FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD SHORT VERSION

GETHSEMANE

TWELVE DISCIPLES DESERTED HIM AND FLED

TWELVE LEGIONS OF ANGELS STOOD BY

HEAVEN’S ATTENTION ON THE CHRIST

TEARS FELL THROUGH THE LIGHT OF GLORY

AS GOD SILENTLY WATCHED HIS SON

THE GREAT I AM

LED LIKE A LAMB

HIS FACE LIKE FLINT TOWARD CALVARY

POWER GIVEN FROM ABOVE

FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD

HE GAVE HIS ONE AND ONLY SON TO DIE

THAT WHOSOEVER WOULD BELIEVE IN HIM

SHOULD NOT PERISH

BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE

CALVARY, WHEN CHRIST LEFT ETERNITY

CALVARY, WHEN CHRIST LEFT ETERNITY

TOOK ON THE YOKE

THE LIKENESS OF HUMANITY
WHO BEING IN VERY NATURE GOD
DID NOT CONSIDER EQUALITY
SOMETHING TO BE GRASPED
BUT HUMBLED HIMSELF 
EVEN TO DEATH ON A CROSS

HE OFFERED HIS BACK

HE OFFERED HIS BACK TO THOSE WHO BEAT HIM

TO THOSE WHO PULLED OUT HIS BEARD

HE OFFERED HIS CHEEK

FROM MOCKING AND SPITTING

HE HID NOT HIS FACE

LIKE A LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER

SILENT AND MEEK
NOT FEARING DISGRACE
FOR THE SPIRIT OF GRACE
DESCENDED TO HELP HIM
HE SENT HIS FACE LIKE FLINT
KNOWING HE WOULD NOT BE PUT TO SHAME
WHO WOULD CONDEMN HIM?
LET HIS ACCUSER CONFRONT HIM
THEY WOULD ALL WEAR OUT
FOR THE SOVEREIGN LORD CAME
TO VINDICATE HIM
HIS LIFE TO BE POURED OUT
A GUILT OFFERING FOR SIN

THE CROSS, THE CROWN OF THORNS

THE CROSS, THE CROWN OF THORNS

THE WRITTEN CHARGE ABOVE HIS HEAD

HIS APPEARANCE SO DISFIGURED

BEYOND THAT OF ANY MAN

FLOGGED, MOCKED, STRUCK, SPAT ON

INSULTED, OPPRESSED

HIS FORM MARRED BEYOND HUMAN LIKENESS

DESPISED AND REJECTED BY MEN

THE LOVE IN HIS EYES

AS HE LOOKED TO THE SKIES

AND SAID, ‘FATHER, FORGIVE THEM’

THE DEMONIC WORLD TOWERED

FROM THE SIXTH HOUR THE SUN STOPPED SHINING

THE WHOLE LAND BECAME SHADOWED WITH DEATH

AS UNAPPROACHABLE LIGHT BECAME THE BLACKEST SOUL

LIKE A SERPENT ON A POLE

A PROPHETIC SHADOW IN A DESERT LAND

ATOP A HILL IN DARKEST SPACE

GOD INCARNATE UPON A TREE

FOR THREE OMINOUS HOURS

THE DEMONIC WORLD TOWERED

A BATTLE FOR THEIR VICTORY

THE CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD TO DIE

GOD'S HOPE FOR ALL HUMANITY

WHEN SUDDENLY AT THE NINTH HOUR

JESUS GAVE A LOUD CRY

'MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?'

PARTED BY THE SIN OF THE WORLD AS HE PAID

HE WHO KNEW NO SIN BECAME SIN FOR ME 

HE REMEMBERED ME

AS HEAVEN'S BELOVED LAMB  

CHARRED BLACK AND TWISTED
LIKE A SNAKE UPLIFTED
HUNG IN DARKEST SPACE
LIKE AN EAGLE'S CLAW IN GOD'S FACE
HE REMEMBERED ME
AND TURNING THE LIGHT OF HIS FACE TOWARDS ME
A TEARDROP SLID THROUGH THE LIGHT OF GLORY

DOWN THE SIDE OF GOD’S FACE
AS GOD SMILED AT ME THROUGH AMAZING GRACE
MY SINS PAID FOR ETERNITY
OUT OF DARKNESS
MARVELOUS LIGHT CAME IN
THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD
FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SIN

AS HIS SON HUNG IN DARKEST SPACE
SUSPENDED BETWEEN GOD AND MAN
THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB
THE WORD MADE FLESH
DRIPPED AT CALVARY

WAR IN HEAVEN 

AND THERE WAS WAR IN HEAVEN  

MICHAEL AND HIS ANGELS FOUGHT AGAINST THE DRAGON

THAT ANCIENT SERPENT CALLED THE DEVIL OR SATAN

WHO LEADS THE WORLD ASTRAY

THE DRAGON AND HIS ANGELS FOUGHT BACK

BUT THEY LOST THEIR PLACE

AT THE DARKEST HOUR OF CALVARY                       

AS JESUS HUNG UPON THAT TREE

THE ANGELS OF GOD

DISARMED THE POWERS AND AUTHORITIES

THEY OVERCOME SATAN

BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB

AND THE WORD OF THEIR TESTIMONY

SATAN FELL LIKE LIGHTNING FROM HEAVEN 

THE GREAT DRAGON WAS HURLED DOWN

HE WAS HURLED TO THE EARTH

AND HIS ANGELS WITH HIM

THE PRINCE OF THIS WORLD WAS DRIVEN OUT

THE POWERS OF DARKNESS LOST

A OPEN SHOW WAS MADE OF THEM

TRIUMPHING OVER THEM AT THE CROSS

AND JESUS, LIFTED UP FROM THE EARTH

DREW ALL MEN UNTO HIM

THEN I HEARD A LOUD VOICE IN HEAVEN SAY:

‘NOW HAVE COME THE SALVATION

AND THE POWER

AND THE KINGDOM OF OUR GOD

AND THE AUTHORITY OF HIS CHRIST

FOR THE ACCUSER OF OUR BRETHREN

WHO ACCUSES THEM BEFORE GOD DAY AND NIGHT

HAS BEEN HURLED DOWN’

