Are You Ready If This Was IT?

Ankeny fireman cutting me out of my car with the jaws of life.
 

On 12/12/12 my wife and I were on our way to church for the Wednesday night evening service.  We decided to stop and get some coffee at our favorite cafe on the way.  It was like any other night.  We spent the drive talking and laughing.  We were stopped in the left hand lane waiting for cars to turn left.  After about a minuite I decided to get in the right lane and looked back in the rearview mirror to see in horror a car speeding up on our rear and not slowing down.  Within a half second I let out a yell and we were hit.  Thrown backward the seats instantly broke, then hitting the car infront of us we were thrown forward.  As I laid there in the seat I had a sharp pain in my back and neck and my wife told me not to move and called the police.  The firemen who came waisted no time and decided to cut me out of the car, put me on a backboard, and into an ambulance to the emergency room. 

As I go witnessing out on the streets I always tell people that they could die today and not have the chance to repent and put their faith in Christ as the payment for sin.  I just never thought that I would be one of those people.  Believe me when I say this...I didn't have time to repent.  I had less than a second before we were hit.  As I laid under the x-ray machine I couldn't help but wonder if I died and appeared before God would he say, "Well done good and faithful servant" or, "Depart from Me you wicked and lazy servant." 

If you're not a Christian I want you to feel your pulse on your neck right now.  That tiny beat is the only thing keeping you from spending eternity in hell.  You are not promised tomorrow.  Today is the day of salvation.    If you are a Christian, how are you doing?  Are you using your time wisely (1 Peter 4:1-11)?  Are you making disciples (Matthew 28:18-20)?  Do you even care to?  These were hard questions I asked myself.  I know I'm saved by the blood of Jesus, but am I obedient to what He commanded me to do?  This was a wake-up call to let me know that time is running out.  Thank God He has given me more time to finish strong. 

My Constant Reminder

For my career I work on machines that open up and process mail.  You wouldn't believe the amount of tracts that come through that people send.  It should be noted that people DO read them, and that I have seen machine operators get saved by the tracts that are sent through the mail along with their paid bills.  So keep sending them. 

This is a tract that I kept for myself and have hanging on my refrigerator at eye level for the past 6 years.  It has been a constant reminder of how I should live my life.  I wrote in "Jesus" at the bottom because He paid the valuable price which is more biblical.

For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body^[and in your spirit, which are God’s. - 1 Corinthians 6:20

You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men - 1Corinthians 7:23

knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers,  but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. - 1 Peter 1:18,19

Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. - Acts 20:28

For thus says the Lord:

“You have sold yourselves for nothing,And you shall be redeemed without money.” - Isaiah 52:3

 

 

Octemberfest 2012 - Marshalltown, Iowa

Me praying for Rickey, a new believer in Christ

Octemberfest has notably been our anual outside year end event. Paul and I went last year with his "Are You Ready" cross and had a blast. We had so many good conversations and we were hoping to have another great night. This time Tony Didlo of Saving Faith Outreach joined us.

When we got there we started on the same corner as last year. We knew it was going to be a good night. Paul didn't even get his cross unfolded when a teenage girl ran up to Paul and wanted to talk to "the cross guy". She was an uninformed Mormon and as he was answering her questions, a young man came up listening to the conversation. I could tell that he was paying attention and was really bothered by the answers, so I decided to talk to him one-on-one. His name is Rickey. I asked him if what listened to made sense and he agreed. I went over the 10 Commandments again with him and asked if he would be guilty. He said, "yes." I asked Rickey what God would do with him and he knew that he would go to hell. When I asked him if he was concerned, he started to tear up and he said it did...greatly. I shared the gospel with him and helping him understand that he broke the law and Jesus payed the fine. After over a half-hour of conversation he asked, "I am so sorry for what I did, and how I hurt God and want His forgiveness. When can I do that?" Wow...what a moment. So I told him that he can do that right now becuase he could die today. So Rickey reached out his hand, and he prayed, confessed his sin and asked God for His forgiveness and recieved Christ Jesus as savior and Lord. I then prayed for him that he would serve God the rest of his days, that he would have a godly wife and kids, and that he would grow in His grace and mercy. Rickey picked up his head and said, "I wasn't expecting to do this when I came down here." "Neither was I, but God knew and brought us together." I gave him a bible that I have been carrying around for 9 years (it still looked brand new since I had it wrapped), gave him chapters to read, talked a little more and exchanged information.

