Category: salvation

The Real Christmas People

Posted on by Susan Panzica

I received this devotion a last month from Ron Hutchcraft’s “A Word With You”, and thought it so worthwhile to share during our 40 Day Focus.

Nate Saint, better than anyone else I know, may have captured Christmas from heaven’s perspective. I’ve stood on that beach where Nate Saint, Jim Elliott, and the others died at the hands of the Aucas. But today, the men who murdered them are leaders of the Auca Church, and many, including me, were inspired by their example to serve Christ. On the eve of his last Christmas on earth, Nate Saint wrote his perspective on Christmas, and I can’t get it out of my mind. I hope you won’t either. I believe this is the heart of God about Christmas.



Here’s what Nate Saint wrote in his journal on December 18: “May we be moved with compassion as our Lord was. May we shed tears of repentance for these we have failed to bring out of the darkness. Beyond the smiling scenes of Bethlehem, may we see the crushing agony of Golgotha. May God give us a new vision of His will concerning the lost – and our responsibility.” Twenty-one days later, Nate Saint died, attemping to rescue some of those very people.


His words are hard to hear in the middle of all our Christmas activity. Aren’t they? It’s all about a spiritual rescue mission that cost the Son of God His life. That mission was clearly spelled out to Joseph when the angel announced the coming of Jesus to him in Matthew 1:21, our word for today from the Word of God. “You are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” The very name Jesus means “the Lord saves” – that’s “save” as in rescuers saving people from the rubble at Ground Zero, or a firefighter saving people from a burning building. Sin is the burning building we’re in, trapped with no way out – except for heaven’s Rescuer, Jesus Christ, who gave His life rescuing ours with the “crushing agony of Golgotha.”


Following Jesus means living to join Him in His rescue mission to save others.


Maybe even in these countdown days to Christmas, you can pray for God to open up some amazing opportunities to tell someone about Him – why He came, why He died, and what He does when we open our life to Him. Because Christmas is all about a rescue mission – to intervene for someone who is, in Nate Saint’s words, hurtling “headlong into a Christless night without ever having a chance.” You can be that chance.

Jesus, may we see your children as You do. Help us to have the words to share, the eyes to  see, the heart to love, to courage to reach the lost. 
 
Susan

Happy Birthday, James!

Posted on by Susan Panzica

Today, I got the most wonderful phone call. James was a student in my Sunday School class when he was 5 years old. He called to remind me that it was his “spiritual birthday”. Nine years ago today, he prayed with me to receive Jesus Christ as his Savior.

He remembers many details of that day, including where we where and even what he ate that day – chocolate chip pancakes! But more importantly, he remembers what that day signifies. At 5 years old, he was born into God’s eternal kingdom. Each year, his parents honor that decision with a special gift. He is a godly young man, and the Lord has great plans for him, I’m sure.

At 24 years old, I made the same decision as James. My friends and I spent summer weekends at a beach house in the Hamptons. We slept on the beach by day and danced in the bars at night. One night, we met the members of a band. What we didn’t know was that the band members had come to Christ a few weeks before we met them. Well, it wasn’t long before we did know that! They freely shared the good news with us, and after several more meetings and reading the Bible, we also accepted Christ as our Savior. That was the beginning of a long, an unusual, but a glorious story of walking with my Lord.

Whether you have come to know Jesus as a child or as an adult, whether long ago or recently, the important thing is the coming to Him. We often lavishly celebrate our physical birthdays, but our earthly bodies will one day pass away. Our spiritual birthday marks the day we enter eternal life which will never pass away.

Today was a beautiful reminder to me of my spiritual birthday as well as James’. I am reminded of the best gift ever given. I am thankful to Tony A., Richie and the other band members for sharing Christ with me. I am thankful for the opportunites I’ve had to share Jesus with others, and to have had a part in James’ spiritual birthday, as well as other students, friends and family. We are forever linked!

Having received Christ as Savior, we have a mandate to share Him with others. It is the greatest privilege to participate in another’s salvation experience.

Do you have a story to tell? What is your testimony of coming to Christ? Have you had the opportunity to share in another’s coming to Him? Would you leave me a comment or send me an email! I’d love to hear about it!

Susan

Indecision???

Posted on by Susan Panzica
Today on the radio, I heard the following statement: “Indecision may or may not be my problem.” I laughed out loud! That hit close to home!

Indecision has frequently caused me to procrastinate. I have a “to-do” pile that is expanding because I’m not sure what action to take. I’ll think that perhaps this might be the way to go, only to rethink that decision, and ultimately, I end up taking no action at all.

But there is one decision that I made almost 30 years ago that I will never rethink. I made the choice to accept the gift of salvation that God so generously offered. Moses told the Israelites, “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. … Oh, that you would choose life, that you and your descendents might live! Choose to love the LORD your God and obey Him and commit yourself to Him, for He is your life.” (Deut. 30:19-20) I chose life on Sept. 9, 1979.

But I find that I must choose every day to walk according to that life. Joshua said, “Choose this day whom you will serve.” Each day presents itself with new challenges that test my decision of 30 years ago. According to a footnote in my Bible, “The people had to decide whether they would obey the Lord, who had proven His trustworthiness. … It’s easy to slip into a quiet rebellion – going about life in your own way. But the time comes when you have to choose who or what will control you? The choice is yours. Will it be God, your own limited personality, or another imperfect substitute? Once you have chosen to be controlled by God’s Spirit, reaffirm your choice every day.”

Have you reaffirmed your choice to serve the Lord today? As Bob Dylan sang, “You gotta serve somebody.” So, if you find that you’re not serving the Lord, who are you serving? Have you been going your own way? Has a minor incident caused a major disconnect with God? Remember that as many steps as you may have taken away from God, it’s only just one step back – back into fellowship with Him and the blessings that accompany that relationship.

Susan