It has stood the test of time.
00:00:07.96\00:00:09.93
God's book, the Bible.
00:00:11.36\00:00:14.86
Still relevant in
today's complex world.
00:00:16.66\00:00:19.96
It Is Written,
sharing hope around the globe.
00:00:21.46\00:00:28.30
Thanks for joining me
today on It is Written.
00:00:36.40\00:00:38.46
I'm John Bradshaw.
00:00:38.46\00:00:39.43
Today, we are going to
focus on a special verse
00:00:39.43\00:00:41.50
of the Bible.
00:00:41.50\00:00:42.60
In 2 Corinthians Chapter 5
and verse 17, the Bible says
00:00:42.60\00:00:45.73
that if anybody is in
Christ, that person becomes
00:00:45.73\00:00:49.96
a new creature.
00:00:49.96\00:00:50.96
Some translations will
say a new creation and then it
00:00:50.96\00:00:54.30
says this "Old things are
passed away and all things
00:00:54.30\00:00:59.80
become new." My guest
for today is a long time
00:00:59.80\00:01:03.86
speaker, best-selling
author Ron Halverson is proof of
00:01:03.86\00:01:08.23
that fact, that God can
take the old and make it new,
00:01:08.23\00:01:10.96
that God can take the person
we were and replace it with
00:01:10.96\00:01:14.63
the person that we
can be in Jesus Christ.
00:01:14.63\00:01:17.60
Ron Halverson has a
remarkable, a dramatic
00:01:17.60\00:01:19.60
conversion story
about how God found him
00:01:19.60\00:01:22.76
and changed his life.
00:01:22.76\00:01:23.83
Ron Halverson,
thanks for joining me today.
00:01:23.83\00:01:25.83
RH: Glad to be here again.
00:01:25.83\00:01:26.83
JB: Now you hail from New
York City, the mean streets
00:01:26.83\00:01:30.40
of New York City.
00:01:30.40\00:01:31.70
RH: I come from Brooklyn,
New York, a little section
00:01:31.70\00:01:35.63
in Brooklyn, New
York, called Coney Island.
00:01:35.63\00:01:38.06
That's where the
amusement center is.
00:01:38.06\00:01:40.06
Also the crime center and
juvenile crime, but that's
00:01:40.06\00:01:43.86
where I was
brought up and it's a
00:01:43.86\00:01:47.40
wonderful experience.
00:01:47.40\00:01:48.53
JB: And I've heard you say
before that as a young man,
00:01:48.53\00:01:50.56
you weren't chosen
from among the good angels.
00:01:50.56\00:01:54.43
You were a bit of a rebel.
00:01:54.43\00:01:56.10
RH: I grew up in a very bad
neighborhood, poor, poverty.
00:01:56.10\00:01:59.53
My father at the time was
an alcoholic and when you grow
00:01:59.53\00:02:05.00
up in poverty, in that
kind of neighborhood, you rebel.
00:02:05.00\00:02:08.20
There is
something inside of you.
00:02:08.20\00:02:10.50
You're fighting it and I
blame my parents and blamed
00:02:10.50\00:02:14.93
the teachers and you know,
they put me in special class
00:02:14.93\00:02:20.46
and I was always in
trouble and that was going
00:02:20.46\00:02:24.53
to be my life.
00:02:24.53\00:02:25.53
My life was a bad environment.
00:02:25.53\00:02:27.30
The neighborhood itself is
a jungle, they called it "the
00:02:27.30\00:02:30.90
asphalt jungle." It was.
00:02:30.90\00:02:32.36
You acted like animals
in the street and I learned
00:02:32.36\00:02:36.00
the law of the
street, and the future
00:02:36.00\00:02:38.93
didn't look too bright.
00:02:38.93\00:02:40.06
JB: Now we now thank
the Lord that the future
00:02:40.06\00:02:42.23
turned out pretty well.
00:02:42.23\00:02:43.23
You are here today.
00:02:43.23\00:02:44.23
You have been serving
the Lord for many years.
00:02:44.23\00:02:46.23
You have lead many
people to faith in Jesus Christ.
00:02:46.23\00:02:48.23
You have proclaimed
the Bible around the world.
00:02:48.23\00:02:50.23
It turned okay.
00:02:50.23\00:02:51.66
But getting from
there to here was quite the
00:02:51.66\00:02:53.66
experience and so I just
want to say this, as we talk
00:02:53.66\00:02:56.00
today, it is
encouraging to remember.
00:02:56.00\00:02:59.36
Parents, God can turn
your sons and daughters around
00:02:59.36\00:03:03.36
and bring them
back to him. Children.
00:03:03.36\00:03:05.36
People without hope.
00:03:05.36\00:03:06.36
Young people.
00:03:06.36\00:03:07.36
There is hope for
you because God can
00:03:07.36\00:03:10.26
change your life.
00:03:10.26\00:03:11.56
Somebody in this
world saying "What do I have
00:03:11.56\00:03:14.46
to look forward to?
00:03:14.46\00:03:15.76
What does my life hold for me?
00:03:15.76\00:03:17.93
What is coming ahead?
00:03:17.93\00:03:19.30
There is something to
look forward to because when
00:03:19.30\00:03:22.63
Jesus Christ gets into your
life, He change what you are
00:03:22.63\00:03:26.06
and make you what you
could never make yourself.
00:03:26.06\00:03:28.16
And Ron, so, as a young
person, you got involved in
00:03:28.16\00:03:30.10
all kinds of various things
that parents today would not
00:03:30.10\00:03:33.23
want their kids
getting involved in.
00:03:33.23\00:03:35.63
RH: The thing was, John,
was that I didn't believe
00:03:35.63\00:03:38.96
in God.
00:03:38.96\00:03:40.20
JB: Why not?
00:03:40.20\00:03:40.60
RH: I just ... Where
was God in the ghetto?
00:03:40.60\00:03:44.00
It's easy to see
God in a cathedral.
00:03:44.00\00:03:46.80
It's easy to talk about
God when you are brought up
00:03:46.80\00:03:49.43
in a Christian home ...
00:03:49.43\00:03:51.03
JB: You were not
brought up going to church?
00:03:51.03\00:03:53.03
You know, my
parents didn't go to church.
00:03:53.03\00:03:55.86
They sent us to Sunday
School every now and then
00:03:55.86\00:03:58.76
and we were confirmed but
we didn't really have a family
00:03:58.76\00:04:03.23
experience about God
and I kind of was rebelling
00:04:03.23\00:04:06.86
against everything so
the first thing I rebelled
00:04:06.86\00:04:09.70
was against God.
00:04:09.70\00:04:11.03
If there was a God, he
had a twisted sense of humor.
