Two, Five, or Ten.

  I had time with The Lord this morning, and these questions came up:   Where are you with your talents?  Which of the three persons are you?  I hadn't given much thought to that probing question for a long time. Which of those people are you?  That is the question The Lord posed to me.
  Sometimes we feel that we are doing quite well, other times we feel as though we are failing.  I have gone through a period of failure.  When you feel like you are failing,  it always is you failing, not The Lord.
  I haven't written a blog since May, and today The Lord spoke to my heart asking why not. I didn't have a good answer. Don't you want to encourage others? Is your time so wrapped up in trying to make a living, that you don't have time for others? What's up with that?  You pray the Lord's prayer many times in a day. Do you believe it when you say "give us this day our daily bread" that I will do that?  My head hung pretty low after I heard those words of rebuke,
  We all have talents that we posses, and today I want to encourage you to use them to the best of your ability.  The Lord rebuked me, and it was enough to encourage you.  Who do you know that He can help through you?  Are we all too wrapped up in ourselves; are we too worried that He won't take care of us?  There is an adversary that we all face every day of our lives,  but who do we trust will put him in his place? Ourselves, or God?  It isn't as easy as it sounds, because the one ingredient that it takes is Faith.  Faith says take the talents that He has given you, and believe that He will increase them.  We say, what can the little that I have been given do for others,  and then bury our talents in the sand.
  So today I want to challenge you, and challenge myself to trust God, and see what happens.  Be of good cheer for God loves a cheerful giver.

A Mother's Work Is Never Done

   "A mother's work is never done."   Exactly!  Truer words were never spoken!  However, I always imagined them to mean you never run out of wet towels to pick up off the bathroom floor; or there are always toast crumbs to clean up;  always laundry to put away, and so on.  Oh, it does mean that, and much. much, MUCH more!
    What many of us don't realize is that our biggest, most important work is done on our knees.  And I'm not talking about scrubbing the spilled milk off the floor, even though there's plenty of that.  I'm talking about prayer.
     I woke up this Mother's Day morning after a troubling dream.  I can't specifically tell you the details, because it is a little hazy, but I know it started as a series of spiritual attacks on me, which I could only fight by using the name of Jesus.  These attacks started first against me, then kept coming, aimed toward one of my grandchildren.  I had to help this grandchild fight off the attacks until he could fight them off himself by calling upon the name of Jesus.
     It reminded me of how when my kids were little, I taught them to rebuke the enemy in the name of Jesus whenever they were scared.  But, most of all, I felt The Lord was reminding me that my work is not done as a mother, or as a grandmother,  until, well, ever!
     I think of Mary, mother of Jesus, watching and praying as her precious Son hung dying on the Cross.
     I want to remind you, mothers (and fathers, too!) to remain vigilant over your families, both in the physical sense and the spiritual sense.  Your work is NEVER done!
    

God is faithful.

  It's been a year since we started our blog, and lately I have been a bit despondent, and had a feeling of despair.  Sometimes I feel as though I am worthless to The Lord.  We serve a Mighty, and Glorious God!  "His Eye is on the Sparrow" was based on the Scripture Matt 26:10.  When I feel like a failure God,  always shows up, when I feel like a success God always puts me in my place.  How Great is the God we serve?
    The 22nd. of October just another day, and I awoke feeling a little lower then a earthworm.  Another day of the same stuff, but a different day.  In South Dakota it was a wee bit chilly, and I wanted to find out the temp.  I went to my phone and pulled up the weather, but I wasn't connected to my server.  This presented a problem, so I called my phone company and the person who answered was Marcus.
   Marcus is that you? "Delmar is that you?"  It was the 26th of Sept 2012 that I first met Marcus;  he was the person who helped me set up what we needed to start our blog spot.  His first question was,  "How is the blog working?"  Fine I said.  "How is your wife?"  She is doing well.  I was having a time with The Lord, and asked what do you want me to do?  In just a few seconds He answered my question.  Keep spreading the Gospel through your writings.
  When we feel that all has come to a end is when The Lord always shows up. He knows what we need, and how to make much out of little.  I want to encourage you today if you are at a place in your life when there are more questions than answers,  just ask The Lord what do you want me to do?  More than likely we need to remember this:  "Trust in The Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.  In all our ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your path."  Prov. 3:5-6.
     If you want to really be inspired, go to YouTube and listen to Whitney Houston sing, "His Eye is on the Sparrow."  With all of the struggles this young lady had, you will know, in your heart, that she was not defeated.  Despite all the problems, she loved The Lord with all her heart, and The Lord loved her.  I believe he gathered her up in his loving arms and brought her to be with him.
     His love for us is just as great, and it all depends upon our belief and trust in a crucified Christ.
   

