The Crucifixion of Christ, The Crook That Caught It Better Than Any Christian

I would like to point out a couple thing here today about a man who I believe understood what took place at the time of the crucifixion better that anyone at any time in history. Now I cannot prove from scripture that this man was saved, in that that Bible does not clearly tell of his conversion but one thing is for sure - this man understood what was taking place during the crucifixion like no one else had and no one else has ever since.

Now of course Paul understood it because he mentions it several times in the New Testament. He talks about it in 1 Cor. 1-2, he talks about it in 2 Cor. 13, he talks about it throughout the book of Galatians, he talks about it in Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and several other times in the New Testament but I don’t think even he understood it like the man that I’m going to talk about this today.

Now I think I understand the crucifixion… I mean I know that Jesus was crucified on the cross at Calvary and he took and bore the sins of all mankind on himself. I know about the substitutionary atonement and I know about all the Messianic prophesies that were fulfilled that day. I know about the doctrines of reconciliation and redemption that were fulfilled that day as well. I know all that - but I believe that even knowing all that that I don't even come close to understanding what took place there that day like the man I'm going to talk about today did and that man's name is Barabbas.

John 18:40 "But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews? Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber."

Luke 23:19 " And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas: (Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.)"

What happened here was Christ ended up taking the place of Barabbas on the cross.

Now the Bible says there Barabbas was a robber… And that’s not too bad and all compared to what we put people to death for today but that’s not all he was. Luke 23 says he was also a seditionist and a murderer. Now that fella there is not just a robber; that’s a real scoundrel right there. Real evil, brother! Cold blooded evil!

Now what we have here is a time of the year when Pilate was to release to the people a prisoner during the time of the feast. And we see here that Pilate tried to do all he could to release Jesus. He did all he could to try and get around the thing... I mean he tried to get Christ off the hook. I think he knew what was going on here and he didn't want that blood on his hands. He thought that if he gave the people a choice between a Seditionist, a Murderer, and a thief or a Preacher, he thought that they would surely release the Preacher. Of course they didn’t…

Now we have this Seditionist (a revolutionary if you will), this Murderer, this thief here and I submit to you today that that scoundrel right there was probably the only man who ever TRULY, and I mean TRULY understood what was taking place at the Crucifixion.

I think he got it better than any Pope or Bishop (even if they were saved); I think he got it better than any preacher or evangelist that ever lived. I don’t think that any theologian alive understood it like this man did.

I mean you take all the saved people before the Crucifixion and all the saved people since the Crucifixion and evaluate them all, I don’t believe any of them got it like this man. And this man was a thief, a crook, and a murder. That man was Barabbas. I mean that fella there, he got it and we’ll see just how he got it this today.

Now lets look at five things this morning, five things that Barabbas understood that I believe he understood better than anybody before him or that has lived since him.

1. He Knew That He Was An Unjust Man Justly Condemned

The first thing he understood was that he was an unjust man justly condemned – He understood that he was a liar, a crook and a thief. I mean he knew that. He knew he was a sinner - an unjust man justly condemned. Now I don’t know how many of you believe that or not but I know he definitely did.

Most people in the world won’t ever believe that. They don’t believe that they’ve done anything that would condemn them to a place called Hell for all of eternity. In fact if you took a poll today I’ll bet you not 1/5 of the people in the world even believe that there is a real place called Hell and if they did believe in it they don’t believe that God would send anybody there for all of eternity, least of all them! But Barabbas knew that and he’d have told you that. He’d have told you he was a wicked sinner. He knew that he was an unjust man justly condemned. I mean his buddy on the cross next to Jesus knew it too. You know what he said???... He said we have received the due reward for our deeds! He knew.. he knew that he got what he deserved.

There’s one thing every saved person has in common is that they know that if no one on the face of this earth. Even if you die and no one finds out what a wicked rotten sinner you are. You know if you got what was coming to you, you know you’d deserve to go to Hell for your sins. I mean if your parents never found out what a real sinner you are… if your children never found out what a real sinner you are … I mean even your spouse never found out… The truth is you know! That’s what matters. Barabbas knew that. He got that thing. He got it better that any of us did. You see he had his day in court and he was found guilty. Some of you have never been tried by a court. Some of you have never been found guilty in a courtroom of anything so this thing is kind of abstract to you and you don't fully get it. I mean you feel guilty and you understand it and all but you take that fella there who'd went to the courtroom and faced a murder trial and had been found guilty... I mean he had been sentenced to death! He got this thing of understanding he was an unjust man justly condemned! He got it!