00:04:11.03\00:04:17.40
I mean, here is the inner city.
00:04:17.40\00:04:19.03
Here's people
suffering and hurting and dying
00:04:19.03\00:04:21.03
in the streets and I
mean, that's the reality
00:04:21.03\00:04:23.10
of the inner city.
00:04:23.10\00:04:24.10
That's the reality of the
ghetto, and I'm growing up
00:04:24.10\00:04:26.13
in there and when they
tried to talk to me about God,
00:04:26.13\00:04:28.96
I said I don't want
nothing to do with a God
00:04:28.96\00:04:31.53
that would allow this.
00:04:31.53\00:04:32.53
I got in trouble.
00:04:32.53\00:04:33.53
I mean, I was
breaking and entering.
00:04:33.53\00:04:35.53
I was hot-wiring, stealing
my first car when I was 14.
00:04:35.53\00:04:37.60
I was snatching
pocket books, you know.
00:04:37.60\00:04:39.60
I mean, I'm running the streets.
00:04:39.60\00:04:41.60
I'm fighting in the streets.
00:04:41.60\00:04:42.60
I mean, that
was the way of life.
00:04:42.60\00:04:44.60
My brother and I would
wake up in the morning and he'd
00:04:44.60\00:04:46.60
say "Let's go look for
a fight" so we'd go out
00:04:46.60\00:04:49.63
to look for a fight.
00:04:49.63\00:04:51.06
And I was blaming
everybody but myself.
00:04:51.06\00:04:54.26
I was blaming the neighborhood.
00:04:54.26\00:04:57.10
I was blaming my parents.
00:04:57.10\00:04:58.53
I was blaming the law.
00:04:58.53\00:04:59.63
But it really was me,
inside of me, that anger.
00:04:59.63\00:05:03.36
It seethed out in violence.
00:05:03.36\00:05:05.16
JB: You were raised
to fight, weren't you?
00:05:05.16\00:05:07.16
As a kid you were
schooled as a boxer.
00:05:07.16\00:05:09.16
RH: My dad was a
professional fighter
00:05:09.16\00:05:11.96
for nine fights.
00:05:11.96\00:05:13.83
He won 8, he drew 1.
00:05:13.83\00:05:15.90
He was a very tough man.
00:05:15.90\00:05:18.50
When my mother said "quit
the ring or else" he didn't
00:05:18.50\00:05:20.56
want to fight my mother, I
guess, he quit the ring but
00:05:20.56\00:05:23.50
he wanted one of his
boys to be a fighter.
00:05:23.50\00:05:25.63
Well, my dad put a heavy
bag in the basement, a light bag
00:05:25.63\00:05:29.60
and we'd be hitting
it when I was a pee-wee.
00:05:29.60\00:05:31.53
I was in the pee-wee boxing.
00:05:31.53\00:05:33.70
You could hardly put
the gloves on, they were so
00:05:33.70\00:05:35.73
heavy, but I started
there and you're just like a fly
00:05:35.73\00:05:38.86
weight, and you are
boxing and then I'd train five
00:05:38.86\00:05:42.43
nights a week and I
wanted to be a prize fighter and
00:05:42.43\00:05:46.06
my father drilled it in my head.
00:05:46.06\00:05:48.06
I want to be a
light heavyweight champion
00:05:48.06\00:05:50.06
of the world.
00:05:50.06\00:05:51.06
That was my big goal, was
to become a prize fighter,
00:05:51.06\00:05:54.86
and I got a lot of my
violence out a lot of my anger
00:05:54.86\00:05:58.83
out that way.
00:05:58.83\00:06:00.13
But you really didn't
achieve in my neighborhood
00:06:00.13\00:06:02.13
until you were in the gang.
00:06:02.13\00:06:03.13
There were 200 fighting
gangs in the 50's and 60's,
00:06:03.13\00:06:07.16
in New York 200 fighting
gangs and they were well
00:06:07.16\00:06:10.46
organized gangs.
00:06:10.46\00:06:11.50
They had a president,
vice president, light up man.
00:06:11.50\00:06:13.50
The light up man
took care of the weapons.
00:06:13.50\00:06:16.10
You had sawed off shotguns,
Saturday night specials,
00:06:16.10\00:06:19.03
baseball bats, drills
filled with lead, stiletto
00:06:19.03\00:06:23.50
push-button blades go
through 3/4 inch piece
00:06:23.50\00:06:26.26
of plywood.
00:06:26.26\00:06:27.33
I was trying to find
some fight of recognition from
00:06:27.33\00:06:30.10
fighting in the ring
and fighting in the streets.
00:06:30.10\00:06:32.70
I did not know of any way out.
00:06:32.70\00:06:35.46
See, my neighborhood,
it was a bad neighborhood.
00:06:35.46\00:06:37.10
About 70 or 80% of the
kids had police records
00:06:37.10\00:06:41.56
before 16 or 17.
00:06:41.56\00:06:43.33
Anything that was not
fastened down, I'd take.
00:06:43.33\00:06:46.86
JB: What might
have made a difference?
00:06:46.86\00:06:49.26
There was a
scarcity of good role models.
00:06:49.26\00:06:51.20
Maybe nothing would
have made a difference, Ron,
00:06:51.20\00:06:53.16
but was there
anything that might have made
00:06:53.16\00:06:55.00
a difference in the life
of a wayward kid back them?
00:06:55.00\00:06:57.56
RH: Well with me, I came
to an experience with Christ
00:06:57.56\00:07:00.86
but showing that there
is hope for them, hope.
00:07:00.86\00:07:05.60
Everybody needs hope.
00:07:05.60\00:07:07.03
I mean, there's no hope.
00:07:07.03\00:07:08.43
There's no hope when the
majority of the kids that
00:07:08.43\00:07:11.23
come out of my
neighborhood go to prison.
00:07:11.23\00:07:13.30
What kind of hope is that?
00:07:13.30\00:07:14.26
Or they drop out of school.
00:07:14.26\00:07:15.93
They are drop outs.
00:07:15.93\00:07:17.06
I couldn't really read or
write when I was in high school.
00:07:17.06\00:07:20.43
I mean, I could functionally
get along, you know,
00:07:20.43\00:07:23.03
for a comic book.
00:07:23.03\00:07:24.13
I could see enough pictures.
00:07:24.13\00:07:25.16
I could figure it out.
00:07:25.16\00:07:25.90
But I could not pick up
a Bible or a book and just
00:07:25.90\00:07:28.40
read it and so what
kind of future does a person
00:07:28.40\00:07:32.73
like that have?
