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The Worst


              What is the worst thing you think could happen to you?  There are so many options in a fallen world that it is hard to consider the worst.  We try not to think about it.  We do think we are going through the worst thing when we lose a loved one, are betrayed by a friend or family, sent to prison, or become the victim of a crime.  You know the worst thing that has happened to you.  You can think of someone for whom you are grateful that what happened to that person didn’t happen to you.
              The world is full of frightening and dreaded options of worst case scenarios.  When you read the Bible, it is not hard to decide what the worst thing that could happen in your lifetime would be.  The Bible makes it clear that the worst is that you do not believe in the Son of God, Jesus Christ, and be saved.
              That sounds like a Sunday School answer doesn’t it?  It doesn’t feel that bad to say “No Thank You” to God.  Many don’t even recognize the day that they told Him “No” (Matthew 7:23).  During a lifetime people may never feel the dread of saying “No” to God.  They go about their lives; their, eating, drinking, having a good time lives and never dread the day that they will die without having believed in the Son of God and received His forgiveness of their sins that allows them to enter into eternal life with God rather than eternal hell without Him. 
              This past Easter Sunday I felt the dread for the worst reality in so many people’s lives.  I personally have been through some pretty horrific realities that life has to throw at us.  A lot of people feel sorry for me; others may judge me that I must have done something wrong to deserve the bad things that have happened to me.  I would not trade my life experiences with God with anyone.  I can’t understand it, but I feel so blessed that when I was seven years old and a guest Child Evangelist came to my church that I understood I needed to make a decision about Christ.  I did that at 7 years old and was baptized the following month.  I am incredibly blessed that while “practicing” with my daughter a gospel-centered story to teach the next week at Vacation Bible School that she wanted to pray to receive Christ into her heart.  I thought we were practicing, but she left that room and ran out and told all her uncles and aunts what she had done.  Her true conversion was demonstrated in her generosity to share her toys with others and in her eagerness to learn and understand the scriptures at that young age.  I am blessed that my son has placed his faith in Jesus Christ and is saved and forgiven.  I am even blessed that God shared with me that the young man who died in my son’s accident placed his faith in Christ two weeks before his death.  I have the assurance that my husband who passed away is now with God in heaven and that my husband who shares my life today is one with me in Christ.
              My life is good and blessed.  The worst happened this past Easter Sunday at my church.  Over 5000 people flooded to our church.  Our pastor clearly presented the Too-Good-To-Be-True-Good-News of Jesus Christ.  I have never heard him proclaim it more clearly and answered any lingering question that could be brought by an unbeliever’s heart, yet we do not know of one conversion from that day.  I don’t know but I sense that the young couple sitting beside me possibly could not be saved.  He was dressed in a suit and tie with his lovely wife (I assumed) wearing her trendy pastel dress and stylish shoes.  They were late because of parking and could not sit with their family as planned.  All indications were that they were both listening to the sermon, responding with the readings and chorus, yet perhaps enduring the hour until they could do what they came to do, honor their family and go out to lunch on Easter.  If they aren’t Christians they probably went home thinking they are just fine, but the worst is hanging over their very lives, far worse than anything that has happened or will happen to me.
              1 John 5:6-12 contains the testimony that the worst decision you will ever make in your lifetime is to reject Jesus Christ as your Savior and second to that is not to live in His love for you.
Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.  We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son.  Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son.  And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

Copyright © 2018 Deborah R. Newman teatimeforyoursoul.com  All Rights Reserved.

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