Bullhunter
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318th FIS Jet Shop 1975-78
Currently: Offline
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Joined: May 2005
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Post by Bullhunter on Dec 3, 2009 13:14:57 GMT 9
My old friend Tom Hart who owned the Economy Garage in Chimacum (4 miles up the road)died at age 52 years. What a shame. I’ll be 57 next month and makes me wonder. I regret that I never took the time or tried to talk to him about Christ. It was mostly business talk and talk of how the salmon fishing was going for us. But one day years back he did open up to me and told me how his wife skimmed $85,000 out of the business and took off with another guy. It hurt him pretty bad. I confided in him how my ex-wife screwed me over with adultery and took off with another guy also, and leaving me to raise my two little children by myself. Until I met Belinda. I had an opening there to talk about the Lord and his plan for us all, but I let it slip by. We always think there is time, but only the Lord knows the time, and controls the time. He might have already excepted Christ earlier in his life. I would have liked to have known that. The depressing thing about getting older is not your physical aches and pains, it’s the constant death/loss of relatives and friends.
So I’m taking some time to speak and pass this on to my friends and relatives. You may call it preaching, but it is very important to you and I. We can’t wait until we are on our death bed to ask Christ for forgiveness and salvation, as we know not the hour the Lord will call us. Christians (people who have accepted Christ) are no better than anyone else – they are just forgiven of their sins. Does this mean you will never sin again? No, it is impossible to be perfect, the Lord knows that by humans nature. There has only been one perfect person to walk on the earth and that was Christ.
Jesus said, “ I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me” (John 14:6)
We are all sinners. “We are all as unclean thing” (Isaiah 64:4). “There is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:22,23). “God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5).
Judgement is certain. “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgement” (Hebrews 9:27). “Every one of us shall give account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12). “These shall go away into everlasting punishment” (Matthew 25:46). “Into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched” (Mark 9:43).
There must be a change “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3). “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). “Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 18:3).
Good Works cannot save us. “Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:9). “Not by works of righteousness which we have done” (Titus 3:5).
The death of Christ can save us. “Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3). “Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the cross” (1 Peter 2:24). “Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justifications” (Romans 4:25).
The importance of Christ’s blood. “Without shedding of blood is no remission” (Hebrews 9:22). “Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb Without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:18,19). “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). “It is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul” (Leviticus 17:11). Christs invitation to sinners “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). How to be saved “As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12). “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). “To Him give all the prophets witness, that through His name whosoever believeth inHim shall receive remission of sins” (Acts 13:39). How to be lost forever “Neglect so great salvation” (Hebrews 2:3). “He that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16:16). “He the believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36).
The believer has eternal life “He that hearth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but passed from death unto life” (John 5:24). “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand” (John 10:28). “ These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life” (1 John 5:13).
It is by believing God’s gospel, and trusting Him who died and rose again that men & women, dead in sins, are born again into newness of life, eternal life, and their souls are purified from every sin (1 Peter 1:22-25). God sent His Son into the world that we might live through Him; that He might put away our sins; that He might be the Saviour of the world (1 John 4:9,10,14). We cannot prepare ourselves to meet God. How then can it be done? Just by taking God’s preparation which He has made for us. Turn to God in true repentance, confessing your sins; give up all hope of doing any good thing yourself to put away sin; then believe on the Lord Jesus Christ; put your trust in the crucified, risen & glorified Saviour, and thou shalt be saved. Jesus said, “He that heareth My Word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24).
--Courtesy of Grace & Truth, Danville, Ill.
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