The following article (reprinted by permission from its author) flows freely from the heart of a man of God who experienced a personal Gethsemane, a Jonah-In-The-Belly-Of-The-Deep experience… and lived to tell about it! Must reading for any serious saint of God. This is a vivid picture of the kind of humility that Heaven welcomes… to say nothing of producing peaceful, trusting, and lifetime saints of the rarest breed. Pray as you read! (Pastor DEH2)

I Was Right, But I Was Wrong

–John Knott Sr.

 

This testimony, given at the close of a powerful Sunday night service, had a dramatic impact on the church.  That others may likewise be blessed, I asked Brother Knott to commit it to paper.   Not meant to justify ministerial shortcoming, it is as a sober reminder that preachers are, after all, just human.  — Elder D. E. Haymon

My pastor did me wrong!  It was not  a misunderstanding; he just did me wrong!

I  am of the persuasion that God put me in my church.  God gave me a pastor, and I can’t be saved without him.  When my pastor talks, teaches, or preaches, it is what God wants me to hear.  If it offends, so be it.

My pastor can’t give me bad advice.  The Bible instructs us to “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls.”  Therefore, God is obligated, by His own Word, to make good anything my pastor tells me.  If I am pleasing God with my walk, and have submitted everything to Him, I have this assurance.

Yet, my pastor did me wrong.  This so affected me that over a three-year period I struggled for my very spiritual existence.  My worship, prayer life, honor for the Word, relationships within the church—all was affected.

My wife said, “Just forgive him and move on with your life.”  Yes, I forgave him, but why did he do it?  It clawed at my mind every church service.  During this time I lost my business, then started a new one, which consumed all my savings and equity—it became a terrible struggle.  On top of all of this, I started having trouble working in my shop.  I’m sure you’ve experience it. You walk into another room to get something but when you get there you can’t remember what it was you wanted to do or get. Or, you lay something down and 30 seconds later you can’t find it.  Some of it may be attributed to age and human behavior. But, for me, it became ridiculous.  Two hours out of eight I was searching for tools, trying to remember what it was I wanted.

One night, during service the Lord spoke to me and said, “Do you want me to stop?”  I knew exactly what He meant.  I said, “No Lord, whatever it takes, do it.”  During the following two years the Lord repeated that same question twice.  Both times I answered as at first.

I soon realized there was not a chance of unraveling the rat’s nest of reasoning about the problem in my mind, and that my only hope of recovery was repentance.  I began to pray in earnest for God to grant me repentance, of right—being which seems an almost insurmountable paradox in itself.

During this time I gave two testimonies during testimony service which reflected my thoughts.  I include them here because I think they contain a basic truth that can help anyone in a similar situation.

The legend of the Gordian Knot:  The city of Gordia was founded by a man named Gordia.  As his death drew near, he tied his most prized possession, his chariot, to a post on the city square with this statement, “The man who can untie this knot is the conqueror of the world.”  Over the ensuing years many a man unsuccessfully tried to untie the Knot.  Then, the army of Alexander the Great came to the city.  The city fathers sent word to Alexander that they would surrender without a fight.  But, that they might have the last word, they also sent along the challenge of the Gordian Knot.  ”Come, see if you are the conqueror of the world, and untie the knot.”

Alexander the Great rode into the city on his famous horse, and up to the post in the city square.  He dismounted, drew his sword and slashed the knot to pieces with a single blow!   He ordered the chariot to be added to his personal loot, and rode off.  He knew he was the conqueror of the world and had no need to play their game.

As saints of the most High God,  we are conquerors of the world, the flesh, and the devil.   We have no business playing Satan’s game!  He taunts, “Can you untie this problem?”  Knowing we have to overcome, we’re tempted to keep working at it. But, what we must do is simply unsheathe the sword of repentance, slash that knot , add it to the loot of our victories over Satan and ride on!

I now had the revelation of what I had to do.  But, not how to do it.  This would require “Godly sorrow.”  Not just, “I’m sorry.”

Then another revelation came, hence the next testimony: Three Keys were given Peter at Pentecost.  Jesus had told him, “I will give you the Keys to the kingdom of Heaven and whatever you do with them I’ll back it up”  (obviously paraphrased).   On the day of Pentecost, Peter gave these keys away.  One key, “The Gift of the Holy Ghost”,  he gave back to Heaven.  The second key  ”The remission of sins,” he gave to the church.  The third key, “Godly Sorrow” (repentance*), he gave to man.   As long as we remain on earth man has but one key.  It works for both, our defense, and offense.  Repentance is the key that unlocks every door!  It has never failed to get the job done.  It is the first, last and only key we will ever use or need!

On July 27, 1990, during our church’s annual Bible Conference, I came home from work, having just spent 8 hours doing 2 hour’s work.  I gave up.  There was no need for me to return to work as I was unable to perform the simplest task.  I was a mental basket case.  Late getting home, I walked in as the family was walking out to go to church.  Seeing I was depressed, as she passed by, my wife said, “I love you.”  I couldn’t return the customary, “I love you, too.”  When the door closed, I went to the basement and cried, asking God for help.  In a few moments I recognized God was opening the door—granting me a place of repentance!  I had no trouble telling God I was sorry for being right because in the agony of repentance all of our right and good becomes filthy in our own sight.