One of the things you do when you get saved is you try to tell other people what a sinner you were and how Christ saved you from a life of sin and a lot of times people don’t believe it. You know why?? Because they’re trying to make themselves feel better about their sins. They say "Well you know you weren’t that bad…" Because they know they're doing the same things you did and if what your saying is true than that means that they’d deserve Hell too! “Oh I didn’t think you were that bad…” – I’ll tell you someone who wouldn’t have tried to talk you out of it, that’s Barabbas. He’d of agree with you! He knew he was a sinner – he knew he was an unjust man, justly condemned.

You take a thing like capital punishment – I don’t know a just man on the face of this earth that worries about capital punishment. I mean if you’ve never killed anybody what do you have to worry about? Barabbas knew! He was worried about capital punishment because he’d committed murder. It was personal to him, he got that thing! As Christ was walking down that street carrying that cross on His back, with drops of blood dripping down His face, with His garments shredded and torn, limping, struggling to walk from the beating He had received… I can imagine that when Barabbas saw that his conscious was telling him “That should be you, That should be you, That should be you, That should be you!”

2. He Knew That The Penalty For His Actions Was Death

Another thing Barabbas knew was what the penalty for his actions were - he knew he was a Seditionist (a revolutionary desiring to overthrow the government), a murderer and a thief. He knew he deserved death, death on the cross! Capital Punishment was the crime for his sins and he knew it! He knew he was an unjust man was being justly condemned and that the condemnation for his crimes meant death.

Can I tell you this today that there is a penalty for our sins just like there was a penalty for Barabbas's? Do you know what that penalty is?? It's death. Romans 6:23 says "For the wages of sin is death..." According to the Bible the price for our sins is death. In Revelation chapter 20 the Bible talks about a Lake of Fire, a place where those lost in sin must spend eternity. That's the penalty for our sin according to the Bible. Barabbas knew he was an unjust man being justly condemned for his actions and that his actions warranted death! Do you know that today? Barabbas did.

3. He Knew That A Just Man Was Being Unjustly Condemned

The next thing Barabbas understood better than you or I was that he knew that a just man, Christ, was being unjustly condemned for his sins! He knew they got the wrong man and that Christ was innocent! You say how do you know that? I’ll tell you how I know... because he was a crook! – and all crooks know an honest man when they see one!

One of thee advantages of living a life of sin prior to getting saved and getting right with God is that you know an honest man when you see one. You know clean people when you see them. You know what purity looks like when you see it; when you’ve lived your life in dirt and filth and impurity, you know purity when you see it!

Let me tell you parenthetically, when I see a King James Bible I see purity! Most of the people getting fooled with those new bibles are people who’ve grown up in church and are trying to box themselves out of this thing. You can chalk it up to inexperience with impurity and make excuses for it if you want to but when I got my heart right with God and started reading that KING JAMES BIBLE I saw purity! And I knew it!

That's why I like working with kids. They’re pure. I mean compared to adults they’re clean. I coach a middle school lacrosse team at one of the local public schools here in Lexington and it truly is one of the joys of my life getting to work with those kids. You see by the time they get into High School in most public schools the kids have already had their lives tainted with deep sin (alcohol, drugs, & immorality) but when they're in middle school their still relatively clean from all that. That's why I like working with them, they still have a chance - they've not been defiled with the things of this world yet!

