Acts 26:28, “...ALMOST thou persuadest me to be a Christian.”
Acts 26:28 records the sad words of king Agrippa in response to Paul's
Gospel preaching. “Almost” isn't good enough, which king Agrippa found out
the very moment he died in his sins.
Praise God for Christians such as Paul who attempt to win souls to Jesus Christ. Soul-winning is the most important thing to God. Nothing else compares. Romans 10:15 calls the soul-winner's feet “beautiful.” No such thing is said of any other achievement in life.
So many people in this world glory and revel themselves in the shallowest of pursuits and accomplishments. Yet it all means NOTHING to God. We see Hollywood celebrities kissing their golden Emmy Awards, and professional athletes crying in joy over some trophy they earned by throwing sewn pigskin down a green pasture through some plumbing in the end zone, and multitudes of other people who place the greatest of value upon such frivolous and meaningless pursuits in life.
God never calls any worldly achievement “beautiful.” God only calls soulwinning “beautiful.” That is what really matters to God. Luke 8:15, “But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.” God calls the heart of the soul-winner honest and good, evidenced by their obedience to preach the Gospel.
Most people couldn't care less these days what God has to say. That is why over 51,000,000 American women have murdered their babies by abortion, because they don't care what God has to say. Everybody is doing it so why not, right? The Ten Commandments tell doctors, nurses, judges, fathers, and mothers not to kill (Exodus 20:13). Everybody is doing their own thing nowadays. Our nation's laws are backwards, warped, and in many cases unjust.
It is tragic that nearly everyone has the wrong priorities in life. Most young people today are working hard to pursue the shallowest of goals, which have no eternal meaning nor value. They'll spend most of their life working hard to achieve false honors, meaningless awards, temporal recognition, and bogus praise from peers who are all journeying down the same foolish path of a wasted life. What will your name on a building's brick, or a brass plaque, or a sidewalk star, or a movie's credits matter 100-years from today? What will your membership in some Hall of Fame, or some Country Club Lodge, or some elite group matter when you die? All that will matter when you die is how many people you've shared the Gospel with while you were alive on earth (2nd Corinthians 5:10-11).
Only what we do for Jesus and the Gospel matters...
Mark 10:29, “And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for MY SAKE, AND THE GOSPEL'S, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.”
There you have it, in black and white. Jesus told us to lay up treasures in Heaven in Matthew 6:20, by giving our lives for Jesus' sake and the Gospel's... SOULWINNING!!!
It is sad and tragic that so many people spend their life pursuing things that really don't mean anything to God. Steel guitar is my favorite hobby. God has given me the love of stringed musical instruments. I could easily play in a band, but I never would because it's all funded by the sale of booze. That's what bands are all about... selling booze. If you want to make a living at music, then you must play in establishments that sell alcohol. It's that simple. I cannot and will not do it! It's blood money! Alcohol money is blood money, because booze shatters and claims lives! I hate alcohol, beer, and all the like... it is Liquid Devil. Those who drink beer are playing a fools game of Russian Roulette! Statistics prove me 100% correct!
I would play music for free at churches, and I do at times play publicly; but I have damaged nerves in my neck that afflicts me continually, so it's difficult to make commitments to be somewhere at a certain time. I love playing the steel guitar for people. I used to play at the nursing home and the mission for my mom while she was alive. She was my biggest fan. I sure miss my mom. She went to be with the Lord in 2001. Music makes the world a better place. I love the steel guitar because it is much like a stringed harp, which David praised the Lord upon, having 10 strings like my steel guitar.
I knew a man who strived for years, spending every waking moment of his life wanting to be honored in the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame. He finally got his wish, and I won't mention his name; but what a shallow goal. He wanted it so bad. That was his big goal in life, to be a member (amongst hundreds) belonging to some musical organization. Now he can die in his idea of peace, knowing that he is a member of some group of musicians. It's really sad when you think about it. It's not just the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame, but the whole lot of organizations. I am only familiar with steel guitar because I love the instrument, but nothing will ever mean as much to me as SOULWINNING for Jesus Christ!
I think it is ridiculous for kids to train from birth to adulthood to win an Olympic medal for their country. It's insane. Those kids miss out on a normal childhood, for what... a trophy? I do think America kids are lazy compared to Japanese children, who learn piano and the arts throughout childhood. In sharp contrast, American kids can play video games and name all the TV shows forwards and backwards. It's a shame. I think every child should learn musical instruments and the arts. Girls should all learn to make homemade clothing, embroidery, and knitting. It's sad that Wal-Mart has become our source for everything (aka, Communist China). Boys should learn wood-carving, use of tools, and all sorts of practical things. Kids today are taught by example to be incompetent, unmotivated, and are only being handed Harry Potter books to learn about witchcraft. Our country is messed up so badly.
My goal is to win souls to Jesus! I have no desire to belong to a group of elite musicians, many of whom curse in the Lord's name and are unsaved girl-chasing whoremongering heathens. I drove hundreds of miles many years ago to hear a great musician that I admired. I won't mention his name. He was one of my favorite musicians and I really love his music, until I heard him take the Lord's name in vain one day in casual conversation. Then I heard him tell the band that they were playing in the key of “F” for love. That's where their filthy minds are at—in the garbage pail all the time. So many men today are whoremongers, evil dirty-minded men. As a Christian I choose not to associate with such people. I've met many musicians in my life, and sadly most of them either smoked pot, hung out in strip-joints, cursed in the Lord's name continually, were drunkards, and were unsaved heathens.