A night as a cab driver.

  I haven't written much about my adventures as a cab driver,  but The Lord showed me something that I want to share. The subjects are a man with Downs syndrome,  two drunk lovers, and a person who couldn't control herself.  Why would anyone want to serve these people?
  I want to start with a young man I will call Bill.  I picked him up at the end of his evening of bowling.  When he got into my cab, I asked, "Bill did you win many games?"  "No, but I had a good time; winning isn't as important as having a good time with my friends."  As we were driving along the song " 455 rocket" came on the radio..  I could tell Bill liked the song, so I pumped up the volume and let it rip!   Bill had a good time with his friend, the cab driver!   The song played, and just as we arrived at his home it ended.   Bill said "My most favorite song lasted just long enough!" Bill had a great night out!  (And the cab driver had fun, too!)
  Next I picked up a couple at a local bar.  I noticed that the girl didn't have shoes on, and the temperature was 14!  I knew that it was going to be a adventure.  They started making out as soon as they got into the cab, and as we drove along, I could tell by the sounds they were making  that it was getting hot and heavy.  But I was a good cab driver, and just kept eating my peanuts, and drinking my soda.  We arrived at his home, and my part of the adventure was over.
  The last story I want to tell involves a couple who couldn't control themselves.  I picked up this couple at a bar also, and took them to a local motel.  When I picked them up there was a police car behind me with it's lights turned off.  As the couple was getting into the cab,  another police car pulled up in front of me and, as I was leaving, I noticed that there was also one in front of the bar.  As we were driving along the couple was talking about someone calling the police on them.  I took them to the motel, and I thought that it was the end of that adventure.
  Earlier that I evening I had dropped a guy off at a store to do some shopping.  When I went back to pick him up, he said his seat was wet!  That's when I realized that my last adventure wasn't over yet. I took the cab to my house, and did what I had to to clean the vehicle.     
   Here were three scenarios, involving five different souls.  What most people call a job, I consider a ministry, and sometimes we serve The Lord in different ways.  With Bill, I entered into conversation, and watched him  enjoy "455 Rocket".  With the first couple I minded my own business,  even though I didn't approve of what was happening.  Maybe some day I will be able to share the Gospel with  these people.  It's all about God's timing. The Holy Spirit will give me the opportunity to share.   In  the third situation it was shown to me, " as you do it unto the least of these my brethren you do it as unto me."
  By most standards, Bill would be the one considered to be "handicapped", but the other people were  also handicapped.  Their handicap is their sin.   In fact, OUR handicap is our sin, and the remedy is the cross of Jesus.
   Anyway, now as I head out for another night of driving my cab, I wonder what adventures God has in store for me tonight, and what new opportunity he will give me to serve him!

Does God allow sin?

