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Sometimes we go about our days, just going and living life inside of a Christian bubble. But, over my nearly two years as a Christian, God had showed me that life is meant to be lived outside this bubble.
That's where the lost are. That's where Jesus always was: among the lost. They are His passion and were His purpose for coming to earth. (Luke 19:10)
So, when God pops my Christian bubble, though it isn't always the most comfortable place to be, I rejoice. Why? Because once I leave my bubble I get to see the world the way God sees it. Even more then that, outside of the bubble is a prime place to experience "God Moments" that will truly change you.
Here is a testimony to one I had over the last year.
I was talking to a friend of mine who had been going through a rough season in there life. One day I get one Facebook, which is one of the places we talked the most, and received a message from her.
Only, the message wasn't from them.
It was a friend of hers (let's call her, Elizabeth*) who wanted to know what was going on in Elizabeth life. I decided it would be best to say, "It's a personal thing. I'm sorry." When I suddenly began to feel the Holy Spirit tell me, "Ask her '**THE QUESTION.**'" So out of the blue I typed, fearful of being virtually bitten by a shark, "So, where do you think people go when they die?"I had little to loss with this encounter, I mean, this was friend of Elizabeth's, someone I had never even heard of before.
Her friend (let's call her Mary*) responded that she didn't believe in God and that was how she was raised.
I began slowly asking her, "Why don't you believe in God?"
As the conversation continued I found out that Elizabeth had done some things that she felt God could never forgive her for. She had been pregnant in middle school. She felt God could never forgive her.
My next move surprised even me, until recently.
I told her that God was an all forgiving God. He provided a way of forgiveness though the sinless life, suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I told her about Grace. Though, I did say that God saw us as criminals because we broke His Law, I skimmed through the Law and went straight to the cross and the Gospel.*** I told her that the only way to be saved was through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.
She seemed to take to what I said well, and said she's think about it.
As we ended her conversation, Elizabeth came back online and said that Mary was just suppose to be playing games. We talked a little more,, and went about our lives.
Then God showed up.
I received a few messages regarding Mary not too long after that. Some positive, some negative.
Elizabeth told me that, even though she had tried so many times to talk to Mary about Jesus, she never could get through to her. Then she told me the greatest news ever. Mary had given her life to Jesus. She had repented and turned from her sins! This was 100% the work of God and the power of His Gospel, which is is the power of God to salvation (Romans 1:16).
What I struggled with for a while was wondering if I should have presented her with more of the Law before the Gospel. Then God opened my eyes.
Mary, in this situation, was somewhat like Nicodemus in John Ch. 3. Nicodemus, being a teacher of the Law, knew He was in trouble. (John 3:1-2) He knew that the sins He had committed were evil to God. The Law is written on his heart and God worked on his conscience. (Romans 2:15-16) The proud choice to suppress this conscience, that is why the Law is needed to show them there need, while grace is meant for the humble. (James 4:6) Once they've realized they've sinned and the punishment for sin it causes the hearer to long for the Savior, cause they see just how desperate they are.
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
I would hear within a week of her conversion that Mary was pregnant again. Elizabeth still asserted to me that she was saved, and that all of that happened before our virtual conversation.
I also heard Mary was planning to have an abortion. I sent, through Elizabeth, a 180 Movie link for her to watch. (If you don't know about 180, watch it here.)
Though I was told Mary rejected it after about 10 minutes of watching 180, I was greeted with news just recently that she is planning on keeping her baby. Whether it was 180, or God working in some other way, a life was changed, and another life saved all because I let God take me about of my comfortable Christian bubble. Will you let Him do the same?
* Names changed due to personal nature of post.
** Never been the asked the "Million Dollar Question"? Go HERE.
*** Never heard of using the Law before the Gospel. Check out this awesome teaching HERE.
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