I have had a detailed almost secular testimony posted for nearly two years.  Now I want to post a testimony that I hope will help some that may be in the doldrums.  God has a plan for your life.  But you will never know it, until the His Spirit comes and lives in you.   The reason is that is how He leads us. 

There are Four or more Spiritual Laws that God operates through.  One is of great importance, but not the greatest.  In our Blog, we will begin to delve into the Word and find many things that most have missed.  This will include the Spiritual Laws, found in the New Covenant.  Now you must realize, we are not under the Old Covenant or the Law.  Spiritual Laws are more like natural law, such as gravity.  If you try to ignore gravity, it could seriously do you extreme harm.  The same is true of spiritual laws.  You don’t have to abide by them, but you will miss out on so many Blessings. But our beginning emphasis will be found in Romans 8:14 “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. (16) The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: KJV

1.   The first law is that for Him to lead us, is that you must be born again.

Now many denominations have different interpretations to the term “Born Again”.  Catholics and Lutherans believe that infant baptism saves a person; however, the Catholics believe there has to be an acknowledgement of the need for Jesus. But this too can be diluted into doctrine that is dangerous. And there questions can you lose your salvation?  This is too complicated for this short testimony.  So please check the Blog in the coming weeks to get a fuller explanation.

2.   The second Spiritual Law is that He has answered all of our prayers when His Son went to the Cross for our Salvation, Health, Prosperity and a heavenly life here on earth.

3.   The third Law is that He will not break His laws.  He will hold to them, even if do not know them.  That’s why we all need to know what the Bible really says, and not what you have been told.

These and many other things will be discussed in the Blog. We have over 1000 subscribers.  Come on board and read a new blog 5 days a week.

NOW FOR MY PERSONAL TESTIMONY Who ARE YOU READING

I know that some will not be able to accept or understand what I am about to say.  But I am praying as I write this, that the Holy Spirit will first of all lead my thoughts, and provide definite words, that I may not have even one thought of on my own.  And additionally, I am praying that He will go before this testimony and prepare the hearts of those that read it.  Am I putting this on the level of Sacred Scripture? Absolutely not, but anyone with the Spirit of God in their life, can say and write things God wants said.  That does not rise to the level of preaching, prophecy, or teaching for all.  But their writings can be inspired.

My testimony begins like this. I was raised in a wonderful Baptist, lukewarm Christian family. Grandpa, on my Dad’s side, was a follower, and followed his wife to church, with the children. My Dad was raised by a sincere devout mother, but his father was a typical ‘truck farmer’ in South Carolina.  Granny on the other hand was a faithful Baptist but did not have the knowledge of the Spirit Led Life. 

My mother on the other hand was raised by her sincere sister, and a cranky, but sweet uncle. Granny was always available for a spiritual conversation, and she helped me through many battles.  It was in her Methodist Church, one summer, that God met me and solidified what I had felt for a long time.  This is where I knew the call of God was on my life for Ministry. I will elaborate in just a few more words.  But even Grandpa could come up with some deep theological statements through his crankiness. However, Mom did not pick-up on it, and she was my main ‘drag’ as I attempted to move forward in Christian Doctrine, Theology and Ministry.

But because I was nurtured in a wonderful Baptist Church in Mobile, AL., and the Lord was surely there.  I owe my early foundation in the Christian faith to those dear Saints at Dauphin Way Baptist Church; that helped me through pre-school, primary, children’s and Youth.  My Pastor was the wonderful Dr. Howard W. Seever.  He always spoke to me as an adult, and I felt very much like I was in the inner circle.

When I was six years old, June of 1952 to be exact, I shocked my parents and my Pastor in declaring my desire to receive Jesus.  Dad had been raised, to believe that a child had to be twelve before any such discussion could be held.  I have been asked many times to remember how life was before I received Jesus. I can’t.  Because at my young age, I passed from the age of innocence into the age of accountability, requesting Baptism. However, no matter the terminology my Baptism was administered July 27 1952 PRAISE GOD. 

