English Tract

The Incredible Story of Dan Fredrickson

Many, many years ago there lived a young and very happy couple. The young man was a blacksmith and his name was Dan, Dan Fredrickson. He was engaged to marry a beautiful young woman named Isabel. Soon the couple was married and they began their lives with great dreams of living happily ever after into their old age.

With the passing of time, a baby boy arrived in the humble home of the couple. The mother insisted on calling the boy, Dan, like his father, because, like his father, his shiny black hair glistened like the sun. The father gave in to the wishes of his beloved wife although a little tear formed in his eyes while he thought about the future.

The child grew while the years flew by. But from a very young age, little Dan fell into very bad company. In spite of the love and the good upbringing of his parents, little Dan became a shameless ruffian. At only 17 years of age, little Dan gathered up all of his few possessions and left home.

The next few years were filled with sadness and pain for the loving couple. The two became gray-haired from so much worry. And unexpectedly, Isabel got sick and died. With great weeping and deep anguish, the simple blacksmith laid his wife to rest in a cold, lonely grave.

However, Dan the son continued in his wicked ways. One day a trusted friend knocked on the father’s door late into the night. Upon entering, the neighbor informed Dan that he had received horrible news of his son’s misconduct. Knowing the delicate condition of his friend, he tried to tell him about the great tragedy that had happened. In a distant town, Dan Jr. had raped a young woman and murdered her. The whole town was in an uproar and was looking for the young man to lynch him.

Immediately, the loving father knew what he needed to do. Solemnly, he thanked his friend of many years and hastened to say goodbye to him. As soon as the door was closed, Dan ran to the kitchen. He reached into the lard can and scooped up a handful of lard. As he ran to his forge, he savagely rubbed lard into his gray hair. Arriving at the forge where he had spent years in his toil, he reached into the chimney and scraped his hands on the thick, black soot. Without thinking twice, he rubbed the soot into his greasy hair.

As fast as he could, he saddled up his faithful mare and whispered softly in her ear. “Come on, old Esmerelda, let’s take one more trip. You have served me well for many years, do not fail me now.” The faithful horse neighed and stamped her feet in response to her master’s request. Within moments, she was running like the wind as her gentle master urged her on.

After two hours, they covered the 14 miles to reach the distant town. Dan dismounted from the mare as she snorted for breath. Her skin was lathered with sweat. Tenderly Dan caressed the neck of the old horse. He thanked her for her final service. He slapped her hips as he whistled and ordered her, “Get away, Esmerelda. Go home. Goodbye my faithful friend!”

The town was in an uproar. Men with their pistols and shotguns walked everywhere preparing a vigilante band. But, in the confusion, some noted the strange man walking slowly towards them. Watching this spectacle, several began to say, “He looks like the guy!” Others responded, “Yes! Here comes the miserable rapist and murderer!” Demanding attention, the head vigilante yelled suspiciously, “Who are you?” The humble blacksmith stood up firmly and raised his voice with the strength that only love can produce and said, “I am Dan, Dan Fredrickson.” One woman groaned, “That was his name!” Within moments the horde of people were shouting, pointing fingers, and reaching for their weapons. Women screamed as they tried to gather their children to protect them from what was about to happen. First some, and then others of the men seized their weapons. The cries of “Murderer, rapist!” grew louder and stronger. In less than two minutes, a crazed citizen grabbed his rope and flung it over the branch of a tall tree. It was easy to understand what was going to happen.

Dan stood his ground, though he was trembling on the inside. They grabbed him and dragged him to the cursed tree. Some hit him with their pistols. Others beat him with their fists. His hat was stomped under the feet of the crowd and blood dripped from his broken nose. Even the boys who ran away from their mothers joined in the madness by throwing stones at the poor man. Shouting and cursing, they put the hangman’s noose around his neck. And faster than I can tell it, the rope tightened under the weight of the loving father. Within moments, the unruly crowd had taken the man’s life.

After what seemed like an eternity, the boisterous crowd of people calmed down. Meanwhile, no one had seen the dark clouds that covered the skies. At last, a loud thunderclap broke the stillness. Everyone raised their eyes to see the first drops of rain that began to fall. It was all interrupted by a child’s voice as he said, “Mama, look!” One by one, gasps arose. Silently, everyone watched as raindrops fell on the dead man’s body still hanging suspended from the tree. Little by little, the rain began to reveal the truth. Soot and lard pooled and slowly ran down the battered man’s face. Everyone started to cry as they understood. The father suffered the ravages of the crowd to die in place of his rebellious son. Without comment, everyone hugged their own relatives and hurried away from the cold rain.

