Apologetics
Maybe You Can
By Dan Blankenship
It’s not easy work spreading the “good news” about what Christ has done for humanity. When we work to spread the Gospel, we often feel that it is an uphill struggle and that the comforts and small rewards in this life are hard to pull people away from. It is a complex mission to ask people to see past the temporal dimensions of this world and focus on the infinite possibilities yet uncovered in the next world.
I find that the best way to sometimes tell people about Christ and the door His sacrifice unlocked is to just get to it.
Examples? Sure, I can give you some:
I was having a discussion concerning cancer and death with a few people. I didn’t believe any of them knew about my faith, and I wanted to let them know about the path to eternity without sounding preachy.
“Well, I’m thankful that this world isn’t the end of the road,” I interjected, pausing long enough for someone else to take the conversation in a different direction.
The conversation moved to how sad it must be to die at such a young age for those people diagnosed with cancer early in their lives. Sad comments and horrific stories of pain were exchanged.
“It’s hard to lose loved ones and never see them again until we are reunited in Heaven,” I offered, speaking as solemn and quite as I could. I wanted my sincerity of conviction to be apparent in the softness of my words and not come across as offering overconfidence in my addition to the discussion.
After the discussion ended, one of the participants followed me as I went on my way, asking me questions about why I looked at life so focused on the eternal. We had a great discussion about faith, the afterlife, and forgiveness of sin.
No, this person did not fall on his knees, repent, and ask for a personal relationship with Christ during our talk, though that would have been an amazing testimony. But this man did hear about what I and millions like me believe is the truth concerning the temporary nature of the vessels we currently call home. His excitement and thirst for knowledge concerning the Christian faith inspired me to tell him all I could about life’s only real hope.
On a fishing trip, many years ago, I had the opportunity to explain a little bit about my faith to someone who had never heard such nonsense, at least that’s what he said in response to my statements.
He had rapid-fire questions about Christianity and I was sure that sooner or later he would hit me with a query about my faith that would cause me to drop the subject all together. However, the relaxed setting and calmness of the day allowed me time to meditate on each of the topics we discussed. I truly believe that God was helping me soften my friend’s heart, and while I’m not sure Mark ever made the leap from atheist to Christian, I know he no longer sees the Gospel of Jesus Christ as nonsense.
For more than two years I had been telling an Internet friend of mine about Christianity. He was struggling with pornography, laziness, and apathy, but he was always fascinated by my positive attitude and the fact that I refused to give up on him.
I was always praying for him. He didn’t believe in prayer.
I was always lifting him up. He was always falling down.
I would tell him about hope. He would tell me about despair.
Finally, I logged into the Christian chat room one day and my atheist friend was already there. “I’m ready,” he typed on the screen when he saw me enter the room.
“Ready?” I replied.
“I’m ready to have what you have…peace…Real happiness.”
“You are ready to make Jesus your personal Savior and live for Him.”
“I am.”
After we prayed together and discussed his conversion across a giant ocean of change, I asked him how he felt.
“I feel like my life has been on pause for the past few years, and this faith that I have rejected so long has let me grab the remote and push play. I feel like fear is gone.”
“Cool,” I replied. It was all I could think of at the time.
“Thanks for never giving up on me. If things were reversed, I would have never had the patience you did.”
“Me?” I replied, “It’s Jesus that’s been waiting 2000 years for you to come home. Maybe you can send that thanks to the one who truly deserves it.”
He typed LOL on the screen and promised to do just that.
Spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not as difficult as we make it out to be. We have the greatest boss, trainer, and support system ever developed. Our multi-level marketing system brings happiness to the soul, not the body. Our management team works to give us eternal retirement homes void of horror stories and criminal investigations, not a temporary place of refuge.
When the possibility to present the Gospel to someone arises, stop thinking you can’t and start thinking, “Maybe I can.”
PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
Reader Count & Comments
Date
Dan, I have a confession to make. I have a lot to do, so I was about to stop reading articles on Faith Writers for now and do something else. I saw your name as the next on the list of new articles, so I decided to read just one more. This is one of the best I have ever read, and when I got to the part where your internet friend said, "I'm ready", I exclaimed out loud with joy. Thank you so much for sharing this, for the good news of someone's salvation not only makes the angels rejoice, it makes me rejoice as well. Again thanks for a superb article on witnessing. Thomas
Dan, thanks for reminding us that some people want the peace and joy they see in us and are just waiting for us to share our "secret." Thanks also for showing us that we need not struggle in sharing; that God will provide the opening to speak, and the heart to receive. Your humble spirit shines through this piece and God is gloried. Nice work!
The opinions expressed by authors do not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com. This is especially true with articles that
deal with personal healthcare and prophecy. We encourage the reader to make their own decision in consultation with God, His Word, and others as needed.
This article has been read 904 times < Previous | Next >
Read more articles by Dan Blankenship or search for other articles by topic below.
This article has been read 904 times < Previous | Next >
Search for articles on: (e.g. creation; holiness etc.)
Read more by clicking on a link:Free Reprints
Main Site Articles
Most Read Articles
Highly Acclaimed Challenge Articles.
New Release Christian Books for Free for a Simple Review.
NEW - Surprise Me With an Article - Click here for a random URL
God is Not Against You - He Came on an All Out Rescue Mission to Save You
...in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them... 2 Cor 5:19
Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Acts 13:38
LEARN & TRUST JESUS HERE
FaithWriters offers Christian reading material for Christian readers. We offer Christian articles, Christian fiction, Christian non-fiction, Christian Bible studies, Christian poems, Christian articles for sale, free use Christian articles, Christian living articles, New Covenant Christian Bible Studies, Christian magazine articles and new Christian articles. We write for Jesus about God, the Bible, salvation, prayer and the word of God.