Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 02/12/2020 – Christians believe this life prepares us for the life to come in Heaven. But when that day comes, we won’t be judged by a list of our good deeds but more by the relationship we had with Jesus. In The Missing Link, Sam Hunter readily engages readers to learn and understand how available the joy-filled life is right now as we invite the Holy Spirit to guide us on our journey.
You have spent the last 20 years in real estate and construction. What have you learned about yourself?
I have learned I have an aversion to authority. That I like to be in control. I am a Type A personality. I like to make decisions quickly. I am a producer – I get things done. I like, or at least I am not afraid of risks, even big risks. But I have also learned that “What works at work does not work at home.” And the biggest thing I have learned about myself is, “ I do not control anything. I do not really know anything, and certainly not what is best for me. But God does.
What challenges have you faced that you have overcome?
Most adversity in my life I brought on myself. But real estate development and construction is tough, and very risky. I did spend almost 18 years as a single adult man, and the challenge of being single, and being a single dad, was daunting.
At 38-years old something changed for you. Tell us about that time.
I was born and raised in a fine Christian home. But by the time I got to college I had had enough of that. Years later I went through a divorce and realized there had to be more to life than success and making money. I sat down and read Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. While reading MC I realizedI had missed who Jesus is. The “Light came on,” I was born again, and my life began to change from then on.
You are an Author of The Putting Green Devotional Series and Host of 721 Live radio show. Share your experience.
I have been doing both the weekly radio show and writing the weekly Putting Green devotionals for over 10 years. Neither were originally my idea.
A dear friend asked me who was the biggest influence in the first-century Christian church, and I said, Peter. He then asked why Paul was so much better known.
When I answered “I don’t know,” he said, “Because he wrote down his thoughts and positions on theology. And you must too!” So I started writing a weekly capsulation of our topics and lessons with our weekly men’s 721 Ministries meetings. Our two Putting Green Devotional books are compilations of those weekly blogs.
The radio show, 721 Live, had a similar genesis. A friend kept telling me I should be doing radio, and finally, I met with the producers at Christian Talk Radio, and 10 years later I have done over 500 shows. I would call all this: “Applied Christianity.”
Tell us about your new book, The Missing Link. What inspired you to write your book?
I felt compelled to write this book for three reasons:
What the scriptures say about the power of the HS.
Jesus told his disciples they would be better off with the HS than with him. That is an astounding statement in itself. (John 14:12 John 16:7)
He also told them, “You will receive power when the HS comes on you …”
And in 2 Corinthians 10 Paul talks about “a divine power to demolish strongholds.”
What I see around me.
In short, I see no one, or certainly very few, living with anything like this kind of power. At the beginning of The Missing Link, we imagine a scenario where Chinese Christians come to the United States to meet American Christians – and the disappointment they encounter when all they meet are average, bored and tired men and women.
My own experience.
I was born again in 1995 but it was years before I even began to understand the Holy Spirit – who He is and what He is all about. We started 721 in 2004 and by 2007 I was burning out –and we had nowhere near the amount of activity we have these days. Around 2011 I started to really lean into the HS and study and understand how to appropriate Him into my day to day life. In the details of my day to day life. Now I am living with so much energy and positive power – and our weekly schedule is four times what it was in 2007. Which is why you should read this book- The Missing Link – because you will not be able to learn how to live with the HS Power by reading about it.
You must experience it – day in and day out. And this is why we follow Peter and the other disciples through the book of Acts. We watch them as they learn through experience …
Can you share a lesson from your book?
Here are two:
To live with the power of the Holy Spirit: We have to “See – Seek – Want – Wait.”
See: We start with just realizing the HS is real, and that He can help us in the details of our lives. Raising our awareness that He is here … available Seek: Then we begin to seek Him, to look for Him in all the circumstances of our day to day lives.
Want: This is a big step. At first we may have to pray for the Lord to help us want to want the HS to be in charge of our lives. And why wouldn’t we want Him to be in charge? Because we might not get our way. And we love to get our way!
Wait: This is the biggest key to appropriating the power of the HS: being willing to wait on His direction. Being willing to wait on Him to move first.
This “Weight of Wait” we talk about in the book has been the biggest step in my learning to live with the power of the HS.
Forgiveness:
Colossians 3:12-13 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
13 Bear with each other and forgive (Charizomai) whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive (Charizomai) as the Lord forgave (Charizomai) you.
Aphiemi: “to cancel, pardon, give up, leave alone. Release (if not: Mt 5:23-26)
Charizomai: repair, restore, reconcile. Charizomai repairs brokenness, particularly by absorbing the cost. More muscle. Extending – going the extra mile
Aphiemi: Damage control
Charizomai: Rebuilding, Reconciliation- Col 1:19), Restoration – Luke 15:11
Aphiemi: Prevents bitterness Charizomai: Promotes relationship
What is your missing link?
The Holy Spirit is no longer my Missing Link, as I have learned how to lean into and rely on his power. But I continue to let Self get in the way. When Self takes over I find I do not want God’s will and I do not want to wait on his way. And that never leads to a good result.
Share your best piece of advice for younger people.
So many times we think we have to make a decision now … quickly … when in fact we often do not. If we will wait on more information, or for things to settle down, or for the Holy Spirit to make it clear what the next step is, and settle down our hearts, we can avoid so many mistakes, and hurt feelings and relationship problems.
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Website(s): www.721ministries.org , www.puttinggreenblog.com