My friend, this is what your heavenly Father has done for you and me. He paid the debt of your sins and mine. What will be your reaction today to His incredible love?

Was Jesus God?

This question is one that brings great disagreement among people of the world. Some do not believe that Jesus is God. Some don’t want Jesus to be God because of what it would mean. Others are convinced that He is; yet they are unmoved and do nothing about it. And finally, there are many who know Jesus is God because they know Him personally!

What is your response to this eternally important, life-and-death decision? Let’s be fair and look at the evidence of which we can be sure.

The Bible says, “The common people heard Him gladly.” Mark 12:37. The simple, common people welcomed Jesus’ words and teachings. But, it also says, “…the people were astonished at His doctrine: For He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” Matthew 7:28-29. Even though He was loved and respected by the common people, it was very clear that He was so much more than just a teacher of their law and religion. He had power. And for this, the religious leaders hated Him.

Early in His ministry people mistook Jesus to be one of the famous prophets from the past. Even King Herod thought that Jesus was John the Baptist, really a powerful preacher that he had ordered to be put to death only a few months before! Yes, these people recognized that Jesus was not just a regular man.

When Jesus Himself asked one of His followers who he thought Jesus was, that man, Peter, cried out, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Matthew 16:16. Even demons that encountered Jesus cried out in fear of Him because they knew He had power to order them into hell.

The religious leaders of that day hated Jesus and sought to kill Him. He healed the sick, worked miracles, and delivered people enslaved to sin. But when Jesus asked these leaders which one of His good works was the reason they wanted to kill Him, their answer was clear. “We’re not stoning You for doing a good work. We’re stoning You for blasphemy and ‘…because that Thou, being a man, makest Thyself God.’” John 10:33. They wisely realized that Jesus, by His words, was claiming to be God.

And what did Jesus Himself say? He frequently referred to God in Heaven as “My Father.” He even was bold enough to say, “I and My Father are one.” John 10:30. In John 14:7 Jesus said, “If ye had known Me, ye should have known My Father also…” Then Jesus told one of His followers a short time later, “…He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father…” Jesus’ own testimony was that He was equal to the Father in Heaven.

So, dear friend, I ask you this most important question, “Was Jesus God?” Yes, from all testimony of those who knew Him, He was God and He claimed to be God. But many claim to be a god. What makes Jesus different from them, you ask? Jesus declared, “I AM the way, the truth and the life: No man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” John 14:6.

This fact alone is what separates Jesus from the “many others” who claim to be divine. Jesus said there was no other way to be saved except by Him. The gods of the sun, the moon, the stars, gods of stone, of ivory or gold – NONE of these can save you! Jesus is the one and only true source of eternal life. Your good deeds, your hard work, and your ceaseless efforts to “be good enough”, will never earn you eternal life or the forgiveness of your sins. You must trust in Jesus and ask Him to forgive your sins.

After Jesus rose from the dead and ascended up into Heaven with God His Father, his disciples gave this testimony: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under Heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

What Comes Next?

Fear. It is the cancer that eats at the heart. It darkens the brightest day filled with sunshine and it destroys the most beautiful hope for the future. Fear paralyzes and suffocates the soul. It keeps you awake at night and steals sleep from your eyes. It takes away your appetite so that you don’t care about eating the very food that strengthens your body.

So many people fear multiple things. They have real fears and they have imagined fears. You may find yourself today in the grip of fear. Do you fear tomorrow? Do you fear the report from the doctor about that severe pain in your body? What about tomorrow? Do you fear you may not have a job or you may not have food for your family? These fears may not even have a reasonable expectation for coming to pass. But they are real in your heart nevertheless.

Others fear family. They fear the opinion of the community or they fear they will be rejected if people find out what really is going on in their secret lives. Perhaps these things are real reasons to be afraid for you.

But the Holy Bible tells us something of such greater importance than the fear of man or his opinion. It says in Luke 12:4 and 5, “And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.”

