Acts 22:15 “For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.” (KJV)

We will call them Jim, and John.

It was a Friday and an in-law that is not a Christian called and told me of a family member of his that was at the point of death, or at least that is what the doctors said. The doctors had told the family that John wanted to go home to die and he recommended that they follow his wishes.

This particular individual had claimed to become a Christian a couple years prior to this, when he was having open heart surgery. The pastor he prayed with could never get him to come to church after the successful surgery. Finally the pastor stopped at the man’s place of work and mentioned that he would like him to come to church, John cursed the man of God and told him to leave him alone.

When I heard of the terminal disease that afflicted John, I was immediately tempted to forget about him and go on with my life. But God had other plans and I was impressed to go to this man and witness to him. However I was stopped by the Holy Spirit from going that day. Monday morning my wife asked if I was going to the hospital to visit John and I really did want to go, but for some reason, I felt as if the time was not right. I prayed for him numerous times during that Monday and yet I just could not feel free to go visit him. On tuesday morning as soon as my eyes opened, I turned to my wife and said, “I have to go to the hospital and see John today.” As soon as I could take care of the morning’s oblations I got in my vehicle and drove the twenty miles to make the visit. There I found John in as weak a condition as anyone I have ever known and still be alive. He had visitors and after a few words of greeting with them, I simply said John, I understand you are going home to die!

Now folks, that is not my usual way of opening a conversation with a lost person, but that was how I was lead. John began to silently weep and nod his head that I was correct. This is my next statement, “John, God sent me here to give you one more chance to truly repent and be saved. Will you let me share the gospel with you?” Again an affirmative nod. I then opened the bible and read him some simple salvation scriptures and asked if he would accept Christ as Lord and repent of his sins, again a nod. Then as I lead him, John quietly prayed and asked Christ to come in to his heart and wash him of all his sins. The next morning he died.

Later the day of the visit, as I was coming out of the post office, I saw Jim getting out of his truck and I felt that little nudge of the Holy Ghost to speak to him. I opened the conversation by asking if he had heard about John and his possible coming death, and then went on to tell him of John being saved.

Jim dropped his head and almost in a whisper he said, “James I need to do that too.”

I began to share the Scriptures with him there in the middle of the parking lot and I could sense the convicting power of the Holy Spirit of God. Jim said “I cannot do it now, but I will be in church with you Sunday.” It so happened that I was preaching in our pastor’s absence that coming Sunday, sure enough there was Jim. I watched Jim as he would put his foot in the aisle and then move it back while I gave the invitation that Sunday, but he would not step out.

I left that service afraid for Jim’s soul, I prayed for his salvation numerous times during the following week.

The pastor was back the next Sunday and so was Jim.

When our pastor gave the invitation, Jim stepped out and made his way to an old fashion altar of prayer and there gave his heart to Christ. Now after almost a year he and his wife are still faithful to the church assembly.

Folks, John was in his fifties and Jim was sixty-five, do you know the probability of people getting saved after that advanced age?

I have read that according to all the information that has been gathered that the possibility of becoming a born again child of God, versus dying unsaved is astronomically high on the side of being lost for eternity.

What is my point in sharing this story?

How many Johns and Jims are living around you today that will spend eternity in the Devil’s Hell, only because someone is not listening to the Spirit of God?

Do you know a person like that?

Are you doing anything about it?

Would you pray today, right this minute and ask the God of Heaven to speak to your heart and put a John or Jim on your heart?

Will you act upon what our Lord speaks to you about?

Oh, beloved we get caught up in so many inconsequential things and let precious souls slip out into eternity lost!

Every place I look I see church folks getting angry over things that will be forgotten in eternity.

Just think the of the souls saved if all this energy would be directed toward prayer and faithful witnessing to the lost!

James Avery jamesaveryfwb@embarqmail.com