Accept Jesus Christ as your lord and savior

Thu, Sep 29th 2016, 10:10 AM

For God so loved the world the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. [John 3:16]

Recently in Bible class I shared how it is impossible to be in love with someone and never give them a surprise gift, even though there was not a special occasion for the same. Many times one has to begin to drop hints here and there to bring to remembrance that perhaps a birthday or anniversary is drawing near, but as you read today and look back over the years of your life thus far, have you really been pleasantly surprised by someone that you are or were in love with?

Sitting next to a friend in the airport some years ago while waiting for my flight to be called, he told me that he was separated from his wife and it was causing him a lot of pain. Send her a basket of pink roses and get ready to begin a new life with her again, I told him. Today, they are together like peas and rice.

Can you imagine how Mary felt when she was surprised by an angel to calm her of her fear due to his visit and bring her good tidings of great joy that she would be the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ?

Humble, lowly, obscure, away from the maddening crowd, the glitter and glamor of life, the social empire, the God of all creation comes with a surprise. Stunned, she proclaims that, "He hath exalted them of low degree." Surprises can take you from low degree to pedigree.

The Gospel Hall Church or The Brethren are known for the youth of their faith to be immersed with the memory of Bible verses. I remember as a youth that James Shearer (now pastor) the late Leonard Mallory and Errol Jackson (of The Reef Restaurant) always came over to our church, Mission Baptist, to conduct Tuesday night Bible classes for the youth of the area. Our prime minister, Perry Christie, attended the East Street Gospel Chapel as a youth, so it is no wonder that he always quotes a verse of scripture, especially our text for today, and gives credit to the church for his memory of the same. Sadly and hardly today, little emphasis is placed on the memorization of verses from the Bible. Of course, everyone knows Jesus wept.

We are well on our way to the end of this year, but we do not have to wait for Christmas to be surprised. God has the best surprise for you. He sent his only son to die for your sins and mine, and you can open your gift today by receiving him as Lord of your life. Let's face it and be real -- the world has nothing to offer but fear, grief, confusion, strife, woe, dissatisfaction and pain. Mankind is selfish and restless, and peace is not on his agenda. Man's inhumanity to each other is at the worst it has ever been and shock has chased surprise away.

Today we look at our own nation and need not be told that there is not so much land to be possessed, as some would be after, but much work to be done. We need persons to surprise others by being kind, considerate and enthusiastic about the plight of the poor, and bring relief and wiping away tears from eyes. Don't you know that the government is you, and you are the government? Don't you know that the money spent is, by and large, your money? Don't you know that when the environment is filthy, Caesar is ignored by not paying what is due to him, deceit, conspiracy, putting heads together in one basket to outsmart the unsuspected, switching wrong and right for the convenience and satisfaction of others, allowing hate, malice, gossip and just plain bad ways to be the order of the day?

God knows we need to wake up one morning soon and be surprised by the renewing of our minds so that it is the mind of Jesus, and put away the evil and forces of sin that is pulling us down as a nation. Yes, God so loved us that he surprised us by giving us his son to change us from the bad to the good. When you are immersed in sin, the law of the land is not on your run. You go contrary to every law that is the volume of the books. You steal, cheat, kill and disobey God and man and just plain go amok.

Today is the best day of your life to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of your life. You are not sure of the time left here on planet earth. Yes, you have your plans, but God has his plans too and you have more than three strikes against you.

Belief is all that you have. John Newton (1725-1807) wrote: "Begone unbelief, my Savior is near. And for my relief will surely appear. By prayer let me wrestle and he wilt perform. With Christ in the vessel, I smile at the storm... His love in time past forbids me to think he'll leave me at last in trouble to sink... And can he have taught me to trust in his name, and thus far have brought me, to put me to shame?

"Why should I complain of want or distress, temptation or pain? He told me no less: The heirs of salvation, I know from his word, through much tribulation must follow their Lord... How bitter that cup, no heart can conceive, which he drank quite up, that sinners might live! His way was much rougher and darker than mine.

"Did Jesus thus suffer, and shall I repine? Since all that I meet shall work for my good, the bitter is sweet, the medicine is food. Though painful at present, wilt cease before long, and then, O! How pleasant, the conqueror's song!"

Surprise!

o E-mail rubyanndarling@yahoo.com, Facebook Ruby Ann Darling or write to P.O. Box SS 19725 Nassau, Bahamas with your prayer requests, concerns and comments. God's blessings!

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