KNOWING ALL WAS NOW COMPLETED

JESUS SAID ‘IT IS FINISHED’

WITH A LOUD CRY JESUS BREATHED HIS LAST:

'FATHER INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT’

AT THAT MOMENT THE TEMPLE CURTAIN TORE APART

THE EARTH QUAKED, THE ROCKS SPLIT APART

TERRIFIED, A CENTURION CRIED

‘SURELY HE WAS THE SON OF GOD’

THE GATES OF HELL PLUNDERED

THE EARTH THUNDERED

AND GRAVES SPLIT OPEN

THE GATES OF HELL WERE PLUNDERED

AS THE SECOND ADAM FACED THE DEVIL SATAN

THAT ANCIENT SERPENT WHO LED MANKIND ASTRAY

THE PERFECT MAN WHO KNEW NO SIN

WHO SAW SATAN FALL

LIKE LIGHTNING FROM HEAVEN

WHO TRIUMPHED OVER HIM

AT THE PLACE OF THE SKULL

AND DREW ALL MEN UNTO HIM

SMOTE THE DEVIL ON HIS OWN HOMEGROUND

DEFEATED HIM IN THE GRAVE

O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?

ON THE THIRD DAY JESUS ROSE AGAIN

BY THE WORKING OF GOD’S MIGHTY STRENGTH

WHICH HE EXERTED IN CHRIST

WHEN HE RAISED HIM FROM THE GRAVE

IN RESURRECTION LIFE

AS ANGELS IN WHITE ROLLED THE STONE AWAY

HE WALKED OUT FROM THE TOMB THAT DAY

THE PRICE FULLY PAID

IT'S THE WORD MADE FLESH

IT’S THE WORD MADE FLESH

WHO PAID FOR MY LIFE

THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB

WHO LAID DOWN HIS LIFE

THE SON OF GOD

SO GREAT THE SACRIFICE

IT’S THE BLOOD OF THE GREAT I AM

IT’S THE BLOOD OF THE GREAT I AM

THAT PAID THE PRICE

THE FATHER ABOVE

WHO IN THE GREATEST LOVE

GAVE HIS BELOVED SON TO DIE

LAYING ASIDE HIS DIVINITY

SPOTLESS PURITY DIED FOR ME

THE BODY AND THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST

THE BREAD AND THE WINE

WHO LOVED ME AS HIS LIFE

AND LAID DOWN HIS LIFE FOR MINE

A COVENANT OF LOVE

IN COVENANT OF BLOOD

KEPT BY THE FATHER ABOVE

KEPT BY THE SON OF HIS LOVE

HE WENT TO OFFER UP HIS OWN BLOOD

HE WENT TO OFFER UP HIS OWN BLOOD

BEFORE THE ALTAR OF GOD

INTO THE TRUE TABERNACLE

NOT SET UP BY MAN

BUT INTO THE PRESENCE OF THE GREAT I AM

TO APPEAR BEFORE GOD ON MY BEHALF

NOT BY THE BLOOD OF GOATS AND CALVES

BUT BY HIS OWN BLOOD SHED FOR ME

A PLEASING SACRIFICE

ONCE FOR ALL ETERNITY

BEFORE THE THRONE

IN THE MOST HOLY PLACE

SEVEN LAMPS BLAZE

SMOKE OF THE ANOINTING WAFTED UP

SWIRLING THE PRESENCE OF THE MOST HIGH GOD

AS JESUS KNELT BEFORE THE GREAT I AM

THE CHERUBIM OF THE GLORY

OVERSHADOWING THE ATONEMENT COVER

STRETCHED THEIR WINGS TIGHT

FACE DOWN WORSHIPPING

WITH ALL THEIR MIGHT

AS HE OFFERED UP

THE GREATEST SACRIFICE

HIS VERY OWN BLOOD

LIKE PERFUME POURED OUT

THE FRAGRANCE OF CHRIST

THIS FREE GIFT DIVINE

THE PRICE PAID ONCE FOR ALL

REDEEMING US FROM THE FALL

THIS FREE GIFT DIVINE

IS YOURS AND MINE

FOR ALL ETERNITY

FOR THE WORD IS NEAR ME

IT IS IN MY MOUTH AND IN MY HEART

THAT IS, THE WORD OF FAITH

THAT IF I CONFESS WITH MY MOUTH

AND I BELIEVE IN MY HEART

THAT GOD RAISED

JESUS FROM THE DEAD

I WILL BE SAVED

FOR IT IS WITH MY HEART THAT I BELIEVE

AND AM JUSTIFIED BY FAITH

AND IT IS WITH MY MOUTH THAT I CONFESS

AND AM SAVED

AS THE SCRIPTURE SAYS

ANYONE WHO TRUSTS IN HIM

WILL NEVER BE PUT TO SHAME

FOR EVERYONE WHO CALLS ON THE NAME

OF THE LORD JESUS WILL BE SAVED

HE REIGNS SUPREME

CALVARY, WHEN CHRIST LEFT ETERNITY

TOOK ON THE YOKE

THE LIKENESS OF HUMANITY

WHO BEING IN VERY NATURE GOD

DID NOT CONSIDER EQUALITY

SOMETHING TO BE GRASPED

BUT HUMBLED HIMSELF

EVEN TO DEATH ON A CROSS

WHO FOR THE JOY SET BEFORE HIM

ENDURED THE CROSS

SCORNING ITS SHAME

THEREFORE GOD HAS EXALTED HIM TO THE HIGHEST PLACE

GIVEN HIM THE NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES

THAT AT THE NAME OF JESUS

EVERY KNEE MUST BOW

IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH AND UNDER THE EARTH

AND EVERY TONGUE CONFESS THAT HE IS LORD

TO THE GLORY OF GOD THE FATHER

HAVING PROVIDED PURIFICATION FOR SINS

HE SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND

OF HIS MAJESTY ON HIGH

ALL POWER IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH
GIVEN UNTO HIM

SWORN AS THE GREAT HIGH PRIEST

FOREVER IN THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK

CROWNED WITH GLORY AND HONOUR

ALL THINGS TO BE PUT UNDER HIS FEET

HEAD OF THE CHURCH

WHICH IS HIS BODY

THE FIRST AND THE LAST

THE LIVING ONE

WHO WAS DEAD

AND BEHOLD IS ALIVE FOREVERMORE

HE HOLDS THE KEYS

OF DEATH AND HADES

AT THE NAME OF JESUS

EVERY DEMON FLEES

THE RIDER ON THE WHITE HORSE

KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS

WHO LEADS HIS ARMY TO VICTORY

THE LAMB OF GOD THAT DIED FOR ME

IS THE SAME GOD THAT THUNDERED 'LIGHT BE'

