From the "Word for the Day" series by Elaine Davenport
HERE'S A TRUE STORY:
On a recent trip to a Faith Conference; myself and several friends found ourselves catching the bus in the sweltering Texas sun. We boarded the bus and did not know that you had to have correct change. As we talked about our being tourists and how much we liked Texas; we attempted to get change from the passengers on board. There was so much chatter amongst us. We were4 hot but in a great mood so we were also complimenting the bus driver on his patience. Everyone seems to be getting new job titles nowadays so maybe he's a large transport engineer. (smile)
Well, he eventually told us to please ride for free. We accepted but soon an opportunity arose that allowed us to pay so we did. I love Blessings but I don't like freebies. I always feel like someone is loosing somewhere so I am very careful not to accept them without and extensive interview. I'm just that way.
Eventually we all sat down on what seemed to be a huge bus on the outside but not so huge on the inside. It was very clean and colorful and the people were quite friendly. The heat? No.
There were 5 of us and we sat all over the "small" bus. I sat next to a handsome young man, who began to tell me a lot of Texas data. This young guy was so friendly but I was intrigued by his tatoos. He had so many; I found myself wondering if he was in a gang. I asked the Lord to forgive me of my wrong thinking. No one has the right to stereotype. After all, I'm in a gang. I'm in the Jesus gang and glad to be in it. I carry protection too. I don't go anywhere without the BLOOD. I have bodyguards; they're called angels. I wear a wire so I always know what's going on. My wire is like a pipeline if you must understand. That's the Holy Ghost. I could go on but this story is not about me. The kind you don't find in a Geography book. The young man told us many things, like how to get to the mall, the bus system, where to buy t-shirts etc.
We decided to get off the bus and visit the Target store. That was a joke. We had no idea that the store was nearly a mile from the bus stop. It was a very long mile in the Texas heat.
I was surprised to see the young man get off the bus with us. He walked with us. Right next to one of my sisters in Christ; a good friend; Sister LaTisha.
LaTisha is on the SWAT team at our church. That's the soul winning attack team. They go out on the streets and bring people to Christ. I believe that it was a Divine appointment that we all had with the young man that day. I asked him if he wanted me to pray with him about anything and he said something like: "I'm good." That means no thank you in a very polite way.
Our Word for the day is Salvation
One of the better definitions that I found was by Robert Longman Jr. was:
{Latin salvatus, past part. (to save); fr. assumed IE solu- (to make whole or complete again)]
The core Biblical meaning of 'salvation' has to do with being rescued from danger or death. Indeed, that is what the name Yeshua (Jesus) means : 'he rescues'. It is what the crowd shouts as Jesus entered Jerusalem that last time before death : hoshi'annah, 'save us!' (in this case, from the Romans).
Christ rescues us from :
* sin (our broken relationship with God, shown mostly in our broken relationships with each other);
* death (we die because we are kept apart from God because there is something in us that rebels against God -- Christ addresses that, overcomes it, transcended it, and is working to complete it in the future);
* captivity (we are set free from all that shackles and hinders us);
* the Devil ("deliver us from evil");
* the wrath that is to come (when Time ends).
Christ rescues us for :
* a restored relationship with God (reconciliation) and life with Christ without end;
* new wholeness or completeness of being;
* citizenship in Christ's Kingdom;
* new realms of possibility beyond what we can now imagine.
I watched quietly as Sister LaTisha began to speak to the young man that we met on the bus.
I heard her ask him if he knew where he was going if it so happened that he passed on. I heard her explain that salvation that we defined above is a free gift; that you don't have to earn or work for. I believe that she gave him some of these scriptures:
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Acts 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new
Psalm 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
Acts 2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
It wasn't more than ten to fifteen minutes before we arrived at Target. While 4 of us chatted and complained about the heat; Sister LaTisha brought this young man to Christ. On a short walk in Texas, a young man was snatched from the devil's grasp and God added to His family. It was powerful and I wish that you could have been there too. I pray that this word will inspire you today. Blessings
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