Everlasting Life
By grace, through faith in Jesus
I had reached out to a company to test our sprinkler system and in the course of this conversation turned to spiritual matters. The man who came out was from Mexico and he shared with me his various encounters with religious systems here in America. I found his experiences and observations fascinating.
He started off telling me that he prays and thanks God everyday....that he came from an RCC background (but got the sense that he's not really entrenched). As he shared about some other things he really was kind of pouring his heart out, eager to have a listening ear. And so I really paused to listen and hear what he had to say.
He shared about how he's encountered the Jehovah's witnesses and curiosity about the 'very few' that will be saved (he's referring to the 144,000 in Revelation), then his puzzlement of another group, the masonic temple people who seem very nice and wanting to help and how they invoke the name of Jesus to heal (while the individual seems to be in a trance) and then some churches that seemed to be a bit off, etc. He talked of those who seemed to be able to heal or cast out demons but then other parts of their lives or beliefs didn't add up to what the bible says.
The poor guy, it really sounded like he's been religiously inundated and his observation was that it seemed religion is something that's used to control people rather than really make their lives better. He noted that yes, while these groups do give and seek to help it always seemed that they wanted something in return. I did comment 'That's something to watch out for isn't it?" Then he shared the additional observation of those who go to church but the rest of their lives they live in an ungodly manner. This is just a summary of an extensive conversation.
Boy, my brain just about burst as scripture whizzed by that would address so much of what he was talking about! But, as I listened I began to pray for God's most important words I could share, that this man would need to hear. By God's grace, in only a few sentences I was able to give an overview of what happened with Adam and Eve, how it was not God's intentions and so He sent Jesus Christ to die for the whole world's sins and that through faith in Jesus we are saved and then empowered by the Holy Spirit to live for Him. I shared that we may not live perfectly but Jesus works to bring out true Godliness in our lives. Our place in heaven is secured because Jesus did all the work for us, He just wants us to simply place our faith in Him.
I encouraged him to read the book of John and then Acts so he could see how there were those who were able to cast out demons apart from Jesus and yet Jesus said, "I never knew you", explaining that it wasn't healing and casting out demons that saves a person but rather faith in Jesus Christ. I explained that just as we enjoy relationship with our family so too, Jesus wants close family relationship with us. I was also able to explain the dispensations to him and how God was working in the Old Testament, New Testament and Revelation.
Personally, all praise to God for this because how can one explain the bible like this in a short clip of 2 minutes?!!
He really seemed to listen and take in what I was sharing. But, I think so many people have shared all sorts of things that he's kind of confused what to believe. I communicated my understanding of this, telling him that I'm simply sharing what I've learned and that perhaps what I say might resonate with him later. His response was, "I think I'll just stay neutral" with the idea that perhaps this was the safest thing to do socially and also as a life principle so to speak.
He accepted some information from me and we parted on friendly terms but it seemed he appreciated what I had to share.
Here's what was kind of interesting. He seems to understand that there is good and evil, and spoke of not being able to sleep at night because he feels poking and prodding or other things that keep him awake (intimating that he's being bothered by 'bad spirits'), yet when he looks around there's no one there. His brother gave him some superstitious ideas to try, which worked for about a night and then back to the same things....until.......
He took his bible, opened it up, laid it on his bed and that's what has helped him to be able to sleep consistently at night. My comment was, "Well, that really says something about the bible doesn't it?" He somewhat brushed it off....but, I hope that my comment sticks as food for thought. Here's what was even more interesting, he shared that the bible had to be open, not closed but opened in order for him to sleep well at night. At that point I understood that he was using the bible as a sort of superstitious employment but what he didn't realize is that God's Word has power in this ,seen and unseen.
So, I continued to share that faith in Jesus was the way for his peace and salvation, pointing again to reading the Word of God rather than just having it open without actually spiritually ingesting it.
At any rate, I thought it would be interesting to share this and might make for some good discussion here. If anything, would you lift this man up in your prayers that he would be saved through faith in Jesus? It sounds like his brother actually moved away from being involved in the Masonic Temple and placed his faith in Jesus and has been talking with his brother, this man, about how to come to Christ as well. This really felt like a divine sort of moment as we had no appointment set up but he just showed up.
