unPHILtered: The Way I See It (21 page)

He came to me and wept like a baby. He repented and renewed his faith.

“The only thing I can tell you is what you already know,” I told him.

“Did you ever think I’d come back?” he asked me.

I told him we always loved him. As it says in Second Peter 2:20–22,

If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were in the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and “A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud.”

Knowledge, especially full knowledge, without obedience is exceedingly dangerous! But when the fallen return, we love them like we did before. It’s like when we accepted my sons Alan and Jep after they strayed from their Christian paths. They were like the prodigal son returning home.

The second man had never known anything about Jesus. He was a heart surgeon and was vacationing with his family in Colorado when he saw me on the news. The man told me he feared he was becoming one of those
doctors who thought he could play God, and his marriage was crumbling because of fighting, feuding, and infidelity. After the man saw me on TV, he told his family that their vacation was over. He and his wife attended my Sunday school class the following weekend. His wife was baptized at church that day, and the doctor was baptized in the Ouachita River next to our house a few weeks later in the middle of an ice storm. The water was so cold we had to put him in a wet suit so he wouldn’t freeze. Now the doctor is sharing the Good News with others and trying to make amends for his past transgressions. Ironically, they owe their souls and salvation to what happened to me because of the
GQ
flap. As long as we saved one person’s soul, the grief was worth it for me.

It warms my heart to see so many people affected by my family’s story. We share the Good News with everyone, but not everyone receives it, which is fine. I worry about their souls, but I understand that we are in spiritual warfare, and not everyone will see the light. Who would have ever thought that Hollywood, through a reality TV show, would be financing the gospel being preached all over the United States and world? If someone had told me that Hollywood would be paying for me to go all over the country and preach the Good News, I would have told them they were off their rocker. It’s almost like divine intervention is involved;
at least that’s the way I’m leaning. I mean, the odds of it happening from this raggedy bunch of rednecks on the river makes you think there has to be a greater power working behind the scenes. That helps my faith in God.

Here’s the deal, America: None of us is getting out of here alive—except through Jesus. He is the way, the truth, the life—He is the resurrection. There’s no escape without going through Him. Hey, all you numbskulls, do you have a better idea for your own life? Do you have a better idea for fixing this rotten culture and sea of depravity we now find ourselves swimming in? Repent and live your life for Jesus. Turn your life around, turn your streets around, turn your cities around, turn your states around, turn this messed-up country around, and turn your world around. Look at yourself and look at everyone around us. Are you coming or not? Just remember this—even if you hate me, I love you anyway. So does God!

Are you contemplating believing that Jesus died for you and was raised from the dead? If you believe this message, then turn your sinful life around and confess with your mouth, “Jesus is my Lord.” Then follow through by having someone baptize you in water. Then God will seal the deal by giving you His Spirit to live inside you. He’ll help you to find love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. How could you possibly want anything more? The body that God will raise up will be “imperishable”(1 Corinthians 15:42). It won’t be like the body we now have, which is very perishable. You see, when
Jesus said,
“You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free”
(John 8:32), the “truth” he was speaking about was His death, His burial, and His resurrection, which sets you free from law, sin, Satan, and even the guilt of your sin. Believe it or not, it even sets you free from the graves where you’re surely going. That is freedom indeed. I can’t figure out why everyone doesn’t embrace Jesus! Why did God do these things through Jesus? He loves you. And because He loves me, I love you, too.

It doesn’t matter how bad you think your sins are—you can be forgiven for all of them. I’m telling you the truth. It is time for all of America to repent and turn back to the Lord, and we had better do it now before it’s too late for our beloved nation. Can you do that? Love God and love your neighbor. It’s as simple as that. I’m doing it—not perfectly, but I’m doing it—and I’m not the only one. There are a lot more people doing it too, but not nearly enough. America, we need to get back to the gospel of Jesus as quickly as we can. If we do, we’ll live happily, happily, happily ever after.

T
o the crew at Howard Books and Simon & Schuster, y’all really know how to put together and sell books!

To Schlabach, for such a quiet man, you really know how to retell a story!

To Stephenson, for your brain power and meticulous attention to the details of our Creator!

To my family, you are my legacy that will carry forward these truths to the future!

To my forever family at WFR and the men I shepherd with there, you keep me grounded and engaged in the work of our Savior!

To the millions of people who rallied to my defense when I was being disparaged, I appreciate you and challenge you to be vigilant during these days of evil!

To my God, You rescued me from sin and depravity with grace and forgiveness with the gift of Your Son and You supplied me with power and the courage to never back away from truth with the gift of Your Spirit. Everything I do, I do for Your glory!

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