Deeply Challenged

Every now and then someone comes up with unique idea or a specific take on how to do something that really catches my attention. There are many times, when I am reading God’s word, that something strikes me in a new way. Today, I heard something that I knew... something that should be common sense... something every believer should be doing, but most are falling way short. It was a woman in her twenties that was claiming that she didn’t believe that Christianity was real. That got my attention and put my defenses up. The person she was talking began to disagree with her, but she went on. She said if there really was a God, and if not believing in Him would condemn someone to Hell, and believing in Him opened the gates of heaven (my interpretation of what she said), why aren’t they going to their friends house at three in the morning, getting right in their face and saying, “You have to believe in Jesus or you are going to go to Hell”. I don’t know that this would be the best evangelistic model, but it shook me to the core. If we believe that Jesus is the only way, shouldn’t we be pressing those we know to reconsider their faith choices, or lack thereof. I know that every case is different, but I think this young woman has a very real point, and I think many churches and members are failing badly. She said her grandma believed because she calls her every night, telling her that she is praying for her and really wants her to know Jesus, since that is her only hope. At the very least we can be praying fervently for the lost. We can be sending them encouraging messages or articles that we have read that encourage us in faith. Maybe it is time to make a list of those that we know that don’t know Jesus or that we may not be sure of their eternal life. Now is not a time to protect our family and friends. Just because they are friends or we are related doesn’t automatically make them believers. Encourage them in faith. If they believe, they will rejoice in that. If they are not believers, they desperately need what we offer, Jesus Christ. I’ve preached on this before, but when a twenty something person states that Christians don’t believe because they remain silent, I must listen. Holy Spirit, open my eyes to see the people around me that don’t believe or those that need an extra encouragement. Amen Every now and then someone comes up with unique idea or a specific take on how to do something that really catches my attention. There are many times, when I am reading God’s word, that something strikes me in a new way. Today, I heard something that I knew... something that should be common sense... something every believer should be doing, but most are falling way short. It was a woman in her twenties that was claiming that she didn’t believe that Christianity was real. That got my attention and put my defenses up. The person she was talking began to disagree with her, but she went on. She said if there really was a God, and if not believing in Him would condemn someone to Hell, and believing in Him opened the gates of heaven (my interpretation of what she said), why aren’t they going to their friends house at three in the morning, getting right in their face and saying, “You have to believe in Jesus or you are going to go to Hell”. I don’t know that this would be the best evangelistic model, but it shook me to the core. If we believe that Jesus is the only way, shouldn’t we be pressing those we know to reconsider their faith choices, or lack thereof. I know that every case is different, but I think this young woman has a very real point, and I think many churches and members are failing badly. She said her grandma believed because she calls her every night, telling her that she is praying for her and really wants her to know Jesus, since that is her only hope. At the very least we can be praying fervently for the lost. We can be sending them encouraging messages or articles that we have read that encourage us in faith. Maybe it is time to make a list of those that we know that don’t know Jesus or that we may not be sure of their eternal life. Now is not a time to protect our family and friends. Just because they are friends or we are related doesn’t automatically make them believers. Encourage them in faith. If they believe, they will rejoice in that. If they are not believers, they desperately need what we offer, Jesus Christ. I’ve preached on this before, but when a twenty something person states that Christians don’t believe because they remain silent, I must listen. Holy Spirit, open my eyes to see the people around me that don’t believe or those that need an extra encouragement. Amen