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Many Ministers in our world take the calling by Jesus himself of “The Great Commission” seriously. Yes, we all should too. Many of us have life insurance policies set up for our loved ones to have monies after our death. Let me ask you, how much do you have invested in your life insurance policy? $50K, $500, $ million? All this money you spend on monthly payments to provide security for your loved ones is a great idea, but what is in it for you? Think about as you read the following blog of time, commitment, and what life insurance policy do you have for yourself? The answer to this will be revealed in one person’s life as you read on.
A few months ago, a fellow I knew named Mike, had wanted to see what it was like to worship at a Baptist church. So, he came to our worship service, one Sunday. Afterwards, we had a pot-luck luncheon, and Mike joined us. During that time of fellowship and good food, many people came to speak with Mike. Like my pastor, some friends, and our Bible study teacher, W.
W and Mike had quite a conversation. W was previously a Muslim and converted many years ago. Mike was raised Catholic. However, he had an experience with someone within the Catholic Church that turned him right off. So, he decided that God didn't exist and decided to become an atheist.
Part of me wondered why Mike would want to see what it was like to worship at a Baptist church. Of course, he had never before been with a Baptist church family. However, I wondered if possibly God was leading him back to Christianity.
Just so you know, Mike and I did not have a relationship of any kind, other than just being friends. In the spring, he got angry with me for talking about God, and our differences in thinking made him not speak with me for a while. You may recall reading that I had a van problem a while back. And, a fellow showed up to drive my daughter B and I to her vehicle. That was Mike. After that, I heard from him off and on. He was looking for information about being on dialysis. His doctor told him he needed to have dialysis three (3) times a week. Even so, it didn't begin.
About a week and a half ago, he called me and let me know he wanted me to list his house for sale. I thanked him, but had to explain that although I absolutely am a licensed realtor and must pay all the fees associated with my licensing, I felt I was but not well enough to return to working. So, I mentioned that I had a friend who works for the same broker as I do. L is someone I've known since I was first licensed in 1988. He agreed to meet with her, last Tuesday. However, he wanted me there, also. Mike explained that since he's carrying around so much extra fluid in his body, that he was having trouble walking, and was continually out of breath. He let me know his front door would be unlocked, and if he didn't answer the bell or knocking, it would probably be because he was having trouble on the staircase.
I asked him repeatedly, if he let me take him to the hospital. Even when we met with L, when she listed his house for sale. His answer was always... NO! He wanted to wait until after he saw his heart specialist, which he was scheduled for the previous Friday. Ultimately Thursday evening, he called me. During our conversation, he asked me if I would drive him to his heart specialist's appointment, the next morning. I agreed to do this for him.
Friday morning, I called him just before I left home, and left a message letting him know I was on my way to pick him up. Upon arrival, there was no answer. So, I took his mail out of his mailbox, and opened the door to enter his home. After placing his mail on his kitchen table, I called out his name, over and over gain. There was no reply. I exited the house, and called L, asking her to come over immediately. She lives close by, but I could hear the water running, as she was in the shower. Even so, she let me know she'd be there as soon as she could. Meanwhile, I saw a neighbor outside and asked him if he would go into the house with me to check on Mike. I explained that although I was improving, I was still having trouble climbing multiple stairs and was weak after having that major surgery. He agreed.
At the bottom of the staircase, we both called out Mike's name. There was no answer. The fellow went up the stairs; I climbed only a few stairs. From upstairs, he looked at me and said that Mike wasn't in any bedroom. But then, he saw Mike laying on the floor in the bathroom. He couldn't tell if Mike was breathing, or not. I called 911. Fire and Rescue arrived before the Ambulance, and then the Police arrived. Questioning of both this fellow and I, happened repeatedly. Then, each of us had to give a report that was taken in a police vehicle. Afterwards, the officer who took the report went into the house. He came out and told us that Mike could not be resuscitated. He was dead.
This was stressful and upsetting to me. Not because we had some sort of relationship, because we did not! We were just friends. My first thought was that Satan had truly had his way, with Mike. Sigh... I wished that Mike had been in a relationship with Jesus Christ. And, I silently wished that Satan had stayed out of Mike's life. Almost like what we read in Matthew 4:10, "Then saith Jesus unto him, get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve."
I commented that knowing Mike had died, was upsetting to me, because of his relationship with God. On the other hand, maybe I should say... lack, thereof. We discussed the situation, and I explained what Mike had told me, about his walking away from God, in the past. The officer remarked that Mike had been found lying on the floor, face down. He commented that if Mike had laid there still alive, he would have had time to call out to God. That's when I said I had written about that issue recently on LwL (re: Robin Williams), and stated God told us in His Word, the Bible that whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved (Romans 10:13). The police officer speaking with us, was obviously Christian. For this, I praised God. We agreed, that Mike may be in Hell.
Alternatively, he may be in Heaven... if he had cried out to our Lord, after he collapsed/fell. No one here on earth, knows. Only God knows where Mike is, now.
Friend, I thank you for reading LwL. And, I pray that you have a relationship with Our LORD, Jesus Christ. For instance, if you do, you are saved from spending eternity in Hell. And, I will be able to one day meet you, in Heaven.
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Pastor Stephen Piersall
God's Preservation Ministry Soul Care
http://gpmsc.org/
http://www.facebook.com/GodsPreservationMinistry
networkedblogs.com/blog/soul-care
2 comments:
This must have been a very upsetting experience for you. It sounds like God used you to reach out to this man in his final days.
I'm curious to know what would make you think Satan "had his way" with Mike? Many people, including devout Christians, get sick and collapse and die... When you have the experience of someone or multiple "Christians" behaving outright demonically & have cried out to God for help and received nothing, it is very difficult to keep your faith. When each party doesn't receive due justice for their actions it is very difficult to believe in. I don't understand why Mike would be dammed to hell but not the church goers that turned him away from the church? Just because one claims to believe in God And one doesn't? Was Mike a good acting man during his time here or was he evil? I'm just so confused how it can be decided That he's going to hell because he collapsed and died...
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