I'm An Animal, You're An Animal

" I’M AN ANIMAL,YOU’RE AN ANIMAL"

The True Confessions of a Writing Evangelist

This story begins on a cold wintery day in March of 1980. While searching intensely for the cure for my drink and drug habits, I began reading the Gospel of John on advice from my older brother. He told me once "If you have any questions about God, just read the Gospel of John."

Although this was not my first experience with the Bible, I was feeling intense sin-causing guilt, brought on by a Bible seminar I had attended almost a year earlier where for the first time I began to understand God’s Word.

I had now reached a point in my life at age 35 where sin causing guilt was bringing on thoughts of suicide. It seemed to be the only logical cure for my condition! I had tried every other "feel good" solution known to man, well at least every one known to this man, and still no peace!

So, I listened to the still small voice speaking to me, rather than the loud, brazen voice of suicidal thinking, and I began reading the Gospel of John from the Bible my wife had given me a few years earlier.

To my amazement this Book began to live before my tear soaked eyes. Verse by verse, and chapter by chapter, my life was somehow rehearsed before me, and my entire being was consumed with a repentant spirit, weeping aloud most of the morning for the way I had lived these thirty something years until finally I came to the thirteenth verse of the fifteenth chapter, and there the Lord Jesus on the Cross was revealed to me as the Suffering Saviour for my sin, and I received Him by faith as my personal Saviour, that seventh day of March, 1980.

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for friends."

Wow, God died for me, and all because of His great love for me! A seemingly worthless mound of human flesh without even the will to live, and yet here the Greatest most Glorious Person to ever walk the face of the earth gave Himself for me!!

You are probably saying Amen, praise the Lord, for this marvelous, miraculous testimony of His love, but how does that fit in with " I’m an animal, you’re an animal" theme? Well, trust me after we get finished with this story, I think it will be as plain as the noses on our faces.

You and I, providing you are a "born-again the Bible way" Christian, have been transformed from children of darkness to children of Light at the point of our conversion, but, if we have not continued the process of transformation God’s way our "old man" is in charge of our every thought and action and we are behaving as animals, consumed with self and our desires, instead of behaving as a "new creature in Christ". It’s just that simple!

It is my desire and prayer to God your eyes will be opened, as mine were, those many years ago, to this foundational Truth. Let us continue with the story from that glorious day in 1980. God immediately gave me a super-natural hunger for His precious Word.

I began memorizing verses, and rehearsing them over and over to be able to keep His Truth with me while I was at work. His Word was the complete focus of my life. I longed to serve Him, this marvelous, loving Saviour who gave Himself for me, and it was not long until I enrolled in a local Bible school’s night program.

I signed up for a Personal Evangelism course, not really knowing what it was about. I was drawn by an advertisement in the local paper, and the word ‘Personal’ drew me because I was overrun with personal problems.

This course emphasized Scripture memory for the purpose of fulfilling our #1 priority as Christians, Soul-winning!

My personal problems, drugs/alcohol etc. literally disappeared, as my focus was on ministering to others who were in the same helpless, hopeless condition as I had been.

The Holy Spirit continued to lead and guide me to consume the Word of God in mass quantities! My life was transformed! It was culture shock! Can you imagine, a Harley riding madman turned into a soul-winner for the Lord? I was abiding in Christ!

He literally was my life! My communion with Him was continual! His thoughts were my thoughts, and my heart was filled with songs and hymns and spiritual songs, I was singing and making melody in my heart to the Lord!

Well, to make a long story short, the "Animal" within little by little began to take control of my life. Oh, I didn’t return to the drugs and alcohol or the outwardly wretched lifestyle, I was a member of a church now "you know".