Ok now back to Barabbas, He knew that Christ was a just man unjustly condemned. You know someone else who knew that? Someone in the OT? The firstborn son of the Passover. He knew that. You see in order for that boy to live he his father knew that he'd have sacrifice a lamb, unspotted of the first year in order for his son's life to be spared. I can imagine that firstborn son walking with his father up there to slaughter that lamb, putting that bucket underneath the lambs neck to catch the blood that was to be smeared on the door post. Then that boy seeing his father take that big knife preparing to slit that innocent lambs throat; I imagine he probably asked "Daddy why do we have to kill this lamb? What's he done wrong?" His dad replies "You see son if we don't take this lamb's life then the Lord is going to take yours. He has demanded that the firstborn son of all the houses in Egypt be slain and unless we slaughter this lamb, the Lord is going to take your life." I can then imagine that first born son seeing that blood drip into that bucket after it's throat had been slit, hearing that blood hit the bottom of that bucket "drip, drip, drip, drip". I'm sure he thought to himself "That should be me, that should be me, that should be me, that should be me..." – without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin. That boy knew that an innocent substitute had taken his place, he knew that for sure!

I’ll tell you someone who knew that, that's Barabbas! When Christ was walking down that street and dropped the cross and Simon the Cyrenian came to help him, ole' Barabbas saw that thing and his conscious started shouting "THAT SHOULD BE YOU, THAT SHOULD BE YOU, THAT SHOULD BE YOU!" He knew that a substitute had taken his place.

During the time of the Vietnam war there was a draft. Lots of folks were drafted but even more weren't drafted. Do you know why?? The answer is simple - because someone went in their place - some other fella got drafted and went in their place. My dad didn’t go, he wasn't drafted. My uncles didn't go either, they weren't drafted - someone went in their place. In World War II/Korea my grandfather’s went. Did yours? They may have taken their place.

The day of the Crucifixion four men were there in jail that day but there were only three crosses. “Let em go, Let em go” said the people. Barabbas probably thought they were gonna release the preacher but they released him and he probably thought “Oh it must be my lucky day!... Wait I thought there were three crosses?" There were. "But there are only two crooks in jail, that other fella's a good man, he's a preacher"… Oh but he found out that three were going to be crucified that day!

Now you know when he was released and was set free he got drawn into that crowd and watched that parade and saw Jesus walk by, his face, his eyes, his hair, and his garments covered in blood. He thought "That should be me!" (Let me tell you that one day Jesus Christ IS going to come back and WHEN He comes back He’ll have blood on His garments just like He did that day only IT WON'T BE HIS BLOOD THEN!)

4. He Knew That The Substitute Satisfied The Demands Of The Law

The last thing that Barabbas knew was that the substitute had satisfied the demands of the law. The law required three men to be crucified that day. There were four in jail that day. Once Barabbas was released and Jesus took his place Barabbas’s debts to the law had been met.

Let me tell you today that in order to go to heaven God’s law requires that you be completely innocent, free from sin. Perfect! You see God wants a sinless man. That’s His requirement for entry to Heaven. 1 sinless man for 1 entry to heaven. Is that you? Are you a sinless man? Did you know God offers a substitute? He has a substitute of His own that He offers and His substitute meets the demands of the Law just as it did that day. Romans 6:23 says "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Have you accepted that gift? Have you accepted God's substitute for your sins? His substitute meets the demands of the Law; are you going to take it?

Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins. That’s what Christ paid for us on the cross that day. It’s the only thing that can wash away your sins. Barabbas knew that, he knew that Jesus Christ had taken his place and that Jesus Christ was going to satisfy the demands of the law for him. Romans 5:8 "But God commendeth his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." He knew what the demands of the law were and he knew they’d been met. He knew that because he was walking free. A free man whose freedom had been bought with the love of Christ; paid for by His death. Barabbas been given his life back! How about you? Would you like yours back?

Romans 10:13 says "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Everlasting life is a gift purchased by the blood of Jesus and offered freely to those who call upon Him by faith. It's that simple. Would you like to call upon Him today?

If you'd like to do that may I recommend that you call out to Jesus and tell him: "Lord, I know I'm a sinner. I know that because of my sins I owe a debt I cannot pay. I know that sin, and the things of this world can never satisfy like you can. I need you. I'm asking you now, Lord, ask best as I know how to come into my heart and be my Savior. Please come into my heart and help me to follow you as I ought to. Please guide me, lead me, and help me to live the victorious Christian life in Your will."

If you'll pray that or something similar to it, by the authority of the Word of God, Christ promises He will do just that.

