GOING FOR THE GOLD

GOING FOR THE GOLD

Don’t we just love winners? We treat them like they were royalty in most cases. At the Olympics we give the best a large gold medal proclaiming they are the best. Those of some what lesser ability are awarded a silver or bronze medal.

I have good news for you. The very second you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord, God awards you a special gold medal. Now the really good part is you didn’t have to work up a sweat to receive it. Jesus did, and he gave far more for it than sweat. If you read the scriptures His crucifixion was horrible. After the Romans nearly beat Him to death with a scourge they beat a crown of thorns into His scalp. Then with reviling, cursing and spitting they tried to humiliate Him. Later while near death He said, “Father forgive them for they don’t know what they are doing.”

When the nails were driven into His hands and feet the pain must have been excruciating. When the cross was erected the crowds could see Him and their jeers and rejection must have been the most painful of all. Not one realized that this was God Himself giving up His life and Blood for them.

Only Jesus could win this battle against the forces of evil which led man and woman to sin against God. When Jesus said, “It is finished” it was the most important moment ever. He had won the gold for everyone who would place their full trust in His victory over the devil and sin.

Do you know that the first person to receive their medal was hanging on a cross next to Him? One of the two criminals executed along side Him realized that this was no ordinary man dying next to Him. As his partner in crime joined in the verbal assault on Jesus, he told him to shut up, we deserve our punishment but He is innocent. They he looked over to Jesus and said, “Lord, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.“

Jesus instantly told him, “Today you shall be with Me in Paradise.“ Glory Hallelujah! This criminal who was so bad he that he is being executed was forgiven and given assurance that he would soon be with his Master in Paradise. I believe with all my heart Jesus was hoping the other man would also ask but it didn’t happen. The purpose of this message is to point out the sad truth; at least half who read it will probably refuse the gift of eternal life too.



For 39 years God has led me to serve Him as an evangelist-encourager. My heart actually hurts for those who refuse to accept the free gift of eternal life offered by God. I’m sure there are many reasons for the rejection, on Judgment Day all who do will receive the same thing, death.

Surrender your life to Jesus today and discover the joy of salvation. There isn’t anything like it anywhere. In my case, I literally felt a heavy weight taken from my back as I invited Jesus into my heart. There were so many tears that I still don’t know from where they all came. I suspect God gave me extra ones to wash out my filthy heart.

Can you believe that Jesus wants to live within a dirty place by His Holy Spirit? I don’t, and still wonder why some folks say that when they received Jesus there was no sign of emotion. I guess they lived lives so near perfection that they didn’t need it, but I sure did. I tell folks the main reason I love God is that He has forgiven me for so much.

I have a gold medal won for me by Jesus. I can not tell you in words, and I’ve probably written a million in the last 35 years, of how much I appreciate Jesus taking my sins to the cross. While He hung dying for me I was being loved even though I wouldn’t be born until nearly 2000 years later.

You know your sins were on Him too and He wants to know how you feel about it. He wants to know if you want to live with Him in Heaven. If you do, and you aren’t saved, you should take care of it right now. Turn from your old lifestyle and tell Him what the Holy Spirit places within your heart.

“All who call upon the Lord shall be saved.” What a great promise. If you need more help, please write.

In His Service,

Capt. Ben Marler


captben61@gmail.com
captben61.blogspot.com

WHEN ALIVE ISN’T LIVING AND DEAD ISN’T DYING

WHEN ALIVE ISN’T LIVING AND DEAD ISN’T DYING

My good friend Greg O’neal asked us to pray for his mom who is in the ICU. I did and continue to uplift her to the Great Physician. This morning while at the gym the Lord spoke again to me about eternal life. His mother is alive but not really living with all the tubes and medical gadgets attached to her. She is “hanging in there” while the Lord uses the finest medical team in her world to keep her going. Greg is a great evangelist who has taken the Good News to many countries where thousands have received the assurance of eternal life. He knows his mom is “safe” but only Jesus knows she’s saved. He’s lived the life of Jesus before her as well as “preached” it as well. Surely she has made her peace with God who loves her.

