Wanted Dead or Alive (Part 3)

WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE Part 3

In February of 2005, he made an impulsive decision to leave his career, sell his home, cash in his retirement and move to Cozumel, Mexico to start a business. He said; "I knew if things didn't get better there I wasn't coming back, I'd just die there." He went to Mexico alone, or so he thought. God protected him through hallucinations and hurricanes. He was in a drug induced state of paranoia and schizophrenia. After the destruction of his home and nearly his life, two men named Gabriel and Michael brought Bill through the jungles of Mexico and back to the U.S. border. He made it back and began again trying to control his addictions on his own. He also began attending another church oriented to the gay lifestyle.
Matthew 7, 21-28; "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' Therefore whoever hears these saying of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall."
After yet another suicide attempt his mother's church helped him find his way to the Colony of Mercy. Once here, he did not want to discuss his homosexuality, only to be freed from drugs. But God was about to begin a "special education" in Bill's life. He was assigned to Chaplain Jim. And the first order of business that Bill had in mind was to make sure Jim understood that he was here to get clean...of drugs. As far as his homosexuality, that topic was off limits, he told Chaplain Jim that there was NO WAY! that God hadn't created him a gay man. And he wasn't going to listen to anyone who said differently. While he was laying down the law or should I say the lawlessness, Chaplain Jim was silently praying for God to help him minister the truth to Bill. He gave Bill a bible and simply asked him to begin studying it. God directed Chaplain Jim to let the Spirit do His work in Bill, as 2nd Timothy 2:24-26 so instructs; "And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to a ll, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will." Bill said that had his counselor fought with him or been in his face so to speak, he would have left. Instead he says: "Keswick created an environment where I could study the scriptures myself and my heart could hear the truth of God. It wasn't quarrelsome but gentle and kind instruction that allowed God to lead me to repentance. It was safe, calm, quiet and away from the distractions of the world. I've learned how to have godly friendships with other men of God. There have been some intense conversations and I admire the leadership of the men here. I want people who are hurting like I was, to know there is hope.
to be continued...

This week's series has been written by Dina based on an interview with Bill Pruitt. Bill has reviewed each day's Victory Call and has graciously approved their inclusion in our Week's devotionals.