A Life of Obedience: Glimpses of a Surrendered Life

By Rev. Glenn A. McHatton

It is my prayer that the spiritual truths in this book will be used of God to inspire you to live a life of obedience (Glenn McHatton).

The Apostle Paul said, He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell (2 Cor. 12:4a). In keeping with this, Glenn also kept quiet about sharing his most intimate spiritual experiences. While praying, God surprised him with Glenn, I want you to reveal some of the forty years of secrets now! Being obedient, Glenn wrote A Life of Obedience.

This book reveals the different ways that God has led through the yearsreading the Word, visions, dreams, and special revelations. These authentic leadings have been fully vindicated by the marvelous results that followed.

A Life of Obedience includes biblical teachings on the following subjects:
Salvation, sanctification, and Spirit-led living
How to pray for the sick
How to deal with temptation
How to live in the realm of the miraculous

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Mar 21, 2017
• ISBN: 9781524589035

Rev. Glenn A. McHatton

Rev. Glenn A. McHatton graduated from the Fort Wayne Bible College where he became a professor. He received his A.B. degree from Taylor University, B.S. and M.A. from Bali State University. He has ministered in citywide campaigns and various camps and churches. He was a pastor of seven churches and had a Christian radio program called “Gospel Blessings” over national and international radio stations for over twenty years. Now that he is retired, he is teaching a class (“Just Bible”) and ministers in various capacities in other churches as the Lord directs.

Book preview

Copyright © 2017 by Rev. Glenn A. McHatton.

ISBN:      Softcover         978-1-5245-8904-2

                eBook             978-1-5245-8903-5

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

All scriptures used from this book were from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® and the New King James Version, KJV.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Rev. date: 03/21/2017

Xlibris

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Contents

Acknowledgements

About the Author

Author’s Invitation

Preface

My Spiritual Struggle

PART I

Early Experiences That Led Me to a Life Of Obedience

Chapter 1 The Ring of Death!

Chapter 2 Why Radio?

Chapter 3 The Stairway to Heaven

Chapter 4 A Tribute to My Mother

Chapter 5 My First Spiritual Experience

Chapter 6 A Little Boy’s Prayer

Chapter 7 The Flash Flood!

Chapter 8 Snakes and God’s Protection

Chapter 9 Almost a Millionaire!

Chapter 10 A Good Hypocrite

PART II

Stepping Stones to a Life of Obedience

Chapter 11 The Night I Gave Up the Circus

Chapter 12 The Day I Said the Big Yes

Chapter 13 The Divine Call

Chapter 14 Just Hobos

Chapter 15 My Showdown with God

Chapter 16 The Cyclone From Arizona

PART III

Traveling The Road of a Life of Obedience

Chapter 17 My First Pastorate

Chapter 18 Called to Be an Evangelist

Chapter 19 Watch Out for That Smile!

Chapter 20 God’s Perfect Choice

PART IV

Walking in the Realm of The Spirit

Chapter 21 Shut in with God

Chapter 22 It Took a Miracle

Chapter 23 You Can’t Eat!

Chapter 24 Suicide Spoiled

Chapter 25 I Said No to the Stadium

Chapter 26 The Day the President Was Shot!

Chapter 27 I Saw a Miracle Tonight!

Chapter 28 It’s Indianapolis!

Chapter 29 Two Hundred Seventy- two Was Just Enough

Chapter 30 Obedience in the Pulpit

Chapter 31 Guidance Through a Dream

Chapter 32 God Speaks in a Barnyard

Chapter 33 My Greatest Compliment

Chapter 34 From a Nobody to a Somebody

Chapter 35 The High Price of not Forgiving!

Chapter 36 Dealing with Temptation

Chapter 37 Not Perfect— Just Forgiven!

PART V

My Radio Outreach

Chapter 38 Spiritual Encounters That Enlarged My Ministry

Chapter 39 Reaching the World for Christ!

Chapter 40 What About Television?

PART VI

A Life Of Obedience Evaluated!

Chapter 41 Is a Life of Obedience Worth It?

Chapter 42 Would I Do It All Over Again?

Chapter 43 When God Calls Me Home

Chapter 44 Mind The Tug!

