April 30, 2013
I received an e-mail from my site manager, Mary
Fast, back on December 27 and for some reason, I never deleted
it ... and quite honestly, I refer back to it quite often ... and now
I know why. ... It is the inspiration for this commentary of which I'm
about to write.
So first, let me share the e-mail with you .........
"So just as I was uploading this week's commentary to our site
& facebook, I had two Jehovah's Witnesses come to the door.
.. The same two ladies have been here before and they came back to see
if i had any questions and to share Scripture with me. ... I was
able to share with them what i believe about jesus, and while I think
they were probably just being polite in listening, I also gave them
the card to the website. .... It made me wonder ...... Why don't we
ever have Christians knocking at our door to share tracts with us or
read Scriptures to us? ... Why are the only religious groups that
have EVER come to my door in the past four years JW's & Mormons?!?!?!"
How true! ... and why is this the case? ....
Contrary to the teachings of these two cults where they believe they
must 'work their way to Heaven', we in the 'regular' churches of today
are saved by grace ... not works ... so we don't have to! ....
The sad truth is this .... most of us in these 'regular' Christian churches
are basically just going through the motions ... We live a 'worldly'
life all week, show up at Church on Sunday, then leave the same way
we came...and then go out and lead that same 'worldly' life all over
again the next week! ... "Just get me in, Lord ... that's
good enough for me" is the unexpressed attitude of many believers.
...
The Bible warns very clearly about the dangers of
this "lukewarm" attitude ... Look at what Jesus said to the
Laodicean Church in Revelation 3:14-17 ..... "These are the words
of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation.
15) I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish
you were either one or the other! 16) So because you are lukewarm
- neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
17) You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.
But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and
naked.' "
Wow! ... That's a pretty clear indictment on just
'going through the motions, if you ask me! ... and let's for clarity
show one more Scripture that shares the same message ... In 2 Timothy
3:5, Paul tells us that in the last days,
people will be seen as "having a form of godliness
but denying its power." ...... In other words, they 'act the act,'
but really do nothing to advance the Kingdom of God. ...
So now let's get back to the question in Mary's
e-mail .... Why isn't anyone from the Church showing up at her door?
... Because people don't care enough about the lost to go after them!
... They're all too busy laying up treasures here on earth. ..... What
was it that Charles Spurgeon said in one of his sermons some 100+ years
ago? .... "If you do not care if the person sitting next to you
is saved, be sure to know that you yourself are not saved!"
We who know the Bible's teachings realize that we
are in the perilous times of the last days, and as the world continues
to deteriorate spiritually and morally at an ever-increasing pace, more
and more people will be seeking 'that something' that is so desperately
missing in their lives ... Jesus Christ! ... and who shows up at their
door? ... The peddlers of false and deceiving doctrine ... those who
believe they must work their way to Heaven .... the Mormons and the
Jehovah's Witnesses ... and what do they do? ... They promise them all
the things their lost souls crave .... and sadly, both the false teachers
and those they reach out to are still lost!
So now it's time to change all of this! ... We who
follow Jesus Christ and live by His doctrine as best we can in this
crazy world need to be the ones 'knocking on Mary's door!' ... Acts
1:8 says, "... You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes
on you, and you will be my witnesses ... " .... We in today's Church
have turned 'inward' and seem to stay in our comfort zones, but Jesus
said in His Sermon on the Mount, "You are the light of the
world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people
light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its
stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same
way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds
and praise your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:14-16) ..
As I always say, and will continue to do so as long
as God allows, time is extremely short and today ... not tomorrow ...
today is the time to go out and 'knock on that door' you've been putting
off. .... Someone in desperate shape is just behind it, waiting
for the truth to be told to them ... the hope that they so urgently
need! ..... Jesus says in Revelation 3:20 ... "Here I am!
I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens
the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me."
After reading that, how can we NOT show people the
door to eternal salvation! ...... Hallelujah !!!!!!
OK ... enough for this time around ... have a great
day, and know that Mary & I love each of you and are praying for
you all ... (God knows exactly who you are)!
Until next time,
Red
Note: Pod-casting is coming soon! ... Just
think! ... You'll be able to listen to my ramblings as well as reading
them!