I write this in full support of my brother in Christ ( James Spence ) and his LLC Operation Heal Americ

JOHN 9:25

HE ANSWERED AND SAID, WHETHER HE BE A SINNER OR, NO, I KNOW NOT: ONE THING I KNOW, THAT, WHEREAS I WAS BLIND, HOW I SEE.

JOHN 5:13

AND HE THAT WAS HEALED WIST NOT WHO IT WAS: FOR JESUS HAD CONVEYED HIMSELF AWAY, A MULTITUDE BEING IN THAT PLACE.

As I consider writing this; it’s important to understand one thing and, one thing only. Each of us will stand before Jesus Christ as our judge and give an account of our lives as individuals. We must walk that valley alone. Therefore, as I often say, it’s my sole desire to allow the spirit of God to use me as a vessel of instruction. If he can use what I say to open the eyes of any person then, to God be the glory. How you stand before God and, the choices you make are completely yours and yours alone.

I use these two verses of scripture to make a very important point. On the day of my salvation, like every other person that is or, ever will be saved, I knew very little about spiritual things. If we will be honest; we didn’t even know jesus Christ other than the convicting power of the Spirit of God.

I knew nothing about the book we call the Bible. I knew nothing about salvation being eternal or, whether I could fall from his grace. I knew nothing about speaking in tongues, is it right, is it wrong. Plainly put: ( this one thing I knew ) something had changed within me!

I’m going to elevate my pastor to a place I will also elevate you to as well. That is; if we are born again, washed in the blood of Jesus Christ and, are seeking to do his will. I’ll place you on the same level with the Apostle Paul, the Apostle John, the Apostle Peter, Stephen. Why would I say that?

I will almost be assured of this fact. If I had the priviledge of sitting down with any of these people and talking one on one; I’d find something I’d disagree with them on. Although I haven’t met any of you and, probably never will, I have read about Paul and Peter. I see things about both of them I could argue with. And, I’m sure if they met me they would also see things about me they could argue about.

We all are sinneres and imperfect people. However, for our children’s sake, for the sake of our country and it’s spiritual healing, we as believers in every situation need to come together and be seen as one people in Christ.

As a believer for now, almost 45 years I’ve had to learn and come this resolve. All of us can be influenced by Churches or people never even considering what the Holy Spirit might truly desire for us to see. There’s a verse of scripture in ( Matthew 23:24 ) that says this ( Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. I’d say that for some years I could be accused of being that way. And that, not just with the King James Bible but, with many things.

I will say this, in my defence. Often, being hard headed can be a good thing because you don’t easily fall into pits but, you are always careful of what you hear and do. If you choose to read this, you should be as well. The reason I make that starement is because it is God’s Spirit that needs to be our teacher and never any man.

Before I really get into this I’d like to share a couple of things that has happened to me over the years as a believer seeking to win people to Christ. The first one is a story of soul winning. A brother in Christ and I were asked to visit a son of a woman the we attended Church with. We always went on visitation on Tuesday nights so, tonight we’re going to visit this young man and his wife.

Often when I would visit someone I’d us a method called F.O.R.M. F- for family, O- for ocupation, R- for religion, M- for Message, the gospel of Jesus Christ. I began this talking about our families, our jobs, even talking about religion and then, when I picked up my ( King James Bible ) the man stopped me and said. You pick up that book, why should I believe anything in that book? It’s just a book.

Now! What do I say to that? If a man doesn’t believe the Bible then what can I stand on? What do I do? Maybe, just leave? As I sit there, looking at him and, praying within myself, asking God’s Spirit for direction, God answered! I took my ( King James Bible ) that was in my lap. pick it up and pitched it over on the coffee table in front of me and, said. O.K. forget that book, would you allow me to simply tell you a story? I asked that question seeking an answer from both he and his wife. They both agreed that it would be fine.

This is basically what I shared with them in story form. I told them that in times past that. God the Father, God the Son and, God the Spirit were all in heaven together. God the Father looked down to earth and said; I’m going to destroy every living souls, they can all go to hell. There is none that follow me, obey me, even care about me. They are all sinners and happy to be just as they are.

At that time, God the Son spoke up and said; Father, I don’t want you to do that. I love every living person, I don’t want to see any of them go to hell. You tell me Father; what must I do to satify you for their sake? I’ll do anything you ask of me, just to save them.

God the Father said, alright Son. I demand perfection, no sin whatsoever. Therefore, I want you to be born just like any other person, yet live a life completely free of sin then, I demand a blood sacrifice. The blood, your blood must be shed, that perfect blood. If that blood is perfect, without sin or spot, when it is shed then, I will raise you from the dead. You will be the first resurrection from the dead.

If you, my Son can do this, I’ll except your sacrifice and your blood for any person that believes. So, God the Son came, was born like any man, lived that perfect life and, died, was crucified on a cross for all men.

God has determined all men are sinners, no exceptions. That means Sir, I, as I sit hear and talk to you am a sinner, the man with me is a sinner, you are a sinner and your wife is a sinner. In God the Father’s mind we all deserve hell, no exceptions. The only difference in me and any other sinner is the fact that I believe that Jesus, God’s only begotten Son died for my sin, paid my price on Calvary. I excepted him as my sacrifice and my Savior.

I then asked both of them, have you ever asked Jesus to be your Savior? They both replied ( no ). At that point, this is waht I said. You both are sinners and you both need a Savior. Now, when I came into your home, we talked about the weather, your family, my family, my job and your job. Then I began to tell you a story. I want to ask you something, both of you and, all I asked is that, as much as possible be honest with me. Can you do that? They replied ( yes ) we’ll be honest.

