People Need the Lord

 The lostness of people overwhelmed me today. I could see it in their eyes. Hear it in their speech. See it in their circumstances. Hopelessness abounds. Despair is evident. Lost people blindly trying to find their way out of destructive lifestyles. Professional people looking down their pious noses. Sullen defiant people resisting authority. People trapped in a cyclical cyclone of life. One bad decision on top of another. Helpless and hopeless. 

The weight of the lostness hit me hard today. I saw so called professional people dressed sleazily and proactively. Shallow minded people caught up in the temporary while ignoring matters of eternity. Professional people dropping F bombs out in the public sector like it did not matter. 

People need the Lord. They may not admit it. They may not even want Him. They still need the Lord. The weight of lostness settled on me today heavily like a ton of bricks. I thought to myself, "What difference am I really making? There are so many. So few embrace Jesus." It is true that the road is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction and narrow is the way that leads to eternal life and few find it. [Matt 7:13-14] Translation: there are many more lost people walking this planet than those whom Jesus has saved. 

Does the church even care? We say we do. We proclaim Jesus is the only way to salvation based on [Jn 14:6] and His proclamation that He is the way, truth, and the life and no one gets to the Father except through Him. Followers of Jesus say there is no other way for a person to be saved except through the gift of God's grace and certainly not through good works so that nobody can boast. [Eph 2:8-9] Yet, the lips of the worshipers remain tightly shut about the good news of Jesus to a world of sinners who need to make a change. Very few go and tell. Many in the church have adopted come and hear attitude. 

Only those who need Jesus the most often do not come to the church. They have no interest in our gimmicks, programs, and outreach activities. I don't think the majority of people in the church really care that people are one heartbeat away from hell. If actions speak louder than words, the actions of the majority of people in the church reinforce what I said earlier. Most people in the church do not care about the lostness of those around them. 

I witnessed to a waitress recently who when asked how her day was going said, "I wish I had a sixty ounce beer." When I told her about the love of Jesus and His death on the cross so she could forgiven, she changed her tune and talked about a very popular metroplex church she attends because she finds it motivational. She never indicated her having met Jesus as Savior. 

I can tell you about Mary Ann who spent years strung out on meth and was homeless. She sat in tears when we explained the gospel to her at our drug rehab ministry called One Way. She trusted Jesus and was set free. She has remained in contact with me. When I received her last letter, she had not relapsed though tempted to do so all day every day. Jesus is making a difference for her. 

I can tell you about a suicidal young man who hated the church because of judgmental people. He met some Christians and experienced love. Eventually he began to attend worship and Bible studies from time to time. One night after a study, he stayed behind and talked about some of his problems. We shared the gospel of Jesus with him. He got saved that night and recently testified that he has been off his depression medications for a month now. 

I can tell you about a troubled teenager who was convicted in Bible study recently and asked Jesus to save her. She will be baptized on Resurrection Sunday. 

I can also tell you about a mother of three who met Jesus as Savior months ago. She told me recently when she goes to work she often quotes, "Not today Satan!" She is light among people living in darkness. 

There is also the young boy I met in my office who told me he asked Jesus to save him this past week because of his sins. We talked for several minutes with his dad. This young man knew of his sin and His need for Jesus to forgive him. He is another one heaven rejoiced over recently. [Luke 15:7] 

You may not hear all the stories, but Jesus does transform lives. He still forgives sinners. He still rescues people from the snatches of Satan. He still brings people into His marvelous light out of darkness. He has compassion for those scattered, harassed, and helpless sheep. [Matt 9:36] 

There is still more work to be done. More good news to share. More love to give. More compassion to show. More prayers to pray. More souls to win all because people need the Lord.