|
| |
| "But you don't
know!" (conclusion) |
“Well, He probably has but you didn't recognize His voice because you
don't know Him. You don't know if He is just a perfume.”
Kev stopped and thought about that. He had to agree.
I continued. “That's why you need this book. In it you will get to know
God.”
Kev sighed. “Maybe I’ll just have to wait until I die to get to know
God.”
“If you do that it will be too late!” I exclaimed. “The Bible says that
the dead don't know anything.” 1
“So its not true about heaven?” Kev was genuinely surprised.
“Heaven is true but whether you go there or not depends on the choices
you make in this life and if you do go there, it won't be until the
resurrection.” I explained. 2
“Well, I am a good person. I should go there.” Kev decided.
“Oh, by whose standard?”
He thought about that and frowned a little. “I guess my wife thinks I am
selfish.”
I had to smile. “I don't know you and it wouldn't matter if I did. The
point is we need to know God's standard. Our own standard is subjective.
That's another reason you need that book.”
“Why doesn't God just do something to make me believe Him?”
Kev explained that he wanted a miracle just for himself. He didn't
understand that God does miracles not to make us believe but because we
believe. And in my mind I thought about what miracle I could suggest
that he asks for.
“God is not a magician. He is much more than that. He says, Come let us
reason together. He wants to appeal to your mind,” I explained.
Kev argued with that. He wanted some kind of miracle. He said he
couldn't understand the Bible and he knew he wouldn't enjoy it.
“I know a miracle you can ask God for.” He listened intently. “Ask God
to make you understand the Bible and also that you enjoy it.”
Kev thought about that and then said He would trial it.
Using the illustration of a child learning long division and the
importance of not giving up at the first problem, I emphasized that he
had to stick at it long enough for God to answer his prayer request. I
told him to read for half an hour a day for three weeks. He told me he
was so busy he didn't know how he would fit that in.
“Get up half an hour early and do it first thing.”
Yes, he could do that.
I am eagerly anticipating the outcome of Kev's trial. I personally know
people who are illiterate but can read the Bible because they prayed.
1 Psalm 146:4
2 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17 |
1,
2,
3 |