And perhaps you fear this death. What will happen to me when I die Where will I go? What will my next life be like here on earth? There are many questions and they do need an answer.

You need to know that Hebrews 9:27 says, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.”

Dear friend, there is no denying it – the One True Living God Who gave you life and breath today declares that after this life, there is no other chance to prepare for Eternity. Yes, you will live forever. You will either live in Hell, in flames and torment with the Devil and his evil angels. Or, you will live in Heaven with a loving, caring God and the blessed ones who have followed Him in the way of truth, holiness and love.

Revelation 1:18 “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” The wonderful thing is, He has the power over death! Jesus died upon a rugged, wooden cross for you. He can set you free from that eternal death of the soul. Your soul and body will forever suffer pain and agony because of sin and rejection of God’s gift of Salvation. The Apostle Paul spoke of Jesus Christ and said that He “…came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting.”

Jesus Christ was merciful to save a wicked man like Paul. The Apostle later said that God did this to show a pattern of what God would do for all who would believe on Jesus. That includes you! Confess your sinful state to Him today and ask Him to forgive you. He will and you won’t have to fear death and hell anymore!

The Lost Sheep

Matthew 18:11-14 tells one of the most beautiful stories in the Bible. It is the story of a man who had 100 sheep. “For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.”

In some ways we can all understand the beauty of this story. But in other ways, we cannot. We look at this story and we see a shepherd man who had 100 sheep. Even after losing one, he still had 99. Why would anyone leave 99 healthy, safe
sheep and go searching in the dangers of the night for one single little lamb? It doesn’t make sense to our human minds. We think, “So I’ve lost one. It’s only one. I still have ninety-nine more!” Or, perhaps we think, “I don’t feel like searching through the night for one little sheep. It doesn’t matter. We all lose a few…”

But this shepherd was so different from our selfish human thinking. We think of our own safety and comfort. But this shepherd thought of nothing but the value of each individual lamb in his flock. He was not willing that any should perish in the darkness! He would not rest while one little lamb was at risk to the cold, the rain, or the wild beasts of prey. No, this shepherd could never be satisfied while he knew that one of his lambs was lost.

Jesus Christ said, “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” John 10:11. This is why Jesus came to Earth from Heaven and gave His life on the cruel cross. He did so because He loves you and me with an everlasting love! He did not care for His own comfort. He did not try to seek an easy way. He loved us so much that He suffered and bled and died so that our sins could be forgiven.

How great was this love? His love was so great for us that Romans 5:8 tells us that God tenderly showed His love to us even when we were still sinners by letting Jesus die for us. Imagine someone loving you so much that they were willing to die for you even though you were offending them and rejecting their act of love! There can be no greater love than this.

Which of the gods of this world ever came and sacrificed himself for our benefit? Which died to save us from destruction? Only one! Only Jesus loves us like this. Only He was willing to die in our place so we could go free from the curse of sin. All He asks of you is that you would confess your sins to Him and turn away from them. Ask Him to forgive your rebellion and evil deeds. If you will humble your heart, He will show mercy and grace. Joel 2:13 says, “…Turn unto the Lord your God: for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness…”

My dear friend, you are that lost lamb that has gone astray. You have nothing but emptiness, suffering and death ahead of you. But you don’t have to die in your sins. The Great Shepherd is here today searching for you, that little lost lamb!

What Must I Do to Be Saved?

It must be the greatest question ever asked in the history of the world, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Who was it that asked this question? Was it a drowning man? Was it a prisoner in a dark, cold prison cell? Was it a poor man with no hope of the future? The answer is, “No.” And the answer is, “Yes.”

The Holy Bible tells us the story in Acts 16:19-34. The great preachers Paul and Silas were preaching boldly that Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation. A young woman possessed by demons followed after them crying out and disturbing the people. Finally, Paul turned to her and rebuked the demons and cast them out. Instantly she was free from satanic control! But wicked men had prostituted the young woman in magic and evil witchcraft. Once she was free, they saw that they had lost their source of income and they were angry. They complained to the authorities and they beat Paul and Silas with rods and cast them into prison.

At midnight, Paul and Silas sang praises unto God. God sent an earthquake and broke their chains and set them free! The Jailor awakened and came running and was ready to kill himself because he feared all the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried out in a loud voice, “Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.”