Now, as I told you that I met with God one summer at my Granny’s Church.  Well, when I was fifteen I attended a Teenage Vacation Bible School at the First Methodist Church of Gulfport, Ms.  I clearly heard the Voice of The Lord.  Now this is not the way God normally leads. But my sense was that I was a little hardheaded, and I am still that way at times. Many people will say that anyone that hears a voice and calls it God must be crazy.  I know. But I assure you I am not crazy.  I have always wished He would have completed His thought, however.  He said “I want you”.  It was like the old World War II army posters, with Uncle Sam pointing his finger and saying “I WANT YOU” in the Army.  Finally He said “In the Last Days, I have something important for you to do”.  Now I always assumed that He was speaking of the Last Days that the Bible refers to. And most Evangelical Protestants feel that we are in those “Last Days”. In reality we have been in the last days since Jesus was raptured into Heaven.  Hence I started into the Ministry about the age of twenty. And once I started my training and actually Pastoring, I sensed that I would never die. I proceeded because I knew we were and are in the last days.  That sounds ludicrous, but I now am really convinced that Jesus is on the horizon.  And unless I die by an accident, I will see Jesus’ return. So I feel that He was referring to my last days of my earthly life or my last days of Ministry.  Is it tomorrow?  We do not know.  Is it 2012?  We do not know.  But we do know that the signs are there.

Now, between the age of fifteen and twenty I had to deal with growing up and life.  One of the things I had to think about was where in the Ministry God wanted me.  I did not even contemplate not going into the Ministry during high school or college.  But one thing was known to me, things were done a certain way.  But for some reason, I never really felt at home in the Baptist or any other denomination.  I became a Baptist Minister, because that was where I had met Jesus and grown up in His Love. And I never really had checked out anything else, until I met a little girl while a sophomore in high school. 

She was probably the prettiest and smartest little lady I had ever seen, until that time. I was never ashamed to take her anywhere. We spent most of every date discussing theology.  We attended at least three football games (The McGill {Catholic} Murphy {Public} rivalry each year and sat on the fifty yard line discussing theology.  You stay out of Moral trouble when you are talking about God.

But she and I drifted apart after our Senior Summer. I thought about entering the Ministry, and her being Catholic. This would be a problem going into the Baptist ministry.

I met another beautiful and wonderful girl, several years later.  She was a wonderful Christian and accepted me several years later.  We married and entered the Ministry in January of 1967.  We raised three wonderful daughters including a set of twins. 

Our Ministry was more or less uneventful.  We pastored churches and built large congregations in some of them.  We did Chaplaincy work and held other Ministerial positions. But there were conflicts in my soul about the truths I found in life but not in the written word. I knew that there were only partial answers and truths in my denomination. But without allowing the Spirit move in my life,   I now am seeing the truths of the Spirit. I had not seen them, even though, in 1966, I received the Baptism of the Holy Ghost (Spirit) and I put it on the shelf. This was so, except for times when I was in situations, which my mind could not handle. So I would resurrect my Baptism by finding my spirit language, (tongues). Now you do not need the Baptism in the Holy Ghost (Spirit) to move in the Spirit. That comes when you are saved; and the Spirit enters your life.  From there we all have the power of the Holy Spirit, Baptism of the Holy Ghost (Spirit) or not.

Now my life shows that I, for the most part, have not been operating in the Spirit out of ignorance.   But as man’s law states, ignorance of the law is no excuse.

What we all need is knowledge.  Where is that knowledge?  It is in God’s written Word.  The Holy Spirit not only directed or inspired the Early Church Fathers to canonize the various books that were floating around at the time we now call that the Bible.  The Holy Spirit inspired the writing of the Bible.

There are some books that I believe have some truth, but the Holy Spirit, not denying any truths that may be in them did not lead the Church Fathers to include them in the Canon.  He evidently just knew that they do not contain the Word God knew we needed.

However, the knowledge of the Spirit Filled Life had not been totally revealed in the early 50’s.  And as it was, many main line denominations really did not pick-up on it until the mid to late 60’s. However, I did not receive my knowledge and experience with the Holy Spirit until I reached adulthood.  And again I will be a little more detail in a few words about my limited knowledge at that time of the Spirit Filled Life.

From my search, which I did not realize I was involved in, I finally came into contact again with the Word as the knowledge that I and everyone needs. This has been within the last couple of months.

