Sunday, February 9, 2014

Freedom of Choice

When was the last time you paused to thank God for the people He placed in your life to help line up the breaks you needed to find your way?  It goes without saying that key people can certainly assist in bringing about God’s will concerning everyday experiences and future happenings in one’s life.  God is sovereign; knowing our needs even before we ask Him for help. 

Thinking back, I have fond memories of an elderly gentleman that visited our church on occasion that was a no-nonsense kind of evangelist that preached hell-fire and brimstone.  He delivered his messages with conviction and God’s anointing; powerful and challenging, which made me reflect on my status in life.

The words he used were centered upon the truth of God’s Word.  Sermons that pertained to dying, hell, and the hereafter made me very uncomfortable, because of the lukewarm nature of my spirit and the lackadaisical attitude that I had. 

Normally, the content of such messages caused me to withdraw my attention and close my mind, because they made me face areas that I did not want to visit.  But the power of this man’s delivery captured my interest.   

His commanding words helped me to realize the lack of commitment that I demonstrated toward Christ.  I could see that other people around me were squirming in their seat like me as we listened to his stinging message regarding hell. 

He preached with fervor as if there was little time left to share God’s message.  He proclaimed passages from the Bible in such a way that I could almost feel the heat from the unquenchable flames of hell.  I was held spellbound; hanging onto every word he spoke.

The unmitigated truth of the sermon enabled me to see myself as God saw me.  I saw the error of my way, while the Holy Spirit convicted my soul.  A man of God, this powerhouse for the cause of Christ was relentless, like the turbine of a power generator.  Love, like electrical energy, was released in waves of genuine concern for the congregation’s welfare.  He convinced me that hell was a place to shun at any cost.

This evangelist was gifted with the ability to paint vivid pictures with words, having a graphic delivery that caused me to put myself in the place of those that were in hell as they gnashed their teeth together, because of the excruciating pain; lifting their head in torment; and wishing that someone could just dip their finger in water and touch it to the tip of their parching tongue!  His anointed words made me realize that I wanted no part of hell!

One lasting thought he shared was that every individual had the freedom of choice to accept or reject the Son of God.  He emphasized that Jesus, alone, was our avenue to escape hell’s fire.  This spokesman for God helped me see beyond my present condition to what it could be in Christ Jesus if I would only sell out to Him.  The influence I garnered was life changing.

I learned that God knows our personality and what makes up each of our character, and that He does not force Himself on anyone or usurp their self-will, though His love for mankind is limitless; beyond measure.  Freedom of choice is left up to the individual.  Each person is free to make up their own mind whether to accept Jesus as Lord or reject Him and go their own separate, willful way.

In that this evangelist impacted me in such a positive way, it is my intent and profound desire to pass his message onto you and point you toward the one person that will revolutionize your life and provide you with the peace of mind that heaven can be your future home. 

My aspiration is to someway express, through words, the magnificence of a loving, compassionate God, whom, without respect of person made a way for all of humanity to live with Him in heaven rather than spending eternity in hell; separated from God forever.

Oft times, words lack the where-with-all to impact the innermost part of a reader’s intellect and spiritual insight unless the words used are blessed by God, much like the evangelist’s sermons.  My prayer is that my humble words and thoughts will touch your heart and draw you closer to Him who loved you so much that He gave His Son to die on the cross for your sins.

The price for sin has already been paid.  We do not have to do penance or shed our own blood to quality us to receive God’s love.  Jesus did this at Calvary; completing God’s plan on the third day when He arose from the dead.  The Bible says that whoever believes in Jesus and accepts Him as their Savior, shall be saved.  Salvation is free through the gift of God’s Son to mankind.

(John 3:16-18), “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”  vs.17 “God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”  vs.18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

Though a person refuses to believe that Jesus is the only means to span the sin-gap between God and man, this fruitless thought process can block their sensitivity to the voice of God.  It does not change the fact that there is no other name under heaven, whereby, we can be saved except the name of Jesus.

(John 14:6), “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except through Me.’ ”

Those that desire heaven rather than hell do something about it.  They accept Jesus as Lord.  If any person doubts what God can do in their life, all they need to do is just try Jesus as the Bible says.  The experience speaks for itself, because of the peace of mind that He gives in the present. 

Freedom of choice is the first step in making wise decisions, which provides a prosperous and flourishing journey having the assurance that their final destination is heaven.  This is the hope of Christians.

Remaining in the neutral zone of indecision and indecisiveness, coupled with sinful living rather than choosing God’s avenue of escape that thwarts the penalty for sinning, will bring an automatic, self-imposed punishment to those that choose rebellious living over a victorious one through Christ. 

This action or lack thereof, because of procrastination or stubbornness, sadly nullifies all that God put into place to prevent their soul from spending eternity in hell.  Freedom of choice and choosing wrongly separates the soul from God if a person elects to serve Satan rather than Jesus.

The period of time on earth, called life, is but a moment in comparison to eternity, but this time is given to each person to allow right decisions to be made regarding God’s Son.  Life is a dressing room for the hereafter.  How a person implements freedom of choice dictates how they live their life and to whom they give credence, which ultimately determines final judgment. 

Too often, people live disconnected from reality, because of self-will.  This is the deciding factor of where they will spend eternity.  Again, it is the freedom of choice that determines our end destination.  Heaven is the reward for righteous living, whereas, hell is the punishment to those that ignore God’s provision—Jesus, God’s escape plan. 

Facts are facts whether a person believes them to be true or not.  Closing one’s eyes to truth does not nullify or change what is, nor does it exempt those that disbelieve from what shall be, if they go into eternity without Christ.  When a person buries their head in the sand, figuratively speaking, and refuses to take responsibility for their sinful nature by rejecting truth, this refusal seals their destiny.

The Bible says that our righteousness is as filthy rags in the sight of God, because we have all sinned and need forgiveness.

(Romans 3:23), “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Jesus is our Savior now, because we are under the dispensation of grace and not the law of Moses, but one day Jesus will be judge of all those that reject Him, which means their name is not written in the Lambs Book of Life.  Jesus will have no other alternative but to sadly pronounce judgment.

(Matthew 7:23), “And then I will declare to them ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ ”

It will be a total banishment from God; never to sense His presence or love again.  But it does not have to end this way!  When we ask God to forgive us of our sins we then begin a new and wonderful journey; living an abundant life through Jesus Christ the Lord.  The hope of all Christians is eternal life in heaven rather than eternity in hell.  What greater hope is there than this?  Freedom of choice is a privilege.

Written by,
Papa Boyd

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