How about you? Do you have the assurance that if you were to die today you would spend eternity with the Lord in Heaven? Either you do or you don’t. Either way, this message is for you. If you are alive in Jesus you can’t die. Jesus said this while standing at the grave of Lazarus. Then He raised him to life while the throng gathered there, gasped. Jesus Christ is God and has made promises that we must hold onto in order to be with Lazarus, and others who placed their full trust in Him. If you tell me you have done that, please don’t be offended if I ask you to prove it. If you have you will take delight in my challenge. If you have only partially placed your trust in Jesus, you’ll want to argue with me.

How do I know this? Simple, I’m always presenting Jesus to somebody. Those who have Him light up like a bulb. It’s as if I clicked a switch inside them and they begin to glow. Why, once they were the walking dead but now they are eternally alive in Him and know it. Salvation isn’t us stating some “facts” about Jesus. If you think so, please continue to read and see that our faith in Jesus is just the key to life. Once we say we believe in Him we should remember the devil does too. We must believe that His death on the cross was our death and His resurrection was ours before we can really make the eternal connection by being born again. Salvation is the result of our willingness to die to our will and surrender to Jesus Christ who is Lord. I will not argue with anyone on this for it would be a waste of my time.

Religion has overtaken the Good News and because of it, billions are now enslaved by rules and regulations not directed by the Holy Spirit. If you’ve submitted to them, I fear for you. You must break free and see Jesus dying for you personally and appeal to Him for His forgiveness.

It’s between you and Him. Think of a marriage, isn’t it between the man and his wife? Their union isn’t between them and their “family tree” of relatives. Having said that, allow me to say, Jesus adds us to the Body of Christ at our being born again of His Spirit. Do you understand that His Holy Spirit comes inside us when we’re Saved? It’s He who binds us to other born again Christians. His Body is world wide, not in a building or even a denomination. When I was young I was told by a priest in the Catholic Church, if I wasn’t a Catholic I’d go to hell. With many tears I told him that I was an Episcopalian and I was going to heaven. He believed his position and I definitely believed mine but we were both wrong.

Jesus didn’t go into all the world and make Catholics and Episcopalians, Baptist or any other denomination. No, He said go into to all the world and make disciples. Now lets let some rubber hit the road, are you a disciple? I wasn’t until I was almost 33. I could hold my own with anyone who wanted to compare our labors in our church fellowship. There wasn’t much I hadn’t done or would be willing if asked. The problem, as I learned later my service was always on my terms, and not God’s.

This changed after my wife met Jesus in 1971. Six weeks or so later I met Him in my pastor’s office. This “experience” is still with me. That night the Holy Spirit came to my bed where I lay praying. He covered me from my tip toes to my head with His power to witness. I haven’t stopped as you can see reading this message. You can also receive the same power by reading Luke 3:16, understanding what is being said and then asking the Lord to come upon you so you can be a witness too. If you love Him and are afraid to tell others why, this may be the reason. You have been trying to do it in your power and not His.

Once you‘re engaged with the Lord nothing is better. You can see He’s using you to bring dead folks to life; where their life will never end, even if they should experience a physical death. Sound exciting? You bet and you can start right now. Jesus hangs out at the cross. Go and tell Him how you feel about Him dying for you. Ask Him to forgive you, then ask Him to save your soul. He Will!

In His Service,

Capt. Ben Marler


captben61@gmail.com captben61.blogspot.com

IS THE BIBLE TRUE

IS THE BIBLE TRUE

Some folks think it is and have surrendered to the Author. It saddens me to say that the majority don’t believe it’s the Word of God. I know Satan is behind this and will in the end have more humans in hell than God will have in Heaven. Jesus said only a few will be saved for we must go through Him, who is the Door. He said the majority will go the wide way into destruction. Why should you be one of them? I’m assuming you have refused to become a born again Christian. If you’ve already become a child of God are you reading daily from the Bible? If you aren‘t why not?

