They have loved the darkness more than Light

A Man of Sorrows, Acquainted with Grief

Joys Mixed with Sorrows

Roberta's Story

What a Day!

The Heart

Joys Mixed with Sorrows
The joys have already been expressed -- that my mom made her final and most important Covenant with The Almighty, which was delivered by The Savior and Messiah of Israel, Jesus Christ. (See In Memory of My Mom and Roberta's Story.) The Messiah announced the New Covenant at His final Passover Seder here on Earth - this Passover Seder being referred to by the modern world as The Last Supper. He fulfilled this New Covenant when He suffered and shed His Blood on the Cross, for the remission of sin for all those who would believe. (Matthew 26:26-28) The word "Covenant" means the same thing as the word "Testament," and that is why the Scriptures known as the New Testament are referred to by some believers as the New Covenant.
What a sorrowful thought it is... to think of those who do not even know that God has reached down to Mankind in such a unique and sacrificial way; or to think of others who spend entire lifetimes honoring the various Covenants between God Almighty and His people -- and then to miss His most important Covenant -- The Covenant made in His Own Blood! What a pity to miss that final agreement between God and Man! Humanity has been reaping the effects of the Fall of Man throughout history -- by having to live in a fallen world full of sin and corruption, sickness and pain, heartbreak and suffering, despair and death. Finally, God rescued Mankind from that Curse, at great personal cost to Himself, in order to bring people back to Paradise in the end; but most of the Human Race does not even know or care.
A Man of Sorrows, acquainted with grief:
and we hid our faces from Him...

This prophecy was written almost 800 years before the birth of Christ.
(about 740 B.C.)

"Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? {2} For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. {3} He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
{4} Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. {5} But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. {6} All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
{7} He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. {8} He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. {9} And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
{10} Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. {11} He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. {12} Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." (Isaiah 53:1-12)

"And not only so, but we also joy in God
through our Lord Jesus Christ,
by whom we have now received the atonement."
(Romans_5:11)

Note:
Almost 800 years ago - about 740 B.C.

"The Historical Background: Isaiah's ministry spanned the period from his call vision (about 740 B.C.) until the last years of Hezekiah (716-687) or the early years of Manasseh (687-642). The prophet lived during the reigns of the Judean kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, and perhaps the first years of Manasseh. He was contemporary with the last five kings of Israel: Menahem, Pekahiah, Pekah, and Hosea. The tragic fall of Samaria to the Assyrian King Sargon II in 722 B.C. occurred during his ministry." (Holman Bible Dictionary)

They have loved the Darkness more than the Light:

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. {17} For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. {18} He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
{19} And this is the condemnation, that Light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than Light, because their deeds were evil. {20} For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. {21} But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God." John_3:16-21

Roberta's Story

Here is the rest of the story, as told by Roberta, about the evening on which she visited my mother: (See In Memory of My Mom)

It was Sunday evening, August 6, 2000, when The Lord spoke to my heart in a very clear, definite way. I had gone to the parking lot around our senior citizens' retirement home to move my car from a rather distant space to one closer to our front door. As I was doing this, the thought came to me that I should visit my friend Lily in a nearby nursing home now. As I reasoned with myself about this, thinking that perhaps Monday morning would be a better time to go, a very strong urge came upon me to go now. It was so definite that I turned the car around and drove straight to the nursing home. There I found Lily lying in bed with her eyes shut. I placed my hand gently upon her shoulder and said, "Lily, it's 'Preacher.'" Because of teaching a Bible class in the retirement home where I live, Lily never called me by name, but always used the term "preacher." She opened her eyes immediately and gave me a big smile.
I told her that we missed her at Bible Class and assured her of our prayers. Then I proceeded to tell her briefly the story I had told the class on the previous evening. It was about Deborah the Prophetess [Judges_4:4] -- and how wonderfully God used her to bring victory to His people. Lily smiled broadly when I told her how the enemy's iron chariots got stuck in the mud and that the enemy was defeated. I said that no matter what our circumstances may be in life, we can have victory in our hearts if we know Jesus as our personal Savior. I asked her if she had Jesus in her heart. To this, she responded with another big smile and nodded her head "yes."
Before leaving, I told her I wanted to be absolutely certain that Jesus was living in her heart. I asked her to pray with me silently, as I knew she was too weak to speak; but I assured her that The Lord knew her every thought. I first asked for forgiveness of our sins, as taught in 1_John_1:9; and then, basing our invitation prayer upon Revelation_3:20, we asked Jesus to come into her heart to stay. After saying "Amen," I opened my eyes just in time to see Lily open hers! She looked me straight in the eye when I asked her if she knew that Jesus was in her heart, then smiled from ear to ear, and nodded her head "Yes." She looked absolutely radiant. Then she took my hand and kissed it.
I never saw her look so joyful, almost glowing -- and in the midst of such suffering and pain. (She was not yet on the pain medication.) My heart was overflowing with joy. I left Lily's room with thanks and praise to The Lord for sending me to her at this precise time. Tomorrow would have been too late, we now know, because she never again regained full consciousness.
I look forward to seeing my friend in Heaven, where we'll praise our precious Savior together throughout eternity.

