IN THE GARDEN

THE LORDS HOUR HAD COME.
HE AND HIS DISCIPLES HAD RETIRED TO GETHSEMANE AFTER THEIR SUPPER.
THE LORD WENT OFF ALONE TO PRAY.
AFTER A WHILE HE CAME AND FOUND HIS DISCIPLES ASLEEP, HE WOKE THEM
AND TOLD THEM TO WATCH AND PRAY.
HE WENT OFF AGAIN TO PRAY.
THIS TIME, THE FULL IMPACT OF WHAT HE WAS ABOUT TO ENDURE FLOODED
INTO HIS MIND, HIS SOUL, HIS SPIRIT.
HE THOUGHT ABOUT THE BEATINGS THEY WOULD GIVE HIM, THE RIDICULE
THEY WOULD HEAP UPON HIM, THE NAILING OF HIS HANDS AND FEET TO
THAT WOODEN CROSS; AND FINALLY HE WOULD DIE IN DISGRACE, BURDENED
WITH THE SINS OF HUMANITY ON HIS SHOULDERS..........

HE PRAYED DESPERATELY; "FATHER, IF THERE IS ANY OTHER WAY, TELL ME;
BUT IF THIS IS THE ONLY WAY FATHER, THEN I WILL DO IT....."

SHORTLY AFTER THE PRAYER, JUDAS CAME WITH THE TEMPLE GUARDS AND
THE LORD WENT WITH THEM PEACEFULLY, A LAMB LED TO THE SLAUGHTER....
TO DIE FOR MY SINS AND YOURS.
HE PAID THE PENALTY SO THAT WE MAY LIVE. HALLELUJAH !!!!!  


                                                                     RONALD J LAMB

THE LORD IS FAITHFUL

WHEN I WAS 14, I GAVE MY LIFE TO JESUS.
ONE WEDNESDAY NIGHT I WENT TO CHOIR PRACTICE.
MY FATHER HAD BOUGHT ME THIS BIG RADIO/ CASSETTE RECORDER
FOR MY BIRTHDAY.
IT WAS BEAUTIFUL. IT HAD A FAUX WOOD FINISH WITH A RECORDING
METER IN THE FACE AND A HANDLE TO CARRY IT.
WELL,, THAT NIGHT I DECIDED TO TAKE THE RADIO WITH ME TO RECORD
THE REHEARSAL. SO,, AFTER IT WAS OVER, I'M WALKING HOME.
I AM WALKING DOWN BROADWAY, UNDER THE J TRAIN EL 4 BLOCKS TO
MY HOUSE. OUT OF THE CORNER OF MY EYE, I SEE TWO GUYS (BLACK)
WALKING BEHIND ME. THEY HAD HEARD THE RADIO PLAYING.
I STARTED WALKING FASTER, SO DID THEY, I STARTED RUNNING AND
SO DID THEY......
THEY CAUGHT UP WITH ME AT THE CORNER OF MY BLOCK.
I DRAGGED THEM FOR HALF THE BLOCK BEFORE THEY STOPPED ME,
BECAUSE I WOULD'NT LET GO OF "MY" RADIO.
ONE GUY HELD ME DOWN WHILE THE OTHER TRIED TO PRY THE RADIO
FROM MY GRIP.
 I BEGAN TO SHOUT "JESUS" OVER AND OVER AT THE TOP OF MY LUNGS....
NOT ONE LIGHT CAME ON, NOT ONE WINDOW OR DOOR OPENED.
I WAS ALL ALONE. (SO I THOUGHT)
AFTER ABOUT FIVE MINUTES ONE GUY SAID; "LETS CUT THIS MOTHER****"
BUT I STILL WOULD'NT LET GO, I LOVED THAT RADIO.
WELL,, THEY FINALLY WRESTLED THE RADIO FROM MY GRASP AND THEY
DID'NT CUT ME....
I WAS DISAPPOINTED IN THE LORD FOR LETTING THOSE GUYS ROB ME.
SO I WALKED THE 20 FT TO MY HOUSE, WENT IN AND TO BED.
I DID'NT SAY ANYTHING TO ANYBODY. THE NEXT DAY MY FATHER ASKED
ME WHERE THE RADIO WAS; AND I TOLD HIM THAT I WAS ROBBED RIGHT
OUTSIDE THE DOOR AND I YELLED AND SCREAMED AND NOBODY HEARD ME
OR HELPED ME!! DADDDY SAID; "I TOLD YOU NOT TO TAKE IT OUT THE HOUSE"
HE-HE-HE, I DID'NT LIKE HEARING THAT.....

IT WAS MORE THAN A DECADE LATER THAT I REALIZED HOW THE LORD HAD
PROTECTED ME THAT NIGHT. THOSE GUYS COULD HAVE CUT MY THROAT
AND LEFT ME DYING A FEW FEET FROM MY DOOR.
I WAS ANGRY AT HIM BUT HE DID'NT HOLD IT AGAINST ME.........
I SHOULD'NT LOVE ANYTHING OR ANYBODY MORE THAN YOU LORD....

                                                   RONALD J LAMB




        

HE IS RISEN !!