The rest of the evening was great. We had many conversations and Tony was all fired up after Rickey receiving Christ. We were all encouraged and ready to come back next year. Since the writing of this I've been in contact with Rickey. He's reading his bible and asks questions when he gets stumped. Pray that he will find someone closer at his church to disciple him as he grows in Christ. Thanks for reading. 

God Is Evil, Man Is Good???

The other day I was witnessing to a young man who thought he was smart and smug about his beliefs.  When I asked him why he had a hard time believing in God, he said it was because of all the suffering in the world.  He said if God was a loving God He would take care of the human race because any loving father would.  When I asked him what part of the world bothered him the most he said Africa.  It's full of disease, kids are starving, and the water is so poor that people barely drink. 

"That's interesting", I said.  "Do you know what one of the major natural resources are in Africa?"

"No, what is it?"

"It's diamonds.  Do you know how many water wells could be dug, farms to be planted, and people could be fed just from a handful of diamonds?"

"I don't know, probably alot." 

"So if it's God who gave them the natural resources to begin with, and that's just one resource.  There is also oil, copper, uranium, natural gas, along with fishing, then why are you blaming God for all the suffering in Africa?  But because of the greed of man, corrupt governments, and love of money, those resources which God provided are being used to line the pockets of the rich and powerful, and not being used to help the poor, needy, and hungry.  So...shouldn't you be blaming man, who you thought is basically good, and thanking God, who you said was basically evil?"

"Uhhh...you have a good point.  Sorry."

The Perspective of the Heathen

A few weeks ago my wife and I were invited to a Christian brother’s home for some fellowship and dinner with a couple called Urban Pilgrims, who travel around the United States proclaiming the gospel.  It was a great time to get to know them, share thoughts, and “talk shop”.  They asked me my testimony that night how I got saved.  Since they’ve never heard it I took the time with the short version and an hour later I was done.  But in telling my story, my wife was hurt by some comments that I made which she had never heard before (probably because I had kept them hidden until now).  It was a long two years between my wife and I getting saved.  When I got saved she looked hard and cold, and in telling the story, it slipped that a fellow brother in the Lord thought she was a jerk. 

That statement really hurt my wife, even 9 years after the fact.  She knows now that we are new creatures in Christ and the old things pass away and we become new.  But what bothered her was that before her transformation she wasn’t the one that changed…I was.  In her eyes she was the one holding on and struggling to keep our marriage together in which a cult I got sucked into was taking me away from her.  For really the first time as she described with tears how she felt those two years between our conversions.  The pain that went along with me cramming Jesus down her throat, telling her she was a rotten sinner that was destined for hell even though days before I was the exact same way.  In her eyes I was everything she was and a jerk on top of that. 

The thing is that even though those statements may be true, that she was a rotten sinner destined for hell, I was zealous for her to be saved, and I was a jerk.  But in my own way, being zealous without knowledge, I did not take the advice of my Lord in 1Corinthians 13 and love her the way I should.  I glanced over the many times my pastor telling me to just love her and that love never fails (1 Cor 13:8). I was a snorting racehorse blasting out of the gate and never stopped running to see the unbelievers lagging behind me. 

In listening to my wife talk about her struggles it made me reflect how the world views us Christians.  I’m not suggesting that we take the pragmatic approach to this and do what works, but maybe we can show a little more tact in witnessing with our actions, and not just with our words.  I used to think that I just needed to get the gospel out and not waste time talking with the heathen about the things of life, sports, weather, and those things that matter to them because frankly they could die without Christ at any moment.  I don’t believe that we should agree with the world and hold arms together with it and compromise our beliefs.  Jesus never did that.  But even though he did not compromise, He still understood, where people were coming from. 

Take the homosexual for instance.  I get the fact that they’ve felt this way their whole lives, and it is right for them.  That they want the same rights and privileges as married couples.  I understand they want to marry their significant others that they are totally in love with, and don’t want that taken away.  And when a group comes in between of their dreams to be a couple like everyone else, even though it’s morally wrong, I can’t blame them for getting angry. 

