TUESDAY STORY. READ SHARE AND READ AGAIN SUICIDE IN JAIL One day an elderly priest went to the jail and was talking with the prisoners. He met one young man who wanted to give up and commit suicide. As he said, “There is nothing left for me. I’ve ruined and disgraced all the people I love: my mother, my wife, my children.” The priest told him, “Yes, that may be true. Until now you have done things to others which you cannot repair. Your only choice is to take a new road, take a new steer. I’ll tell you a couple stories.” “What! Stories at a time like this! I need strong medicine. I need someone to upset me and get me angry to do things. Stories are for kids, “he argued. The priest put his hand on the upset man’s shoulder and said, “Let’s sit down a bit. And you must let me tell you only one story. Okay?” He agreed. Father told the story about a real criminal who died and stood before God’s court. The four judges that day were Abraham and David of the “Old Testament” and Peter and Luke of the “New Testament.” The angel secretary of court read the charges against the man: He had ruined just about everything and everybody; there hardly a good thing that could be said for him. Hearing the evidence, Abraham said, “No one with all that against him can enter heaven.” Then the downcast man looked at Abraham and said, “Yes, Father Abraham, I admit that I have done much wrong. All I can do is throw myself on your mercy. In your life you also did a few wrong things. Like the time you saved your life by lying to the king of Egypt and telling him your wife was your sister. But God forgave that….” Then up stepped David and sided with Abraham saying, “Yes, you’ve done plenty of wrong; you can’t get into heaven.” Then the condemned man looked David in the eye and said, “It’s true, I can’t defend myself. All I can do is ask for your mercy. After all, you stole Uriah’s wife and slept with her and then had him killed to get him out of the way. And yet, God forgave you. How about you forgiving me now?” Then Peter stepped up and said, “But you’re not a man who loved God as much as David did. All you did was curse and ridicule God.” Then the sinner said, “That’s right. I should shut my mouth now. But, Simon, you must have mercy on me. You were a bosom friend of Jesus’ and yet on the very night you ate with him, you publicly denied that you ever knew him, Remember?” Then Luke said, “I’m sorry, but you’re not fit to be in heaven.” The man bowed his head humbly and told Luke, “I have a feeling there must be some little corner for me in heaven. After all, Abraham and David and Peter have committed great sins, but they have all been pardoned by the Lord. “Luke, you are the man who wrote the Gospel. You, of all people, must open the door of heaven for me. You have written any number of stories about the mercy of God. Luke, don’t you recognise me? I’m the sheep who went astray and the good shepherd brought back. I am the prodigal son who came back to a forgiving father who was happy to welcome him.” These words so moved Luke that he opened the door and in slipped the former criminal. After he had finished his story, the elderly priest looked at the prisoner still sitting near him and said, “So, there you are! It would be good for you to hear and read a lot of stories like this. Don’t fool yourself; they’re not just stories. They will tell you about the mercy of God. They are just the kind of medicine you need at this time in your life. They can also mark a new road for you to follow.” LESSON God preordained, for his own glory and the display of His attributes of mercy and justice, a part of the human race, without any merit of their own, to eternal salvation, and another part, in just punishment of their sin, to eternal damnation. Walking with God’s family involves handling disclosure correctly, exercising discernment and becoming as devoted to each other as we are to Jesus Christ. We Must Handle Disclosure Correctly. What does it mean to disclose something? To disclose something means to reveal it, to make it known, to confess it, or come out with it. This, I submit to you, is what we as Christians must also do as we seek to walk with each other. It is good to always know that there is no sin however grave that can surpass Divine clemency. Good people, our God is good all the time. when you find yourself in a mess, pray for Gods mercy and He will never leave you unattended. Christopher Columbus, once said, I am a most noteworthy sinner, but I have cried out to the Lord for grace and mercy, and they have covered me completely. I have found the sweetest consolation since I made it my whole purpose to enjoy His marvellous Presence. HAVE I MINISTERED TO MY CONGREGATION???
Posted on: Tue, 02 Dec 2014 00:37:42 +0000
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