The man came trembling and fell before them asking, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” He recognized that God had worked a miracle that night freeing the prisoners from their cells but none of them tried to escape! The poor man’s life as a jailor was spared.

This man was truly to be pitied. He controlled the prison, but chains of sin bound his soul. He was asleep in his bed, but his heart found no rest from all the wrong things he had done. The jailor thought he had everything he could want in life, but that night he understood that he lacked the most important thing: Eternal salvation and forgiveness from sins! He was drowning in His own sins and he couldn’t help himself.

You are like that jailor today. Regardless of what position you find yourself in life, you know your world is dark and hopeless. You fear tomorrow and you are afraid of death. Even when you have money in your pocket, you know your soul is doomed because money can never buy peace with God!

Let me help you today by answering that dear man’s question, “What must I do to be saved?” Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, came into the world to save sinners like you and me. He lived a holy, sinless life and He did good everywhere He went. He came to die on the cross in order to pay the horrible price for our sins. We were enemies with God and we were doomed by our own sins. But Jesus willingly died in your place, in my place! He took the pain, agony and misery of a cruel death so that you and I could be forgiven from our sins.

Paul told the jailor, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…” You must do the same. You must believe that He is truly God’s Son, that He died in your place, and that He was raised from the dead in power and glory! Confess your sins only to Jesus Christ (Romans 10:9) and “He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I John 1:9. That very night the jailor went home to his family as a new man! His life had been changed and theirs was too. Your life can change forever as well if you will do as he did. Pray today and confess your sins. Believe on Jesus Christ as the only way of salvation and you can be saved! Then begin to read God’s Holy Bible and find a church that teaches and believes in the power of salvation and the Holy Spirit.

Who Is This ‘Jesus of Nazareth”?

In Mark chapter 1 of the Holy Bible, there is a powerful event that every person should read. Jesus, the Mighty Teacher and God in human flesh, had called many men to follow Him. They answered His call and traveled with Him. In verses 21-28 we read the following words: And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day He entered into the synagogue, and taught. And they were astonished at his doctrine: for He taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes. And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, Saying, “Let us alone; what have we to do with Thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? Art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.” And Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Hold thy peace, and come out of him.” And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him. And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth He even the unclean spirits, and they do obey Him.” And immediately His fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee.

You see, the people often called Jesus, ‘the Man from Nazareth’ because He had lived there since childhood and His mother, brothers and sisters still lived there. They saw Him as “a carpenter’s son”, a local boy that they had known for many years from His youth until His adulthood. But the truth is, they really didn’t know who Jesus was, or from where He had come.

Perhaps you don’t really know who this Jesus is. Maybe you don’t understand enough about Him to know where He came from. But let me explain the most wonderful news! This Jesus did not originate in a little dusty town called Nazareth. He was the Almighty, Living God. He laid aside the glory He had throughout all Eternity and He took upon Himself human form. He did this so that He might walk among us and minister to the hearts of humanity. He has all power in Heaven and Earth and He proved this by healing sick bodies, opening blinded eyes and raising the dead. But even greater than these miracles, He also showed that He had power over sin and Satan! Evil spirits and demons could not resist Him. They could not stand against Him. With authority and strength, He ordered them to leave the bodies of those whom they possessed! Above every other kind of miracle, Jesus, the Son of God, demonstrated Who He is by openly breaking the power of Satan and destroying “the works of the devil” I John 3:8.

Today, you may have needs like blindness, high blood pressure, heart disease and even cancer. Do not be afraid. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior. He has all power to forgive sins and heal bodies. But perhaps today you have silently despaired because you feel Satan has power over your heart or the lives of someone you love. I can assure you today, this Jesus has power over demons! He can speak the word and drive away every evil spirit that plagues your heart and life! Come to Him and cry out for mercy. The Holy Scriptures promise that His heart is touched with our infirmities. “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:15 Hallelujah!!! He is here to help you today!

Who Is the Greatest Fool

From long, long ago, a story tells of a king who ruled his kingdom. It was a vast land filled with many people. The king was good and he loved his people very much. All the people loved their good king because he thought of their welfare.

