It’s Not Too Late
for more conversations
The game show question was, “What does Grandma always serve when the kids come over?” The most popular answer was “cookies”. Grannies, keep those cookies coming – we need more conversations. Our culture has become disjointed, angry, and unforgiving. Merriam-Webster defines culture: the set of shared attitudes, values, goals and social practices associated with a particular field, activity, or societal characteristic. I think we’ve “lost it”, America. It’s time to go on the offensive! If the whole family is coming over, better bake a pie! Keep everyone talking! It’s not too late!
“We have become so naturalized in evil that we think the Christian way is the unnatural way…We have become so accustomed to our insane ways of life that we are afraid of the real sanity of the Christian way… In fact, Christ is realism…Evil is the great illusion. Evil is the illusion that you can live against the design of the universe and get away with it!” (b)
“The gospel of the marketplace religion is you bargain with life, life bargains with you, then it holds you to the bond.”(c)
“When tempted to indulge in our passions in thought or in deed, we shall say: “No, this cannot be…”(a)
“We do not find God; we put ourselves in the way of being found by God…The Gospel is an offer of Life…Jesus came to show Himself as The Way…that there might be a gospel to be preached. You can live by the grace of Life—you surrender to, and are ruled by, the processes of Love. Your little life is caught up into the purposes of Life; you are redeemed by Life, replenished by Life. Faith is a yielding to Love.” (c)
For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. Titus 2:11-14
**How do I KNOW it’s never too late to have this conversation?**
My brother Jim, an intellectual of sorts, read the Bible multiple times. Old Jim, as I call him in my speeches, thought of Jesus as a really nice guy. He definitely walked the earth – too much written about him not to have been real. However, Jim just couldn’t get “the God part”.
Jim started as an Atheist, grew to an Agnostic, but totally denied Christianity.
Jim died in 2016 at the age of 67. He passed during the night. I went to the hospital the next morning and discovered a younger, more beautiful man than I had seen in years! His hair was blonder, including his mustache and beard. His complexion was like peaches and cream. He looked so peaceful – as if in a joyful dream. But yes, it was my brother!
Months later, I had occasion to mention his transformation to my pastor. Tears came to her eyes. She smiled sweetly as she blessed me, “That’s the Face of Innocence in the Presence of God.”
Hallelujah!! Jim got “the God part”!!!
These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you. Titus 2:15
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Gal 6:7
- (a)Victorious Living, E. Stanley Jones, 2015, pgs 190-191
- (b)Abundant Living, E. Stanley Jones, 2014, pgs 190-191
- (c)The Way, E. Stanley Jones, 2015, pgs 190-191
07/11/20 #GranniesForGod #TellTheChildren