Just over five decades ago, while in the military, a friendship sprouted with another military member. This friendship lasted for many years after we both departed from the military. Him, he became a cop in New York City. Me, I went another direction.
In the early 1970's the Lord called me and I accepted. My friend? He became a follower of Wicca. Over the years he has spent much time studying the pagans, their rituals and beliefs in miracles by incantation.
This was prior to computers, email, etc., so we stayed in contact by mail, tape recordings, an occasional phone call and our friendship remained intact until the early 1980's. During this time he would share with me the glories of his pagan beliefs and I'd respond with the glories of Christianity.
Once computers came into existence we continued to exchange, via email until..., until one day said friend launched a verbal attack on me and it was so outlandish I decided to put a stop to it all. I knew who was responsible for his motivation and decided that if he was that devoted to satan and his deceptions the best thing for me to do was distance myself from him.
After that, twenty three years went by with no contact. Two months ago and out of the blue, I received a letter from him. I was surprised as he was obvious attempting to rekindle an old relationship. So, we began exchanging, via emails, again.
I had envisioned perhaps that over he years he had 'mellowed' out a bit. I mean, at his current age of 77 perhaps he had come to his better senses. Not so! He is now more dedicated to his pagan belief's than ever before! So sad. Our exchanges have ended again much like they did so many years ago. He is smart and I am stupid. He wants nothing to do with “religion” and it is impossible for him to realize the difference between “religion” and Christianity.
On my wife's side of the family there are so many who have absolutely no use, what-so-ever, regarding the things of the Lord. At my mother-in-laws funeral however..., (she was 95 and was a born again Christian) I had opportunity to speak during the cemetery service. Before we got out of town to come back south from (Upstate New York) the hatefulness toward us was just out of sight. My wife has one remaining brother dying from emphysema and dead set against anything Christian, Jesus, Salvation, eternity, etc., and he (they) don't hesitate one iota to establish their position. I had one relative of my wife who told me that if she wanted to see God all she had to do was take a walk through the woods and look at nature. ...wow!
I have never professed to be a preacher! I'm just a layman. At my son's wedding so many years ago (in Maine) I was asked to say a prayer. No problem, so I delivered a prayer at the service. They were married by a Justice of the Peace and right after the ceremony this JP comes up to me and asks..., “Are you a man of the cloth.” I had a hard time holding back a hearty Hee-Haw, Hee-Haw, but managed to maintain my composure and told him no, I was just a Baptist Boy from North Carolina.
The need is so great. So many people are lost and undone. On their way to an eternity of suffering and woe. What can we do? ...nothing. We can tell them but we can't tell them much. Absent of the Lord convicting them there isn't much anyone can do! I do suppose there are some people for which we pray for, of which the Lord refuses to hear.
There is much confusion over the Scripture stating that right after the death of Jesus..., (Apostles' Creed) “He descended into hell.” I heard a sermon once where the preacher commented that if indeed Jesus descended into hell the condemned were so busy cursing him that....
I am so thankful the Lord called out to me back in 1972. Where would I be today if it wasn't for the Lord? If it wasn't for the Lord I could be just like all the others mentioned above. Amen, and Praise the Lord!
In the early 1970's the Lord called me and I accepted. My friend? He became a follower of Wicca. Over the years he has spent much time studying the pagans, their rituals and beliefs in miracles by incantation.
This was prior to computers, email, etc., so we stayed in contact by mail, tape recordings, an occasional phone call and our friendship remained intact until the early 1980's. During this time he would share with me the glories of his pagan beliefs and I'd respond with the glories of Christianity.
Once computers came into existence we continued to exchange, via email until..., until one day said friend launched a verbal attack on me and it was so outlandish I decided to put a stop to it all. I knew who was responsible for his motivation and decided that if he was that devoted to satan and his deceptions the best thing for me to do was distance myself from him.
After that, twenty three years went by with no contact. Two months ago and out of the blue, I received a letter from him. I was surprised as he was obvious attempting to rekindle an old relationship. So, we began exchanging, via emails, again.
I had envisioned perhaps that over he years he had 'mellowed' out a bit. I mean, at his current age of 77 perhaps he had come to his better senses. Not so! He is now more dedicated to his pagan belief's than ever before! So sad. Our exchanges have ended again much like they did so many years ago. He is smart and I am stupid. He wants nothing to do with “religion” and it is impossible for him to realize the difference between “religion” and Christianity.
On my wife's side of the family there are so many who have absolutely no use, what-so-ever, regarding the things of the Lord. At my mother-in-laws funeral however..., (she was 95 and was a born again Christian) I had opportunity to speak during the cemetery service. Before we got out of town to come back south from (Upstate New York) the hatefulness toward us was just out of sight. My wife has one remaining brother dying from emphysema and dead set against anything Christian, Jesus, Salvation, eternity, etc., and he (they) don't hesitate one iota to establish their position. I had one relative of my wife who told me that if she wanted to see God all she had to do was take a walk through the woods and look at nature. ...wow!
I have never professed to be a preacher! I'm just a layman. At my son's wedding so many years ago (in Maine) I was asked to say a prayer. No problem, so I delivered a prayer at the service. They were married by a Justice of the Peace and right after the ceremony this JP comes up to me and asks..., “Are you a man of the cloth.” I had a hard time holding back a hearty Hee-Haw, Hee-Haw, but managed to maintain my composure and told him no, I was just a Baptist Boy from North Carolina.
The need is so great. So many people are lost and undone. On their way to an eternity of suffering and woe. What can we do? ...nothing. We can tell them but we can't tell them much. Absent of the Lord convicting them there isn't much anyone can do! I do suppose there are some people for which we pray for, of which the Lord refuses to hear.
There is much confusion over the Scripture stating that right after the death of Jesus..., (Apostles' Creed) “He descended into hell.” I heard a sermon once where the preacher commented that if indeed Jesus descended into hell the condemned were so busy cursing him that....
I am so thankful the Lord called out to me back in 1972. Where would I be today if it wasn't for the Lord? If it wasn't for the Lord I could be just like all the others mentioned above. Amen, and Praise the Lord!