Let me make a guess as to why the Bible rests upon a table instead of in the hands of Christians. First of all, most think they know what’s in it. After reading almost daily for 39 years I can assure you I don’t. You see, it isn’t like a normal “text” book where you can gain knowledge with your intellect. The Holy Bible is alive and sharper than any two edge sword. It must be “Spiritually” discerned or explained by the Holy Spirit. He makes it applicable to our life especially when we’re in difficult times. He confirms the Author is the One who came to save sinners. The Holy Spirit, unlike the evil one, never condemns us. His purpose is to bring us under conviction where we are exposed as a sinner. Once we grasp this Truth, we instinctively know we need a SAVIOR, Jesus Christ.

The Holy Bible reveals Jesus in both the Old and New Testaments. You may remember He revealed Himself in the scriptures after His resurrection to two men who were walking to a town named Emmaus. They didn’t recognize Him until He broke bread, and then their eyes were opened to see it was Jesus. You can read the full account in Luke 24:13-53. In those days, when faced with questions concerning the scriptures, men were often of two opinions even in the Sanhedrin. We have to make up our own minds, and hopefully we will before taking our last breath, dead people are doomed to darkness if not born again. Jesus said this in John 3. You must read First John soon. There are only five chapters, each one is like dynamite that can destroy any religious nonsense in a hurry.

In First John 5:10-12 you can see one of the most important statements in the Bible. “Those who have Him [Jesus] have eternal life. Those who have not Him have not eternal life.” Please notice, it doesn’t say those who believe in Him.

Salvation faith is far more than making a statement or assertion of a known fact. Of course Jesus is God, He is Lord and He is the Savior of the world. Saying all this doesn’t mean you possess Him any more than me saying I believe in a billion dollars and therefore it’s in my account. I would have to know what money is before I could desire it. In the same way, we need to know about Jesus before we can desire Him. Are you starting to see we aren’t speaking of religion? Religion is man’s idea, life in Christ is God’s.

“God made the Gospel simple to confound the wise.“ From the very beginning Satan has been tempting folks to stray from what God has said. The number of Christian denominations confirms this. Then you can add to it all the world religions. God’s intention was for the disciples to take the Good News to the whole world. In the beginning they did; you can read about Paul’s work in the Book of Acts. Afterwards men went astray from being God’s servants to being His helpers. I don’t believe He needs our help only our obedience. Have you read Ephesians 2: 8-10 as a package? Lots of preachers omit verse 10 and doing so deprive their congregation the doing God’s deeds and receiving the Joy that follows them.

We first need to be born again or we’ll get “hung up” on something where God can’t use us. Always look at Jesus, He alone is our Guide. See how He came to do the Father’s will and how dependent He was upon Him. Jesus told His disciples, “You can do nothing apart from Me.“ But, don’t we try almost daily? You bet, and it’s because we don’t believe Him. The Bible is Jesus speaking to us. If you say you love Him, why not give Him the first part of each day reading it prayerfully to see what He’s saying to you?

Are you trying to be faithful? I sure hope you are so God can reward you. I love Matthew 25 for the Lord is speaking specifically to us today. When you read it, prepare for what’s coming our way. He will either confirm us or deny us. We get to make a choice of surrendering to Jesus or not. I’ve made mine. If you need help go to captben61.blogspot.com or write to me.

In His Service,

Capt. Ben Marler


captben61@gmail.com
captben61.blogspot.com

LETTER TO A PASTOR ON HEALING

Dear Brother Billy, I haven't seen you in a long time but the news letter sent to me tells me you are still serving Jesus to the best of your ability. I would bet your congregation has been infected with the same desire.


In Matthew 25 Jesus tells us that only the "servants" are rewarded. Many seem to think that showing up for a worship service is one and the same thing. I call my time in worship a time for thanking the Lord for what He had planned for me last week [Eph. 2:10] and a time for blessing and loving on Jesus for what He has coming up this week. Glory Hallelujah!