But as I kept searching for the truths I have just spoke of, my ministries kept going downhill.  I was not claiming the benefits of being a Christian and filled with Holy Spirit since my new birth.  I was not the man of God to those He had given me to shepherd or to my wife and family. I really was a lousy husband and father, to hear them tell it.  This is all they remember, and not the good things.

And in an effort to keep my family supported, I slipped into a begging mode.  I did not know how to receive the Blessings God already had for me.  I now know that there are Spiritual Laws that we must abide with, to receive those Blessings He had for my family and others. 

I slipped lower and lower on the Denominational political totem pole.  I began to do secular work and bi-vocational ministries. 

From this state of mind, I even wound up in Federal Prison.  Was I guilty of any crime?  I do not believe I broke any laws.  But I did walk close to the edge.  And I did not as the scriptures admonish “avoid the very presence of evil”.  However, while there, the Lord started a renewal in my life.  A group from the Lexington Ky. area came into the Lexington Ky. Federal Prison and held an Emmaus Walk Retreat, similar to Kairos.  From that Epiphany, God rekindled my spiritual life to leading me to form Inmate Family Ministry. www.inmatefamilyministry.org.  This is a non-denominational ministry to attempt to meet the needs of families of the incarcerated, formed in 1998 and is still ministering. God led  six laymen and myself

I also brought my search home from prison.  I had the opportunity to meet many Christians on the inside.  They ranged from correctional officers and other prison staff to a Catholic chaplain and inmates.  Yes, at least in the Federal System they were obvious in the loyal level of restrictions.  I could go to town with other inmates for specific appointments.  I could go alone to pickup items in town if needed.  That is the level of ‘criminals’ that I was housed with.  In this group it was easy to mix with true Christians.

These relationships opened my mind to other thoughts and directions. Also I had received a journal, containing Oswald Chambers Journal, from my Sunday School class at First Baptist Dawes. Writing my thoughts every day, after reading an offering of Chambers, helped me focus on God and His Son, everyday.  First Baptist Dawes became the original covering for Inmate Family Ministry.

Now this next series of revelations will explain a little more. In my testimony was the fact that I had served time in prison.  I never ran away or backed up from this fact. 

Testimonies are never complete, as long as we are still breathing. On March 23, 2004 I was granted a Full Pardon by the State of Alabama, for those things that incarcerated me.  Even though I maintain that I had not broken the law specifically, I had not followed the admonishment of the scriptures “to avoid the appearance of wrong doing”.1^st Timothy 6:1-6. I could not defend my actions.  Hence, I served a total of 16 months and 5 and ½ months half way house.

Now with a Full Pardon there is a different light cast on my journey.  My Christian Journey is now richer and definitely fuller.  When Christ made His Sacrifice on Calvary and we celebrate that each time we partake of His Body and Blood in the Eucharist, a Pardon was issued and is issued for the original sin into which we were born of and of course the subsequent sin, either by commission or omission we have in our lives.

What struck me as unique was my reaction.  When the Chairman of Board sitting on my case announced the Board’s decision, my head fell to the table and I started weeping.  Years of pain and agony were now suddenly gone.  The relief I felt could not be explained.  But then on the drive on home I realized that was the exact same thing Christ had done.  And the stakes were so much higher.  I was surviving without the Pardon.  But now life is going to be so much fuller with it, as I am a full citizen again.  But my eternal soul is a full citizen in God’s Spiritual Kingdom, because of the Pardon issued by Christ’s Body and Blood on the cross.  The question then is why am I and all of us not as excited.  The average person takes their citizenship “in society so lackadaisical.  Oh, yes, we say, I am an American, I am an Alabamian.  But so what?  We do not even vote when we can.  Oh, yes, we say I am a Christian, Oh, yes, you say, I am a Catholic, Baptist, Methodist etc.; but we do not even go to Mass or worship when you can.  Notice, I said worship and Mass.  Just attending church is not worth anything.  If we are not worshiping Him in spirit and truth, Jesus said, “God is Spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth”.  Luke 4:24 NIV.

