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


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