¤ ¤
00:00:01.36\00:00:05.33
¤ I want to spend my
life mending broken people ¤
00:00:05.37\00:00:15.68
¤ I want to spend
my life removing pain ¤
00:00:15.71\00:00:26.19
¤ Lord let my words
heal a heart that hurts ¤
00:00:26.22\00:00:37.17
¤ I want to spend my
life mending broken people ¤
00:00:37.20\00:00:57.12
¤ ¤
00:00:57.15\00:01:07.33
Hello and welcome to 3ABN Today.
I'm Jason Bradley and I'm so
00:01:07.36\00:01:11.57
excited for our program today.
I'm going to be talking to my
00:01:11.60\00:01:15.70
guest who used to be an atheist
and he is now a Christian. And
00:01:15.74\00:01:21.01
so we're going to hear about his
powerful conversion story. His
00:01:21.04\00:01:25.58
name is Michael John Marta
and you used to be a former
00:01:25.61\00:01:30.69
literature evangelist and a
Bible teacher and the author of
00:01:30.72\00:01:34.99
Christian books.
Welcome to the program.
00:01:35.02\00:01:36.96
Well, thank you
very much, Jason.
00:01:36.99\00:01:39.49
Yes, yes. I can't wait to dive
into your story and I've had a
00:01:39.53\00:01:43.73
chance to kind of get a glimpse
of your testimony. But before we
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do we're going to be blessed
in song. It's going to be by
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Matt and Josie and
it's I Love You Anyway.
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¤ ¤
00:01:55.44\00:02:02.78
¤ To my gentle searching eyes
There have been no disguises ¤
00:02:02.82\00:02:12.49
¤ Nothing that you have
done that you can hide ¤
00:02:12.53\00:02:22.34
¤ I've seen you
in your darkest sin ¤
00:02:22.37\00:02:24.87
¤ And know the
pain and guilt within ¤
00:02:24.91\00:02:27.91
¤ But the question on your
mind am I worth saving anyway ¤
00:02:27.94\00:02:33.52
¤ I see you,
child for who you are ¤
00:02:33.55\00:02:37.59
¤ Now that sin has
left it's ugly scars ¤
00:02:37.62\00:02:40.86
¤ But I know who
you were meant to be ¤
00:02:40.89\00:02:43.93
¤ And my love
will set you free ¤
00:02:43.96\00:02:46.53
¤ So come weary child
rest beside me for a while ¤
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¤ I know your care,
the burdens that you bear ¤
00:02:55.34\00:03:02.64
¤ Abide in my
love hide in my love ¤
00:03:02.68\00:03:09.38
¤ Don't push me
away ashamed and afraid ¤
00:03:09.42\00:03:15.16
¤ I know who you are and
I love you anyway my child ¤
00:03:15.19\00:03:24.57
¤ ¤
00:03:24.60\00:03:32.87
¤ So bring me all
your wants and needs ¤
00:03:32.91\00:03:35.24
¤ I promise they
can't burden me ¤
00:03:35.28\00:03:38.58
¤ Most desperate one
cannot exceed my care for you ¤
00:03:38.61\00:03:43.85
¤ And bring me all
those doubts and fears ¤
00:03:43.89\00:03:48.02
¤ The hurt you
haven't faced in years ¤
00:03:48.06\00:03:51.39
¤ The wounded heart
you stuffed inside ¤
00:03:51.43\00:03:54.13
¤ The tears you
tried so hard to hide ¤
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¤ And come, weary child
Rest beside me for a while ¤
00:04:01.44\00:04:07.08
¤ I know your care The
burdens that you bear ¤
00:04:07.11\00:04:14.12
¤ Abide in my
love, Hide in my love ¤
00:04:14.15\00:04:20.96
¤ Don't push me
away Ashamed and afraid ¤
00:04:20.99\00:04:28.70
¤ I know who you are and
I love you anyway my child ¤
00:04:28.73\00:04:36.37
¤ So come to me
just the way you are ¤
00:04:36.40\00:04:40.31
¤ Though you've fallen
hard and wandered far ¤
00:04:40.34\00:04:45.15
¤ So stop trying to
be so brave, so strong ¤
00:04:45.18\00:04:48.48
¤ It's okay to cry,
child, tears aren't wrong ¤
00:04:48.52\00:04:55.19
¤ Come weary child,
rest beside me for a while ¤
00:04:55.22\00:05:02.36
¤ I know your care,
those burdens that you bear ¤
00:05:02.40\00:05:08.40
¤ Abide in my
love, hide in my love ¤
00:05:08.44\00:05:15.14
¤ Don't push me
away Ashamed and afraid ¤
00:05:15.18\00:05:22.48
¤ I know who you are and
I love you anyway my child ¤
00:05:22.52\00:05:31.49
¤ Yes I love you
always my child ¤
00:05:31.53\00:05:37.23
¤ ¤
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Wow, what a powerful message.
God loves you anyway. He desires
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a relationship with you and you
know Mike as I think about your
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testimony, how you went from
atheist to Christian. What led
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to you being an atheist?
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Well it's an interesting
question I can tell you. I was
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raised in a Christian home,
but my mother died when I was 13
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years old and because I'd heard
all the Bible stories about how
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God raised people from the dead
I figured he could still do that
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so I kept praying all through
the funeral that God would raise
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her from the dead to glorify
himself and of course I wanted
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to have my mom back too. And but
it didn't happen so when we got
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to the graveyard and they threw
the dirt on I figured it wasn't
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going to happen. The devil you
know puts thoughts in your head
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so I started thinking things
like I wonder if there really is
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a God. If there is one why would
He do something like that to me?
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And pretty soon I started
suspecting that probably the
00:07:01.25\00:07:08.82
story about God was like Greek
mythology, just a good story
00:07:08.86\00:07:13.46
that explained things and
so I decided I was no longer a
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believer. I was going out
the other direction as far as I
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could.
00:07:21.70\00:07:23.10
Yeah, so you said you were no
longer a believer but then what
00:07:23.14\00:07:27.48
did you believe...So you were
an atheist but like what was
00:07:27.51\00:07:31.61
your belief on the state of the
dead or you know any of those
00:07:31.65\00:07:35.18
things. What
happens when you die?
00:07:35.22\00:07:36.69
That's a good question. I
actually didn't care. (Yes) When
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you're an atheist you live for
today and what you can get, what
00:07:42.72\00:07:47.43
you can do, how much fun you
can have. You really don't think
00:07:47.46\00:07:52.03
about the future because as far
as you know there is no future.
00:07:52.07\00:07:54.27
When you're dead you're dead.
So that was my philosophy at
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that time.
00:07:57.71\00:07:59.04
So you were living
in the here and now.
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Exactly, that's all you have.
00:08:00.94\00:08:05.55
Did you feel a sense of
emptiness, I mean you know not
00:08:05.58\00:08:09.32
believing in
anything? Did you feel empty?
00:08:09.35\00:08:12.92
Well, that's a good question.
I felt busy. When you don't
00:08:12.95\00:08:23.73
believe that there's a God
you entertain yourself, you stay
00:08:23.77\00:08:28.00
busy. And if you're busy
and having fun like most of the
00:08:28.04\00:08:32.81
world does today it kind of
takes your thoughts of God out
00:08:32.84\00:08:34.98
of the picture and you
don't even worry about it.
00:08:35.01\00:08:37.05
Yeah, so you didn't
really have any real rest.
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No, no there's no peace. You
just live for the moment what
00:08:41.98\00:08:46.49
you can. Enjoy life, so to speak
00:08:46.52\00:08:51.03
Did you encounter any challenges
that stand out to you during
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your time as an atheist?
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Well there were a lot of
challenges that would come up.
