Finding Strength and Purpose in God’s Grace: Testimony from Carl Adair  

It’s hard to persevere when you don’t have purpose, because God created every one of us to be like Jesus. In John 20:21, Jesus says, “Just as God sent me, I send you,” and in 1 John we read, “He who abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as Jesus walked.” Most people backslide because they disengage from what they’re called to do. When we grow weak, we feel vulnerable -- and that’s when we become open to the attacks of the enemy.

Just as the Influencer goes to the Refugee, comforting him while giving him water, food, and rubbing his back, that’s what my friends did when they came alongside me. When I was homeless and lost, and most of my life men had taken advantage of me, using or abusing me. Having men come alongside me and love me while I was at such a low point felt really good. It gave me hope and stirred in me a desire to change my heart -- to love others instead of letting fear and hurt control me.

 Then we were in John 15 and this is what stood out from it:

 John 15:1-8

 (1) I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

 (2) Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

 (3) Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

 (4) Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

 (5) I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

 (6) If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

 (7) If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

 (8) Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

Then we went through the Prayer Cottage, and this is where my heart was able to accept God’s grace. Because of that, I was able to show grace to others, my heart was able to forgive others, and I knew I was forgiven by Jesus. Once you get to know this level of grace there is no turning back. You see God’s grace and how you can show grace to others, but you need a big heart transformation to walk with Jesus.

As I walk through the shadow of the valley of death, the Lord comforts me, shows me my fears, and takes them away. As I trust Him through the narrow and treacherous way, my life is full of strength and courage, and this is life on God’s terms. It is filled with love and strength, so I can be full of His compassion and accept His grace and mercy alongside Jesus’ thoughts and actions—towards being better than I was yesterday, to love one another, and to let love abide through me. For Him, mercy and grace are found at the cross. Repenting and seeing love ignite around me makes me want to be better, love harder, and succeed for His love.

You need to learn to live with the Holy Spirit guiding you daily and to self-feed your relationship with God, which is all He wants from you. He wants us to be in an abiding relationship—daily conversation, prayer journaling, and a positive attitude. He will open doors no man has seen. A wise man once told me we need to be like a sheepdog and keep the flock of sheep in line with the Shepherd. We do that by abiding in Him and letting the Holy Spirit be in our daily walk every minute. Amen.