WHAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE by TOM VARNEY (Chapter 1, part a)
This book reveals how the life changing experiences took place in Tom Varney's life as a result of hearing the Gospel. Tom explains the importance of the Word of God adminstrated in its simplicity to the searching heart so desperately in need.
You will find Christ as always being the Glory of God in the Old
Testament. "In the volume of the book it is written of me, to do
Thy will, O God." From the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the
Psalms, they all point toward one centre - the Lord Jesus Christ,
and to one supreme event, His death on the cross for our salvation.
And from Calvary, that centre again throughout the book of
Acts, the Epistles, and of prophecy in Revelation once more testify
that the Father sent the Son to redeem the world.
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things have
passed away, behold - all things are become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17).
First Printing 2005
Scripture Quotations
King James (Old and New) Translations
ISBN 0 7316 2581 1
Printed by Lockyer Printing Pty. Ltd.
3 Railway Street, Gatton, Qld. 4343
Phone: (07) 5462 1836
Fax: (07) 5462 4727
Foreword
Can The Bible Be Understood?
The Bible misused and abused can cause havoc in any heart or home.
To know and understand Holy Scriptures can make us WISE unto
SALVATION through FAITH, which is in Christ Jesus.
Refer to 2 Timothy 3:15
The Bible is not only a book of saints and priests, but of sinners and
prisoners. God's Word is full of very real men and women: it tells of
their failures, struggles and sorrows. But it is also a story of their
victories - won through the power of Jesus Christ taking hold of their
lives and transforming them from the inside out.
- Charles (Chuck) Colson.
Man needs to put aside human tradition and get back to
the Bible, from which we can discover that religion is not
a mysterious and gloomy way of life. And the state of
man need not be full of fearfulness and oppression. The
Word of God offers you salvation and individual hope and
comfort where philosophy and science utterly fail. It
brings God nigh, heals our conscience with forgiveness,
and brightens your life with hope. It enlightens the mind
and rejoices the heart by revealing the true purpose of
creation, providing you also with a purpose in life by
which you are enabled to look forward to the future with
great anticipation and joy.
Arrested 26.4.61 by Const. Woodland 12420 Bairnsdale
For unlawful assault. Corr. No. V. 135/61SAME NAME
Arrested 6.11.61 by 1st Const. Hammond 9749 Bairnsdale
For reckless driving. M/Car speed dangerous. M/car Manner -
dangerous. Corr. No. V. 306/61
Arrested 3.1.62 by 1st Const. Macher 11745 Bairnsdale
For unlawful assault. Corr. No. V. 6/62
Arrested 15.6.64 by 1st Const. Woodland 12420. Bairnsdale
For att. Arson. Malicious damage. And maliciously set fire to a motor car in a building to wit the garages of the Victorian Police Department of Bairnsdale. Corr. No. V. 185/64
Arrested 5.3.65 by Det. 1st Const. Cadby 9668 C.I.B. Bairnsdale
For set fire to building. Maliciously set fire to goods in a building.
Malicious (2 counts) Maliciously set fire to goods (motor car)
in a building at Police Station Bairnsdale Corr. No. V. 98/65.
Offender certified insane at Pentridge Gaol and transferred to Ararat Mental Asylum (J. Ward Maximum Security).
What Makes the Difference (Chapter 1, part a)
"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge" (Hosea 4:6).
The change in me was not an overnight miracle. A miracle, yes, but
not an easy, immediate occurrence. The transformation was not
completed in the twinkling of an eye. Like a growing child, there
was a long period of learning - sometimes painful and always full
of questions. As with children, too, the answers were not always
forthcoming or satisfactory, for understanding stands alongside
maturing in whatever challenge we face. However, this only drove
me to further searching to satisfy the craving for change that
would bring me peace within myself, and with my fellow man. I
have been rewarded far beyond anything I ever dreamed possible.
My life of destruction from alcohol began when I was very young.
I thought that alcohol was the first and most important thing in
every youngster's life; and without it life seemed meaningless.
Having been picked up by the police for offences while drunk, I
soon built up a hatred towards them; more so after a high speed
car chase through the streets causing me to lose my licence for a
long time.
My resentment against the law caused me to blow up a police car
and to burn a policeman's private car. I was caught in the act of
burning yet another policemen's private car and after this I
openly made threats to shoot the local police. Consequently, I had
my .45 revolver confiscated and high-powered firearms licence
cancelled; and my daily actions were monitored closely.
A police car has travelled at up to 80 miles
per hour in Bairnsdale streets in an unsuccessful
attempt to stop the driver of a utility, the Court of
petty Sessions was told recently.
Driver of the utility, Thomas A. Varney, 21
years, concrete contractor, of Bairnsdale, who
pleaded guilty to a charge of reckless driving, was
fined $40, and had his licence to drive suspended
for eighteen months. HIGH SPEED He estimated that the
chase took place over a period
of fifteen to twenty minutes.