On another note, I'm so thankful for all the various Christians who've faithfully taught God's Word and/or brought the truth of God's Word to other people.....God's faithfulness to me through this has been a blessing and it's such a blessing to in turn share with others.
He started off telling me that he prays and thanks God everyday....that he came from an RCC background (but got the sense that he's not really entrenched). As he shared about some other things he really was kind of pouring his heart out, eager to have a listening ear. And so I really paused to listen and hear what he had to say.
He shared about how he's encountered the Jehovah's witnesses and curiosity about the 'very few' that will be saved (he's referring to the 144,000 in Revelation), then his puzzlement of another group, the masonic temple people who seem very nice and wanting to help and how they invoke the name of Jesus to heal (while the individual seems to be in a trance) and then some churches that seemed to be a bit off, etc. He talked of those who seemed to be able to heal or cast out demons but then other parts of their lives or beliefs didn't add up to what the bible says.
The poor guy, it really sounded like he's been religiously inundated and his observation was that it seemed religion is something that's used to control people rather than really make their lives better. He noted that yes, while these groups do give and seek to help it always seemed that they wanted something in return. I did comment 'That's something to watch out for isn't it?" Then he shared the additional observation of those who go to church but the rest of their lives they live in an ungodly manner. This is just a summary of an extensive conversation.
Boy, my brain just about burst as scripture whizzed by that would address so much of what he was talking about! But, as I listened I began to pray for God's most important words I could share, that this man would need to hear. By God's grace, in only a few sentences I was able to give an overview of what happened with Adam and Eve, how it was not God's intentions and so He sent Jesus Christ to die for the whole world's sins and that through faith in Jesus we are saved and then empowered by the Holy Spirit to live for Him. I shared that we may not live perfectly but Jesus works to bring out true Godliness in our lives. Our place in heaven is secured because Jesus did all the work for us, He just wants us to simply place our faith in Him.
I encouraged him to read the book of John and then Acts so he could see how there were those who were able to cast out demons apart from Jesus and yet Jesus said, "I never knew you", explaining that it wasn't healing and casting out demons that saves a person but rather faith in Jesus Christ. I explained that just as we enjoy relationship with our family so too, Jesus wants close family relationship with us. I was also able to explain the dispensations to him and how God was working in the Old Testament, New Testament and Revelation.
Personally, all praise to God for this because how can one explain the bible like this in a short clip of 2 minutes?!!
He really seemed to listen and take in what I was sharing. But, I think so many people have shared all sorts of things that he's kind of confused what to believe. I communicated my understanding of this, telling him that I'm simply sharing what I've learned and that perhaps what I say might resonate with him later. His response was, "I think I'll just stay neutral" with the idea that perhaps this was the safest thing to do socially and also as a life principle so to speak.
He accepted some information from me and we parted on friendly terms but it seemed he appreciated what I had to share.
Here's what was kind of interesting. He seems to understand that there is good and evil, and spoke of not being able to sleep at night because he feels poking and prodding or other things that keep him awake (intimating that he's being bothered by 'bad spirits'), yet when he looks around there's no one there. His brother gave him some superstitious ideas to try, which worked for about a night and then back to the same things....until.......
He took his bible, opened it up, laid it on his bed and that's what has helped him to be able to sleep consistently at night. My comment was, "Well, that really says something about the bible doesn't it?" He somewhat brushed it off....but, I hope that my comment sticks as food for thought. Here's what was even more interesting, he shared that the bible had to be open, not closed but opened in order for him to sleep well at night. At that point I understood that he was using the bible as a sort of superstitious employment but what he didn't realize is that God's Word has power in this ,seen and unseen.
So, I continued to share that faith in Jesus was the way for his peace and salvation, pointing again to reading the Word of God rather than just having it open without actually spiritually ingesting it.
At any rate, I thought it would be interesting to share this and might make for some good discussion here. If anything, would you lift this man up in your prayers that he would be saved through faith in Jesus? It sounds like his brother actually moved away from being involved in the Masonic Temple and placed his faith in Jesus and has been talking with his brother, this man, about how to come to Christ as well. This really felt like a divine sort of moment as we had no appointment set up but he just showed up.
On another note, I'm so thankful for all the various Christians who've faithfully taught God's Word and/or brought the truth of God's Word to other people.....God's faithfulness to me through this has been a blessing and it's such a blessing to in turn share with others.
