“Hitherto hath the LORD helped us” – 1 Samuel 7:12 (KJV).
“The LORD has helped us to this point” (CSB).
Dear Friends,
Today I am 90.
Over twenty years ago at age 68 John Paul Jackson (d.2015) said this to me at dinner in Key Largo, Florida:
“R T, you will live to a ripe old age. But if you don’t get in shape physically, you won’t be around to enjoy it”.
If I had lived only to age 80, I would have considered John Paul’s prophetic word to be accurate. In the meantime, I took John Paul’s advice. TR bought me a diet book. I now weigh myself daily (168 pounds – 12 stone). My publisher Steve Strang gave me exercises to do and urged me to get a trainer (which I did). I do the same exercises daily to this very day (e.g. 21 push-ups not Olympic standard since my nose doesn’t touch the floor, my stomach does) but perhaps not bad for my age, also I do12 sit-and-stand exercises with my hands outstretched – plus others). I call it “Stronger with Strang”. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (my chief mentor) used to say to me that Paul’s word, “Bodily exercise profiteth little” (1 Tim.4:8 – KJV) really meant to stress the advantage of physical exercise not to diminish it since he added that pursuing godliness is more important.
I am so very grateful to God for His goodness to Louise and me. Despite my age I still get invitations from England, South Korea, Hong Kong, Shanghai, New York, Texas and Florida and other places. I am on TBN UK three times a week. I do sixty second tweets daily. I have been sitting to preach these days, prompted by vertigo which is so unpredictable. But my consolation is that Jesus “sat” when he preached (Matt.5:1, Matt.13:2). I pray to be like Jesus in other ways!
If John Paul (and others) got it right in their prophetic words to me, I will be around a while longer and still have some things to look forward to. Time will tell.
Thank you for your prayers. SO APPRECIATED. TR travels with me most of the time, Louise some of the time.
Warmest greetings.
R. T. John 5:44.