This book (just released in Aug 2014) is written by his son Gary after his father's death in 2011.He was in his 80s then. The late David Wilkerson ministered for more than 65 years ! Founded Teen Challenge, Times Square church. His monumental book - The Cross and the Switchblade , has sold more than 16 million copies worldwide.
Yet reading this book on the way back from Washington DC after a miracle purchase of this book in Columbia, in a christian bookshop in a suburb off DC , was revelationary. Shocking too.
Because of the uniqueness of how this book which I wanted so much landed in my hands in such an unusual manner (my previous blog), I am treasuring the experiences of such a man of so much faith in our God.
Thot that the actual quote taken from a leaf from the Introduction would make great food for thots for many - especially those serving in "full-time" ministry. We are all full time ambassadors for our YHWH in various capacities that He had placed us in. Unfortunately, much spotlight and responsibilities are often thrown at hired "full-timers" nowadays. But this is a book for all of us. Those who believe in YHWH or those who thot they believe and yet not experiencing the fullness and abundance of what the Father had done for His child.
Page 29-30 Extract:
" The revelation of my fathers's lifelong struggle was stunning to many. 'I preach a lot about the love of God nowadays, and it was David who had the greatest influence in my life fro that 'says Bob Phillips, who copastored with my father at Times Square Church. 'It's based on what I learned from him in his years as a pastor, not just from his preaching but from how he believed and lived.' Like so many others who worked closely with my dad, Bob never would have guessed this struggle to be my father's deepest.
From the outside, those who understood my dad's early life would say he never stood a fighting chance. Yet , characteristic of my father, a few decades ago he set himself on a journey to correct things within himself. At that time, in the 80s, he was still busy traveling the world as an evangelist. Yet his own soul was dry; he had become weary of preaching the same messages to crusade audiences. Between those events, he began reading a stack of books given to him by a discerning friend, author and preacher Leonard Ravenhill. These were classic works that had endured the centuries, most of them written by Puritans, names many of us have never heard of. As my father dug into those treasures, his heart opened to a new revelation of Christ. Grace awakened him, coming alive in a way he had never known. The old books stirred him once again to study the Scriptures cover to cover, this time with a new understanding of the gospel. As he explored the full extent of the finished work of Christ, he experienced joy.
Toward the end of his life, my father confided to me that he still struggled to know whether he was loved. He couldn't escape completely the emotional cobwebs, but he was seeing more and more clearly the work that Jesus had done for him. In my last conversation with him, he told me of how deeply he had probed, how he had scoured every page of every writing he could find on the glorious subject of God's covenant grace. And yet I could see in his eyes there was a yearning for more. There things he still wanted to know about the depth and breadth of Chris's finished work. That's when he urged me to dig deeper in my own search on the subject, not to be satisfied but to go farther. It was as if he were saying ' I got a late start. I want you to have it better. I want my grandchildren to have it better. Don't ignore the truth. If you catch it now, it can save you years . Son - do you see?
A few weeks after my father's funeral, my brother-in-law sent me the last book that Dad had left open on his study table. It was a classic work by Thomas Brooks. Almost every page was underlined and highlighted with comments filling every open margin. There was my father, nearly 80 years old - after 65 years of serving in ministry - still yearning, still reveling in the gospel of Christ, its glories never ceasing to unfold new beauties of assurance.
In this way, my father was like Paul, With every achievement, his estimation of himself had grown smaller. Earlier on, Paul went from strength to strength in is accomplishments for the gospel. In AD55 he wrote to the church inCorinth that he was no less than any of the other apostles. Two years later, he wrote something very different to the Ephesians, stating, ' I am the least of all saints' Finally in his last known letter, Paul wrote ' Ia am the chief of sinners'
That was my father. In the beginning of his ministry, David Wilkerson was a crusading young zealot, making a massive imprint on the world for Christ. Later , as he gazed hard into his own brokenness, he realized " I am dependent on God for everything" and he offered genuine encouragement to others in their sufferings. By the end of his life, amid his anguished battle to know love, he claimed "I can do nothing. He did it all 'It is finished'"
Here is where God's work in my father began. Let me tell you what I see"
Quoted : From Gary Wilkerson
Reflections
This is part of the book's introduction. Kind of shocking right?
Ministry . Zeal.
At the end of the day....what do you see?
Love. Grace. Joy.
Remembering Rainbows.
His covenant of love , grace and joy
Do you experience His Love?
Do you experience His Grace?
Do you experience His Joy?
A simple checklist for today.
If any of them is checked with a "NO" then gostan balek kampong...back to the Cross and remember what Jesus said it first "It is finished"
If any of them is checked with a "NO" then gostan balek kampong...back to the Cross and remember what Jesus said it first "It is finished"
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