  Pat and I were having coffee one Saturday morning, and she started to tell me about the Scripture that she read that day.   It was so good that I asked her to get the Bible and read it to me, and the question came to mind this morning: Does God have His way, and does He use people?
  Jehoshaphat, Ahab, 400 Prophets, Michiah, and the young warrior.  Four hundred and four and only one right? And one used by God?  The stage is set and I will tell a modified, but true account that The Lord showed us.
   Ahab, the king of Israel asked Jehosophat of Judah to ally with him against the enemy.  Jehosophat replied, "Of course!  But first, let's ask God."  So Ahab called his 400 heathen prophets and asked them if they should go to war.  They replied, "Go ahead.  God will give you a great victory!"
But Jehosaphat insisted on hearing from a prophet of The Lord, of which there was only one, Michiah.  The heathen prophets went to Michiah and told him what they had said and asked him to agree with them.  (Ahab hated Michiah because he always told him the truth,  not what Ahab wanted him to say.)  Michiah replied, "I vow by God that whatever God says is what I will say."  But when he went before the two kings he said, "Sure, go ahead!  It will be a glorious victory!"  Ahab said, "How many times do I have to tell you to speak only what The Lord tells you to?"
     This was Michaiah's answer:  "In my vision I saw all Israel scattered upon the mountain as sheep without a shepherd.  And The Lord said, 'Their master has been killed.  Send them home.'"  This, of course, really angered Ahab.  Then Michiah continued, "I saw him upon his throne surrounded by vast throngs of angels.  And The Lord said 'Who can get King Ahab to go to battle and be killed there?'  Finally, a spirit stepped forward and said 'I can do it! I will be a lying spirit in the mouths of the king's prophets!'  ' It will work,' The Lord said.  'Go and do it.'
     The king ordered Michiah to prison on bread and water until such time as he (Ahab) returned safely from battle.  Michaiah replied, "If you return safely, The Lord is not speaking through me."  Then, turning to the others around him,  remarked, "Take note of what I have said."
   So, Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, " I will disguise myself, but you put on your royal robes."
    Now the king of Syria had commanded his troops to ignore everyone except the king of Israel.  So when the Syrian charioteers saw King Jehoshaphat of Judah in his royal robes, they went for him, thinking he was Ahab.  But Jehoshaphat cried out for The Lord to save him and The Lord caused them to realize it was not Ahab, and they stopped chasing him.
    Here comes the hero of the story...
    One of the Syrian charioteers shot an arrow haphazardly and it struck King Ahab at the opening where the lower armor and the breastplate meet.  "Get me out of here'" he groaned to his chariot driver, "for I am badly wounded."  The battle grew hotter and hotter all that day, and King Ahab went back in, propped in his chariot, to fight.  But as the sun went down, he died.
    When Jehoshaphat returned home, uninjured, he was met by the prophet of God, Jehu.  Jehu asked, "Should you be helping the wicked, and loving those who hate The Lord?  Because of what you have done, God's wrath is upon you."
    What happened to Jehoshaphat?  You can read the rest in 2Chronicles chapter 19.

  

Peace

     "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide in the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of The Lord, he is my refuge and my fortress: my God, in him will I trust.  Surely he will deliver you from the fowler's snare and from the noisome pestilence.  He shall cover you with his feathers,  and under his wings shall you trust.  His truth shall be your shield and your buckler."  Psalms 91:1-4


     Don't you sometimes feel like you need a place to hide?  I know I do!  The world that we live in has so many reasons to stress and worry and fear.  I used to have a recurring dream where I would look out the window and see a tornado headed toward me.  I would look again, and there would be three tornadoes, all bearing down on my home.  So I would grab my kids and take them into a hiding place where we would be safe from the tornado.  It was not a scary dream, as you might think.  Instead it was exciting, because I always seemed to know we would be safe.
     The scripture above tells us that God has a hiding place where we can dwell, where he will protect us in his very shadow, and beneath his wings.  Sometimes, though,  I seem to choose to dwell elsewhere:  places like fear, anger, and unforgiveness.  Places that are right in the path of the tornado. 
In order to dwell in God's secret place, I have to leave the place that I am dwelling, and put my trust completely in Him.
     So, if you find yourself in a place where you really don't want to be,  if storms are headed toward you from all directions, grab your kids and head for the cellar!  God's shelter may not take away all your problems, but he is able to still the storms in your spirit. 

