JAMES 1

13 Let no man say when he is tempted, “I am tempted of God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man.
14 But every man is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust and enticed.
15 Then, when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin; and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

DOWNHILL IN THE USA

I was involved in website ministry and, through a mutual friend, I was introduced to a so-called lady pastor.

This should have been a red flag, but I was entranced by this woman. She had me listening to preachers like Rodney Howard-Browne and Joyce Meyer, and I was being led astray.

This was in 2004, and my mum was getting worse as she suffered from Alzheimer’s disease.

Now, let me be honest: I blame no one but myself. I thought of nothing but myself, and I was led away by my own greed and selfishness.

So, in late 2004, I left my mum and travelled to America, where I foolishly married this woman. To this day, she was not a true pastor. She followed prosperity preachers, smoked fifty cigarettes a day, slept with three dogs on her bed, and had one violent son and another whose girlfriend struggled with crack addiction.

I do not wish to dwell too much on this period of my life. Instead, let it serve as a warning to anyone who wants to depart from the true and holy will of God.

The cost to me was terrible. I never saw my mother again, I lost the respect of my family, I left my church, and I nearly lost my faith.

Thankfully, I was able to leave that situation. Many may say this was wrong, but it was an abusive and violent marriage.

I travelled across the USA to my brother’s home in Canada, where I stayed for four months before returning to the UK.

He owned many acres of land, and during my time there I was able to restore my relationship with him and his wife, and most importantly, with the Lord.

This is a time I bitterly regret, yet thankfully the Lord has completely restored me.

Devotional Thought

Being outside of God’s will is the worst place to be. You need to be right in the centre of God’s will; anywhere else, you are at the mercy of the devil.

As you read my story, you will see a pattern: my disobedience and rebellion contrasted with God’s grace. This is something I am deeply ashamed of, but I write it as a warning.

God is very patient with all of us. We do not deserve His grace and mercy. All of us — and I most of all — have made foolish decisions that have cost us fellowship with family, friends, and most importantly, with God.

My time in America was a sobering experience. God preserved me, and I am grateful that He did and that restoration was complete.

Please, if you are reading this, do not wander from God’s ways. Doing so nearly cost me my life.