The apostle Paul was one of the greatest preachers the world has ever known, and he declared that "Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief." He went on to spell out in great detail how he persecuted the church, imprisoning and executing Christians. Sounds like a guy whose behavior was not exactly pleasing to God. He was a real bad guy, for sure, and even thought in his own mind he was doing the right thing. Why? He was full of man's religion, but he didn't have salvation.

Read about Mary Magdelene in the New testament. She was one of Jesus' closest followers, that is, after he had cast seven demons out of her. A pretty bad chick.......

An old preacher I know who was a full-time missionary to Central America for many years told me once about a man that came into a service he was preaching (here in the States). There was a woman who had gotten saved in that revival, who said her husband would be coming to church with her. She said he was an ex-hitman who had done time for murder. My friend said that when the man walked in, he had the hardest, coldest eyes he'd ever seen. But, the Lord was dealing with his heart.

During the service, he went down to the altar to get saved, and my friend said he indeed prayed ALL the way through to what he really needed. He said just the *immediate* change was unreal. The man later testified about how he was a career criminal, and had killed several people. He was finally prosecuted for a count of murder, and did a lot of time. He got out, got married, and went back into small-time crime. He was doing drugs, and had been having an affair with his wife's 16 year old sister when he got saved.

My friend said that the last he knew, long after that, the man was still saved and on fire for God. If he wasn't a "real bad guy," then I don't know what is.

The blood of Christ is more than enough to set the worst of the worst free. Sin is sin in the eyes of God, and it doesn't matter how deep someone is into ANYTHING. They are set free just as easily as the next. You can read in the New Testament where a man who was posessed with hundreds, if not thousands of demons, was instantly delivered of them all. He had lived in a cemetery, and ran around naked attacking people. But they found him sitting at Jesus' feet, clothed and in his right mind.

But, it doesn't have to a be meth addicted, homosexual, axe-wielding serial child killer who was raised in Satanism. Good moral people need salvation as well. Most really good moral folks don't feel the need, because they think they're good enough. NO ONE is good enough. The apostle Paul put it very clearly: "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." There is none righteous, no not one. All are born into sin. All need a savior. I know many goody-goody squarebritches types who were very good moral people, who were nevertheless lost. They thought they were OK. Some were even raised in church, and some were even preacher's kids. But, one day the Lord dealt with their heart and they got saved. I've heard many, many people say they used to THINK they were saved, that is, until they TRULY got saved. And, they're just as fervent as the redeemed heroin junkie now.

God is no respecter of persons, he loves all alike, but he hates sin. Sin must be dealt with, and the blood of Christ is the only thing that can change you from the inside out and place you into a relationship with him. And even if you could somehow never sin again (which is impossible, sin is man's nature), every sin ever committed is still on your record. Jesus not only forgives sin, he gives you a new nature along with it. Not the "old nature" to sin, but a new nature with no desire to sin. One of my favorite scriptures: "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away, behold, all things become new."

Again, this ain't no "religious conversion." Religion has nothing to do with it. Religion is just a man-made activity without value. God's born-again salvation is a real, life changing, supernatural experience. Make no mistake, when it happens it'll be by far, a million times over, the most profound experience of your entire life.

Anyone who is "sanctimoniously impressed with themself" doesn't know the God I know, I can guarantee you that. If they draw attention to themself and how good they are, rather than glorifying Christ and his works in them and/or others, then they don't have the goods. The Holy Ghost will only glorify Christ. If someone is glorifying fleshly mankind instead, they don't have the Holy Ghost. Very simple!

From salvation to heaven, it requires humility. God will accept nothing less. Jesus said, "Except ye become as a little child, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of God."

The reason myself and others are so fervent about it, is that it's the best thing that ever happened to us, and the ongoing abundant life that comes with it is so real, so profound, so intense, so good, that you can't keep it to yourself. The prophet Jeremiah had tried to keep it to himself, and had even said he'd preach no more. But he couldn't hold it in and said, "It's like a fire shut up in my bones..." Peter and John were arrested, beaten, and told to never speak the gospel again, but they told the authorities that they couldn't keep from it. And, they went right back out and started preaching again. It bubbles over and you simply can't help it, it's so good!

You see, this thing is not entirely all the way by faith. It *is* a faith walk, but there's a wonderful feeling inside that comes with it. You can't see it or touch it, but you can feel the very real presence and nearness of the Lord in your soul.

I used to scoff at "holy rollers," make fun of it, and persecute Christians I went to school with. I've always believed in God, but did not believe there was any way to achieve fellowship or communicate with him, and certainly didn't believe anyone could be changed. I thought those people were weakminded and relying on religion for a crutch, and thought it was absolutely stupid that they were missing out on all the fun of girls and partying.

I later found out that I was the one who was missing out. My life could have and would have been so much better if I'd listened to the witness of those Christians in school instead of scoffing at them. If I could go back and do it again, I'd have gotten saved as a child.

Thermionic