Have you, in any way, managed to share the Gospel message of Christ Jesus’ saving grace to them whom you consider dear and close to your heart?
Those around you who have a concept of a God of Creation but do not really bother to seek the Heavenly Father’s will?
Those whom you’ve shared a fragment of your life with while in your unregenerate state, but now that you’ve experienced God’s gift of salvation and the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, you don’t spend as much time with no matter the reason?
Those whom you’ve known from a long way back, prior to the accomplishments, degrees and appended initials alongside your names?
Do you pray that they may know Jesus in an intimate and personal manner and receive Him as their Lord and personal Saviour?
Today, I am reminded of them..
Today, I am reminded to pray for them, and reach out.
Friends usher friends to heaven.
“Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” (James 4:14).
Many a times, I take for granted that day by day, in God’s loving and tender mercies, He grants me with new chances to encounter Him, through the people He put in my life and the environment He designed me to be in at a given moment.
Today, I am reminded that my friends need Christ Jesus as their Saviour, and my heart is terribly aching for them. I don’t want them to die not knowing they are accountable to God one day, should they waste their lives doing their own thing, pursuing their own will, subscribing to the idea that Christianity is but a fool’s uninformed worldview. “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).
Looking back, I can’t help feeling grateful when I ponder on the fact that God in His loving kindness saved me at a time where skepticism and doubts and bitterness pervaded my thinking. It is only by His grace that I am saved. He can do that for my friends, too, but I should be doing my part.
To you, my brother and sister who is reading this, don’t be that one Christian friend in your circle who failed to do his part in proclaiming Jesus’ work on Calvary’s cross to pay for the penalty of ALL man’s sins. Share that “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). The simple message of salvation and way to heaven rests on this elemental truth-- ”Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Him” (John 14:6).
Without one admitting his sinfulness before God, without one genuinely repenting from his sin and without him turning toward God and accepting Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, he cannot attain a truly delightful and fulfilling life. He simply lives a purposeless and senseless existence, devolved from the view of the bliss of eternity, here and now (qualitatively). He misses out on the promise that someday in heaven, we can get to spend our lives in the presence of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, our Blessed Hope (Titus 2:13), praising Him and ever satisfied in Him. After all, our earthly lives are ephemeral, but our souls eternal.
If one chooses to harden his heart concerning this truth, or in an unlikely circumstance, failed to hear the salvation message from those around him or events in His life that revealed God at work, what a sad and heart-wrenching reality that is for that person! My heart aches deeply for him.
Instead of a life free from the bondage of sin and thirst to sin, one is doomed to live a life with a clouded view of what truly is essential. It isn’t wealth, riches, fame and accomplishments. I do not mean that they are bad in and of themselves. Such just don’t count as much with eternity in view. “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36).
Instead of the promises and the joy of communing with God daily, one is doomed to a sentence in the unquenchable punishment in hell someday with the Father of this world Satan, the deceiver of many. “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world” (1 John 2:16).
Instead of a life so transformed and mightily used by God, if one chooses to willfully deny that Jesus Christ indeed is God and Lord of all, that He saves regardless of how unforgivable our sins may seem humanly speaking, one is carrying the burden he need not carry.
There will always be a void, an emptiness, a longing within the human soul to find peace. I am speaking as a person so damaged by sin, rebellion and unrest. (Aren’t we all?)
Let it be known that the “Prince of Peace”, “the Counsellor”, “the mighty God”, “the Everlasting Father” (Isaiah 9:6) is still into the business of saving lives, and offering peace for our weary souls. He says lovingly,
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
I beg you, my brother and sister in the Lord, share God’s love for the whole of mankind. Share it with your friends, lovingly. Let them see how Jesus Christ offers forgiveness, peace and life eternal that cannot be taken away from them who received Him gladly in their hearts. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12).
Friends usher friends to heaven.
You know this to be true. I know this to be true.
Let us do our part in fulfilling the great commission out of love, for the souls of those whom God consider precious-- enough that He let His Son shed his blood and die, an unblemished, blameless and perfect sacrifice to atone for the penalty of the whole of the wicked world, us included.
Let us share the message that “God commendeth His love towards in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
Share the Good News of God’s free gift of salvation by His grace, and pray for them that are yet without the eternal life in Christ Jesus.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
“They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. “ (Psalm 126:5).
Friends usher friends to heaven. Have you, in any way, managed to share the Gospel message of Christ Jesus’ saving grace to them whom you consider dear and close to your heart? Let us.
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