Bible Ballistics: BBs #738 He Said I Could Come???

 

I’m borrowing some thoughts from a blurb I saw of Alistair Begg recently, and it spoke volumes to my heart, and I pray that it will reach hearts, minds, and souls today.

Alistair was talking about how we get into heaven, and he talked about the thief on the cross at heaven’s gate: he couldn’t pass a theology test, he couldn’t quote the doctrinal statement of his church, he couldn’t pass a biblical knowledge test, but when asked ‘why he should get to come into heaven’ he simply replied, “the man on the middle cross said I could come”!  It’s all about Jesus!  It’s not your/my credentials that get us into heaven; it’s not our “love” for God and country; it’s not our good works in the church, the community, or our governmental service!  It’s only through the blood of The Lamb of God who came to pay for our sin.  Only when we look to the cross in repentance and faith will we find salvation and the right to a place in heaven.

“The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith,

Behold the Lamb of God,

which taketh away the sin

of the world.”  John 1:29

Jesus came that we might have eternal life, abundant life here and now and for all eternity.  He died so we could live!

“The thief cometh not,

but for to steal,

and to kill,

and to destroy:

I am come that they might have life,

and that they might have it

more abundantly.

11 I am the good shepherd:

the good shepherd giveth his life

for the sheep.”  John 10:10-11

Jesus calls us to Himself, just as he invited the thief on the cross, “today shalt thou be with me in paradise” (see Luke 23:43), when he asked Jesus to “remember me….”!  Have you asked Jesus to “remember me”?  If you haven’t, regardless of all your self-acclaimed goodness, Jesus will one day say, “depart from me, I never knew you”!  No sadder words have ever been written or will be spoken.  Yet, the most amazing invitation in the world was spoken to you—and is still valid today!

“Come unto me,

all ye that labour

and are heavy laden,

and I will give you rest.

29 Take my yoke upon you,

and learn of me;

for I am meek and lowly in heart:

and ye shall find rest

unto your souls.

30 For my yoke is easy,

and my burden is light.”   Matthew 11:28-20

And I can say, much like the thief on the cross, when I fell on my face in repentance of all my self-righteous arrogance and confessed my sin to Jesus (for I finally saw MY SIN as SIN!) HE touched me, forgave me, and saved me—heart, soul, and mind by HIS power and HIS Holy Spirit, praise God from whom ALL blessing flow!), and I got up a changed woman, not a perfect one, but a redeemed, delivered and transformed one!  How about you?  The Gospel IS JESUS, and I’ll simply share Paul’s words in proclamation of it!

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you

the gospel

which I preached unto you,

which also ye have received,

and wherein ye stand;

2 By which also ye are saved,

if ye keep in memory

what I preached unto you,

unless ye have believed in vain.

3 For I delivered unto you first of all

that which I also received,

how that Christ died for our sins

according to the scriptures;

 4 And that he was buried,

and that he rose again the third day

according to the scriptures:

5 And that he was seen of Cephas,

then of the twelve:”    1 Corinthians 15:1-5

Have you heard the voice of Jesus speaking to your heart?  Have you come toThe crucified, risen and coming again King of Kings?  Don’t reject His call, for it’s the only way into HIS Kingdom!  If God is calling to your heart, don’t delay—don’t deny Him—don’t defy HIS love for you!

“No man can come to me,

except the Father which hath sent me

draw him:

and I will raise him up

at the last day.”  John 6:44

Don’t turn HIM away, today is the day of salvation—the devil’s greatest lie is, “You can wait until tomorrow…!”; don’t let today pass you by without Jesus.

“Behold,

I stand at the door,

and knock:

if any man hear my voice,

and open the door,

I will come in to him,

and will sup with him,

and he with me.”  Revelation 3:20

Don’t miss heaven by neglect, or procrastination, but receive Jesus today.

“(For he saith,

I have heard thee

in a time accepted,

and in the day of salvation

have I succoured thee:

behold,

now is the accepted time;

behold,

now is the day of salvation.)”.   2 Corinthians 6:2

Won’t you receive HIM today?

“But as many as received him,

to them gave he power

to become the sons of God,

even to them that believe

on his name:

13 Which were born,

not of blood,

nor of the will of the flesh,

nor of the will of man,

but of God.”  John 1:12-13

There is no other way but Jesus, and HE won’t call forever—don’t wait/waste your opportunity away!

“Jesus saith unto him,

I am the way,

the truth,

and the life:

no man cometh unto the Father,

but by me.”  John 14:6

I’ll simply leave you with one more invitation from Jesus and pray that you will receive HIS love and gift of eternal life today—just as the thief on the cross, The invitation is for YOU too!  Won’t you heed HIS call today—not any of us is guaranteed a tomorrow.  It’s your choice, but choose wisely, there is a test!

“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.

17 For God sent not his Son

into the world

to condemn the world;

but that the world

through him

might be saved.

18 He that believeth on him

is not condemned:

but he that believeth not

is condemned already,

because he hath not believed

in the name

of the only begotten

Son of God.

19 And this is the condemnation,

 that light is come into the world,

and men loved darkness

rather than light,

because their deeds were evil.”  John 3:16-19

Amen and Amen!!!