Welcome!

It's come to my attention that people from one of my "worlds" (that is, each of us has a work world, a personal world, a sport world, etc) has found this blog. I suppose it could be easily done - just "google" my name (I don't like using proper nouns as verbs...) and I pop up near the top of the list.

This, by the way, surprised me because I understand that there is a heart surgeon in Australia with my same name, and I would have thought he'd get higher billing than my silly blog.

In any event, no matter who you are or how you found this little corner of the "intrawebs," welcome. I really am glad you're here, and I hope you'll take an opportunity to interact with things I write. Maybe you won't, but please know you're invited to do so.

I'd like to find a pithy, smooth way to transition into what I want to say next, but nothing's coming to me. So, changing gears without a clutch (as it were)....

I'm going to imagine that this is the last thing that you'll ever read here. Maybe our paths will cross in "real life," but I doubt our conversation will be like this; real life conversations are bound up in all kinds of "rules." Since this is the last thing you're ever going to read here, I want to make sure it counts.

Everything in the Bible is true. God exists, Jesus is God, His death on the cross pays the price that you owed because of your sinful nature. Through your faith in that grace, you can be saved. There is no other way to attain this salvation, because He said so. Yes, this seems unfair, but if God is holy, "fair" would mean no salvation of any kind.

Think about it: have you ever done something - thought something - that you knew was wrong?

If yes, that sole act condemns you.
If you say you don't believe in absolute morality, then you and I are going to have quite a conversation (here, anyway), at a later date, about how absurd that is, and how you couldn't possibly mean that.

So, with that one act, you have condemned yourself (Romans 6:26; Romans 3:23). But, don't despair! God, by His grace, did what you couldn't; satisfied those wages, and provided you with the gift of life. Free, but not cheap. Simple, but not easy

See: it requires you to give up your own desires, and follow Jesus Christ, and Him alone. Right now, without Him, you are a slave to sin - slavery leading to death. In Christ, you are a slave, but a slave to righteousness - slavery leading to life.

And I mean it when I say it's by Christ alone. No one else. Nothing else. No talisman, no Mary, no Allah, no Buddha, no karma, no intellect, no good works. Don't believe me? Just hold your mouse over: Acts 4:11-12; John 14:6-7 and read for yourself.

Again: Jesus Christ is the only way by which you can be saved. Read Ephesians 2:8-9.

I could go on. I want you to realise that there is nothing more important than the Gospel of Christ, as it is the power of God for your salvation (Romans 1:16-17).

Does this offend you? Ask yourself why. Does this seem ludicrous? Ask yourself why. And if you can come up with no answers, feel free to ask me. I am no scholar; I am just desperate that this last thing you read here be the Gospel. It is the only thing that has eternal value; it is the only thing that points you to your purpose.

There's so much more I want to tell you about God. I don't have the time or learning to do it here today. But, what's amazing is that this one fact - Christ died so that you could be set free, and be reconciled to an almighty, perfectly holy, infinitely loving God - is all you need to know to get started. Like I said, it's so simple, but it's not easy; it requires you to be willing to give up everything - from a hobby to your life! - but the trade is so worth it (Matthew 13:44).

Now, of course I hope you'll come back. If not, I've said what I needed to say.

Welcome!