When Pastor Dave, his wife Yvonne and his family decided to start a church, they
didn't have a place to meet on Wednesday nights, so they decided to meet at
their house. Every Wednesday night, the members of their small church would
gather at Pastor Dave and Sis. Yvonne's house for supper and Bible Study. It was
a fun and exciting time for everyone.
Cassie, Sadie and Mason were not allowed in the house during the Bible Study
because they are Pastor Dave's dogs. They just laid on the porch outside the
patio doors and listened to all the lessons that were being taught.
Mason, the oldest member of Huett's dog family, was sleeping in the sun on the
porch. It was a wonderful spring day, not to hot, just right for a nap, when
Sadie ran up on the porch.
“Hey Mason, did you know that everybody is going to heaven.”
Mason raised an eyebrow. “What did you say?” he asked sitting up and stretching.
“I said that everybody is going to heaven.”
“Who told you that” asked Cassie, who had come up on the deck from the yard.
“You mean that no matter what you believe you can go to heaven?”
“Yep” Sadie said, “that's what that new dog in the neighborhood told me. All
that is important is that you really believe in whatever you believe with all
your heart.”
“So if I believe that only labs go to heaven and you believe that only German
shepherds go to heaven, we are both right.”
“That's what he told me.”
''How could both of us be right?” asked Cassie. “Mason is that right?”
Mason cleared his throat (he always does that just before he says something
important), “I don't think that is what we heard the other night at Bible
Study.”
Cassie spoke up, 'You tell her Mason.”
Mason continued,” Remember how we heard about the A,B,C's of salvation last
Wednesday night.”
Sadie, who was the youngest of the three labs that the Huett's own, jumped for
joy.
“ I love the A,B,C's”, she shouted. “ Can we sing the song, I love to sing.
A,B,C,D,E,F,G...”
“Sadie” Mason barked, “I'm not talking about singing the A,B,C song. I'm talking
about what we heard through the door last Wednesday night. Remember?”
“Refresh my memory” barked Sadie.”I don't know that I remember all that they
said.”
“Well,” Cassie said, “You were talking a lot during the lesson. You must have
talked to every dog in the neighborhood.”
“I can't help it if I'm really friendly. I like to say “hi” to everyone.”
Mason interrupted, “ Let me refresh our memories. The letter A stands for all.”
“All are sinners” Sadie said proudly. 'I remember Pastor Dave said that.”
“You're right” said Mason. “All have sinned, everyone.”
“What does it mean “sinned?” asked Cassie.
“It means doing wrong like when you chew up socks. That's really not very nice,”
said Sadie pointing to Cassie.
“Well, what about when you go over and eat Mason's food instead of your own.”
replied Cassie in a gruff manner.
“Girls” Mason continued, 'We've all done wrong and that wrong separated us from
God.
“Even you!” Sadie exclaimed. ”I didn't think you did anything wrong.”
“Well, Sadie, anytime we don't do or think like God wants us to, it is sin. And
sin separates us from God. God is holy and cannot allow sin to be in his
presence.”
“What can we do?” asked Cassie. “If we are all sinners and God cannot allow sin
in heaven, how can we get there?”
“Remember the letter B in the lesson. It stands for Believe in Jesus.”
“What do you mean” asked Sadie. “What do I believe?”
Mason answered, “You must believe that Jesus was God's Son, that he went to the
cross to pay for our sins. He was perfect, he never sinned but he died on the
cross in our place. God can now forgive us of all the sins we committed because
Jesus paid for them.”
Why would he do that? asked Sadie. “Why would he died on the cross for us?”
“Because he loves us,” answered Mason. “Remember that verse in the Bible which
says, 'For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that
whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” God
loved us to much that he sent Jesus to come to earth to pay for our sins so we
could go to heaven and spend eternity with Him.”
“Mason,” replied Sadie, “I do believe that Jesus died on the cross for me and I
know that I've done wrong things, what else to I need to do?”
Cassie spoke up before Mason could answer.” I remember this, you must Confess.
The letter C stands for Confess.”
“That's right Cassie,” Mason said. “The letter C stands for confess. We must
confess to God that we have done wrong and that no matter how hard we try, we
could never do enough good to earn our salvation. We want to accept Jesus as the
one who paid for our sins on the cross and we God to come and live in our
hearts.”
Mason continued “Then we need to confess to others that we have asked Jesus to
be our Savior and that the Holy Spirit lives in our hearts. We need to tell them
that the way to heaven is by asking Jesus to their personal Savior.”
“Oh Mason, this is wonderful news,” barked Sadie. “ Going to heaven is a simple
as A,B,C!”
*********************************************************************************
Boys and girls, this is Pastor Dave. You and I know that dogs don't really talk,
and while they understand a few words, Mason, Cassie and Sadie really don't
understand the Bible lessons taught at my house on Wednesday nights and they
don't ask Jesus to be their Savior. But I've used Mason, Cassie and Sadie to
tell you an import lesson that comes right from God's Word. It's as simple as A,
B, C.
A- All have sinned and have come short of the glory of God . Romans 3: 23
B-Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved- Acts 16:33
C-If we confess our sins, … he will forgive our sins... 1 John 1:9
Have you asked Jesus to be your personal Savior? If not, would you like to ask
Him into your heart and life right now? Say this simple prayer...
Lord Jesus, I confess to you that I am a sinner and that I want you to be my
Savior. Thank you for dying on the cross for me. I ask you to come into my heart
and save me from my sins. Amen.
Did you say that prayer? Did you mean it? Congratulations!!! You just become a
Christian. Just like Mason said, you need to tell someone. Tell you mom or Dad,
your preacher or Sunday school teacher, your grandma or grandpa, brothers or
sister. Tell someone that you just asked Jesus to be your Savior and that you
know that going to heaven is as simple a A, B, C.
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