MaryFreeman

Isa 56:10-12 LITVHis watchmen are blind; they all do not know; they are all dumb dogs; they cannot bark, dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber; (11) yea, dogs greedy of soul; they do not know satisfaction. And they are shepherds; they do not know to discern; they all look to their own way, each one for his own gain, from his own end, saying: (12) Come, and let me bring wine, and let us gulp down fermented drink; and tomorrow shall be as this day, great, exceedingly abundant.

I once heard a wise person say "We are not on the fringe of this world, the world is on the fringe of the church".... Those who are lost and on their way to hell are on the outside looking in.... What are they seeing? Are they seeing us? Or are they seeing Jesus? If you're thinking "there shouldn't be a difference".... You are right.... There shouldn't be.... But I have seen people professing to be christians.... And they do not act as Jesus would.... For that matter I have been that person.... The one who professes to be a christian while behaving in a manner totally inconsistent with what I was saying.... What bothers me about that?

We're the only ones standing between them and hell....

Lots would say "No it's Jesus standing there".... Which is the case for us.... But not for the average unbeliever.... They haven't accepted the Cross.... They can't see Jesus through any other outlet but us.... They don't know Him.... Have never communed with Him.... Don't read or even own a bible.... Don't go to church.... They can't see Jesus....

But they can see us....

So what are they seeing? Dogs who cannot bark? Who just lay down and sleep while the world goes to hell? Do they see shepherds who run off after their own pleasures? Partaking in the sin of this world? Are they seeing someone who is totally different from them? Who has something new and refreshing in their lives? Someone with something they want but do not have? I am reminded of the Newsboys....

"Shine! Make 'em wonder what you got. Make 'em wish that they were not.... On the outside looking bored."....

WHAT DOES THE WORD SAY?:

Mat 5:14-16 LITV
You are the light of the world. A city situated on a mountain cannot be hidden. (15) Nor do they light a lamp and put it under the grain measure, but on the lampstand; and it shines for all those in the house. (16)So let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works, and may glorify your Father in Heaven.

SHOOT'N FROM THE HIP:

I got tired of it.... Tired of seeing christians behaving as christians ought not.... Got tired of doing so myself.... I stopped and realized that these people are watching me.... They are looking to me for something they don't have.... I remember reading a post online from someone.... And they said "I don't want to be a christian! I would much rather stay where I am. I have seen people who aren't christians treating each other way better!" That is a paraphrase.... But you get the point.... This is what that person saw when they accessed what was supposed to be a christian website....

WHAT DOES THE WORD SAY?:
Joh 13:35 LITV
By this all shall know that you are My disciples, if you have love among one another.
Joh 15:12 LITV
This is My commandment, that you love one another as I loved you.
Joh 15:17 LITV
These things I command you, that you love one another.

SHOOT'N FROM THE HIP:

Three times Jesus told us to love one another.... Once He told us why.... "By this all shall know that you are My disciples".... These people need to see us treating each other the way Jesus treats each one of us.... Not the way that poster saw everyone acting on the website....

Don't get me wrong.... It is a christian website.... It just didn't look better than what that poster already had.... At least not from his point of view.... There are people just like him all over this planet.... And they are watching you.... Why?

WHAT DOES THE WORD SAY?:
Joh 9:5 LITV
While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.
Joh 11:9 LITV
Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble because he sees the light of the world.
Joh 12:46 LITV
I have come asa Light to the world, that everyone who believes into Me may not remain in the darkness.
Joh 14:19 LITV
Yet a little whileand the world no longer sees Me, but you see Me. Because I live, you also shall live.

SHOOT'N FROM THE HIP:

Look closely.... Jesus said that while He was in the world He was the light of the world.... That people who see the light of the world do not stumble.... He has come as A light of the world.... But then He left this world behind to go prepare a place for us.... And the world can no longer see Him....

But there is still a light of the world....

?

Scroll back....

Mat 5:14-16 LITV
You are the light of the world. A city situated on a mountain cannot be hidden. (15) Nor do they light a lamp and put it under the grain measure, but on the lampstand; and it shines for all those in the house. (16)So let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works, and may glorify your Father in Heaven.

