This is an attempt to share some of life’s experiences and lessons in such a way that it becomes solely a testimony to the grace of God. The credit is all His for anything worthwhile coming out of my life. On the other hand, the blame for every flaw, fault and failure is mine alone. Over the years I have asked Father to allow me to be, and remain, a hidden man, even though frequently in the public eye, only aspiring to be a God filled nobody.

Years ago I dreamed that I saw people gathered for a memorial service at the end of my earthly life. It was being held in a community hall rather than in a church building.

As everyone became quiet just before the start, a man I knew rushed in and asked, “Where is he?” No one answered, and so he asked the same question louder and louder. In moments everyone was exclaiming as if it were a chant, “John is not here. John is not here!”

All eyes turned to a friend - not a minister - who slowly walked forward and said, “John is not here, he is with the Lord. We are here to celebrate the grace of God in John’s life.”

I joked with one or two that it wasn’t surprising that the Christian man who rushed in, and who will remain nameless, asked that question. I often felt that he didn’t know where I was even when we were together!

Possibly the first time I shared at any length about the grace of God was in a meeting in Kingston, New York. One of the elders there, Dale Rumble, told me afterwards that for them such a topic had extra significance. They had noted over the years that whenever the Lord intended taking them into new realms of Christian living and serving, it had been preceded by a heightened emphasis on the grace of God.

To me the grace of God is the active expression of all that He is in His intrinsic nature, being extended to a totally unworthy person such as I am. This is in order that we may live a Christ-honouring life as we walk in the fullness of God’s purpose and provision for them.

To put it a little differently, divine grace is all that God is, made available for all that I lack, to enable me to be all that He chooses.

I am most grateful to the Holy Spirit who not only stirred me to write this book, but who has also been my Encourager throughout. My wife Mary has been very supportive as we have shared memories together and discussed the best way to express them. David and Nina Rice have willingly undertaken the task of editing and proof reading. This has been most helpful and is deeply appreciated. At the end of that process I received this letter:

“At a personal level may I say that this has been a very enjoyable and stimulating exercise. The more I read the manuscript the more absorbing it becomes. I do think it is worthy of wide distribution in whatever form seems best to you.

“I would also like to put on record the enormous impact that your life has had on me. I was initially hugely helped by the clarity of the word of the Lord that you spoke in Donegal. Subsequently the biggest impact that your life has had on me was in the way you responded to the Spirit, usually at great cost, when you were staying with us during Mary’s illness, and when we were in Sweden together.

“At that time I learned to stand up in the strength of the Lord and not be afraid of the consequences of obedience. Such things cannot be taught, they must be caught. By the overflow of the grace of the Lord in your life, I caught some things which totally changed and re-formed me and continue to do so. I will always be grateful to Jesus for those experiences as well as the many other evidences of His grace in our fellowship through the years.

Bless Jesus for His faithfulness, grace and love. David”

In the Scriptures, the Apostle Paul didn’t simply follow the custom of his people in wishing others, “Peace.” His greeting was always, “Grace and peace.” I greet you thus today. May you, who-ever you are, ‘be blessed in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ,’ by the grace of God alone.

Back to order page