But of all the king’s subjects in his kingdom, his Fool, the court jester, was his favorite person of all. The Fool was such a joy to have in the Palace. He could tell funny stories, he could dance, he could juggle, and do many tricks. Any time the king felt sad, all he had to do was call upon the Fool to come and entertain him and it would always lift his spirits.

One day, the great king had an idea. So, he called for the court jester to come to the Royal Palace to the king’s personal chambers. There, he explained his task. “Dear friend, you have always been such a good companion to me. You have made me laugh and you have taken my sadness away every time I have called you. But, alas, you are getting older now and will not always be able to be my jester. Here is what I want you to do: Travel throughout my entire kingdom and when you find someone who is a bigger fool than yourself, you must bring him back to the Palace. We can live together happily all the remainder of your days and you can train the new Fool!

The jester was happy with the king’s plan and immediately set out upon his journey. He traveled all over the kingdom and met thousands of people. But he never found anyone who was a greater fool than himself.

One day news reached the Fool that he was to return to the Palace. The king was sick and not expected to live! With tears in his eyes and pain in his heart, the Fool raced home as quickly as he could go. When he arrived at the Palace, the king’s doctor immediately called him to come into the royal bedchamber to speak to the king. Oh, how the fool wept and cried for his beloved king!

The king wished to be kind to his friend, so he tried to tell him the sad news very gently. “My little friend… I’m glad you have come. I will soon be leaving upon a long, long journey from which I shall never return…” The Fool let a tear drip from his eye and it fell upon the king’s bed. Suddenly, the Fool opened his eyes wide and looked upon the king with great excitement. He asked, “Oh, great king, have you made preparation for this journey?”

The king answered weakly, “No, my friend… I have not made preparation for this journey.” With these words, the Fool leaped up and down excitedly with great delight! He cried out, “Oh, king! I have travelled the land far and wide trying to fulfill your wishes. And now, I have succeeded! If you, your Highness, have not made preparation for this long journey upon which you will soon embark, then I have found a fool greater than myself. You, your highness, are the biggest fool of all!”

Friend, let me ask you today: Have you made preparation for death, that long journey from which no man shall return? Hebrews 9:27 says, “…It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment…” There are no second chances after death! Every man must prepare now to meet God after this life ends. Jesus Christ is calling you today, “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28. And, Romans 10:9 says, “…If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

Who was the greatest fool in our story? One appeared to be a fool, but he was wise to prepare for eternity. The other, though he appeared successful in this life, truly was the greatest fool because he made no preparation for life after death. Today you can prepare your soul for eternity. The man who makes Jesus Christ the Lord of his life and prepares himself for eternity is the greatest wise man there is!

The Greatest Love

Isaiah 53:2 He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. 3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.

The Holy Bible tells us much about Jesus the first time that He came to earth. He was born of a virgin; He lived a sinless life and He died a cruel death on the cross. Only three days later, He arose from the dead and was victorious over the grave!

Yes, the Holy Scriptures tell us much about the things Jesus said and the things He did. He healed the sick, He opened blinded eyes. He fed multitudes with only five small breads and two small fish. He taught the people with authority and power.

His very own followers did not understand Him, but they knew the power and anointing He possessed had truly come from God. Even at twelve years of age, His wisdom and understanding of Scriptures amazed the wisest men in the land. He calmed the storms on the sea and He preached more beautiful words than anyone has ever heard.

He was beaten, bruised, stripped of His clothing, and scourged with a whip. A crown of thorns was placed on His head and when He was accused falsely, He never opened His mouth to argue or defend Himself. Finally, He allowed men to nail Him to a cross in order to die and pay the price of your sins and mine.

Why did Jesus suffer all of these things? He did it for one reason: He loves you and wants to bring you into fellowship with God. Sin separated man from God. But that didn’t cause God to destroy us instantly. No, John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” This continues in the next verse 17, “For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.”

Jesus said, “…I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10 Don’t ever believe that soldiers took the life of Jesus away from Him by force. He said in John 10:17, “…I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from Me but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.”

You have never known anyone that loved you like this. Ephesians 5:25 says, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it.” You know for certain that someone loves you when they are willing to lose their own life for you! Jesus gave His own life so that you might have your sins forgiven and allow you to live with Him forever and ever.

Dear friend, the love of Jesus is the Greatest Love this world has ever known! If no one else in the whole world needed salvation except you, Jesus would still have given His life just for you. John 15:13 and 14, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for His friends. Ye are My friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” Come to Jesus and experience this Greatest Love!