MAKER OF HUMANITY

TO GOD’S GREAT GLORY

HE REIGNS ETERNALLY

Full copyright Ann McGee

CHRISTIAN BLOGGIT: HELP LIST

HOLY BOLDNESS

JOHN G LAKE PDF BELOW:

Adventures In God - HopeFaithPrayer

hopefaithprayer.com/books/adventuresingod.pdf · PDF file

IF SOMEONE COMES TO ME AND ASKS IF I CAN HELP THEM, IF I CAN ANSWER A QUESTION, I SAY, ‘OF COURSE I CAN. YOU HAVE SURELY COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE. I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME. THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS WITHIN ME. WHAT DO YOU WANT OF GOD? BOLD! THAT’S WHAT WE NEED - HOLY BOLDNESS.
(MARY GARRISON)


ACTS 4:

²⁹Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. ³⁰ STRETCH OUT YOUR HAND TO HEAL AND PERFORM SIGNS AND WONDERS THROUGH THE NAME OF YOUR HOLY SERVANT JESUS.

³¹After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

CHRISTIAN BLOGGIT: HELP LIST



CHRISTIAN WALLPAPERS / SCREEN SAVERS /DESKTOP BACKGROUND

Many of the pictures in Christian Bloggit's various posts can be saved to your picture folder and be used as desktop background or screen savers. 

TO GET PICTURE:  Find the picture you want, click on it, then right click your mouse.  Choose 'save as picture', and save it to your picture folder.

TO USE AS DESKTOP BACKGROUND: Go to Start button at bottom left of screen, click on it and choose Control Panel.  Go to Appearance and Personalisation and click on 'change desktop background'.  Your picture folder will pop up.  Find the picture you saved in that folder, and double click on it.  It will take the place as your new desktop background.

TO USE AS SCREEN SAVER: Go to Start button at bottom left of screen, click on it and choose Control Panel. Go to Appearance and Personalisation and double click on it.  Under 'Personalisation' click 'change Screen Saver'.  A pop up box will appear.  Where it says Screen Saver in the middle of the box, click on it and find 'Photos.'  Click on 'photos'.  The Screen Saver will now show a random display of all the pictures in your picture folder.  Under Screen Saver, there is a command called 'Wait'.  Click 5 minutes or 10, whatever your preference.

You can also take pictures you like and add your own textbox wording if you want to, save as a picture file in the picture folder and this will form part of your screensaver pictures.  Or make your own desktop background.  Not every picture is suitable as a desktop background as the icons must be clearly visible on top of the picture. 

How to make a textbox invisible so only the writing shows:  right click on textbox, select 'format textbox'.  Select 'Colours and lines' at top of popup.  Select Fill /colour / click on down arrow, select 'No fill'.  Select Line / colour / click on down arrow, select 'No line'.  Or instead of textboxes, use Word Art.

You can also use programmes such as Paint or Corel Draw to make your own pictures, and then save to the same picture folder.  MS Word and Powerpoint can also be used to draw/make slides. 

FASTSTONE SCREEN CAPTURE is freely available to download from the internet.  It basically takes a photo of whatever you highlight and saves it as a picture.  Save it in your picture folder.

CHRISTIAN BLOGGIT: HELP LIST

WALKING IN LOVE - EXAMPLE TO US ALL

Apostle of Hate – Minister of Healing

By Melanie Hemry

Kenneth Copeland Ministries

Believers’ Voice of Victory

‘IS THIS JOHNNY LEE CLARY?’ A VOICE ASKED ON THE OTHER END OF THE PHONE.

‘YES…’

‘THE GRAND DRAGON OF THE KU KLUX KLAN FOR OKLAHOMA?’

‘THAT’S RIGHT.’

‘MR CLARY, I’M CALLING ON BEHALF OF A LOCAL RADIO STATION.  WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE YOU HERE TO THE STATION NEXT SUNDAY EVENING FOR AN INTERVIEW.  THE PROGRAM WILL BE LIVE.  DURING THAT TIME, WE WOULD ALLOW YOU TO READ YOUR LITERATURE AND SHARE YOUR VIEWS OPENLY.’

SHARE MY VIEWS ON THE RADIO?  THERE’S NO TELLING HOW MANY KIDS I CAN RECRUIT!  JOHNNY LEANED BACK ON HIS CHAIR AND PROPPED UP HIS FEET.

‘I’D BE MOST HONOURED TO BE YOUR GUEST,’ HE ANSWERED, A SLOW SMILE SPREADING ACROSS HIS FACE.  UNLIKE MOST KLAN MEMBERS, JOHNNY LEE DIDN’T SHUN PUBLICITY.  HE HADN’T EVEN MINDED WHEN TELEVISION CAMERAS FOLLOWED HIM AROUND TO SCHOOLS IN THE OKLAHOMA CITY AREA, WHERE HE RECRUITED KIDS.  THE WAY HE LOOKED AT IT, A MAN OUGHT TO STAND UP FOR THE TRUTH.  AND ONE THING JOHNNY LEE CLARY KNEW FOR CERTAIN – THE KU KLUX KLAN STOOD FOR THE TRUTH.

