The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy.
I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd risks and lays down His [own] life for the sheep. (John 10:10-11 AMP)
The lies of the enemy…how often have we heard it’s rude/not polite/not proper to discuss religion? Keep your religion to yourself, it’s none of your business what someone else thinks or believes. How often have you felt the need to ask someone if they know Jesus, but have been more afraid of being embarrassed to bring it up? Why do you think the enemy wants us quiet, why would be afraid to share the greatest thing that has ever happened to us? Have you ever prayed for a lost friend, prayed that a laborer would come across their path? How do you know that you aren’t the laborer someone else has prayed for?
For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life. (John 3:16 AMP)
Good deeds won’t get you into Heaven, if you never proclaimed Jesus as your Lord and Savior and believed it with all your heart, then you are going to Hell <period>
then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.
Jesus is
“‘the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the cornerstone.’
which has become the cornerstone.’
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:10-12 NIV)
I’ve heard from people’s near death (or death) experiences that the people that were laborers for God that came across our path greet us in Heaven. The thought brings me much joy, thinking on the kids that I am honored to volunteer with at our church and then I experience a terrible sadness thinking what about the people that we didn’t speak to about Jesus when we had the chance? What if the scenes played out in front of us of all the missed opportunities, a leading to share Jesus with someone, to offer a prayer for a stranger, to help someone in need - when God designated us as a laborer or worker across a lost soul's path…how heartbreaking would that be, how many people did I fail, how often did I let God down?
The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building.
Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. (1 Corinthians 3:8-10 NLT)
Am I more worried about what a stranger, an acquaintance, a friend, or a family member thinks of me than what God thinks of me?!?
Believe me, I know, I know that we need to share God’s love with people - not scare them out of hell with fire and brimstones and guilt of their sins. I’m not talking about standing next to someone in the line at the movie theater and asking if they’re going to hell. I’m talking about when we’re someplace and we get an urging from the Holy Spirit - as Children of God, the Holy Spirit is in us - we all get His leading - it's just that a leading, we have the ability to follow God's direction or reject it. Beth Moore tells the story about how she was in an airport and she was led to brush an old man’s hair - the old man was not particularly clean and rather unkempt, sitting in a wheelchair when she got the leading. She said she was arguing in her mind with God that He does not want her to do that, please God don’t make her do that…but she knew it was God, and she knew God doesn’t tell us something without reason. So she went up to the man and asked if she could brush his hair, and after a bit of shock at the request, the man allowed her to and also began to cry. She asked him if he knew Jesus and he did, he said his bride wouldn’t marry him unless he knew her Savior. He said he hadn’t seen his wife in months due to his open heart surgery and how he was just sitting in that airport thinking about how he looked and how he didn’t want her to see him this way when Beth walked up to him. How many people do you think in that airport stopped and watched, how many people at that moment, didn’t just see someone who professed to love Jesus - but actually showed she loved Jesus? You see that's how we can plant a seed for one person, water a seed for someone else and God can grow that seed for another.
Thomas said to Him, Lord, we do not know where You are going, so how can we know the way?
Jesus said to him, I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except by (through) Me.
If you had known Me [had learned to recognize Me], you would also have known My Father. From now on, you know Him and have seen Him. (John 14:5-7 AMP)
Jesus told us that we would be known by our fruit, I know I want to live a life that shows everyone I come into contact with, that I don’t just say I’m a follower of Christ - that I live as a follower of Christ. Sometimes, I may find myself in an awkward circumstance when I feel that small tugging on my heart to share my Jesus, I pray I’m never embarrassed to follow where He leads me.
Beth Moore’s airport story