But in my perception, sin is sin, regardless of the form.  I believe homosexuality is clearly a sin because of what the bible says (Romans 1:26-27; Leviticus 18:22, 20:13).  But I certainly believe that Satan tempts the minds of these people with the lusts of the flesh, eyes and the pride of life to capture the hearts, minds, and souls to do his will.  We must remember that the homosexual, drug abuser, pornographer, or any other sinner is not the direct enemy…but the captive slaves of the enemy Satan we must help free (2 Timothy 2:26).  What we must do in verses 24-25 is must not quarrel, be gentle to all, be able to teach, be patient, and in humility correct those whom we are trying to help (2 Timothy 2:24-25).  Even though God’s mercy may run out with some, Homosexuals, like other sinners are not beyond the reach of God.  In 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 there is a list of sinners who will not inherit God’s grace, homosexual being just one of them.  But some never read on to verse 11 which says, “And such were some of you.  But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of our Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”  When we receive Christ we are washed clean of sin, made a new creature in Christ, and justified with our God as if we never sinned.  How amazing is God!!!  He is awesome, and His mercy and grace endures forever! 

In conclusion, remember that there is alot of underlying reasons why people don't come to Christ.  Some of them bring alot of pain, grief, anger and bitterness in which we have absolutely no idea what is going on in the inside of the person in front of us.  How we apply that is way more than this blog post can hold.  I ask that for those who have ideas to do this, please leave a comment below.   As we witness and share our faith, let’s do it in a way with more understanding, patience, meekness, kindness in love…and especially truth.

Wisdom For The Soul-Winner

² Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving;

³ meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains,

⁴ that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.

⁵ Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.

⁶ Let your speech always be with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. 

Colossians 4:2-6

Just about every morning my wife and I go through the scriptures inductively and at this particular time we are finishing up Colossians.  Every so often as we read and study together the Lord presses upon my heart something I have never seen before.  The Holy Spirit has a way of using our spouses to gain insight of a text probably because they know us so well.  Today was one of those days as we read and explained things to each other, the pieces fit perfectly for a lesson that I personally needed to hear. 

Continued Earnest Vigilance in Thankful Prayer

When it comes to evangelism, many of us talk about planning, preparation of sermons, and getting ready to talk to people about Christ.  We read the books, plan the events, but some of us neglect the things that really matter…like prayer.  The Reverend Billy Graham stated that if there is one thing he could do differently, he would spend more time in prayer.  Not only more time, but quality time, earnestly and with the right heart and attitude, being thankful for what the Lord has done in YOUR life, and that he chose to save even a wretched sinner as yourself in the midst of your sin.  When I open-air preach, I always am reminded of that.  I tell others, “Gifts are meant to be shared, and I’m just sharing the gift that was given to me ten years ago.”  This is how to be successful in prayer…preparing your heart, be alert in what you say, and doing it with the right attitude. 

Pray for Open Doors to Preach the Word

More times than I like to admit I go through life not praying for God to open doors and windows of opportunity to preach His word.  But if you think about it, it’s the divine appointments that seem to have the most impact in evangelism.  God is the mover of all things, and His plans always come to pass.  As you go through life…”Think Evangelism”.  Think of every opportunity and every interaction as a moment to share the gospel.  Maybe you haven’t shared the Lord with the lost in a while, and you feel dry.  Pray to God that He would open those doors of opportunity and help you be the soul-winner He created in you. 

Make it Clear.  Make it Count.

The NASB says of verse 4, “that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak.”  Our prayers shouldn’t end with just opening the doors, but also asking God to help us walk through those doors and help to make our speech clear in a way that others who are outside the fellowship of Christ can understand.  It’s not enough at the end of the day we say to God, we’ve shared the gospel with 10 people today when those 10 people didn’t understand a thing you said.   I need to pray to ask the Holy Spirit to make to make what I say understandable.  Not so much that they understand with their heart but that they at least understand with their head.  It’s the Holy Spirits goal is to change the heart, it’s my goal is to make it understandable.   One way is to teach unbelievers as if you are teaching children.  Not talking down to them, but simplifying it.  We shouldn’t use “Christianeese” and big words like presuppositionalism and propitiation which just adds to the confusion.  We should take the Apostle Paul’s advice and just preach Christ and Him crucified.  Not getting caught up in things that don’t really matter in the beginning.  There is a place to talk about baptismal regeneration and the reasons why or why not to keep the Sabbath.  In the beginning though…just adds to the uncertainty of the Christian faith for people who are on the outside.  

