Hey, it's not my kid
Here's a story.
Last Sunday, when it was nice out, I was sitting out by the pool at my apartment complex. I wasn't swimming, I was just out there, reading a good book. It was great, I was just sitting there, reading my book and drinking some lemonade. I was the only one there in the pool area, it was so peaceful. I even saw the owner of the complex walk by and I praised him for how pleasant his pool was. Everything was great, just sitting their relaxing, life was good.
Then, as I was about to turn the page, I heard a little kid laughing, I looked up from my book to see him at the edge of the pool. This little guy looked to be about 1 years old and he was leaning over the edge of the pool sucking up water and then spitting it back into the pool. I thought that it was kind of gross, but I didn't care because I was just there to read my book (by the way, this book that I was reading was really good!). As I was about to go back to reading my book, I was distracted when I heard a quick scream and a splash.
This little one year old had fallen into the pool. I was thankful that his splash didn't get me or my book wet. He was flapping his arms around trying not to sink, while at the same time he was just yelling! Eventually, he could flap no more and I saw that his head went under. I got up to look and saw that he had sunken to the very bottom of the pool, it makes sense I guess. I returned to my comfortable chair and as I sat down I looked in the pool and saw bubbles coming up, and then all the sudden the bubbles stopped. I would have helped the little guy, but hey, I was reading a good book and after all - it wasn't my kid.
The End
Did I make the right choice? Do you understand why I just decided to sit back down and read, knowing that this little child was drowning? Does it make any difference if I didn't know this child? Hopefully you're saying "NO! Absolutely not, you made a terrible, selfish, stupid choice and now a little boy is dead because of you!" Even though I didn't cause his problem, I certainly could have helped him by throwing him the life savior. Well - that was just a story (as I said), but what would you opinion be of me if I had actually let that happen? What about if I told you that the good book I was reading was called "How To Be A Life Gaurd: The Secret to Saving People From Drowning". What would you think of me? Now, let me ask you a few questions.
Do you know anyone that isn't saved? Are you spending your Sunday's sitting in a comfortable chair at church reading the Good Book, and praising the Owner (of this world)? Are you aware that every day about 150,000 people are dying. Are you reading a Good book that God provided us that tells us how and why we need to seek out and save the lost? Sure it's true that you can't save them, but you can certainly throw them the Live Saver (Jesus).
...
Just as I was writing this blog, here at work, the Janitor (who we'll call Karen) came in to get the trash. I quickly though, how hypocritical would it be for me to be writing this article and just let Karen leave without telling her the truth. The other night, we had started to talk about spiritual things, but was interpreted twice, once by the end of her lunch break, and a second time by another co-worker, so I knew now was my time to continue the conversation.
You can tell that the devil was trying to make me fearful talking with her, because as she came in the first words out of her mouth were "I'm sure glad you're not like some other previous security guards we've had." I asked her "Why is that, what did they do that you didn't like?" She said "they would always bother us". I knew that what I had to tell her was important, so I said, "Well, that's ironic that you would say that, because I wanted to ask you a question" She replied oh, that's no bother, I meant they would bother us by always calling us on the phones."
So I said to her, "The other night you had mentioned that when you die, you would go to heaven." Then I asked her "Does everyone go to heaven?"
"Yes" She said.
"What about [Adolph] Hitler?" I asked.
"Oh, Well... Hitler," she paused, "I think he'll go to Hell"
I asked her "Why would Hitler go to Hell, was it because he wasn't good enough?" To which she shook her head and said "Yes"
I asked her, "what's the standard of good?" She admitted that she didn't know, so I told her that it was God's Law, the Ten Commandments. I know the value of someone realizing that they (personally) are guilty, so I reminded her that the other night she admitted to me that she had broken the 9th, 8th, 3rd, and 7th Commandments, thereby making her a lying, thieving, blasphemous adultery-at-at heart who has to face God on judgment day. And I asked her if she would be innocent or guilty? She said that everybody would be guilty, and then admitted that she was included in everybody.
