MOVING CLOSER

Hello!!!!

I just returned this afternoon from the little trip I took way, way, very way up to the Northern parts of Wisconsin with my daughter, and my former brother-in-law and his wife. We had a wonderful time, even though it rained two out of the three days we were there. It was good to be with Keith (F-B-I-L) and his wife, Helen.

Neither Keith nor Helen are believers in Christ, yet. However, I have some exciting news to share with you. On my way up to the hunting camp in a land far............far.........up north, (Are we there yet?), I asked God if He would let me speak with Keith about Him this weekend. I didn't, however, want to be the one who brought it up, as in the past, I had been. So, I asked Father to please put it in Keith's mind to start the conversation this time.

To my delight, and now to my thankfulness, Keith and I were sitting at the bonfire on Saturday night after my daughter Ally, and Helen decided to call it a night, when out of nowhere, Keith starts talking about Jesus, and about the Christian "faith". Here is why it was a wonderful surprise, and very shocking as well. Keith has never been a big believer in God. He would never claim to be atheist, but he is very much a scientist and engineer, always seeking the "logical" answer to every problem or little thing. At one point in his life, he leaned toward evolution as the answer to the "why are we here?" question. I want to be brief, so let me finish my description of Keith as a man who was not going to believe in Jesus any time soon, at all. If I had to answer for him why he just couldn't believe, I would say that to Keith, the whole ressurection and salvation thing just seemed so foolish, so impossible, without logical proof.

Fast forward to about a year ago, where Keith and I were sitting around the very same bonfire pit, on a very similar night, when we got to talking about the stars, and the universe, and he starts talking about the idea of the "abstract", which in layman's terms is nothing more than a fancy way of saying the universe is self-intelligent, and that all things are in constant change, and there has been neither beginning, nor will there be an end to the universe, it will continuously expand and contract, in an eternal circle. Talk about something that seemed foolishness to me, wow!!! As we were looking at the same stars, I said to him, "Keith, look at those stars, look at this universe, see the way everything interacts with everything else? You are an engineer, how is it that you cannot recognize design when you see it?" Keith never answered that question, and I, thankfully, never pressed him for an answer.

Three nights ago, as I listened, and spoke with Keith about Christ, he spoke of things I had told him last year, and the year before that, around that bonfire pit. Things I had said to him three years ago were sticking around in his mind. I knew I was witnessing a miracle through grace, and God's good use of time and circumstance. To see the distance Keith and Helen have both traveled in three years amazes me, considering neither one of them has consistent contact that I know of with another follower of Christ. I am hoping right now that I am very wrong about that, I am hoping they do have consistent contact. You see, I have prayed, and asked God to send out more workers after Keith and Helen, to bring them home where they belong, to His Kingdom. I see Keith and Helen maybe three times a year, and I have always hoped God would fill their time elsewhere with people who know Jesus.

Maybe that is what is happening, and I am not aware of it. I truly hope so. You see, I don't just believe in Jesus Christ, I believe He is going to save Keith and Helen, too. In fact, I believe He is going to save whomever I spend time praying for, and loving in the name of Christ. I have to, because the alternative thought just breaks my heart. Keith and Helen are moving closer to the Kingdom.

I am reminded of John 6:29, when Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent." Loosely paraphrased, that verse means that the work of God is that we believe in Jesus, and He's the only one doing it. We are just along for the ride. You see, if faith does not come about by our effort, but by the grace of God, then it is God who gives us our faith. Thus, the work of God, which is to believe in Jesus, is done by God, and God alone. Now, maybe you know why I have such belief that Keith and Helen will be our brother and sister in Christ soon. Maybe you can believe in the power of God a little more, too. It doesn't depend on our effort. It only depends on God, and to be faithfilled, you must believe that God is doing the work we ask Him to.

I pray that God will increase my faith and yours, and I truly believe He is already doing so. Thank you.