If there is anything I can do for you please don't hesitate to contact me at jgpickens@victoryforChrist.com. Even if it's just to pray for you, I'd be happy to help. God bless!

Distressed, Discontented, or in Debt?

"David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father's house heard it, they went down thither to him. And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men." - 1 Samuel 22:1-2

What we have here is a story about David during the time of his rejection. He was running from Saul who was chasing after him and trying to kill him. David had already been anointed King of Israel but there was another man on the throne. The man who was unapproved of God was sitting on his (David's) throne persecuting him and those that sympathized with him.

So all these people flee Saul and come to David; and all of the folks that come to him are in one of three classes of people. The only kind of people that came to him were people that were either in distress, discontented, or in debt.

David here in his rejection is a picture of Christ in his rejection. We know this from the New Testament. We know that one day Jesus will come back and when He comes back He will take the throne that belongs to Him. We all know that He is the one who should be King of this world. But the Bible says that Satan is the king of this world and when Christ comes back the Antichrist will be sitting on his throne. But He is in rejection right now (you and I are living in the days of his rejection) just as David was when he was in this cave.

And just as Saul (his enemy) was trying to seek him out and bring harm to his people, Satan is abroad today trying to seek out and destroy God's children like Saul was trying to do to David.

Now when David was in rejection he went down to this cave and when he was in this cave all these sorts of people came to him. When they came to him he became captain over them while they were there. At t end of verse 2 the Bible says that there were 400 men and everyone of these 400 men was in distress, discontented or in debt.

These 400 would end up becoming David's elite; they would end up becoming the "in" crowd. You know why they were the in crowd??? Because they were wealthy, well-educated, personable, fun to be around, cool, came from the right families? Absolutely not! It's because they were in distress, discontented, and in debt.

If they were not one of those three things they didn't make it in. Let me tell you today that unless you're one of those three things you'll never come to Christ. In all my years of witnessing to folks I have never, not once seen a person come to Christ that wasn't one of these three things.

Unless a man is in distress about his sinful condition, discontented with the world's system or realizes he owes God a debt he cannot pay he is never come to Christ and get saved. And let me tell you furthermore unless you're one of those things you'll never amount to anything in service for Christ.

These three classes of men existed in David's day. There were those who were in distress - they were persecuted and oppressed by Saul. There were also those who are discontented - that means they were bitter in their souls. The circumstances and experiences of life in the kingdom had soured them. There were also those who are in debt - they were about to lose their property and could have been sold into slavery.

Let's look at a couple things about those that came down to that cave. Who they were, what they did, and why they did it. I believe this story has something we can all glean from.

1. All Those That Came, Came Down

Now, let's look at this thing here little bit more closely. The first thing these guys had to do was they had to go down. The Bible says in verse 1 "they went down thither to him." They went down. Let me tell you this morning if a person is going to come to Christ unless he is willing to come down. Humble himself and come down. That's just how it starts you know. If you're going to come to Christ you've got to be willing to humble yourself and come down.

Now I know the hyper-dispensationalist teaching that all a man has to do in this age is to get saved is to just "believe", I understand all that. Really I do. I understand all that quite well. I understand that you can't find the "prayer alter" in the scripture, I understand that you can't find the "pulpit" in the scripture, I understand that you can't find the "piano" in the scripture, and I understand that you can't find the "organ" in the scripture, and I understand you can't find the "Sunday school" in the scripture and I understand all that... but you can't find the "bathroom" in the scripture either as far as that goes. And you sure can't find an "automobile" scripture! I understand all that hyper-dispensationalist hair-splitting junk!

All that mess comes from the same place. All that hair-splitting junk comes from a person's heart not being right. Let me tell you something, if a person's heart is right though they'll come down; they'll come down, brother. They'll humble themselves and come down.  So, let me tell you this morning that the first thing God saves a man from is himself. You'll never get saved unless you first realize that you can't do it yourself; until you realize that your self-righteousness cannot save you. You've got to be willing to come down, brother! That's just what these men did here.

That was the first qualification. They had to be willing to come down. And if you're going to follow Christ that's the first thing you're going to have to do as well. You're going to have to come DOWN: surrender your self-righteousness, your self-will.

Rom 10:3-4. "For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth."