I prayed through to divine victory and felt great, but when I looked up to the ceiling I saw that great tangled knot of reason and again asked God, “Why?” and His response was immediate.  ”Bro. Haymon is My prophet and, you were not angry at him, you were mad at Me!”

When that last word was spoken my mind became clear and the vision of that knot vanished, and I have never once been troubled by it again.  How can you be troubled by something that doesn’t exist?

The thing that brought me through was the God given revelation by the preached word of God that I couldn’t be saved without a pastor and if Satan ever gets you crossways with your pastor he’s got you.  The thing I have cherished and guarded most in my walk with God is my relationship with my pastor.

It seems so impossible now, but Satan was blinding me to the fact that, if he had succeeded in robbing me of confidence and trust in my pastor, it would have been cutting the ground right  from under my own feet!

You want to know how my pastor did me wrong, eh? It is totally beside the point.  Not even my pastor knows.  What truly matters is, “I was right, but I was wrong!”

Obviously you miss the point, read it again, “Bro. Haymon is My prophet and, you were not angry at him, you were mad at Me!” Can God do you wrong? Of course not!  God was just after my pride and got it good (talk about “Diehard”) pride dies hard!

*For the Biblical definition of repentance see II Corinthians 7: 8-11.

John Knott

All Seas Aquarium Service

johnknott@allseasas.com

Greetings, CAC Family.

Bro. Robertson just completed his first of two oncology appointments for today. This appointment, with a radiation specialist, was very informative. The findings indicate that the cancer originated in his right tonsil due to a viral condition. It is localized (has not spread), and is solely contained in that solitary tumor. Expectations, from a medical perspective, are that after seven weeks of radiation therapy, (involving both tonsils, by necessity), his cancer will be completely destroyed. Surgery will NOT be necessary!

Chemotherapy will be intertwined with the radiation treatments and will be continued for a short while after the tumor is gone, to assure a clean sweep.

As you know, Bro. Robertson is facing some challenges and suffering in these intervening weeks, but God has it all in control. There are countless practitioners, nurses, specialists, and doctors who will meet a wise, loving, and knowledgeable man of God face-to-face. With perfect health, they would never have had that opportunity.

He and Sis. Maria will remain a high prayer priority. What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!

Looking forward to seeing the entire church family tonight for mid-week revival at CAC!

“To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.” (Jude 25, KJV 1900)

God bless you,

Pastor Haymon

P.S. If you’re attending the Volunteer-fest at Mile High Stadium, I look forward to see you there.

Dear CAC Family,

As you may know, Bro. Robertson, our greatly appreciated, deeply dedicated, and especially talented Sunday School Director was diagnosed with stage four carcinoma (cancer) on Wednesday, April 11, 2012. (Mark this date, because it represents the beginning of a new testimony of God’s remarkable miracle-working power.) Five years ago, he was made aware of the tiny cyst that–in the last four weeks–has mysteriously expanded to the size of his fist, just under and behind his jaw. Originally, he was told not to worry with it, that it was of no concern. Turns out, doctors are saying that if it’s cancer now, it was cancer then. They just didn’t know to do a biopsy of the tissue initially. This tumor seems to be attached near his jugular vein. The doctors are calling for a PET scan to be run next week to determine more about the tumor and it’s potential point of origination. ALL THAT TO SAY: God still trusts His children with trials. Bro. Shawn is one of them. He is totally upbeat and confident in his Healer. He told me today that he learned to trust the Lord through five heart surgeries that were finally successful, so this is simply another opportunity to have faith in God.

My vision, upon first hearing this diagnosis, was that of a bull’s eye centered directly on the offending and foreign agent. Shortly thereafter, hundreds of arrows, representing the prayers of the saints, came ripping through the air, shredding the target, destroying the disease! God is our prayer answerer! We have no doubt.

“And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.” (Luke 6:19, KJV 1900)

We’re announcing a church-wide fast at least one day this week before Sunday. Pick either today (Thursday), Friday, or Saturday, but please fast. When you do, please find a time and place to do like the multitude in the scripture above. We’ll all seek to touch Jesus, virtue will go out and He will heal abundantly! In Jesus’ Name.

Thank you for keeping the faith and praying fervently with Bro. Robertson. As a mighty host, we and the angels of God are standing still, ready to see the arm of the Lord once again revealed. We’re believing that the PET scan will have favorable results, even to the point of concluding that the cancer is gone, Lord willing, in Jesus’ Name. Chemotherapy and radiation have been preliminarily mentioned by the doctors as necessary to the shrinking of the tumor before it can safely be surgically removed. We’re binding together in prayer that God will TOTALLY be the Great Physician and turn this whole situation around at His sovereign and omniscient timing. He knows what’s best, in any situation.

Don’t forget to pray for Bro. Shawn’s wife, Sis. Maria. She and the whole family are leaning on their church family for prayer cover and support at this critical time.

Thank you! What a blessing to be able to “Go to God in prayer” with the companionship of the family of God all over the world. Please pass this message along to others who may not be on the CAC family email list.

Yours for the comfort and love of Jesus, always,

Pastor Haymon II

Here’s “sneak peek” of the display advertisement for Mile High Revival 2012. About to go to press in IBC Perspectives magazine, April edition. Lomax Dansby: Thanks for the usual amazing graphic design!