What Do You Think of Jesus?

II Corinthians 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

I ask you a question today: What do you think of Jesus? Before you answer, let me tell you some things you may not know. The Holy Bible is very clear and detailed in telling us about Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world.

The first thing you should know about Jesus is that His birth and coming into this world was prophesied from the very beginning of time in the Garden of Eden. When Adam and Eve sinned, God came to speak to them. Almost immediately He gave them a promise that a Messiah would come to break the power of Satan and sin over their lives. Jesus did that very thing. I John 3:8 says, “…For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”

Jesus did not come to earth to seek those who have no needs. He did not come to earth to heal the healthy or to rescue for those who are safe. Luke 19:10 says, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost”. Mark 2:17 tells us, “…They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Most people are blind to their own need. But you recognize in your heart that you need something you do not have. Peace. Forgiveness. Satisfaction. Your own heart feels empty and sad. Because you know this to be true, Jesus has placed this Gospel message in your hands. He wants you to know that the thing you are really seeking for is Him. He loves you and He alone can fulfill your heart’s deepest desire.

The first time He came, “He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” John 1:10, 11. Why did He come? The answer is simple; He “…was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” John 1:9.

The Holy Bible tells us that Jesus is coming again to this world. “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” Hebrews 9:28.

In John 14:2, 3 Jesus tells those who served Him, “…I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” This is good news only if you are prepared to meet Him.

Let me tell you one more thing about Jesus. “…it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” Hebrews 9:27. Jesus Christ will be your Judge on that final day. He will judge the world based on how they responded to His gift of love – the payment for sin that He Himself made by His own death. He… “…will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts:” I Corinthians 4:5. If you reject the gift of Jesus’ sacrifice, you will have despised the Judge. There will be no hope for your eternity. But for all who repent of their sins and accept Jesus as Savior now, then He will give them the “…power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” John 1:12 You will be happy to hear Jesus’ words, “Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise.” Luke 23:43

Ahmed and the Darkness

II Corinthians 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ

Ahmed was a favorite boy all of his life. His father had favored him over all the other children in the family. He had found school to be easy and his teachers all thought he was the best student in the class. In university, Ahmed graduated first in his class. Business brought success and money in every area he touched. Surely, Ahmed had everything he could dream of. He had everything… except one thing.

As a child Ahmed never thought about it, but from his youth he was always
aware of one thing: His soul lived in darkness. While father was proud of him and his teachers thought he was the greatest student in their classes, on the inside Ahmed knew the truth. There was a blackness from which he could never escape. It followed him every moment of every hour.

The older he became, the more the darkness grew. After gaining the praises of men and the success everyone dreamed about, Ahmed realized that life was not wonderful. It became clear that everything he had gained could not drive the darkness and despair from his heart. Everyone thought he was successful and happy. But he knew in his heart that there was no light to shine in his soul.

He began to despair. What good did his successes do if he still felt empty If he had everything, why did he still feel like he was missing something Ahmed could not free himself from the darkness. He went from temple to temple. He gave gifts from his large income. He made pilgrimages to many holy places. But nothing brought light into his soul. He thought of ending his life in order to escape.

But one day, Ahmed told a Christian Pastor about his troubled heart. The Pastor was kind and gave him a Bible. He said it was God’s Word given to all people of the world. Then, Ahmed began to read even though he didn’t understand everything written within. After a few days, he opened and read in Colossians 1:13 and 14. It made his heart jump in his chest. “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:”

Ahmed went to the Pastor and asked, “Who is this who delivered us from the power of darkness?” The Pastor smiled and began to tell Ahmed of God’s love for sinners. He told how that the Son of God, Jesus Christ, came and gave His life on the cross of Calvary to wash our sins away. Ephesians 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

That day Ahmed found forgiveness from his many sins. His spiritually blind eyes suddenly saw the light of Truth and God’s love. Friend, you also can discover light in the midst of your darkness and pain. You must confess your many sins to God. Turn away from the old sinful life and turn to Jesus Christ, the holy One who died for your sins. Then, He has promised that He would forgive your sins and give you the power to become a child of God. You can step out of the darkness and into the marvelous light of Jesus Christ!