00:08:59.73\00:09:04.04
I actually, in my book I can
tell you I had one near-death
00:09:04.07\00:09:09.54
experience after another and I
pretty much attributed it to I'm
00:09:09.58\00:09:14.18
a really lucky guy. I worked out
on heavy equipment and running
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bulldozers and things like
that and one time when we were
00:09:20.16\00:09:24.46
bringing a bulldozer back
from Minneapolis to the Upper
00:09:24.49\00:09:27.33
Peninsula where I was working
and it was on what they call a
00:09:27.36\00:09:32.27
high boy. It's about 40, 45
inches off the ground, not the
00:09:32.30\00:09:35.24
ones you can just...we had to
put it on a loading dock to get
00:09:35.27\00:09:39.14
it on, (Oh okay) and the
teamster who was driving the
00:09:39.17\00:09:42.71
truck was pretty much drunk most
of the time so he showed me how
00:09:42.74\00:09:47.32
to drive. This was one time when
he was driving. He pulled off
00:09:47.35\00:09:50.09
the road because he had to have
a nature break and he went out
00:09:50.12\00:09:54.22
in the woods and when he came
back found out the truck was
00:09:54.26\00:09:56.39
stuck in the sand on the side of
the road. And he said Mike you
00:09:56.42\00:10:04.57
think you can twist the
Cat around if we unchain it and
00:10:04.60\00:10:07.04
back up real quick and then push
me out of this and then build a
00:10:07.07\00:10:12.77
ramp up so you can get back up.
Of course, at that age, I had a
00:10:12.81\00:10:19.15
confidence totally. Of course
I can do that. So we're at a
00:10:19.18\00:10:23.55
little bit of an angle on the
side of the road and we undid
00:10:23.59\00:10:28.52
the chains that were holding the
caterpillar down and I started
00:10:28.56\00:10:34.13
it up. The minute I lifted the
blade it slid sideways right off
00:10:34.16\00:10:39.57
into about a six or seven-foot
ditch and the caterpillar
00:10:39.60\00:10:47.58
started to roll on top of
me. And all of a sudden, Leonard
00:10:47.61\00:10:52.75
told me, there was just like
a giant hand pulled it back over
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and it didn't crush me. It just
came back the other way and so
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Now I know that was God
intervening to watch out for me
00:10:59.59\00:11:03.86
but at that time I
thought wow am I lucky?
00:11:03.89\00:11:09.43
Wow! That is his hand on
your life the whole time.
00:11:09.46\00:11:13.57
The whole time. I can't tell you
how many near-death experiences
00:11:13.60\00:11:16.50
I had and God brought me
out of every one of them.
00:11:16.54\00:11:21.64
Yes. You mentioned your book
here. It's called God Want's
00:11:21.68\00:11:23.01
Your Shoes: The Journey Back.
So we have God Wants Your Shoes:
00:11:23.04\00:11:33.12
The Journey Back. Excellent,
excellent book here. How did God
00:11:33.15\00:11:38.93
change your mind about atheism?
00:11:38.96\00:11:41.63
Well, it was one step at a time.
I can tell you I got married up
00:11:41.66\00:11:46.84
in the Upper Peninsula and my
wife didn't want me to work in
00:11:46.87\00:11:51.84
the pipeline anymore because
there was dangerous work. So we
00:11:51.87\00:11:55.51
moved down to the Appleton area
in Wisconsin and I went to work
00:11:55.54\00:12:01.68
in the mill. We rented an
apartment, I know now that we
00:12:01.72\00:12:09.22
found it in the paper
but I know God led us to that
00:12:09.26\00:12:11.46
apartment because we were
upstairs to a nice Christian
00:12:11.49\00:12:16.30
Baptist lady, Doris. And she
was very friendly. We had to go
00:12:16.33\00:12:23.51
right by her door, she had a
sliding door so it was a house
00:12:23.54\00:12:30.38
with an apartment built upstairs
So every day I'd go up and Doris
00:12:30.41\00:12:34.12
was very friendly, talked to me,
asked me how things were going
00:12:34.15\00:12:35.48
and I'd say fine. Then
she started witnessing to me.
00:12:35.52\00:12:42.79
And I said, Doris, I'm not
interested. I'm an atheist.
00:12:42.82\00:12:45.33
She said, Really, why would you
be an atheist? I said well when
00:12:45.36\00:12:50.97
my mom died when I was 13 if
God really loves me why did he
00:12:51.00\00:12:53.47
do something like that? And
on top of that Doris, the Bible
00:12:53.50\00:12:56.44
contradicts itself, everybody
knows that. And I went upstairs
00:12:56.47\00:13:01.64
and I thought that's the end
of that. I'll never hear another
00:13:01.68\00:13:03.48
thing. She'll leave me alone
like everybody else always did.
00:13:03.51\00:13:06.28
So the next day I came back from
work. There's Doris standing
00:13:06.31\00:13:12.39
there at the bottom of the
stairs with a book and a marker.
00:13:12.42\00:13:15.86
She said you know Mike, I've
been thinking about what you
00:13:15.89\00:13:19.13
said about the Bible
contradicting itself. And so I
00:13:19.16\00:13:24.73
want you...this is The Good News
for Modern Man. I'm going to
00:13:24.77\00:13:27.34
give you this. It's a New
Testament in simple English. I
00:13:27.37\00:13:31.87
want you to read it and take
this yellow marker and you mark
00:13:31.91\00:13:34.94
every place you find it
contradicts itself. If you find
00:13:34.98\00:13:38.95
it in three I'll be an atheist
with you. (Wow!) I took the
00:13:38.98\00:13:43.62
challenge. I thought it was one
way to get her off my back. So I
00:13:43.65\00:13:46.39
was working shift work. I'd come
home I'd read that Bible. No
00:13:46.42\00:13:50.23
contradictions no contradictions
I went through Matthew.
00:13:50.26\00:13:53.56
Actually, it was interesting.
I had never really sat down and
00:13:53.60\00:13:57.07
read through the Bible before.
So I read Matthew and I read
00:13:57.10\00:13:59.93
Mark. I read Luke. I'm starting
to think this might be true.
00:13:59.97\00:14:05.27
I'm not finding any
contradictions. And so
00:14:05.31\00:14:09.58
I got to the book of John about
how much God loves each of us
00:14:09.61\00:14:14.38
It touched me. I never prayed
for his Holy Spirit because I
00:14:14.42\00:14:19.99
didn't believe in it. But God
touched me anyway. And when I
00:14:20.02\00:14:25.49
got through that I pretty much
believed there was a God now and
00:14:25.53\00:14:29.73
I'd better do things differently
And when I got to the book of
00:14:29.76\00:14:33.97
Acts I wondered why don't
miracles happen anymore? Why was
00:14:34.00\00:14:38.94
it just back then. And
that was a question I had.
00:14:38.97\00:14:46.41
Yes, yes. How has your life
changed since accepting Jesus
00:14:46.45\00:14:49.45
Christ as your Lord and Savior?
00:14:49.48\00:14:50.82
It's a wonderful difference.
Before when you had a struggle
00:14:50.85\00:14:58.36
you just had to tough it out.
You had really no hope, it was
00:14:58.39\00:15:02.20
all on you, do it or don't. And
you tend to blame other people
00:15:02.23\00:15:08.84
for your problems when you don't
know God. And after I found God
00:15:08.87\00:15:15.34
and was able to talk to him
about my problems just life was
00:15:15.38\00:15:21.02
so much lighter, so much better.
Because I had a friend I could
00:15:21.05\00:15:26.15
talk to now.
00:15:26.19\00:15:29.39
And what were some of the
experiences that took place you
00:15:29.42\00:15:31.66
know because as you accept Jesus
into your life you know it's not
00:15:31.69\00:15:38.20
like all opposition stops or
anything like that. You know you
00:15:38.23\00:15:43.81
start facing some other
opposition as well. So what was
00:15:43.84\00:15:47.28
some experiences that you faced?
