TZUTC: -0600   
   MSGID: 200.fidonet-bible@1:2320/33 26617840   
   REPLY: 1:229/110 a659bb51   
   PID: Synchronet 3.19c-Win32 master/005633b1f Jan 17 2022 MSC 1928   
   TID: SBBSecho 3.14-Win32 master/005633b1f Jan 17 2022 MSC 1928   
   BBSID: TBOLT   
   CHRS: ASCII 1   
   Shaun,   
      
    SB> Thank you, sir, for your wisdom.   
      
     Give The Glory to The Lord...He gave it to me.   
      
    SB> This is a lesson that He has taught me over, and over again...   
      
     It's like the T-shirt that noted "Lead me not into temptation -- I'll   
   find my own way".    
      
    SB> Again, I feel the need to read The Good Book again. Your paraphrase   
    SB> really drills directly to the point of that lesson...   
      
     I need to do likewise...but I will say that He has given me a Gospel   
   Poetry Collection as a ministry to the saved and a witness to the lost.   
   There are some secular ones on my hobbies...such as the BBS, amateur radio,   
   and square dancing...but most are "sacred". You can find all of these at   
   http://www.wx4qz.net/swj.htm -- over 550 poems are in there.   
      
    SB> I can only hope that He continues to forgive me.   
      
     As the Scripture notes, "The blood of Jesus cleanses from all sin", but   
   that is ONLY for those who have done "the one thing God requires"...to   
   believe on The One He Has sent (John 6:29, Acts 16:31, plus John 14:6,    
   and Acts 4:12 -- the latter two are the most hated verses by the world.   
   If only one sin was not paid for, Christ would still be in the grave, and   
   all of us would be on our way to Hell and The Lake Of Fire with Satan and   
   his demonic hordes (who hate our guts anyway, and want all of us to burn   
   with them). Yet, one must make that decision for Christ BEFORE they take   
   their last breath...tomorrow, let alone the next 5 seconds, is promised   
   to no one.   
      
     My late wife's favorite hymn was "Nothing But The Blood Of Jesus" --    
   a beautiful a cappella arrangement, along with a harmonica accompaniement,   
   is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJnD272vmns   
      
     Many churches today won't sing or preach about The Cross, sin, repentance,    
   The Blood Of Jesus, etc, as it's "too offensive and graphic". All they want    
   is "prosperity gospel" (name it, claim it), feel good, messages that "tickle    
   ones ears". God's Grace is a License to Serve, and NOT a License to Sin.    
   They are afraid if they "preach the whole counsel of God" (what He called   
   an abomination then, is still such today), will drive folks away, and the   
   offering plates will dry up.    
      
     It's like Josh McDowell, who penned "More Than A Carpenter", plus    
   "Evidence That Demands A Verdict". He set out to refute Christianity as a    
   farce, but when he was unable to do so, he got saved. He noted that before    
   he was saved "the most I got out of church was the 25 cents I put in the   
   offering plate, and the 35 cents that I took out for a milk shake". And    
   sadly, that's about all most people get out of church.   
      
    SB> Aye, you're quite right! And why I chose to excise my soul, rather than   
    SB> marry a too-proud woman! And yet, that wound has never healed...   
      
     The first woman I was engaged to always wanted me to take her to the most   
   expensive restaurant, always pick up the tab, and to forsake everything else   
   in my life (hobbies, etc.) outside of work, and spend every waking moment   
   with her. In other words, she was going to do all the taking, and I was to   
   do all the giving. That does NOT work in a relationship. I broke off the   
   engagement and relationship just before Christmas, 1985...and she accused   
   me of "using her".    
      
     With my late wife, she didn't care whether we ate at McDonald's or The    
   Olive Garden -- to her, "food is food". We were friends for 17 1/2 years,   
   and never thought about marriage...let alone to each other. We hit it off   
   in 2002, got married in 2003, and she died of a heart attack 3 weeks prior   
   to our 4th anniversary in 2007. She had a defective aortic heart valve   
   since birth...she was only 48 when she died. I didn't marry until I was   
   43, but never dreamed I'd be a widower at 47. I never remarried, as at   
   this stage of life, most folks have too much "baggage" (they or their   
   kids are in trouble with the law, they can't manage money, the kids   
   treat the parents like crap, etc.) -- I didn't want or need that "drama"   
   in my life. Because of medical issues, my wife and I never had kids...   
   and the way the world is today, I'm glad I never had any.   
      
    SB> Wars, and rumours of war. Rampant disease. Mountains exploding with   
    SB> sulfur. Do you not think that this is the End of Days, as well? Am I   
    SB> just paranoid?   
      
     It is the end of days. I'm into Bible Prophecy (at least one third of   
   The Bible is prophecy), and as one commentator noted "Things aren't falling   
   apart...they are falling into place". Nothing that occurs is a surprise to   
   The Lord, and He has it all under control...no matter what the world may   
   think.   
      
    SB> May He provide both of us with His Word!   
      
     Amen.   
      
   Daryl   
      
   ... Frisbyterian: When you die, your soul goes up on the roof.   
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