00:07:32.73\00:07:33.76
He thinks the only future
he has is he is going to fight
00:07:33.76\00:07:36.73
his way out of the
neighborhood or they are going
00:07:36.73\00:07:39.70
to carry him dead
out of the neighborhood.
00:07:39.70\00:07:43.50
That's the mindset you
have and that was the mindset
00:07:43.50\00:07:46.46
I had as a teenager, and
the police gave up on me.
00:07:46.46\00:07:50.90
They told me
"hey", he's no good.
00:07:50.90\00:07:53.06
My principal told my mother
one day "Your boy's a bum.
00:07:53.06\00:07:56.43
He is no good.
00:07:56.43\00:07:57.93
He will never amount to anythin
00:07:57.93\00:08:00.23
They are going to throw
him away in jail, lock him up,
00:08:00.23\00:08:02.23
throw away the key.
00:08:02.23\00:08:03.50
This kid ..
00:08:03.50\00:08:04.46
no hope." He told my mother.
00:08:04.46\00:08:06.30
My mother cried on her
way home and that's the
00:08:06.30\00:08:08.96
heartbreak of America,
what we do to our parents.
00:08:08.96\00:08:11.30
I had a wonderful mother.
00:08:11.30\00:08:12.20
I had a wonderful
father, but he didn't know God.
00:08:12.20\00:08:16.76
He was an alcoholic,
but he was a wonderful dad,
00:08:16.76\00:08:18.86
he was a hard working man.
00:08:18.86\00:08:20.16
He never made a lot of money.
00:08:20.16\00:08:21.40
We lived in the
worst of worst tenements.
00:08:21.40\00:08:25.10
Poverty-stricken.
00:08:25.10\00:08:26.90
But my mama, she
scrimped and saved.
00:08:26.90\00:08:29.53
My mother, she
didn't know what to do.
00:08:29.53\00:08:31.53
She says to me,
"Ronny, I don't know what
00:08:31.53\00:08:35.33
to do with you?
00:08:35.33\00:08:36.33
What can I do?"
00:08:36.33\00:08:37.33
And I didn't know.
00:08:37.33\00:08:38.33
I would have told her,
"mom, you can't help me,
00:08:38.33\00:08:40.33
only God could help
me", but who knows that?
00:08:40.33\00:08:42.33
JB: Something you
said is interesting.
00:08:42.33\00:08:44.33
There was no hope.
00:08:44.33\00:08:45.33
There was no hope.
00:08:45.33\00:08:46.33
Evidently, there was hope
because today Ron Halverson
00:08:46.33\00:08:48.33
is a changed man and
has been for a long time.
00:08:48.33\00:08:50.63
How does a person get from
there, lost and without hope,
00:08:50.63\00:08:54.96
to sharing the hope
that we have in Jesus Christ
00:08:54.96\00:08:58.30
with people all around the world
we'ff find out in a minute.
00:08:58.30\00:09:02.80
It Is Written is
dedicated to sharing
00:09:02.80\00:09:04.50
the gospel around the world.
00:09:04.50\00:09:06.06
To discover more about
It Is Written, I invite you
00:09:06.06\00:09:08.46
to visit our website:
itiswritten.com and browse
00:09:08.46\00:09:11.96
the dozens of pages
that describe what we do
00:09:11.96\00:09:14.50
and how we do it.
00:09:14.50\00:09:15.50
Let' get to know
each other better.
00:09:15.50\00:09:17.50
Visit our website
itiswritten.com today.
00:09:17.50\00:09:21.70
Thanks for joining me
today on It Is Written.
00:09:21.70\00:09:24.03
I4m John Bradshaw.
00:09:24.03\00:09:25.00
Today, the Ron Halverson story.
00:09:25.00\00:09:26.30
He has been
called from gangs to God.
00:09:26.30\00:09:30.20
Ron, this was
no laughing matter.
00:09:30.20\00:09:32.36
You were a lost boy, in
trouble, making trouble.
00:09:32.36\00:09:34.63
You said a moment ago
there was no hope and when you
00:09:34.63\00:09:38.83
have no hope, the future
is bleak, no matter which
00:09:38.83\00:09:41.26
way you stack it.
00:09:41.26\00:09:42.30
Somehow, the light
started to shine in.
00:09:42.30\00:09:44.53
RH: Well, this is the
amazing thing and this is why
00:09:44.53\00:09:47.00
I love my work.
00:09:47.00\00:09:48.13
I work in the
inner cities a lot.
00:09:48.13\00:09:49.80
I work in the big cities.
00:09:49.80\00:09:50.86
I work for a
lot of these people.
00:09:50.86\00:09:53.10
God is there.
00:09:53.10\00:09:56.50
The incarnation is God is here.
00:09:56.50\00:09:58.56
God is waiting to touch
a life, but at that time
00:09:58.56\00:10:01.46
I was hopelessly lost.
00:10:01.46\00:10:02.50
I said I didn4t
want to know about God,
00:10:02.50\00:10:04.90
I don4t believe in God.
00:10:04.90\00:10:06.16
You know, anything I could do.
00:10:06.16\00:10:08.16
I4d curse God, but
God wasn4t done with me.
00:10:08.16\00:10:10.80
God didn4t give up on me.
00:10:10.80\00:10:12.83
What happened was the
miracle that happened was
00:10:12.83\00:10:14.93
another kid found God.
00:10:14.93\00:10:16.93
Another kid in the
neighborhood, one kid, a 15
00:10:18.50\00:10:21.50
year-old kid
finds God and his life
00:10:21.50\00:10:24.76
is drastically changed.
00:10:24.76\00:10:26.06
I mean, this kid, he is
coming down the street with
00:10:26.06\00:10:28.26
a Bible in his hand.
00:10:28.26\00:10:29.50
I mean, he hardly knows
anything about the Bible.
00:10:29.50\00:10:32.40
If you think you can only
be saved if you know everything
00:10:32.40\00:10:34.30
about the Bible, then only
the intelligent will be saved,
00:10:34.30\00:10:36.83
only the
theologian will be saved.
00:10:36.83\00:10:39.53
Thank God that4s not true.
00:10:39.53\00:10:41.13
JB: That4s right.
00:10:41.13\00:10:41.80
That4s a mistake they
made in Jesus' day, that only
00:10:41.80\00:10:42.96
the educated class.
00:10:42.96\00:10:44.20
RH: And this kid, he
don't know much, he can't find
00:10:44.20\00:10:49.23
much in the Bible, but
he's so full of God he wants to
00:10:49.23\00:10:53.73
share it, so here we
are standing on the street
00:10:53.73\00:10:57.23
corner, black leather
jackets, skull, blood dripping
00:10:57.23\00:10:59.33
over the skull,
every gang flew its color
00:10:59.33\00:11:02.13
and there you are,
switchblade in your pocket,
00:11:02.13\00:11:04.43
you know, looking cool.