Have you been deceived? IV

  When I finished the previous part of this series, I asked this question: Why do Christians shoot their wounded?   How can we help, and not kill?
   I heard a testimony about a man who went to a battlefield, shortly after the battle was over.  The wounded had been removed, but the dead were still there.  He said,  "It was the worst thing, I ever saw!" Dead souls.  The worst sin is self-righteousness, because it kill's.
  I feel led to make something clear.  If I were asked where do I get the material that I write,  I would tell you from the Holy Spirit, my education consists of  11 years of school.  I have held offices  in a  church as  councilman one two year term.  I have been a  layman all my life   I have  no  highly sought qualification, but I have the Holy Spirit, and I write what He leads me to write.  One day Pat  said you are a  author, the though scared me! I hated English!  No qualifications,  just a dropout, but led and inspired by the Spirit.  The other thing I want to mention, I don't receive pay from any church, or person for this work, but God pays me well.  No agenda, but a faithful servant, with faults.  This is not a easy place for me, because when I am led to tell the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, I could offend some,  but just remember, I am the messenger, not the message.
  I want to go deeper into my situation with alcohol.  I was sober for 35 years, so some would ask how I could take a drink after that long.  I was sober, but the desire to drink was still present.  I would go out to dinner, and see others have a drink, and wonder why can't I?   Not only did I wonder why couldn't I, but why do they have to drink.  Two frames of mind, self-pity, and self-righteousness,  but notice the word self is the first in both situations:  man- made frames of mind, not the mind of Christ.  God used me during this time, but He didn't want self to be a part of the problem I had.  I want to put the litmus test to work here.
  One day I was talking to The Lord , about my deliverance from alcoholism, and I was asking what was different this time?  "I took away the want- to!"  How do I know that's true?  I was having a cup of coffee, and for a split second I saw myself at the foot of The Cross, and the name JESUS in capital letters, no club, no 12 steps.  I went to a few meetings, but never could I quit.  I went to Jesus many times, and didn't have victory.  I wanted it,  but the time wasn't right.
  Have you ever wondered why God's time isn't the same as ours?  I believe more now than ever, that we need to come to the same point as Popeye,  "I's Had All I Can Stands, and I can't stands no More!!!!!"
  Popeye went for spinach, but I went for The Finished Work of The Cross.  As I was at The Foot of The Cross, I saw something I had never seen before.  I couldn't take any credit for my sobriety, all my efforts, all my hard work at it, just like Cain.  The wrong way! I had been deceived!  When I placed my faith in the right place, The Lord, and His blood sacrifice, the Holy Spirit did His work.
  What a difference!  The want- to is gone.  I now can be around drunk people, and I don't wonder why me,?  This point has to be made: I love the souls I work with, but I hate the sin of alcoholism, not the disease. ( I don't believe even for a second that alcoholism is a disease!  My personal opinion.)  The blood of Jesus was shed for sin.  Behold the lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world John1:29 (KJV)  I love each and every one of you, and Jesus loves you too, and this too is the truth. 





                  

Thorny Ground

     Jesus liked to teach by using stories to illustrate the point he was trying to make.  On one occasion, he told about a farmer planting seeds in various types of soil.  The one that caught my attention this morning was this passage:  "The thorny ground represents the hearts of people who listen to the Good News and receive it, but all too quickly the attractions of this world, and the delights of wealth, and the search for success, and the lure of nice things come in and crowd out God's message from their hearts so that no crop is produced."  Mark 4:18-19  TLB
     I can certainly identify with this!  In 1977 I listened to the Good News and received it.  I didn't exactly get caught up in the trappings of wealth, or the search for success, but I did get caught up in what I thought being a Christian was about:  the friendships we made with the people we met at church, the things we did together, and the fun we had.  I loved being a part of my church (and I still do!) and my family was at church  every time the door was open.  I served whenever, and wherever I could.
     But something was wrong with this picture:  yes, I was saved, but it was all about me, about me being saved, about me being as good a Christian as I could be.  I thought being a Christian was about me.  Oh, and Jesus, of course.  Oh, and possibly my immediate family.  What I didn't get was that being a Christian is also about bearing fruit.  And the reason I didn't get it is because I didn't study God's Word as I should have.  Jesus gave his life for us, and he told us to follow him, to do what he did.  That our life is no longer our own--we need to share it with others.
     Yes, after almost forty years of being saved, I think it is starting to sink in--and I am praying that I will be a seed that breaks through the thorny ground of MYSELF and bears fruit!
   
