Getting older is very interesting. Things become clearer. You understand more and more what matters and what doesn’t. The closer you get to the Lord and His Word, the more the foggy windshield of life becomes, almost crystal clear.
Stuart Scott,, an ESPN anchor, died a few weeks ago. It was a big deal in the sports world. I have to be honest: I am a little out of touch sometimes. I got rid of my TV twenty years ago. Easily one of the best decisions I have EVER made in my life. I just wish I had done it so much sooner! When you cut the cord to cable and ditch the dish, you have so much more time to read, write, witness, and I guess spend time with your kids that are about to move out of the house.
Don’t get me wrong: I still watch some occasional TV. Hotels can be dangerous for me. They have this little clicker thing! You pick it up, and you can press these buttons. Next thing you know, there is sports, poker, and food, food, food!! That is why one of my goals when I travel is to never pick up that clicker thing. I do have the internet, so I stay well-informed, and I do go over to my parents’ house and watch a game every now and then, but that boob tube will no longer control my life.
So I had seen some clips of Stuart Scott on the internet, but I don’t follow those sports shows like I used to. He died at 49 from cancer. What a young age, but plenty old enough to go to heaven or hell.
So I decided to do some reading up on him. I read a lot of the articles that were written about him after he died and a few from before he died. I was looking for one thing. One thing only. Yup. You know what I was looking for: Was he born again? Was he saved? Everything else is totally irrelevant to him now.
I am having no luck finding that information. Maybe there is a reason why.
When he accepted an award, he said, “When you die, it does not mean that you lose to cancer,” he said. “You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and in the manner in which you live.” As you can tell, he forgot to mention a few things here.
Philippians 1:21
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
It’s pretty simple, isn’t it? Get saved. Live a life that glorifies Jesus Christ. Take your last breath. Get out of this crazy place. Go and enjoy Jesus for all of eternity. Simple.
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Mr. Scott did not die from cancer. Another one of the world’s lies. They keep piling up, don’t they? He died from his sins, as all of us will. The question is, did he repent and believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of those sins?
Here is a short video clip of one of Stuart’s closest friends and co-anchor for many years, Rich Eisen:
“Wherever you are”? “Godspeed”? “Rest in Peace”?
Okay, wait a minute. Those two folks obviously cared about each other. They enjoyed their time together. But what do you mean, “Wherever you are”? Are you telling me that people spend time with each other and don’t talk about where they are going when they die? You mean, people can hang out, work together, have fun, but never talk about what is on the other side and how to get there?
John 14:1-6
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Jesus made it clear where He was going and that He wanted His friends to be with Him on the other side. Are you living your life like that?
I have just received this email from a pastor’s wife. Enjoy:
“This just totally blew my mind this morning at church!!!!
“OK, just to back up a little…..you remember that ongoing testimony about the Catholic Nigerian kids I tutored for years, and just from comparing what they learned in Catechism to what the Bible really says, the three girls got saved, and through their testimonies, their mom Vivian got saved, left the Catholic church, and they’ve been coming to Haven of Rest ever since….
“Well, their mom, Vivian, has a sister named Nonso, who came here from Nigeria several years ago to attend nursing school. Vivian asked me if I could tutor Nonso in math, so she could pass the nursing placement tests, so I did, and she passed, and I believe has gotten her LPN degree. While tutoring her, I witnessed to her and gave her “One Heartbeat Away,” etc., but she was too focused on nursing to give it much thought. That was several years ago, and I haven’t seen her since.
“Well, today I was cleaning up my piano music after church, and who showed up at the piano but Nonso!!!! After we hugged and all, she looked around and said, “Where’s your daughter Rachel???” I said, “In Georgia, visiting her sister Dawn….they should be driving back tonight.” She said, “Did Rachel tell you I was in her Speech class at Gateway Community College this past semester???” I said, “You were????? No, she didn’t tell me!!!” Nonso said, “Yes, I’m going on for my RN degree and a speech class was required, so we ended up in the same class.” I said, “I had no idea….how cool is that???!!!”
“Nonso said, ‘You have NO IDEA how Rachel has affected my life!! Every time I walked into Gateway, I would see Rachel reading her Bible…..on the stairs, on the hallway floor, in her seat before the professor walked in, after class, etc…. she gave a speech about Christianity. She was not ashamed of her faith. Can I just tell you that I got so convicted by watching her this past semester, because, if the Bible and her faith meant that much to her to always be reading it, then there must be something to it!! I’ve been thinking about it all semester, and when the semester was over, I thought……what am I doing with my life?? What is it all about?? So I had to come to her and Vivian’s church. Wow! What a message your husband preached. I just raised my hand at his invitation to get saved, and he said to come forward to have someone talk to me……I need to be a Christian….who do I talk to???’ After I pulled my jaw up off the floor I just hugged her and said, ‘I’m running to get the van to drive all of these people back to New Haven, but my friend Jenny will be happy to show you!!!’ And off they went to a back room!!!
“But not before I snatched a picture with her to text to Rachel to share the testimony with her. Rachel was sooooo encouraged. Nonso said, ‘I’ll see you next week!! I’m changing my nursing schedule to get every Sunday off…I’ll be here every week!!!’
“Scrape jaw off floor again!
“I had to run, but, as far as I know, she left the church a new creation in Christ!!!!
“Isn’t that totally the coolest???
“I actually just texted Jenny to see if Nonso got saved this morning. Her response: ‘Yes!!! And she prayed more beautifully than anyone I’ve ever heard pray for salvation.’
“Praise God!!! :)“
You see, that pastor and his wife have taught their kids not to waste their lives. And trust me, they don’t! Your life is way too valuable to the Most High God.
So are you and your church seeing these kinds of testimonies? If not, why not?
If Stuart was a Christian, he wasted his life on things that had no eternal value. If he wasn’t a Christian, he made the biggest eternal mistake he could ever make.
One of his catchphrases was: “As cool as the other side of the pillow.” Well, that will really depend on where you spend eternity. “Cool” will only be something you dream about in one of those eternal destinations.
When that day arrives, it will be okay to die. It will be okay to move on over to the other side, as long as you are born again. It is okay to talk about eternity with friend and foe. It is an “okay” topic to bring up during a dinner conversation. You will be talking about Him for all of eternity, so you might as well start here!
Malachi 3:16
Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.
Please do God a simple favor: Don’t waste your life!
Until the nets are full,
P.S. Please pray for the Koreans here in Atlanta. They want to win many souls for Jesus. Also, always remember that even if you stand on your tippy toes, you are not taller than Mark Cahill!!!