00:11:04.43\00:11:05.53
And this kid comes up.
00:11:05.53\00:11:07.13
I knew he's a friend of mine.
00:11:07.13\00:11:08.70
We're from the third
grade, and he is smiling,
00:11:08.70\00:11:12.16
and nobody smiles in my
neighborhood, and I said
00:11:12.16\00:11:14.30
what's wrong with you?
00:11:14.30\00:11:15.10
And he says, "Ah, I found
Jesus Christ in my heart."
00:11:15.10\00:11:17.40
"Jesus?
00:11:17.40\00:11:21.56
Religion is old people, Jim.
00:11:21.56\00:11:23.13
I mean, when you have one
foot in the casket and the
00:11:23.13\00:11:25.66
other on a banana peel, hey,
that's when you get religion."
00:11:25.66\00:11:28.00
JB: You get religious there.
00:11:28.00\00:11:29.33
RH: And I kid him.
00:11:29.33\00:11:30.00
I said, "Man, I wanna
live it up", forgetting
00:11:30.00\00:11:32.40
I have to live it down.
00:11:32.40\00:11:33.70
And Jim, every time you
see him, smile on his face,
00:11:33.70\00:11:35.90
and talking about
God, but you know, we began
00:11:35.90\00:11:38.73
to see a change.
00:11:38.73\00:11:40.70
The kids didn't
curse around him so much.
00:11:40.70\00:11:43.00
They didn't plan
their escapades so much.
00:11:43.00\00:11:45.63
I mean, they
kind of admired him.
00:11:45.63\00:11:48.63
When they got in trouble,
who was the first person
00:11:48.63\00:11:50.40
they called? Jim.
00:11:50.40\00:11:52.16
And he'd come smiling.
00:11:52.16\00:11:53.20
But he always kept after
me because I was his friend,
00:11:53.20\00:11:57.23
but I am now in William E. Grady
00:11:57.23\00:11:59.86
Vocational High School,
I am in a school that wrote
00:11:59.86\00:12:02.90
the Blackboard Jungle.
00:12:02.90\00:12:04.20
JB: Oh, that's that school?
00:12:04.20\00:12:04.76
RH: Yeah.
00:12:04.76\00:12:05.30
And you know, juvenile crime.
00:12:05.30\00:12:07.20
On ever corner,
there's a policeman station.
00:12:07.20\00:12:10.36
I mean this is where you
run up the downstair case
00:12:10.36\00:12:12.23
and find someone
who's stomach is slit open.
00:12:12.23\00:12:14.56
I'm in the middle of rumbles,
where kids get blown away.
00:12:14.56\00:12:17.33
One of my best friends
I recruited in the gang,
00:12:17.33\00:12:20.60
he was blown away, his
head blown off his shoulders
00:12:20.60\00:12:23.06
and died in a
pool of blood at 16.
00:12:23.06\00:12:25.00
I mean, try to live
with that your whole life.
00:12:25.00\00:12:27.86
And here's this kid, Jimmy.
00:12:27.86\00:12:30.06
He goes off to this academy,
a Christian school, way out
00:12:30.06\00:12:32.86
in Queens, two hours
each way on the train.
00:12:32.86\00:12:35.66
We thought he was crazy.
00:12:35.66\00:12:37.10
But when we got in
trouble, hey man ..
00:12:37.10\00:12:40.80
"Jimmy" ... and he came,
and he ministered to them.
00:12:40.80\00:12:44.30
I'm playing hookey and
I'm going down the street
00:12:44.30\00:12:49.10
and a friend of
mine, coming the other way,
00:12:49.10\00:12:50.86
Richard, he is
coming to school and I said
00:12:50.86\00:12:53.20
"Where are you going" and
he says "school" and I said
00:12:53.20\00:12:55.16
"you don't want
to go to school".
00:12:55.16\00:12:55.93
We'd play hookey, you
know, all the time, but he just
00:12:55.93\00:12:57.83
got out of reform
school and so he had to go
00:12:57.83\00:12:59.33
to school or else
they would send him
00:12:59.33\00:13:00.50
away until he was 21.
00:13:00.50\00:13:01.86
And he said "No, I gotta go."
00:13:01.86\00:13:02.86
And I said "No." He
said "No, they know where we
00:13:02.86\00:13:04.66
go." We'd go
down to the boardwalk,
00:13:04.66\00:13:06.36
we'd go down to the
pool hall, and then I thought
00:13:06.36\00:13:09.26
about this kid, out in a
christian school in Queens.
00:13:09.26\00:13:12.86
I said "Hey man,
let's go out there.
00:13:12.86\00:13:16.70
Who is going to look for you
and me in a Christian school"
00:13:16.70\00:13:18.70
and that was the week that began
00:13:18.70\00:13:20.70
to change my life.
00:13:20.70\00:13:21.70
We snuck onto the train.
00:13:21.70\00:13:22.70
We never paid to
get on the train.
00:13:22.70\00:13:24.70
It's an elevated
train in lower Brooklyn.
00:13:24.70\00:13:26.70
We climb up, cross the tracks,
don't want to get electrocuted,
00:13:26.70\00:13:28.70
jump between
trains and save 15 cents.
00:13:28.70\00:13:31.46
So, I come out to this
school, a Christian school.
00:13:31.46\00:13:34.63
JB: And you go to this
Christian school because
00:13:34.63\00:13:37.16
you are on the run.
00:13:37.16\00:13:38.16
You are not going
there for any good reasons.
00:13:38.16\00:13:40.16
RH: Oh yeah, no, yeah, and
I figure we'd go out there,
00:13:40.16\00:13:43.00
and I'm not going to be
out in the street, so I walk
00:13:43.00\00:13:46.76
into the school
and it's quiet, man.
00:13:46.76\00:13:48.76
I'm used to
guys fighting it out.
00:13:48.76\00:13:50.76
I see kids overdose on the roof,
00:13:50.76\00:13:52.76
they strip them of
their clothes to sell,
00:13:52.76\00:13:54.76
friends throw
their body off the roof.
00:13:54.76\00:13:56.76
I mean, yeah,
this is a bad place.
00:13:56.76\00:13:58.76
I turn to my friend
Rich and I say "Man,
00:13:58.76\00:14:00.83
this can't be a school."
00:14:00.83\00:14:01.83
This has got to be a morgue.
00:14:01.83\00:14:02.83
I mean, there ain't a
dead body you see here.
00:14:02.83\00:14:04.83
Not a live people, and
just then, a woman teacher came
00:14:04.83\00:14:08.16
down and she
says "Can I help you?"