Appendix

Scripture Index

Notes

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Rev. McHatton’s book is a must-read for everyone young or old, whether you are an atheist, an agnostic, a skeptic, or a believer. Everyone, from all walks of life, will profit from the information that is found in his book A Life of Obedience.

Rev. Glenn A. McHATTON

A LIFE OF OBEDIENCE

Rev. McHatton’s autobiography is biblically-based. It is honest, sound, and is easily understood. It has the following:

44 chapters – each emphasizing the importance of living A Life of Obedience.

44 songs (words only) after every chapter that brings inspiration to the reader.

200+ Scriptures (KJV and NIV) that is the foundation for the truth presented.

19 original drawings that portrays the important truths of the chapter making them more understandable. A LIFE OF OBEDIENCE would enhance any library.

Acknowledgements

I dedicate this book to my beloved mate and companion, Jean, whom God called home on January 1, 2002. She stood by my side for over fifty years. Through the good times and the testing times, she always encouraged me in my quest to live A Life of Obedience.

• Jon McHatton - Special thanks for reading the first printing and seeing a vision for the second printing.

• Beth McCoy - provided the subtitle, Glimpses of a Surrendered Life

• Glenna Jean McHatton - lending her ideas and careful critiquing of my books

• Holly Hertig - free-lance artist for the diagrams with the Holly signature

• Fulljahan Morin – Editing

• The Holy Spirit – Thank YOU for guiding my thoughts and words as I prepared this book, and created drawings to express the meaning of my message.

About the Author

The Reverend Glenn A. McHatton became a Christian during his early childhood, and has walked with God for many years. He and his wife, Jean, were happily married, and two children were born from this union. After serving the Lord together for over fifty years, God transported Jean to the glories of Heaven on January 1, 2002.

The Reverend McHatton is a graduate of Fort Wayne Bible College. He received his A.B. degree from Taylor University, and his B.S. and M.A. degrees from Ball State University. Later on in life, he went back to serve as a full time college professor at Fort Wayne Bible College, an extension of Taylor University. As a professor, he visited the Holy Land of Israel, as well as other places mentioned in the Bible. These enlightening experiences increased his knowledge about their religions, customs, and cultures, which have greatly enhanced his ministry.

As an evangelist, the Reverend McHatton has ministered in: citywide campaigns, tent meetings, youth and adult camps, and various fundamental churches across the nation. God called him to serve in seven pastorates. For over twenty years, this dedicated servant of God broadcasted over many local, international, and short wave radio stations.

After retiring from his church, he felt led of God to start a Just Bible Sunday school class. Just Bible is a class in which Reverend McHatton, under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, consistently emphasizes the importance of living, A LIFE OF OBEDIENCE. The class meets every Sunday morning at the Castleton Church of the Nazarene, located at 7848 Allisonville Rd., Indianapolis, Indiana Rev. Mark Hiehle is the senior pastor.

Author’s Invitation

I do not believe that you have selected this book by accident! The spiritual insight that you will receive from reading A Life of Obedience, I can assure you, will not be a waste of your time, regardless of your religious background.

Before you begin reading, I invite you to join me in this short prayer.

Open my eyes,¹ that I may see

Glimpses of truth Thou hast for me;

Place in my hands the wonderful key

That shall unclasp and set me free.

Silently now I wait for Thee

Ready my God, Thy will to see

Open my eyes; illumine me,

Spirit divine.

IN HIS NAME I PRAY-AMEN

Preface

40 Years of Secrets!

I WANT YOU TO REVEAL

THE SECRETS, NOW!

During the time that I was actively writing this book, I would casually make mention to some of my acquaintances that God had laid it upon my heart to write a book. I could tell by their facial expressions that they were very surprised. I will have to admit that I am the most surprised of all! In order for me to be completely obedient to my Master, I had to write this book, prayerfully seeking His divine direction as to what should be shared with the reader. Practically everything, which I have revealed in this book, goes against the spiritual practice that I have followed for many years. That is, to tell no one about my most intimate moments with the Lord. I have tried to be more like Mary, the mother of Jesus, for the Bible says, "But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart (Luke 2:19, NIV). However, after forty years of secrecy, the Lord has directed me to share a few of these experiences that I have kept to myself. God, in His sovereignty, knows why" He commissioned me to write my autobiography. Some detailed Biblical teachings are also interwoven into my writing such as:

• How to be saved, sanctified, and filled with the Spirit.

