SPKM DON STANLEY God bless you, Richard, it’s good to be here.
SPRR RICHARD ROBERTS I know that you began as a pharmacist, but I understand it goes way back beyond that, that you joined the church when you were 12 years old, but I understand that you said that you joined for the wrong reason.
SPKM DON STANLEY Yes, I did. And Richard, you know, when I was in prison — a little over 3 and a half years ago — is when I was born again. And I just want to share with the group that Jesus is the hope for the hopeless. And no matter what problem you are going through out there today, Jesus can intervene and deliver you from those drugs and alcohol. At the age of 12 years old I walked down an aisle and I didn’t realize exactly what had happened at that time. But I found a Gideon Bible in a trash can in prison, the blessed hope of the word of God, and I found out through that Bible that I had chosen church for all the wrong reasons. I had wanted to play professional baseball, and wanted to go to college –
SPRR RICHARD ROBERTS You had an offer of a contract, didn’t you — with the Boston Red Sox.
SPKM DON STANLEY Had an offer with the Boston Red Sox, and later on played at the University of South Carolina under Bobby Richardson. But I walked down an aisle when I was 12 years old and joined the church for all the wrong reasons. But I thank God today for a mother and daddy who had me in church where I could hear the word of the Lord. And in SM01 Isaiah 55 it says his word won’t go forth and return to him void, but it will always produce the perfect purpose for which he sent it and prosper therein. ( MS_Isaiah_55:11 )
SPRR RICHARD ROBERTS That’s right.
SPKM DON STANLEY Well, I remember I had been there with the Royal Ambassadors in church, and walked down the aisle because many of my friends did. And here in the last 28 months we have been on college campuses and high schools all over America, and the youth of America are searching for the truth, Richard. They are tired of the religiousity of the world. They are wanting to see true power in the blood of Jesus Christ, that they can overcome. And we serve a God today who is able to intervene in your life and to help you be an overcomer. (APPLAUSE) He is the same Jesus today that he was 2,000 years ago and will be forever more.
SPRR RICHARD ROBERTS Now Don, is this the same man who was hooked on cocaine and all kinds of other drugs, and wound up facing a possible 150 year sentence, plus a $250,000 fine. You’re going to have to go back and explain the story now. Because the transformation is so complete. And I want people to know what you went through and how you got from where you were to where you are. Because it’s a miracle.
SPKM DON STANLEY Amen. Praise the Lord. Well, I am a new creature in Christ, as Candi sang just a moment ago, and shared with you. You know, Paul said, “Therefore, if any man is in Christ he is a new creature.” SM02 ( MS_2_Corinthians_05:17 ) Well, I found outside the word of God we a re nothing, in Christ we are more than conquerors. And it takes a daily application of the word to overcome drugs and alcohol. That is the only true rehabilitation. But I came home from church that day after joining — I was baptized 2 weeks later. And I know now that I went down dry a sinner and came up wet a sinner. And we have been out in many churches in America and we see a lot of folks that don’t have the victory in their life as a Christian and they are just church members, never been born again. And I walked through that life and played baseball there in high school. Was all state and all conference in football and baseball. Had a good friend named Dave Walton who loved the Lord Jesus Christ. You know, he went down the narrow life that led to life, yet I went down the broad road that led to destruction. Later on I had a scholarship to the University of South Carolina
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