00:15:47.31\00:15:49.41
Well I'm no different than
anybody else. I had some friends
00:15:49.44\00:15:55.05
I used to after the shift work
they'd come play cards at night
00:15:55.08\00:16:00.89
and drink. And when I quit
drinking with them, I'd still
00:16:00.92\00:16:09.40
play cards but I quit drinking
and they kind of started to
00:16:09.43\00:16:12.60
tease me a little bit. And
when I began to really talk more
00:16:12.63\00:16:19.61
about my Christianity, they kind
of left me by the wayside and
00:16:19.64\00:16:24.81
started calling me Holy Roller
and things like that, but I took
00:16:24.85\00:16:29.18
it because I had
a better way now.
00:16:29.22\00:16:30.65
Yes, yes, absolutely. Now this
book you wrote here, God Wants
00:16:30.69\00:16:37.76
Your Shoes: The Journey Back.
Where can people go to get this
00:16:37.79\00:16:42.20
book?
00:16:42.23\00:16:43.90
Well, it's
available on Amazon...
00:16:43.93\00:16:47.57
Off of your website
right, @Mike-Books.com
00:16:47.60\00:16:54.74
Yeah, www@Mike-Books.com, that's
correct and there's testimonials
00:16:54.78\00:17:01.05
there from people that have
read the book and in quoting the
00:17:01.08\00:17:06.39
Amazon editor who was not
Christian who wrote a letter and
00:17:06.42\00:17:10.66
you can see it there how
impressed he was with the way
00:17:10.69\00:17:14.80
that when I was working in
literature evangelism the people
00:17:14.83\00:17:17.33
how they responded, how I was
able to help them find God. It
00:17:17.37\00:17:20.84
was a...it kind of touched
me, that somebody that wasn't a
00:17:20.87\00:17:27.28
total believer would
write something like that.
00:17:27.31\00:17:28.98
Yes, will praise God. That was
another witnessing opportunity.
00:17:29.01\00:17:32.18
Was it hard to write the book?
00:17:32.21\00:17:35.88
First I have to tell you why
I wrote it. I have a pastor in
00:17:35.92\00:17:41.39
Sarasota. I go to Florida
in the winter and Pastor Jerry
00:17:41.42\00:17:46.59
Rosario, I did a favor for
him. He was selling his van so I
00:17:46.63\00:17:50.43
drove down to Inglewood and
asked me if I'd come and pick
00:17:50.47\00:17:54.37
him up and drive back. I'd take
him home to Sarasota. So I did
00:17:54.40\00:17:58.57
and on the way back I started
telling stories about all the
00:17:58.61\00:18:02.21
miracles God had done in my life
And he said, Mike, you need to
00:18:02.24\00:18:05.91
write a book. And I said, Pastor
people have been telling me I
00:18:05.95\00:18:09.65
should write a book for 20 years
And he said I'm going to tell
00:18:09.68\00:18:14.19
something different. He said, if
you don't write a book to share
00:18:14.22\00:18:17.56
what God has done in your life
and what he can do in modern
00:18:17.59\00:18:20.26
days, it's almost like sacrilege
And that kind of hit me. So I
00:18:20.30\00:18:27.17
thought about it and I decided
you know we don't know what we
00:18:27.20\00:18:31.31
can do until we try for God and
so started writing down stories
00:18:31.34\00:18:35.54
that I had as a literature
evangelist and things that had
00:18:35.58\00:18:39.11
happened in my life and
pretty soon I had a book full.
00:18:39.15\00:18:45.62
Yes, yes. What are some stories
that you can share? You know we
00:18:45.65\00:18:49.62
love story time, so let's have
a little story time right now.
00:18:49.66\00:18:53.60
I'm going to tell you one. I
might get choked up because it's
00:18:53.63\00:18:59.00
an incredible experience.
I used to get cards for the
00:18:59.03\00:19:04.01
doctor's office, lead cards,
right, for people interested in
00:19:04.04\00:19:06.71
the Bible Story. So I got a card
it was probably a town 15 miles
00:19:06.74\00:19:14.78
from where I lived. So I went
there. There was nobody home.
00:19:14.82\00:19:17.85
I kept stopping back through
there for almost a year and
00:19:17.89\00:19:22.36
nobody ever was there. And
one day had the thought as I'm
00:19:22.39\00:19:28.00
driving through...the town was
New London, Wisconsin...I had
00:19:28.03\00:19:30.40
the thought I should go to
that house again, this upstairs
00:19:30.43\00:19:35.20
apartment. But I pushed it off
and kept on driving. I was going
00:19:35.24\00:19:38.77
to go someplace else. I went 10
miles down the road and it just
00:19:38.81\00:19:43.61
really started nagging at me
that I need to go and knock at
00:19:43.65\00:19:48.92
that door. And I kept going.
I went another 10 miles. I
00:19:48.95\00:19:53.49
couldn't take it anymore it was
so strong. I turned around and
00:19:53.52\00:19:57.03
drove back. So I went upstairs
to this upstairs apartment and I
00:19:57.06\00:20:00.70
knocked on the door. No answer.
I thought Lord did I just mess
00:20:00.73\00:20:06.63
up. I'm sure you wanted me to
knock on the door. So I knocked
00:20:06.67\00:20:10.81
again. No answer. I thought I
was going to keep knocking, so I
00:20:10.84\00:20:14.91
kept knocking. All of a sudden
I heard a noise inside the door.
00:20:14.94\00:20:17.98
So now I knew I was supposed to
be...I'm knocking till that door
00:20:18.01\00:20:22.08
opens. So I kept knocking.
Pretty soon the door opened and
00:20:22.12\00:20:26.25
a young gentleman came out,
probably 35, or 36 years old. He
00:20:26.29\00:20:34.10
said, What can I do for you?
And I said well I'm here with
00:20:34.13\00:20:38.10
information about the
Bible Stories that you sent in.
00:20:38.13\00:20:40.67
And he said well I'm not really
interested anymore. I said well
00:20:40.70\00:20:47.28
there must be a reason. Why
don't you just let me step in
00:20:47.31\00:20:48.64
and talk to you and show
you what it is and you can know
00:20:48.68\00:20:51.68
whether you're interested or not
So he opened the door, kind of
00:20:51.71\00:20:54.45
sheepish looking which I
couldn't understand. We sat down
00:20:54.48\00:20:57.22
at the table and I started
showing the books and talking
00:20:57.25\00:21:00.46
about God and how good he
was and he started crying.
00:21:00.49\00:21:04.33
I couldn't understand. I was
taken aback. I didn't know what
00:21:04.36\00:21:10.63
to do. He said come with me, I
want to show you something. And
00:21:10.67\00:21:15.07
so he took me down the hall...
we were sitting at the kitchen
00:21:15.10\00:21:16.91
table...and on the right-hand
side there was a doorway that he
00:21:16.94\00:21:23.68
had a big nail spiked in a belt
and a chair. He was standing on
00:21:23.71\00:21:27.15
that chair getting ready to kill
himself when I knocked on the
00:21:27.18\00:21:31.35
door. (Wow, wow, wow) We
both got touched and I said well
00:21:31.39\00:21:38.26
let's go back and pray. So
we went back to his table and I
00:21:38.29\00:21:39.86
started praying with him. And I
said tell me why would you want
00:21:39.89\00:21:44.43
to do that. And he said well my
wife and my children left me and
00:21:44.47\00:21:48.94
I've got no reason to have
the books anymore. And so I just
00:21:48.97\00:21:54.71
going to do away with myself
and I had this thought pop
00:21:54.74\00:21:56.08
into my head. I said
00:21:56.11\00:21:57.45
you know if you do something
like that your children will
00:21:57.48\00:22:01.68
always wonder if they did
something to make Daddy kill
00:22:01.72\00:22:05.25
himself. And I said you'll ruin
their lives. Besides you don't
00:22:05.29\00:22:08.62
even know if they're coming back
or not. They could come back in
00:22:08.66\00:22:12.09
a week or two and so you need
to stay alive. I'm whispering
00:22:12.13\00:22:18.50
little prayers to God, help me
I don't know what to do. And all
00:22:18.53\00:22:21.94
of a sudden, I had another
thought and I started telling
00:22:21.97\00:22:25.74
him about how his life could
affect other people in many ways
00:22:25.77\00:22:31.58
that he never even thought about
So we prayed together and I said
00:22:31.61\00:22:36.92
would you talk to a pastor if I
have a pastor come over and help
00:22:36.95\00:22:41.39
you understand that Jesus still
loves you and he said, Yeah I'll
00:22:41.42\00:22:46.26
do that. So I tried to call my
pastor and I couldn't get ahold
00:22:46.29\00:22:49.83
of him but I had an Assembly of
God pastor who lives in the town
00:22:49.86\00:22:52.97
next to me and he needed
somebody now. So I called him up
00:22:53.00\00:22:55.74
and he went over and started
working with him and having
00:22:55.77\00:23:00.74
Bible studies. Somebody had
bought Bible Story books from me
00:23:00.78\00:23:03.04
before so I knew them very well.