You.... Are the light of the world.... You are the beacon.... You are the lighthouse in a terrible storm.... You are the only thing standing between a lost ship and a rocky shoreline.... One thing that really sobers me.... If I let my light shine.... If I behave as Jesus would.... If I let Jesus live through me.... And an unsaved person in my sphere still dies apart from God.... That's on them....

If I act just like they do.... If I say words that should never come from a christians mouth.... If I partake of substances a christian should never allow to cross their lips.... If I dress in a manner that disrespects and degrades my body.... And that unsaved person dies apart from God....

Because they figure by my example that it's all good....

That one's on me....

And I will stand before the Judge of this world one day.... And I will have no answer for
the question He will pose....

"Lama Sabachthani?"

"Don't let your lights go down.... Don't let your fire burn out.... Cause somewhere somebody needs a reason to believe.... Why don't you rise up now? Don't be afraid to stand out...."

That's how the lost get found....

One day a friend of mine said when she goes by cemeteries she thinks about all the people that are burried there.... And wonders how many will see Jesus at the Rapture.... And that she sometimes thinks of all the lost people out there and prays and cries for hours.... Sometimes crying so hard she chokes up.... Her thought being how could one person make a difference in so many lives....

You can't....

And you cannot possibly pray for all of them.... There are too many.... So why does my friend carry such a burden? Same reason I do.... We both want to do something.... My son shared a story his pastor told him.... There was a boy and his father walking along the shoreline.... And the shoreline was littered with thousands of starfish.... Now everyone knows that a starfish cannot move itself either towards shore or back out to sea.... So when it hits the shoreline that's all she wrote....

This little boy was picking up starfish near him and tossing them back out to sea.... And his father said "Son you know you cannot possibly save all of them....There are just too many.... One person can't make a difference in all those lives..." And the boy picks up a starfish and says "See this one?".... Then he tosses it back in the ocean.... And he says

"I made a difference in that ones life"....

As you may imagine.... My friend felt despair and helplessness for a while.... And she wondered why I didn't feel the same way .... Surely her bible study leader had a heart for the lost? Surely her best friend felt the same way right? Surely I thought about those who are dying and going to hell too? Right?

No....

I have a heart for the lost but I don't think about the lost.... Not all of them anyways.... Because only God can do that without becoming imobilized by the enormity of it.... Just like only Jesus could take the sin of the entire world on His shoulders.... So rather than allow myself to become imobilized.... Rather than allowing the enemy to whisper "what's the use?".... I choose to let God bring the ones whose lives I can make a difference in to me.... By divine appointment.... It's the only way I can get what He has for me to do done.... Because you can eat an elephant.... One bite at a time....

So then the Lord gave me something to share with her.... It goes something like this.... A hillbilly with a shotgun can aim that shotgun and hope to hit his target.... And he stands a good chance of hitting it too.... And a bunch of things he doesn't want and wasn't aiming at.... Things that his shotgun spray made no difference to....

A sniper on a rooftop has a rifle with a scope.... One that is precision tuned to bring into focus that which it is aimed at.... And a sniper is trained to fire that weapon and hit only what he is aiming at.... And how does that sniper know who or what to aim at? He has a communications device stuck in his ear and his commanding officer is telling him what to do and when to do it....

Divine appointment....

WHAT DOES THE WORD SAY?:
Mat 7:6 LITV
Do not give that which is holy to the dogs, nor throw your pearls before the pigs, that they should not trample them with their feet, and turning they charge you.
　

SHOOT'N FROM THE HIP:

You cannot possibly hit a bunch of targets with your prayer and your witness and make a difference to all of them.... And not all of the lost wish to be found.... They will simply take what you aim at them and stomp on it.... And then turn and stomp on you.... But if you heed your Commanding Officer.... If you follow directions and aim at the target He guides you to.... You will make a profound difference in that life....

But only if you stand out.... Only if you don't look or act like the same old same old they have had for years of their life.... This is how they can tell you are someone who actually does follow Jesus.... And how they know Jesus is real.... That God's not dead.... That there is something better out there....

You are the only one standing between that person and hell....