The Good News!

I have so many more things to write about Africa...but God has me in a place where I am sharing the gospel right here in America...in fact in my very own home.

This has not caught me off guard. In fact the Lord has been convicting my heart in how important it is to share the good news of His free gift of salvation to all men. This is our highest calling...(next to simply spending time with Him). Yet, it is the area I focus the least on in my christian life.

The whole reason He died is so that we might accept this free invitation to have fellowship with Him for all of eternity. Our life is a mist and a vapor, we are here on this earth for but a moment and then for all eternity we are somewhere. We are either in the Presence of God, never again to be separated from His love, or in hell never again having a chance to be with the One we were created by and for.

As the years are passing by faster and faster I am not wanting to waste even a day. I want my whole life to count for Him. I do not want to miss an opportunity to share Him with others.

OK, so I say that....

I come home from Africa and God puts a 16 year old girl, who I have already witnessed to on our door step. I know that she doesn't know Christ, and doesn't want to from a previous conversation I had with her. I was so happy when she decided to stay. I was certain in a matter of days she would give her life to Him. HA! God tricked me!!!

I have begged Him to draw her, convict her, save her! I have asked the most godly people I know to pray. I have even fasted :) It has been like 3.2 weeks and no salvation. UGH!

So now I am weary...weary of 'sharing the gospel.' Weary of dragging someone to church that doesn't want to go. Weary of peeking over during the salvation prayer and her hand not being raised. Weary of sitting on her bed telling her how much Jesus loves her and how much she needs Him only to have her look at me with a blank stare.

I have not one single ounce of power to convict or draw or save her. I am completely dependant on Him.

I am also facing the fact that in the scriptures I see many who were called by God to preach the good news to those who would not only reject the message but persecute the messengers in the process. I know that our responsibility as a Christ follower is to present the gospel and leave the rest up to God. So much easier said than done.

Me and the boys are reading about persecuted Christians all over the world. Today we read about Christians in Iran and Pakistan. Iran's population is only 0.33 percent Christians. Why didn't I know that? Why didn't I care before? We read about a 6 year old boy witnessing to his teacher and an 86 year old man who refused to deny Christ and was tortured for it in this past year.

And here I sit in a country where I don't have to secretly read my bible, gather with other believers or share the gospel with those around me because I might go to jail or be tortured for it or even put to death and yet many times I don't do any of these things near as much as I should. I am living in a country that calls itself a christian nation, yet very few want to hear that they need to give their whole life to Him if they want to be saved. They have the truth readily available to them and yet refuse to accept it.

I don't want to just stay in my Christian bubble, or go downtown and feed the homeless and check my good deed off the list for the week either. I don't want to go half way across the world to feed orphans, yet overlook my neighbor accross the street that I am certain doesn't know Christ.

And many people, like me, don't want to share the gospel with others in America because they convince themselves that everyone has already heard it and if not, they surely said a prayer when they were 5 and must be OK with God.

So instead of whining that the teen aged girl asleep in the other room would rather turn to drugs instead of Jesus. I should, in fact, be rejoicing at the opportunity God has given me by bringing her to my door step...to share His good news with someone so precious to Him. (Even if she leaves tomorrow and I see no result from the investment in her life!)

It is not my responsibility to make her accept His love. It is my responsibility to offer it.

If she continues to reject His message and even me for presenting it, then again, I should rejoice that He is allowing me to share in His sufferings.

I am asking Him to give me His heart for the lost. I was once that 16 year old girl...He pursued me as He is pursuing her. He allowed my sin to take me to a place where I was miserable and saw my need for Him. And then when I finally surrendered to His love, I am certain he threw a party for me...just as He did you if you are His.

So all of this should spur me on to preach the gospel in all the earth, even right here in America in my own home. I should not stop there, but I should REJOICE that I have been called as an ambassador for my Lord and Savior to hold out His message of Hope to he world!

In His Name alone we are saved and made whole...in His Name ALONE!

(If you are reading this...I BEG you to pray for this sweet girl's salvation)