The Two Most Important Things in my Life

(Originally written in 1986)

A miracle!  It has to be called a miracle.   Something very unusual happened to me and I just have to tell somebody about it.  I have found something only a few find.  Actually I found two things.  The two most important things in life!  Father is what I found first.  Let me explain.  Several years ago I was having some problems.  Things were not working out and I was unhappy.  No matter what I tried I soon became unsatisfied.  It got to where I could not even enjoy partying.  One night, alone in my apartment, it got really bad.  At first I thought I was just feeling sorry for myself and I tried to shake it off.  Finally I realized God was trying to reach me.  The moral aspect of my activities became an issue with me.   I could not hide behind my good points because God was bringing to my mind the things I was guilty of.   He was letting me see the “exceeding sinfulness” of my life.  It was not very pleasant at the time.  It was a real mind battle dealing with thoughts like: Was there really anything to this getting saved business or was it just in your mind?  If there were, was I willing to change my lifestyle and start living right?  Would I be able to?  And on and on.  The Bible teaches we must “press into the kingdom of God,” (Luke 16:16).  In Matthew 11:12 it says, “…the violent take it by force.”  (Meaning violent earnestness).  Being genuinely born again is not just a hold up your hand and accepting Jesus type thing.  It is a major crisis in one’s life.  Finally I yielded, telling Him I was not the man I should be.  I told Him I was sorry for all the bad things I had done.  I promised if He would help me I would quit doing them and start living right.  He let me know He forgave me.  Salvation is received by faith but there were feelings too.  I felt relieved.  The guilt and condemnation went away.  I felt clean.  I felt good.  Since then, the feelings have been up and down, but the deep down peace has remained constant.  That eventful night I was born into the family of God.  God became my heavenly Father.  Oh the importance of what took place that night!  It got me off the broad way that leads to hell and onto the strait and narrow road that leads to heaven.  The genuine born again experience is a real miracle.  It made a real change in me.  Changed my desires, my outlook, my everything.  “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new,” (II Cor. 5:17).  Perhaps someone would wonder if all that is necessary for everyone to get saved.  Let me say each convert’s testimony will be a little different, but everyone that gets the real thing will be changed.  The Bible requirements of true repentance and faith must be met by everyone to obtain forgiveness and the new birth.  Church membership and rituals will not save anybody.  It may cause them to be religious, but will not make them a true Bible Christian.  According to U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT, Nov. 4, 1985, 40% of American adults, 69.4 million consider themselves born again believers.  I do not know how much of that is genuine or phony.  I do know Jesus taught that many religious folks who think they know Him will be disap­pointed on Judgment day.  (Read and ana­lyze Matt. 7:21-22).  He also taught that only a few find the strait and narrow way, (Matt. 7:14).  It is not that only a few are “lucky” enough to find it.  The reason is that many are not willing to forsake their pet sins (the true cost) to find true salvation.  So it is true there is a lot of religious phoniness and deception.  But it is also true that there is a genuine born again experi­ence available to “whosoever will”.  All who will humble themselves, be honest with God and meet His requirements can be saved.  Let me say too, that God is fair.  He only requires of us what is right.  He is only seeking for our good.  Surely He knows the best way for us to be happy.  He had been trying to reach me for a long time through different circumstances of life.  He was waiting for me to yield to Him that He might become my Heavenly Father.  I’m so glad I finally did.

NOW TO THE SECOND THING I FOUND

A new born baby needs a mother to feed and care for it, to survive.  Likewise, a babe in Christ (also mature Christians) need to be fed spiritually to stay a­live.  I found my spiritual mother when I found the church of God.

“But [spiritual] Jerusalem [church of God] which is above is free, which is the mother of us all,” (Gal. 4:26).  Here I was fed what I needed.  Not always what I wanted, but what I needed to grow up right.  It was here I found a spiritual people, spiritual atmosphere, and true Bible teachings. This is just not to be found everywhere.  I have learned what Bible unity really means.  Here are a people with a real love flowing within their midst.  Besides their unique fel­lowship there is a zeal to win others.  God has a ministry that preaches all of His Word and a people that actually live it out.  Anybody that is seeking truth, seeking what is really right, will search no more when they find the true church of God.  I say true because just as the name “Christian” has been abused, so has the name “church of God”.   However, God can lead everyone who will stay honest to a true congregation.  I used to think there was nothing more important than to be rich and famous.  Now I know that my relationship with my heavenly Father and spiritual mother are the two most important things in my life.          Bill Roberts                                                                                  

Gospel Truth and Publications, P.O. BOX 142, Jackson Center, OH 45334

CASEY’S REVENGE

They saw his face grow stern and cold,

they saw his muscles’ strain,

And they knew that Casey wouldn’t let

that ball go by again.

And now the pitcher holds the ball

and now he lets it go -

And now the air is shattered

by the force of Casey’s blow.

Oh somewhere the sun is hidden

and the clouds hang dark and dense,

But there’s no sorrow in Mudville

for mighty Casey hit it o’er the fence!

In the original “Casey at the Bat” written in 1888, Casey stuck out and there was no joy in Mudville.  What I did to Casey; Christ did for me.  He changed me completely. He changed my sorrow to joy, my failure to success.  This joy is a deep down peace and contentment.  Instead of guilt there is the assurance of God’s approval on my life.  By success I don’t mean excelling in sports, having a lot of money or high social standing.  I believe true success is being in the center of God’s will.  It is living like His Word and Spirit teaches.  God’s will is expressed in I Timothy 2:4, “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”  Helping others reach these two goals is the main purpose of Gospel Truth and Publications.