INTRODUCTION - MY VERY FIRST BLOG

Hello, my name is Bob, God is good all the time; all the time, God is good!, Lindenberger.  To introduce myself, I am going to post my 2019 Newsletter:

 I love to tell the old, old story

Of Jesus and how He saved me. 

Another Christmas month is here, and I am changing the format of my newsletter. (but it didn't copy to here)  I do love to tell the old, old story because it makes me happy and blessed to hear and tell it over and over again. When Peter wrote his second letter, he said this, "This is my second letter to you, dear brothers, in both of them I have tried to remind you – if you let me – about the facts you already know: facts you learn from the holy prophets and from the apostles who brought you words of our Lord and Savior." (2 Peter 3:1-8)_

A professor where I went to college (EPC) used to say, "Keep your testimony current and alive. Tell it over and over again and never let it grow dim." So, I'm going to give you my testimony, which goes back to 1955. My spiritual birthday is December 5; I was born again. I was brought up in the drug culture of the 50s; I was drug to church Sunday morning and Sunday night and Wednesday night – that was our drug culture, and I learned a lot from the Bible, but I didn't know Jesus as my Savior. When I was 18, I joined the Navy, had my first taste of wine, women, and song.  O, I did some bad stuff while there. I don't want to tell how bad, but it was bad (sin).

Well, our ship had a cruise to Gitmo Bay, Cuba, where we picked up a Navy chaplain who was returning to Norfolk, Virginia. He held divine services in the mess hall each night of our return, and a shipment asked me to attend. I did, and the chaplain had me under conviction, but I didn't receive Christ that night. On arrival at Norfolk, we had liberty, and the same shipmate asked me to go to the YMCA with him for a Youth for Christ meeting, which I did. They had a Billy Graham, Hour of Power film. There I accepted Christ as my personal Savior – I was born again. Hallelujah, what a Savior!

God sent his Son to take our punishment by dying in our place. Unless believers understand this provision, they will doubt their salvation. We can't be good enough to earn heaven. All are born with corrupted nature; therefore, we will, at times, sin, no matter how hard we try not to. The Bible compares our attempts at righteous deeds to filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6).

When each of us was born physically, we had but one option with regard to sin: to die in it and spend eternity separated from God. But the Father so loved the world that He chose to punish Jesus in our place (John 3:16). It Was a Severe Price to Pay. Only God cannot look upon the squalor of sin, so when Jesus became sin for all Mankind, the Father had to turn away (2 Corinthians 5:21). The physical suffering of crucifixion was terrible, but nothing compared to Jesus' wrenching horror when the Father left Him. The devastated Messiah cried out, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Mark 15:34).

Jesus accepted separation from the Father, so we wouldn't have to. When Paul said that the wages of sin is death, he was referring to eternal separation from God (Romans 6:23). As believers, we are saved and forever reconciled with God because of what Jesus has done.

The Savior took our place and accepting human punishment for sin. He and the Father have done the hard work of salvation so that you and I can live a life of peace, freedom, and hope, and never be separated from our Creator. If you believe that Jesus Christ – the Son of God – died for Your Sins, Then You to are saved.

God is good all the time; all the time, God is good.  Amen?

          

   

                                 

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