SEEDS OF HATRED

HIS OWN EDUCATION IN THAT ‘TRUTH’ BEGAN EARLY.  HE’D BEEN ONLY 5 WHEN HE LOOKED OUT THE CAR WINDOW IN AMAZEMENT.  ‘LOOK, DADDY!’ HE’D SAID.  ‘THERE’S A CHOCOLATE-COVERED MAN!’

HIS DADDY BLEW CIGAR SMOKE OUT THE WINDOW IN DISGUST.  ‘THAT’S  NOT A CHOCOLATE COVERED MAN,’ HE SAID.  ‘THAT’S A N-----.  CAN YOU SAY, ‘N-----‘?’

JOHNNY LEE HAD LEANED OUT THE WINDOW AND SHOUTED ‘N-----!’  HIS DADDY LAUGHED AND PATTED HIM ON THE BACK.

JOHNNY LEE’S TRAINING CONTINUED WHEN HIS UNCLE HAROLD WOULD VISIT FROM GEORGIA AND TELL HIS STORIES ABOUT THE KKK.  ‘I SHOT A BLACK MAN FOR CROSSING MY PROPERTY,’ HE ONCE BRAGGED TO JOHNNY LEE’S FATHER.  ‘THE POLICE DIDN’T CARE THAT I SHOT HIM.  BUT THEY DID FINE ME FOR FIRING A GUN IN THE CITY LIMITS!’  THE TWO MEN LAUGHED UNTIL THEIR FACES WERE RED.

JOHNNY LEE’S DAD WASN’T A MEMBER OF THE KLAN.  HE COULDN’T BE.  HE WAS CATHOLIC.  ONE GROUP THE KLAN HATED ALMOST AS MCUH AS BLACKS AND JEWS WAS CATHOLICS.  JOHNNY’S DAD NEVER ATTENDED MASS, BUT HE MADE SURE THAT JOHNNY LEE WAS ON THE SUNDAY SCHOOL BUS EVERY WEEK TO THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.

THAT IS, UNTIL THE DAY JOHNNY LEE LEANED OUT THE BUS WINDOW AND SCREAMED ‘N-----!’ TO A BLACK CHILD ON THE STREET.  THAT DAY, JOHNNY LEE’S SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER PULLED HIM ASIDE AND TAUGHT HIM A SONG.  AT HOME, HE PROUDLY SANG IT FOR HIS FATHER.

‘JESUS LOVES THE LITTLE CHILDREN, ALL THE CHILDREN OF THE WORLD.  RED AND YELLOW, BLACK AND WHITE….’

JOHNNY LEE’S DADDY NEVER LET HIM GO BACK TO THAT CHURCH.  HE FOUND ONE CLOSER TO HOME – AN ALL-WHITE CHURCH.

EVERYONE IN THEIR NEIGHBOURHOOD HATED JOHNNY LEE’S FAMILY.  THE NEIGHBOURS CONSIDERED THEM ‘WHITE TRASH’.  OF COURSE, NOBODY DARED CALL THEM THAT.  THEY WERE AFRAID TO.

THE CLARY FAMILY’S POPULARITY TOOK A SUDDEN TURN, HOWEVER, WHEN A BLACK FAMILY BOUGHT A HOUSE IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD.  THE WHOLE NEIGHBOURHOOD CAME TO JOHNNY LEE’S DADDY AND ASKED HIM TO HELP THEM GET RID OF THE FAMILY.  THEY WERE WILLING TO BUY THEM OUT, IF THEY’D LEAVE.

UNFORTUNATELY, THE NEIGHBOURS’ SUDDEN ACCEPTANCE OF THE CLARYS DIDN’T MAKE JOHNNY LEE’S FAMILY ANY HAPPIER.  HIS PARENTS FOUGHT CONSTANTLY.  THEIR MARRIAGE ENDED TRAGICALLY WHEN, ONE NIGHT, 11-YEAR-OLD JOHNNY LEE WALKED INTO A ROOM TO SEE HIS DADDY HOLDING A GUN TO HIS HEAD.  ‘DADDY, DON’T’ HE SCREAMED, THEN WATCHED AS HIS DADDY SHOT HIMSELF TO DEATH.

AFTER THE FUNERAL, JOHNNY LEE WENT TO STAY WITH HIS OLDER SISTER IN CALIFORNIA.  BUT HE WASN’T HAPPY THERE.  AS THE MONTHS PASSED, JOHNNY LEE BECAME MORE AND MORE LONELY.  THAT’S WHEN HE SAW A TALK SHOW HOST INTERVIEWING DAVID DUKE, THE IMPERIAL WIZARD OF THE KU KLUX KLAN.  REMEMBERING HIS UNCLE HAROLD, JOHNNY LEE DECIDED TO CONTACT THE KLAN.  WITHIN A FEW WEEKS, A MAN KNOCKED AT HIS DOOR. 

‘I’M A FRIEND OF DAVID DUKE,’  HE SAID.  THE MAN SAT DOWN AND TALKED TO JOHNNY LEE.  ‘WHAT DO YOU LIKE?  TELL ME ABOUT YOUR LIFE.’

JOHNNY LEE WAS IN AWE.  SOMEONE WANTS TO HEAR WHAT I HAVE TO SAY!

‘SON, YOU’VE HAD A HARD, HORRIBLE LIFE,’ THE MAN SAID.  ‘WHAT YOU NEED IS A FAMILY.  A REAL FAMILY.  THAT’S WHAT THEKU KLUX KLAN IS – A FRATERNAL ORDER.  THAT MEANS FAMILY.’

WEEK AFTER WEEK, THE MAN TOOK JOHNNY LEE TO HIS HOUSE FOR MEETINGS.  IT WAS ALMOST AS IF HE HAD A FATHER AGAIN.  BETWEEN MEETINGS, JOHNNY STUDIED ABOUT THE KLAN.  HE WAS AMAZED TO LEARN WHAT PROMINENT PEOPLE WERE FORMER KLANSMEN, INCLUDING AT LEAST THREE U.S. PRESIDENTS.