This is the feeling that individuals have; as they accept Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. They realize that it is a full pardon, for our eternal spiritual life.  Every human has an eternal spirit, will live forever somewhere. Knowing that I do not want to go back to the way things were allowed into full citizenship.  But just like my criminal Pardon I could lose, I certainly am not going to take my new freedom and citizenship for granted.  So why do we take our relationship with God, through Christ for granted. I believe in Eternal Security.  But sin that most people have trouble with, will not separate us from God.  But if we walk out of His Providence, it is our decision.  The question may be answered in Luke 9:62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is not fit for service in the Kingdom of God” NIV.

During my now 40+ years of ministry, I had explored many different denominations.  However, I did not see much difference in any of them.  At least God did not lead me to them.

In late1999 and 2000 things on Home Front things were not good either. My wife had decided that I was not producing enough income from the Ministry and that it was embarrassing to her for me to stand up on Sundays and announce that I was a convicted felon, to explain the beginnings of the Ministry, and solicit funds to run it with. (I must add here, that I had never supplied enough money for our support.  I did not know God’s truth and plan for his children to receive Blessings.) She and I both had been under a greater amount of stress than ever before. I was seeking something that I did not know what.  She was watching our children become adults. We had the same money problems that had risen to an impossible state.  Additionally, I had had two orthopedic surgeries within two months. Both had been immediately necessary. This meant I was laid up all summer.  It was hard to bath and stand up to shave. Thus, even though I could have done a lot better, I became an absolute slob.  At the end, I could not stand myself.

We had separated a few times before but we had always put it back together, but the way

I was able to get funding to bring them back it was secular work. Again not knowing the fast Blessings God has for us; enviably was outside of the Ministry, as for as income, and thus outside of His will.

One day she told me she could not stand the sight of me.  I got so angry that I told her I would file for divorce; it was as if I had blinders on, as I proceeded with separating and finally the divorce.

After I moved out, and the divorce was applied for, I kept thinking about my search and I thought God was leading me to. As I went forward, I attempted to take small steps to test the direction I was going.  However, I probably made some leaps. One day sitting at the computer and browsing the Internet, I decided to see if I could find Jane Siegfried, my high school sweetheart.  I knew it was shot in the dark, because I would not know her married name. What I accomplished was finding her brother.  She was working for him.  She had never married and basically did not want to marry unless she could find someone like me.  (And we all know they through the mold away when God created me.)  I wanted her wisdom for my seeking questions.  When I found her single, I began to think about marriage. But this was probably was a leap, and not a leap of faith. It definitely was not slow steps, looking for God’s will. We did marry, November 7, 2002; about one year after my divorce was final. But we have lived primarily as brother and sister, in separate bedrooms for seven years.  We could have been just friends and had a good relationship.

However, while our marriage in, many ways, was probably not a mistake in the beginning. But we have come to realize in 7 years that we are not the same people we were at age sixteen.  We actually are two different people because of the life we have led since high school.  She had lived at home, with her parents, for 56 years, and I had been married for 35 years.  Additionally our work lives were entirely different, causing different views of life. The bottom line is that we are totally incompatible on many levels.  We separated in early December of 2009 and awaiting the finalization of our divorce.

From all of my searching, I converted to the Catholic Church, 2003. Why did I become a Catholic?  I was seeking God earnestly.  I truly believe He led me into the Catholic Church to learn about these people to be able to minister to them. I was able to minister in them sharing the faith that I brought in with me and now as I exit. But I caution anyone seeking knowledge of a denomination, to seek their conclusions from its teachings or Catechism and be careful to not listen to what their members say.  

I am now attending a non-denominational Word church here in my home city.  Here I am finally putting things I knew in my head, now is being applied to my soul knowledge and spirit.  You will see in our blog over the next little while from me and others the truths you may know but sometimes need to be reminded that we do.

If you want to discuss any of this with me, email me at jim@coffeewithjimholmes.net or jim@inmatefamilyministry.org  If necessary we can exchange phone numbers and talk one on one.

I also admonish any detractors to remember (…God’s Gifts and His Call are irrevocable.) NIV  And my call and gifts have been attested to by both man, God and demonstration.

Christ has all your answers to questions of Life and Eternal Life. Just ask Him.

Mac Hosting