"God's Goodness" -2

"He loveth righteousness and judgement: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD." (Psalms 33:5) Actually, when it comes to God's goodness, I was really taken by the way He has so much mercy on me; thinking about all those years that I rejected Him, from the time I was about eleven, up to the time I was twenty three; for those twelve years, I must have received at least several dozen opportunities to accept Jesus into my heart, yet I refused Him each and every time. Talk about God's goodness: I don't think He kept on trying because I would not listen; I think He knew that I was going to do what I did, when I did it: it was my day, and He knew it, and so did I!!! Okay; we can argue whether or not God has an appointed time to be born again, such as the day when I gave my heart to the Lord was preordained or not; but don't you think it a little odd how I knew that I had to go down to that meeting on that day? It was as if there was something I needed to hear, and there was a urgency in my heart to be there to hear it. As I was thinking of this, and meditating on God's goodness, I could not deny the fact that He called me specifically on that day; for whatever reason that might be, it was the day of my new birth, and I believe, just as my live-birth was May 22nd, 1958, so was my new life birth on September 15th, 1981. If you think about the preparation that went into my live-birth, I believe there was something of the same involved in my new life birth, but only more along the spiritual preparation. I know it might sound weird, but God is the one who choose me, and called me on that day; it was not I that choose Him, that much I know for sure. As I was closing my message last Sunday, I promised God I would not neglect to give an alter call, and I kept my promise; unfortunately, the few individuals that I was praying would come forward remained in their seats, and there was really no response at all to the request; at least none that I could see. But, I did my part; and the message that Sunday was on Acts 18:1-6 where Paul first goes to Corinth; a message that I felt the need to title, Hell Is Real, which had to do with Paul's urgency to persuade the Jews that Jesus was the Christ, and then his response to them when they opposed him, and then blasphemed the Lord Jesus. I shared what it meant to blaspheme the Holy Spirit, and how it was the Spirit of God that convicts a man's heart, thereby making them aware of their need for God's free gift of Salvation; and to mock that calling and turn away was pretty much the sin that could never be forgiven; at least if it was your last day. Lord knows, I had mocked and rejected the Holy Spirit's call upon my life over and over again; but on that day, it was not the same; and had I rejected Him that day; well, let's just be glad I did not! But, as I closed my prayer Sunday, I shared just that; as I mentioned God's goodness towards me, and how I had rejected Him all those years prior to the day that I actually gave Him my life; how merciful God was on me, and how He never gave up; praying that God would have the same mercy on anyone in that room that did not know Him, but refused to step forward and receive new life. And then, just in case, I ended with the Sinner's Prayer anyways; for anyone that might receive it, and then repeat it later as they felt a need... "Lord Jesus; I know that I am a sinner; and I believe that You came and You died for my sins. I repent of my sins; confessing to You, and asking for Your forgiveness: please come into my heart today and be my Lord. I give You my life; now do with me as You wish. In Your name. Amen" (Or anything such as that will work!)