[ampaterry]

Thank you, guys.

We have had our day of mourning. It is now time to stand back up, shoulder our load, and proceed with the work of restoring the republic.

For today:

A beggar stopped a lawyer on the street in a large southern city and asked him for a dollar. Taking a long, hard look into the man's unshaven face, the attorney asked, "Don't I know you from somewhere?" "You should," came the reply. "I'm your former classmate. Remember, second floor, old Main Hall?" "Why Sam, of course I know you!" Without further question the lawyer wrote a check for $500. "Here, take this and get a new start. I don't care what's happened in the past, it's the future that counts." And with that he hurried on.
Tears welled up in the man's eyes as he walked to a bank nearby. Stopping at the door, he saw through the glass well-dressed tellers and the spotlessly clean interior. Then he looked at his filthy rags. "They won't take this from me. They'll swear that I forged it," he muttered as he turned away.
The next day the two men met again. "Why Sam, what did you do with my check? Gamble it away? Drink it up?" "No," said the beggar as he pulled it out of his dirty shirt pocket and told why he hadn't cashed it. "Listen, friend," said the lawyer. "What makes that check good is not your clothes or appearance, but my signature. Go on, cash it!"

The Bible says in Romans 10:13 (KJV); "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

That promise is a check of infinite value. And as sinners, all we need to do is cash it by faith for eternal life. Don't let the "tattered clothes" of your past keep you from cashing God's "check" of salvation.

If you wait until you are CLEAN ENOUGH to cash that check, you will never cash it.
If you wait until you have EARNED that check, you will never cash it.
If you wait until you DESERVE that check, you will never cash it.

God wrote you that check because he wants you to cash it NOW – exactly WHERE you are, and exactly WHO you are! DO IT!!

May God bless each one of you -