How To Walk and How To Talk

In verses 5 and 6 we see how the apostle Paul responds to how we as believers and soul-winners should walk and talk.  When I came to these verses something struck me right off the bat...the walking part of the Christian soul-winner comes before the talking part.  It’s as if the walking aspect is more emphasized than the speaking part.  Albert Barnes, author of Barnes Notes states in his commentary the reason why this may be. 

 “The reason why we need to walk in wisdom towards outsiders is the following:

·         People of the world judge of religion, not from the profession, but from the life of its friends.

·         they judge of religion, not from preaching, or from books, or from the conduct of its Founder and his apostles, but from what they see in the daily walk and conversation of the members of the church.

·         they understand the nature of religion so well as to know when its friends are or are not consistent with their profession.

·         they set a much higher value on honesty and integrity than they do on the doctrines and duties of religion; and if the professed friends of religion are destitute of the principles of truth and honesty, they think they have nothing of any value. They may be very devout on the Sabbath; very regular at prayer-meetings; very strict in the observance of rites and ceremonies - but all these are of little worth in the estimation of the world, unless attended with an upright life.

·         no professing Christian can possibly do good to others who does not live an upright life. If you have cheated a man out of never so small a sum, it is vain that you talk to him about the salvation of his soul; if you have failed to pay him a debt when it was due, or to finish a piece of work when you promised it, or to tell him the exact truth in conversation, it is vain for you to endeavor to induce him to be a Christian. He will feel, if he does not say - and he might very properly say - that he wants no religion which will not make a man honest.

·         no person will attempt to do much good to others whose own life is not upright. He will be sensible of the inconsistency, and will feel that he cannot do it with any sense of propriety; and the honor of religion, therefore, and the salvation of our fellow-men, demand that in all our intercourse with others, we should lead lives of the strictest integrity.”

 Now this does not mean that us Christians are not to mess up.  I mess up.  I’ve failed all of these in some way or another.   But this shouldn’t be the norm, and it shouldn’t be done knowingly.  Repent, and turn around.  Humble yourself, ask for forgiveness, and do it quickly.  I do because I don’t want to be a reproach to Christ that someone curses my savior because of something I did or said.  If they see in us that we can’t even follow what we preach, why should they.  If we can’t follow it, why do they think that they can?  Sometimes when I get the courage to ask tough, personal questions, I often ask, “What is stopping you from coming to Christ?”  The answer I often get is because of how other Christians treated them, or because of televangelists wanting their money.    

This week think of practical ways to apply this to your life, and do it.  Pray that God would make you a better soul-winner and for Him to open doors of opportunity to share God’s word.  Bless someone with the gift of the gospel, and show the kindness, love, and compassion Jesus has for others.  Be a light in this dark world. 

2012 - A GOOD REMINDER FOR THE NEW YEAR

Every morning I rise early to read the scriptures with my wife.  A lot of times I find that what we are reading corresponds with the day in which we read it.  New Years day was one of those days.  As we read the following, I was reminded of New Year’s Resolutions that I have made and those I have made for this year as well, and how I am reminded of the things in which I need to do till the Lord’s return.  It was very convicting to me, and through studying it I learned a lot about myself, and what God expects. 

¹² Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.  ¹³ Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.  ¹⁴ Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by the laying on of the hands of the eldership.  ¹⁵ Meditate on these things, give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.  ¹⁶ Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.  – 1 Timothy 4:12-16 NKJV

As I was reading this I know that it was from Paul to his disciple Timothy.  But as I read it over and over, I noticed that it could very well be a letter from the Lord to me.  It was that same heart that Paul had for Timothy, which the Lord has for all his children, and that I should pay close attention to these things. I started breaking the verses apart and uncovered some basic truths that I should start the year on. 

12 - Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

I should not think that I am too young in the Lord to be used in mighty ways, and I shouldn’t look down on someone who is either.  A lot of times our brothers and sisters in Christ can be quite discouraging, and sometimes they get to us in ways that would hurt our ministries.  I can’t let others discourage me in doing things for the Lord.  If I do, I am looking at them, or myself instead of looking to Christ.

Also, what kind of example am I being as a child of God?  I need to be a good example to other Christians and the world in what I say (word), how I act (conduct), in caring for others above myself (love), in the power of the Spirit (spirit), in how I trust God with everything (faith), and in pure motives  both in sexual matters and in thoughts (purity).  But no matter if I do this or not, I am an example to others.  What then do I want them to see me as.  Example here is used as a die or mold which is used to make others.  I want to be a good die so that others will be cast good too. 

