I BELIEVE...

I BELIEVE…

Living in Florida within a block of Tampa Bay, I see docks every day, harboring yachts, sailboats and such.  As a Christian, when I see the water, I imagine it crystal clear and I long for heaven.  How nice it will be to swim in unpolluted, pure, undefiled, clean water without the threat of predators, disease or filth.

When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, a sin nature was firmly established in the heart of man and our only salvation in the mind and heart of God was a perfect, pure, undefiled, Holy Savior --- born of a Virgin, part man and part God.  In other words, He not only understood man and his weaknesses, but had a full understanding of the heart and will of God, our Father and His Father.  That’s when God (our Father) decided He would send His only begotten Son, sinless, undefiled, pure and without defect, who would become the only ‘perfect’ sacrifice for sin.  He had to be born of a virgin because God was His Father.  The Holy Spirit breathed upon Mary, she believed His Word spoken through His angel, and consented to be His vessel of honor despite the ridicule, doubt and unbelief of mere man she most certainly knew she would suffer as would her Son.  She considered the cost and was willing --- the immaculate conception.

The Old Testament of the Holy Bible was written to prove to us that we are sinners in need of a savior, to point us toward God.  The Old Testament was not written (given) to condemn us, but to convict us of our sin so that we would turn to God and be saved.  He alone gave His only begotten son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to bear our sin on the cross.  He (Jesus) was not rescued while He hung between heaven and earth because on the cross He also was a 'willing' sacrifice who took our punishment, so that if we simply believe and trust in Him and the sacrifice He became in our stead, we too would inherit eternal 'life.' 

Life and death are at two ends of the spectrum – life symbolizes everything green, growing and beautiful, while death signifies emptiness, permanent closure to everything living (hopelessness and dread).  The scriptures say, Life and death are in the power of the tongue, in our spoken words.  Further, ...out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh.  Whatever fills our heart --- whatever we allow to fill our heart --- will come out, will be revealed in the words we speak. 

There is life beyond what we experience every day on this earth.  We are here to fulfill a purpose (His purpose), a 'special' plan God has for each and every one of us that no one else living now or who has ever lived before can fill.  It is not His will that any of us should perish (be doomed, cast into Hell), but that each and every one of us would inherit (accept) eternal life --- freely given, offered through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  There are people in this present world who only you can touch, who would never allow themselves to be touched by anyone else.  His Holy Spirit draws them to you, as a moth to the light.  But when they cross your path, you must seize the opportunity, the moment, because this could be the only moment when this person standing in front of you (in your way) is truly ready to know and embrace the Truth and accept the free gift of Salvation by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Jesus clearly tells us in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John that He alone is the Way, the Truth and the Life and that no man comes to the Father but by Him.  When He teaches us to pray in the Holy Scriptures, He clearly and definitively tells us not to pray to Him (Jesus) or to anyone else --- Mary, or any of the saints who have gone before us --- but we are to pray only to the Father in Jesus' name because Jesus alone paved our way to the Father --- he is the bridge, the repairer of the breach, the restorer of paths to dwell in.  But for Jesus and the sacrifice He became for our sins, we would all be doomed to eternal hell and damnation because we (by ourselves, without God) are imperfect human beings, sinners (in spite of ourselves).  We are in need of a Savior.  ....God’s plan from the beginning. 

He knew we would sin.  He knows the end from the beginning, the beginning from the end.  He knew you (individually) before you were formed in your mother's womb.

If somehow we could earn our way to heaven by ourselves, through good deeds, trying to be perfect, there would be no need for a Savior.  The sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ, his death in our stead, would have been in vain.  We would then have no hope of redemption because in and of ourselves we are clearly and hopelessly sinners, lost and without God.

I believe in a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ --- not a distant relationship with someone we don't know but up close and personal.  I believe in praying without ceasing to the Father on behalf of those within our realms of influence.  I believe we must fulfill our supreme purpose on this earth so that no one will perish, be doomed to hell for eternity, without God.  I believe if we do not know our purpose, we must seek His guidance and wisdom day-and-night, night-and-day, until His will and purpose is perfectly clear to each and everyone of us. 

When we know the Truth, the Truth sets us free... and He whom the Lord sets free is free indeed.

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Though off-topic, as far as this is not a "fictional short story," my inspiration came from: 

SURVEY

Short Shots: Official WDC Contest  (ASR) Use the photo to inspire your creativity. Write a short story and win big prizes! #1221635 by Writing.Com Support

a picture of an empty dock leading to a body of water.

All scriptures given may be found in the Holy Bible --- mostly the King James Version.  Use a concordance to look them up if you dare.