The main thing I wanted to share with you and your flock is something the Lord has shown me recently. Looking at the news letter I see 44 needing prayer for healing and there are probably a lot more who have given up asking. So let me share with you the "secret" to getting all of them well. First, the children's bread [healing] belongs to the "born again" children of God [John 1:12].


Those who are church going like I was for nearly 33 years are "safe" but not saved until they are willing to die to their own will and become "saints" by receiving Jesus into their hearts as LORD.


Lots of folks want Jesus to be their Savior for they don't want to be cast into hell. But it doesn't work that way. If He isn't LORD, there is no way He is going to say to the Father this one is MINE. In Matthew 25 50% of the virgins are rejected. Had I died prior to May 23rd in 1971 I would be headed to hell.


When Forrest Mobley prayed with me as I literally melted in tears before Jesus I "experienced" a release from my back that felt like a VW being lifted off of it. Then, when he had me ask Jesus into my heart as LORD I "experienced" a joy that has never left some 39 years later. I'd never felt so good in my life. [I believe it is horribly wrong to down play a sinner's "experience".]


If folks tell you they didn't feel anything, I believe they haven’t repented as they should. Giving up our will [Life] isn't an easy thing to do. But when we do, it becomes the most wonderful thing in the world for we've opened the way for God to adopt us as one of His children.


Billy, I've learned to hate religion for it's been able to take away from those who need Jesus' intimacy with a "form of worship" which is mostly dead. You can see this by watching folks leave afterwards. If there is intimacy there is going to be a glow and a strong desire to share the Good News with someone, anyone. It's the Presence of Jesus within them by His HOLY SPIRIT that's in charge. "The sons of God are those who follow the Spirit of God." Amen?


Now to healing: We shouldn't ask God for what we already possess. We go clamoring to the Lord for healing when all we need to do is use the faith "He's given us" to look back upon the stripes of JESUS. Isaiah 53 and First Peter 2 proclaim God's Truth and you know it well. "By His Stripes are we (were we) healed."


We see this in Acts where Peter and John are on their way to pray see a cripple that Jesus surely walked by numerous times [I believe He was saving him for that moment]. They didn't say, "Hang on a minute man and we'll seek the Lord's healing for you." They said, "What we have...."


As you know what they had was the BREATH of God "within them" plus the ANOINTING of the HOLY SPIRIT "upon them". Jesus was ALIVE in them; they didn't have to go anywhere but to say what the HOLY SPIRIT prompted them to say. The result: They got into a lot of trouble for this "blabber mouth" went into the Temple and jumped and shouted that God had touched him and made him whole. Do you want some "blabber mouths" to be doing it too? Of course, but make sure you have lots of parking available first for you are going to need it.


God said He made the Gospel simple to confound the wise, aren't the wise those who want to spiritualize the scriptures? Let's just go with what Jesus said and do the works He did as He said we would, and we can if we're one of His DISCIPLES.


Billy, I'm no longer trying to make folks into "Christians" but a child of God. So many denominations are trying to build their base instead of bringing the lost to the CROSS so Jesus can save them. I believe, with all my heart, JESUS hangs out at the CROSS. Anyone who'll go there and see their SINS upon Him will be touched by the HOLY SPIRIT.


The reason few are being saved is we save the preaching of the cross for the Spring Time or Easter time. What a shame.


By the way, The Lord has shown me the CROSS is like a plow. Sometimes the ground is so hard the plow must be taken over it many times before the "seed" can find it's way inside. Please plow often and try my opinion on this; no one but Jesus knows for sure who's saved.


I can believe my wife is, but only He knows. She has much fruit of His Spirit but He KNOWS, not me. I know I am for He gave me "experiences" that hold me to the Cross. I find that I need 1 John 1:9 less often but still use it as a "wet wipe".


Lord knows, I hate to use it. When Obama is gone I'll need it even less.


Having offered you all of this I trust you will carefully pray over what I believe "with all my heart" the Lord has given me for you. When He begins to respond to the faith of those who are looking back to the cross for their healing please give me a call or write to me.