When I shared my story with you and, you listened. Once I finished with the story, did you feel any different in you heart than when we just talked about the weather and so on? They both almost immediately replied ( yes ) something is different, no doubt.

I then told them the difference. What you feel is the third part of the three that was in heaven that day. ( The Holy Spirit ). God sent him to people like you and I that we might know truth and, be convinced of what we need. I then reached and picked up my ( KIng James Bible ) and said. All I did was tell you a story of what this book is all about.

They both asked Jesus Christ to come into their hearts and to be their savior that night. A few years later I went to a factory to do some work. This man seen me walking by and stopped me. He asked, do you remember me? I told him I remember seeing you somewhere but I can’t say where. Then he told me about that night and I remembered. He told me I led he and his wife to the Lord.

Now, let me ask you something? Where was the power of God that night? Was it in the ( KIng James Bible ) well, sure it is but, if that book is left to itself then it is completely worthless, just as any other version of the Bible. There are millions of Bibles of every version laying on coffee tables, bedside tables and on book shelves, they are worthless until that word comes alive in a believer and, that believer shares it with someone in their own words under the inspiration of the power of the Holy Ghost.

I personally love and, only study the ( King James Bible ). That’s my personal preference and, I believe it is inspired by God. However, If I would have been living in 1605, as a believer in Jesus Christ, gaining the knowledge that a new version of the Bible would be coming out, would I have denounced the ( King James Bible ) becaue I was using a previously written verision?

There have been people of all languages since the creation of the Church that have paved a way to bring the gospel message to this place in history. That is not because of the version of the Bible they use or, the language it is written in but, because of the power of the Holy Spirit within them and their desire to know and speak truth.

What does it mean to be inspired by God? When Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Church in 1517, was that inspired by God? If you stand up in your Church or, in your living room and make a powerful speech about Jesus Christ, your passionate stand for truth in your own words. Within that speech, although you base all that you say on scripture and a profound love for Jesus Christ, you never quote one verse of scripture, is that inspired by God?

God’s will is for, we as born again believers to be wrapped up in his word. His desire is for each of us to become his word, his mouthpiece. I completely understand to concept of the word of God. How a book defines who he is. I also know that men can destroy or, redefine who they want him to be by a change in that word. The sinfulness of man is a weakening in the power of God. That’s true in any sense. If you believe in eternal security and I believe a man can fall from grace however, we both are born again believers. If we stand before lost sinners and argue about our differences then we both destroy the power of God within us.

I love the ( KIng James Bible ). However that book is not my God. My God lives within my spirit. My desire is for that spirit to control every aspect of my body and soul. I once talked to a missionary to Mexico. He took my ( King James Bible ) and made this statement. He said; if you take that book, word for word and translate it into spanish then, the spanish speaking people will not understand what it is saying.

The ability of a born again believer to read and study God’s word with as desire to share it to the lost and, then speak that word to people so they can understand it is a very powerful tool.

This one thing I know. What is the one thing you know? We, as people need to make sure that ( the one thing we know ) is what it takes to bring people to salvation. We need to be able to communicate that one thing effectually, with the power of God.

The Bible, the word of God, left to itself has no voice, no hands, no feet. That book must come alive with the believer by the tranformation of the Spirit of God. We can call that power a ( transmission ). You can have the most powerful engine known to man but, if there is no transmission to get that power to the wheels then, it worthless.

Basically speaking, we all have the ability to share God’s word. We all have feet, hands, a mouth to talk and, the ability to learn. The transformation takes place when we allow God’s word to control the attributes we have. ( 1 Corinthians 13 ) tells us that without love, all we have is nothing.

The ability to know truth, to speak that truth is the one thing I desire to know. A man told me one time. Any man can count the seeds in one apple but, no man can count the apples in one seed. You won’t find that phrase in scripture but, it can be very inspiring. I’ve heard many pastors and evangelist tell many stories, those stories making very powerful spiritual points. Although they were all based on Biblical concepts, you won’t find them in scripture. That my friend is the power of God unto salvation, pointing people to the truth, Jesus Christ.

THIS ONE THING I KNOW!

The one thing I know is that; God’s Holy Spirit lives within my heart. He walks with me, he talks to me and, he tells me I am his own. Over the years I have learned a few other things but, this one fact was facilitated by the fact that he moved into my heart. ( I believe ) that God’s Spirit teaches us as we are willing to use what he gives us.

When I received Christ in November 1975, I was almost immediately asked to be part of a visitation program. I very first night out, we went to the home of a man I knew. As we talked about his salvation he asked me this question: who did Cain marry? He asked it sarcastically and, I didn’t have the answer. However, I told him ( this one thing I know ) I was lost but now I’m found. I or, we shared Jesus Christ with he and his wife, prayed and left. Neither he or his wife was saved that night, not that I know of.

Not long after that, I was asked to fill in for a Sunday School teacher that had to work. I agreed. The point is that we must be willing to add to ( the one thing we know ). If we are not going to use that one fact for God’s glory; why would God give us anything else?

Salvation is a free gift. What you gain beyond salvation will cost you something in most cases. Even the true knowledge of ( know so ) salvation is earned through study, learning the true will of God. It takes time to become educated about who God is and how he thinks.

If any person, such as I make statements that, while they are true; you can’t see that truth. In other words, you disagree. I can say that in reverse. if you teach something that I disagree with. The fact that you or I disagree with what is stated does not ( in itself ) make to statement false does it? It simply means that one of us has gained knowledge that the other has not. Within that statement; it’s not our responsibility to change the mind or, understanding of any other person. That’s the job of the Holy Spirit.

Add to the ( one thing you know ). Allow The Spirit to teach you. Allow yourself to be wrong if you are not sure. Listen to the Spirit of God above all.

Marshall Clayton

2 Timothy 1:7