STANDING ON A TRAP DOOR

STANDING ON A TRAP DOOR

Of all the ways to kill folks today nothing must be more unnerving than standing with a noose around your neck standing on a trap door that you know will fall beneath your feet. Folks let me assure you, no matter who you are, there’s one beneath you, unless you’re born again. How I wish I could shout this from every house top in the world. Everybody is going to die and no one can tell you when it is but God and He isn’t telling.

A few days ago a WW2 AT6 or “Texan” aircraft impacted the gulf taking the lives of the pilot and a relative. Do you think they knew they were going to die when they awakened that fateful morning? As I’m writing this message of warning there are folks dying all around us. Some in autos, some in hospitals, some by acts of violence and some from just old age. Death is a sure thing and very few are ready to face it.

How about you? Have you made your peace with God? There is only one way, it’s to come to the place you hate your sinful past. Until we realize the price God paid in sending Jesus to die on a cross for us, we can’t repent. Repentance is absolutely necessary, for without it, we’d try to live as sinners and saints at the same time which is impossible. Why do you think God says we must be born again? Doesn’t it mea we must die to the first? Of course, no one can live two lives. When we feel the pain inflicted on Jesus as He hung on the cross all we can have is religion. I hate religion and consider it the most dangerous thing in the world. It’s man made and no one can be saved from hell by it. Please chip this in stone!

The baptism of John brought repentant sinners by the hundreds to the river Jordan where he heard them confess their sins and he then submerged them as a reminder of what they had said. This was very important, Jesus was coming to complete the baptism later on. He was going to baptize in the Holy Spirit [Luke 3:16] so we could have the same Holy power that was upon Him. God the Holy Spirit was leading John to baptize but he couldn’t do more for Jesus hadn’t yet died for mankind. Please read the Book of Acts and you will see what it means to be submerged in the Spirit of God.

Being born again is the first step. In John 1:12 we read: “To as many as those who “receive Him” to them gave He the power to become the children of God, even those who believe in His Name [Jesus]. Do you understand this? It’s incredibly important. We inhale the Spirit of God like air by faith. Ephesians 2: 8-10 are some of the most important verses in the Bible when it comes to becoming a child of God. “For by grace [undeserved mercy] are we saved by faith and that not of ourselves. It’s the gift of God and not of works less any man should boast.“ Verse 10 reveals the purpose of 8-9, “For we are His workmanship. We have been created in Christ Jesus to do the works prepared beforehand by God Himself that we should walk in them [or do].” We are now the servants of Almighty God!

Like He’s taught us, we aren’t saved by our works even those done in obedience. The Blood of Jesus shed on the Cross has already made us acceptable to God. But we must not stand idly by and resist the Spirit of God and expect Him to approve of us. He didn’t choose us to be lazy sons and daughters but those of whom He can take pride. Read Matthew 25 and you can see clearly what the Lord says to some of His kids and what He says to some others who claim to be His. He tells them, “I never knew you.” Could He say that to you? You better believe He can and will if you aren’t born again. John 3 is so important for Jesus says we MUST be born again. What are you waiting on if your aren’t His? Get off the trap door!

I’m willing to help anyone come to a saving knowledge of Jesus. I lived on the door for nearly 33 years unaware of the danger. I was always very religious but had no peace. I was becoming a “professional sinner”, I was good at it. I’m ashamed of much of my past and thanks to God’s warning us to not look back I try not to for it is painful. Besides Jesus isn’t behind me.

Are you ready to surrender to Christ? Just remember, it’s all or nothing. He’ll take you like you are “unconditionally” but He will remake you into His likeness. Is that what you want? Tell Him right now on your knees. He’ll meet with you if you do. When His life is inside us we’re heaven bound, no longer in danger. Get off the trap door now. Jesus died for you, Don’t make it needlessly. You are incredibly important to Him. Amen?

In His Service,

Capt. Ben Marler


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