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I have known God from age five, Drawn to him by his presence, and His Touch in my five year old heart. Through the many years of my life, I could NEVER forget that moment in time.

Through the years, I knew what God had called me to be, A Pastor, Evangelist, Witness, Friend and Servant to reach out the many who are lost, dazed and confused, by this world.

What I didn’t have growing up was the complete infilling of the Holy Spirit, It would be 35 years before that happened. I was raised up in Full Gospel churches, Full of Good old fashion God Fearing Bible Believing, Spirit Filled, People. I had heard of this Great Baptism, but never received it. Had hands laid on me literally tens of times, Over and Over they prayed and anointed me, Still Nothing. That would all change in November of 1998.

I was on my way to church, in Elizabethton Tennessee, Our boys had started attending the youth services, and they convinced us to give this church a chance, so we did, and yes they were right, it was a wonderful family of believers. I don’t recall how long we had been going, but it wasn’t long, maybe a month or two, but one Sunday evening, on our way there, I had the most Remarkable Life Changing Experience I ever had up to that point in my life.

We had just turned onto Jim Elliot Road, in Carter County Tennessee. We were listening to Stephen Curtis Chapman’s song “Let Us Pray” and just singing along rejoicing in the Lord. And right out of Nowhere He hit me. I was Baptized with the Life and Fire of the Holy Spirit, and that’s when thing really got wild in my life.

I Knew now that God Himself was Real, Because He had touched me at age five, I knew the Holy Spirit was Real, because he had LITTERALLY JUST SLAMMED ME TO THE FLOOR, or it felt that way, Yes it was that INTENCE!!! But the last piece of the puzzle I didn’t have, Was Jesus Himself. I know I know, Your thinking “How in the world could you possibly not believe 111% in Jesus, after all that you had experienced“. I guess it’s just the way I am wired up, God made me this way, and for a Good Reason, I think you will understand as you read through this article.

Those of you who have read our Book: “Living On Faith” know the rest of the story, and the Spiritual Journey God called us into back in 1998. For those of you who haven’t, It will be available Soon Free to read Online through our websites if you would like to know what happened at that point in our lives.

After we returned from the Journey, I became a hermit for the next three years, You couldn’t drive me out of my bedroom and away from my Many Bibles and Dictionaries with a BIG STICK. I studies day and night, I was simply driven, I just had to understand what had happened to me, what this power I felt was, and know the fullness of its Grace. And over the three years all Hell broke loose inside of me for a lack of a better term. There was a WAR GOING ON INSIDE OF ME !!!

The more I read, the more I became confused. The More TV shows I watched on Jesus, The More I doubted him even being a real man at all. But all the while, knowing for 111% Sure, That God and the Holy Spirit were real, there was NO denying that, I had met both of them, in an up close and VERY Personal way. But this man Jesus on the other hand, He was another story !!!

The programs I watched just threw my mind deeper into the search for Truth. I thought, “Jesus could have just been a mythical figure, Maybe he was made up by some clever writer, and was nothing more than fiction” !!! Bear with me, I know this sounds bad to some of you, but it’s just the Honest truth, and that’s all I have to offer, The Simple Truth, No matter how bad it makes me look, The Truth is the ONLY thing that can set us free, Remember that thought, I will touch on it again later in the Article.

Over the years to come, I just could not for the life of me get away from this doubt, I wanted to believe, But I just couldn’t, I could not and would not believe in something or someone I wasn’t 111% sure of. I would be living a lie if I did, and No, that wasn’t me !!! I never had lived a lie, and I wasn’t going to start living one now. I was always the kind of guy That others had to take a face value, Just me, what you see and saw, was what you got, Yep I’m pretty simple.

I finally gave up on finding the Truth about Jesus the man, Even Science couldn’t help me with this one, they didn’t know anymore than I did, it seemed no one could agree about Jesus the man. Was he a real man, and only a man? Was he fiction, and just the figment of some clever writer? Or was he honestly the son of God himself ?? It ate at me, Like something eating me from inside out. It was so bad, that I even became a drug addict addicted to pain pills, just to numb the gnawing inside of me, and honestly, that didn’t even help, It was nothing more than a temporary fix for the problem. I couldn’t stay stoned out of my mind 24 hours a day, Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t, I had a Wife, two boys, and a life, They depended on me, I just couldn’t let them down Completely like that. Even if I was a mess, I was the only mess they had, and that was that !!!