JOHNNY LEE TREMBLED WITH EXCITEMENT THE DAY HE JOINED THE KKK.  HE WAS 14 YEARS OLD.  BY AGE 20, JOHNNY LEE HAD WORKED HIS WAY UP IN THE ORGANISATION, FIRST SERVING AS DUKE’S BODYGUARD AND LATER, BECOMING THE GRAND DRAGON OF OKLAHOMA.

CONFRONTED BY LOVE

IT WAS 1979 WHEN I WAS INVITED TO DO A RADIO INTERVIEW,’ JOHNNY LEE RECALLS.  ‘I WAS SO EXCITED, I TOLD EVERYONE TO TUNE IN.  THEN, A FEW DAYS BEFORE THE INTERVIEW, I WAS LISTENING TO THE RADIO WHEN THEY ANNOUNCED THE UPCOMING DEBATE BETWEEN MYSELF AND THE STATE PRESIDENT OF THE NAACP, THE REV. WADE WATTS!’

‘I’D NEVER ACTUALLY MET A BLACK MAN.  BUT I KNEW WHAT TO EXPECT:  A MAN IN AFRICAN ROBES SPORTING A HUGE AFRO, A BUTTON THAT SAID, ‘I HATE WHITE PEOPLE,’ AND A SIGN, ‘BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL.’

‘I WASN’T PREPARED FOR A NICELY DRESSED, OLDER BLACK MAN CARRYING A WORN BIBLE.’

ON THE DAY OF THE DEBATE, REV. WATTS WALKED UP TO JOHNNY LEE – HIS HAND OUTSTRETCHED.  ‘HELLO, MR CLARY.  I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU I LOVE YOU, AND JESUS LOVES YOU.’

STUNNED, JOHNNY LEE SHOOK THE MAN’S HAND WITHOUT THINKING.  THE PHYSICAL TOUCH OF A NEGRO IS POLLUTION, HE THOUGHT.

‘DON’T WORRY, SON,’ REV. WATTS SAID WITH A GRIN.  ‘IT DOESN’T RUB OFF.’

HE HAS A SENSE OF HUMOUR…?

‘WHY DO YOU FEEL THE TWO RACES SHOULDN’T MINGLE?’ THE INTERVIEWER ASKED JOHNNY LEE AS THE DEBATE BEGAN.  ‘BECAUSE CHRIST ORDERED IT,’ HE EXPLAINED.

‘SON,’ REV. WATTS INTERRUPTED, ‘WHERE DID YOU GET THAT IDEA?’

THE ONLY BIBLE VERSES JOHNNY LEE KNEW WERE THE ONES OUTLINED IN THE KKK LITERATURE.  SPEAKING SLOWLY, JOHNNY LEE QUOTED, ‘WHAT FELLOWSHIP HATH LIGHT WITH DARKNESS…’

REV. WATTS EXPLAINED THAT THE SCRIPTURE WAS REFERRING TO THE BELIEVER AND THE NONBELIEVER, AND TO SIN AND RIGHTEOUSNESS.  THEN HE ASKED JOHNNY LEE, ‘WHAT COLOUR SKIN DO YOU THINK AN ETHIOPIAN HAS?’

‘BLACK AS THE ACE OFSPADES,’ JOHNNY RESPONDED.

‘I’M GLAD YOU SAID THAT,’ REV. WATTS ANSWERED.  ‘IF YOU’LL LOOK IN NUMBERS 12, YOU’LL SEE THAT MOSES MARRIED AN ETHIOPIAN WOMAN.  HIS SISTER, MIRIAM, DIDN’T LIKE IT EITHER.  SHE TALKED AGAINST MOSES AND WAS STRUCK WITH A HORRIBLE DISEASE.’  HE PAUSED FOR A MOMENT.  ‘YOU CAN IMAGINE WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO YOU.’

JOHNNY LEE SHIFTED UNCOMFORTABLY IN HIS CHAIR.  THIS WASN’T TURNING OUT THE WAY HE EXPECTED.  ‘LOOK HERE,’ HE SAID, ‘WHITE PEOPLE ARE SMARTER THAN BLACK PEOPLE.’

‘HOW DO YOU FIGURE THAT?’ REV. WATTS ASKED.  JOHNNY LEE TOLD HIM ABOUT AN INTELLIGENCE TEST THAT PROVED WHITE CHILDREN WERE SMARTER THAN BLACK CHILDREN.

‘WHAT COLOUR WERE THE MEN WHO CAME UP WITH THAT TEST?’ REV. WATTS ASKED.

‘IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT COLOUR THEY WERE!’ JOHNNY DECLARED.

‘WELL,THEN,’ SAID REV. WATTS, ‘IF IT DOESN’T MATTER, I’LL GIVE YOU A TEST RIGHT NOW, AND WE’LL SEE IF YOU CAN PASS IT.’

‘IF YOU THINK YOU’RE SO SMART, GO AHEAD.’

‘HOW LONG IS THE AVERAGE COCKROACH?’ REV. WATTS ASKED JOHNNY LEE.  ‘DO ROACHES WALK, OR DO THEY FLY?  HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE A MESS OF CHITLINS TO COOK?  WHAT ARE CHITLINS?’

‘REV. WATTS, YOU RIGGED THAT TEST,’ JOHNNY LEE FUMED.  ‘WHITE FOLKS AREN’T SUPPOSED TO KNOW THAT STUFF.’

‘MR CLARY, NOW YOU’RE GETTING MY POINT.’

JOHNNY LEE HAD TO DO SOMETHING TO GET CONTROL OF THE INTERVIEW.  ‘LOOK,’ HE SAID, TRYING TO STAY CALM, ‘THOMAS JEFFERSON HELPED PEN OUR CONSTITUTION, AND HE SAID EMPHATICALLY THAT THE TWO RACES SHOULD NEVER MIX.’

‘I’M IMPRESSED THAT YOU KNOW SO MUCH ABOUT  OUR FOREFATHERS, MR CLARY.  DOES THE NAME SALLY HEMMINGS MEAN ANYTHING TO YOU?’

‘NO.’

