Well, it's a good thing that 2006 is over in a way since there was quite a few deaths of good friends and family which occurred during the year and hopefully the last one occuring on the last day of the year.
My Mum's youngest sister lost her battle to a brain tumor at midnight as the last day of the year arrived. In recent days she had been searching for answers about what was going to happen to her immortal soul as she was becomming very confused and worried at the same time about what was going to become of her soul. She was once a Senior Soldier in the Salvation Army when she was younger, but I feel that doesn't mean she really knew that Jesus was the Son of God - too many people talk the talk in the Army, even back then.
Assuming my Aunty was truly saved at that time - and backslidden in more recent days, is it true to say that 'once saved - always saved'?? Someone said this to me on Sunday - but can it be true? I've got a lot of things going on im my head at the moment, and one of them is - all the demons know that Jesus is the Son of God, but are they saved? You can know that Jesus is Lord, but turn away from Him, can't you? Many of her sibblings are in the same boat, and it's sinking!
How many more people in the world also know that the end of their life is comming and are fearful of what is going to happen to their souls, either not knowing what the full truth that Jesus has to offer to them, or not even knowing of Him at all??
In my Aunty's last morning, she was getting upset saying that God wasn't listening and that she just wanted her head to finally explode and it just to end - that night she died and it looks as though her head may have just done what she wanted - God WAS listening! Only if she knew. It makes me sad to think that she was lost, not just in the spiritual sense, but mentally having no hope or sense of security. I didn't even know the words to say to her to help - she continually thanked me for my prayers, but did she really mean it? I think it did give her some sort of comfort.
Just to fill you in, October/November of 2005 she was originally diagnosed with only 1-2 months to live - God told me she would be healed and she went into remission a few months later, but then halfway through last year secondary cancer hit. Mum was devistated and blamed me, saying that I told her that God had given her a miracle, but now she found it wasn't true. God healed her, but I feel a lack of faith of God in other family members wasn't helping. Was this supposed to be a wake up call to a family being lost - was the miracle a gift to them that went unappreciated, so God took it back??
Anyway, I suppose I better go out and make sure the rest of the world doesn't end up in her position not knowing the hope of eternal life paid through Jesus' blood. I want everyone to have the peace that I do - it is offered to all. If you know this peace too, don't keep it to yourself - sometimes it's hardest to talk to your family about these things, but if you tell others, you could have saved my Aunty for me, but you didn't! I just hope I can save someone elses Aunty!
Enough of my depressive thoughts - go out and tell the world about Jesus, for everyones sake, especially God's, He wants them to know.
If anyone has a word of encouragement, please share it with me, I could use some lightening up (obviously!! lol)
Well, until next time - God bless.
Simon.
4 comments:
D. L. Moody told the story of a man who was crossing the Atlantic by ship. He was terribly seasick and confined to his cabin. One night he heard the cry "Man overboard!" But he felt that there was nothing he could do to help. Then he said to himself, "I can at least put my lantern in the porthole." He struggled to his feet and hung the light so it would shine out into the darkness.
The next day he learned that the person who was rescued said, "I was going down in the dark night for the last time when someone put a light in a porthole. As it shone on my hand, a sailor in a lifeboat grabbed it and pulled me in."
All of us have weaknesses -- and times of weakness. The fact of the matter is, though, that weak or not, we need to muster up the strength to put our lights in our portholes for the sake of the dying and the lost among us. It's so tempting to sulk in our weaknesses, and stay in our cabins -- but God expects more of us. He has given us the strength to do all things -- even move mountains! There are so many people around us sinking in despair. God has chosen us to reach out and light up their lives!
Let's do something extraordinary for the Lord today. Be bold, speak up, let's get beyond our weaknesses!
Don't give up on being a light to your family. In everything you say and do be faithful to God and He'll use you to show those around you His love and His purpose. It may seem like your family don't hear or see the truth but I have an inkling that they'll remember you as a man of God. Whatever hold is on them that keeps them from walking fully with God will one day be broken and they will see Him with eyes wide open and molten hearts. I believe God allows everyone the opportunity to see Him in this way, sometimes more than once, it is their choice to accept Him. Whatever anyone says, it is not your fault, you showed her Jesus in the way you lived your life and your faith in Him. In those final moments before she died anything could have happened, who knows what her final thoughts were. Perhaps in those last moments she cried out to God to take her to be with Him and He accepted her there and then. Maybe I'm just an opptimist but if we cry out to God, surely He hears our plees and overwhelmed by love He answers and accepts us in love. Don't lose hope.
Love you,
Tish
Hey simon!
The once saved always saved is a calvinist position that i dont think the Bible backs up. Hebrews talks of those who have tasted salvation falling away. And your point about the demons is good too...
Its amazing that we can make church such a place where people just want to come to join. Is that such a bad thing? In some ways yes, coz there is a lack of real, but on the other hand that community offerd her something.
One of the passages I love relates to this, and reading cat booths papers of aggressive Christianity makes it really clear...
"Since, then we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men." 2 Corinthians 5:11
Too often we keep this great salvation to ourselves. We need to tell the world by our life, by our testimony of the living God.
Let this expereince motivate you to see the world saved.
Simon - Today is the first I'm reading this posting. As the moment of death comes, it is not unusual for there to be concern and confusion. I do believe thenemy will attempt to steal our peace even at the last moment. Here's where the Holy Spirit stands strong and keeps us in the darkest hour. He is aware of the struggle and protects our loved ones, especially at that moment. So we trust too.
Continue to minister to your family in terms of grace and hope. God's love is immense and for all.
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