Dear friends:

Below is a powerful and inspiring testimony from a fellow on my mailing
list, Ron White.  Ron has a great testimony of overcoming in the power of
the Holy Spirit and of miracles.  He has truly "been there and done that,"
and by God's grace has come through it all.

Ron is a great witness of God's love and power, and faith.  Thank you, Ron.

Be blessed,

Jim
____________________________________________________
 

Dear Friends,

Today, February 20, 2006, is the 23rd anniversary of my accepting Christ as
Lord, receiving the free gift of eternal life, being baptized in the Holy
Spirit, and healing of ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease)---all in a period of
about 20 minutes time and when I literally had one foot in the grave.

Dozens of the best and brightest provided the diagnosis, including some who
"wrote the book" on the field of neurology, plus other medical doctors
reviewed and confirmed the symptoms, diagnosis, and prognosis.  At my
retirement in September 1982, dozens of doctors said I had no more than six
months to live, and certainly would not be alive by my next birthday in
July 1983.  As most medical texts say, ALS has no treatment or cure; it's
best to tell patients to go home, get their affairs in order, and prepare
for the inevitable.

By symptoms and normal progression of the disease, dozens of doctors were
100% accurate.

God had other intentions and reversed the course of symptoms through
prayer.  Later, neurologists confirmed that I no longer had ALS and
suggested I go home and put my life back together.  Little did they know,
but Jesus Christ had "put my life back together" for me.

Plus, God has worked signs, wonders and miracles through me to cause many
others to receive eternal life, baptism in the Holy Spirit, healing of
"terminal" illnesses, and so many wonderful blessings that I can't count
them.

Over the past years, many of you have been wonderful blessings to me.  I'm
thankful to God for giving me not only His favor but also favor from most
of you.  The last 23 years have been more blessed and exciting than the
first years; the Lord knows that I enjoy challenges.

Whenever one has God's favor, everyone is not going to be happy nor pleased
about that favor.  Prior to ALS, God spared me from death and lasting
effects of two shotgun blasts in the face, head, neck, chest, shoulders as
a teen; two years of war with a Purple Heart and many close calls; attempts
on my life while in the service; then ALS.

After healing and recovery from ALS, various toxins, a stroke, heart
attack, cancer, and further attempts on my life, including an assassin's
bullet, have been minor threats, but praise God, I'm alive and well.  It's
good to know that our enemies aren't people (flesh and blood) but Satan and
evil spirits.  Trying to be faithful/obedient to the Lord is not a
guarantee that one doesn't have adversity---quite the reverse; Scripture
says many times in various ways, many are the afflictions, persecution,
trials, tests for those with favor and those who attempt to be and live the
righteousness of God.  (Those who claim that adversity is always the result
of sin may be describing themselves or "projecting" their sinful values and
guilt on others---much of the time, this isn't true.)

God is no respecter of persons; what He did for me, He's perfectly willing
and able to do for anyone and everyone who is faithful and obedient to Him
and His Word, the Bible.  This means you or someone you may know.  He is
our Source and strength, regardless of what the evil ones throw at us.  You
can make it!  Make it through anything and everything, regardless of
difficulty, feelings or appearances at the time of the adversity.

Proverbs 24:10 says if you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is
small---it's the Lord's strength operating through us that truly gets us
through the adversities---and the adversities will be many for those
through whom God works.  Sometimes, it is the strength of a friend that can
make all the difference in one's life and cause them to overcome
adversities.  This will become more evident in coming days.

I'm thankful for all who have been a blessing to me, including those
friends who stick closer than a brother, as well as thankful for those who
attempted to end my life prematurely, both literally, physically as well as
in character assassination---if it weren't for some who lie in wait for
blood and try to do me harm or end my life, I wouldn't be as strong in the
Lord as I am today.  I forgive them, love them, pray for them and bless
them.  As with many biblical personalities in both OT and NT, everyone is
not happy that one has God's favor---most of the ones with God's favor were
murdered---murdered by their own kind.  Satan knows who such people are,
and he works through willing vessels with jealousy, hate, rage (which is
also murder--1 John 3:10-15) to do his evil work.

I share this with you in hopes that it may be a blessing to someone, for
God's love to us is the greatest of all blessings.  Be wise.  Be
prudent.  Fear the Lord.  Know Him personally and develop personal
relationship with Him.  He will carry you through anything and everything,
regardless of anything---please don't allow anyone or anything to convince
you otherwise, including a medical diagnosis and prognosis or an assassin's
bullet that missed.  I was the most undeserving soul on earth to receive
His grace and favor, and He's willing to share His grace and favor with
anyone and everyone, with conditions and prerequisites.  When we meet the
conditions, He works miracles.  I'm living evidence of this fact, and you
can be also!

If you may be going through tough times, or know someone who is, surrender
your life and the adversity to the Lord, and let Him do His marvelous
work.  Worry, our work, or striving accomplishes little; it's the Lord's
work that truly counts---His working through us.  He is the same yesterday,
today, and forever, and whatever He did for me, He wants to do for you---by
signs, wonders and miracles!

Today is "happy 23 years" for me to have been "born" and raised from the
dead (spiritually and literally, with only seconds, minutes, hours or days
to live at times), and I celebrate by sharing the good news of Jesus Christ
and His work on this momentous-to-me anniversary.  Having lived on both
sides of the fence, serving God and living life His way is not the easiest
way to go, but it is the only way that leads to life, eternal life and the
most blessed life anyone can possibly have.  The more of God's grace and
favor one has, the more challenges and threats, but He is right beside you,
every step of the way.  Never give up!  God never gave up on me, so please
don't give up on God!  Be encouraged!

To those who have treated me as a good faithful friend should, I ask God's
most wonderful blessings on you and yours for your obvious faithfulness and
obedience.  For any good works, salvations, healings, miracles, signs or
wonders God may work through med (and some of you know there have been
many), you, as my friends, share in the benefits and rewards from Almighty
God.  I bless you this day, my friends!  Happy Anniversary to you,
too!  Together and with our having God with us, nothing is impossible!  All
things are possible!

My love, prayers and blessings to one and all---today is the day the Lord
has made, and I will rejoice and be glad in it by sharing joy and rejoicing
with you!  Please join me in celebrating Life, New Life, for His name is
Jesus Christ who is the Way, the Truth and the Life!  Celebrate Jesus!

Ron White
Woodland Park, CO

P.S.  If anyone would like to receive a copy of the testimony of God's
healing me of ALS, please let me know.  Some say it's really good, and if
so, it's only because of Him and the Holy Spirit's anointing that it may be
good.  Because it has produced good fruit, all praise, honor, glory and
credit belong to Jesus Christ and Him alone, because He's the One who paid
the price in full for our receiving eternal life and our healing of
anything and everything!

Ron is at rwhitewatchman@msn.com