Over the next several years, I just could not shake the desire to know the TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH, what ever that TRUTH was. My efforts to find this TRUTH would Not be in Vain. Eventually I would find the Truth I had diligently sought after for SO Long. But it sure wasn’t easy through the dark years in that period of my life.

I looked here, I looked there, I searched my soul, I prayed, I talked to others without letting them know how I felt and what I was looking for, I watched Documentaries, I searched the Internet “Finding many claiming to be Jesus” HA HA, NOT Hardly Buddy !!! I Looked EVERY WHERE, and I do mean EVERYWHERE !! And still came up empty handed. All that would change in my kitchen one morning; God and I had been having Coffee time together, its our special time together. I was NEVER an early morning kind of person; until God stepped in and started waking me up a little before 6 am each day. Saying “Get up, Come Talk with me” I hear you I hear you, Your thinking “This Guy Must be suffer from Multiple personality disorder” , Honestly, I wondered that about myself at times Too !! But thank God, It wasn’t true.

That morning, didn’t start the same as the other mornings. God woke me, and Said “come talk with me“, that was normal, I started making coffee as always, and telling him “Good Morning Lord“, “What a wonderful Day this is that you have made, Thank You for your friendship ETC”. The strange thing about this particular morning, He was SILENT !! Not a single word after getting me up, not so much as a whisper, not even a Thought in my head from him. So I just sat quietly drinking my coffee and waiting.

He finally spoke, His voice had changed, there was a quiet, peaceful tone in his voice that morning. Little did I know I was fixing to get the answers I had been searching so for all along. But boy I sure didn’t expect them to come in the form they were fixing to come in.

That quiet, Peaceful voice started asking me, “Why do you Doubt and Deny me” ? Did I not save you when you ask me to (see my testimony “Saved from a Burning Gasoline Tanker”) He said have I not always been there for you ? I said yes Lord you have. He ask again, “Then why do you Doubt and deny me” I had no answer; I didn’t know where this was coming from, What had I done?? He said Have I EVER let you down on anything I promised you, I said, Of course not Lord. Then dead silence came again. It wouldn’t last long. The next words I heard were Pick up your Bible, Pray and then open it. I did as he ask. I opened to 1st Corinthians 15:12-19

I began to read, The Apostle Paul was reasoning out with others in this passage. He was asking them, “If Jesus didn’t come back from the dead, then all hope is lost. That there could be no resurrection, and all that were dead, were just that, DEAD and they weren’t coming back because there would be no resurrection of the dead, Because it was all just fantasy and Christ wasn’t raised either if that was the case, see verse 16. And if Christ was not raised, Our faith was vain and we were still in our sins. And if hope was all we had in life, we were MISERABLE, Yep that sounded like me for sure. I ask, so what’s the point Lord . He said read it again, so I did.

As I began reading it the second time, he started speaking, explaining to the meaning of what I was reading. He said how is it that you preached, and taught, How could you have not believed in the Resurrection of the dead, 1st Corinthians 15:12, I didn’t know what to say except, “Lord you know I believe in you”. His reply was QUICK; He said “Do you Really, Do you Honestly Believe in Me” ? I said “Lord you know I do, I have the Faith You Gave me” You saved my life from Certain Death lord, How could I not believe” The next thing he said would change my life FOREVER, and would be the Final Key I had been trying to find.

He reminded me of Little David, See My Testimony, “Little David” And then it Hit me, OH GOD I THOUGHT !!!! HOW COULD I HAVE MISSED THIS FOR SO LONG !!!! I have taught this very passage, Read over it several times, it was like a light bulb coming on in a dark room. Jesus was Gods Son, He was Real, and He was Divinely God, Yet Man, Flesh of our Flesh, and Bone of our Bone. If I brought Little David back from death, then how is it that I have not Raised and overcome death too !!!!

