Recently I listen to an audiobook on the missionary journeys of David Livingston, the great Missionary to Africa. This man was so loved that when he died at 4 am on May 1, 1873, the People of Africa wanted to bury his body in one of the villages. Once it was determined this could not happen, they asked if they could have his heart and bury his heart in Africa, the country that he loved so well.
May the words that you now read pierce deep into your heart. May this Missionaries account of his conversation with a Tribal Chief never escape your soul. For this is what BILLIONS might well ask at the great White Throne Judgement before being cast eternally into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:14,15).
Missionary Livingston was to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to them. As was their tribal custom, whenever a new subject was brought before them, they wanted to ask questions about the new subject. He was to speak on the Love of Jesus Christ for all people. The Chief asked to be taught about a future judgment, so Dr. Livingston spoke of the Great White Throne Judgement.
The Missionary started be reading and teaching on Revelation 20:11: “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.” Then he explained Revelation 20: 14-15 which says, “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. “
Did Your Forefathers Know of This Judgment?
Sayshell the Chief exclaimed, “You startle me! These words make all of my bones to shake. I have no more strength left in me. Chief Sayshell asked, “Did your forefathers know of this judgment? Your forefathers were living at the same time as my forefathers.” Yes, they knew of this very well. They knew, and they clearly understood the judgment of every non-believer. Then he spoke the following words that should burn deep into the heart and soul of every Christian, Pastor, and Missionary on deputation. “How is it, the Chief asks, that your ancestors did not send them word about these terrible things sooner? They ALL passed away into darkness, without knowing where they were going.”
Do You REALLY Believe What You Say You Believe?
From this question, I ask every Christian, each Pastor, and every single Bible-Believing Church in the World, regardless of your financial blessings, “Is there a hell (Luke 16:19-31)?
Is there a future judgement awaiting every unsaved person after the 1,000 year millennial reign of Jesus Christ on the earth (Revelation 21:8)?
Do you believe there is a Heaven so wonderful that every person that accepts Jesus Christ by faith will live eternally with Him (Romans 10:9-13)?
Is it really true that Jesus Christ became the only sacrifice for man and shed His blood as the only payment for man’s sin debt (Hebrews 2:9)?
Is it also true that everyone that does not receive Jesus Christ by faith will die and be cast into outer darkness (Matthew 22:13)?
Is it also true that each lost person will spend their eternity in a place where there is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 22:13)?
Is it likewise true that God desires that EVERY person learn of the atoning work of Jesus Christ (II Peter 3:9)?
Do you honest to goodness believe in these doctrinal truths? Have these truths gripped your heart and soul? Oh my, how many people will exclaim at the Great White Throne Judgment, “Psalm 142:11, ‘’No man cared for my soul.”
Meet Shammy, a Lady That Came to Jesus While on Social Media
I humbly share a story of a lady living in a middle-eastern country. Her name is Shammy. I first met this lady as she requested my friendship in Facebook through only one common friend. We talked for maybe three minutes when I asked her the most important question in the world. Shamsa I asked, if you were to die today, are you 100% sure that you would go to heaven, or would you have to say, I just do not know? She said that she was not sure. After 1:15 minutes on Facebook, this middle-eastern lady called upon Jesus Christ, and Him alone, for the salvation of her soul.
The next day she asked my permission to copy our conversation, as she greatly desired to share this glorious news with the people in her country. Since no one had told her the truth about Jesus Christ and Heaven, in all of her 33 years of life, she wanted to make sure that others could hear and make their decision, based upon the Word of God. By the Glorious Grace of God, she won 108 souls to Jesus in less than two weeks. Altogether, she has teamed with our ministry to win over 3,000 people to Jesus Christ during 2014.
How Many People Like Shammy Would Go To Heaven If You Would Be Willing To Take The Gospel To Them?
She had written the following words to me: “No one ever asked me the question about where I would spend eternity until I met you on Facebook. I am so blessed with the visit I had with Missionary Jim as this conversation led me to submitting myself to Jesus Christ and then sharing the Gospel to others. My life was enriched, and was given far greater meaning since the day I have realized my need for Jesus Christ!”
How many people like Shammy would go to heaven if you would be willing to take the Gospel to them? Does this not remind you of how concerned God was over one lost soul standing in his chariot in a desert called Gaza, by whom we only know him as “The Ethiopian Eunuch?”
