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God's Amazing Grace!
“His Name is Wonderful”
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Today’s Message of Encouragement from Discovering A BETTER LIFE MINISTRIES
They are dedicated to HELPING
People Find HOPE. March 4th, 2021
God's Amazing Grace!
Today friends, on behalf of the Discovering A BETTER LIFE team, I’d like to share a message with you about the Amazing Grace of God!
I sincerely hope this story will help you and me to better understand that God’s GRACE is so amazing that it can reach down and transform the lives of anyone who is willing to trust in the living God!
Perhaps it would be true to say that every age has its symbol of pure EVIL. For instance, people like Jack the Ripper, Ivan the Terrible, Hitler, Stalin, and Iddi Ammin, among many others, all depict man’s inhumanity to his fellow man and make each of us shudder at their atrocities.
In fact, for all sensitive people living in the 1990’s, Jeffrey Dahmer comes close to representing absolute EVIL. In fact, his serial murders and horrendous acts of cannibalism are so offensive, that most people can’t bring themselves to think about them.
Indeed, when Jeffrey Dahmer was murdered in November of 1994, at the Columbia Correctional Institute in Wisconsin, America, most people drew a collective sigh of relief and were quick to respond, by saying: -- “He got what he deserved,” or “You live by violence; you die by violence and others said, “One less creep to threaten our children!”
However, friend, regardless of our personal views on crime and punishment, Jeffrey Dahmer’s story raises some very touchy questions for many people who wear the name “Christian”, as well as for many who are searching for someone to TRUST.
You see, for many people, including many professing Christians, Jeffrey Dahmer doesn’t trouble them because he was bad. Dahmer troubles them, simply because in the last months of his life he turned to Jesus Christand claimed Him as Lord of his life!
Jeffrey Dahmer was apparently a brother in Christ to many people. And according to a newspaper report on December 3rd, 1994, we read that “Dahmer confessed his crimes, but no one seemed inclined to forgive him. Nevertheless, he seemed to find peace through prison Bible studies, and in May of 1994, he made a public profession of faith and was baptized.
After praying that God would forgive his sins, Dahmer became remarkably calm about his fate---even after an inmate tried to slit his throat during a July Chapel service.” That same newspaper report went on to state that, “Traditional Christians would have to say that Dahmer is heaven bound, assuming his repentance is sincere.”
Well Friends, as I read and considered that report, it came to my mind that most of us are willing to forgive ordinary human mistakes and follies. ---However, the question many people ask, is can a person who personifies the DEMONIC really repent and be forgiven?
According to the respected Christian minister who assisted him in his Bible Study and baptism, Jeffrey Dahmer confessed his crimes, prayed for forgiveness, was baptized, and made a genuine life-change.
However, in spite of this respected minister’s testimony concerning the conversion of Jeffrey Dahmer, there are those who believe that many people have generally moved to a basically un-Christian philosophy of EVIL. This philosophy reveals that a double-standard regarding EVIL exists both inside and outside the “Christian community.”
In fact, what I’ve just stated is confirmed in an article written by Terry Mattingly in the Abilene Reporter--News in December of 1994, where he stated: “First, there are the ordinary, good people who commit garden-variety sins. They go to heaven, no matter what. Then there are the really bad sinners, especially those whose sins are linked to violence, murder, drugs or sexual perversions. They are doomed to hell, no matter what.”
This double standard as expressed by Mr. Mattingly is very convenient because it always works in our favour. Because many of us think that we only commit “misdemeanours;” while everyone else commits “high crimes.” -- And with that line of thinking, we are the “good people”, while everyone else is the “problem”.
In theory, that all sounds very good! However, the Bible rejects any double standards of sinfulness. In fact, the Bible says “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).—In those words, God says we have all rebelled against Him, and that unless we repent, we will perish. However, the Bible doesn’t distinguish between BIG sinners and Little sinners. The truth is that without the intervention of Jesus, everyone on this earth is in desperate trouble!
Friend, the New Testament graphically informs us of a man in the 1st Century, whose name was Paul, who actually persecuted and murdered many innocent Christians. Later, to his horror, he realized his mistake. And to Paul’s everlasting wonder, God reached down and forgave him!
I dare say, that if this same man were speaking today on the evening news, he might say something very surprising like: “If God can save Paul, God can save Jeffrey Dahmer!”
Friends, I genuinely believe that Jeffrey Dahmer is a great test for the “Christian.” He is also a great encouragement to anyone who is searching for A BETTER LIFE through Jesus Christ. And as I see it, Christians must ask themselves, “Do I really believe what I profess?” On the other hand, the searcher is assured, “That if Jesus Christ can bring peace to people like Jeffrey Dahmer, perhaps He will accept even me.”
Before he met his death in prison, Jeffrey Dahmer read his Bible, and he took the message seriously. Dahmer confessed his sins, changed his life, and was baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of his sins. Why then, should we be surprised? Didn’t Dahmer just decide to TRUST—the way every human being MUST, in order to come into a proper relationship with God?
Friends, Jeffrey Dahmer was many things to many people: He was a mother’s precious baby; he was a concerned father’s son; he was a trusted companion to many unsuspecting victims---to whom he later became a monster. --- But later in his life, he was other things: --- He was a man searching for forgiveness; he was a forgiven sinner; he was a brother in Christ; and a testimony to a GRACE, so amazing, that it can save any repentant sinner—even you and me!
Jeffrey Dahmer’s life on this earth is over, we will not see his future, nor be able to evaluate his faith, but in taking this time to consider his life today, perhaps it’s possible that he helps us to see more clearly in order to perfect our own faith in the Amazing Grace of God and the WONDERFUL fact that this Amazing Grace Reaches Down From Heaven to You And Me!
Friends, I hope you will listen carefully to the words of:
“His Grace Reaches Me” Please click on the Link below:
“Deeper than the ocean and wider than the sea, is the grace of the Saviour for sinners like me; sent from the Father, and it thrills my soul, just to feel and to know, That His blood makes me whole. His grace reaches me, yes, His grace reaches me, and ‘twill last through eternity; now I’m under His control and I’m happy in my soul, just to know that His grace reaches me.”
Having listened to the wonderful sentiments expressed in this song, would you pray the following prayer with me please: “Dear heavenly Father, thank you for loving us as you do. Thank you for sending Jesus, who makes it possible for each of us to taste your forgiving and liberating GRACE. You have been so good to us Father. And we praise you for your saving GRACE, in Jesus’ wonderful name. Amen.”
Thank you Friends for taking the time to read what I have been privileged to share with you today. I look forward to sharing with you another story soon, about real people, facing real challenges in their lives. I hope that some of you will be able to identify with their quest to find solutions to their problems and light for the dark places they encounter.
Perhaps as you have been reading this message today, you may have been encouraged to want to know more about God. Perhaps you desire to embrace His GRACE, but you’re experiencing difficulty in finding Him.
Friend, if this is how you are feeling, I encourage you to write to Discovering A BETTER LIFE and request our FREE booklet titled “HOW TO FIND GOD.”
To receive your copy of this booklet, just write to Discovering A BETTER LIFE, P.O. Box 1540, Albany, Western Australia 6331. Phone your request on: 98 418 418. Our email address is: abl-alb@omninet.net.au
We also invite you to take a look at our website:
Friends, I sincerely pray that God will lift each of you up on eagle’s wings and give you peace and hope, along with the courage to embrace His wonderful GRACE!
Thank you for taking the time to read today’s message.
Ron Bainbridge
Co-ordinator of:
Media Outreach of Kendenup Christian Assembly
The Nature of God
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