“Salvation Shorts”
"Gather up the fragments that remain
So that nothing is lost.”
—John 6:12
"Love is patient. Love is kind, not arrogant,
Does not act unbecomingly.
[His] Love never fails...”
—1 Corinthians 13:4-8
While preparing this book for publication and rereading Chapter 3, Seeing Double, my closest Friend reminded me of another Salvation Story when I got to the bottom and read: "Witnessing isn't an excuse for confrontation. Instead, it means your life is an epistle or an open book everyone reads. Everyone "witnesses" how you live your life.
This Story happened when my sister, Aunt Patty Cake, was flying home from visiting family and had been rerouted through a small city, Joplin. It was a more than an hour drive, and even though I'm not too fond of driving long distances (to put it mildly), because I'm a homebody, I decided it was a good opportunity to talk to my Husband and try to enjoy the drive. When I got to the exit, arriving well before my sister's flight landed, I realized the entire city was without lights! The only thing lit up was the local mall, and so I naturally went in to see what was happening.
Since this happened years ago, I don't remember why (or how) the city lost power (or why the mall was the only place lit up). But having the faith of a child, I believe it all happened for this special Jewess girl that He had made an appointment for me to meet.
As I walked around trying to kill time, I noticed a mall kiosk and began looking at homemade heating pads that, when warmed, would ease muscle aches and give off a soothing scent. A few minutes later, a lovely young lady approached me, and while we were speaking, enjoying her Israeli accent, she was accosted by a group of "Christians" who were out "witnessing." I cringed while listening as they confronted her about where she'd go when she died, and even after explaining she was Jewish, they didn't let up on warning where she'd spend eternity (and they made it loud and clear it was not heaven)!
After they finally left her alone and walked away, "proud of the way they were out saving people," she told me how much she hated Christians and how rude they always were to her. Cringe, gulp. I asked her about her lovely accent, and she said she had moved with her family from Israel.
Not knowing what to do or say, identifying a "Christian," I picked out a few things to buy (which I honestly didn't want to purchase because I have a thing about scents, but my Husband told me He wanted me to buy) when I realized I didn't have enough cash. When I assured her I'd come back the next day (because I'd overheard people saying they'd closed the airport and there would be no more flights that day), I tried to explain that I had to return anyway. That's when she said, "I know you won't come back. It's just an excuse Americans give you to get away. I prefer people be honest and just say what's true." More cringing.
The next evening, as promised, I returned to the mall with plenty of cash in hand. As I was walking towards the kiosk, I saw my sweet Jewess, first astonished, then smiling with a big grin, she shouted out, "You came back!!" "Yes, I said I would." Then, the moment of reckoning came.
As she calculated what I owed and began to package my purchase, she asked me what I did for a living. I said, "I'm a writer," hoping to avoid claiming allegiance with the witnessing "Christians" who had rudely confronted her the day before when she pressed me, "What kind of books do you write? I'd love to read them." Gulp! Cheeks burning, I looked at her, and as our eyes met, I said, "I don't think you'd like to read my books. Because you see, I am a Christian, and that's what they're about."
"Actually," she said, "I'd like to read your books!" So I gave her my email address and said I'd send her any of my books she wanted from our EncouragingBookstore.com website. Ultimately, I sent her all the books I had in print at the time, and shortly thereafter, she wrote to let me know she'd shared my books with her family. She'd told her family about me, about not defending the other "Christians." How unlike a "Christian" I was—even driving another two hours and coming back the next day to purchase most of the products she was selling. We kept in touch, answering questions she had about this Friend of mine who soon became a close Friend to this sweet Jewess—who is still Jewish but also a Believer—along with most of her family here in America and a few back in Israel.
Let's remember, “Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly. [His love] bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails...” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).
“About that day and hour,
no one knows,
not even the angels of heaven,
nor the Son,
but the Father alone."
—Matthew 24:36
In Brother John, I opened with wanting to share about John's father, who was saved at the Final Hour— just weeks before he died from pancreatic cancer. It's one of the most moving that I have shared with countless people, so it's appropriate to share it here with you.
When my third son went to ask for his future bride's hand in marriage, no one knew that the very next day, her father would be given only a short time to live.
Jerry had been living life to the fullest by the world's standards and was not interested in knowing God. Most of his money (and he had a lot of it) was made in what believers would find highly distasteful. Nevertheless, all his daughters were believers, including my DIL, who worked for the megachurch I've mentioned previously our family attended, where more than half my children met their spouses.
Yet, everything changed for Gary and his future in the blink of an eye.
Jerry was terrified of dying. So, while trying to support his fiancée, my son remembered something Gary had mentioned. Jerry said that if he were to speak to any pastor, it would be the pastor of the megachurch when he'd seen their commercials. If I had to guess, it was the preaching style that Gary was drawn to, which stemmed from studying to be an attorney. Each sermon presented his case to let the jury, those listening, decide.
