The Good the Bad the Forgiven

Titus 3:5 (NIV) "He saved us, not because of righteous things we have done, but because of His mercy." I have struggled many months, trying to decide on a proper title for this book. Titles like: "Am I Good Enough?" or "Do 'good people' go to heaven?" or "How 'good' is good enough?" or "Are You Sure?" or "Good but not 'Good Enough' and many, many more. None seemed to express what needed to be said. It's not until we come to understand that: we are totally powerless, and we have no righteousness of our own, that I will turn to Jesus in faith and repentance and let His blood make me clean and good. Only then, by God's grace, can I come into his presence- forever. This book is especially written to those (nearly 80%) who believe that their good deeds will outweigh their bad deeds, believing they can make it to heaven on their own. Only as we follow Jesus can we understand that God offers salvation and eternal life as a free gift, and not something we earn. No one really believed I could. I didn't believe I could-be a preacher! I was shy, introverted, had no self-confidence, just an average student. But one night, about 9:00 p.m., I was walking home after our Sunday night worship service, the stars were bright and being all alone, I stopped in the middle of our driveway and lifted my hands unto the Lord and said, "God, if you want me to be a preacher then you're going to have to makes me into one." God took my inability and turned it into his capability. At age 19, I entered Johnson Bible College in Knoxville, Tenn. After college, I held ministries in Tennessee, Indian, Illinois, Kentucky, and for the last 40 years, I've lived in Columbus, Ohio, preaching full-time and part-time in several area churches. Currently I serve as Senior Minister at Pickaway Church of Christ, Ashville, OH.