Monday, February 17, 2014

On Behalf Of

On behalf of the Lord Jesus Christ I present to you my following thoughts.  Were it not for Jesus dying on the cross for my sins and changing my soul’s destination, and experiencing the miracle of a renewed belief system, there is no way that the old me would care to be God’s hand extended to a lost and hurting generation of people.

God gave me empathy for those that are traveling down the same road that I was stuck on before I made the all-important change in direction.  The Lord made quite a difference in the way I saw myself and how I viewed people around me.  My prospective outlook, coupled with expectancy in life, has been altered through a love relationship like none other; a life changing experience.

When I was living by the dictates of my own making, individuals came to me from time to time on behalf of God; sharing words-of-life when I was a young man going in the wrong direction.  I was burning the candle at both ends, as it were.  Though, not quite ready to give my heart to Jesus, the sincerity of the words they presented found lodging in my soul.

Through the years, other people came to me on behalf of the Lord to share the good news that peace of mind could be mine even in the challenges of life, and that I could possess the hope that my soul was secure in Jesus.  But I was not yet ready to accept Him as Lord of all, because there were too many things I wanted to experience first.

Perhaps you are where I was when I finally stopped running from God.  One night, alone in my apartment, I felt that all things were an uphill battle and nothing substantial was going my way.  My state of mind was on shaky ground, with questions like, “Is this all there is to life?” repeating itself over and over in my brain. 

The devil convinced me that all hope was gone and that there was no one to whom I could turn to for help.  My brokenness was almost more than I could bear.  Peace had escaped my endeavors to find, but something captured my thought process; it was like someone nudging me; competing for my attention.  The Holy Spirit was beckoning me; speaking to my inner being on behalf of God.

The words of the individuals that came to me in the past echoed in my mind.  I realized they cared about my travels and where I would end up.  Memories of their visits loomed in my psyche.  All of the love they had poured out penetrated my soul once again; only this time I was ready to see what God could do for me that I was unable to do for myself.  The whirlwind of perplexity and the enduring, spiritual struggles that encumbered me for years were taking their toll both physically and spiritually.

I was certainly set in my ways; headstrong and self-sufficient, yet I was lonely in a crowded room, because peace was no where to be found in the things that I was involved with.  But God knew me better than I knew myself and had compassion in spite of my crass personality.  He had my attention at last!  I realized my need of a Savior.

(Matthew 11:28-30), “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”  vs.29 “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”  vs.30 “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

I closed my eyes and visualized myself standing at an intersection—a crossroad.  Circumstances had brought me to a turning point in life—God’s perfect plan to achieve His will in me. 

Straight ahead was the same old lifestyle with the same old friends, whereas, the road to the right headed away from misery and the chaos that I struggled with; a narrow road that lead to everlasting peace.  It was my choice to take the detour or continue in the direction most familiar to me. 

The road ahead was wide and had many people traveling its route; bustling, with little thought of the consequences that would befall them for choosing this road.  My eyes were opened to see that it led to eternal damnation; a catastrophic ending for lives that were lost without a Savior.

(Matthew 7:13-14), “Enter by the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.”  vs.14 “Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

Yes, the choice was mine to make as to which road to take.  No one else could choose for me.  I am thankful I chose the narrow path that led to righteousness.  The moment I went God’s way rather than the broad way to ruination, the floodgate of peace opened and flooded my soul with elation. 

I remember the excitement of the moment as if it were yesterday.  Peace prevailed like I had never experienced; an amazing tranquility within my spirit, because God saved my soul!

(Philippians 4:7), “and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

How could God love me this much that He willingly gave His Son to die on a cross for my sins, and not only my sins, but the sins of all humanity.  I stand in awe when I consider my relationship with God, the creator of the universe, yet He knows my name.  Jesus, God’s Son, became the ransom for the human race, because of love.

I felt the indwelling of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Joy unspeakable welled up from within as they made their abode in my heart.  The Bible calls Jesus, “Prince of Peace” in (Isaiah 9:6).  The peace of God was mine for the first time, because Jesus became Lord of my life.

On behalf of the Trinity, I invite you to consider my thoughts and the Bible verses I shared.  Won’t you please give Jesus a try?  When a person is seeking answers to unanswered questions and then opens the door of their soul, Jesus comes in.  He is the all in all answer they seek.  The Lord’s essence fills, to capacity, the void they have inside. 

Jesus is the One you have been searching for.  I promise that you will not regret your decision to serve Him.  There is nothing in this world that compares with being a part of the family of God.  Take the detour that leads toward heaven, while there is yet time.  We have no assurance of tomorrow.  Do not procrastinate another day.

(2 Corinthians 6:2), “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

(Revelation 3:20), “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”

Written by,
Papa Boyd

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