To those going through the valley and shadow of death, hear this word: Weeping will last through some dark, awful nights—and in that darkness you will soon hear the Father whisper, “I am with you. I cannot tell you why right now, but one day it will all make sense. You will see it was all part of my plan. It was no accident. It was no failure on your part. Hold fast. Let me embrace you in your hour of pain.”Beloved, God has never failed to act but in goodness and love. When all means fail—his love prevails. Hold fast to your faith. Stand fast in his Word. There is no other hope in this world.
The above is part of the last entry on Rev. David Wilkerson’s sermon blog posted yesterday.
Rev. David Wilkerson, founding pastor of Times Square Church in New York City and author of the best-selling book, “The Cross and the Switchblade,” has died. He was 79.
Wilkerson died Wednesday afternoon in a car accident in East Texas, Texas Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Tela Mange said. Wilkerson’s car smashed head-on into a tractor-trailer rig after veering into oncoming traffic on U.S. 175 west of Cuney, about 95 miles southeast of Dallas, Mange said.
Wilkerson founded the non-denominational Protestant Times Square Church in 1987 in an area of Manhattan that was then riddled with X-rated movie houses, strip clubs, prostitution and drugs. He also founded Teen Challenge, which uses a biblically based recovery program for drug addicts.
In “The Cross and the Switchblade” Wilkerson wrote about his early years in New York City administering to drug addicts and gang members.
AP Wilkerson was not wearing a seatbelt and was pronounced dead at the scene. His wife was also in the car and was wearing a seatbelt. She is in stable condition in hospital. The driver of the truck suffered lacerations and was taken to hospital.
Tyler Texas KLTV Wreck Victim identified as Rev. David Wilkerson
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This is s tragic, horrible, senseless death. A terrible blow to his family, friends and countless admirers. When I was saved in the late 70′s, his book was read and quoted everywhere, and it had a major impact on my own faith;
and while I view the mechanism that extracted him from the gang life differently these days, I remain admiring of his ministry and gifting.
Wilkerson believed that in April 1973 he received a vision regarding the future of the United States and subsequently gave a sermon on the vision and published a book called The Vision. He has said that God revealed to him a great calamity which was going to befall America due to increase in sins such as homosexuality, sexual promiscuity, and greed.
Some of the details of this reputed vision were:
“Worldwide recession caused by economic confusion”
“At most a few more fat flourishing years, and then an economic recession that’s going to affect the life style of every wage-earner in the world. The world economists are going to be at loss to explain what’s happening. It’s going to start in Europe, spread to Japan and finally to the United States.”
There will be a move toward a worldwide, unified monetary system. The US dollar will be hit bad and it will take years for it to recover.
The only real security will be in real estate (until a somewhat later stage, at which point this apparent security will also disappear).
“Nature having labor pains”
Environmentalists will come under heavy criticism.
There will be major earthquakes.
There will be a major famine.
Floods, hurricanes and tornadoes will increase in frequency.
“A new kind of cosmic storm appearing as a raging fire in the sky leaving a kind of vapor trail.”[4]
“A flood of filth and a baptism of dirt in America”
Topless women will appear on television, followed by full nudity.
Adult, X rated movies will be shown on cable television. Young people will gather at homes to watch this kind of material in groups.
Sex and the occult will be mixed.
There will be an acceptance of homosexuality, and the church will even say that it is a God-given gift.
“Rebellion in the home”
“I see the new number one youth problem in America and the world as hatred towards parents.”[4]
“A persecution madness against truly Spirit filled Christians who love Jesus Christ”
There will arise a world church consisting of a union between liberal ecumenical Protestants and the Roman Catholic Church, using Christ in name only.
There will be a hate Christ movement.
There will be a spiritual awakening behind the Iron and Bamboo Curtains.
Others
There will be another wave of riots.
There will be a fall in moral conduct.
There will be a new drug that will be popular with teenagers that will break down resistance and will encourage sexual activity.
Homosexual and lesbian ministers will be ordained and this will be heralded as a new breed of pioneer.
There will be nude dancing in church, but this will never be widespread.
There will be occult practices in churches.
I am grieving AAB – I met him as a teen and what he said to me carried me through some rough times. He loved the hopeless and unloved and in person was gentle and quiet and incredibly kind, he lived what he preached. Wilkerson was very much a product of his upbringing and culture, and his passion crossed a lot of cultural boundaries and inspired a generation.
It’s the end of an era, I’m so glad he spent the last years of his life and work reaching out to ministers and church leaders calling them back to Jesus Christ.