• How to pray for the sick according to James 5:13-16.

• How to deal with temptation.

• The importance of forgiving.

• How to have miracles in your life.

• An explanation of the anointing and its importance.

• Different methods God uses to speak to His children.

The Bible supports my view of being secretive about certain spiritual experiences. The Apostle Paul said that there were certain spiritual experiences that should not be shared with others. We know this because Scripture states, …was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell (2 Corinthians 12:4, NIV).

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I Want You To Reveal The 40 Years Of Secrets Now!

After many tedious hours of work, I decided that my autobiography was ready to be printed. Before doing so, however, I decided to critique the book one more time. As I reviewed it, I came to realize that this is a very unconventional book! In order to be blessed by this book, one must read it in faith. Much of the book’s content reveals how God worked in strange ways, His wonders to proclaim! The end results of these miracles prove their validity, thus making these things believable.

The disciples had witnessed countless miracles that Jesus had performed. We read, in (Mark 6:47-52), that one stormy night Jesus approached them by walking on the water. When He climbed into their boat, the wind ceased. The Bible tells, …and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered (Mark 6:51, KJV). The next verse, at least to me, is one of the most disheartening verses in the entire Bible! For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened (Mark 6:52, KJV). Having just witnessed Jesus feed nearly five thousand men (not including women and children) with only five loaves of bread and two small fishes, and having witnessed the twelve baskets of leftovers, they did not consider the awesomeness of this miracle! My prayer is that all of us will always be on guard to avoid slipping into a spirit of apathy concerning the miraculous workings of God.

This reminds me of an incident, found in the Bible, where a miracle had to be accepted because of the end results. In (Acts 3:1-10), Peter and John were going up into the temple to pray. As they started to enter the gate of the temple, they saw a crippled man begging for alms. He was forty years old, and had never been able to walk. Peter took the man’s right hand and lifted him up. Right then God performed a miracle! This man not only walked, he leaped, praising God! The rulers and elders of Israel, rather than rejoicing, wanted to do whatever they could to discredit the miracle. However, since the people recognized the man standing before them, was the same crippled man that sat, day after day, at the gate begging alms, the miracle could not be denied. And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it (Acts 4:14, KJV).

I realize that some people say that miracles were only meant for Biblical times, but not for today’s world. Since the Lord healed and performed miracles in the first century, He can heal and perform miracles in the twenty-first century! Since the Lord did it in the past, He can do it in the present. I cannot find any place in Scripture where there is a cut-off date for His miracles. The Bible does not say, …for with God all things are possible (Mark 10:27, KJV) until a certain date. Jesus did not say, ….whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive (Matthew 21:22, KJV) until the twenty-first century. But we do receive reassurance that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8, NIV). Yes, praise God that these promises are for every believer today! God is no respecter of persons. God can, and will, perform miracles for you when you believe!

Jesus assures us of this truth when He said, I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father (John 14:12, NIV). We all know that Jesus performed great miracles while ministering on the earth. When Jesus left this earth, He sent the Holy Spirit to take His place (John 14:16). It is because of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that we, the body of Christ, can do even greater things! This means that any obedient, dedicated Christian should come to expect God to perform miracles, in answer to the prayer of faith! I trust that your faith will be strengthened to believe God for even greater things, in your life, as a result of reading this book. I humbly thank God for ALL that have been saved, healed, and influenced to walk even closer to Him, because of my ministry to them.

There is another truth that I want you to be aware of before you begin to read A Life of Obedience.

Webster’s New World Dictionary defines providence as follows: the benevolent guidance of God. As you read my autobiography, be sure to watch for the following key phrase: IN THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD. It is during these significant, spiritual encounters that a profound direction was being charted in the course of my life. Otherwise, my life and ministry would have been quite different. It is my prayer that this book will challenge you to live A Life of Obedience!

My Spiritual Struggle

"He heard inexpressible things, that man is not permitted to tell"

(2 Corinthians 12:4, NIV)

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MY PRAYER FOR YOU:

"LORD, HELP EVERYONE WHO READS THIS BOOK TO RECEIVE THE BLESSING