00:14:08.16\00:14:10.66
She was kind of frightened.
00:14:10.66\00:14:11.66
You can picture it.
00:14:11.66\00:14:12.66
I mean you know, here
I am, I look the part,
00:14:12.66\00:14:15.96
I look the part of
a criminal and I was.
00:14:15.96\00:14:18.73
She says "Can I help you?"
00:14:18.73\00:14:19.73
And I say "I'm
looking for Jimmy Landis.
00:14:19.73\00:14:21.73
Does he go to school here?"
00:14:21.73\00:14:22.73
And she says
"He's up in chapel".
00:14:22.73\00:14:24.73
I didn't know what a chapel was.
00:14:24.73\00:14:26.73
I never been in a
chapel all my life.
00:14:26.73\00:14:28.73
I said "Chapel?" She said
"Well, yes, it's like assembly
00:14:28.73\00:14:30.93
in public school.
00:14:30.93\00:14:31.93
Do you want to go up?"
00:14:31.93\00:14:33.13
I said "Yeah" I
don't want to go out.
00:14:33.13\00:14:35.13
But anyway, so my
friend and I, Richard, just out
00:14:35.13\00:14:37.13
of reform school, we go up,
get to the door, I put my hand
00:14:37.13\00:14:41.16
on the door knob and just
then, she said "Oh, by the way
00:14:41.16\00:14:44.13
it's week of prayer."
00:14:44.13\00:14:45.13
I break out laughing, man.
00:14:45.13\00:14:46.56
"A week of prayer?" I
say "I can't pray 30 seconds,
00:14:46.56\00:14:49.36
how do they pray
for a whole week?"
00:14:49.36\00:14:51.36
And that was my introduction.
00:14:51.36\00:14:53.60
I walked in this chapel.
00:14:53.60\00:14:55.33
The week of prayer
preacher was up front.
00:14:55.33\00:14:58.83
Sat in my seat, the last
two seats with my friend and I,
00:14:58.83\00:15:02.20
in the back row.
00:15:02.20\00:15:03.53
Jimmy turned
around, he saw me and he
00:15:03.53\00:15:07.33
couldn't believe it.
00:15:07.33\00:15:08.53
I mean, he could not believe
it and he came running back
00:15:08.53\00:15:11.50
and sat with us.
00:15:11.50\00:15:12.80
I was looking around.
00:15:12.80\00:15:13.80
I didn't listen.
00:15:13.80\00:15:14.86
You don't want to listen.
00:15:14.86\00:15:15.86
That's why people
don't go to church.
00:15:15.86\00:15:17.86
They are afraid
God might grab them.
00:15:17.86\00:15:19.86
They don't go to
meetings because they are afraid
00:15:19.86\00:15:21.86
"Hey, I might listen."
Well, I wasn't going to listen.
00:15:21.86\00:15:23.86
I'm looking, checking
the chicks out, you know,
00:15:23.86\00:15:26.23
and doing everything else.
00:15:26.23\00:15:27.23
Next day, played
hookey with my friend
00:15:27.23\00:15:29.23
and went out to the
Greater New York Academy,
00:15:29.23\00:15:31.16
walk in, black
leather jackets, skull blood,
00:15:31.16\00:15:33.60
hate in my heart.
00:15:33.60\00:15:34.60
I hate it.
00:15:34.60\00:15:35.60
Man, I had such anger.
00:15:35.60\00:15:36.96
I'd hit you, run your face
down a brick wall and walk away
00:15:36.96\00:15:39.63
and not feel nothing.
00:15:39.63\00:15:41.20
And here I am.
00:15:41.20\00:15:43.53
And what happens?
00:15:43.53\00:15:45.30
JB: Well, let's find out.
00:15:45.30\00:15:47.30
Something happened.
00:15:47.30\00:15:49.00
Ron Halverson, a gang banger
from Brooklyn, finds himself
00:15:49.00\00:15:52.63
in a Christian
school, in an assembly,
00:15:52.63\00:15:55.63
at what was
called Week of Prayer.
00:15:55.63\00:15:58.23
Evidently, this had
something to do with the Bible,
00:15:58.23\00:16:00.36
it had a lot to do with God.
00:16:00.36\00:16:01.80
Would he listen?
00:16:01.80\00:16:03.06
Would God reach his heart?
00:16:03.06\00:16:05.10
We'll find out what
happens in just a moment.
00:16:05.10\00:16:09.80
If there was
something in today's program
00:16:09.80\00:16:11.80
that you would like to study
in greater depth and detail,
00:16:11.80\00:16:14.30
visit our website
itiswritten.com where you
00:16:14.30\00:16:17.43
will discover additional
spiritual resources along
00:16:17.43\00:16:20.50
with free Bible Study
guides on a host of topics.
00:16:20.50\00:16:23.53
Visit itiswritten.com today.
00:16:23.53\00:16:27.30
Thanks for joining me
today on It Is Written.
00:16:27.30\00:16:29.43
What hope is there
for anybody who is miles
00:16:29.43\00:16:32.73
away from God?
00:16:32.73\00:16:34.26
Who has got his fingers in
his ears trying desperately
00:16:34.26\00:16:37.20
hard not to listen to
the voice of the Holy Spirit.
00:16:37.20\00:16:39.60
See, this question is
very important because I think
00:16:39.60\00:16:42.56
you and I, if we don't
ourselves, we certainly know
00:16:42.56\00:16:46.16
people who have very
lost people in their families.
00:16:46.16\00:16:49.50
I know there are many people
watching It Is Written today
00:16:49.50\00:16:51.50
and they are saying
"my children", "my son",
00:16:51.50\00:16:53.50
"my daughter",
"my grandchildren",
00:16:53.50\00:16:55.50
"my grandchild", or
"my great grandchild",
00:16:55.50\00:16:57.50
"my neighbor", "my
niece", "my nephew" ..
00:16:57.50\00:16:59.50
" so far from God,
what hope is there?" Today,
00:16:59.50\00:17:02.36
the Ron Halverson story.
00:17:02.36\00:17:04.46
Young fellow, who grew
up in a bad neighborhood
00:17:04.46\00:17:06.80
in New York City, joined a gang,
00:17:06.80\00:17:08.80
hate in his
heart, no love for God,
00:17:08.80\00:17:12.50
but when we left the story
a moment ago, we discovered
00:17:12.50\00:17:14.50
that Ron Halverson,
through an act of providence,
00:17:14.50\00:17:17.40
found himself at
Christian school, and
00:17:17.40\00:17:19.40
Ron, you were about
to hear the Word of God.
