God is Good All The Time. This is what I know. I did not learn that in Sunday School. I learned it after a long time of figuring out what I already knew. I couldn't run fast enough from it. It hung over my head like a thundercloud.
Most of the time I was on auto-pilot. Automatically engaged in self pleasure, self pride, and a way to make the running stop and the thunderclouds of guilt and despair go away. That would be be drinking, drugs and chasing women. Knowing , whenever I thought about it, Jesus was standing right beside me, with that look. Looking straight in me. I knew the truth and i refused it. I could do this on my own. I felt confident that no matter what since I knew who Jesus was at age 12 I was ok, I'm going to heaven. As I look into the years that laid ahead of me. From today's perspective. I was bound for hell. Knowing who Jesus is aint't KNOWING Jesus. As Savior, Lamb, King.
Then the physical and psychological pain. I went through life bullet proof. I could do it. Then in my 30's, life struck. ended up broken physically so badly I could no longer walk and plagued with Hepatitis C and Cancer. All within 18 months. God? What God? The injuries and illness did multiple things to my life. I lost the hope of living. It stripped me of my manhood. I couldn't work, couldn't play, everybody had to pitch in and help me all the time. Humiliation. My pride and dignity as well as peace and hope did not exist. I cannot accurately describe what depression feels like. I laid in the bed and went from 250 pounds to 140 pounds in six months. I lost the will to live. I was gonna die and I was indifferent now. Indifference is a dangerous place to be when your hopeless. Anything bad could happen and most of the time it does.
Ever hear of a story in the Bible that a person, who undeserving of Grace is visited by Jesus and a miracle occurs to this wretched undeserving wretch.
Ever hear the story of the last desperate moment of the thief on the cross. How at the last possible moment. Breaths away from damnation, reaches in his self and believes Jesus. He'd had to heard of Jesus. Formed an opinion. But at that time obviously did not accept Jesus as his Messiah, the Son of Man. But i can tell you, desperation and fear make you think more clearly. your feelings are raw and heightened. the Truth exists in that desperation and clarity. It did for the thief. that day he entered Paradise at the explicit order and command of Christ Jesus. Not on a sunny day sitting on a hillside being evangelized by Christ. No, this was as Christ the Innocent Sacrifice was taking the sins that have ever existed or will ever exist upon His mangled body and into Himself to make a way for the thief and everyone that will ever accept the Truth. To acknowledge the Truth that rests in your guts. In your heart. In that place that has no anatomical description. In that moment the plan of Salvation was complete. Christ said so. He said it was done. now we get to look forward to seeing a thief with nail scarred hands greeting us at the door of heaven. He let a scumbag, thieving, killing human waste become the first in Paradise. That is for our benefit. Whoever you are. Whatever you've done. No matter how beaten and broken you are. and especially desperate and hopeless, we are eligible for Salvation just like the thief. Jesus didn't have to offer the thief Salvation, just the moment in history was enough. Just the close vicinity of their crosses made the difference. Just those few sentences established the relationship and Salvation was given by faith. Grace was born. What few sentences have you uttered to Christ today? You ain't like me. Didn't have all that stuff happen and you've got it all together. I wonder if the other thief thought the same thing till he got caught, sentenced and denied the Truth. His last chance too. Today. Now is the time for the people here that are on either cross to accept that gift of Salvation, Forgiveness, Hope, Peace, Wisdom and Purpose. Do it for the first time or pledge again to Christ your love and acceptance of His Sacrifice. His Salvation and promise of eternal life with Him in heaven. Its a blanket deal. Shouldn't nobody be in their seat unless you choose to be the thief that refused. If that's you you are the most important one here tonight. you are loved unconditionally. There is no accident or coincidence you are in a safe place surrounded by people who have been where you are now. No shame in Gods house No shame when we accept that Every Soul matters to God. Every Soul. Every one.
I spent 30 years living without Christ.Injure in 1995. Wheelchair bound. Then I was healed from Hepatitis C in 1998. I was cured of cancer in 1999. No recurrence of either since. I learned to walk after 6 years and two years of therapy. i can walk today. Been walking since 2003. not once did I consider turning my life over to Christ. The pain, the pain meds, the depresson. I was not well. I could go into the deaths of my Mom, my stepdaughter and suicide of my ex-wife but this wouldnt end there. I married again. Running from Truth. i lied and stole. to hide my weakness in handleing all these thing i covered it all up. or thought i did, My wife divorced me because i was a secret keeping, lieing, stealing drug addict and had very self destructive ways. In May 2005 I attempted suicide. I woke days later in the ICU. Jesus was there and I was nailed to a cross. he had captured my attention. No more running. No excuses about how much it hurts. I was desperate and hopeless and inside me the Truth sprang forth. I accepted Christ into my life. I was sober and had a purpose. I walked to the Christ based Men's rehab. Stayed a year. Graduated into a developing relationship with Christ. God put my ex and I togather again. It had to be Him because I wasn't looking for her. She said she had to see it to believe it. Eighteen months later pastor re-married us. i still am an addict but I have over five yearfs clean. my wife and I and the two kids are all Saved and Baptiszed. We love God and to Him give the Glory. There is a happy ending to all our stories that follow Christ. The end is known. Christ sealed that destiny on Calvary. Seal your destiny with Christ today.