God placed such great value on that ONE soul that he removed Phillip from Samaria, where he had been preaching the Gospel (Acts 8:5), where many were turning to Jesus Christ and led him into the desert to help a seeking sinning understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Acts 8:6, 12, 14, 25). He was able to explain the Scriptures and present the Glorious Gospel to the Eunuch. Thank God, he responded to the Gospel and was saved.
Church history tells us that this man took the Gospel and spread the Gospel throughout all of Africa following salvation in the desert of Gaza. Wow! Who could have known the impact this one soul would make for Jesus Christ.
It is the same with this middle-eastern lady. How many Missionaries could reach these precious people like Shammy if you would give sacrificially each month to those that are willing to go and whom are even now reaching many with the Gospel?
Let us see the biblical principle presented by Jesus, used by the Missionary Philip, and subsequently used by this Missionary in winning Shammy to Jesus Christ.
The Biblical Pattern for Evangelizing the World
- Jesus said that we are to present the Gospel Clearly (Matthew 28:19; John 14:6; Acts 4:12).
- Phillip went and presented the Gospel (Acts 8:30, 35). Eunuch was Seeking Truth (Acts 8:31), but needed someone to explain the Gospel to him (Acts 8:28-31). I was able to present the Gospel to Shammy through Social Media. She, like the Eunuch, was seeking Truth!
- Jesus taught that the new convert is to follow the Lord in “Believer’s Baptism” (Matthew 28:19c). Phillip baptized the man that had just received Jesus Christ (Acts 8:38-39). Shammy was baptized in a water hole in her middle-eastern country, thus identifying her with Jesus Christ. This of course could mean death when you identify with Jesus in this particular Country.
- Jesus said that we are to continue teaching or training the new Believer (Matthew 28:19d). Although there is no record of who taught the Eunuch during his early days of becoming a becoming a Christian, but Church historians tell us that this man spread the Gospel through-out Africa.
I believe that discipleship is a divinely given duty, as stated, for example, in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). Having said this, I must also point out that God sometimes provides for the training of men apart from the typical means. Saul, for example, was trained by God in the wilderness, and not by the apostles.
So, too, this Ethiopian was not trained by Philip or by any other Christian, so far as I can tell. In these exceptional cases, God will meet the need.
Shammy and I met every Friday on Skype (a video conferencing outlet) for 90 minutes each week, for sin to eight months to train her in the Word of God.
This is what we are all called upon to do. But the Missionary MUST get to the field. How will you help? Each Christian has a personal responsibility to either go, to pray, or to give financially so another may repeat this process for Jesus Christ.
There Is An Urgency In Your Getting Heavily Involved In Missions
- First, the time is short (I Corinthians 7:29). Therefore, you must do all that you can while you can.
- You could have less than 24 hours to live. Luke 12:20 is giving You a severe warning, “But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? “
Why now? Hebrews 9:27, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die , but after this the judgment:”
You simply do not know the day nor the hour that you will die. Therefore God has warned you to make your preparations to meet Him before you die (Amos 4:12).
Therefore God even told you WHEN you should make your spiritual preparations in II Corinthians 6:2, “For he saith , I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold , now is the accepted time; behold , now is the day of salvation).”
- Jesus could return at any moment to snatch all Believers out of this world (II Thessalonians 4:13-18). Jesus will come as a thief in the night (Matthew 24:43; I Thessalonians 5:2).
One day you WILL stand before Jesus Christ as a Christ at what the Bible calls “The Judgement Seat of Christ” (II Corinthians 5:10). Every Christian WILL appear before Jesus Christ and give account of how faithful we were in the things of God (Romans 14:12).
It will be an awesome event to look into the eyes of Jesus and wish that you had done more. What possible explanation can you provide for NOT giving to get Missionaries to the field?
The greatest thought in my mind, is my personal accountability to God! It will not matter what I “Wanted” to do, but what did I actually do and what was my motive in doing it? I cannot say that it was impossible for me to carry out the Great Commission when He personal commanded every believer to try and reach the World with the Gospel (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:47; John 20:21; Acts 1:8).
Obedience to these commands are not Optional, they are Orders to be Obeyed. And God expects each of us to be faithful in our obedience (II Corinthians 4:2). You Possess The Truth; But Does The Truth Possess You?
You Will, At The Judgement Seat Of Christ Say, “Thank God That I Did, Or, I Wish That I Would Had”
by Jim Kilgore