00:17:19.40\00:17:21.40
What happened when you
went back that next day and they
00:17:21.40\00:17:23.40
were having what was
called a Week of Prayer at this
00:17:23.40\00:17:25.76
Christian school
where your friend attended.
00:17:25.76\00:17:27.76
RH: Well we got there that
day and I wasn't impressed.
00:17:27.76\00:17:33.83
I tried not to listen.
00:17:33.83\00:17:35.63
Every now and then, a
word would get through.
00:17:35.63\00:17:37.63
But you know, I had such anger.
00:17:37.63\00:17:39.63
I couldn't get above
that anger, but things
00:17:39.63\00:17:42.73
were going to change
because happenstance,
00:17:42.73\00:17:47.16
things change, let me tell you.
00:17:47.16\00:17:49.16
That night, we were
going to have a block party.
00:17:49.16\00:17:51.36
We used to have block parties
and the guys would put ash
00:17:51.36\00:17:54.43
barrels across the
corners so the cars couldn't
00:17:54.43\00:17:56.60
come through, and then we'd
get the ghetto blaster going,
00:17:56.60\00:17:58.86
and you know, we'd
have a dance, and each
00:17:58.86\00:18:00.93
member was supposed to
bring something to the party,
00:18:00.93\00:18:03.83
and the president would
give you a slip of paper
00:18:03.83\00:18:06.30
and you know,
you'd get that stuff,
00:18:06.30\00:18:08.30
and since I had no
money, I'd break and enter.
00:18:08.30\00:18:10.36
I was to get all that
stuff that is not good for you
00:18:10.36\00:18:12.70
right now, but when we get
to heaven, we'll be alright,
00:18:12.70\00:18:14.93
you know, eclairs,
and lemon meringue pies.
00:18:14.93\00:18:17.10
Yeah, that's the kind
of tree I'm gonna have,
00:18:17.10\00:18:19.33
everybody else can have a
pineapple tree but I'm going
00:18:19.33\00:18:22.66
to have an eclair tree,
but anyway, so I go down
00:18:22.66\00:18:24.90
to Brighton
Breach, and at Second,
00:18:24.90\00:18:26.90
on Neptune
Avenue, there's a bakery.
00:18:26.90\00:18:28.90
I wait until it
closes, I break in the back,
00:18:28.90\00:18:31.00
I get in. I go for
those little white boxes
00:18:31.00\00:18:33.40
they have in the bakery,
you know, I'm filling them up
00:18:33.40\00:18:35.40
with all these cream puffs.
00:18:35.40\00:18:37.00
We're going to
have a great party.
00:18:37.00\00:18:39.00
You know, that was my job.
00:18:39.00\00:18:40.00
I was supposed to
get all the sweet things.
00:18:40.00\00:18:42.33
So, I say "why go
out the back window?
00:18:42.33\00:18:44.33
I'll go out the front door."
00:18:44.33\00:18:45.33
And I go out the front
door and about six blocks up,
00:18:45.33\00:18:47.80
a patrol car, the 60th Precinct,
00:18:47.80\00:18:49.80
comes around the
corner and here I am with ...
00:18:49.80\00:18:53.90
you know, everybody is a
theologian, I mean "get rid
00:18:53.90\00:18:56.80
of your sin", get out of here.
00:18:56.80\00:18:59.06
I drop the cream puffs
and try to get traction
00:18:59.06\00:19:01.70
with cream puffs
in your sneakers,
00:19:01.70\00:19:03.70
but anyway, I took off.
00:19:03.70\00:19:05.13
And usually in your
neighborhood, you knew
00:19:05.13\00:19:07.16
the alley ways.
00:19:07.16\00:19:08.16
But I was in Brighton
Beach, that was the next
00:19:08.16\00:19:11.93
neighborhood over.
00:19:11.93\00:19:12.93
Here I am, I'm running
and I duck down this alley
00:19:12.93\00:19:14.93
when I figure, I get to
the end and I'll jump over
00:19:14.93\00:19:16.93
the fence and I'll be gone, man.
00:19:16.93\00:19:18.93
They won't find me.
00:19:18.93\00:19:19.93
I come to the end, and
it's a back of a building,
00:19:19.93\00:19:21.93
it's a dead-end alley.
00:19:21.93\00:19:23.80
So now, being a theologian,
I'm gonna think, what amI
00:19:23.80\00:19:25.86
going to tell these guys
and I look up and there was
00:19:25.86\00:19:28.66
a fire escape and
I pulled the ladder
00:19:28.66\00:19:32.16
down and I ran up.
00:19:32.16\00:19:33.50
I got to the roof just
then they came in - "stop
00:19:33.50\00:19:35.60
or I'll shoot".
00:19:35.60\00:19:36.60
I was moving so fast
I'd outrun the bullet
00:19:36.60\00:19:38.60
and here I am, run
across the building,
00:19:38.60\00:19:40.60
jump over the next
building, and I'm gone.
00:19:40.60\00:19:42.60
Next day, I'm out to
that school with my friend,
00:19:42.60\00:19:44.60
Richard.
00:19:44.60\00:19:45.60
And this preacher says that
this Jesus touched lame legs
00:19:45.60\00:19:49.03
and men walked,
and I thought "Wow!"
00:19:49.03\00:19:52.26
Now I'm listening.
00:19:52.26\00:19:53.60
He touched blind eyes
and men saw the light of day.
00:19:53.60\00:19:56.93
He touched the little
baby's dead heart and beat
00:19:56.93\00:19:59.13
it into life and handed
it back to its mother again.
00:19:59.13\00:20:01.90
I thought "Wow, man,
what kind of power in
00:20:01.90\00:20:05.30
those hands?" First time in
my life ... I mean, I heard that
00:20:05.30\00:20:10.16
before, catechism.
00:20:10.16\00:20:11.16
I heard that stuff,
but it never dawned on me
00:20:11.16\00:20:14.66
that it's real.
00:20:14.66\00:20:15.80
I mean, that's
like Three Little Pigs
00:20:15.80\00:20:18.43
... you know,
Humpty Dumpty sat on the
00:20:18.43\00:20:21.43
wall ... but REAL?
00:20:21.43\00:20:22.93
He talked about this
miraculous Christ and loving
00:20:22.93\00:20:25.93
Christ and boy, a thought
came to my mind but I pushed
00:20:25.93\00:20:28.70
it out fast.
00:20:28.70\00:20:30.36
Boy,
God...could he be like that?
00:20:30.36\00:20:34.63
Could he be like that?
00:20:34.63\00:20:35.63
That night I needed money.
00:20:35.63\00:20:40.23
The easiest way to get
money then was to snatch
00:20:40.23\00:20:43.23
a pocket book.