‘SHE WAS THOMAS JEFFERSON’S MISTRESS,’ REV. WATTS SAID.  ‘THEY HAD SEVEN CHILDREN.  SHE WAS HIS PERSONAL PROPERTY.  HIS SLAVE.  SHE WAS AS BLACK AS THE ACE OF SPADES.’

‘I’M NOT GOING TO STAY HERE AND LISTEN TO ANY MORE OF THIS!’ JOHNNY FUMED, STORMING OUT OF THE ROOM.

JOHNNY LEE WAS SURPRISED LATER WHEN HE SAW REV. WATTS HOLDING A BABY GIRL.  LIFTING UP THE CHILD, REV. WATTS SAID TO JOHNNY LEE, ‘THIS BABY’S PARENTS WERE TEENAGERS.  HER MOTHER WAS WHITE AND HER DADDY WAS BLACK.  THE BOY’S FAMILY SAID THEY WOULDN’T HAVE A WHITE CHILD IN THEIR HOME, AND THE GIRL’S FAMILY SAID THEY WOULDN’T HAVE A BLACK CHILD IN THEIR HOME.  SO I ADOPTED HER.  TIA IS MY BABY NOW.  MR CLARY, HOW CAN YOU HATE THIS BABY?’

JOHNNY LEE TURNED TO LEAVE.

‘YOU CAN’T DO ENOUGH TO MAKE ME HATE YOU,’ REV. WATTS SAID TO JOHNNY LEE.  ‘I’M GOING TO LOVE YOU AND PRAY FOR YOU, WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT.’

A SHORT TIME LATER, REV. WATTS’ CHURCH WAS BURNED.  HIS FAMILY WERE PLAGUED WITH VICIOUS, HATE-FILLED PHONE CALLS, AND OFTEN FOUND NOTES…’KKK IS WATCHING YOU.’

LOVE YOUR ENEMIES

‘DURING THE NEXT 10 YEARS, I GAINED MORE AND MORE POWER IN THE KLAN,’ JOHNNY LEE REMEMBERS.  ‘YET DURING THOSE YEARS, WE NEVER STOPPED PERSECUTING REV. WATTS.  THE ONLY THING THAT BOTHERED ME WAS A RECURRING DREAM I HAD OF THAT BABY GIRL.  SHE WAS BEAUTIFUL.  AND SHE WAS THE ONLY SEED OF DOUBT IN MY LIFE.  SOMEHOW, IT DIDN’T SEEM RIGHT TO HATE HER.  IT DIDN’T SEEM RIGHT FOR HER TO DIE.  BUT I KNEW THE KLAN’S FINAL SOLUTION INCLUDED EXTERMINATION OF THE RACE – INCLUDING BABIES.

‘I DIDN’T LET THAT SEED OF DOUBT HINDER MY WORK, THOUGH.  WHEN REV. WATTS JOINED RANKS WITH AN OKLAHOMA SENATOR TO MAKE THE KLAN’S RACIST HOT LINES ILLEGAL, MY BLOOD WAS BOILING.’

JOHNNY LEE CALLED REV. WATTS.  ‘I KNOW YOU’RE BEHIND THIS,’ HE SAID.  ‘WE’RE COMING TO GET YOU, AND WE’RE GOING TO BEAT YOU…’

‘HELLO, JOHNNY LEE!  HOW’S THE FAMILY?’

‘I SAID WE’RE COMING FOR YOU!’

‘YOU DON’T HAVE TO COME FOR ME, I’LL MEET YOU.  HOW ABOUT PETE’S PLACE OUT ON HIGHWAY 270?’

‘UH…’

‘JOHNNY LEE, THEY HAVE THE BEST HOME COOKING YOU EVER TASTED.  AND APPLE PIE THAT’LL MAKE YOU CRY FOR MORE.  ICED TEA IN THOSE MASON JARS.  I CAN TASTE IT NOW.’

‘DID YOU HEAR WHAT I SAID?’  JOHNNY LEE DEMANDED.  ‘WE’RE GOING TO BEAT YOU!’

‘YOU BE SURE AND BRING ALL THE BOYS…’

‘I SAID WE’RE GOING TO BEAT YOU!’

‘I HEARD YOU, AND THAT’S JUST FINE.  BUT FIRST, I WANT TO BUY YOU BOYS DINNER.  DID I TELL YOU ABOUT THEIR POTATOES?’

JOHNNY LEE HUNG UP.  ‘WHAT DID HE SAY?’ THE KLAN MEMBERS ASKED.

‘HE TALKED ABOUT HOME COOKING, APPLE PIE AND ICED TEA.  SAID HE WANTED TO BUY OUR DINNER.’

‘THAT OLD MAN’S GONE PURE CRAZY,’ SOMEONE SAID.  ‘LET’S LEAVE HIM ALONE.’

AND THEY DID.

‘DURING THE MONTHS THAT FOLLOWED, A GIRL I HAD DATED CHALLENGED ME TO GO TO CHURCH,’ JOHNNY LEE RECALLS.  ‘I DECIDED TO TAKE HER UP ON IT, SO I CALLED AN ELDER AT CROSSROADS CATHEDRAL IN OKLAHOMA CITY.  HE MET WITH ME, AND LED ME TO THE LORD.  I ASKED JESUS INTO MY LIFE AND RECEIVED THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT.  A MONTH LATER, SOMEONE ASKED ME TO SPEAK AT A FULL GOSPEL BUSINESSMEN’S FELLOWSHIP.  I HADN’T EVEN BROKEN TIES WITH THE KLAN.

‘SOON, WORD OF MY SALVATION REACHED THE MEDIA, AND A LOCAL NEWSPAPER ASKED FOR AN INTERVIEW.  I GAVE IT, AND THE NEXT THING I KNEW I GOT A PHONE CALL FROM THE KLAN.  I BROKE INTO A COLD SWEAT WHEN THEY SAID THEY WERE COMING AFTER ME.  I WAS SCARED.’

‘WHAT ARE YOU DOING, CLARY?’ THEY ASKED WHEN THEY ARRIVED.