Roberta Brown

What a Day that will Be
There is coming a day
When no heart aches shall come;
No more clouds in the sky,
No more tears to dim the eye;
All is peace forevermore
On that happy golden shore,
What a day glorious day that will be.
What a day that will be
When my Jesus I shall see;
And I look upon His face,
The one who saved me by His grace.
When He takes me by the hand,
And leads me through the Promised Land,
What a day, glorious day that will be.
There'll be no sorrow there, no more burdens to bear,
No more sickness, no pain, no more parting over there;
And forever I will be with this One who died for me.
What a day, glorious day that will be.
What a day that will be
When my Jesus I shall see;
And I look upon His face,
The one who saved me by His grace.
When He takes me by the hand,
And leads me through the Promised Land,
What a day, glorious day that will be.

Midi selection from Midi Music to Browse

There is an old saying about the "difference between Heaven and Hell being about 18 inches long" - the distance between the head and the heart on the average person. Knowing all about Jesus in your head, as one may know from attending numerous Bible Studies, Church, and Sunday School classes, is not the same thing as knowing Jesus in your heart. As the old saying goes, "Standing inside a barn and saying "Moo" all day long does not make you a cow!" In other words, acting like a cow does not make you one. Neither would walking into a castle and proclaiming yourself a king, make you a king! To be a cow, you would have to be born one -- an act of God.
To be part of a royal family,
you would have to be born that way -
or at least, marry into it.

Jesus used many illustrations to make us understand the point that we must have a complete metamorphesis if we want to be a part of His Coming Kingdom -- a whole new existence, brought about, not by flesh and blood (human effort), but by a mystical change of a sort that only He Himself could perform -- a supernatural transformation:

He told us that he was the Messiah Prince of Israel, (John 4:25-26) and that He would be the bridegroom of all who would join themselves to Him in His New Covenant. (Mat.26:28 | Luke 22:20)
For more on this, read The Marriage Supper of The Lamb

He told us we must have a new kind of birth, whereby we would be born into God's Kingdom. (John 3:3 KJV) and (John 3:5 KJV)

He told us that this new birth would be a mystical union which would make us sons of God. (John 1:11-13 KJV)

He told us that it would be literally impossible for us to get ourselves to Heaven; but that with God alone, this could become possible. (Mat 19:23-26 KJV)

He told us that everything would have to be of a new origin in this New Covenant of Grace - not a makeover of the old. (Mark 2:22 KJV)

Scripture tells us that we will become heirs of God - joint heirs with Christ, to all that He rightfully inherits from the Father - if we are willing to suffer with Him first, for a time. (Mat. 25:34 | Rom. 8:15-18 KJV)
Therefore, to become a true Christian - a genuine child of God - you must be born again. And being born again is a matter of the heart - one which God himself makes happen, when you turn in prayer to Him in sincerity of heart.
But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; {9} That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
{10} For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. {11} For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. {12} For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
{13} For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans_10:8-13_KJV)
It was always that way. Not all who were physically born into Israel truly belonged to God, but those whose hearts were turned toward Him. It is the same in the New Testament. How active someone is in the church does not make that person a genuine Christian.

This is how the Old Testament puts it:

"But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul." (Deu 4:29 KJV)

"And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live." (Deu 30:6 KJV)

"The Lord says: "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men." (Isa 29:13 NIV)

"And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." (Jer 29:13 KJV)

This is how the New Testament puts it:

"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. {4} Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? {5} Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. {6} That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. {7} Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. {8} The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit." (John 3:3-8 KJV)

"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: {14} Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
{15} Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. {16} Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? {17} Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. {18} A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. {19} Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. {20} Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
{21} Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. {22} Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? {23} And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (Mat 7:13-23 KJV)

"And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." (Luke 11:9 KJV)

Some Inspirational Links

Missing Heaven by 18 Inches
Some of these people are even in responsible positions in the church, but they have only a "head" or "intellectual" acceptance of the Lord Jesus Christ...

Knowing The Facts, Missing The Relationship
(Ron Hutchcraft Ministries)
"For some people, the distance between heaven and hell is 18 inches - the distance from their head to their heart. Could it be that you have Jesus in your head, but you've never invited Him into your heart? That you agree with everything about Him, but you've never actually committed yourself to Him? If you have done that, it's settled. But if you don't know you have, you probably haven't.
But that could change in these next few moments - if you'd finally admit that for all you know about Jesus, you don't really know Him. And tell Him right where you are that you're moving Him from your head to your heart - that you're trusting Him as your own Savior from your own sin."