I stopped after about a month
00:23:03.08\00:23:08.08
later because I wanted to give
him time to get adjusted and I
00:23:08.12\00:23:11.75
knocked on the door again. This
time a lady from across the hall
00:23:11.79\00:23:14.79
said he's not here, he moved.
And I thought what if his wife
00:23:14.82\00:23:23.40
came back. I wonder about
all those things. I'm a total
00:23:23.43\00:23:26.87
optimist so I felt that God sent
me there that day to save his
00:23:26.90\00:23:30.71
life and that his life had
probably turned around and who
00:23:30.74\00:23:34.68
knows, he might be up in
a pulpit some place telling
00:23:34.71\00:23:37.75
somebody how God sent somebody
to save his life that day. That
00:23:37.78\00:23:42.78
just made me feel awesome.
I still get chill bumps when I
00:23:42.82\00:23:46.76
think about it. Yes, that is
incredible. You know you never
00:23:46.79\00:23:51.73
know...that's why it's so
important to answer the call
that God places on your
00:23:51.76\00:23:54.60
life too, because you don't know
how it's going to impact others
00:23:54.63\00:23:58.10
You know what if you
didn't knock on the door.
00:23:58.13\00:24:02.80
I thought about that. In my book
I wrote about that story that
00:24:02.84\00:24:06.04
said what if I would have
neglected another 10 minutes
00:24:06.07\00:24:10.45
to turn around? He would have
been done for. So when you feel
00:24:10.48\00:24:16.28
God urging you to do something
just do it whether it feels
00:24:16.32\00:24:21.12
right or doesn't feel right
you need to follow the impulse.
00:24:21.16\00:24:24.03
Yeah, yes, amen. Have any souls
been won to our church once you
00:24:24.06\00:24:29.30
accepted God and
started working for him?
00:24:29.33\00:24:32.77
I have given lots of
Bible studies I'm going to
00:24:32.80\00:24:36.30
tell you just
00:24:36.34\00:24:37.67
briefly: I had a card that
I went to...I have fair booths
00:24:37.71\00:24:43.41
always I give away a big family
Bible and the kids would sign up
00:24:43.45\00:24:46.21
if they're interested in Bible
Story books and so I had some
00:24:46.25\00:24:51.95
leads from the fair and it took
a few months before I'm able to
00:24:51.99\00:24:56.39
get to them because I have
so many of them. And the Post
00:24:56.42\00:25:00.96
Offices back there are wonderful
They have post office boxes. I'd
00:25:01.00\00:25:02.70
go in there. The Post Master in
Appleton called me Reverend and
00:25:02.73\00:25:07.20
I said no I'm not a reverend, I
just work with Bible Storybooks
00:25:07.24\00:25:10.84
helping people find God. Well
that's okay, you're reverend as
00:25:10.87\00:25:13.84
far as I am concerned. She'd
give me addresses and how to get
00:25:13.88\00:25:16.91
there and everything. Well
I went to this place out near
00:25:16.95\00:25:21.12
Black Creek, Wisconsin, and the
lady opened the door. I showed
00:25:21.15\00:25:25.45
her the little card, obviously
her little daughter had signed
00:25:25.49\00:25:28.66
it and she burst into tears.
And I said I'm sorry. She said,
00:25:28.69\00:25:34.50
somebody just hit and killed
Sarah, that was her daughter.
00:25:34.53\00:25:38.50
And they don't know who it is
so it was hit and run driver who
00:25:38.53\00:25:42.70
lived in the country. And I said
Oh, I'm very sorry. She said I
00:25:42.74\00:25:47.48
just can't talk to you now. Can
you come back and so I said I
00:25:47.51\00:25:49.74
would in two weeks and so I went
back in two weeks. Shared God
00:25:49.78\00:25:54.38
with them, prayed with them.
I told them you know the nice
00:25:54.42\00:25:58.29
thing about this bad thing
is that you know that Sarah the
00:25:58.32\00:26:03.39
last thing she had in her mind
was she wanted to know about God
00:26:03.43\00:26:05.96
and the Bible. And I say, that
should give you some kind of
00:26:05.99\00:26:09.10
comfort. And they were comforted
by that. I prayed with them and
00:26:09.13\00:26:13.60
then I showed them the Bible
Story books and they bought
00:26:13.64\00:26:14.97
everything I had which was a
blessing. But before I left they
00:26:15.00\00:26:20.91
said you know Mike we have these
nice Jehovah's Witnesses who are
00:26:20.94\00:26:26.15
giving us Bible Studies. Would
you come and join us. It's a
00:26:26.18\00:26:30.55
Friday night and I said
sure I'll come. So I came to the
00:26:30.59\00:26:34.09
Bible study. They had eight or
nine different people around the
00:26:34.12\00:26:39.09
table, different families from
the area, all with the Jehovah's
00:26:39.13\00:26:42.86
Witnesses. That particular night
they were talking about the
00:26:42.90\00:26:48.44
second coming. And they said
that it already happened. You
00:26:48.47\00:26:52.97
might not know that, I didn't
either. But they said that Jesus
00:26:53.01\00:26:57.88
was already present in the books
the Watch Tower Press and if you
00:26:57.91\00:27:05.39
have your eyes open spiritually
you'd know that that's what he
00:27:05.42\00:27:10.73
wants you to read. It's his word
I'm that kind of guy, I couldn't
00:27:10.76\00:27:16.33
keep quiet so I said what about
Revelation 1:6 where it says
00:27:16.36\00:27:21.37
behold he's coming in the clouds
and everyone will see him.
00:27:21.40\00:27:23.24
They said well everybody that's
got spiritual eyes can see him
00:27:23.27\00:27:26.88
right now in this Watch Tower
Press. I said what about the
00:27:26.91\00:27:29.18
rest of the verse that says
the people would be afraid and
00:27:29.21\00:27:32.08
they'd hide and call for the
rocks and mountains to fall on
00:27:32.11\00:27:36.92
them. And they didn't say a word
Everybody at the table started
00:27:36.95\00:27:40.46
asking me questions and so
I told them about Corinthians
00:27:40.49\00:27:44.03
where when Jesus comes he'll
come in the clouds and people
00:27:44.06\00:27:46.63
will be raised from the dead.
