Before this all started in 2005, I had prayed a dangerous prayer. I had one of those epiphany moments and realized my life was a list of failures. I had failed at ministry. I had failed at marriage. You name it I had failed at it. My greatest fear was that I would stand before the Lord knowing that I had accomplished nothing for him. So, I prayed this prayer “Lord, please give me a vision of heaven or hell, whatever you have to do to change my life, just do it; just spare my life.” I thought I would get a ten-minute vision that I could share with others to encourage them. Not let me say this “God didn’t make me sick.” What he did was use this trial to transform me. I thought after it hit; I will work through this in 6 months. Well, 10 years later and three times after I lost my healing, it was finally over. That was just a few months ago.
God took a man that was as wimpy and OCD, and sinful and cleaned him up. It was a painful process. God taught me what Jeremiah 29:11-13 meant. You see, I was in bondage just like those people in Jeremiah were. Yet he had GOOD plans for me and a HOPE and a FUTURE. He taught me the secret that is plain sight found in Jeremiah 29:13. If I wanted to know him intimately (that is more important than anything) and to accomplish something for him I had to “SEEK HIM WITH ALL MY HEART.”
I begin doing just that. It wasn’t quick or easy. I (ME) kept getting in the way of my growth. After five years (in 2011) I was first healed. God gave me a choice I believe. I could have stopped there and had a nice testimony and that would have been the end of it. Or I could keep going and help others. The first 5 years were for me and the last five (which were twice as hard) were for you. That is what I tell people. God opened up the Book of Acts to me. He showed me how Divine Healing works, so I could teach others. He took a man that didn’t know how to hear his voice to one who hears his voice and feels his pleasure daily. He has given me a Weekly Facebook Live Program that is touching people’s lives and growing. I give God all the glory!
Anyway, enough about me. I had a God who loved me; a wife, Ginelle who cared for me; a Dad and other family members who prayed and were there for me, and a Pastor and church family supported me. God used two anointed men who were extremely talented Christian musicians to minister to me. He used one song by each that kept me going. I have shared previously, about the late Andrae Crouch and his song “My Tribute-To God be the Glory.” This song kept me going for the first part of my testimony.
During the second and final and most difficult part, my dad had been watching this program and heard this guy singing. My dad said he got goosebumps from the Lord when he heard him. He said he wanted to order me this DVD and CD. I listened to them and this one song grabbed my heart. The man’s name was Marty Goetz. He is a Jewish man who accepted Christ. The song was called “Prince of Peace.” In my whole life, I have never heard a more anointed song. Every time, I hear him sing the song my heart softens, tears roll down my cheeks and a smile comes on my face. He has an amazing testimony. He has a wonderful wife, Jennifer who sang with him on the DVD. I also found out he has a son-I believe his name is Joshua, and an extremely talented daughter named Misha who is a very anointed singer. I loved her singing also. She has a song “For You are Good.” I had my eleven and twelve-year-old granddaughters check out her You Tube Video and they really liked it. That says a lot; they are very particular. He also sings a duet that I also love called “We Being Many” with his wife Jennifer, and his daughter Misha.
I hadn’t listened to the song “Prince of Peace” for about six months. I was so busy with getting to know God better and weekly study and preparation for my FB Live Program. I knew God was calling me to what I believe is the highest calling in the Bible. I had presented myself to him as a living sacrifice and was renewing my mind daily; but he showed me there was one more step. In Philippians 3:10-14, It talks about that Highest Calling and Pressing toward that Mark to Win that Prize and to Know Him. I believe that is “THE HIGHEST CALL: TO KNOW HIM (even more intimately). Interestingly, God brought me back to that song just a couple of days ago to soften my heart even more and to help me go to that highest level.
When I see Marty sing “Prince of Peace” whether on my DVD or YouTube; I think to myself this is what heaven must be like. The joy on Marty’s face; the anointing that is present and the effect it has on me (like no other song has). I want to honor Marty and say thank you to him and his family for being an instrument of the Lord that kept me going against all odds. Marty, Thank you for giving me a cup of cold water when I was thirsty and in the desert. You are one of my heroes.
Matthew 10:42 (ESV)
“And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”