FRIGHTENED FOR HIS LIFE, JOHNNY LEE TURNED HIS BACK ON GOD AND THE CHURCH, AND BEGGED FORGIVENESS FROM THE KLAN.  HE WAS GIVEN A SECOND CHANCE.

THE WAY HOME

IN 1989, JOHNNY LEE WAS APPOINTED IMPERIAL WIZARD OF THE KKK. 

‘I WANTED TO UNIFY ALL THE HATE GROUPS – THE DIFFERENT FACTIONS OF THE KLAN, THE SKINHEADS, THE PATRIOTS, THE NEO-NAZIS, THE MILITIAS, THE POPULISTS AND THE ARYAN NATIONS – UNDER ONE COMMON ORGANISATION,’ JOHNNY LEE RECALLED.  HE SPENT MONTHS ARRANGING A NATIONAL MEETING OF ALL THE WHITE SUPREMACIST GROUPS.  FINALLY, ALL THE PLAYERS WERE IN PLACE.

WHAT JOHNNY LEE DIDN’T KNOW, HOWEVER, WAS THAT THE FBI HAD TAPPED HIS PHONE AND KNEW HIS PLAN.  THEY ARRESTED HIM ON HIS WAY TO THE MEETING.

WITHOUT HIS PRESENCE, THE MEETING FELL APART.  BY THE TIME JOHNNY LEE WAS RELEASED AND ARRIVED AT THE RALLLY SITE, THE DIFFERENT FACTIONS WERE FIGHTING AMONG THEMSELVES.

JOHNNY LEE SURVEYED THE SCENE IN DISGUST.  I GAVE UP MY WIFE AND CHILD FOR THESE PEOPLE.  I GAVE UP MY LIFE FOR T HIS ORGANISATION, AND ALL THEY WANT TO DO IS KILL ONE ANOTHER.

ON HIS RETURN HOME, JOHNNY LEE FACED STAGGERING LEGAL BATTLES AND ATTORNEY FEES.  HE WAS ALSO DISILLUSIONED.

WHERE WAS THE LOYALTY?  HE WONDERED.  WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BROTHERHOOD?  WASN’T THE KLAN SUPPOSED TO BE A FAMILY?

SOON AFTERWARD, JOHNNY LEE RESIGNED AS IMPERIAL WIZARD, AND WALKED AWAY FROM THE KLAN.  HE TOOK A GOOD LOOK AT HIMSELF, AND DIDN’T LIKE WHAT HE SAW.

‘I’D HIT AN ALL-TIME LOW IN MY LIFE,’ JOHNNY LEE RECALLED.  ‘WHENEVER I APPLIED FOR A JOB, PEOPLE JUST LAUGHED.’

AS THE MONTHS PASSED, JOHNNY LEE BECAME MORE AND MORE DESPONDENT.

THEN HE HAD A THOUGHT:  DADDY ESCAPED IT ALL.  I COULD GO BE WITH MY DAD, THEN I WOULDN’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT SOME KLANSMAN PUTTING A BULLET IN ME.

JOHNNY LEE LOADED HIS GUN AND PUT THE BARREL TO HIS HEAD.

THE AFTERNOON SUN FILTERED THROUGH THE CLOSED BLINDS, CASTING TINY LINES OF LIGHT ONTO A BIBLE THAY LAY GATHERING DUST.

THE ONLY HAPPINESS, THE ONLY PEACE IN MY LIFE, WERE THOSE FEW MONTHS AT CROSSROADS CATHEDRAL, JOHNNY LEE THOUGHT.  BUT NOW, IT’S TOO LATE FOR ME…

THE DUSTY BIBLE CAUGHT JOHNNY LEE’S EYE.  HE PUT DOWN THE GUN, AND PICKED UP THE BIBLE.  IT FELL OPEN TO LUKE 15 – THE STORY OF THE PRODIGAL SON.

JOHNNY LEE READ THE STORY ONCE, THEN AGAIN, THEN A THIRD TIME.

‘I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE TRYING TO TELL ME, GOD,’ HE SAID, WEEPING.  ‘THAT YOUNGER SON TURNED HIS BABCK ON HIS FATHER AND WASTED HIS LIFE.  BUT WHEN HE CAME HOME, THE FATHER WELCOMED HIM.  YOU’RE TELLING ME I CAN COME HOME.

‘GOD, I HAVE NO ONE ELSE TO TURN TO EXCEPT YOU.  I ASK YOU TO FORGIVE ME FOR THE WAY I LIVED…FOR ALL THE HATRED.  PLEASE, COME INTO MY HEART, JESUS, AND CHANGE ME.’

IN THE SPACE OF A HEARTBEAT, THE WEIGHT OFYEARS OF HATRED MELTED OFF JOHNNY LEE CLARY.  WEEPING OPENLY, HE RAISED HIS HANDS AND WORSHIPPED GOD.  THEN HE PICKED UP THE BIBLE AND READ FOR HOURS.

THE RIGHT CHURCH

‘I WAS LIVING IN TULSA, OKLA. – TOO FAR TO DRIVE TO CROSSROADS CATHEDRAL,’ JOHNNY LEE RECALLS.  ‘I VISITED A FEW CHURCHES, AND ALTHOUGH I ENJOYED THEM VERY MUCH, I KNEW NONE OF THEM WAS WHERE I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE.  EACH ONE HAD AN ALL-WHITE CONGREGATION.  I KNEW GOD WOULD NEVER ALLOW ME TO JOIN AN ALL-WHITE CHURCH.

‘THAT WEEK, I SAW AN AD IN THE NEWSPAPER, ‘VICTORY CHRISTIAN CENTER – A CHURCH FOR ALL RACES.’  THE NEXT SUNDAY, I WALKED INTO THAT CHURCH AND KNEW IT WAS RIGHT.  THERE WERE BLACKS, HISPANICS, ASIANS, FILIPINOS, EVERY RACE SEEMED TO BE REPRESENTED.’

JOHNNY LEE JOINED THE CHURCH.

