Adulting Part 2 - Build Your Legacy Now

 What legacy are you leaving? I know you don’t have a spouse and kids. But what about in school, or in your neighborhood if you move?

You might think, “The Lord’s coming back soon.” That should make us pray & share the Gospel more. But, we don’t know when He’ll come. If He delays, you’ll leave school. For some it’ll be a relief.  Others will be sad and eagerly await reunions. Some will leave neighborhoods, never again to see people you interact with regularly now. 

Before you say “good riddance,” remember God didn’t make Hell for us, only for the devil and fallen angels. We are commanded to preach the Gospel & give a chance to repent, so people can be saved from Hell, so they’ll let Jesus change them inside; He can removes bad stuff & help them be Godly. As the world makes religion something it wasn’t meant to be, we have the truth of the Bible about a Heavenly Kingdom we want people to go to – to be saved from sin by grace through faith, and not by works. We offer a free gift from God.  Wherever you are, you are there for such a time as this.

The right legacy is about being remembered as a follower of Jesus so others choose Him, too; so we hear “well done, good and faithful servant.” I was known for friendliness to all and so on, but that’s just one part. We can at least plant Gospel seeds.

Someday you will never again have a chance to tell them Jesus Christ, God in flesh, died to take the punishment for our sins and rose from the dead. And that to be saved, there must be a heart/mind decision to call on Jesus to save you from your sins and to come live in you and make you new inside. Sadly, they might never have heard.

Have you told them? Given them a chance to pray for salvation & freedom from sin, fear, and shame? Who knows, the Spirit might bring someone on your mind now. It doesn’t have to be huge like a column in the school paper with a clear, simple Gospel presentation; but it can be if God opens the door. When we persist in prayer mountains can be moved. Years ago, a student in Pennsylvania went to high school committed to sharing the Gospel. He’d led half his school to Christ by the time he graduated. It involved prayer, living a Godly life, being a bold witness, and staying away from petty arguments.

My best friend Sander, till 3 years ago, was the only one I knew for sure was yet to be saved. He called on Jesus to save him then. I was so thrilled he’ll be in Heaven someday.

I learned the address of a girl I’d lost touch with named Angela who moved away when we were in 5th grade. Okay, she may have been my first crush 😊, I was just starting to think about girls when she moved. More importantly, she was a friend. I wrote to say hi and make sure she knew Jesus – she did. I shared about my life & she did the same I think her daughter Virginia knows Jesus, too. Angela by then (15 years ago) was sadly almost fully blind. I’d even forgotten she was visually impaired. I’m so glad I’ll celebrate in Heaven with my first real friend on the playground; I’d go around talking to imaginary friends in 1st, some 2nd grade. I never got cues on how to interact, but she was such a big help to me.

A college friend, Paul Wexler, was curious about Jesus. I messaged him about being on my prayer letter list years back & shared evidence about Jesus being the true Messiah, & he gave a huge thumbs up reply. Other things show he is now a Messianic Jew; I’m so glad he will be in Heaven. Another, Humayun, from Pakistan, was so thankful when I sent him an Arabic/English Gospel of John 15 years ago. I pray he knows Jesus as his Saviour. Bruce at Wooster and Bob from childhood heard it from me. I lost contact and don’t know if they ever trusted Christ, but they still have the chance while alive. Please pray for them to trust Jesus as Saviour, along with Chuck & his family from high school, who might be saved. Bob’s sister, Anne, is saved it seems. Bruce had family issues and I don’t know if he ever really felt loved, but God can fill those holes in his heart. Please pray for him.

As far as I know, all whom I was close to have heard the Gospel. Nobody can know for sure, but I think all my family is saved. I wrote to others I hadn’t seen since grade school. I got best guesses for addresses and, along with asking how they are and sharing a bit about myself, shared the Gospel. I enclosed tracts, too.

