A Miraculous Change
J. Allen Blair
For some people life seems pretty hopeless. But as far as God is concerned, there need not be a hopeless life, for He provides instant help for anyone who wants to see things change for the better.
One time, the Apostle Paul wrote a letter to a friend and brother in Christ by the name of Philemon. The letter dealt especially with a person by the name of Onesimus. Onesimus actually means unprofitable. And, to be sure, he was unprofitable, for he had robbed his master, Philemon, and ran away as a fugitive to Rome. While there, he came in contact with the Apostle Paul. Paul was privileged to share the Gospel with this young man, and his heart was opened to the truth. Onesimus surrendered his life to Christ and he was transformed by God's marvelous grace.
Paul wrote Philemon on behalf of Onesimus saying Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me. This young man's life was changed from unprofitable to profitable. He became a new creature in Christ. Paul urged Philemon to receive him as a brother in the Lord when he returned home.
God is still changing lives every day. Some people are attempting to change their own life. They may have a degree of success, but the heart of the problem can never be changed without the intervention of the blood of Jesus Christ. When one received Christ, irrespective of how low in the depths of sin he has gone, Jesus can transform his life so that not only will be he be lifted from the depths of sin, he will desire no longer to live therein.
To know Jesus Christ and to follow Him is life with a capital L. To be assured that all of sin is forgiven, never to face judgment for our sins, is a thrilling confidence. I think of the woman we read about in John 8. Jesus was teaching in the temple. A band of noisy scribes and Pharisees burst into our Lord's presence and thrust a woman at His feet, crying out Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
One would easily surmise that these men were holy and righteous - that they were concerned about the evils of the day. But such was not the case. They were trying to get Jesus to answer in such a way that He might break the Jewish law, so they could accuse Him and have Him arrested for they hated Him. Jesus replied by saying He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. Actually, the real meaning here is, Let Him that has not committed this same sin be the first one to cast a stone at her. What happened? One by one, all of the men left for they were all guilty and convicted by their own conscience. Our sympathetic Savior looked upon the woman and said Where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. She was forgiven by the Son of God. I am convinced in my own mind that she never went back to her old ways. Like Onesimus, she was transformed by the power of God and became a trophy of grace.
What God did for Onesimus and this woman He can do for you; He wants to do it for you. You ask, is it possible for one to simply receive Christ into His life and be forgiven of all His sins and changed as you have said? Absolutely! This is an instantaneous act of grace. God says in Romans 10:13 Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. The life is changed because the heart is changed.
One time, Queen Victoria made a visit to the factory in which her own notepaper was manufactured. She was shown the various processes through which rags, the filthiest, passed before they became paper suitable for royal use. When the paper was finished, it appeared to be spotless. Think of it - this pure white paper was made from filthy rags. This is a parable of what God can do with a life that has been spoiled and ruined by sin. If one fully and unconditionally surrenders to Jesus Christ, there can be a permanent change of life. What was once a sinful life suddenly becomes a purified life and it is used in the service of the King of kings.
As Michelangelo transformed a piece of spoiled marble into an object of beauty, so the hands of Jesus Christ transform a sinful character into one of attractiveness and usefulness. God promises to the one who believes though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; thought they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool (Isaiah 1:18).
If you have never received Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, I urge you to invite Him into your life at this moment, so that your life will be transformed. And once you receive Christ, you will never want to revert to the old life, because there is no comparison. The Christian life is an exciting life. I urge you to see for yourself.
Heaven
When we get to heaven,
We won't have a worry or a care.
Jesus will be waiting
To welcome all of us there.
When we pass through heaven's gates,
Our trouble will be in the past.
And, when we see Jesus' face,
We'll have perfect peace at last.
There will be many mansions
And what a beautiful place it will be.
Jesus will have prepared a place,
Just for you, and for me.
There won't be any pain or sickness,
And we'll never have to fear.
And it would only be because of joy,
If we shed another tear.
We'll have new bodies
And we never will grow old,
Heaven will be more wonderful,
Than all we had been told.
Friends and family will be there,
And we'll be re-united with each other.
We'll be so happy to see them again
And to be with one another.
Why Jesus chose me to spend eternity
With Him, I don't know.
I'm so thankful He did,
And heaven is where I'm going to go.
Pam Tracy
The Way to Heaven
Jesus said, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man comes to the Father except by Me. I am the Door (John 14:6, 10:9).
Picking on Pastor Peter
Many of us are quick to pick on Peter for his denial of Jesus Christ. Dr. Blair has written a book that shows how the apostle Peter became a faithful servant of Jesus Christ. The book is titled, Living Faithfully, and is a verse-by-verse study of 2 Peter. Obtain one free copy this month by asking for it. You may purchase additional copies for $3.00 and we'll even pay the postage. If the book is a gift, we'll send it when you provide the name(s) and address(es).
(Offer valid only for USA addresses)
Why Live in Defeat?
J. Allen Blair
If you have read the 23rd Psalm, I think you will agree when I say that this is one of the grandest portions of scripture in the entire Bible. It would seem that anyone of any age, background, or circumstance can relate to this Psalm.
Read the entire text of this message in print, Why Live in Defeat. It's really free this month. Just ask!
LIVING ETERNALLY
It's an audio book! Dr. Blair's study of the Gospel According to John, the 4th Gospel record of the life of Christ, is titled, Living Eternally. This 2 CD set in MP3 format is on sale this month. This study is voiced by Dr. Blair and if you enjoy the daily broadcasts, you'll have the sense that you are in the classroom with Dr. Blair teaching!
Living Eternally (2 CD set in MP3 format)
$13.00 this month only!
Includes postage and NC tax USA address required