     

Have you been deceived? III

  Two men both worshiping God.  Abel took a lamb from his flock, and Cain took the labors of his hands.  The one didn't do anything but watched his sheep, the other labored hard to cultivate his fields, and harvest his crops,  surely The Lord would honor both of these offerings.  They were both doing Holy things in their sight, but when they offered their sacrifices up to God, only one was consumed by fire from heaven, Abel's.
  Religious activity, both good things, but God only honored one, the blood sacrifice.  Cain was so offended that God honored  Abel's sacrifice that he (Cain) killed his brother.  The first murder committed on earth was because of Religion.  One worshiped The Lord correctly, the other incorrectly, up to that point they got along, one was deceived.  He must have known the proper offering to make to The Lord, but he (Cain) chose to do it his way.  Why? Two things happened to Cain, that can happen just as easy to us.
  I drive a taxi on Friday, Saturday, and Monday night,  many of my clientele are drunk.  I have consumed my fair share in my life time, but now I don't drink.  One of the other drivers is quite critical about the drunks that he has to haul around.  Christian beware!  Because I don't drink, and The Lord delivered me,  my sobriety has nothing to do with my willpower, or ability to just say no.  I tried to do that and it didn't work.  One morning I woke up and all I wanted was a pint of vodka, and some orange pop.  I couldn't say no.  I had heard that Jesus died on the cross for my sanctification, and I needed some help.  I started to pray, "Oh God help me!"   That's all I said, hundreds of times over.  If I would have found a way to stay sober on my own, the same thing that happened to Cain would have happened to me.  When a drunk person would get into my cab, the first thought that would come into my mind would be. "Why don't you quit drinking, I did!!!"  It's called self-righteousness.  If I find a way to deal with sin other then The Cross of Christ, it automatically becomes works, and works automatically turn into self-righteousness.  The drunk needs to hear Jesus saves, and Jesus sanctifies. Some of the drunks are saved, and love The Lord, but caught in a trap, and don't know how to get out.  Why do we (Christians) so often shoot our wounded?

 to be continued

Clear your record

     "What relief for those who have confessed their sins and God has cleared their record.
      "There was a time when I wouldn't admit what a sinner I was.  But my dishonesty made me miserable and filled my days with frustration.  All day and all night your hand was heavy on me.  My strength evaporated like water on a sunny day until I finally admitted all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide them.  I said to myself, 'I will confess them to The Lord.'  And you forgave me!  All my guilt is gone.
      " Now I say that each believer  should confess his sins to God when he is aware of them, while there is time to be forgiven.  Judgement will not touch him if he does."  Ps. 32:1-6 TLB

       Seriously, I could have written this.  There WAS a time when I couldn't admit to my sins.
But 37 years ago the Holy Spirit cracked open that thick shell of sin and self, and I accepted Jesus as my savior.  However, once that was done, I didn't immediately become perfect, just saved.  I still sin, and I still hate to admit it!
        Some years back, though, I made a New Year's resolution to read through the entire Bible.  I sort of raced through it that first time, so I could say I had done it.  I had to admit that I was surprised by a lot of what I read, even though I had been a Christian for quite a few years by that time.  So now I try to make reading the Bible a regular part of my life.
     One of the things I have learned is that God speaks to me through his Word!  What a concept!  He comforts me, he encourages, he teaches me, he reveals himself to me, and he convicts me of my sin
.
   "Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against Thee."  Ps. 119:11   We need to hide his word in our hearts so that we aware of our sin.
     Recently I reconnected with an old friend, who had once been a nun.  I asked her a few questions about that experience.  She told me about the routine of life in the convent, which included something I haven't thought about since my Catholic school days:   Examination of Conscience. That caught my attention.  The 12 steps of AA has a step similar to that:  it says to make a fearless moral inventory.
They basically tell us to search our hearts for any sin that needs confession, and confess it.  Get rid of it!
     Ask The Lord to reveal any hidden sin in your life or in your heart, and confess it.  He is more than ready to forgive you and clear your record!
"Search me, O God, and know my heart;  try me and know my thoughts."  Ps. 139: 23 KJV

