On November 20, 1988, the Los Angeles Times reported: A screaming woman, trapped in a car dangling form a freeway transition road in East Los Angeles was rescued Saturday morning. The 19 year-old woman apparently fell asleep behind the wheel about 12:15 A.M. The car, which plunged through a guard rail, was left dangling by its left rear wheel. A half dozen passing motorists stopped, grabbed some ropes from one of their vehicles, tied the ropes to the back of the women’s car, and hung on until the fire units arrived. A ladder was extended from below to help stabilize the car while firefighters tied the vehicle to tow trucks with cables and chains.
“Every time we would move the car,” said one of the rescuers, “she’d yell and scream. She was in pain.” It took almost 2 ½ hours for the passers-by, CHP officers, tow truck drivers, and firefighters – about 25 people in all—to secure the car and pull the woman to safety.
“It was kinda funny,” L.A. County Fire Capt. Ross Marshall recalled later. “She kept saying, ‘I’ll do it myself.”
As I read this story, it made me think of the response of so many people to the question of where they will spend eternity. Jesus went to the cross to pay the penalty of sin for the whole world. He took upon himself the sins of the world to justify the righteousness of God and provide forgiveness for sinners like you and me. He did all this, yet the most common response of people when asked how they know they will be in heaven when they die is: “I’m a pretty good person, I think God will accept me in.” In other words, they are saying: “I’ll do it myself.” “If I work hard enough at being good, God will let me into heaven.”
Is this really true? If we are good enough God will let us into heaven? Not according to God’s word. And I’m glad it’s not true, because there is no peace in wondering if you’re going to make it to heaven based on your good behavior. To let you squirm and fret until the end is not a loving God. A loving God provides a way that you can know for sure. The Bible tells us there is no one who is righteous or good enough to inherit heaven. It says, “all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory” and that, “the wages of sin is death, but the free Gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus.” – Romans 3:23; 6:23. Now that is a loving God. He offers salvation as a free gift, yet many still say, “I’ll do it myself!” \
Is this person you? If so, it is time that you examine your heart, and agree with God that you are a sinner separated from Him, and in need of Christ’s saving sacrifice on the Cross. Will you receive God’s forgiveness and live for him today, or will you just continue to say, “I’ll do it myself?” “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.” – John 3:36
Would you like to know more? We would love to talk with you, pray for you, and help you discover God’s truth and hope for life. Call us at 425-432-0634, or visit us at www.taylorcreekchurch.org. You may also join us each Sunday, 9 AM for Sunday school, and 10:15 AM for Worship. We are located at: 21110 244th Ave. S.E., Maple Valley.
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