Knowing Jerry was about to meet his Maker, my son called our senior pastor since this was an eternity moment in time. Not only did the pastor agree to come right over, but his wife said she wanted to come along, too.
Within minutes, at the "appointed time," Jerry heard the Good News, dropped to his knees, and cried out to the Lord to be saved. Instantly, Jerry was born again and instantaneously freed from the fear of dying! His wife, too, was saved. Even though the treatment began to take Jerry's life and transform his appearance, leaving him horribly weak, at my son's wedding, he was able to walk his daughter halfway down the aisle after Brother John passed his sister to their father.
Like my son, I absolutely believed that the Lord planned to heal Jerry so he could continue his quest to share the Good News with everyone he met—all his family, friends, and strangers he knew also needed the Lord and His salvation. Yet, our plans are not His plans, so on returning from their honeymoon, Jerry passed away. Nevertheless, as sad as it was to lose a father who was so young, his children knew that their father was with His Father, and everyone, including you, has been given Jerry's Final Hour Salvation Story to absorb and then share over and over again just as I will continue to do.
Guide my feet and
A light for my path."
—Psalms 119:105
There's no doubt this is one of the hardest Salvation Stories for me to write since it's about my own father. If you've read my book "Restore Your Health," you'll remember I shared a testimony about my father who suffered a stroke. However, the testimony focused on what happened after my mother was permitted to stay with my father, who'd been admitted to the hospital on their 59th wedding anniversary and sat up in a rocking chair all night.
What I didn't share is what happened after the ambulance brought him into the hospital, and we were told he would not make it and would pass away shortly. Realizing my father would have only minutes or hours to live, I went into the private room they'd put him in to pass away. Even though he was unconscious and very soon would soon slip into a coma. I, nevertheless, remembered seeing and hearing plenty of testimonies of how people who could not respond actually heard what was said to them.
So I quietly closed the door, took my father's hand, leaned in close to his ear, and began to whisper into his ear, telling him how much I loved him, how much I would miss him, and not to be afraid. "Dad," I asked, "Do you see the light? There's a light in front of you. Do you see it? Dad, that's the Lord in front of you, and He's calling you to come home. Reach out for His hand and accept Him and His gift. Ask Him to save you from this life so you can go on to spend eternity with Him. Someday, I'll come and meet you in heaven. I love you more than I can ever say."
Even though I know, I said more, as you can imagine, I'm struggling to think back and be in that dark room with my father, who was dying. But what happened next was I sat up and noticed tears running down my father's face. I also noticed that my father had such a tranquil, peaceful expression on his face, almost angelic, radiant. Finally, I was at peace.
Yet, we all must remember there's a thief just waiting to steal our joy and peace, "roaming around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8). The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly" (John 10:10). Without warning, the nurse walked in and said without any prompting, seeing his tears, "Oh, he can't hear you. The tears happen quite often with unconscious patients slipping into a coma before they die." Even though I was rattled, I knew and wholeheartedly believed my father had heard me and was saved. What I had witnessed and what He'd prompted me to say and whisper in his ear caused my father to be born again.
Do you remember it was the jailer who ran "rushed in and fell down trembling at the feet of Paul"? Then said to Paul and Silas, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe"! “Believe in the Lord, and you will be saved, you and your household" (Acts 16:29-31). "Now without faith, [without believing] it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6).
Once again, if you've read "Restore Your Health," my father, after being born again, miraculously came out of his coma three days later. Once again, I leaned down, this time just inches from my father’s face, and whispered, “Dad, we’re going to take you home. Dad, do you want to come home?” My father opened his eyes and said, “What do you think?" Instantly, I knew my father was different. For the next nine months, even though they told us he would die, he lived in perfect peace.
My father lived a full nine more months without any medication whatsoever. My mother and I agreed to let him go and allow God to take him home whenever He wanted him. These nine months meant that each of my father's seven children were able to come to Florida and spend time with him—saying all the things they wanted to say and words they longed to hear from their father, "I love you."
Once everyone had said their goodbyes, early one morning, the Lord returned to take my father home. While my mother was praying with my dad, their new morning routine, she left to answer a knock at the door. When the hospice nurse went in, she turned to my mom and said, "He's gone." There were no tears, none whatsoever. We knew my father was in a better place. We held no funeral. Instead, we all went out to dinner that evening. We each took turns talking about our wonderful time with him. We all knew and never doubted my father was with his Savior, his Friend, and the Companion he'd gotten to know while bedridden, unable to speak, and passed from this life to the next full of God's love.
In Closing
Like all of us, we still have unsaved family members and many others we desperately love who are not living for the Lord. My hope and my prayer is that you'll no longer use your energy and imagine yourself as the one who will save them. As I wrote in A Wise Woman ages ago, "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him” (John 3:17). If God didn’t send the Lord to JUDGE the world, I am sure He did not send me (or you) either!
