Jesus Gives Second Chances! Part I

Paul caught a glimpse of accepting God’s grace and power when he said in Phil 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me!!

Let me tell you about Robert. I picked him up one Sunday morning to bring him to church. I think he was one of those that actually lived under a bridge in the city. When the sprinklers came on to water the grass he and others had rigged up a tarp in which they could step in and take a shower.

He at one time was married had wife, kids, home & engineering degree but drugs and alcohol destroyed it all. He had lived on the streets for 5 years. His mind was fried from the abuse of sin. After 3 weeks one Sunday morning I prayed him through to the Holy Ghost!

That’s not all, a few months later he came and said he really wanted to come with me to the prison ministry on Sunday afternoon. But he couldn’t. He said I have a rap sheet as long as my arm from what I did to support my habits. I told him to pray about it and a few months later he told me that he had applied for entrance to the jail system and that he had been approved!! He said I don’t know what happened to my rap sheet but my record is clean!!

We are talking about miracles here today!!!! God is still in the miracle working business! Robert got a job working as a janitor at Stanford University in the Nuclear Research area. Before long he was taking his breaks in the break room and began to talk about some of the research, with the engineers and help them to solve their questions.

It wasn’t long before he came to me and said Hey Bro. Hopper I got a job at Stanford! I said you have been there awhile he said O but now I am an engineer! He said God has gradually restored my mind!!

The Bible said in Joel chapter 1 & 2 that he will restore the years that the locust and the canker worm has eaten away! He is still a miracle working God!! You want to hear the rest of the story!!

Robert and another brother went before the chief sheriff, judges and lawyers to get them to accept the ACTS program that our churches teach to help those with alcohol and drug problems.

After a couple of repeat meeting and sessions they had a question time and one of the judges asked them “How do we know that this program really works? Robert spoke up and asked her do you remember this case and the sentence was this many months or years in jail she said yes then he said do you remember this case and this sentence? She said yes, he asked her about several cases then he said I am the one that you sentenced. It was her second or third meeting that she had heard him explain the program and she didn’t recognize him!!

Hey when God changes you, you are changed!! A new creature in Christ!! Behold old things are passed away and all things become new! She burst out sobbing and ran from the room to collect her-self when she returned the program was passed to be used as a sentence tool for those in the county that needed help!!

What is the greatest miracle?? It is not creation, it is not healing. It is when one soul finds their way to an altar of repentance and is filled with the Holy Ghost! The Bible says the angels rejoice over one sinner that finds his way to repentance!!