If you want to see some of what I've been writing check out the blog, captben61.blogspot.com My daughter Athena started it up for me, or should I say the Lord.


May He give you constant favor and health as you faithfully serve Him and for praying for me.


Love you, capt ben

UNDERSTANDING ETERNAL LIFE

UNDERSTANDING ETERNAL LIFE

If everyone understood what it means there would be such a desire nothing else would really matter until it was secured. The Bible is our source for TRUTH because Jesus said it through those who penned it. It is His Written Word. Fail to grasp this and you will never experience eternal life and the freedoms that come with it. Jesus came to set an enslaved people free. We can see in the scriptures the freeing of the Israelites by Moses when the Lord sent him to do it.

One of the greatest motion picture films of all times was The Ten Commandments. You may remember Charlton Heston in the role. He would approach Pharaoh and say with much authority, “SET MY PEOPLE FREE“. Today all those not yet born again are as enslaved as Israel’s descendents. Jesus said all those who sin are slaves to it. You can argue with me if you like but aren’t those using drugs enslaved? How about those caught up in pornography? There are crime rings that are devoted to stealing everything they can get their hands upon. Even the local burglar ring is ready for their next “heist”.

Those who read this message may think it doesn’t apply to them, but we should remember some other words by Jesus like, “those who lust after a woman are as guilty as if they committed the act.” Or, those who judge others are sinning, for judgment belongs to the Lord. He said judge according to how you want to be judged. How does He know if I’m doing that? I’ll let you in on a little secret, angels are watching and recording our sins for JUDGMENT DAY. Do you know all the things you thought were secret will be revealed before the whole world? If you didn’t you do now. So, what should you do? Go to the Cross and see Jesus paying for them. As He was dying on it the sins of the whole world were heaped upon Him. Mine and yours were there bringing such shame and suffering.

God the Father was overwhelmed by the stench and turned away. Jesus knew it and cried out, “My God, My God why have you forsaken Me?” At His cry the Father gazed back upon His Only Begotten whom He had sent to die for us. You might say, “Why would He do such a thing?” There is only one reason, God loves you and me and everyone else too. He sent Jesus to rescue us from a lifestyle of sinning, to set us FREE. We are no longer under the bondage of sin when we give up the sinful life. This comes by repentance or telling God how we feel about our past and our desire to go the other way.

In my case, tears were flowing like a spring. I had so much to repent for, I was “bad”. When I asked Him to forgive me and He did. He gave me HIS SPIRIT as proof. When I asked Jesus to come into my life I experienced a release that I can still remember 39 years later. It was as if a heavy weight left my back. When the Lord came in me I experienced a JOY that has never left. Some tell me they haven’t experienced anything like it. I can’t argue with another man’s experiences for that’s between him and the Lord, but I’m truly grateful for mine. I’d came from a liturgical background where I was taught how to say all the right things but my life hadn’t changed, but it sure did on May 23rd in 1971.

After becoming “born again” God revealed part of His plan for my life through dreams. After one vivid dream I began serving Him at the county jail where He sent me to “set the captives free.“ One day as I walked in the woods hunting He told me, “Tell them I want to set them free but unless I I set them free in their hearts they will continue to be behind the iron bars.“

What He said is true, for those who refuse to surrender to the Lord continue to be slaves to crime and the iron bars of jails and prisons. One man who listened paid for his crimes and then came out to study in a Bible College in Pensacola. He invited me to his graduation where God launched him into a full time prison ministry. Reconciled Ministries have been ongoing for a very long time now. Jim Britnell has been extremely effective, somewhat like a modern day Moses.

We must be set free to become God’s servants which will continue forever. Do you want to know true freedom? It comes when we confess Jesus as our Lord and discipline our lives to obey Him, like we learn in John 3:36.

And he who believes in (has faith in, clings to, relies on) the Son has (now possesses) eternal life. But whoever disobeys (is unbelieving toward, refuses to trust in, disregards, is not subject to) the Son will never see (experience) life, but [instead] the wrath of God abides on him. [God's displeasure remains on him; His indignation hangs over him continually.] Amplified Bible

Is this what you want? It’s free but only at the cost of Jesus’ death for us.