I broke instantly, Crying WHALE TEARS, Babbling like a Kid with a broken heart who had hurt his VERY BEST FRIEND. And honestly, That’s exactly what I had done, or so I thought. He comforted me; Even though I didn’t deserve his Comfort. He explained, Will, You couldn’t believe in that which you didn’t know to be the 111% Truth, That’s the way I made you, I wanted you to know beyond a shadow of a doubt, Not just follow me on Blind Faith, But to Know me, Experience me, Understand my ways, and to have a Unshakable Faith that ONLY comes from me and Me Alone, Remember Ephesians 2:8 he ask ?? You can’t have Faith, unless I give it to you Will. Still whimpering and trying to catch my breath, I said yes Lord, I understand. Even though I still wasn’t very happy with myself !!!!!!!!

It became clear why the Voice was different today; it was the Voice of Jesus I was hearing today. That’s why he had asked all the questions and reminded me about my doubt and disbelief.

For years I had searched for the meaning of Gods Miracles in my life, and now it was all becoming Crystal Clear. They were there so I didn’t have to follow him on Blind Faith; But Clear Undeniable Faith is what he wanted me to have. A Faith that satan and EVERY ONE OF HIS demons ABSOLOUTLY COULD NOT convince me, was all just chance and nothing else. A Faith that went far beyond belief and Faith it’s self. But a Knowing, that NOTHING and NO ONE could ever take away, Because it was my life, I had lived it, I knew what I knew and Knew who I knew, And now I knew Jesus at long last I had the 111% Evidence Too.

That was the day things started to change in my life, Miracles started happening, and folks I MEAN MIRACLES !!!! Right out of No where, God was Proving himself in my life, Giving me HARD EVIDENCE of his Divine Fingerprints around me, Evidence that there was no other way to explain. I hear you thinking, LOTO JACKPOT, Yep it sure was, but not the LOTO of this world, But the LOTO from Heaven. I had finally won the Jackpot !!!

Folks, Jesus is the son of God, He wasn’t just a man, He did Rise up on the third Day just like the Bible says he did. He is Sitting up there right now With God. Remember I told you I would go back to that Truth Statement earyler? Well let’s go back now.

In The Bible, Jesus said, I am the way, The Truth, And the Life, No one comes to the Father except he comes through me, John 14:6

Jesus was that 111% TRUTH I had been looking for all along. This is the way God made us to be, Seekers, and Lovers of Truth, Its written right into our DNA, inside of the very essence that’s makes us who we are. I am yet to come into contact with someone who says, Lie to me, don’t tell me the truth about anything, be dishonest with me in every ay and in every part of our friendship. Make since ???

Jesus says “My Sheep will hear ONLY My Voice and No other, they wont follow another Sheppard, because they know my Voice, My Father gave then to me, and that’s why they hear only me. What he meant by that, was this. He meant John 1:1 - 3, That God had made everything, Simply by speaking it into existence, and that includes you and me, Even if we don’t honestly believe it, it’s still TRUE, and Nothing or No one can change that fact.

Right from the very inception of the thought of You and Me, Even before God spoke the words, There’s Going to be a man called Will, and a Woman Called Bunnie, He made us for Jesus John 1:4-11. Made us to be his Friends, see what Jesus called us in John 15:13,

God wrote this desire for the TRUTH, The Whole Truth and NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH, right into us from the very beginning. I bet if you take a Deep In-depth Look into your self, you will find that desire in you too. See that’s the Fingerprints of God built right into your life too. It’s so simple; we can’t see what’s right in front of our own faces. How does a Detective catch a Thief, FINGERPRINTS or FOOTPRINTS, or Some other type of UNDENIABLE EVIDENCE. That’s what God had in mind for all of us, To be able to find him, He built it right into us, and then Left Clues and Evidence for us to find.

Let’s look at it from this Vantage Point. Lets say someone is accused of breaking the Law in some way, Stealing, Robbing a bank, Murder ETC. The detectives start an Investigation, and start gathering Evidence. Well they come up against a wall, there is NO EVIDENCE TO FIND, and it seems as if this was the Perfect Crime. They have the accused, but they have No Evidence to go on and prove this persons guilt or innocence. It’s a stale mate !!!

If they go to the prosecutor’s office with a hunch, he will look at them like they are Crazy, and say “You honestly expect me to take this person to trial on a Hunch”, see my point.

God is the same way, how can we stand for and defend something we don’t know to be a 111% fact ? We can’t, and if we do, then the Truth is not in us, and we lie.

God designed us to be this way, Its not by chance that our hearts of hearts have these desires they have. Its divine inspiration and design, Its Gods Fingerprints, The TRUTH was right inside of us all along.