And Jehovah's Witness people
00:27:46.66\00:27:51.93
never said another word. Those
people all started asking me
00:27:51.97\00:27:53.94
questions. They said Mike would
you come back. And I said yes I
00:27:53.97\00:27:57.87
will. The Jehovah's Witness
never showed up but I went there
00:27:57.91\00:28:01.14
for about a year every Friday
night and had Bible studies with
00:28:01.18\00:28:05.11
them. Eight people joined
the Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:28:05.15\00:28:09.05
because of that. I wrote about
them in the book because not
00:28:09.08\00:28:14.19
only them, the farmer. He was
a farmer just not somebody that
00:28:14.22\00:28:24.23
could speak publicly or anything
like that but when he found
00:28:24.27\00:28:28.57
Jesus as his personal Savior
he would tell everybody. You
00:28:28.60\00:28:31.71
couldn't drive by his house
without if you stopped somebody
00:28:31.74\00:28:36.85
he'd say do you love Jesus? He's
just that way. And it's exciting
00:28:36.88\00:28:41.02
He actually...somebody came to
sell him farm equipment and he
00:28:41.05\00:28:44.49
started to talk to him about it
and Ken started him on a Bible
00:28:44.52\00:28:49.59
study and that person was
baptized, Stan and Martha, and
00:28:49.62\00:28:56.90
they went on to become ministers
someplace in the southern
00:28:56.93\00:29:02.64
conference. So no matter what
talent you have God can use you
00:29:02.67\00:29:08.11
if you're just willing to I
say stick your neck out. Because
00:29:08.14\00:29:11.78
sometimes you have to stick
your neck out to see a miracle.
00:29:11.81\00:29:16.02
Miracles don't happen if you
stay in your safe comfort zone.
00:29:16.05\00:29:19.52
You have to do something for God
and he'll do something in return
00:29:19.55\00:29:23.69
Yeah, absolutely. When did you
come into the Adventist faith?
00:29:23.73\00:29:28.80
You know I don't think we really
touched on that part. When did
00:29:28.83\00:29:32.60
you learn of the
Adventist message?
00:29:32.63\00:29:34.64
My grandfather, my grandfather
was Seventh-day Adventist. I was
00:29:34.67\00:29:38.44
the first grandson and we fished
together. I was just special to
00:29:38.47\00:29:44.61
him. And he was always talking
about church and after my mom
00:29:44.65\00:29:47.98
died, that was my mother's
father. And I said, Grandpa it
00:29:48.02\00:29:52.72
just doesn't work for me anymore
I mean, I love you and we'll
00:29:52.75\00:29:58.09
continue but I'm just not
interested. There is no God
00:29:58.13\00:29:59.73
as far as I'm concerned.
00:29:59.76\00:30:01.10
He never gave up on me.
He kept talking to me about
00:30:01.13\00:30:04.10
God. One day there was an
evangelism series coming and it
00:30:04.13\00:30:08.20
was a fellow from Alaska, Lynn
Martell was his name and Grandpa
00:30:08.24\00:30:15.68
said Mike would you come? And I
said Grandpa I, I, just you know
00:30:15.71\00:30:19.41
He said would you come for me?
He said we're having slides from
00:30:19.45\00:30:24.35
Alaska. Grandpa and I like the
outdoors, always interested in
00:30:24.39\00:30:27.52
that. So I said, Okay Grandpa
I'll come just for you but I'm
00:30:27.56\00:30:31.63
shutting my ears off as soon
as the slides are done. I don't
00:30:31.66\00:30:34.76
want to hear anything else. Well
just so happened he was talking
00:30:34.80\00:30:39.90
about Daniel 2 (Oh wow) and I
had my eyes opened to the fact
00:30:39.93\00:30:43.51
that God predicted the
future centuries before it ever
00:30:43.54\00:30:47.44
happened. I kept my ears open.
At the end of that series my
00:30:47.48\00:30:51.41
wife and I were baptized,
became Seventh-day Adventists.
00:30:51.45\00:30:55.82
(Wow, wow) God worked
with me all the time you know.
00:30:55.85\00:30:59.99
Yes, yes I see that and he
was putting people in your path
00:31:00.02\00:31:03.09
to lead you back to him.
00:31:04.63\00:31:05.96
Even Baptist people.
00:31:05.99\00:31:07.33
Yeah. Yes, yes, yes. That
lady she was in your apartment
00:31:07.36\00:31:10.33
building? (yes) Yeah that's
incredible. Why do you think
00:31:10.37\00:31:16.84
people don't
experience miracles today?
00:31:16.87\00:31:20.04
You have not because you
ask not. I'll tell you it's a
00:31:20.08\00:31:25.85
miracle I'm here today. I'll
tell you this. My car...I've got
00:31:25.88\00:31:34.06
a Suburban. On Thursday it
started shaking really bad and I
00:31:34.09\00:31:35.69
thought oh oh is the universal
joint or something going out. Of
00:31:35.72\00:31:41.30
course this was on Thursday
night so I've got no place to
00:31:41.33\00:31:44.17
take it. All the mechanic shops
are full so I took it to Walmart
00:31:44.20\00:31:49.57
and the change my tires and
things like that and thought
00:31:49.60\00:31:53.21
maybe that was the problem so I
drove it home and I was supposed
00:31:53.24\00:31:56.81
to go to a family reunion
on Sunday so I went and it was
00:31:56.85\00:32:01.78
still shaking And I said Lord I
have to go down to 3ABN. Can you
00:32:01.82\00:32:07.06
just take this shake away till I
get back. And just like that, it
00:32:07.09\00:32:14.66
quit. Just because
still answers prayers today.
00:32:14.70\00:32:16.03
You ask, He's there to deliver
00:32:16.06\00:32:18.47
just like he was
in the Old Testament.
00:32:18.63\00:32:21.77
Absolutely. You know what I
think that miracles take place
00:32:21.80\00:32:25.17
every day. People just don't
attribute them to being miracles
00:32:25.21\00:32:28.38
sometimes too. They don't
attribute them to God and I find
00:32:28.41\00:32:31.65
it fascinating that sometimes
people will blame God for things
00:32:31.68\00:32:37.15
but they won't give him the
credit for things. (Exactly)
00:32:37.19\00:32:41.32
That one kind of blows my mind.
00:32:41.36\00:32:45.36
Well that's the way the
devil works. When something bad
00:32:45.39\00:32:49.30
happens he always elevates it
to make it seem worse than it is
00:32:49.33\00:32:53.13
and if God really loved you,
He would never let this happen.
00:32:53.17\00:32:57.44
That's the kind
of...the way it goes.
00:32:57.47\00:33:00.04
What are some other
miracle stories you can share?
00:33:00.08\00:33:01.44
Ah (sighs) Well those are pretty
good ones. Other miracles. I can
00:33:01.48\00:33:05.48
tell you this. I drove a Datsun,
(chuckles) I never had to do
00:33:05.51\00:33:14.12
anything to that Datsun
mechanically except by changing
00:33:14.16\00:33:19.09
the oil. One morning I was
supposed to see somebody...I'm
00:33:19.13\00:33:22.46
kind of mechanical. The starter
wouldn't work so I dropped the
00:33:22.50\00:33:27.00
starter just two bolts in a
Datsun took it into my house in
00:33:27.04\00:33:30.24
the garage and opened it up to
see what the problem was, maybe
00:33:30.27\00:33:33.21
it was just dirty. And I opened
it up and a handful of wires
00:33:33.24\00:33:36.88
fell out in my hand off the
armature. I thought Ug, Lord I
have an appointment
00:33:36.91\00:33:41.68
I have to see these people. Can
you make this work? So I put it
00:33:41.72\00:33:45.55
back together just like that
with the wires falling out. I
00:33:45.59\00:33:49.09
said Lord help this to work and
I put it back in. Started like a
00:33:49.12\00:33:53.73
charm. I put 360,000
miles on that vehicle...
00:33:53.76\00:33:56.87
Three hundred and
sixty thousand miles?!
00:33:56.93\00:33:59.63
I never changed the starter.
Because God fixed it you know.
00:33:59.67\00:34:05.07
I didn't want to show a lack
of faith. So he fixed it. I can
00:34:05.11\00:34:09.11
just relate miracle
after miracle after miracle.