HE WAS CRUCIFIED ON A FRIDAY AT NOON.
HE DIED AND WAS LAID IN A TOMB BY SUNSET.
HE ROSE BEFORE DAYBREAK ON SUNDAY, THE FIRST
DAY OF THE WEEK.
HE WAS MET BY MARY MAGDELINE, WHOM HE TOLD TO
TELL HIS DISCIPLES THAT HE LIVES....
THEY DID'NT BELIEVE UNTIL HE VISITED THEM IN THEIR HOME.
HE TALKED WITH THEM.
HE BROKE BREAD WITH THEM.
THEY EXAMINED HIS NAIL SCARRED HANDS AND FEET.
THEY SAW WHERE THEY PIERCED HIS SIDE, AND THEY BELIEVED!!
AFTER MANY MORE MEETINGS, THEY WATCHED HIM ASCEND
INTO HEAVEN WHERE HE NOW SITS ON THE RIGHT HAND OF
THE FATHER.
HE HAS RISEN FROM THE DEAD AND HE IS ALIVE FOREVER MORE!!
HE GAVE HIS LIFE FOR MY SINS, YOUR SINS, THE WORLDS SINS;
THAT WAS HIS MISSION; TO BE THE SACRIFICIAL LAMB;
TO PAY THE SIN DEBT THAT WE OWED.
TO RECEIVE THE BENEFIT OF HIS GIFT, YOU/WE MUST BELIEVE  
THAT HE IS THE SON OF GOD AND ACCEPT HIM AS YOUR SAVIOR.
LUKE 9: 56    ACTS 4: 12, 16: 30-31
PRAISE HIS HOLY NAME !!!

                                                           RONALD J LAMB

YOU'VE GOT IT UNDER CONTROL

DO YOU? A FEW TOKES AT LUNCH TIME, MAYBE A TALL CAN OF BUD?
YOU GET IN YOUR CAR OR TRUCK; YOU GOT YOUR WIFE, MOM OR KIDS IN
THE CAR? OR YOU GO BACK TO WORK AND OPERATE A MACHINE?
YEAH, YOU MIGHT HAVE IT UNDER CONTROL TODAY; BUT WHAT ABOUT
TOMORROW OR NEXT WEEK?

YOU SEE, CONTROL IS AN ILLUSION FUELED BY YOUR APPETITE, YOUR DESIRE
TO GET HI, TO GET MELLOW, YOU KNOW, JUST TO TAKE THE EDGE OFF......
THE PROBLEM IS THAT TODAY A FEW TOKES WILL DO, ONE CAN OF BUD WILL DO;
BUT NEXT MONTH YOU WILL NEED A WHOLE JOINT AND/OR TWO CANS OF BUD
TO TAKE THE EDGE OFF.....AND GUESS WHAT? YOU'RE LOSING CONTROL.......

ONE DAY YOU'LL BE BEHIND THE WHEEL AND YOU WILL MISS SOMETHING
OR YOUR REACTION WILL BE TOO SLOW TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT OR
HITTING A KID.....

THINK ABOUT THE MONEY YOU'RE SPENDING ON GET-HI.
THAT MONEY COULD BE USED FOR A COLLEGE FUND FOR YOUR KIDS, A DOWN
PAYMENT ON A HOME OR A BETTER CAR OR AS AN EMERGENCY FUND.

WHAT ABOUT YOUR HEALTH?
DRINKING, SMOKING (POT), SNIFFING, PILL POPPING. YOUR HEART, LUNGS, LIVER,YOUR BRAIN AND MORE; ALL AFFECTED BY YOUR ABUSE OF SUBSTANCES.
IF YOU ARE TRULY IN CONTROL YOU CAN STOP NOW, TODAY....
IF YOU ARE A HEROIN USER, GET HELP NOW, BEFORE YOU TAKE THAT
"HOT SHOT"....

GETTING HI IS A DECEIT. IT PROMISES YOU HAPPINESS BUT NEVER DELIVERS.
GETTING HI ISOLATES YOU FROM SOCIETY.YOUR ONLY FRIENDS WILL BE
FELLOW DRUG USERS......AND THEY ARE NOT YOUR FRIENDS. AT BEST, THEY
ARE HANGERS ON, AS LONG AS THE GET-HI LASTS......AT WORST THEY ARE
RIVALS, COMPETITORS, ENEMIES....

HERE IS THE BOTTOM LINE, GETTING HI IS A WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY.
I CAN TESTIFY TO THAT. THE GET-HI CAN'T FILL THAT EMPTINESS INSIDE,
IN YOUR SOUL.

I FOUND JESUS AFTER DECADES OF IGNORING HIM. HIS LOVE FOR ME FILLED
THAT EMPTINESS INSIDE ME THAT NOTHING, NOBODY ELSE COULD.
BEST OF ALL, HE WAS'NT ANGRY ABOUT THE WAY I HAD LIVED MY LIFE,
HE ACCEPTED ME AS I WAS, AND NOW HE'S HELPING ME LIVE A BETTER LIFE.

I DON'T GET HI ANYMORE OR DRINK OR USE TOBACCO.
I GET HI ON JESUS NOW!!!

                                                             RONALD J LAMB