October 25, 2002

CAUGHT SLEEPING

"---they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the Lord was fallen upon them."

1 Samuel 26:12c

I'm so happy! It's as if a dark and demonic cloud of death has been lifted off me.

Yesterday I began to hear the news reports about two men being arrested in connection with the "Beltway Sniper" shootings. It seemed to good to be true, but it was. And now I can thank the Lord that this rampage from Hell has come to an end.

The Lord answered my prayers for the arrest of the ones who were responsible for these crimes. Christians everywhere, I'm certain, were flooding God's throne with petitions for this. Millions were and still are praying for the families who lost a loved one, too.

I believe, also, that the Lord caused a deep sleep to fall upon those two men. (1 Samuel 26:12c). They ended up sleeping for hours at an open rest stop along the Interstate while hundreds of police gathered around their vehicle. These guys did not awaken until it was time for this ordeal to end.

In the Bible there are incidents where God caused people to go into a deep sleep while He accomplished something supernatural.

One such story which comes to mind is that of King Saul and his rival, the destined-to-be-king, David. The Lord caused Saul and a battalion of his troops to go into a deep sleep in order to allow David and a few of his men to enter King Saul's camp, come right up to him as he slept, and take Saul's spear and water jug.

If God can put an army to sleep, He can surely do the same with two criminals on the run.

David Berkowitz

October 27, 2002

LARRY KING

God always seems to work in unfathomable ways. He takes the situations which Satan has meant for evil, and turns them around for the good that he may receive the glory and honor due His Name.

Because of the sniper-spree shootings in the Washington, D.C. area, the media began to mention me over the radio and on television again and again, to associate my name with evil. This has been very painful, but the Lord has a plan to spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

The renewed interest in my criminal past apparently caused the folks at CNN (a media outlet) to re-air the interview I did with Larry King. I couldn't be more pleased.

Out of all the interviews I have ever done, this one touched more lives and resulted in more opportunities to tell others what Jesus Christ has done for me, than any other interview I did previously or afterwards.

The re-airing of the Larry King interview came as a complete surprise. I did not ask him to do this. I know however, that the Lord put it in Larry's heart to pull this from the archives and use it again.

This program was first aired on August 16, 1999, and it was shown again on October 26, 2002. CNN has now taken lt all over the world, even to the Middle East.

Jesus Christ was proclaimed and the devil is pissed. God has won; the devil lost.

David Berkowitz

October 29, 2002

SUFFERING

For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us.

Romans 8:18

God has taught me so much during this October month of sefferings. Many times I felt the soaring pain of these fiery trials as they came crashing against my soul and spirit like wild waves during a violent storm.

I cannot say I liked these hardships at first. But something amazing has begun to happen..

I don't know when this inward revelation hit me, but suddenly whithin the past week I found myself actually starting to welcome these afflictions.

Almost every day this month I had been crying out to the Lord because of all the pain I was feeling at the time when this "sniper" thing was going on. The news media had thrown me right into this mess.

Yet when this ordeal was over, the Holy Spirit touched my heart in such a special way. He showed me how blessed and beneficial all my sufferings have been for my own growth, and for keeping me humble and totally dependent upon the Lord Jesus.

I don't think I am ever again going to go through another trial of my faith---(like this one) (or) there will be any trials yet to come that will ever disturb me anymore.

I have had a breakthrough: I cannot put it into words right now. Maybe I will talk more about this tomorrow. But for now, suffice to say, I am actually learning to rejoice in my tribulations and hardships.

More next time...

David Berkowitz

October 30, 2002

MORE ON SUFFERING

I want to finish this month's Journal by writing a little more about suffering and the spiritual fruit it brings into our lives as Christians.

Through my hardships I am continually learning to walk by faith and not by sight. By "sight" meaning not only what the eye can see, but actually, by my five senses.

I believe that it is a privilege to suffer for Christ. The world hates me and despises my testmony. For my testimony, the story of what the Lord Jesus did for me, has already brought hope, strength and encouragement to many people.

The devil is a sore loser and he cannot tolerate the fact that one of his most effective servants of destruction---which is exacty what I was---has, through Jesus Christ, walked away from him and escaped his clutches.

So I guess I catch the heat from both sides. There are those who hate me because of my crimes. Then there are now those who hate my profession of faith in God.

Still, whatever tribulations that I must go through these days, I am learning to echo what the apostle Paul said. I am to "glory in tribulations also; knowing that tribulations works patience: and patience, experience, and experence, hope" (Romans 5:3,4)

I am convinced that God is working to accomplish something good in my life. He wants to bring forth the character of Christ in all His patience, mercy, and love. He is doing the same inside of every Christian.

And while I do not like pain, hardship or difficulty, I am learning to see these things as being beneficial to my growth.

Now I am ending my writings for October 2002.

David Berkowitz