00:34:09.14\00:34:14.78
That's huge. Now you know
you were going out, you were
00:34:14.82\00:34:18.32
spreading the gospel, you were
sharing the gospel. How do you
00:34:18.35\00:34:21.72
recommend that someone share
the gospel with someone else?
00:34:21.76\00:34:25.73
That's a good question. First
thing is you have to pray that
00:34:25.76\00:34:29.33
God will give you a little bit
of courage because people they
00:34:29.36\00:34:35.64
are afraid if they say something
about God, they'll offend
00:34:35.67\00:34:37.24
somebody. So what I do is I
try to make friends with people
00:34:37.27\00:34:42.74
first. It's like in sales. You
make a friend, you sell a friend
00:34:42.78\00:34:46.72
So it's the same concept.
You make a friend. You can ask
00:34:46.75\00:34:52.19
leading questions like Jason
what do you think of the world
00:34:52.22\00:34:56.09
the way it is today? And get
a response. Do you think if we
00:34:56.12\00:35:02.46
were more interested in God that
it would be better. And you can
00:35:02.50\00:35:06.87
find out if they're interested.
If they've got any interest at
00:35:06.90\00:35:09.70
all you continue with a
conversation. And you talk about
00:35:09.74\00:35:13.31
Jesus. You don't talk about all
the different doctrines we have
00:35:13.34\00:35:16.04
because if they don't accept
Jesus first the doctrines are
00:35:16.08\00:35:19.28
immaterial. Hook them up with
the power first and he'll give
00:35:19.31\00:35:24.15
you power to do what you need
to do. I can tell you one more
00:35:24.19\00:35:28.49
story. If I have time. I was
driving to see my loan officer
00:35:28.52\00:35:35.26
Jerry because I lived in the
country and because I used to
00:35:35.30\00:35:40.90
be an operator on a Cat I wanted
to build a little pond behind my
00:35:40.94\00:35:42.47
place. So I went in and I
was selling Bible storybooks and
00:35:42.50\00:35:47.01
Jerry wanted to make sure I made
enough money to be able to make
00:35:47.04\00:35:50.18
payments which is obvious.
And so we talked about it and I
00:35:50.21\00:35:55.12
showed him what I had made
because God really blessed me in
00:35:55.15\00:35:56.72
the literature evangelism work.
And so he gave me the loan and
00:35:56.75\00:36:01.79
I saw on the desk he had a
picture of a daughter and a wife
00:36:01.82\00:36:04.79
And I said Jerry you should let
me come by sometime and show you
00:36:04.83\00:36:09.36
what I do. I think the Bible
Storybooks would be good for
00:36:09.40\00:36:10.97
your daughter at least. He
said, Okay, Mike. So we made an
00:36:11.00\00:36:16.60
appointment. And two weeks
later I was supposed to show up,
00:36:16.64\00:36:20.51
canceled the appointment. Jerry
couldn't make it. A month later
00:36:20.54\00:36:25.15
we made an appointment.
Jerry canceled the appointment.
00:36:25.18\00:36:28.32
Couldn't make it. He's a
busy guy. So it was almost a
00:36:28.35\00:36:31.45
year before I got to see him
00:36:31.49\00:36:32.82
and it was in the
winter. And he said Mike I'm
00:36:32.85\00:36:37.09
going to take of Friday from
work. I will be there to see
00:36:37.13\00:36:41.63
these books because I want to
see what you do. And so he took
00:36:41.66\00:36:46.13
off and there was a big snow
storm and I lived about 30 miles
00:36:46.17\00:36:51.87
away and it was deep slushy snow
and I'm driving because I don't
00:36:51.91\00:36:56.11
want to be late because I'm an
on-time person. So when I got to
00:36:56.14\00:37:02.98
a stop light in Appleton about
three-fourths of a mile from
00:37:03.02\00:37:05.82
where he lived it just turned
yellow and I went through it and
00:37:05.85\00:37:11.39
turned my wheels, but the car
didn't turn. I ended up in about
00:37:11.43\00:37:15.13
a 10-foot ditch sideways. And as
I landed there in the ditch it's
00:37:15.16\00:37:23.00
deep slushy snow I said, Lord
I talk out loud like that. I
00:37:23.04\00:37:28.21
said Lord I need to see Jerry.
What can I do to get out of this
00:37:28.24\00:37:32.11
ditch. And not even done and
somebody knocked on my window
00:37:32.15\00:37:35.02
and it startled me and I looked.
It looked like it was a young
00:37:35.05\00:37:39.82
lady, I have to tell you, it
looked like a young lady about
00:37:39.85\00:37:41.89
110, 120 pounds I'm guessing.
Maybe college-age, a little
00:37:41.92\00:37:46.59
older and she said would like
us to push you out of the ditch.
00:37:46.63\00:37:50.50
And I looked at her. There's no
way you're going to push me up
00:37:50.53\00:37:56.10
this steep ditch. And she said
well let my friend and I try.
00:37:56.14\00:38:01.88
And so I said well okay. So I
00:38:01.91\00:38:04.41
put it in gear. They got behind
my car and my car went right up
00:38:04.45\00:38:08.08
on the side of the road and I
was just amazed. And I opened up
00:38:08.12\00:38:14.76
the door to get out to thank
them and there was nobody there.
00:38:14.79\00:38:19.69
The only tracks in the snow were
my car tracks where they had
00:38:19.73\00:38:25.00
pushed me out of the snow. And
angels. Everybody says, angels
00:38:25.03\00:38:31.07
come as men I had a couple look
like, one looked like a woman to
00:38:31.11\00:38:35.54
me. They pushed me out of
the ditch so I contest that.
00:38:35.58\00:38:38.41
That is incredible!
00:38:38.45\00:38:41.08
So I went to the appointment and
I told them about it and Jerry
00:38:41.12\00:38:45.65
was amazed. And so Jerry and Sue
bought the Bible Story books. I
00:38:45.69\00:38:51.09
started Bible studies with them.
Jerry and Sue were Catholic
00:38:51.13\00:38:56.16
before that and it just wasn't
meeting their needs and so he
00:38:56.20\00:39:01.84
started studying with me and
he said Mike I want to go to a
00:39:01.87\00:39:05.64
church where God sends angels to
push you out of the ditch if you
00:39:05.67\00:39:07.71
go in (chuckles) Jerry became a
deacon in our church and just a
00:39:07.74\00:39:14.98
fantastic person. His wife
taught Sabbath School classes
00:39:15.02\00:39:19.59
and they were just a real joy.
They both have passed away since
00:39:19.62\00:39:23.96
But that's another story where
God was just able to help me and
00:39:23.99\00:39:28.10
something that only he could do.
00:39:28.13\00:39:29.70
Yes, yes, absolutely. You know
I'm thinking about how you've
00:39:29.73\00:39:37.07
been spreading the gospel. I
know that you have me by maybe
00:39:37.11\00:39:41.24
just a few years. You
know you got a few years.
00:39:41.28\00:39:43.51
A lot of years.
00:39:43.55\00:39:47.25
So how do you go about talking
to a younger person or can a
00:39:47.28\00:39:49.95
younger person witness to
an older person. How do you
00:39:49.98\00:39:53.36
recommend they
go about doing that?
00:39:53.42\00:39:55.26
Absolutely. I don't think
there's an age barrier. Now they
00:39:55.62\00:40:01.03
told me when you're selling
Bible storybooks look for
00:40:01.06\00:40:02.73
somebody that's within 10, 15
you know your best chances are
00:40:02.76\00:40:06.17
there. But I've had grandmothers
and grandfathers. You relate to
00:40:06.20\00:40:11.64
people by being friendly to them
by telling them what God has
00:40:11.67\00:40:18.31
done in your life. I start off
with that. I was told that if
00:40:18.35\00:40:23.52
give them your personal
testimony about what God has
00:40:23.55\00:40:25.92
done for you if they're
receptive at all they'll listen
00:40:25.95\00:40:29.79
And they do. I've had mayors of
cities. I had a U.S. congressman
00:40:29.82\00:40:35.76
that bought Bible storybooks
an older gentleman for his
00:40:35.80\00:40:39.80
grandkids. And he said Mike I'm
just buying these because I like
00:40:39.83\00:40:43.84
you. (Chuckles) And he said
but would you do a favor for me?
