Day 3 John Wesley

Are you accepted in the beloved?

"Monday, 27.—Mr. Kinchin went with me to the castle, where, after reading prayers and preaching on “It is appointed unto men once to die,” we prayed with the condemned man, first in several forms of prayer and then in such words as were given us in that hour. He kneeled down in much heaviness and confusion, having “no rest in” his “bones, by reason of” his “sins." After a space he rose up, and eagerly said, “I am now ready to die. I know Christ has taken away my sins; and there is no more condemnation for me.” The same composed cheerfulness he showed when he was carried to execution; and in his last moments he was the same, enjoying a perfect peace, in confidence that he was “accepted in the Beloved.”"

Here is an excerpt from the journal of John Wesley.  Here is an account of Wesley going and preaching to a man who was on death row, condemned to die for the crimes he had committed.  Wesley preached to him the Gospel.  Although this criminal was being condemned for his crimes on this earth, he was about to face a condemnation far worse than physical death when he is judged by the judge of all judges at the tribunal of all tribunals.  

This man had no rest in him.  He was anxious and unsure about will happen to him when he meets his maker.  Do you have the same anxiousness as this condemned criminal?  Are you secure in your heart that when you die and are judged by the Almighty, that He not say depart from me, I never knew you?  

This man knelt down in heaviness of heart.  He was burdened by his many sins and his coming judgment would have been eternal hell if judged as he was. 

The word of God declares and speaks against mankind that "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."  John 3:18

This man knew not only his earthly condemnation for his sin, but he knew his eternal and Godly condemnation for his sins.  Do you today you see yourself as lost and a sinner(if you are not now a Christian and walking with Jesus)?  If you don't know that you have sinned, you have no need for a savior from sin.  The word also declares that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  The whole world apart from Christ stands condemned already for not believing in Jesus, for He is the only way that man can be saved and forgiven.  

 But I want you to know that the  Gospel is the power of God to save! The blood of Christ was shed on behalf of the worse of sinners.  The blood can wash away and cleanse all who will put their faith in Jesus Christ to be their Lord and Savior.  “I am now ready to die. I know Christ has taken away my sins; and there is no more condemnation for me."  He arose from the place of sorrow and condemnation for his sins.  

This man heard the Gospel message.  He believed in Christ alone for his salvation and the spirit of God came into him and the heaviness and burden of sin was lifted and rolled away!  He said he knew he was forgiven!  When you repent of your sins, asking God to forgive you, turning from sin to God, putting your trust in Jesus to save you, you will know it!  You will experience a knowledge that your sins are forgiven, that you are loved and that you will not be condemned by God, but will be accepted as His very beloved!  If you are unsure if you are saved, if Heaven will truly be your home for eternity, take some time right now to seek God.  Call upon the name of Jesus and He will save you.  Call upon the name of Jesus and He will pardon, He will heal, He will cleanse, He will wash, He will free, He will take away your guilt, He will accept you as His own son and daughter, He will give you everlasting life, He will put within you a new heart that hates evil but loves to do what is good!  Call upon Jesus today and experience all your burden of sin being tossed into to the sea, never to be remembered again.  Experience Gods love in your heart today by committing your life unto the service of the Lord by trusting in the work of Jesus Christ on the cross at Calvary!  

Scripture of the day:  John 3:14-17

"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."