Jack Hyles Speaks On Biblical Separation, Chapter 8
On September 24, 1966, I was spending my last day in my thirties. I decided to stay awake until midnight so I could be conscious through the last minute of my thirties. I went to the basement of our home, and there God broke my heart for my country. On my desk at the time were letters opening every door to me that a fundamental preacher could imagine entering. Two different colleges were offering me their presidency. One seminary asked me to become its president. Twenty-two letters were there from ministerial groups in large cities asking me to come and preach city-wide revival campaigns in coliseums and stadiums across America. Some of the largest cities in our nation were represented. None of that appealed to me. I did not feel that I was supposed to be a seminary or college president at the time, and I did not feel that I was to be a city-wide evangelist, but I had a thousand invitations on my desk from all over America asking me to come to meetings to stir preachers and churches and Christians to evangelism, church building, etc. The Holy Spirit began to speak to my heart. Suddenly I began to weep uncontrollably for my nation.
I went upstairs at about a quarter of midnight on September 24, 1966, and awakened my son, Dave, who was 12 years old at the time. I asked him to come to the basement which he did. He said, "What's wrong, Dad?"
I said, "Doc, God has broken my heart tonight for my country." I showed him the letters. I reminded him that somebody needed to stir churches and Christians and preachers across the nation. I reminded him that unless something miraculous happened, he and his three sisters would not have a free country, and that someday he might even be killed for preaching the way his dad preaches. He said, "Dad, what does it mean if you decide to go and take these invitations on a regular basis?"
I said, "Doc, it probably means that you and I have been fishing for our last time. It may mean that we have been to our last ball game together." Then I said, "Doc, what do you think I ought to do?"
He looked at me through tears and said, "Dad, I think you ought to go," and Dave and I both fell to our knees and he began to pray aloud without my even asking him to do so, and this is what he prayed:
"Dear Lord, tonight I give You my dad." Now there is nothing wrong with having a dad, but for at least one young man in America, having a dad at home with him all the time was a weight. Somebody had to go and stir preachers to build great churches that somehow America might be spared.
