August 2009

08.03.2009

ne Parson’s Opinion


Beverly and I were out visiting last Tuesday night, as is usual for us. As is the pattern on most of these nights, we ran into people with great needs. You know this to be true, but sometimes we do forget that there are a lot of hurting people out there in your world and mine.

There was a song many years back which communicates what I wish to say. The title is People Need the Lord. It is true! The longer I live and the more I deal with people, the more I am convinced that the greatest need of the human heart is Jesus.

There are Christians who have gone through heartache and sorrow. There are lost people who have no clue as to why they are here and are desperately seeking to find life. Many of the attempts that lost people make to find life are self-destructive. People do really need to be pointed to Jesus. He often is the only one who can help, whether one is saved or lost.

So, let me ask you to do a few things for those people in your circle of relationship who have needs. First, pray for them, whether they are Christians or not. Pray for their needs specifically. If the person is not a Christian, pray for God to intersect their life in some way. Pray the verse, “God is not willing that any perish but all should come to repentance.” (II Peter 3:9) Based on this verse, ask God to save that one.

If your friend or loved one is a Christian but is going through tough times, pray that the Lord Himself will come to them and comfort them. Pray that the Lord, who is the God of all comfort, will be the God of all comfort to them (II Corinthians 1:3).

Second, seek to share Christ with that lost friend. Witnessing is nothing of which to be afraid. In witnessing about Jesus, you are simply telling your friend they are loved beyond imagination, and this Lover of their soul wants to give them abundant life now and life eternal. To come to the point of following Jesus and receiving this gift of salvation, your friend must “get” a few facts:

1. First, God loves them.
   
2. Second, sin has messed up their life.
   
3. Third, the solution to the sin problem is Jesus.

Then, what will they do with Jesus? Ignore Him or believe His death dealt with the sin problem and follow Jesus as Lord.

I trust you will make even some faltering attempts to do the above, because people do need the Lord. (By the way, if you do falter, Jesus said to tell you, it’s okay; He loves you.)

See you on the Lord’s Day,

Jim

Posted by arbc at 07:25 AM