From: "doug powless" <doug.powless@canrem.com>
Subject: some thoughts on commitme
Reply-To: "doug powless" <doug.powless@canrem.com>
Organization: Canada Remote Systems
Distribution: bit
Date: 11 Oct 92 22:14:56 EST

            Kerry wrote 
 
I also see a terrible danger to the Christian community in our willingness
to compromise standards and to quietly stand in the corner while others
denigrate our faith and our God.  You see, it is painfully clear that, in
the last days (whenever they may be), there will come a time when allegien
to Christ will be not only a question of eternal life--but of physical lif
as well.  The AntiChrist (whomever that may be) will welcome those Christi
who will compromise the deity and standards of Christ and will persecute
those who refuse.

If we, now, are afraid to speak up for Him, for fear of being ridiculed,
or embarrassed, or getting a bad grade--what will we do when the threat
is imprisonment or death?  If we cannot or will not speak against those
who claim that less than 10% of the words of the book of John attributed
to Christ were actually spoken by Him, what will we do when allegience to
those very words carries with it the threat of persecution, imprisonment,
torture, and death?

--Kerry
 

        Hi all!  This is my first time to the "list" as you call it, and
        many of your messages are interesting, informative and
        provocative.

        I want to share a dream I had:  I was on an elevator which was
        not functioning properly.  I knew that I had to get off it but
        it stopped altogether, and managed to get off on the first
        floor.

        I saw a family go past me into the elevator.  The doors closed,
        and the elevator crashed, killing the family inside.

        I woke up from that dream and thought about it much during the
        day.  So I prayed "Lord what really could I do?  That family
        made their own choice, didn't they?  Was there ANYTHING which
        could have prevented it?"  The thought that came back was:  "You
        could have warned them."

        Then I caught what I think was the significance of the dream:
        we see people everyday -ordinary happy people without apparent
        evil in their lives who are nonetheless heading for an eternity
        with God.  We who know Him have not only the opportunity, but
        the mandate to speak of our relationship to them.  If at that
        point, people decide not to honour or follow the Lord, then they
        have at least been warned.

        My problem:  I used to go out and "evangelize" - and I see many
        people doing it today.  Most of what I see on the streets is
        terms of evangelization is pushy and leaves a bad taste in my
        mouth.  I imagine some people may turn to the Lord as a result,
        but there's something missing.  Possibly there's a nice arm's
        length relationship to someone you meet on the street:  if they
        get to know Jesus, that's great, and we can point them to a
        church nearby.  If they don't we'll never see them again, and
        maybe not even remember them.  There's no committment.

        I think when people believe that one *REALLY* cares about them,
        and that one is ready to give up time and convenience to be with
        them, and to really care for them in all aspects, then people
        will begin to believe that there may actually be truth here.

        In other words:  I want to share the Lord; I've been very quiet
        because of my past stupidity, and because I don't want to
        dishonour Him, but I feel that He's telling me to begin again,
        and I really don't know where or how to start.

        Any thoughts?
---
  PConfig  A word fitly spoken is like a beautiful apple of gold.
--
Canada Remote Systems  - Toronto, Ontario
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