Life Lesson from a Dying Man
“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?” John 11:25-26
“How are you?” I asked the man when he answered the phone. We had crossed paths a few times as he had helped me with some ministry needs, but I didn’t know him well. He had always been polite on the phone, but curt. Though I had given him my latest book Follower and my Gospel tract Finding the Light, and though he had spoken the word God, I had never sensed an open door to talk to him about Jesus Christ. I do my best to sow seeds of Christ and minister to people by being sensitive, discerning, and obedient to God’s Spirit’s leading me.
“I’m not doing too well actually,” the man said. “I was diagnosed with cancer. Surgery was unsuccessful.” Terminal cancer, a brutal cancer that is always fatal and is known for the heinous course it takes along the way.
I was shocked. I pulled myself together. It would take the courage and strength of God to talk to a dying man I barely knew who clearly did not like talking to me on the phone about a subject his heart had not seemed open to in the past. God’s Spirit moved on my heart and strengthened me.
“How do you stand with Jesus?” I don’t use a formula. I haven’t been trained in evangelism. I love the Lord with every ounce of my being, passionately, fervently, forever. I study His Word. His Spirit leads me.
“Okay,” he said.
God’s Spirit tugged on my heart. “Are you born again?” I said.
The man who had been given a horrific death sentence had said he was okay with Jesus. Intellectually he believed in Jesus. He probably figured he would go to heaven after he died. He said he sinned less than he used to. He had a religious background. But he didn’t know we must be born again spiritually by repenting, believing in Christ as Lord, and turning to God and His ways to receive God’s forgiveness and everlasting life rather than hell. It seemed he had confessed his sins along the way. But he didn’t understand true faith in Christ manifests in a lifestyle of living for God.
I shared the Gospel message with Him. He didn’t seem too interested. He wanted to enjoy his time left on earth despite the torment he would endure due to the fiery cancer. But the merciless cancer’s torment would be nothing compared to the everlasting heinously indescribable torment he would face in hell and the lake of fire if he didn’t repent and give his life to Christ which I prayed he would.
If you are a Christ follower, are you proclaiming the Gospel to this dying world? If you are not born again and need help understanding the Gospel message, please e-mail me at love@walkbyfaithministry.com or call me at 843-338-2219.