GE Technician
He came out before to fix our microwave and it took at least 2 months for the part to come in and for him to come back. I was frustrated it was taking so long until I was able to see that God had a plan in it all.
Yes the GE technician finally made it back. I ended up talking to him about his job and about his family. I found out that he was married for so many years he had lost count, and then I finally asked him the most important question. I said to him, “Do you know if you are going to heaven when you die?” He said, “Yes, I think I am going.” I asked him, “So if you were to get there, what would you say got you there?” He said, “Believing in Jesus and doing the things He wants you to do. Like the 10 commandments.” I went on to say, “You know most people would have said it’s because they have been a good person. I’m glad you know Jesus, and it is true that our actions should follow what we say we believe in our heart.” Then he went on to say, “Do you ever watch that show where the guy claims to be Jesus?” I said, “No.” He continued, “Seriously, people call in and he answers them as if he were Jesus himself.” I said, “That’s scary.” He asked, “Why? He might be. He seems so sincere and seems to know what he’s talking about and everything he says sounds like he truly cares and believes he is Jesus.” I said, “Let me show you something.” I silently prayed for the Lord to show me where the scripture was as I opened up my Bible to the New Testament… and behold, it was right there in front of me. I read to him from Luke 21:8, “And He said, “Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He’, and, ‘the time is growing near. ‘Therefore do not go after them’.” I said to the repairman, “See, Jesus is warning you right here; don’t go after, don’t listen to, don’t be fooled by people who tell you that they are Him.” I asked him if he had a Bible. He said, “Oh yes, a very old Bible.” I asked if he read it. He said, “No, not really.” I said, “Then how are you going to know warnings like the one that Jesus gave you in Luke 21 if you never pick it up and read it?” He said, “I wouldn’t…wow, how scary!” I continued with 1 Peter 5:8, “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert; your adversary the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” I continued, “You’ve got to be prepared, you can’t believe everything that everyone tells you. We need to be in His word, the Bible so that people like the one you’ve been watching can’t deceive you. Do you go to church?” He said, “Yes.” I asked what church and he said the name of a Catholic church. I asked if he ever took his Bible with him when he goes. He said, “No.” So I asked, “Why not?” He said, “I never thought to do so. As a matter of fact I don’t think anyone does.” I asked, “Well how do you know if what that man is teaching you is really correct? You see my friend; he is human just like you and me. That means he’s a sinner just like you are and he can mislead you, just like I could (Romans 3:23). If I went to church without my Bible my pastor could mislead me too. So that is why I take my Bible. I have to make sure that whatever I am being taught truly is what it says. Now, do you have a good Bible?” He asked, “What do you mean, a good Bible?” I showed him mine and how it has a proper concordance in the back. I showed him how you could look up any word, such as “lying”, and find it in different places in the Bible and see what God has to say about lying through His word. He was amazed. I then said, “You can have my Bible. But I want you to check the concordance in the back when you go to use your Bible. You have to make sure that what I am giving you is legitimate. So look up a word and see if it is in your Bible and compare it to what you see in this one. If it lines up then you know what I gave you is true.” He said, “Wow, that’s really cool.” I said, “Now, sometimes people want to get into studying the word but they just don’t know where to begin. First of all, if you look in the very beginning of the Bible, all the books are listed.” I showed him how to look up scriptures by chapter and verse. Then I said, “The book of Proverbs has 31 chapters. That means there’s one chapter for every day of the month. So if today was the 20th I would look up Proverbs Chapter 20, and read that chapter. Also you should start reading the gospel of John. It will tell you about Jesus and His character and all that He did for you.” I showed him different things in the Word and he was completely amazed. It was as if he opened up a priceless treasure (and indeed he did). I told him that while he was on the road to listen to KWVE on the radio and he would hear some of the things I was telling him and much, much more. I encouraged him to take a Bible with him to church on Sunday and when the priest shares a scripture, to open up to that scripture and make sure that that’s what it says in the Bible. I said, “If anyone asks you why you have a Bible with you, tell them you are making sure the priest is telling you the right thing, because he’s only human; and a sinner like the rest of us.” Then maybe others may start bringing their Bible to church and you will have helped to make an important change in your church. He asked me, “What church do you go to?” So I said, “Oh, I just go to a Calvary Chapel.” I didn’t want him to think that I thought my church was any better than his. I continued to say, “You see when I was church shopping I happened to walk into our church and what I saw there was different. It was different because everyone had their Bibles and was making sure that what they were being taught was truly in there. It just made sense to me and so I’ve stayed there. Then he said, “I have a cousin who is a Jehovah’s Witness and he has been talking to me about his bible too.” So I opened the Bible and showed him the warnings about adding to God’s word from Proverbs 30:6 and Revelation 22:18 and suggested that he ask his cousin one question. “Do you hope to be part of that 144,000 that make it to heaven?” When he says yes, say this, “Well in Revelation 14:3-4 it says that the 144,000 were virgin Jewish men. So if your cousin is married, not Jewish, or has ever slept with a woman, then he can’t possibly be included with the 144,000.” I went on to tell him, “If anyone brings you any doctrine other then what is in the Bible, get rid of it and only go by God’s inspired word, the Holy Bible.” As he got ready to leave he said, “Thank you so much for taking the time to explain all of this to me. I will definitely start using it.”
Proverbs 16:9 says, “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” I’ve decided, or should I say I’ve been shown, that every person that comes to my house has been brought here for a reason. All I have to do is open my mouth, have my Bible within arm’s reach, and be ready to walk them through His word. It’s not something that I suddenly came up with. Because it’s not my ideas that matter or my opinions that count anyway…its God’s word that is living and active, sharper than any double-edge sword. Hebrews 4:12. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. 2 Timothy 3:16.
Brothers and sisters we have a treasure in our hands that we need to be sharing with the world. A world of people dying that believe in anything and everything they hear and see on TV. We have this priceless treasure that we need to value and that we need to know. I know there are a lot of things I still need to learn, and I never want to take what is in my hands for granted. I want to truly treasure it, read it and understand it so that I can be ready to give an answer for the hope that lies within me. The hope that I have is not in me, it’s in Him...Jesus! Please, let’s work together, making sure that everyone hears until that last one has heard.
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“But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with all gentleness and reverence;” (1 Peter 3:15)