Have you been deceived? II

  When I left off yesterday, it wasn't a pretty picture.  The reference compares us to a leper: both unclean, and  it compares our righteousness to the rags used by a woman during menstruation.
  I want to go back to Adam and Eve. When they disobeyed God they suddenly realized they were naked.  Their  answer to their problem was covering themselves with fig leaves.  When God came to the garden and asked them, "where are you?"  They replied, "We are over here behind this bush, because we are naked."  The Lord said "Who told you that you are naked?"  They had no answer for Him.  He then asked: "Did you eat of the tree of good, and evil?" Their reply was "Yes."  So God  killed a animal, and made them a covering.  From that time forward all have sinned, and fallen short of the Glory of God,  no exceptions!  I believe that was the time that sacrifices were started, something had to shed blood to cover sin.  How important is blood?
  I want to move ahead in time to Cain and Abel.  They were brothers sons, of Adam and Eve.  They knew the sacrificial requirements.  Abel took the best lamb of his flock, and cut its throat, placed it upon a altar.  Cain took the best of his grains and fruits, and placed them on his altar.  God sent fire from heaven, and consumed Abel's sacrifice, but no fire for Cain's.  Cain became so angry, that he killed his brother!  The first murder was committed because of righteousness, or works.
    The works that we do of ourselves, not dependent upon God,  are not pleasing to God.  Our works should be the result of us believing that what Christ did for us on His Cross (not the beam, but His sacrifice of blood), and we becoming a new creation in Him: works of His love flowing through us.  This is that born again experience that Jesus was telling Nicodemus about in John chapter 3.
  This was the command that The Lord gave to Adam: "But the tree of the knowledge of Good and    Evil, you shall not eat of it for in the day that you eat thereof you shall surely die." Genesis 2:17 (KJV).  I want to go back to Cain, and Abel.  They both were preparing to worship God, one the right way, the other the wrong way, they were both doing a good thing.  Is it possible to do a good thing, and sin?

(to be continued)

Have You been deceived?

  I want to ask a serious question: have you been deceived?  As this thought came to my mind The Lord spoke a message to my heart, that has to be shared with you. Have you been deceived?
  Last night I was driving my cab, and a situation came up that I hadn't dealt with.  I had three people in my cab, two young women, one of whom was married and the other, who was engaged to the young man in the cab.   We came to the best friend's address, and the two friends had a disagreement.  They had been friends since grade school, and now one was married, and the other engaged.  The husband of the one was still uptown, and the fiance went into the home of the friend, and left his fiance with me.  After this happened it was evident that she was hurt by his decision.   She felt deceived.
     Not many of us want to talk about sin, but it needs to be addressed at times.  Sin is deceptive, and it is the work of the head deceiver, Satan.  Sin is a pleasant, even exciting, experience to begin with, but after Satan has lured the individual in he makes every episode a little worse.  There will come a time that we will not be able to live in the condition that sin caused. Sin is designed to rob, kill, cheat, and destroy us.  In the incident that I shared, some were putting themselves into a situation that may feel good to begin with, but the young woman left in the cab already felt the pain that sin caused.  Sin is terrible, and there are some who can't live with it, and decide to end it all, and take their own lives.
  Let's take a look at what we have to offer of ourselves to The Lord to correct this dilemma. " But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags." Isaiah 10:6 (KJV).  It doesn't look good for us.  Is there a solution?