00:40:43.87\00:40:48.38
He said I'm flying back to
Congress. If I get reelected
00:40:48.41\00:40:52.08
I'm going to fly you
out and have you talk to the
00:40:52.11\00:40:55.48
congressional prayer meeting and
tell them some of the stories
00:40:55.52\00:40:59.42
about what you have done,
what God has done in your life.
00:40:59.45\00:41:02.22
I said I'd be honored to do that
I'd be glad to do that. But he
00:41:02.26\00:41:07.20
didn't get reelected and I
think that's the devil's way of
00:41:07.23\00:41:09.43
keeping me away from all those
people I could have shared God
00:41:09.46\00:41:11.83
with.
00:41:11.87\00:41:13.97
Yes, yes, yes. So speaking
of which do you go to churches,
00:41:14.00\00:41:17.04
do you speak at churches?
00:41:17.07\00:41:18.51
Yes, I do speak at churches.
I have actually spoken at an
00:41:18.54\00:41:24.25
Assembly of God Church. I had
a program where I said if I sell
00:41:24.28\00:41:30.89
10 sets of Bible storybooks
I'll give you a set for your
00:41:30.92\00:41:34.29
library. And so I met this
pastor who gave me his whole
00:41:34.32\00:41:38.59
list and lots of people gave
me their church list and I just
00:41:38.63\00:41:41.36
went down the line and selling
people. Well this Assembly of
00:41:41.40\00:41:44.70
God pastor in Osh Kosh who
somebody actually had met years
00:41:44.73\00:41:48.10
before that as a child was now
pastor of the Assembly of God
00:41:48.14\00:41:52.71
church. So when I got the 10
sets there he said Mike would
00:41:52.74\00:41:57.11
you come to our church and tell
us what God is doing in your
00:41:57.15\00:42:00.35
life. And so he gave me the
pulpit and I got up and shared
00:42:00.38\00:42:04.99
how good God was and how much
he loves us and how he took me
00:42:05.02\00:42:07.69
from being a lost soul to bring
me back as somebody who could
00:42:07.72\00:42:11.46
work for him.
00:42:11.49\00:42:12.83
Wow. And he knew
you were an Adventist?
00:42:12.86\00:42:14.36
Yeah. He came and had meals with
us on Sabbath. He told me, he
00:42:14.40\00:42:21.37
said, Mike, you know what,
he said your church has got
00:42:21.40\00:42:24.54
something that no other churches
have, the way you get together
00:42:24.57\00:42:27.18
on Sabbath and have meals
together. He said other churches
00:42:27.21\00:42:30.85
when they're done with church
they're just back to normal
00:42:30.88\00:42:33.65
activity. So he said I
appreciate the way that you
00:42:33.68\00:42:36.45
handle things. It's God you know
00:42:36.48\00:42:40.36
That's great. You know I want to
share your email address because
00:42:40.39\00:42:43.63
if somebody is watching this
program right now and they're
00:42:43.66\00:42:46.56
like I need Mike to speak at my
church. They can email you right
00:42:46.59\00:42:51.60
Yeah so your email
address is MakeMarta49@gmail.com
00:42:51.63\00:43:00.84
That is correct. I'd be happy to
In my own church, I preach and I
00:43:00.88\00:43:05.75
not just in different churches.
They love it. They said tell
00:43:05.78\00:43:08.85
us some of your stories. But
that's one reason I wrote a book
00:43:08.88\00:43:12.09
because I can't talk to
everybody. Someday we're all
00:43:12.12\00:43:15.92
gone but the book can be there
telling people about what God
00:43:15.96\00:43:18.06
can do...
00:43:18.09\00:43:19.83
Absolutely and I want to share
how to get that book again. You
00:43:19.86\00:43:22.23
can get it at Mike-Books.com
and you can order your copy
00:43:22.26\00:43:31.21
today. Mike this is incredible.
I'm thinking now of that
00:43:31.24\00:43:38.18
individual that's watching this
that's saying you know I want to
00:43:38.21\00:43:41.55
Share God with others but I'm
afraid to talk to people. What
00:43:41.58\00:43:45.35
would you say to that person?
00:43:45.39\00:43:47.59
I would say Noah was probably
afraid to come out of the ark
00:43:47.62\00:43:50.79
after the flood too because
everything he had was in there.
00:43:50.83\00:43:54.00
It's good but you got to
take that step out sometimes and
00:43:54.03\00:43:58.27
stick your neck out. God will
not let you down. If you want a
00:43:58.30\00:44:02.80
real experience of what God can
do in your life you have to take
00:44:02.84\00:44:07.24
a step and show him that you're
on his side, that you love him
00:44:07.28\00:44:11.11
and that you want to share and
just pray that he'll give you
00:44:11.15\00:44:15.02
the right circumstances because
he always answers prayer.
00:44:15.05\00:44:18.89
Amen, amen. If you could start
life over fresh what would you
00:44:18.92\00:44:23.79
change?
00:44:23.83\00:44:25.19
Well you know I spent a lot
of worldly days out on the dark
00:44:25.23\00:44:32.03
side and I wish I could change
that in one way. But you know
00:44:32.07\00:44:34.90
what Jason? Actually, God is
able to use me because of those
00:44:34.94\00:44:41.04
past experiences I've had. I can
tell people, I was where you are
00:44:41.08\00:44:44.85
and I had no hope and life was
just what I could do today, what
00:44:44.88\00:44:49.75
I could get today. But there's
far greater experience to be had
00:44:49.78\00:44:53.12
if you really turn your life
over to God. So in one way, I
00:44:53.15\00:44:57.76
got a few chinks in my armor
because sin does that to you but
00:44:57.79\00:45:02.16
in another way I can relate to
people who have not met yet God
00:45:02.20\00:45:05.37
and they know because I was
where they were that God can do
00:45:05.40\00:45:09.87
the same thing for them.
00:45:09.90\00:45:12.61
Yes. What would you say would
be the best way to approach an
00:45:12.64\00:45:17.38
atheist with the gospel?
00:45:17.41\00:45:19.05
They're tough nuts to crack
I can tell you that right now.
00:45:19.08\00:45:23.59
For me, I just told them I
was where you were and I wasn't
00:45:23.62\00:45:30.09
happy. And I made 10 times more
than anybody else back then and
00:45:30.13\00:45:38.23
money doesn't do it either.
And things don't do it because
00:45:38.27\00:45:40.90
you've always got that time when
you're wondering what really is
00:45:40.94\00:45:46.47
going to happen. In the back
of your mind everybody knows
00:45:46.51\00:45:50.55
someday I'm going to die and...
You know I had a stroke actually
00:45:50.58\00:45:56.25
two of them and God brought me
back. But after my first stroke
00:45:56.28\00:46:01.52
I was trying to walk to my four
wheeler. I got probably about
00:46:01.56\00:46:04.46
three-fourths of a mile deep and
I couldn't walk straight. I knew
00:46:04.49\00:46:09.96
what was happening. I thought
that might be it for me. I said
00:46:10.00\00:46:12.23
Lord if this is it you and I are
good, I know that. But if you
00:46:12.27\00:46:17.91
give me a little more time I'd
appreciate it. And I couldn't
00:46:17.94\00:46:21.54
walk straight. So I had
the thought aim to the right,
00:46:21.58\00:46:24.61
I'm sure it was God, aim to the
right and you'll get back to the
00:46:24.65\00:46:27.38
four wheeler. When I got back to
the four-wheeler I was slumped
00:46:27.75\00:46:29.88
over, slurring my words. My son
I had texted. He was there. Took
00:46:29.92\00:46:34.92
me to the hospital. But I got
to share that experience with
00:46:34.96\00:46:39.69
four nurses, and a doctor. I
told them I know God's going to
00:46:39.73\00:46:43.26
get me through this. So I don't
worry about it. I said you know
00:46:43.30\00:46:46.43
what, it's not when you go, it's
where you go. I'm sure glad I
00:46:46.47\00:46:52.74
had it because I'm able to share
that experience with people and
00:46:52.77\00:46:55.64
help them to see, Yeah, we're
all going to die someplace but
00:46:55.68\00:47:00.12
what happens afterward.