Can I urge you to seek your own Truths today, No I’m not asking you to commit to anything but a search of your own hearts. Im not asking you to commit to something you don’t know for 111% sure is real and Honest Truth, What I am offering you is this, a Gift, a simple seed, I am offering you a seed from my own Faith.

Just look what God did for me, He will give you the same Gift, it’s the Gift of TRUTH and LIFE, The Gift of himself, His Son Jesus, and His Holy Spirit. If you will accept his offer of friendship, In Time you will learn you can TRUST Him, Just as I did. He will lead you on a GRAND TREASURE HUNT, and show you the gifts he made, Special Gifts God made just for you.

This world has many Gods, but you know in your heart of hearts, it’s the ONE TRUE God that you want to find, Friend, that desire is not your desire; it’s the first Fingerprint of God Almighty Himself in your life.

It’s the desire to Return Home, You one true Home, Back where you were conceived to start with, Just look at the salmon fish, they cover vast oceans, But always come back home, and once there, they plant seeds of life for the Generations to come. Will you start seeking the Truth Today, and planting seeds tomorrow ?? No you don’t have to become Religious, Just be yourself and try to be good, that’s who God made you to be, He will help you through the rest a little at a time if you will help him. Jesus didn’t come into this world to force us into anything; He offered us Friendship and Life. Are you Honestly happy ? Are you truly content and at peace inside yourself ?? I didn’t think so; I wasn’t either, until I found that 111% TRUE TRUTH I ABSOLOUTLY HAD TO FIND, Just like the Salmon, I Had to find Home to find Peace.

I want to Pray with you if you will let me. A simple prayer asking God to give you Faith too, To Draw you to him, so you will know him. Will you pray this prayer of Faith with me today ? If your answer is Yes, Reach out, Touch your screen, and agree with me, that you want the Truth and NOTHING But the TRUTH, What ever it maybe. Let’s pray Friend.

Father, I cant begin to thank you for the Truth you have so graciously shared with me. I know I don’t deserve your Grace, But I am willing to accept you and Your Grace. Dear God, I honestly don’t have enough Faith to believe in you the way I need to, God, I know you must be there, I feel in my Heart of Hearts there is Something More, But I just haven’t found that Something yet. God, The words this man praying with me has said, sound like the Truth, but I am unsure of anything. So God, Please accept me, Forgive me of my faults and sins against you. Dear God I give myself to you right now, I want to know you better, I need a friend like you, I desire to come Home. God I feel so alone and lost, I have tried so hard to find what I know in my Heart I Must find, But I just cant find my way Lord, Please help me find you, Give me Evidence, so I can believe, And I will serve only you and nothing but you, The One True God, His Son Jesus, and I will follow the leading of your Holy Spirit, Fill me with your Truth and your Life, Come live inside of me Lord, I offer myself to you Lord, My life is all I have to give, and I give myself to you right now. Thank you Lord for accepting me, Thank you for placing your Fingerprints in my life, Thank You for making me into who I am going to become, the person you made me to be. I will confess you and your Truth all the days of my life, In Jesus name I pray, Amen

Friend if you just prayed that prayer, Your life is Going to change. Don’t give up, You didn’t get into the mess your in over night, But by Faith, and watching for Gods Fingerprints and Evidence in Your life, You will grow, Remember, When you plant a seed one day, You don’t go back the next day and find the Flower all grown up and in full Bloom. It has to be watered, Tended and looked after. Your just like a growing flower, You need time to grow, water and nourishment, in time you will come into full bloom. So find your self some Good Spirit Filled Friends, they will nourish you with love, kindness and gentle comforting words The words of God himself, Your going to need friends as you grow, or you might not make it, Just like a flower left alone, it don’t have much of a chance by its self.

As always, You can email Us, Were here for you too if you need us.

Welcome to the Family, PRAISE GOD !!!! Your just what I needed, Another Brother or Sister. BIG HUGZ from me to you. I love YOU !!!!!

Your New Brother,

Pastor Will Matherly and the Covenant Family.

You can contact us through the following websites and email address. We would LOVE to hear from you, Let us know what God is doing in your life, Your testimonies will be a Blessing to us, So Testify and tell EVERYONE what Your God, The one and Only TRUE GOD has done for you !!!!