EVERY HUMAN BEING is only one heartbeat away from eternity, so the decision to serve God should not be put off until tomorrow. Tomorrow may never come.
This message of accepting Christ today, for there is no certainty about tomorrow, was delivered last Friday night, as the breezes blew from the nearby Silver Sands beach and descended upon the busiest section of Silver Sands.
Nearby, men sat enjoying a drink or simply socializing. Others played dominoes under the street lights, but many – even little children – drew close to the crusade which was taking place under a tent.
More than an hour before Pastor Sam Taylor preached a message inviting those within his hearing to give their lives to God, Senior Pastor of God’s Vision of Prayer, Praise and the Worship International Ministries, United States-based Prophetess Advonda Small led those gathered into a time of praise, worship and ministry.
Later, her utterances would help many a hurting soul and those who fell to the ground, in the spirit.
Taylor, billed as God’s messenger for the night, spoke of a God who died to save mankind from Hell. He also spoke about Hell as a place where not even suicide could stop the torment of a life void of eternity without Christ.
He told his listeners that while men and women of the Bible, such as Peter, Andrew, Matthew, Zacchaeus, the woman at the well, Saul and The Prodigal Son, heeded the Word of God, and received eternal life with Christ, there were those who were only “almost persuaded” but never made the commitment to Christ.
He listed King Agrippa in the book of Acts and Governor Felix among the latter.
“There are many who agree to serve God when they hear Him call and others who want to do so at ‘a more convenient time’ – such as Old Year’s Night and after they are married.
“King Agrippa was convicted, but said, ‘I was almost persuaded to become a Christian’.
“How many people say that? The Holy Spirit says, ‘Today if you hear His voice harden not your hearts’.
“Many times you promise to give your lives to God but keep putting it off. One day it will be too late to do so,” he preached.
Taylor added: “Do not be moved by those who say Jesus was coming back a long time ago and there is time. We know that a thousand ages in His sight is but an evening gone.”
The veteran preacher told his listeners that despite how bad they felt their lives were, all had sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, but God “is still able, willing and waiting to welcome” everyone back, even the “backslider”.
He stressed: “Christ died for us because of His love for you and me. You have the choice to either become a child of God, or an enemy of Christ. Until you have accepted Jesus Christ, you are an enemy of God, who has given us a free will. Satan cannot make us do anything. He can tempt, but the choice is up to us.”
The three-hour service was filled with dancing, the sharing of food hampers and fellowship.
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