I don’t just share that to add to your prayer list. I got heart knowledge for sure at 19, so played catch up a bit in finding some school friends. We’re here by God’s appointment. None of us knows how long we have – Sal spoke of teens who trusted Christ as Saviour months, even weeks before they died. We have a part to play in making sure those we know have a chance to call on Jesus, and even those we meet.

I’m not great at just starting a conversation and leading into the Gospel, but I’m okay. It’s easy for anyone to get tongue tied. But I love to give out tracts and say “Here’s something that tells how God loves you.” The Holy Spirit is there to help.

We need to be ready when He leads – a big reason the Bible says don’t quench the Spirit. To be ready to share, we must recognize His leading. If we’re friends for years and live out the Gospel but never share our faith and the need to be saved from our sin, what good is it? Sure, my friend Rick had many friends through his Packers fandom get saved at his funeral. But, he told them he’d trusted Jesus as Saviour and that’s why he didn’t tell raunchy jokes, didn’t drink, etc.. It was no guarantee they’d attend his funeral, though lots did. Rick, a Cantoniian, knew some in Green Bay itself from his trips there. Not everyone could come, though there were several from out of state who came down here for it.

That’s the exception, though. Not only that, but we shall not all die, but we shall all be changed; in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. The dead in Christ will rise first, then we who are alive and remain will be caught up to meet them – and Jesus - in the air. And so shall we ever be with the Lord.(Eph. 4:13-18) Had Rick lived till the Rapture & been caught up, where would those friends have heard the Gospel preached?

I regret not doing more sooner, but I’ve reached out as best I could, in unique ways, and I pray souls were saved & God has rewarded it.

We can’t know when the Rapture will be. The worse things get, the closer it looks. But, no matter when it is, you see a lot of people now who you won’t later.

Even if you don’t go to Canton Baptist – or listen online - I want to enclose a few things you can share. If you go someplace else & they won’t go with you, maybe they’ll go to CBT. Or, maybe you can just give them a tract – you can copy these.

This may seem like a slightly different topic at first, but it isn’t. There’s a warning for the church from the Underground church in Iran about how some people are saying the same things about opposing God’s people as Iranian officials said before crackdowns on Christians there. Also, a Soviet defector decades ago said the KGB planned to undermine the U.S.. They would demoralize and destabilized us, then create a crisis to put in a godless regime. Some argue this is happening, with us at different stages of that plan.

We know there is spiritual warfare out there trying to prevent us from sharing the Gospel. So, keep praying. Keep praying for protection & for those who know Jesus but are lukewarm to wake up and serve the Lord. Pray also for those who just sit in pews but haven’t called on Jesus to save them to trust Jesus to save them now.

Yet while we should pray for leaders and Godly people to rule and act in ways that honor Jesus, what happens here isn’t vital in the long run.

You may see one reason right away. We’re citizens of Heaven. If A’s leader is one that B can’t stand, does B pull its ambassador? No, discounting the Cold War and Cuba😊, they stay to ensure B’s citizens are safe and make the best of it, saying people of A need better treatment. An ambassador is only pulled as war nears. (Yes, we’re pulled in the Rapture so God can declare war on all the evil of this world. It’s also a time when the devil is let loose to run his evil world system that will force people to worship him and it.

We’re more than conquerors in Christ.(Rom. 8:37) God’ll supply all our needs according to His riches in Christ Jeus.(Phil. 4:19) No matter what, the USA was temporary. God raises and brings down kings, and only Jesus will reign forever. The devil is already using some religious terms to try to unite people in a one-world religion that ignores God & His great grace & mercy. But, we who read the Bible know what is phony. God’s Word is true. People can’t just steal parts and use it for their own ends.

Have a legacy as someone kind, considerate, helpful, and so on, but especially be known as someone who knew Jesus and shared with others the wonderful love of His amazing grace and all the good He gives when He comes to live in us & make us new inside. He understands some aren’t as able to share, but pray for openings to share.