Hi to all my Forum Friends,
In the Religion Forum discussion I began titled "Creation/Evolution In Schools? -- Should We Let The Kids Decide?" -- I seem to have drawn the ire of a few of my atheist Friends.
My new Forum Friend who has recently evolved (no pun intended) into Frog tells me, "The point is since I haven't been here long and I have read your point of view many times (really?), don't you think everyone else (has) got what you mean by now and can choose what they want for their own lives?"
Now, that is interesting. Frog tells me she has not been on the Religion Forum long -- yet, is already a Hall Of Famer! Wow, she must have stayed up day and night, writing, to have attained the level of Hall Of Famer so quickly. Or, could this claim to be a new Religion Forum member just be more atheist misinformation?
For Friends not familiar with the TimesDaily Forum rating scheme; we all began as the "New Kid On The Block" and, over several years, move up the scale to higher ratings -- "Hall Of Famer" being the second highest. Since I have been writing on the Religion Forum for five years -- I, like my Friend, Joy, and a couple of others -- have moved to the highest level, "Old Faithful." Not really sure I like being called "Old" -- but, I guess I can live with it.
And, Frog asks, "Has anyone here actually become closer to God or converted, accepted, been saved, or anything similar after reading all the insults and demands, cajoling, and dismissals of their choices? Just curious...anyone?"
Of course, she is referring to my writings.
Then, my reliable, very dependable Friend, Chick, jumps into the arena telling Frog, "Bill has always stated that his mission here is to reach those that read this forum, not the ones that post.
Since you haven't been here long (really?), are you possibly one of those he was trying to reach? I've often asked Bill if his art of persuasion has reached anyone yet, but he refuses to answer. My guess is that those that "just read" this forum, find him as foolish as the majority of us do."
Many years ago, when I was younger and not yet a Christian; it would have boosted my ego to have two ladies who call themselves Frog and Chick pay such close attention to me -- even though the names do remind us of Hell's Angels biker chicks. But, now I get even more excited over their attention -- for, they give me opportunities to share the Word of God with our Forum Friends.
So, my Lady Friends, the beauty of working for God is that one doesn't have to keep an eye on the scoreboard -- just keep playing the game to the best of one's God-given abilities. That is what I do. I just keep sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ -- and leave the results to the Holy Spirit.
You see, Chick/Frog, neither Bill Gray nor any other Christian can save a person -- only the Holy Spirit can do that. However, our task is to help prepare folks for the work the Holy Spirit will do in them, In other words, we point them toward Jesus Christ and let the Holy Spirit do the rest.
It is very similar to preparing a garden site. We till the soil, work to remove all the debris and rocks, and when it is ready, we begin to plant seeds. After that, we may do some weeding and watering -- but, we cannot make that seed grow into a beautiful plant; only God can do that. And, that is where God, the Holy Spirit, comes into the picture. He takes the work we Christians have begun -- and nurtures it with divine love and guidance. Gradually, He brings that plant to life, spiritual life in Jesus Christ. Don't you just love the teamwork?
We Christians who share the Gospel are very much like the a missionary to the Kiowa Indians in the 1800s, a woman named Miss Reside. Living with the Indians long enough for them to know what it meant to be a Christian, they began calling her "Aim Day Co."
Explaining the significance of this name, Chief Bigtree said, "When we Kiowas see anyone on the wrong trail, we call out, 'Aim day co,' which means 'Turn this way.' Our sister came to us from a far land and found us on the wrong path and in great danger. She stood and called to us and said, 'Turn this way.' Then she showed us the Jesus road. God bless Miss Aim Day Co."
No story better explains Christian evangelism that the one written by Ralph L. Woods in The Guideposts Treasury of Faith:
A GENUINE CHRISTIAN
One evening during the latter part of his life in the late 1800s, John Ruskin, an artist, scientist, poet, and philosopher -- sat at a window in his home watching a lamplighter, with torch in hand, ignite the street lamps on a distant hill. Since it was dark the lamplighter himself could not be seen, but his progress up the hill could be observed as successive lamps were lighted.
After a few minutes Ruskin turned to a friend and said, “That illustrates what I mean by a genuine Christian. You may not know him or ever see him, but his way has been marked by the lights he leaves burning.”
And, that, my Friends, is my goal in life -- to leave as many lights as possible burning for the Lord. Have I been successful? I don't know, for at this time I cannot see the scoreboard. Would I want to know if my work has led some folks closer to the Lord? Yes, I suppose that would be encouraging to me.
I will admit that sitting alone in my office, writing, without knowing if I have reached at least one person in a positive way for the Lord can, at times, be discouraging. Like anyone who continually does a task, I do sometimes experience burnout. And, in my weak, frail human tent, an occasional "Atta boy!" or a pat on the back -- does feel good. Yet, that is only satisfying my weak human nature; not my spiritual nature. At times like that, I have to remind myself that I am not doing this for me -- I am doing it for my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
In the mid-1990s, I was writing and mailing my snail-mail Christian newsletter "The Good News." At that time I was working for a computer integration company, doing telephone sales. One Friday, I was talking on the phone with a client in Houston. Since it was getting late, I told him that I could help him for a while longer; but, then I had to leave to go to Bible study. He was excited that I am a Christian and this led to me telling him about my Christian newsletter.
He asked to be on my mail list for the newsletter and a week later, I mailed it out. The next week, he and I were talking and he told me, "Bill, your newsletter came -- just in time." Since others were in my office, I could not ask what he meant by, "just in time" -- and, because I never had a chance to talk with him again before leaving the company, I never did find out. I can only assume that he had a need, obviously a strong need, and something I had written addressed that need. That is God working!
Would I have liked to have known more? Sure, my human ego was saying, "Oh boy, what did I do right?" But, God was telling me, "You have no need to know. Just be encouraged that your writing did help this man."
Last year, a Mississippi Friend in my Friend Ministry mailing sent me an e-mail telling me that, even though he had been a Christian for a long time -- he had drifted away. He told me that my Friends Ministry writings helped him draw close to the Lord once more. My Friends, even if I write for another thirty years and never have another positive feedback -- that one man made it all worthwhile. At least I can know that I have helped just one person.
And, my Christian Friends, that should always be our goal in evangelism -- to help just one more soul draw closer to our Lord. Praise God I have reached that plateau! But, I am not stopping! That just makes me want to write more.
So, Chick/Frog, when you ask, "Has anyone here actually become closer to God" because of my writings -- I cannot answer that for you. It is not my job to know that statistic. My job is to just keep sowing seeds of salvation and pray that some fall into fertile soil. Possibly, I have not found the fertile soil within your souls yet; but, I can keep sowing and pray that even one little seed will find that small patch of fertile soil within you, which I know is in every person.
How do I know that everyone, you included, have at least a small patch of fertile soil within your souls?
"For when Gentiles who do not have the law do instinctively the things of the law, these, not having the law, are a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, on the day when, according to my Gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus" (Romans 2:14-16).
So, no one has an excuse for denying God. Those who deny God have made a purposeful, deliberate choice to deny Him -- and, therefore, have made a deliberate choice to spend eternity away from the presence of God. The only eternal home away from the presence of God -- is hell.
Yet, because I know that you, and everyone, has His Word written in your hearts -- I will keep sowing seeds of salvation and continue sending them toward my atheist and other non-believing Friends.
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill
The missing link has been found.
It’s so beautiful.
but hey, deep had already bought a ring 
and invitations sent out.
Atheists
LOL 