(to be continued)    

Life it's Eternal.

  As I write this blog, I can say that Pat will agree to everything that is written.  I want to make two points:  that the Bible is the whole truth, and nothing but the truth inspired by God and secondly, that there is only one way to The Father (God),  and that is His Son Jesus.

  As some of you know I drive a taxi cab for a living.  The nights that I drive are Friday, Saturday, and Monday.  I always drive at night, so many of the people that I drive are either drunk, or under the influence in some way or another.  It would be so easy to say I am better than they are, because of their condition, but we are all in a condition, and that is lost.  All have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God Romans 3:23.  Not some but all.  If we believe the good of the Bible, we also have to believe the bad.  

  If all have sinned and fallen short of The Glory of God, we are all in the same boat.  I believe that Jesus died on The Cross for my sins, and for anyone who believes the same thing.  People all battle with something as long as they are alive.  The Scriptures are full of how to live for God, so we should never feel that we have arrived. But there are only about one percent written to tell us how to become saved.

  Why would the Holy Spirit give so many to tell us how to live, and so few showing God's plan  for us to be saved?  I believe when The Lord planned before the foundations of the earth, that the only way that man could be saved, and the only way man could be sanctified, was for him to die on The Cross,  He knew that most would have little problems accepting Him as Savior, but many problems when it came to believing that He also died for how we live. 

  I have tried many different ways to overcome some things in my life, and just like my cab friends,  have not been able to have victory.  Since I have learned that the same Cross that saved me can enable me to have victory living for God it is easier, am I perfect?   No.  The Bible does not teach sinless perfection.  But it helps me realize that I am not better then the people that ride my cab, and that we are all eternal souls finding our way to glory through Jesus Christ and Him Crucified.   

  Will all accept Jesus as savior?   No, but Pat and I both  want to tell those that will listen how to be saved.

It's the only thing that will help others not to spend eternity in Hell.  We will live forever die no never, but we choose where we will spend eternity. 

Scriptures that have eternal life:  John 3:16, Romans10:9-10 

A Christian

  I want to ask a question.  When you hear the word Christian, what is your first thought? To me the word Christian main a relationship with Jesus.
  In the nation that we live in there are many that call themselves Christian, but have no idea what the term means.  Some believe if they go to a certain church, or have gone through certain steps of that church, that means they are Christian.  Some believe because they live in the U.S., and it is called a Christian Nation that they are Christians.
  As a preacher of the Gospel it always hurts when I hear people use the right words, but when talking to them they have a head knowledge, but haven't experienced Jesus. I want to start the New Year with the basics of the Gospel.
  As a Preacher of the Gospel, I am thankful that the Gospel is simple, for I am a simple man.  When you read about the apostles,  they were not crucified, beheaded, and killed for anything else except that they were proclaiming the Gospel.  A simple message, but a great price was paid for proclaiming it.  What did they proclaim?
  I want to talk about a man named Cornelius.  There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius a centurion of the band called the Italian band.  A devout man and one who feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always. Acts 10 1-2 (KJV)  Cornelius did all the right things, but hadn't experienced Jesus the Messiah.  An Angel appeared to Cornelius, and told him to send for Peter, and when Peter came to his house, he was to listen to what he had to say.  Cornelius did what he had been told by the Angel.  When Peter came to Cornelius, Cornelius fell at Peter's feet and began to worship him.  Peter told him to get up because he (Peter) was just a man.
  Cornelius was a good man, but not saved, because he hadn't experienced Jesus. What did Peter tell him?  The first point Peter made was Whom they slew and hanged on a  tree (Crucifixion of Christ).  The second point Him God raised up the third day (the Resurrection of Christ).  To Him give all the Prophets witness (He fulfilled all of the Prophecies) that through His Name (Jesus) whosoever Believes in Him shall receive remission of sins. True Christianity is a relationship with The Lord not a religion.