WHY WAIT? ~ Precious Victor Akah

During my morning devotion, I came across this Bible verse - Proverbs 20:30. I was astounded by what it says: "Blows and wounds scrub away evil, and beatings purge the inmost being." When I read this, I didn't quite understand what it meant (perfectly) until I researched other Bible translations to get the actual meaning. New King James Version says, "Blows that hurt cleanse away evil, As do stripes the inner depths of the heart." 

However, Good News Translation gave me a succinct interpretation. It says, "Sometimes it takes a painful experience to make us change our ways." Hmmm! Read that again.

Many stories abound of people who made the decision to turn to Jesus and resolve to live a holy life after they had a close call with death. Some others made the decision after battling with a terrible sickness, while others after suffering and going through severe hardship.

The question is, WHY WAIT? 

Why wait for a painful experience to change from bad to good?

If you're yet to abandon unrighteous living, why wait till you have a traumatic experience to give up such lifestyle and embrace righteous living?

Why wait till the Law Enforcement Agency catch up with you and you're given a life sentence before giving up a life of heinous crimes?

Why wait till a deadly sickness or STD hit you before you give up the life of prostitution or promiscuous living?

Why wait till you're involved in a ghastly vehicle accident with damaged body parts or a terminal sickness hits you and suck up all the money you have saved all your life, rendering you impoverished, before you accept Jesus and acknowledge Him as Lord?

Many a time we take lightly the matter of eternity, trivializing the decision to repent fully from sin and turn to righteous living by faith in Jesus Christ. This has cost many eternal pain, though they want to change right now, it's rather too late, because they've transitioned to the other world.

Don't wait for a painful experience to make you change your ways. The wages of sin is still, and always death. Let go of that sinful lifestyle and welcome holy living. Accept Jesus and repent totally from sin before you experience the severe cost of sin.

Are you born again but still living in immorality? Stop playing with sin of any kind: lying, cheating, giving and taking bribes, falsification of financial statements, fornication, adultery, lust, unforgiveness, slander, envy... GIVE IT UP!

Here is a TRUE LIFE STORY of Mr. Mike. Let this spur you to make any changes you need to make now and not wait until a negative situation or experience force you to.

Mike's Story

My story is actually a couple of stories tied together. The greatest gift God has given to me was not one that is noticed by many. It starts about 5 years ago. I was going through a divorce. My wife fell into drugs and left me and kids to be with the man giving the drugs to her. The divorce was long and painful. I was suicidal at times but some how when the toughest moments came my 3 year old daughter would always find me and say " I love you daddy" that would always bring me to tears and get me back to life. It was especially hard because my family was my dream. During my divorce my brother Charles Connell introduced me to Life Change Church. I struggled with my emotions every Sunday. I would pray and ask God why he gave me such a loving heart just to break it. Well little did I know God was trying to tell me something. After Pastor Ron talked about Gods perspective I noticed something. In my relationships I devoted my self to the woman I was with but I did not include God in my relationships. Because of this I felt that I had let God Down. I would be in tears during worship because all I could think about is how Jesus gave his life for me but I did not follow him the way I should have. I knew that Jesus gave His life for me, and I needed to give my life to Him.

Then Feb 3, 2019 something amazing happened. I got a call from a cousin that was stuck in a driveway. I came to help pull her out. While I was hooking my vehicle to hers I was struck by an oncoming car at 55 mph. I should have been killed. I almost died in the ambulance because I couldn't breath. At the hospital the results came out, I had 2 broken bones in my spine, a punctured lung, a severe concussion with a bleeding brain. When I gained consciousness one of the first people I remember seeing was Jonathan Scouten. That meant a lot to me. While laying in the hospital bed I remembered Pastor Ron talking about healing and how we must believe it and it will be done. At that moment I prayed for the healing of the driver who hit me. I also prayed for the patient who shared a room with me. Shortly after I was getting evaluated for surgery to fix the hole in my lung. After the pictures came back the doctor said it was amazing that the hole in my lung had closed by 50 percent by itself in 1 night. As I was getting tested for my concussion, despite my brain injuries I answered every question correctly. I was healing very fast.

Walking was very impressive to the staff as well. I was told by the trauma doctor that,not only was I lucky to be alive but to be able to walk was another blessing. I was told to be on bed rest for 6 months or I may damage my brain further and could paralyze myself. All that was something amazing for people to see. But that wasn't what hit me the hardest. When I came home from the hospital I was overwhelmed by the love and support I receive from people I knew and people I didn't know. God was working in so many people I could not ignore it. A different family brought me a,cooked dinner every day for a week. Teachers from Reeths-Puffer schools spent extra time and counseled my children. There was a small family taking care of my youngest son. Later I discovered they were the owners of the car that struck me.

God knows I am stubborn, so he hit me with the most obvious love I could understand. God fixed my body than he fixed my heart. I was hit by the car the night of Sunday Feb 3. I was back in church Sunday Feb, 10. I was back to work 3 weeks after the accident. And the day before my 6 month mark I ran 6 miles. God is with us every day, I now have an understanding of Gods picture."

Accept Jesus and repent from sin totally, don't wait anymore! Make that needed change now, make that decision now! Don't delay anymore!

On this day, Jesus the Saviour was born. He came to this earth and died for your sins, don't live in them anymore. What best day to make a decision to live to please Jesus than today - Christmas day - the day He was born. Go ahead and make today a memorable day in your own life.

Stay blessed. Merry Christmas.

Check out previous post.

DOES HE KNOW WHAT YOU THINK HE KNOWS?