By Pat Franklin
This is a true story, not one of those made up myths that go round the web.
My friend Daphne* told me of an incident when she walked under a builder's ladder. She needed to get up the stairs at the school where she worked, and his ladder was in the way, so she just walked under it. Many people in England would have asked him to move the ladder.
'I see you're not superstitious,' said the builder.
'No, I'm a Christian,' she replied.
'A Christian? I guess you believe in all that creation rubbish,' he said.
'Yes I do, and it's not rubbish,' said Daphne.
The next day the builder, a man of about 50, did not turn up for work. He had dropped dead the night before in an English pub.
Daphne was shocked. It had been the man's last chance, his last call. No one knows if he perhaps went home, thought about what she said and fell to his knees. Sadly, probably not, because he went out to the pub.
There comes a day, dear friends, which is our last day. The Holy Spirit does not forever strive with men. There is a finite time in which we are able to turn to the Lord Jesus and ask Him to forgive our sins and put our trust in Him. If we bluff it out and pretend that we are good enough already and do not need a Savior, we have no one but ourselves to blame. The moment we die, it is too late. The destination then is Hell and it is forever.
'But that's not fair! I'm a good person! I never robbed a bank! I can't believe in a God who would do that to people!' Those are the sort of remarks I hear from people when you confront them with the gospel.
What they do not understand is that NO ONE is good. The Bible teaches us that not one of us is good enough to be allowed into Heaven. No one, not you, certainly not me! Jesus Christ said there was one way and one way only to gain eternal life - by believing in Him. That is it, folks, faith in Jesus, the Son of God who died and shed His holy blood to pay the penalty for the sins of all those who would put their faith in Him.
Jesus' blood shed for us is our ticket to Heaven. There is no other. If you reject Jesus, the one and only Son of God who died on the cross, was buried and rose on the third day, you leave God no option but to send you to Hell. He has opened a way into Heaven, but many people don't like His way and reject His Son, and insist that they are good enough and do not need forgiveness. How wrong they are.
Jesus said: 'I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.' (John 14:6)
He also said: '...he that believes in Me has everlasting life.' (John 6:47) If you truly put your trust in the Lord Jesus and follow Him, you have the assurance of Heaven, like a deposit in the bank.
This saving faith is not just mental assent, but a total acceptance of Jesus into your heart and life.
Jesus also said: 'Ask and you WILL receive.' if you do not belong to Him and have no assurance of Heaven, ask Him today to come into your heart and forgive your sins. Don't be like the builder who scoffed at God, had no time for His Son Jesus, and died that very night.
*Daphne is a member of the church we attend in Tongham, Surrey, England. At the time of this incident she was a 'house mother' at a school for boys.
