If I Had My Life To Live Over

By Johnny Campbell
Text:  2nd Samuel 19:34

2nd Samuel 19:34   How long have I to live that I should go up with the King

There would be some things in my Christian life that I would change after all these years that I was not taught as a babe in Christ.

1. Concerning My Living – Galatians 2:20

I would pray that GOD would teach me how to live for him.  Now that might sound crazy to you folks brought up in a Christian home, with praying mom and dad.  See, you had an example before that you could visualize, and you were brought up in Church knowing what does it mean to live for GOD.  You say, Brother Johnny, everybody knows how to live for GOD.  You hold on Sir!  Don’t you ever sleep on your side because your brains would leak out of your ears.

I know plenty in the church that were brought up like me, and because of good pastors and members that understood the depths of sin they came from, helped hold them up with love and instruction.  Take myself for instance:  Given away at birth, I would not know my dad if he was in this Church.  Raised up with prostitutes!  My own grandmother, drinking, fighting, and doping.  I.  Never went to Church, never met a Christian or saw anybody pray.  I got saved at twenty eight years old.  My thought pattern was messed up  I lived what moved me, or as I felt.

Then you get saved under a Pharisee.  All your hear is women’s pants, cigarettes, television and caffeine coffee.  Then say, now you go out and live for GOD.  And you think living for GOD is just your television.  See,  legalists only look at externals.  I can remember after I was saved almost two years,  I had a flash back from LSD that I use to take.  My mind and body went into convulsions.  Preaching on the flesh couldn’t help me.  I needed to know how to fight devils off me.  But because of pastors that do not teach their folks what it means to live for GOD with the infilling of the Holy Ghost, the old sinful nature is still there.  The battle has just begun, and you don’t know what’s going on.  It just feels good so you do it, and then the new convert falls.  Then the Pastor says they never were saved, and the church folks are taught to shun one that gets out.   The pastor never goes to try to restore them or go to them alone,  but runs to every meeting telling folks about a fallen brother.

Young convert.  Listen please!  Don’t live for men! And listen!  You don’t grow up  overnight!  Plead the Blood!  Tell the devil to get away from you,  and ask JESUS to fill you with his power from on high!  That’s the only was that you can live for JESUS.

Now I want to personally thank you pastors that have labored so hard in this meager affair to teach young converts.  You have lived before them, and held them up when they were shaking and didn’t understand the onslaught of the devil.  You never left them alone.  You went after them.  Bless you man  of GOD.

II. Concerning My Looking – 2^ndJohn 8

I would look more at CHRIST than the failings of my brother.  I one day realized that I was like my leader,  the Pharisee.  I had no mercy on the fallen.  I kicked them, and made them live    under constant guilt of something that had been repented of 25 years before. What they did was a sin.  Mine was  a mistake.  I would look at a lady that didn’t have her hair in a bun, or dress   down to the floor, or a pair of pants on.  Oh,  she ain’t saved!  But could I say some of these separated, no make up wearing, shouting sisters, are the biggest devils on this planet.  If you think not,  you cross one!0

III.  Concerning My Listening – Mark 4:24

Anything that I heard bad on somebody I believed it and spread it as the Gospel truth.  I did not go to the brother alone, face to face, as CHRIST told us to do.  Matthew 18:15-16 between thee and him alone.  No I was the public garbage collector.  Believe me,  the good LORD beat me over this one thing.  It robs you of your power,  you’re suspicious of everybody, and     you become cynical.

1. Concerning My Lips – Proverbs 18:7-8

I would gossip and talk about folks I never met .  Surely a Bible quoting, shouting preacher would not lie to me about another preacher, or a Church member he used to have.  I never asked the one that told me these things, Have you ever went to that person and offered your help?  That fella? Did you try to restore him?

My motto was, I’m gonna tell it!  I’m gonna tell it!   I mean,  if I heard it, I told it!  You know,  doing my Christian duty.

I’m and old man now.  I look back and wonder how many I helped to destroy, where I might have been able to help them get up, and serve even if they were handicapped.  I should have been like Paul in Philippians 1:15-18 Paul said these guys:  Ain’t preaching it like I would.  But don’t matter whether its in pretense or in Truth, Christ is preached.   I rejoice yea I rejoice.  I was a member of the FBI (Fundamental Baptist Investigations).  I turned in my badge.  I’m gonna let every man prove his on work, and keep my mouth off him.  I tried to straighten every body else out.  Come to find out,  I couldn’t straighten my own self out.

1. Concerning My Learning – 1^st John 2:27

I would spend more time with my books and Bible studying GOD’S word,  and stay in my study alone with the Holy Ghost, or maybe find me a sound Bible college like Tabernacle in Greenville, SC.  My library consists of over 12,000 books; some ultra Fundamental books, and some not as Fundamental as I like.  So I enjoy what I can and try to learn from them all.  Now, listen; I’m not talking about false doctrine but I’m talking about somebody who has messed up and gotten right.  I would be in book stores with preachers and I would be looking to purchase a book, the preacher would say, Don’t buy that book  Twenty years ago he messed up and now he’s back trying to preach.  Preacher if your that pharisaical,  you better never read the book of Psalms, Song of Solomon, or Ecclesiastes.  They were men with messed up lives that were the authors of those books.   AMEN!  And you read them, and say what a blessing, your a hypocrite.

1. Concerning My Liberty – John 8:32

Liberty is when you’re set free.  I would never again let man put me back under bondage.  I think we have gone overboard on this Lordship of Pastors thinking that the sheep belong to them.  OH OH!  I hit a nerve!   Now, Hitler’s upset!  I say, good fer ya.  You and I could write volumes on this.  So you just fill in the blanks.

Now, you Pastors that are real shepherds who love your people:  I praise God for you!  I know that it thrills you to see your people Grow in Grace.