All that time he was travelling
at high speed.
First Constable Derbyshire
said he accepted the view
that the defendant was trying
to get away and avoid being
questioned. He had intended to
speak to him about double
parking.
Mr. Phillips: His attempt
at escape was quite silly and
purposeless.
First Constable Derbyshire:
I think so.
Arson squad detectives are investigating the burning-out of a
police patrol car in a garage at Bairnsdale police station.
Detectives believe somebody poured petrol over the car, a Studebaker Lark.
The doors of the wooden garage were
then closed and a 10ft. fuse was taped
along the wall to outside where it was lit.
The "bomb" of petrol exploded
yesterday near a lock-up containing a
prisoner, but he was not hurt.
The car's paint work, it's interior and
its engine were destroyed by the fire. NOT HEARD The garage is about 150 ft. from the
police station but the explosion was not
heard there.
Detectives said the explosion would
have made little noise.
The car was found burnt at 9 a.m. by
First-Constable E. Adams, when he went
to it to begin highway patrol at bairnsdale,
170 miles east of Melbourne.
I soon found myself in a psychiatric hospital where I received
fourteen shock treatments. Later I was diagnosed as being an
acute psychotic and schizophrenic, and of having an IQ that failed
to register. My life became completely unmanageable. I later
burned another police patrol car and for this I was sent to
Pentridge Prison. Having been certified insane, I was taken to J
Ward maximum security, Ararat, an institution for the criminally
insane. Later, while undergoing treatment at Aradale Mental
Hospital, an institution near J Ward, and knowing that I had been
classified as one of the state's worst lunatics, I completely gave up
hope.
With two other sick, tormented alcoholics I escaped, using
an offensive weapon. That night while trying to drink several
bottles of methylated spirits, one of my companions died beside
me and I was at
death's door. Within
twenty-four hours
of our escape,
two of us were
recaptured and
sent back to the
infamous J Ward.
The third man lay
dead in a heavily
grassed paddock
and was found a
week later, in
century degree heat
conditions, with a
flock of crows
feeding on him.
Being in J Ward again gave me a lot of time to think back on my
life of failures and to consider the fact that I already faced an
eleven-year jail sentence BEFORE the escape. Hearing my cries of
misery and frustration, an inmate with a Gideon Bible tucked under
his arm declared to me, "God is your only hope." This was like a red
rag to a bull as I was an avowed atheist. However, I did continue
my search for change and finally found my reward: freedom, love,
joy and peace - the changed man that I am today, knowing the
Grace of God and thankful beyond words that He opened my eyes
and my heart to the understanding of His Word. I remember being
often moved to tears when I saw the vastness of God's love as His
truths unfolded before me.
The turning point in my life was the moment that I put my trust in
the Lord Jesus Christ. Inevitably today I am asked, "Yes, but how
did you REALLY change?" If I say, "God did it", many eyebrows are
raised and one can read the sceptical thought, "religion!" If I say, as
some have, "I just woke up to myself," then that is untrue, because
I tried for years without changing, as so many others in the world
have done - and are still doing. The only time I had ever held a
Bible in my hands was in the witness box in Court. I only went to
church for weddings and funerals. Before this miracle took place
in my life I thought everyone was Christian except alcoholics,
thieves, prostitutes and prisoners; in fact anyone who was
noticeably a wrongdoer, and I though they could not become
Christians because they were all "bad" - including me. How wrong
I was!
The Bible tells us "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the
Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:13) and I am so thankful for this
truth. I found that there were no short cuts to God's Kingdom. For
me the journey began when, being so sick and tired of being sick
and tired, I cried out to God with all that was within me.
Actually,
my first words were, "If there be a God…" I believe God just waits
for that sincerely repentant heart to call out to Him. I discovered
that the secret of receiving grace, comfort and the power to
overcome, came after true repentance from the depths of my
heart. From that hour the Holy Scriptures were opened to me with
new understanding and they became the most meaningful part of
my life. However, it was pointed out to me that one can become
too heavenly minded to be of any earthly use. We need to
remember that there is a very practical side to life as a Christian.
For example, if my house were on fire I would look for the
nearest phone to ring the fire brigade, rather than gather a group
of people to pray about it.
We search the Scriptures to know God,
for God through His prophets wrote the Scriptures that he might
be known, loved and honoured. The purpose of Jesus while on
Earth was to make God known; and to be known as the Sent One
from God - the Christ; (John 17:1-8) - and now the Holy Spirit
continues to reveal God to us through His Word. Jesus Himself
said all men need to know the Scriptures. "It is written in the
prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore
that hath heard and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto Me."
(John 6:45) and the only available Scripture at that time was the
Old Testament, (Read Isaiah 54:13.) The Lord Himself, the apostle
Paul, in fact all the apostles constantly referred to the Old
Testament to preach the Gospel from it. There are many examples
of this.