‘THIS TIME, I DIDN’T TELL ANYONE WHO I WAS.  EVENTUALLY, SOMEONE RECOGNISED ME, AND I WROTE A LETTER TO THE PASTOR, BILLY JOE DAUGHERTY, EXPLAINING THAT I’D BEEN THE IMPERIAL WIZARD OF THE KU KLUX KLAN,  HE WROTE BACK, ENCOURAGING ME TO SPEND TIME GETTING GROUNDED IN GOD’S WORD.

‘GOD HELPED ME GET A JOB AND, FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1982, I WAS HAPPY.  IN ADDITION TO LISTENING TO THE WORD AT CHURCH, I WAS INTRODUCED TO THE TEACHING OF KENNETH AND GLORIA COPELAND.  I TUNED IN TO THEIR BELIEVER’S VOICE OF VICTORY PROGRAM, BOUGHT THEIR TAPES AND LEARNED ABOUT FAITH.

REAL UNITY

‘IN 1991, DURING ONE OF PASTOR BILLY JOE’S SERMONS, THE LORD CALLED ME TO PREACH.  BILLY JOE’S WIFE, SHARON, WALKED OVER TO ME AND ANNOUNCED, ‘GOD DIDN’T SAVE YOU FOR YOU TO SIT IN TULSA.  HE’S COMMANDED YOU TO GO INTO THE WORLD AND GET PEOPLE SAVED.’”

A FEW WEEKS LATER, JOHNNY LEE HEARD THE LORD AGAIN.  CALL REV. WATTS.

HE DID.

‘HELLO, JOHNNY LEE,’ REV. WATTS SAID WARMLY.

‘REV. WATTS, I WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT I RESIGNED FROM THE KKK IN 1989.  I GAVE MY HEART TO JESUS, AND I’M A MEMBER OF VICTORY CHRISTIAN CENTER,AN INTERRACIAL CHURCH.  MY MINDIS BEING RENEWED, AND GOD HAS CALLED ME TO PREACH.’

‘WELL, PRAISE THE LORD, SON!’ REV. WATTS SAID ‘WOULD YOU DO ME THE HONOR OF SPEAKING AT MY ALL-BLACK CHURCH?’ 

JOHNNY LEE CHOKED BACK THE TEARS.  ‘I’D LOVE TO.’

WHEN JOHNNY LEE ARRIVED TO SPEAK AT REV. WATTS’ CHURCH, THERE WERE CAMERAS AND NEWS REPORTERS EVERYWHERE.  ONCE INSIDE, JOHNNY LEE CLARY STEPPED UP TO THE PODIUM AND LOOKED OUT OVER THE SEA OF BLACK FACES.  HE SAW PEOPLE MADE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD, SOULS THAT JESUS HAD DIED TO SAVE.  THE CONTEMPT HE ONCE FELT HAD BEEN REPLACED WITH A LOVE SO GREAT, SO POWERFUL, THAT HIS KNEES FELT WEAK.

THIS, HE REALIZED, IS WHAT REAL UNITY IS ALL ABOUT.  IT WAS NOT WHAT HE HAD TRIED TO DO THROUGH THE KKK.  REAL UNITY IS ONLY POSSIBLE THROUGH LOVE.

JOHNNY LEE TOLD HIS STORY, AND WHAT JESUS HAD DONE FOR HIM. AFTERWARD, A TEENAGE GIRL RAN DOWN THE AISLE.  ‘I WANT TO KNOW THE SAME JESUS YOU KNOW,’ SHE SAID.

AS THE ALTAR FILLED WITH PEOPLE WANTING TO KNOW JOHNNY LEE’S JESUS, HE HEARD REV. WATTS WEEPING.

‘DO YOU KNOW WHO THAT IS?’ WATTS ASKED, POINTING AT THE YOUNG GIRL JOHNNY LEE HAD JUST LED TO THE LORD.

‘NO,’ JOHNNY LEE ANSWERED.

‘THAT’S TIA,’ REV. WATTS SAID.  ‘SHE’S THE BABY I SHOVED IN YOUR FACE THAT DAY AT THE RADIO STATION!’

JOHNNY TURNED TO LOOK AT THE BEAUTIFUL FACE BEAMING AT HIM.  SHE WAS THE BABY HE COULDN’T HATE.

REV. WATTS AND HIS WIFE HAD 13 CHILDREN.  NINE OF THEM HAD GIVEN THEIR LIVES TO JESUS.  IN THE THRONG OF PEOPLE WHO CROWDED THE ALTAR THAT NIGHT, JOHNNY LEE WAS PRIVILEGED TO INTRODUCE THE OTHER FOUR TO THE LORD JESUS.

AFTER THE SERVICE, REV. WATTS AND JOHNNY LEE EMBRACED.  AN ELDERLY BLACK PASTOR WRAPPED HIS ARMS AROUND A YOUNG, WHITE, FORMER KLANSMAN.  THEY BOTH WEPT.

‘ALL THOSE YEARS I PRAYED FOR YOU!’  WATTS SAID.  ‘I NEVER DREAMED THAT GOD WOULD USE YOU TO BRING MY OWN CHILDREN INTO THE KINGDOM!’

IT’S BEEN MORE THAN SIX YEARS NOW SINCEJOHNNY LEE PREACHED AT REV. WATTS’ CHURCH, AND MANY THINGS HAVE CHANGED.  BUT BOTH MEN STILL WORK UNTIRINGLY – TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL AND PROMOTE RACIAL RECONCILIATION.

TODAY, JOHNNY LEE CLARY’S GREATEST THRILLL IN MINISTRY OCCURS WHEN HE MINISTERS ALONGSIDE REV. WADE WATTS.  HIS SECOND GREATEST THRILL IS BEING A GODFATHER TO YOUNG TIA WATTS.

JOHNNY LEE CLARY STANDS AMAZED THAT ONE MAN – THE MAN HE PERSECUTED – PRAYED HIM OUT OF HELL ON EARTH AND INTO HEAVEN FOR ETERNITY.  BEFORE, THAT KIND OF LOVE WAS UNFATHOMABLE TO JOHNNY LEE.  NOW, IT IS A WAY OF LIFE.

BVOV

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