In His Service,

Capt. Ben Marler


captben61@gmail.com captben61.blogspot com

HUNGRY FOR MORE OF JESUS

HUNGRY FOR MORE OF JESUS

Do you recall Jesus said, “You must eat My flesh and drink My Blood” when speaking to the multitudes? Some standing near by were turned away for they didn’t understand He was speaking of His Spirit. His disciples were offered the opportunity to go too. Peter said, “Lord, where would we go for you alone have the Words of Life.“ Peter and the others had seen enough of the power of God flowing from Jesus to know that He was the Lord. Do you know that too? I’m convinced that the majority in the church don’t realize Jesus is THE LORD.

He told His disciples, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” He only gave them two but later added another one that we must keep as well. “Love everyone as I’ve loved you so those who know you will know you are My disciples.“ This begs another question, are you and I doing that? Probably not and there’s a very good reason or two. First if we aren’t born again there isn’t anyway He sees us as a disciple. He may see us in love with our denomination or religion but not Him. Secondly, unlike Him we judge folks left and right. I struggle with this for I care a lot for America and I see a political party that has chosen a President that is dismantling it. I know there were lots of so called “independents” who joined with them. So I have to watch myself when I see Him on TV. I generally change channels before I get in trouble.

This message isn’t about him but you and me and our need to stay satisfied. This is an impossibility for when we give Jesus away we need more of Him. Did you know He and His Word the Bible is one and the same? Most don’t for if they did they would find a way to spend more time with Him in it. If there’s an explanation for me it comes from my discovery of a discipline where a plan for reading the scriptures ten chapters a day was offered. I liked it for it allowed me to read from the Old and New Testament at the same time. There were columns where some portions were read more often than others. For instance, Hebrews 11 and First Corinthians 13 were read every other day. Faith and Love, Faith and Love, Faith and Love over and over. These two chapters are the foundations stones for serving Jesus.

I can provide the discipline to anyone wanting a copy but I doubt many will commit to read 10 chapters from the Bible daily. So, if you are hungry for more of Jesus why not start with the Faith and Love chapters for a week or two and see how your life changes.

I’d bet this laptop you’ll be a different person before long. I’m assuming you want to be changed. Most folks declaring themselves to be a Christian are satisfied with where they are now, if you’re one of them I can’t help you.

If Jesus came to Destin today, and you knew where He was staying, would you go there? As close as possible right? I suspect the house would be so crowded some would want to break through the roof to get in like in the day He walked in Israel. Do you remember what happened? Four men had an invalid on a stretcher and went up on the roof made of tiles. After removing enough they lowered the cripple before Jesus. He seeing “their” faith told the man on the stretcher that his sins were forgiven. The religious leaders inside the house were judging Jesus with blasphemy. He asked them what is more easy for Him to say, “Your sins are forgiven you or to take up your pallet and walk?“

If you recall the cripple got up and walked to the amazement of everyone there. Then Jesus added, “Go and sin no more less anything worse fall on you.” This is our Lord Jesus speaking today as well as when this happened. Do you believe it? If you don’t the Faith and Love discipline will help you in no time. When I read of these acts of compassion and mercy often tears flow. Jesus is here with us by His Holy Spirit. He is next to the Father in Heaven interceding for us when the devil comes calling. Aren’t you glad He is? Once you begin to grasp that He allowed your sins to be added to Him as He died on the cross you will fall in love with Him, guaranteed.

It’s our time now to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick and imprisoned and take care of strangers for He tells us for the least of these “His brothers” are Him. Please read Matthew 25 now. You’ll be forever glad you did. Soon you’ll seek more of Jesus to share with the world. Your worship will become far more exciting too. Let’s go and tell the world OK?

In His Service,

Capt. Ben Marler


Captben61@gmail.com
Captben61.blogspot.com