It is indeed a privilege and an honour to present to you the reader the foreword of Brother Ford Johnson’s latest book, The Mystery of God’s Call. As I read the book, my heart and spirit alternated between unspeakable joy and burning inspiration to lift higher the bloodstained banner of Jesus the Christ. This book is long overdue!It answers the ever-present questions that Christians wrestle with today. Why is there such a great falling away from the church? Why are churches and Christians seemingly becoming more impotent and ineffectual? Why is the clergy becoming more and more about entertainment, celebrity, money, traditionalism, and burnout?
The answer to all these questions lies within this book for all of us who have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. The author reveals that the “great mystery” of God’s call is that our Creator calls each one of us. It is our failure to answer that call that lies at the root of all other failings. Relationships, families, communities, nations, institutions, our environment, and nature itself are inextricably tied to our response to God’s call.
I often tell my congregants at Kingdom Living Temple that God deals with us in three ways: grace, blessing, and curse. We choose the modus operandi (particular way or method of doing something, especially one that is characteristic or well-established) of God. What is more characteristic of God than His grace and mercy? Hebrews 4:16 proclaims,
“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” And Matthew 24:35 lets us know that there is nothing more established than the Word of God. Jesus said,
“Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.”
So, stop whining about what your church or pastor is not doing. Quit shedding midnight tears over your family situation. Cease from feeling both powerless in a life out of control.
Read this book! Find out about the mystery of God’s calling from Adam in the beginning of time to you in this present age.
Answer God’s call. You will be blessed and understand what Jesus meant when He said in Luke 10:15, “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the powers of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”
Thank you, Brother Ford Johnson, for sharing the revelation of God with us. Let him or her that have eyes to see and ears to hear respond to the Word of the Lord.
—Reverend Leo M. Woodberry Pastor, Kingdom Living Temple Florence, South Carolina, USA
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