Instead, God said, "For you have been called for this purpose because He also suffered for you, leaving you an example so that you would follow in His steps." "What if [we] could speak all languages of humans and even of angels? If [we] did not love others, [we] would be nothing more than a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal." God is not speaking of tough love, but of the kind of love that is tough—actually, impossible to live— without His love flowing through you, loving the unlovable.
Love that is "patient, kind, and not jealous. Love that does not brag and is not arrogant. Love that does not act disgracefully or seek its own benefit. Love that is never provoked and will not keep an account of a wrong suffered.
"Love that does not rejoice in unrighteousness but rejoices with the truth. The love that believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. Because God promises that this kind of Love never fails" (1 Corinthians 13:4-8). Because this kind of love also "covers a multitude of sins" (1 Peter 4:8).
Invest in loving the lost with His love and begin to enjoy the wait—knowing the longer the wait, the more your lost loved one plummets into complete darkness, and the greater the testimony is being written by GOD'S own hand.
Now, you are armed with the truth of God's promises along with the many Salvation Stories you've read and hopefully shared. Each story and each promise will be there to help you remain excited—knowing that the dates of each salvation are marked and circled on His calendar since they are “yet appointed time.”
It's important to be sure to "‘Record the vision and inscribe it on tablets, that the one who reads it may run. The vision is yet for the appointed time; it hastens toward the goal and will not fail. Though it tarries, WAIT for it; for it will certainly come, it will not delay.'” (Habakkuk 2:2-3).
When you begin to worry, remember that He hasn’t given us a spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7).
And finally, remind yourself (and others) He doesn’t need you. Trusting Him means you’ll have a front-row seat because you believe and trust His promise: “You… and your household will be saved" (Acts 16:31).
★★★★★ ~ Seeking the Salvation of a Loved One ~ Sara in Turkey
★★★★★ ~ Atarah in South Africa
I learned so many wonderful things from this Salvation Story and it has totally increased my faith in the Lord to save my brother at HIS APPOINTED TIME. I also learned that like Mary Magdalene that those who have been forgiven much are the ones that sit at His feet and are on fire for the Lord for how much and how far He went to save them.
I also loved the tip about if there is an upswing in my brother's life if things suddenly go well for him to keep my eyes on the Lord to finish what He started.
I love the title of this Salvation Story, it's called "My Brother John". My journal today is all about my brother too... There is so much in this Salvation Story about John which is similar to what my younger brother experienced in His life.
Recently my sister and I tried to set up a meeting with a man who overcame his own drug addiction and has started up his own ministry to help others. Unfortunately, before it could happen, my brother disappeared again. So HH has been showing us there is absolutely nothing we can do in our strength to save our brother. We have to "Let Go and Let God".
I learned that like John my brother also needs to hit rock bottom where my HH can pick him up! And also where he needs to get in order to be ready for HH makeover on His life. I have to believe that as radically as my HH changed Brother John he will do the same for my brother Heini.
I was so happy to read that there was nothing John's family (who were in ministry) could do to help him and that like John my brother needs to come to the APPOINTED TIME, the time my HH has set aside to turn his life around.
When I read this testimony I was firstly amazed at how similar John's situation was to my brother's life. I also love the testimony of the former drug addict who became a powerful evangelist after going down the wicked road for a time. My brother is no longer a teenager or a young man but actually a fully grown adult. So I am very encouraged by this testimony knowing that my HH is never too late but right on time!!
I will be living out these principles by sharing them with my sister and meditating on the scriptures and also speaking to my Love about it whenever I think of my brother or become worried or anxious for him as I have heard that he spent a night in jail and also that he has been seen standing on shop corners and it looks as if he is selling drugs, it has been hard on my sister as she drives past seeing him all the time and knowing there is nothing she can do. So I am encouraging her as well and will be sharing these scriptures with her. I am also fasting.
My dear wonderful and precious love. Forgive me for my unbelief. I have been trusting You for so many years for my brother to save him and transform him. Thank you that you have an appointed time for my brother and that your word says that you don't want anyone to perish but to have life and not just any life but an abundant life!
Dear Friend, like you I cannot WAIT for the day when I get to sit down and listen to the Salvation Story of a loved one, listen and hear how our wonderful Lord went about saving and transforming them :))
Then the Lord answered me and said,
“Record the vision
And inscribe it on tablets,
That [a]the one who reads it may run.
“For the vision is yet for the appointed time;
It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail.
Though it tarries, wait for it;
For it will certainly come, it will not delay.
God's appointed time to turn things around in my brother's life and to radically change him will come. I also love this version:
Habakkuk 2:2-3 New English Translation (NET Bible)
The Lord Assures Habakkuk
The Lord responded: Write down this message.
Record it legibly on tablets
so the one who announces it may read it easily.
For the message is a witness to what is decreed;
it gives reliable testimony about how matters will turn out.
Even if the message is not fulfilled right away, wait patiently; for it will certainly come to pass—it will not arrive late.
"And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.”