00:20:43.23\00:20:44.23
A little old lady
would come and I'd grab the
00:20:44.23\00:20:46.73
pocket book, pull
it and if they yelled
00:20:46.73\00:20:48.73
or screamed, I'd hit
them, knock them to the ground.
00:20:48.73\00:20:50.73
That's what sin does to you.
00:20:50.73\00:20:51.73
And so I run out and grabbed
a pocket book, I'm pulling
00:20:51.73\00:20:53.73
and this woman, she starts
screaming, and I go to hit
00:20:53.73\00:20:57.40
her and all of a
sudden, I started to cry.
00:20:57.40\00:21:01.10
Big boys don't cry.
00:21:01.10\00:21:02.60
My daddy taught me that.
00:21:02.60\00:21:03.76
I mean, tough kids don't cry.
00:21:03.76\00:21:07.10
But I was crying.
00:21:07.10\00:21:08.10
I didn't know what it was.
00:21:08.10\00:21:09.26
I let go of the pocket
book and I started running.
00:21:09.26\00:21:11.50
I ran down alley ways, up
over fences, I fell between
00:21:11.50\00:21:15.33
some ash barrels and
almost all night I stayed
00:21:15.33\00:21:17.76
there crying.
00:21:17.76\00:21:18.76
And there was
something in my heart.
00:21:18.76\00:21:20.76
It was pounding in my heart.
00:21:20.76\00:21:22.26
I was scared because I
didn't know what it was.
00:21:22.26\00:21:24.93
And why didn't I hit her?
00:21:24.93\00:21:27.36
Why couldn't I?
00:21:27.36\00:21:28.36
What was it that changed
so drastically, dramatically?
00:21:28.36\00:21:32.00
The next day I played hookey
and went out to that school
00:21:32.00\00:21:35.76
with my friend Richard,
and now I'm starting to say
00:21:35.76\00:21:39.26
"I gotta listen to this."
00:21:39.26\00:21:41.86
I mean, I can't
explain last night.
00:21:41.86\00:21:43.86
I can't explain
this miracle man.
00:21:43.86\00:21:46.76
You know what I discovered
John, and I want those that
00:21:46.76\00:21:50.66
are watching this program
to discover, parents that have
00:21:50.66\00:21:52.83
lost their children, their
kids may be in gangs, it may
00:21:52.83\00:21:55.93
seem hopeless.
00:21:55.93\00:21:56.93
Listen, God made a round world.
00:21:56.93\00:21:59.23
That's not a
physical scientific reason.
00:21:59.23\00:22:02.50
Because the further you
go away from home, the closer
00:22:02.50\00:22:07.26
you come to home.
00:22:07.26\00:22:08.76
You see, that's the
story of this planet.
00:22:08.76\00:22:10.96
That's the story of God.
00:22:10.96\00:22:12.40
That's the story of his love.
00:22:12.40\00:22:13.90
He was caring about a
gang banger, an angry kid.
00:22:13.90\00:22:20.40
I heard about this Jesus
and how they didn't love him,
00:22:20.40\00:22:23.40
they wanted to
crucify him and kill him.
00:22:23.40\00:22:26.03
I thought man,
you kill bad guys.
00:22:26.03\00:22:29.06
Or good guys that get
in the way of bad guys.
00:22:29.06\00:22:31.83
That night, I was
supposed to steal a car.
00:22:31.83\00:22:34.23
We already looked at it.
00:22:34.23\00:22:35.93
We knew where it
was, what it was,
00:22:35.93\00:22:38.80
what we were going to do.
00:22:38.80\00:22:39.80
And we went out, but
there was a knock on the door
00:22:39.80\00:22:43.06
and standing at that
door was that Christian boy,
00:22:43.06\00:22:45.33
Jimmy, with a Bible.
00:22:45.33\00:22:48.16
And he said this.
00:22:48.16\00:22:49.16
I'd never forget
it, 50 years later.
00:22:49.16\00:22:52.73
"I come to study the
Bible with you." I said "What?".
00:22:52.73\00:22:56.46
He said "I come to study,
I want to study the Bible."
00:22:56.46\00:22:58.80
And all those people
said to me, Aw, you chicken.
00:22:58.80\00:23:02.76
They went out that night.
00:23:02.76\00:23:03.76
They were caught and arrested.
00:23:03.76\00:23:05.60
I would have been in prison,
maybe, or dead for all I know,
00:23:05.60\00:23:08.10
because most of my
friends are dead or in prison.
00:23:08.10\00:23:10.80
But for the grace of God ...
00:23:10.80\00:23:12.76
and that night, I
studied the Bible.
00:23:12.76\00:23:15.40
I couldn't read
it but I studied it.
00:23:15.40\00:23:18.40
Next day I went
out and heard about
00:23:18.40\00:23:20.40
this crucified Christ,
hanging between two thieves,
00:23:20.40\00:23:23.90
and I thought, "Wow!
00:23:23.90\00:23:25.96
Could that Christ who died
for two thieves in Jerusalem
00:23:25.96\00:23:30.33
die for a thief in Brooklyn
streets and for the first time
00:23:30.33\00:23:38.43
in my life, the
first time, I found hope.
00:23:38.43\00:23:41.63
And that day, I
gave my heart to God.
00:23:41.63\00:23:43.83
I turned to my friend Richard,
and I said "Richard, come on."
00:23:43.83\00:23:46.86
Tears were in his face.
00:23:46.86\00:23:48.26
He was touched by
the Spirit of God.
00:23:48.26\00:23:50.26
And he said this, he
said "Ron, it costs to much
00:23:50.26\00:23:53.93
to be a Christian."
00:23:53.93\00:23:54.93
JB: That's what he said?
00:23:54.93\00:23:55.93
RH: And he spent his
life in prison for murder
00:23:55.93\00:23:59.06
and I went on
preaching the gospel and I have
00:23:59.06\00:24:01.60
been on every
continent in the world.
00:24:01.60\00:24:03.96
Hey, it cost too much
not to be a Christian.
00:24:03.96\00:24:05.96
I discovered that.
00:24:05.96\00:24:07.46
And here is this illiterate.
00:24:07.46\00:24:08.86
What is going to
happen now with me?
00:24:08.86\00:24:10.86
The moment I found God,
I wanted to tell people.
00:24:10.86\00:24:12.86
JB: Is that right?
00:24:12.86\00:24:13.86
RH: I told people.
00:24:13.86\00:24:14.86
I preached on street corners.
00:24:14.86\00:24:16.23
I held an evangelistic
meeting, 17 years old, we held
00:24:16.23\00:24:19.53
an evangelistic meeting in
a bookie joint in Brooklyn,
00:24:19.53\00:24:23.06
Jimmy and I.
