06/22/17 TWO REALITIES CONVERGE

06/22/17 TWO REALITIES CONVERGE

#1 Tragically, there have been several drownings in our area recently, due to rip currents. One man even died after rescuing (saving) two girls. How tragic and how heroic.

#2 During Bible study last night, we talked about how many of the people we meet in daily activities are actual Christians. It became clear that the general population is lost in sin and need saving.

CONVERGENCE...
At the breakfast table this morning I was talking to my two youngest granddaughters about what it means to be, "saved."

I teach by asking questions and by tying concepts together. Here is how that conversation went.

Q. Do you know what sin is?
A. They told me that lying and kicking people and talking ugly was sin.

DLG... I agreed and then pointed out that SIN IS DISOBEDIENCE TO GOD, which they already knew, but they repeated for me.

Q. Does sin make you closer to God or farther from God?
A. Farther from God.

Q. Does God want you farther or closer?
A. Closer.

DLG... At this point the girls brought up last night's Bible study concerning the number of people that the devil has and the number of people that God has. Of course, as very young children, in their sphere of acquaintances they are familiar with more Christians. Sadly, that will change as they get to know more people.

The girls held their hands far apart and said that God has this many people, and then they held their hands close together and said the devil has this many people.

I told them that the Bible says the devil actually has more people than God has. (That is a hard pill to swallow.) They pointed out that God is more powerful, therefore He should have more people.

I agreed, but then explained that God is powerful enough, but each person makes his/her own decision to either follow God or follow Satan, and more people choose to be selfish and sinful than to love and trust God.

I then explained what it means to be, "saved."

Q. If a person is drowning, what do they need?
A. To get out of the water.

DLG... hehehe, good answer. see, life really is pretty simple.

Q. What do they need if they cannot get out of the water?
A. Someone to HELP them.

DLG... EXACTLY. They need someone to Help them, to Rescue them, to SAVE them.

I returned to our earlier subject.

I told them that the Bible says, "Many are called to God, but only a few are saved."

I held my hands far apart and then close together and asked which was many and which was few. Of course they gave the right answer, but it still bothered them that only a few would be rescued, saved.

I told them that the Bible says, "There is a wide door that leads away from God and a narrow door that leads to God, and many would go through the wide door away from God and few would go through the narrow door that leads to God."

Again, they were bothered

I told them that God sent Jesus to help, to rescue, to SAVE people from being lost in sin and swept away in disobedience.

Drowning people must realize that they are drowning and they must call on God to save them from their sin. REMEMBER, God commands that we call on Him in faith and repentance; He never tells us to continue in sin or presume on Him. We must believe, confess, repent, obey. There is no salvation for the unbeliever, the unrepentant and the disobedient.

Drowning people do not always realize they are drowning, and therefore they do not call out to be rescued. In fact, they sometimes reject and move farther from rescuers.

Drowning people sometimes get so far away that they cannot be rescued.

Sin deceives people into thinking they are not in trouble. Sin can separate from God to such an extent that they cannot hear the call of God any more.

Some beaches nearby have been closed because of the rip currents. However, life is not closed, and in fact, the rip currents of life are even more numerous and powerful than before. Until life is closed down, the only hope for being rescued is for a person to believe and receive Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior.

BTW, the photo is this morning's food art that the girls asked for. See, you never know what will show up at the breakfast table.