Please watch this five minute video.
Thank you all so very much for coming to the Appeals court to encourage me. I knew my court appointed attorney did not know Christ. I found that out last Thursday morning when we met for the first time. I knew he was a Democrat, a Quaker, pro-abortion, and going to vote for Barack Obama again this year. I knew the cards were stacked against us in the court room.. I knew that two of the judges would be very ideologically and theologically opposed to the stand we take for Christ.
I thought I would be pretty much alone. Oh, I knew that God would never leave nor forsake me but, for whatever reason, I felt forsaken when I arrived at the Charlotte School of Law – alone. I entered the building, turned down the hall to the left, found a seat at the end of the hall and just sat down – alone. I was feeling pretty sorry for “Me.” It was hard for me to pray. I didn’t want to pray. I felt forsaken by a country I love and am very thankful for. I felt forsaken by God’s church. I was having a pity party of unbelievable magnitude. The whole world had shrunk to just me – poor, pitiful “Me.” And I was all alone, though there were many people in the room with “Me.” I was alone.
I was thinking only of “Me” – alone!
My son David put out a very moving appeal for folks to pray for his dad this April 2, 2012, and an invitation to come to the court hearing. Tears welled-up in my eyes. Then, many of you emailed me or left messages on my phone that were all pointing me to Jesus. But I was busy with “Me.” Though I appreciated all the encouraging words, I simply felt forsaken.
Have you noticed how many times I have talked about “Me” and how “Me” was “feeling.”
God brought to my selfish, whiney little mind a picture I had seen earlier that morning. It was a picture of Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani who was hung earlier this very same morning. He was hung from a crane that was brought in just for that purpose by the Iranian regime. He was hung because he was a Christian. He died for his faith. He died well. He had run his lap of the race. He finished the course. (we did receive a notification that Pastor Youcef has been executed in Iran but no other news outlets have verified this that we are aware of, we hope and pray that his execution has not been carried out and that Pastor Youcef is still alive) It was “my turn now!”
It was then that I saw Kathy Pavkovic and Lisa Metzger at the end of the hall. They were coming to encourage “Me” to run the race marked out. They did not come sympathize with poor pitiful “Me.” They had come to encourage me to gut it up, shut-up, and continue storming the gates of hell. By the way, I found that I was not alone. I was not forsaken. Then I saw my son David and all of our grandkids walk into the courtroom surrounded by our great friends from “Cities 4 Life.” They were looking to “Me” as a man who follows hard after Christ. I have a calling. I have a Savior. His Name is Jesus.
I do well understand John’s doubt when he was imprisoned (Matthew 11:1-6) and Jesus’ admonition to him “…blessed is the man who does not fall way on my account.” I have come to understand my wretched “Me” a little bit better now.
I want to thank you all for your prayers, presence and fellowship with “Me,” as sorry as I am, during these very small sufferings for Christ. They are so little compared to all that He has done for “Me.”
I agree with the video. “All I have is Christ,” and you to encourage me to “run to the roar.’
Thank you all!
In Christian love,
Flip
PS. Please don’t forget to pray for Clifton Howell and Jo Scott who will be going through the very same thing I just went through as they appeal their case before a three judge panel at Denver School of law on Wednesday, April 4, 2012.