I asked her if God should just "look the other way" and let a guilty person into heaven. The Holy Spirit was certainly convicting her because she was fidgeting and wiped her eyes as she soberly said "Well, I guess I'll go to hell then, since that's what I deserve" She had fallen into the pool, and she knew she was in danger, now it was time for me to lovingly throw her the Savior.
I asked her if she had any idea what God did so that she wouldn't have to go to Hell? She said No. I told her that God so loved the world, that he gave His only son (she quietly said "Jesus") Jesus so that whoever would trust in him for salvation would not perish, but have everlasting life. I told her that God commanded His love towards the world in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
I told her that I am risking my job telling her about this because, although I barely know her, I didn't want her to end up in Hell. I pleaded with her that before her head hits the pillow tonight, to think about all the sins she has committed against God and then to think about Jesus Christ dying on the cross to take the punishment for those sins.
She said that if she thought about all the sins she committed, she might die in her sleep. To which I replied, that is why you need to get right with God today, for you have no guarantee in tomorrow. I told her that God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble, and that if she, or I, thought that we deserve to go to heaven, then we are being (unjustly) proud before God, but that we must humble ourselves and see us in our true light, and then repent and flee to Jesus because He was so kind to die on the cross for us.
This whole conversation took about 7 minutes, and then she left and went back to work. Please pray that the Holy Spirit will make what I said, what the Bible says, clear to her. That she will see the reason that Jesus is our savior, and that she will repent and place her faith in Jesus alone for her salvation. In the name of Jesus, Amen!
By the Law is the knowledge of sin (Romans 7:7). It is very important to talk to people about SIN (and the bad news) before you share Jesus (the Good news) with them. It must be Law to the proud, and Grace to the humble. One reason you might not throw the Live Saver to people more often, is because you're not sure how... Listen to "Hell's Best Kept Secret" to learn how to share the gospel simply, biblically, effectively, the way Jesus did. Please GO SHARE YOUR FAITH, WHILE YOU STILL HAVE TIME.
Last Sunday, when it was nice out, I was sitting out by the pool at my apartment complex. I wasn't swimming, I was just out there, reading a good book. It was great, I was just sitting there, reading my book and drinking some lemonade. I was the only one there in the pool area, it was so peaceful. I even saw the owner of the complex walk by and I praised him for how pleasant his pool was. Everything was great, just sitting their relaxing, life was good.
Then, as I was about to turn the page, I heard a little kid laughing, I looked up from my book to see him at the edge of the pool. This little guy looked to be about 1 years old and he was leaning over the edge of the pool sucking up water and then spitting it back into the pool. I thought that it was kind of gross, but I didn't care because I was just there to read my book (by the way, this book that I was reading was really good!). As I was about to go back to reading my book, I was distracted when I heard a quick scream and a splash.
This little one year old had fallen into the pool. I was thankful that his splash didn't get me or my book wet. He was flapping his arms around trying not to sink, while at the same time he was just yelling! Eventually, he could flap no more and I saw that his head went under. I got up to look and saw that he had sunken to the very bottom of the pool, it makes sense I guess. I returned to my comfortable chair and as I sat down I looked in the pool and saw bubbles coming up, and then all the sudden the bubbles stopped. I would have helped the little guy, but hey, I was reading a good book and after all - it wasn't my kid.
The End
Did I make the right choice? Do you understand why I just decided to sit back down and read, knowing that this little child was drowning? Does it make any difference if I didn't know this child? Hopefully you're saying "NO! Absolutely not, you made a terrible, selfish, stupid choice and now a little boy is dead because of you!" Even though I didn't cause his problem, I certainly could have helped him by throwing him the life savior. Well - that was just a story (as I said), but what would you opinion be of me if I had actually let that happen? What about if I told you that the good book I was reading was called "How To Be A Life Gaurd: The Secret to Saving People From Drowning". What would you think of me? Now, let me ask you a few questions.
