SEDUCTION AND REDEMPTION

When I was a young man, I went to a party one night where everyone was drinking, including me. There was an older woman there who was probably twice my age. She kept making passes at me. I tried to let her know I wasn’t interested without hurting her feelings, but she didn’t give up. She actually became more insistent as the night went on. She was so determined that I decided I had to get out of there. Even though I was drunk, and knew I shouldn’t be driving, I got in my car and started home, which was about 25 miles away.

About a mile from the party, there was a 45-degree curve. I remember waking up as the car went off the road in the curve. I remember struggling to get back on the road, and that was the last thing I remembered until I woke up in my own bed the next morning.

God protected me and brought me home when I was not able to do it myself, even when I was in total rebellion against him. I was a poor, wretched, miserable sinner, but God had plans for my life. He has protected me from tragedy many times, and I’m so thankful I didn’t die when I was living a life of sin. I know I would have died that night if God hadn’t protected me.

He protects us many times when we’re not aware of his presence. Contrary to popular belief, he even protects people who are not saved, and who have no intention of living for him. Jesus wants us to accept his free gift of salvation before we die. He loves us, no matter who we are, or what we’ve done. He doesn’t want anyone to be lost, so he gives us every opportunity that he possibly can for us to be saved. He came and lived on earth, and died to free us from sin.

God showed us how much he loves us by sending Jesus to die for us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8). Jesus showed his great love for us by giving his life on the cross. Colossians 1:21 says we’re actually his enemies before we’re born again, but he loves his enemies just as he commands us to love ours (Matthew 5:44). So remember that the next time someone hurts you. Jesus said we are to pray for them and treat them with kindness.

Also remember to never, ever drink and drive. It’s too dangerous. You not only put your own life in danger but the lives of everyone else on the road. It’s best not to drink alcohol at all. We need a clear mind to make good decisions, and the Bible says drunkards will not go to heaven (1 Corinthians 6:10). Read WHAT’S WRONG WITH DRINKING ALCOHOL to see what the Bible says about it.

We all need to commit ourselves to God, accept his free gift of salvation, and be born again. We also need to avoid situations where Satan and his demons can have easier access to us; like parties, nightclubs, and places where drugs or alcohol are present. We can have plenty of fun without all that stuff.

What’s Wrong With Drinking Alcohol?
https://teddylynn.blogspot.com/2015/07/wine-and-strong-drink-what-does-bible.html

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© 2020 Teddy Lynn – All Rights Reserved

My books are available in paperback and digital format on Amazon @ 
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ONE TREE, TWO COUSINS, AND FOUR FLAT TIRES

It was Halloween and I was 19 years old. I had just recently come to my senses and was off drugs and alcohol. I was trying to rebuild my life and become a better person. I had a good job and a dependable car and I was into having good, clean fun. I thought it might be fun to go Trick-or-Treating. The last time I had gone was a few years earlier when I made my own Freddy Kruger costume. It wasn’t bad if I do say so myself, and I had gotten some good compliments about it.

I felt like I was too old to go Trick-or-Treating, though. I went to my cousin, Tim’s house to see if he wanted to go. I could drive him around from house to house in exchange for a percentage of his treats and we could hang out like we did when we were younger. He’s only a couple of years younger than me so he thought he was too old, as well. He said we should go get my younger cousin Thomas who had recently gone with us on a camp-out and offer him the same deal. That sounded good to me, so that’s what we did.

I got a big, brown paper grocery bag and rolled the top down about halfway, and sat it in the front seat between me and Tim. Each time Thomas came back from a house we would empty his bag into the big one and soon we had several pounds of candy and a few rocks.

After we had hit several neighborhoods in his community, we headed up the main highway toward mine. All of a sudden, I saw blue lights behind me. I stopped and rolled my window down and waited for the officer to walk up. He said someone had been setting fires all along the side of the roads in the neighborhood and wanted to know if we knew anything about it. I told him we didn’t know who was doing it, but I had stopped to put one out earlier, before sunset. I was hoping we could be on our way after that but then he said, “Y’all been drankin?” When I said, “No Sir,” he said, “What’s in the bag?” I said “Candy” as I tilted the bag up for him to look into. A big smile came across his face as he chuckled. Then he told us to be careful and he walked back to his car.

We went to a few more houses, then decided to call it a night. We were on the way to take Thomas home when we came to a place where my aunt Lola Mae lived years ago. The house was gone but the big oak tree and the circle drive were still there. Just as we came to the drive, Thomas said, “Drive around that tree.” I wasn’t going that fast so I turned and drove around the tree. Just then, I felt something bump the bottom of my car, first at the front and then at the back. I had driven over something. I continued back onto the road and to my sister’s house just a short distance ahead. When I got out to see if there was any damage, all four tires on the car were flat.

I wanted to scream. I wanted to hit Thomas for telling me to drive around that tree. He assured me that he didn’t know that would happen. I halfway believed him, but nothing I could do to him would fix my tires. I had to wait until the next day to get back on the road.

We can learn a lesson from this experience. Those of us who are on this road to heaven need to stay focused and never take a detour. Sometimes though, we do veer off the road and something similar to this happens. We’re sidelined for a while. Sometimes for a long while. The key is to never leave the road, but if we do, for some reason, we need to get back on the road as soon as possible with renewed determination to never be misled again.

By the way, I haven’t celebrated Halloween in the last twenty-two years and I never took my kids Trick-or-Treating because I discovered that it’s Satan’s holiday, and it’s not something that God’s people should celebrate. Click on the link below for a great Bible-based video that explains the evils of Halloween. Thanks for reading my blog, and thank you, Tim and Thomas, for that night and the great memories.

Ghosts and Spooky Spirits

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My Blogs
https://teddylynn.blogspot.com
https://teddylynn.wordpress.com

© 2018 Teddy Lynn – All Rights Reserved

My books are available in paperback and digital format on Amazon @ 
https://www.amazon.com/Teddy-Lynn/e/B01MZDB6L6