Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

June 22
Sunday


THE DAY MY
DAD MET JESUS

READ:
1 Timothy 1:15-17
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I obtained mercy...as
a pattern to those who
are going to believe on
Him for everlasting life.
__1 Timothy 1:16
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My grandfather, my father, and his brothers were all tough men who, understandably, didn't appreciate people who "got up in their faces about faith." When my father, Howard, was diagnosed with a rapid and deadly cancer, I was so concerned that I took every opportunity to talk to him about Jesus' love. Inevitably he would end the discussion with a polite but firm: "I know what I need to know."

I promised not to raise the issue again and gave him a set of cards that shared the forgiveness God offers, which he could read when he wanted. I entrusted Dad to God and prayed. A friend also asked God to keep my dad alive long enough to know Jesus.

One afternoon the call came telling me Dad was gone. When my brother met me at the airport, he said, "Dad told me to tell you he asked Jesus to forgive his sin."

"When?" "The morning he passed," Mark replied. God had shown him "mercy" as He had shown us (1 Tim. 1:16).

Sometimes we talk about the gospel, other times we share our story, still other times we just show a silent Christlike example, and always we pray. We know that salvation is ultimately a work of God and not something we can do for another. God is a gracious God, and no matter what the outcome of our prayers, He can be trusted.
__Randy Kilgore

```````````````````````````Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling__````````````````````````
``````````````````````````````Calling for you and for me;`````````````````````````````
````````````````````````Patiently Jesus is waiting and watching__```````````````````````
``````````````````````watching for you and for me! __Thompson````````````````````````
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We plant and water, but God gives the increase.

**************************Today's Bible Reading __ 1 Timothy 1:15-17****************************

15 This is a faithful saying
and worthy of all
acceptance, that Christ
Jesus came into the world
to save sinners, of whom I
am chief. 16 However, for
this reason I obtained
mercy, that in me first Jesus
Christ might show all
longsuffering, as a pattern
to those who are going to
believe on Him for
everlasting life. 17 Now to
the King eternal, immortal,
invisible, to God who alone
is wise, be honor and glory
forever and ever. amen.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Many followers of Christ would take exception to Paul's self-
assessment that he was the chief of sinners (1 Tim. 1:15).
Considering the sacrifices Paul made for the gospel, the churches he
planted, and the books of the New Testament he wrote, we might
prefer to think of him as chief among the saints! Paul, however,
was no doubt thinking of who he had been and would be without
Christ. He also affirmed, "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh)
nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to
perform what is good I do not find" (Rom. 7:18). Like Paul, all of us
are desperately in need of Christ.

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