No adjustment

The woodsman stood by the stump of a large, tall tree which he had just felled, surveying his work with regrets. He had made no effort to investigate the nature of the terrain hidden by heavy underbrush and now found to his dismay that the tree lay in a very narrow, rocky gully which made recovery of the logs impossible.

While the tree was standing, the woodsman had the power of decision to determine in which direction it would fall, but once it was separated from its stump, a change in its position was beyond his ability, no matter how earnestly he desired it.

My friend you are approaching the day when you will wish that you had the opportunity that is yours at this moment, but your ability to make adjustments will, like the woodsman mentioned above, be forever past. Your condition at death, saved or unsaved, must remain eternally fixed.

Many people mistakenly believe that death is annihilation (end of existence), when in reality it is separation of the soul (the real person) from the body. At the time this change takes place, an agent of either God or Satan will be on hand to claim, according to ownership. There will be great rejoicing for those whose names have been written in the book of life, (rev. 21:27) and complete sorrow and misery for the ones who have neglected or refused the way of salvation provide through Jesus Christ.

The Scriptures were given by God for our admonition and they are full of warnings that death is the deadline, the end of our probationary period. There will positively be no adjustment after the soul is separated from the body “No matter in which direction a tree falls, it will lie where it fell.” (Ecclesiates11:3). If you are waiting for a more convenient time, be assured that it will never come, for God makes no mistake about the time when he calls. “Listen! This is the hour to receive God‘s favour; today is the day to be saved!” (2 Cor. 6:2). “If you hear God’s voice today, do not be stubborn.” (Heb.  3:15).

Some people say that they will attend to these things when they come to them but do not wish to be troubled about them now, to such let us say: You have read the lines and thereby received knowledge of the urgency of this matter. If you delay action and death overtakes you, you will die in you sins and will be accountable to God for the knowledge that has come your way. ”If you get more stubborn every time you are corrected, one day you will be crushed and never recover.” (Prov. 29:1).

If you have sufficient courage to face the facts you will make an effort to do something about spiritual well-being. To help you in your search for salvation, five important steps are listed below:

FIRST: You must be thoroughly convinced in your own mind that you are a sinner and completely helpless to do anything to obtain your salvation. “Everyone has sinned and is far away from God’s saving presence.” (Rom. 3:23).

SECOND: Repent, i.e., turn with sorrow from all known sin. “I tell you that if you do not turn from your sins, you will all die.”(Luke. 13:3).

THIRD: Confess to God that you are a sinner in need of salvation and ask Him to receive you and write your name in the book of life. (Rev.21:27). His Word says:”If we confess our sins to god, He will keep His promise and do what is right; He will forgive us out sins and purify us from all wrong doing.” (1 John. 1:9). “I will never turn away any one who comes to me.” (John. 6:37).

FORTH: Believe that Jesus Christ died in your place in order that you might have eternal life. Now, if your sorrow is genuine and you surrender to God completely, you will have confidence to receive Jesus as your Lord and Saviour through believing in God’s Word. In so doing, His Spirit will witness with your spirit that you have been born again. (Rom. 8:16). You have complied with HIS conditions and you enjoy His protection just like the children of Israel when the angel of death passed over the land of
Egypt (Exodus. 12). But remember, a mental assent to the truths presented here will not substitute for a genuine surrender of heart and will to God.

“No one can please God without faith, for whoever comes to God must have faith that God exist and rewards those that seek him.”  (Heb. 11:6) (Read Hebrew 11 – full chapter).

FIFTH: Fly your colours. Don’t hide your new found faith. You are now a Christian by the grace of God. Tell others about it. You will suffer persecution but God will make up for that by letting “His peace, which is far beyond human understanding” (Phil. 4:7) come into your heart. He will give you the joy of winning other to Him if you are faithful with your testimony. Jesus said:”If anyone declares publicly that he belongs to me, I will do the same for him before my father in heaven.” (Matt. 10:32). So your responsibility is to tell others to believe as explained in (Rom. 10:9 – 10), “If you confess that Jesus is Lord and believe that God raised Him from death, you will be saved. For it is by our faith that we are put right with God; it is by our confession that we are saved.” Oh, friend: We have done all that we are able  in this short article to help you, but God will surely enlighten you if you will obtain a bible and search the Scriptures diligently, for there you find faultless instructions in the way of eternal life.

“How then, shall we escape if we pay no attention to such great salvation?”

By Neil D. Cameron.

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