August 21, 2019 – Click here to listen
Yesterday I was picking out wood floor coverings for a room I’m renovating in my house. A very nice young man was helping me, and I was in a hurry because I needed to meet with the superintendent who was managing my job. As he was typing up a quote for the sample I picked out, he asked for my e-mail address. It contained the words: @JesusAlliance.org and he asked me what the Jesus Alliance was. I explained that it was a ministry that I founded that is dedicated to being a part of the Great Commission which entailed preaching the Gospel and disciplining the nations all over the world and that we were attempting to do so via technology.
There was a little lounge area in the store, and he asked if I had time to talk to him for a few moments. Of course, I agreed, and he came around the counter and sat with us and began telling me that he had been an atheist for some time. Apparently his life had been no bed of roses, not the least of which was when his sister committed suicide when he was just 11 years old. He led a pretty miserable life and rejected God as a figment of people’s imagination whose lives were consumed by the fear of dying. In due time he became suicidal on more than one occasion himself.
Then one day he felt led to read the Bible. He didn’t own one and thought maybe his parents who had passed away several years earlier might have one stored away in their garage. He went over and rummaged around looking but could not find one. He saw a small box among some of the clutter of books and other items scattered around and decided to look inside the little box. When he opened it, there was a brand new King James version Bible with his name engraved on it. Apparently his parents had bought it for him, but never gave it to him. When he told us this his arms were immediately covered in huge goosebumps and tears formed in his eyes.
He began to read his Bible and so began his journey. He spoke of it with friends and they told him just to skip over the parts he didn’t understand, but to keep reading. Unfortunately, he has not made the time to do much more with his new-found spirituality aside from reading the Bible. I shared my testimony with him . . .
I then told him how I had decided to follow Jesus Christ and not the world. It had a huge impact on him, and I told him that the Holy Spirit of God not only gave him the Bible that he wanted, he also sent me to reinforce that he loves him very much. The young man had a son of his own and I asked if he loved him. He said he loved him very much. I then asked if he enjoyed spending time with him. He almost looked hurt that I would even ask as he explained that he absolutely loved spending time with him and wished he could spend more. I told him that is how God feels about him and even more so. “He is your Father and He loves you more than you can imagine and in fact He wants to spend eternity with you!” I said.
Finally, it was time to leave and he thanked us many times before we got out of the door. I intend to follow up with him next week and thereafter and try to get him involved in a local church where he can meet some friends his own age. I missed my meeting with the superintendent, and everyone was gone when I got to my house, but I didn’t care. I’ll meet with him today or whenever. This young man is in now my prayers and I hope in yours. I hope God will give me another opportunity like that today and every day.
Matthew 5:14
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.