Bounce Back!
Clay Johnson Testimony • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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I see a shatter, you see whole
I see it broken, but you see beautiful
And You're helping me to believe
You're restoring me, piece by piece
There's nothing too dirty
That You can't make worthy
You wash me in mercy
I am clean
If you are able and willing please stand for the reading of God’s Holy Word.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,
19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.
21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Pray.
Thank you. You may be seated.
Reconciliation
To “reconcile” or bring about “reconciliation” is to restore harmony or friendship between two entities formerly divided. In the biblical tradition, reconciliation denotes the fundamental fact of a restored relationship, either between human persons, among various elements in the cosmos, or between humans and God.
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
Facebook
kindergarten and 5th grade
confusion
confusion led to experimenting as a child
I made up my mind I would not be confused anymore.
lack of respect for females (used them)
drugs
alcohol
fighting (being a bully)
if you got in my way I would hurt you no matter if you were male, female, brother, sister, mom, or dad
2001 abortion
2010 sale of oxycotton
I forged a $30,000 loan in my dad’s name.
I stole hundreds of thousands of dollars in copper wire from Johnson Electronics to support my pill habit.
In 2014, I was charged with two aggravated assaults. In both cases the victim was a female.
In 2017, I was charged with false imprisonment. The victim was also a female.
These are just the felonies. I’ve been arrested on more probation violations and misdemeanors than I can even remember.
I am the worst of sinners.
I am the chief of sinners.
I am unworthy.
13 He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.
12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
Bozo the clown
Now that I have admitted and confessed my sins to you, please allow me to tell you how God has restored me for His honor and glory.
We are not defined by what we did wrong! We are defined by what Jesus did right!
On July 21st, 2019 God reconciled me to Him!
On that day Jesus radically changed my life.
HE TOOK ALL MY SINS AND NAILED THEM TO THE CROSS!
On August 18th I was baptized.
He made me clean.
He gave me a new wife and a new family.
On August 24th 2019 He allowed me to marry Natalie Johnson.
My daughter was the maid of honor.
Fletcher, my son, was the best man.
River was the flower girl.
August of 2020 God allowed Natalie and I to buy our first house. He restored my fiances and my credit.
January 5, 2021 God allowed us to start Cordele’s first and only Celebrate Recovery.
Countless people have found Jesus, been baptized, and discipled through the 12 steps.
Men and women have laid down the needle and picked up a Bible.
In 2021 God allowed me to adopt Fletcher as my only son.
In 2021 God called me to start a men’s residential Christ-centered recovery home and placed a phenomenal team of board members around me.
In January 2022, God called me to go to school.
I now attend the Baptist College of Florida online and I am currently working on an associate of divinity.
April 17th, 2022, God called me to surrender to ministry.
October 2, 2022, God called Ebenezer Baptist to ordain me into ministry.
In December of 2022, God made a way for Peniel Recovery Ministries to get their 501c3 status.
God then allowed a partnership with Thrive Church and the recovery ministry in Omar Heights.
On January 29, 2023, God called Ebenezer Baptist to commission the Johnson family as local missionaries to minister through Thrive Church, Celebrate Recovery, and Peniel Recovery Ministries.
On February 5, 2023, I preached my first sermon at Thrive and my beautiful daughter, Clara Mae, was there. This is the same beautiful daughter I abandoned during my addiction. My daughter told me that that morning she truly forgave me.
On February 10, 2023, I received a letter from probation releasing me from probation 7 years early.
What is the secret to what some would see as success?
His name is Jesus!
100 % sold out obedience.
Jesus wants to do this in and though each of you.
Will you allow Him?
He wants to make you a new creation through reconciliation.
He wants you to be an ambassador for Christ.
4 take a ways for bouncing back and being of value through restoration. (I stole these from the mens conference)
Every past failure is preparation for some future opportunity.
Don’t turn your moment into a monument.
Don’t allow your history to control your destiny!
If you live in the past, you die to your future. BOUNCE BACK!
Invitation