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Keith Green - Oh Lord, You're Beautiful

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

A FEW YEARS AGO......

About 30 or so years ago, I lived in the country,in a small town and we were holding a revival meeting...
In this small town lived an old farmer, who was known to be almost the richest farmer of this little town....way in the Australian bush somewhere.

And....he was dying!
He was also a wicked man....us kids used to sneak past his house just so we maybe steal a glimpse of all the " you beaut stuff" he had.
He spent the biggest part of his life hoarding stuff...anything he could get his hands on....
At the time a visiting pastor and a few others called on him, he was maybe in his 50's... (very old by our standard)
His local pastor had not been to see him yet, mainly because he knew how ungodly the fellow really was, (and lets face it, sending a visiting pastor who did not know anything about him, at that time, 3o or so years ago, was easier.)
Although the pastor did say.."I hope Mr Brown will let this pastor see him and give him a chance to tell him "where" he is going, when he dies, seeing he is so sick, if he does not change his ways."
Several days before the old farmer's death, though, he did let the visiting pastor see him, and he had the chance to talk to him about a lot of things including where did the man think he would be going after his death? "What was waiting for him?"

The old farmer's mind was dark....and full of unbelief. They talked earnestly with him
about the saving of his soul...but they had to leave him without getting anywhere much.

A day or so later the pastor and a friend called on the old man again, and he seemed a lot more willing to talk. Good sign!

But....he still seemed very far away from the Lord.
They pleaded with him to pray....talk to the Lord....and for God to have mercy on him For Jesus' name sake...

But....the old farmer replied...."Don't you see....I can't....the only time I used the name of Jesus was when I used it in a profane way... I blasphemed all the time....and I have used it that way all these years....why should he now listen to me....how does He know I am not using it profanely again? I have treated Jesus worse than a dog....why should He listen to me now?" And he sobbed and sobbed....
"I would give all I am worth....to feel....if I could feel the way you say you feel...!"
he was then told...."God is no respecter of person, He never turned anyone away who is sincere and comes to Him for forgiveness and pardon..."

He cried out....."I can not get any feeling.....my heart is so hard......what can I do...?"

Their hearts ached for him.....He was afraid to die without faith in Jesus, yet....he
seemed unable to repent....if only they could show or demonstrate to him that it was not hard...it was simple....just accept it.....and Jesus would do the rest....why was it so hard for him?

Before the visiting pastor left that little town, the old farmer went to meet his maker....

He had his "treasures" here on earth, but.......

where had he gone?

What did all those treasure do for him now?

But.....did you catch the cry of that man???

"I cannot get the feeling....!

and.....My heart is so hard....!"

Now that I am all grown up and well past the age of that old farmer....it stays with me what he said....and what Jesus said.....
"No one is able to come to me unless the Father who sent me....draws him....and gives him the desire to come to me!" John 6;v 44

We cannot come to Jesus when WE are ready....when it suits US!

There will come a time....when the time has come and gone and it is too late and "We cannot get that feeling" and "Our heart has grown too hard"

People fool themselves if they think they can resist the pull of the Holy Spirit all the way to their death bed and then decide "Well I will accept Jesus now...seeing I am dying..."
The Holy Spirit can and does leave a person to never try and convict them of their sin anymore!

The Bible says'''NOW is the time.....to wait for a "Better time" is folly, for our better time ....could be too late....

Bless you....

Yaddy

1 comment:

  1. Great (if tragic) story. Thanks for sharing. You left a comment on Jred's blog (Look Up Fellowship) about a map in your Bible showing Frisians in 45BC.

    I'd be VERY keen to take a look (and show it to my Frisian in-laws) if you have the time to scan and post (or e-mail) it. As the Spirit moves... Thanks!! I'm at: hiscannytruthhour [at] gmail [dot] com.
    Grace and peace from the wintry Northern Hemisphere!

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