Do you know anyone that isn't saved? Are you spending your Sunday's sitting in a comfortable chair at church reading the Good Book, and praising the Owner (of this world)? Are you aware that every day about 150,000 people are dying. Are you reading a Good book that God provided us that tells us how and why we need to seek out and save the lost? Sure it's true that you can't save them, but you can certainly throw them the Live Saver (Jesus).
...
Just as I was writing this blog, here at work, the Janitor (who we'll call Karen) came in to get the trash. I quickly though, how hypocritical would it be for me to be writing this article and just let Karen leave without telling her the truth. The other night, we had started to talk about spiritual things, but was interpreted twice, once by the end of her lunch break, and a second time by another co-worker, so I knew now was my time to continue the conversation.
You can tell that the devil was trying to make me fearful talking with her, because as she came in the first words out of her mouth were "I'm sure glad you're not like some other previous security guards we've had." I asked her "Why is that, what did they do that you didn't like?" She said "they would always bother us". I knew that what I had to tell her was important, so I said, "Well, that's ironic that you would say that, because I wanted to ask you a question" She replied oh, that's no bother, I meant they would bother us by always calling us on the phones."
So I said to her, "The other night you had mentioned that when you die, you would go to heaven." Then I asked her "Does everyone go to heaven?"
"Yes" She said.
"What about [Adolph] Hitler?" I asked.
"Oh, Well... Hitler," she paused, "I think he'll go to Hell"
I asked her "Why would Hitler go to Hell, was it because he wasn't good enough?" To which she shook her head and said "Yes"
I asked her, "what's the standard of good?" She admitted that she didn't know, so I told her that it was God's Law, the Ten Commandments. I know the value of someone realizing that they (personally) are guilty, so I reminded her that the other night she admitted to me that she had broken the 9th, 8th, 3rd, and 7th Commandments, thereby making her a lying, thieving, blasphemous adultery-at-at heart who has to face God on judgment day. And I asked her if she would be innocent or guilty? She said that everybody would be guilty, and then admitted that she was included in everybody.
I asked her if God should just "look the other way" and let a guilty person into heaven. The Holy Spirit was certainly convicting her because she was fidgeting and wiped her eyes as she soberly said "Well, I guess I'll go to hell then, since that's what I deserve" She had fallen into the pool, and she knew she was in danger, now it was time for me to lovingly throw her the Savior.
I asked her if she had any idea what God did so that she wouldn't have to go to Hell? She said No. I told her that God so loved the world, that he gave His only son (she quietly said "Jesus") Jesus so that whoever would trust in him for salvation would not perish, but have everlasting life. I told her that God commanded His love towards the world in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
I told her that I am risking my job telling her about this because, although I barely know her, I didn't want her to end up in Hell. I pleaded with her that before her head hits the pillow tonight, to think about all the sins she has committed against God and then to think about Jesus Christ dying on the cross to take the punishment for those sins.
She said that if she thought about all the sins she committed, she might die in her sleep. To which I replied, that is why you need to get right with God today, for you have no guarantee in tomorrow. I told her that God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble, and that if she, or I, thought that we deserve to go to heaven, then we are being (unjustly) proud before God, but that we must humble ourselves and see us in our true light, and then repent and flee to Jesus because He was so kind to die on the cross for us.
This whole conversation took about 7 minutes, and then she left and went back to work. Please pray that the Holy Spirit will make what I said, what the Bible says, clear to her. That she will see the reason that Jesus is our savior, and that she will repent and place her faith in Jesus alone for her salvation. In the name of Jesus, Amen!
By the Law is the knowledge of sin (Romans 7:7). It is very important to talk to people about SIN (and the bad news) before you share Jesus (the Good news) with them. It must be Law to the proud, and Grace to the humble. One reason you might not throw the Live Saver to people more often, is because you're not sure how... Listen to "Hell's Best Kept Secret" to learn how to share the gospel simply, biblically, effectively, the way Jesus did. Please GO SHARE YOUR FAITH, WHILE YOU STILL HAVE TIME.
posted by brandt dary at
8:38 PM
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