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Chicago UBF

January 18, 2013

Repent, and believe the good news

Mark 1:15  "The time has come, he said. the kingdom of God is near repent and believe the good news." 

I was born into a blessed family, because my parents are God fearing, Bible believing, church attending servants of God. I was always happy, to take this blessing for granted. 

From a young age, I have a created mind, and I used it to sing and became an actor...in plays, musicals; and in real life. I was invited to one to one bible study around 1985, and at first made some progress but I never escaped my own little world.

The late missionary Dr. Samuel Lee saw that I labored in vain, in my own little world; and he shepherded me in how to become a great man of God and a future missionary. On a daily basis, he painstakingly loved me as a son, in the hope as sending me as a missionary someday.

But I rebelled, I turned my back on him and betrayed his love and trust. I did not want to hear about life of mission. I wanted to throw myself headlong into the world; and that is exactly what I did.

I thought I would be happy pursuing an acting job in California. I fell deeply into substance abuse and alcoholism which I started long before I left this ministry. I became a slave of lust and a broken man with the bone crushing weight of a guilty conscious.

One night i was arrested and eventually found guilty of a shameful crime but when I was in jail I cried out to God; and he heard my prayer. The word of God that I had been taught here in this ministry came flooding back to me. I taught the Bible in jail and made a Spanish bible study to non-English speaking cellmates.

Upon my release I had an agonizing battle with alcoholism. I had to be rushed to the hospital three times in eighteen months because of alcohol poisoning.

If it were not for the persistence and love of my godly parents, I would have died in despair and guilt. But somehow I entered rehab and got sober. Suddenly my heart and soul longed for the gospel again. Three years ago I came back to the ministry that brought me the gospel to my surprise I was welcomed back like a prodigal son.

At the 2010 Peoria summer conference, I heard Jesus say to me through Mark 1:15; “The time has come, he said. The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe in the good news.”

In Jesus I repent my sins and signed a pledged card to be a missionary. It was there that the miracle began by God’s grace. I was invited to sit at the table with lay pastors. Throughout my life, I persistently gave up and did my own things. But God persistently showed me his love and mercy.

Marry a great woman of God? Who could imagine! Bring the gospel to Indonesia? It is the least I can do. To all my brothers and sisters, thank you, who welcomed me back, and encouraged me along the way in this miracle in God’s grace that I am living; a heartfelt thank you. I will see you at the 2013 summer bible conference.

One word: repent and believe the good news

By Jonathan Reese