Dear Family and Friends,
I have just updated this letter that I sent out over two years ago and would ask that you read it and respond if the Spirit moves you. First, please allow me to just say that I love each and every one of you very much. I realize that there have been times over these past many years that some of us have been at odds on matters; mostly of spirituality and politics. That said, I desire to let you know, as I navigate the twilight years of my life, some of what I have learned in my study of the Bible and Christianity starting in 1991, the year I finally got sober. I do not pretend to be a scholar or anything close to an intellectual, however I firmly believe that there are some things that only God can show us as we grow in our faith. I tell prisoners in my weekly meetings at the state penitentiary that reading the Bible by the light of faith will open doors of knowledge and understanding supernaturally. Again, faith is the key to going beyond the limits of human understanding. There is no grace without faith.
Many of you are undoubtedly aware of my many failings in this life that I brought upon myself through decisions and actions that caused much grief and self-loathing. I had what the Bible calls a born again experience in 1978. Alone at the old Bantleon Ranch, I happened to be reading several Christian tracts that a neighbor had left and I was convicted to get on my knees and say yes to Jesus, who seemed to be calling me with an irresistible gentleness. I have heard many stories of how this experience has manifested itself with different people, but for me, I had what I call a “Paul” experience. For the next three days, I didn’t have a drink or any other mind-altering substance, and was entirely filled with God’s Spirit (Holy Spirit). My partners and co-workers at my restaurant, The Blue Spruce Inn, didn’t recognize or understand my new countenance; rather they laughed and thought I would come back to my senses. Well, as it turned out, I did return to a backsliding role, even as I never lost my faith in the reality of what had occurred. I began to attend church again and live the double life of a believer and a willful sinner. Obviously the two did not mix and after being convicted of my rebellious and selfish behavior, time and time again over the next 12 years, I made the decision to give up the destructive lifestyle and begin to pray and read the Bible every day. I have been mostly faithful to that decision to the present time. I will be finishing a trek through the entire Bible in a year before the end of 2021. I’ve lost count but think this will be the 16th time engaging this discipline in 6 different translations, as well as countless studies and books on Christianity. I do this in part, because as a teacher in the prisons, and leader in our home group, and ordained former staff member at our church, and 26-year evangelical affiliation with my sports ministry, I understand that it is the only responsible avenue and of course, edifying and enlightening as well.
I realize that the world is alive with spiritual forces that present themselves as shadows of reality that many, if not most people embrace as “their truth”. It is always easy to justify our actions and beliefs to conform to our desires in life. We all want financial security and all the human comforts, including to be loved and respected. I like to define truth as “when the word becomes the deed”. Likewise, I would define love as simply an act of charity, and not some giddy feeling we can often mistake for truth or love.
I would, at this point simply offer some points for consideration and hopefully, contemplation regarding our walk in this life. First, either Christianity is true, real and ordained by God to bring us into fellowship with Him, or it is a sham created by man for control and perhaps only partially true in as far as we understand it by our human wisdom. All of us have grown up and perhaps still attend a church that used the Bible as its basis for teaching. Most of our experiences also seemed to have been a mix of this human wisdom to define this spiritual realm that we glimpse through a glass darkly. I realize that the wisdom of man tells us that the Bible is just a book written by at least 40 authors over thousands of years and should not be taken literally. Our universe is billions of years old and we evolved from an accident of nature, or we are a byproduct of some “big bang” occurrence, or at best, this was God’s method of creation to bring about what we know today. In actuality, what we do know is based on theory and speculation and even much of science is often based upon pre-conceived conclusions.
If the Bible is true, and I believe my God who created the universe could get every word right in His book (in the original languages), should you not read it yourself by the light of faith and hear directly from the very author of life? The Bible tells us that Jesus is the Word. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, and the Word became flesh. John 1:1-3,14. First things first. God desires our hearts, not works. We are saved by grace, through faith, and that not of ourselves, it is a gift from God, not of works, that none should boast. Eph. 2:8-9. So the first thing that is necessary is faith. Why is something so easy so hard to grasp? For most of us, I reckon it is our pride (the original sin committed by Satan). How do we get this “faith”? One must throw all caution to the wind; all doubts, all apprehension, all pride. Close your eyes and say yes to Jesus; tell him you believe He is the Son of God and that He died for your sins, was raised from the dead and will forgive you of your sins. Ask Him to come into your life and make you a son/daughter of righteousness with Him. He will answer if your heart is right. His Word is true and His ways are not our ways.
I believe we are living in a time that the Bible speaks more about than even when Jesus walked the shores of Galilee. Old and New Testaments concur that the culmination of this age will be preceded by many signs and wonders which are unfolding before our very eyes. It is never too late to seek Him and if you do, you will find Him. He is waiting at the door of your heart, knocking, hoping for a response from you.
EPOLOGUE: The Bible is very clear who God is and how He has manifested Himself in what we Christians call the Trinity. God is Spirit and His Holy Spirit is an extension of Himself and Jesus. Paul, Peter, James, and John, among several other Old and New Testament authors have written in great detail, in so many illustrative passages, that if anyone preaches any Gospel other than the Gospel of Grace, or any Spirit other than the Holy Spirit, he is a liar from the pit of hell. Cults under the guise of Christianity abound with this false teaching and religion of works. There are many gods and spirits in the unseen realm, whose job is to kill, steal, and destroy every human they can draw into this diabolical plan of Satan and his minions. Ask yourself, if you saw someone in immediate danger of dying, would you not do everything in your power to rescue this person? The Bible tells us that most people are perishing in their sins. We, indeed are all sinners and yet we have an Advocate with the Father, and He is Jesus Christ the Righteous, and He is the Propitiation for our sins. So, in response to all this, I am doing everything in my power to alert everyone I can to the danger of failure to acknowledge Jesus, and to the amazing gift of eternal life for those who do. If I didn’t love you with all my heart, I would not take the time or effort to reach out to you in this manner. I know that some of you who receive this are already in relationship with Jesus (you are His friend).
Blessings and Love,
Banty (UB, Poppy, Harvey)