00:47:00.15\00:47:03.22
M- hmm, M-hmm. You know I
find great comfort when we study
00:47:03.25\00:47:07.29
God's word. Like you've learned
about the state of the dead and
00:47:07.32\00:47:12.66
you're resting in the grave
and then Christ returns and then
00:47:12.69\00:47:16.93
boom you know.
00:47:16.97\00:47:18.87
I had a Catholic friend in Bible
study who was raised Catholic,
00:47:18.90\00:47:22.70
he's not a Catholic anymore and
he's attending our church. He
00:47:22.74\00:47:26.21
said he kind of liked the
Catholic version better where
00:47:26.24\00:47:29.81
when you die you go right to
heaven. And I said you got to
00:47:29.84\00:47:35.42
think of the other side. If you
don't go to heaven you're going
00:47:35.45\00:47:37.22
have an awful long time in the
hot place so I don't think I'd
00:47:37.25\00:47:40.79
like those odds. It's much more
comforting to know that you're
00:47:40.82\00:47:45.09
just resting waiting for
Jesus to come and take you home.
00:47:45.13\00:47:47.70
Yes, yes, that's better.
We'll go with the Bible version.
00:47:47.73\00:47:51.53
Exactly. That's right. I
think that's the best way.
00:47:51.57\00:47:54.40
Absolutely. What has your family
said because they've seen you
00:47:54.44\00:47:58.21
know they've seen you on
both sides. They've seen as an
00:47:58.24\00:48:00.88
atheist and they've seen
you as a Christian. How has your
00:48:00.91\00:48:03.85
journey impacted your family?
00:48:03.88\00:48:05.78
Well some family members, I just
had one family member, it was my
00:48:05.81\00:48:13.86
cousin that we spent a lot
of time together and he actually
00:48:13.89\00:48:17.93
read, I gave him the book before
I printed it to read it. It's a
00:48:17.96\00:48:22.76
way to witness and actually...
And he said, you know Mike you
00:48:22.80\00:48:26.37
have such faith. He said I am
so blessed to read of all that
00:48:26.40\00:48:32.51
God has done for you. And he
just passed away. And his wife
00:48:32.54\00:48:36.34
told me, Mike you increased
Gary's faith so much. He never
00:48:36.38\00:48:40.58
had faith like that before he
met you. And he didn't make all
00:48:40.62\00:48:45.75
the commitments but you
know there's thief-on-the-cross
00:48:45.79\00:48:49.02
Christians who accept what they
know and do what they know and
00:48:49.06\00:48:52.43
God knows their heart. He knows
if they'll be safe to save or
00:48:52.46\00:48:56.56
not. And I fully expect to
see Gary in the kingdom someday.
00:48:56.60\00:49:01.20
Absolutely. What are some other
stories of some touched lives
00:49:01.24\00:49:05.07
that you can share with us?
00:49:05.11\00:49:07.51
Touched lives. There's so many
Jason. I can...On the internet
00:49:07.54\00:49:15.95
I'll tell you this. I post a
religious post on the internet
00:49:15.98\00:49:21.56
every day on my Facebook account
And I put some nature pictures
00:49:21.59\00:49:27.30
and things like that and I have
30, 40, 50 people that like that
00:49:27.33\00:49:31.47
When I post my Christian posts
it drops down to 10 or 15. When
00:49:31.50\00:49:38.74
I post something else they're
back so I know they're reading
00:49:38.77\00:49:40.44
those posts. I've got lots
of positive comments from those
00:49:40.48\00:49:45.25
about people of all different
faiths because you know God
00:49:45.28\00:49:49.35
loves people in all different
churches and he's calling them
00:49:49.38\00:49:53.22
to come out of her my people but
they love God as much as any of
00:49:53.25\00:49:56.86
us do. They just don't have all
the facts we have. That's why
00:49:56.89\00:50:03.20
when I go on the
internet there's some of these
00:50:03.23\00:50:07.34
evangelists...I'll tell you
an experience. One of these guys
00:50:07.37\00:50:10.31
there's thousands of followers
was telling people that the 10
00:50:10.34\00:50:14.71
commandments are not valid
anymore. I went on his site and
00:50:14.74\00:50:17.41
I started saying well what about
where it says in Romans that
00:50:17.45\00:50:24.92
there's no sin until there is
a law. So how could we know what
00:50:24.95\00:50:29.59
sin is? And I started telling
him the 10 commandments are just
00:50:29.62\00:50:32.09
as valid today and you can't
keep them on your own. But God
00:50:32.13\00:50:37.27
gives you the power to do that.
And I tell you there was 50, 60,
00:50:37.30\00:50:42.27
I kept watching 70, 80 people
started stepping up and saying
00:50:42.30\00:50:46.31
yeah the 10 Commandments are
not gone. Don't believe that. He
00:50:46.34\00:50:50.55
deleted the whole website
because there were so many
00:50:50.58\00:50:53.52
people that were accepted that
and that's the way...People are
00:50:53.55\00:50:57.05
shy. They can go online and
put some nice tactful little
00:50:57.09\00:51:01.92
comments in there and
just another way to witness.
00:51:01.96\00:51:06.23
Absolutely. You know it's
interesting how many people say
00:51:06.26\00:51:10.30
that you know like to 10
commandments have been done away
00:51:10.33\00:51:12.73
with. But really it makes
no sense. Like how could the 10
00:51:12.77\00:51:17.47
commandments be done away with
you know. If that's the case you
00:51:17.51\00:51:21.64
could steal whatever you
want. You know. You could commit
00:51:21.68\00:51:25.18
adultery. You could do all of
these things if there are no 10
00:51:25.21\00:51:30.25
commandments. So it makes no
sense. The 10 Commandments and
00:51:30.29\00:51:34.19
then the fact that it was
written in stone signifies
00:51:34.22\00:51:35.86
permanence. (Exactly) Even the
fourth commandment "Remember"
00:51:35.89\00:51:38.73
the Sabbath day to keep it holy.
Six days shalt thou work and do
00:51:38.76\00:51:42.06
all thy labor. REMEMBER. Yet
it's the one that's forgotten
00:51:42.10\00:51:45.17
the most.
00:51:45.20\00:51:46.53
Exactly that's the devil's plan.
You know why? Because he was not
00:51:46.57\00:51:51.07
involved in creation so he's
had a grudge against Jesus since
00:51:51.11\00:51:54.51
then. So everything has to do
with creation or a memorial of
00:51:54.54\00:51:57.58
creation, The Sabbath, he wants
to turn people away from that.
00:51:57.61\00:52:00.65
He doesn't want to remind them.
00:52:00.68\00:52:03.25
That's right. He's trying to
lead people away from the Lord
00:52:03.28\00:52:07.36
and rest in Christ but I'm
thankful that you've stepped up
00:52:07.39\00:52:12.23
and you're sharing Christ
with everyone that you come in
00:52:12.26\00:52:14.76
contact with and I'm looking
forward to talking to you a
00:52:14.80\00:52:18.50
little bit more in just a minute
But we're going to have to take
00:52:18.53\00:52:22.47
a brief break. We're going to go
to a news break and we will be
00:52:22.50\00:52:25.27
right back so don't go anywhere.
Stick around. More to come.
00:52:25.31\00:52:28.88