00:24:23.06\00:24:24.50
First person I seen
baptized was my mother.
00:24:24.50\00:24:28.00
And I have held an
evangelistic meeting ever since,
00:24:28.00\00:24:31.86
every year of my
life, until the day I die.
00:24:31.86\00:24:35.43
I told my wife, I said
"Honey, if I die before
00:24:35.43\00:24:37.43
the Lord comes, put
a pulpit in my casket
00:24:37.43\00:24:39.70
because I'll come up
preaching." And that was
00:24:39.70\00:24:41.96
just from one boy, one
teenager who loved God.
00:24:41.96\00:24:46.20
Imagine what we could do if
all the teenagers that claim
00:24:46.20\00:24:49.16
to love God would
share their faith?
00:24:49.16\00:24:51.46
JB: An amazing story.
00:24:51.46\00:24:53.23
RH: And that's why I'm here.
00:24:53.23\00:24:54.23
JB: If any man be in Christ,
... what does the Bible say?
00:24:54.23\00:24:58.56
RH: New creature.
00:24:58.56\00:24:59.56
JB: Old things are passed away.
00:24:59.56\00:25:00.63
And all things become new.
00:25:00.63\00:25:01.66
RH: And we had struggles.
00:25:01.66\00:25:03.46
I want to tell
people, God didn't promise you
00:25:03.46\00:25:05.80
a rose garden.
00:25:05.80\00:25:06.80
He didn't promise
you a ... it's tough.
00:25:06.80\00:25:09.13
I mean there were
times that I fell, times that
00:25:09.13\00:25:12.26
I was miserable, I
mean, miserably fallen.
00:25:12.26\00:25:14.83
But the
difference is getting up.
00:25:14.83\00:25:17.83
Taking that step.
00:25:17.83\00:25:18.93
JB: Christianity continues
to be a growth, doesn't it?
00:25:18.93\00:25:21.20
RH: Yeah.
00:25:21.20\00:25:22.20
It's a lifetime.
00:25:22.20\00:25:23.20
And when you
fall short, He hasn't.
00:25:23.20\00:25:27.30
That's the gospel.
00:25:27.30\00:25:28.70
That's the good news.
00:25:28.70\00:25:29.73
JB: Someone is struggling today.
00:25:29.73\00:25:31.66
Your message to that person is?
00:25:31.66\00:25:33.66
RH: Reach out for God.
00:25:33.66\00:25:36.63
He is a fingertip away.
00:25:36.63\00:25:38.06
Don't get good enough for God.
00:25:38.06\00:25:40.60
God is good enough for you.
00:25:40.60\00:25:43.13
Just say "Hey, help me"
and let him help you and if
00:25:43.13\00:25:47.23
you are sincere to open
your heart, he will help you.
00:25:47.23\00:25:49.76
You will be surprised
what he can do with you.
00:25:49.76\00:25:54.40
Today, our free
book offer is for one
00:25:54.40\00:25:57.23
of my very favorite books.
00:25:57.23\00:25:58.23
Steps to Christ.
00:25:58.23\00:26:00.10
Just what you need in
your daily walk with Jesus.
00:26:00.10\00:26:03.90
Just call or write and
Steps to Christ will be
00:26:03.90\00:26:06.53
on its way.
00:26:06.53\00:26:07.53
There's no cost or obligation.
00:26:07.53\00:26:09.00
It's our free gift to you.
00:26:09.00\00:26:11.16
Just call 1.800.253.3000
and ask for Steps to Christ.
00:26:11.16\00:26:17.10
Lines are open 24 hours.
00:26:17.10\00:26:19.23
If it's busy when
you call, just try again.
00:26:19.23\00:26:21.46
You can also request
this free book by writing to
00:26:21.46\00:26:24.26
It is Written,
Box O, Thousand Oaks,
00:26:24.26\00:26:27.46
California 91359
and we'll mail a copy to
00:26:27.46\00:26:30.83
your address in North America.
00:26:30.83\00:26:32.23
Please note, this free
book is limited to the supply
00:26:32.23\00:26:35.23
on hand, so call soon.
00:26:35.23\00:26:36.60
For immediate access,
you can download a free,
00:26:36.60\00:26:39.63
electronic version of
the book Steps to Christ from
00:26:39.63\00:26:42.30
our website itiswritten.com.
00:26:42.30\00:26:43.30
It Is Written is a faith-based
ministry made possible
00:26:43.30\00:26:48.16
by viewers like you.
00:26:48.16\00:26:49.23
Thank you for your letters
and for your continued support.
00:26:49.23\00:26:53.96
Ron, thank you
for sharing today.
00:26:53.96\00:26:55.96
You know a lot of lives
are going to be touched,
00:26:55.96\00:26:57.96
have been touched
through your ministry
00:26:57.96\00:26:59.96
RH: Well, it's great
to be here and to share.
00:26:59.96\00:27:02.03
JB: A lot of people have a
lot of hope because of what
00:27:02.03\00:27:04.03
God did for you, God is doing
in lives right now and will
00:27:04.03\00:27:07.20
continue to do in
lives until Jesus comes back.
00:27:07.20\00:27:09.36
RH: That's right.
00:27:09.36\00:27:10.36
JB: Let's pray
together right now.
00:27:10.36\00:27:12.36
Our Father, we thank you
knowing that you treat us as
00:27:12.36\00:27:15.56
the father
treated the prodigal son.
00:27:15.56\00:27:17.56
You run to meet us
and grab us and greet us.
00:27:17.56\00:27:20.73
Thank you for meeting us
where we are and helping us
00:27:20.73\00:27:22.96
to know that there is
hope through Jesus Christ
00:27:22.96\00:27:26.26
and help us, Lord, to know
that beyond the despair that we
00:27:26.26\00:27:29.56
experience in our lives,
there is hope for us because
00:27:29.56\00:27:33.46
Jesus died to set us free.
00:27:33.46\00:27:36.96
Bless us, please,
in Jesus' name, Amen.
00:27:36.96\00:27:47.00
Ron, thanks.
00:27:47.00\00:27:48.00
Thanks very much
for joining me today.
00:27:48.00\00:27:50.00
I appreciate it greatly.
00:27:50.00\00:27:51.00
RH: You're welcome.
00:27:51.00\00:27:52.00
JB: And thank you
for joining me today.
00:27:52.00\00:27:54.00
I look forward to seeing
you next time and until then,
00:27:54.00\00:27:56.00
please remember It Is Written,
man shall not live by bread
00:27:56.00\00:27:58.56
alone but by every
word that proceeds from
00:27:58.56\00:28:02.36
the mouth of God.
00:28:02.36\00:28:04.36