The first thing God has to save you from is your sense of how wonderful you are, how you've never killed anybody, and how you've never done anything wrong. The average person today does not believe that there's anyone who's evil enough that God would have to send them to hell for all of eternity, let alone that He'd send them. Let me say again you'll not be able to follow Christ unless you're willing to come down like these men did.

2. Those That Were in Distress

The next kind of guy that came down there was a fella who the Bible says was in "distress". There were men here who had been persecuted and oppressed by Saul. You see, David was a long time in breaking away from Saul. There were many who were loyal to Saul but were finally forced to flee because their lives had become endangered, just as David's was. As a result many of those men fled and joined up with David.

Just as in David's day, many folks have felt the injustices of this world, it's unfairness. There are many today who are discouraged and downtrodden. There are many who are living in this present world who are hurt, heartbroken, and aren't even sure if there's anyone who can help.

Many today are trying to find a way out of their troubles and are appealing to all sorts of things in search of an apparent "remedy". Some turn to drugs, some turn to alcohol, some to immorality - all in search of comfort and solace from their problems. The truth is that today, just as they were in David's day, people are in distress. There is nothing new under the sun.

People battled discouragement, distress, and depression emotionally in David's day just as they do today. They suffered physically and spiritually just as we do today. Let me tell you why I find this encouraging and why you should too... The problems they faced were the same and I submit to you that so was the answer!

Do you know why Jesus came?? Do you?? Luke 19:10 sums it up perfectly "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost".

That's right He came not just to save those who were lost and undone in their sin and in the world - the Bible say He came seek THEM out! That's me right there. I don't know about you but He sought me out. When God got a hold of me I was headed as fast as I could away from Him. I was searching for satisfaction and solace in anything I could find. I was in discouraged, depressed, and as down as I could be, but the day I got DOWN on my knees waved the white flag "DISTRESS" the Lord looked down with love and grace and accepted me with open arms.

That's what these men did. They were in distress and they knew it - they went down to that cave and called out to the rejected King and he took them in. 

3. Those That Were Discontented

Then next king of fella David had down there with him was the guy who was Discontented. Let me start out by saying right now if you're content with the world, and all the things in it and all the things it has to offer you'll never get saved and you'll never do a thing for Christ. Do you know why you don't see many of the rich and famous people get saved?? Do you know why you don't see many of the big business "Wall Street" types get saved?? Do you know why you don't see many of the movie stars in Hollywood get saved?? Do you want to know why not many "wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called"?? Why all those people on the front of Life, Time, and People magazine and all that mess hardly ever get saved??

If you want to know why most of those people never get saved I can tell you why. It's because they're content with the things of this world! They're satisfied, brother! They've got all they need right here and if your content, and satisfied with the things of this world you're never gonna make it either.

These men weren't, these men weren't content at all. They weren't content with anything was going on in the world. They weren't content with anything the king of "their world" had to offer.

You take a guy like that says "I'm tired, I'm just fed up with this ole world, I'm tired of drinking, I'm tired of running around with women, I'm tired of living in filth, I'm tired of people, I'm tired of sports, I'm tired of all the sin...NONE of it satisfies me anymore!" You take a guy like that... He couldn't go to Saul.  That guy right there he comes to David and David says come on in.

Let me tell you that today there is one to whom you can go as well. He is The Lord Jesus Christ, the rejected King. He is fair than ten-thousand, and He says "come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest " Matt 11:28.

Just like the woman at the well He says I've got something to offer you. "Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." John 4:7. "If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink" John 7:37.

You see, this world is a cheat. It claims to be able to satisfy but it never can.

Hey take it from me; I've been out there. I've tried everything this world has to offer. NONE of it satisfies! From drinking $300 a bottle Scotch to robbing drug dealers in foreign countries and getting high on their "products" all week! IT DOESN'T SATISFY!! From having the finest clothes money can but to flying in private Learjets to go on hunting trips. IT DOESN'T SATISFY!! I've been out there and I can tell you the ONLY feeling you get after waking up from a night/week/month or even a year (yes I've spent even over a year "sojourning" in the "far country") of fulfilling carnal desires is EMPTINESS! Hey, if this ole world can satisfy you then you're not like me, brother. You're not like me. I tried to find satisfaction and came up empty. Thank God for the day when I admitted to Christ that I was discontented and he received me with open arms and said "Come unto me"! If this world satisfies you then you'll probably never get it. You see these men here were discontented and the rejected King said you're in; if you're willing to come down here then you can come in!