13 - Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

Since I don’t know when the Lord will return, I need to give attention to reading and studying of the bible (reading); encourage and comfort those with what I learn (exhortation); and learn for my own benefit the teaching of God’s Word in my life (doctrine).  Because if I don’t learn it for myself, I will have a very hard time sharing it with others, and if I don’t even read the bible, how can I learn it, and share it with others.  The good thing about sharing with others and witnessing, is that it forces you to read and learn because you want to be ready, and it also helps to keep your life clean.  How convicting is it when you are witnessing to someone who is involved in pornography, when you have watched some earlier on in the week.  All these things go hand in hand and complement each other in our walk.

14 - Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by the laying on of the hands of the eldership.

As Christians, God has given us each a gift to be used for His glory.  God has equipped us for different ministries so that we as His church, the body of Christ can work together to achieve a common goal.  The gifts He gave Timothy were leadership, teaching, and exhortation.  We were all given a Spirit of power, love, and a sound mind (2 Tim 1:7).  Also there are many other gifts in the New Testament like the word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, healings, working of miracles, prophecy, speaking and interpreting tongues (1 Corinthians 12:8-11). He has also given us  gifts to be apostles or church planters, prophets speaking forth the Word of God, evangelists, pastors and teachers (Ephesians 4:11-16).  And let us not neglect the greatest gifts He has given which is love (1 Corinthians 13) and salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9).  These gifts which flow in us are to produce the life that God wants for us, and the fruit of that life will produce love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-25). 

15 - Meditate on these things, give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.

Meditating on God’s Word is so important in a Christian’s life.  It’s like how a cow chews the cud.  As we eat the word (read it) and chew on it (meditate or revolve in the mind), we then swallow it’s truths.  Then throughout the day we bring it up again in our mind each time learning more and more about what we are meditating on. 

This also says to “give yourself entirely to them”.  That is to say “be in them”.  Albert Barnes, a Christian theologian  puts it this way:

Greek “Be in them” - a phrase similar to that of Horace - “totus in illis.” The meaning is plain. He was to devote his life wholly to this work. He was to have no other grand aim of living. His time, attention, talents, were to be absorbed in the proper duties of the work. He was not to make that subordinate and tributary to any other purpose, nor was he to allow any other object to interfere with the appropriate duties of that office. He was not to live for money, fame, or pleasure; not to devote his time to the pursuits of literature or science for their own sakes; not to seek the reputation of an elegant or profound scholar; not to aim to be distinguished merely as an accomplished gentleman, or as a skillful farmer, teacher, or author.

This is all done so that our progress may be evident to all.  This is to say that our growth and development as a Christian, whether good or bad, may be seen be everyone…Christian and unbelievers alike.  No matter how we look at it, if we do these things our light will shine brightly, and if we don’t, it will be dim, if not darkened by the rest of the world.  The world and our brothers and sisters will know if we are applying these principles to our lives.  Meditate on God’s Word + Give yourself entirely to it = progress in your sanctification.

14 - Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

To have, hold on to or apply the doctrine to yourself and walk in it.  We are not only to read the Word, but to live it out in our lives. It requires action on our part. 

There are two things that we hold on to...things that are solid and things that are valuable.  God’s Word is both those things.  In this verse it talks about being saved.  In this sense it’s leaning more if not all towards sanctification or the setting apart the Christian from the world.   The Word is living and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword (Hebrews 4:12).  It pierces our hearts and convicts us of sin, it teaches us what is right, corrects us when we’re wrong, shows us how to get right, and then teaches us how to stay right (2 Timothy 3:16).    

Conclusion

This year the Lord has put it in my heart to commit to verbally witness to one person a day.  If you think about it this is very small given we have 24 hours in a day to get it done.  In order for me to do this, I need to order my life in a way that glorifies the Lord, and also continue to enhance the gifts that God has given me.  That means reading, meditating, and applying the Holy Bible in my life.  As the saying goes, “The bible will keep me from sin, but sin will keep me from the bible.” 

If you are a Christian, please keep me in prayer so that I may not falter in sharing Jesus with at least one person a day.  It’s so easy to get distracted from what I’ve been called to do especially living in America.  Frankly, the reason I wrote this was because of the conviction in my heart that I need to sharpen the axe.  Hope this was encouraging for you too.  Have a happy and healthy new year.