fire for the Lord, will go out into the world and create soundly saved converts. Sound sage advice from a guy who has been there done that at considerable personal expense.

The next consideration is, what is your message to your target audience? What do you want to accomplish with them and for them?

And finally, how are you going to get that message to them, or in the case of a web site, bring them to your message.

Think about that and we can discuss it more. The hosts of this web site have graciously allowed me this thread to discuss these topics. I look forward to your continued contributions.

May the good Lord bless you and yours abundantly.

In His service, S4T.

Here is a link to some slide shows I have done. Thought you might like them. http://www.photodex.com/sharing/memberbrowsego.html Search for Search4Truth. One of my favorites is Mission in Barranquilla.

This post was last modified: Wed Jun 14, 2006 08:35 PM by Search4Truth.

S4T,

Thank you for that testimony. I apologize for not having responded sooner. It is a great blessing to see the converted soul and God's work in a persons life. Again, thank you.

P.S. I also am into video/audio editing. I don't have much time to do it anymore because I am a network administrator for a big company, but it is still a little hobby. I pray the Lord will bless your endeavors into that field.

Love in Christ,

Jim

Thanks Brother Jim,

Your prayers and blessings are an encouragement to me. I was praying to receive them.

Thanks again for allowing me this thread. I don't know what will come of this initiative. But I do know that it will follow where ever the Lord leads it.

In His service, S4T.

I have created a 65 sec video intro which is symbolic of the kind of videos I ultimately want to create. It may become a signature video with which to identify the work I am praying that I will be doing; that of documenting the needs of those in the most dire of circumstances, and then showing those documentaries to those who who have the heart to help.

In His service, S4T.

http://tinyurl.com/295sr3

This post was last modified: Sun Jun 24, 2007 11:36 AM by Search4Truth.

Wow! Thats really beautiful.

Ray

Thanks Brother Ray,

I will be rendering a new higher resolution version tonight. It takes twelve hours to render. ARGH!.

As I was racking my brain (which is what I do when I try to solve a problem through the strength of my own mind) to find an identity and a name for the video making I pray I will be doing, I finally realized that I needed to turn to Scripture for the solution. I'm slow but I'm steady.

So I prayed on it. Then I searched the Scripture and found what I believe to not only be the authority for this work, but also the mandate. What could be clearer?

This is My Commandment.
That ye love one another,
as I have loved you.
John 15:12

Hence the name, John 15:12 Productions.

Thanks for your encouragement. S4T.

P.S. Just realized I made an error: "my" should be "My" in the video.

This post was last modified: Wed Jul 12, 2006 06:09 PM by Search4Truth.

Very well done brother. I know it will take a lot of learning, but you seem to be grasping it quickly and well.

I wish you the best and may the Lord Jesus Christ bless you in your ministry for Him.

Love in Christ,

Jim

Thank you Brother Jim,

The technology is easy for me, having worked with technology for 30 years. But that was with business applications where the goals were objectively defined. But story telling is different. It is the subjective art of story telling I will have to work on. But by the unlimited grace of an omnipotent God, I believe He will guide me in what He wants me to tell, and how. I'm so excited. Praise the Lord. All I have to continue to do is keep my head buried in His word and my heart subject to His Spirit.

These are some of the parameters that I've decided on:

1) My stories will revolve around individuals. I will want the viewers of the video to get to know the person[s] intimately. I want to use the video medium to bring people together.

2) The individuals will be Christians with observable fruits of the Spirit.

3) Each story will be about a problem that needs solving. I'm not interested in charity which only creates dependency. I'm interested in projects that have a beginning, middle and end. I guess I just can't get away from the consultant in me.

For instance, a family in the Philippines can feed themselves for generations if they have a boat to fish with. All they require are the funds to acquire the materials to build the boat, maybe $500. The family builds the boat themselves. It takes about a month or so. I've read about it and have seen pictures. But I want to make it personal by getting to know the family who will be building the boat, their walk as Christians, and how they will go about building the boat. And finally, how it will benefit them and the community in which they live. Then I will take that story back to the US and show it to those with the heart to help that Pilipino family build their boat. I would later very much want to create a follow-up story. It would complete the project and the cycle. It will be the story of God’s love in action for the entire world to see.

I've joined a new church, after having looked for months and finding nothing but apostate churches. But by the grace of God, a few weeks ago, a black man knocked on my door and simply asked me to come to his church. I asked him which Bible they study from, he said the KJV. I said I'd be there. I was impressed by this man who obviously walked his talk. His name is Sasha.

When I arrived for the Wednesday night fellowship I was pleased to see the whole congregation on its knees praying. I immediately thought to myself, these are God's people. They spend about an hour before each sermon praying together. It is mostly a black church, about 60/40 black/white. But the Pastor is white. So many churches these days are segregated by class and race. That does not please God. I like these people, a lot. Real Christians are so easy to love.

This Apostolic church is also affiliated with 9 other churches in the state of like faith. That gives me a great audience of bended-knee Christians for my stories.

Praise the Lord, all the promises of His word are true. If one simply has faith, all the truths and blessings of the Bible will be revealed to them. Believing is seeing.

I never doubt His word anymore. All I ever doubt is my worthiness to be a son of God and a servant of the Lord. It is only to glory of God that I do this task. It is only by the power of God that I will accomplish it.

In His service, S4T.

I just wanted to update this thread to note that the Apostolic church that I attended for only a few weeks was a cult. I am without a church, as has been more the case than not. But I am never without Christ. Neither am I without fellowship thanks to sites like this. Praise God.

The church has been for me to-date... an experience that is hard to describe. The only words that come to mind are; apostasy, ungodliness, hypocrisy, backstabbing, pretense, deceitfulness, unloving, uncompassionate, proud and worldly. I know those are harsh words and I don't use them lightly. Churches that still hold to the KJV Bible are fewer and fewer. Most use those moderns versions which are the products of the enemies of Christ which I will have nothing to do with. I wont even enter a churches that uses them. Can anyone who loves the Lord do less?

I have been able to accomplish nothing for the Lord through the modern these churches. My attempts to serve have only been met with suspicion and contempt. Facilitating service is one of the churches' functions. I don't have the scripture handy for that assertion, so correct me if I'm wrong.

I have, praise the Lord, been able to do a lot of evangelizing on my own. By the grace of God, I've recently brought one elderly lady to the Lord who I rescued from Katrina and who now lives in an apartment complex for the elderly. Through her, I'm starting to reach other elderly people there. Mostly whom are Catholics. But the empty idolatry of Catholicism is not match for the word of God. I have found that I don't need to preach against Catholicism, but simply for the truth. Thank God the power is in the seed, and not the sower.

Spurgeon said: “Live a holy life . . . . I have heard it said that if there is a crooked stick, and you want to show how crooked it is, you need not waste words in description. Place a straight one by the side of it, and the thing is done directly."

In His service.

P.S. I will be posting the first segment of my movie for your critique. Be there, or beware.