The Grand Finale

Here is a display of some of my shell craft that I made for Camp Washington, for them to sell to help them in special needs in their camping programs. The currect director supplies me with the shells, and I design and make the crafts!

I am speaking here at Camp Washington at a youth camp in the month of May to some 50 campers and leaders,. It was a special opportunity for me to share my testimony of God's faithful leading in my life over the past some eighty years! They listened with such interest, that you could have heard a pin drop - well, maybe not a pin, but there was absolute attention. It was quite a nostalgic moment for me, as I was a Camp Director for twelve years in this very place.

The Great Finale!

During these days there is a great fervor and hype in the world of sports, as to who will be the final champion in the World Cup Finals. Billions of dollars have already been spent, and are being spent, in the preparations for, and current activities, not to mention the world wide travelling back and forth of players and spectators to that great country of Brazil.
However, unless something out of the ordinary happens, the determining day will come, when one team and one nation,  will be the winner of the World Soccer Cup! Have you ever wondered if the Scriptures address anything similar to this situation the world is in today?
In a letter written by the Apostel Paul to the Corinthians, Paul tells us something very interesting about  final results of  sports.  It mentions “the running of a race”.  From this we can glean truths valuable for all other sports as well, including soccer, or ball games, etc. Here the Apostle reminds the Church at Corinth, that in the sport of running a race, all runners take part, but only one will win the prize.  Isn’t that the same in what is happening over in Brazil today?
What’s more, the Apostle mentions that, the ones competing in the games, discipline themselves regularly by  exercising strenuously.  They do this that they might achieve a crown, which is only temporary. Then the Apostle goes on to remind the believers there at Corinth in the following manner: “Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Athletes excercis self-control in all things; they do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable one. So I do not run aimlessly , not do I box as though beating the air, but I punish my body and enslave it, so that after proclaiming to others I myself should not be disqualified.” (1 Cor. 9:24-26))
Dear friends of all ages, so enthusiastic these days in the World Cup Soccer Games, we just want to remind you that the Scriptures in no way are contrary to sports, but they do remind us that the final results of the winner is of short duration – it is not lasting; it is perisable.
During these days, the Media, in speaking of famous players of world soccer games, use the PAST TENSE, mentioning names of players who were once famous, but are only names in history now.  That glory is past, it was not lasting.
Would it not be much better, friends,  to give more attention to the Eternal Gospel which we can receive without money, without price, because the price has been paid for each and every one of us. However, even though the price has been paid, there remains this one fundamental truth: God created man in His image, giving him a will to make his own decisions.  A human being is not like an animal who is controlled by instinct. Even as birds and insects are governed by instinct, which is a form of law in them which guides them to immigrate from one place to another. However, we as human beings are created in the image of our Heavenly Father, who are responsible for his or her own decisions.  In God’s Word we read so clearly that the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, is to be proclaimed to all mankind, and that he who believes is saved, and he who does not believe is condemned already.
Dear friends, regardless of age, there is nothing more unpleasant in this world than to live day after day WITHOUT Christ as Savior and Lord.  Also, there is no greater JOY, even during times of suffering, then to be IN Christ Jesus, our Lord!
Do not forget, since Christ died and arose again for all mankind, the truth remains: those who believe are saved, and those who do not believe are  condemned.  Repent from your sin, and put your faith in the Son of God as your only Savior.
Then you will not have run in vain! You will receive the imperishable crown! Believe and run!

Jesus is the Door!

Not long ago as my husband and I were pulling out of the parking lot at Elmar, NV, here in Aruba, when a lady approached our car, with a pamphlet in her hand. Since we were ready moving, my husband  just rolled down the window, put out his hand and received it.  This is what the lady gave us:  A pamphlet with the heading:  THE ONLY DOORWAY!  Of course it caught our attention, and I began reading it. This is what I read:  JESUS IS THE DOOR TO HEAVEN.

Jesus is the door – He said in John 10:9, “I am the Door:  by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, to find pasture.” Jesus is the Way.. “I m the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.

 (John 14:6)

Jesus is the only doorway to heaven. My friend, let me ask you a most  important question. Are you trying to enter Heaven some other way than through the way Jesus provided? If you are, Jesus said you are a thief and a robber. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. (John 10:1)

There is no other way to get to Heaven. Religion is not the way! The preacher or priest is no the way! Water baptism is not the way! Church membership is no the way! Being a moral person is not the way! Doing good works is not the way!

The Bible says in Acts 4:12, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” There is nothing you can do to earn salvation or your way into heaven. “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags,” (Isaiah 64:6a)  Only by receiving Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour can you enter into the Kingdom of God.

HOW CAN YOU ENTER THE DOOR?

You enter the door by asking Jesus to come into your heart and save you. “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” (John 1:12)  The Bible states, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For whosoever shall call upon the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans : 9:10, 13.

Don’t let the devil deceive you by making you believe there is another way. The Bible says that the devil..” is a liar, and the father of it.” (John 8:44b)

Eternal salvation is a free gift to all who will simply receive Jesus Christ into their heart. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8,9)

Jesus said in Mark 1:15, “…repent ye and believe the gospel.” Believing the gospel is believing “…that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” (1 Corinthians 15:3,4)

Jesus died on the cross, was buried and was resurrected by the power if God for our salvation. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

My friend, if you want to be sure that you are saved and heaven will be your home, pray this prayer of one similar to it, meaning it with all your heart. “Dear God, I admit that I am a sinner, going to hell. I know that I cannot save myself. I repent of my sins and put my faith in the blood that you shed for me on the cross to pay for all my sins. I now accept you as my Saviour and trust You to take me to heaven. Thank You for saving me. Amen.

The Bible says in John 3:36, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.” Please do not reject the Gospel! Trust Christ today!

The little pamphlet  given to me that morning  was a tract printed by the Fellowship Tract League, from Lebanon, Ohio. USA., and, so, we we share it with you today on our blog.