The Bridge to the Kingdom- The Invitation- TUESDAY

Excerpt from The Journey to the Inner Chamber:

I have come to strongly conclude that if anyone does not know Christ as Lord and Savior, they have a great void in their life.  I believe this is true with everyone who is without Him.  They might not admit it to themselves, and a prideful man sure does not want to admit it to me.  But it is true, and I know it.  I know it is true for I was one of them.  I know their fears.  I know their control issues because of those fears.  No matter how much success they gain in life, or toys they buy, or meaningful relationships they gather, if it doesn't have Jesus at the core of their life, they are showing us their best effort with cover-up that they can muster.  But it will one day be revealed to them at the end of life, or if they are blessed, while they are still alive.  I want to be there when that happens, for this person is like Refugee.  He is beaten down and is finally aware that the counterfeits he was pursuing were a lie.  He is ready to know the truth and I know the Truth that will set him free.

To fill this void people busy themselves with things that have little or no lasting value, hopefully to anesthetize the emptiness of the void within them.  Even a rich man's name and legacy is typically forgotten within a couple years of death.  The Super Bowl champions and the Most Outstanding Player are names not remembered by most people after a few years.  Who won the World Series ten years ago, or the British Open, or Wimbledon?  And yet those "heroes"are still alive, some are still playing, and some have retired.  Either way, they are yesterday's news.  They, along with every fantasy of success or significance that we can imagine to fill our void, is a counterfeit, a prop up or cover up for what is missing deep inside us.  If you and I are to be an Influencer who is able to effectively share the hope that is in Jesus, we must understand that everyone is longing deep down to have a restored relationship with their Creator and Jesus provides the "Bridge"for this passage to Him.  This is our first step with sharing our faith, which is to realize that deep down what we have to offer with Jesus is needed, and sometimes welcomed.

When I enter a conversation with a person who is broken and hurting or confused and discouraged with life, I ask them if they understand that Jesus has compassion for them and He will help them?   If they say they do know Him, I then ask if I can help them know Him better, for He will carry their burdens for them if they will learn how to hand them over to Him.  This becomes a discipleship opportunity.  If they tell me they do not know Him, I then help them identify where they are hurting.  I encourage them to understand that the lonely, isolated condition they are feeling is actually because they are becoming aware of what is truly missing in their life.  I share with them that the condition they are feeling has been common with mankind since the first sin was committed.  I help them understand that this original sin created a separation in our relationship with our Creator, for He is holy and cannot associate with sin and this separation created the troubling condition they are in.  I then ask if what is being felt is much like how Jesus described it with being "harassed and helpless?"   Most of the time they feel that I am speaking to a need that few people know that they have, until I explain that this is a common condition.  I also share that this can be a great blessing for them, for it reveals a deeper need.  This opens the door wider for me to move to the next point to show them how to fill that need.

I then share with them a scripture that might help them understand the condition and the provision that God has given to us for that condition.  I lead them to understand that Jesus has presented to them a decision point, and the choice that is made could bless them for eternity or lead to a destiny that is far worse than the one they are living in.  Here is the scripture that I share, which leads into my second step in our conversation.  Please read it and think on it and you will understand the connection tomorrow.