"All my life long I had panted
 For a drink from some cool spring,
That I hoped would quench the burning
Of the thirst I felt within.
Hallelujah! I have found Him
Whom my soul so long has craved!
Jesus satisfies my longings;
Through His life I now am saved."

4. Those That Were in Debt

Alright now you have those that came down, and were in distress physically, emotionally and spiritually and you have those that were discontented with the world and the things in it - David said to both come on in. Now let's look at the next kind of person David had down there with him- those that were in debt.

Those that were in debt, you say? Who is that? That's the kind of fella that realizes that he owes God a debt he cannot pay.

"Jesus paid it all
All to him I owe
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow"

If I wanted to find out today where you stood with Jesus Christ I wouldn't have to ask you too many questions. All I'd have to ask is "Do you realize sitting here today that you owe Jesus Christ a debt that you cannot pay?"

That's really what it boils down to. If somebody were to say "No, as a matter of fact I didn't realize that" they'd be outside the camp. Anybody with any sense would know that they were in debt.

Rom. 3:23 "for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God"

Rom. 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

You say well I'm going to change that, I'll leave here today and not sin anymore. Okay… I doubt you can but even if you could what about the debt you already owe? That's like you loaning someone $100 and then they come to you the next week and ask for another $100. You ask them what about the $100 I gave you last week? They say don't worry about that I'll pay it back. You say okay and give them the money. Then you don't hear from them for a year and run into them on the street. You say "Hey! Where's my $200"? They say oh… I made a resolution and I'm all set, I'm on the straight and narrow now. My resolution is that I'm not going to ask to borrow money from you ever again.... (Huh???) Well that's great! But they still owe you $200?

Every person here today owes God a debt that they cannot pay. The only way to settle that debt is to go down to him and ask him to forgive it and let me tell you about the authority of the Word of God that He will! "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Rom 5:8 "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." John 3:16.

That's with these men did. They were debtors and they knew it! They went down to the rejected King and presented themselves as such. Let me say today that's still all that's necessary. Unless you realize you are a debtor and that you owe Jesus Christ a debt that you CANNOT pay, you'll never come down to Christ. You'll never get it.

That's when I did.  One day I realized I owed God a debt that I could not pay and I went down to the rejected King. I came down by faith and through his grace he restored me and made me whole! He offers the same to all if you'll just come down to Him and receive Him by faith.

May I ask you today have you done that? Have you?

May I ask you, are you in Distress today?? Is there something that is weighing on your heart so heavy that you think you're about to collapse, that you don't know how much longer you can take it?? Would you be willing to take that burden to Christ and let Him bare it with you?

May I ask you if you're Discontented today?? Are you Discontented with the world, with the hand it's dealt you? Are you Discontented with the failure of sin to satisfy? Are you searching for something that will TRULY satisfy the longings of your heart and soul? May I recommend the Lord Jesus Christ to you? Would you be willing to take and drink of the "Living Water" that He offers?

May I ask you today if there is a Debt you feel you owe someone? Our sins separate us from God, but Christ has made a way to restore our account with Him. Would you be willing to accept the payment Jesus has already made? It's there. It's available. All you must do is accept it.

If you'd like to do that may I recommend that you call out to Jesus and tell him: "Lord, I know I'm a sinner. I know that because of my sins I owe a debt I cannot pay. I know that sin, and the things of this world can never satisfy like you can. I need you. I'm asking you now, Lord, ask best as I know how to come into my heart and be my Savior. Please come into my heart and help me to follow you as I ought to. Please guide me, lead me, and help me to live the victorious Christian life in Your will."

If you'll pray that or something similar to it, by the authority of the Word of God, Christ promises He will do just that.

If there is anything I can do for you please don't hesitate to contact me at jgpickens@victoryforChrist.com. Even if it's just to pray for you, I'd be happy to help. God bless!