This is how he said he would like to be remembered.
David Wilkerson should have stayed away from prophecy. I was a new reporter when a mentally ill young man read that book and burned down a boarding house. There were several deaths. He was found nearby sleeping with a copy of the book. When he was back on meds and realized what he had done, he was suicidal. I can still see the bodies and smell burned flesh.
My knowledge of Wilkerson and his writings helped me report the event well, but my heart broke for this guy and his family. If it hadn’t been Wilkerson’s writings it would have been some other half baked vision from the fundamentalist culture.
Wilkerson was a product of his culture, and I am sorry he felt the need to exercise what is a valid gift for some. I respect him for his preaching, his reaching out to those society gave up on, his modest living style and his living out of his faith.
Perhaps he should have obeyed the laws in Texas and been wearing his seatbelt and we may not be having this discussion… Just saying.
I was flipping channels earlier today and noticed a glimpse of him on Huntley Street but didn’t think anything of it, as I figured he must be a featured guest, so I skipped to another station.
I’ve listened to a few of his sermons online and You Tube videos (where he was exposing the insanity of ”animalism” and other such odd things occuring in some Charismatic churches) and was impressed with his boldness. I recall one You Tube clip in particular (which you can still access) where he was speaking through an interpretor in Russia and exposing Benny Hinn….among others.
If he’d died of natural causes, it wouldn’t be nearly as sad as dying from something preventable but on the bright side, he’s now in a perfect paradise with Jesus and will never have to deal with this fallen world and it’s countless problems.
He won a lot of souls for the Kingdom during his 79 years, so it was time well spent and now he’s gone on to his proper reward. He’s also left a valuable legacy via his archived online sermons, so will still be reaching lost souls, even though he’s gone, which will only affect little things, like where they’ll spend eternity.
“but on the bright side, he’s now in a perfect paradise with Jesus and will never have to deal with this fallen world and it’s countless problems.”
You mean like the problems the truck driver will have the rest of his life as he daily relives those final moments before the crash? Yeah, Wilkerson has left more than one legacy.
Sorry for being the realist here, but the man lived, did some positive things as well as negative, much like the rest of us, and now he’s dead, much like the rest of us will be some day. I just find it interesting that people will arrive at conclusions that he is now in a “perfect paradise” when firstly, there’s no proof that such a place exists and secondly, even if it did and and Jesus is right, he will be the final judge of where Wilkerson ends up. Nobody really knew his heart so who knows where the hell he is? No pun intended.
As for the christian, the Lord is the good shepard, as his sheep we are not afraid. We are wise enough to follow where he leads us and know when he shows us the right way. Our Lord Jesus will lead us into the green meadows and the peaceful streams. Only Jesus can walk us through the dark valley of death. Life is uncertain, that’s why we need a shepard.
Ah yes Susan …uncertain life indeed.
The average man does not know what to do with his life, yet wants another one which will last forever.
~ Anatole France
Bene
I’ve tried to e-mail you but it won’t go through, so I’m placing this here, even though it’s off the topic.
If you key in James Japan on John Todd, you will be able to access several audio recordings that he (John Todd–ex Illuminati) made during the 1970′s. Very interesting. You can also access them at Jesus-Is–Savior–.Com but the sound is better on Japan’s website.
Among the things stated was that rock music was/is a way to get Christians to cast spells on themselves (accomplishes the same thing as attending a witchcraft ceremony) because it’s basically witchcraft spells put to music. He’ll load your boat with countless insider information.
It sounded like he passed out behind the wheel of the car.
That is quite sad and unfortunate
I take his age of 79 into account
He is fairly old
That is not a bad age to live to
Teen Challenge
&
Cross and the Switchblade
That organization and that book have made quite an impact on society
They have made an effect
They have made an influence
Well, Matthew Robert Payne on facebook says that he has gone to heaven at will and met with DAvid Wilkerson there. So we can still here from David via Matthew, who also talks with Elijah and angels all the time. Seems Jesus asked him who he wanted to meet in heaven and when Matthew answered Jesus complied. Matthew Robert Payne: now prophet to the world and endorsed by Rolland Baker. He is the most spiritual man in the world now, outdoing Todd Bentley nowadays. Read his facebook pages for all the spiritual experiences he has and boasts of.
I don’t normally watch TBN but noticed on their online TV schedule that they did a tribute to David Wilkerson on Tuesday, May 3 (they keep shows archived for a month), in case anyone cares to see it.
It’s hosted by Pat Boone (the star of Cross and Switchblade) and features Nicki Cruz as a guest (which the book and movie was based on).