By Anita Mondragon

 

Here we are…already into the 7th day of a new year!  

 

As I sat and pondered on the things I did in the past year, I had to wonder if I truly had made a difference in someone\s life.  Oh yes, I attended church on a regular basis, helped with whatever I could, gave to the homeless, was kind…well, most of the time. I even taught a class.   I gave my tithe and then some for the needs of God’s work.  I and my husband are caretakers of our church, so we kept constant guard over God’s property; and, all these things were helpful and good.

 

However, as I recalled all of this, I asked myself and my husband this question:  “All these things were good and needful…BUT DID I PLUCK SOMEONE FROM THE FIRES OF HELL?”

I don’t know.  I hope someone reading the blog found salvation in our Lord and Savior, but I don’t know.  

 

I hope people could ‘see’ Jesus in me and my actions, but I don’t know.

 

I realize that we may never know who’s life we touched until we get to Heaven, but that’s not enough for me this year!  I want to KNOW if I have truly impacted someone’s eternal future.  

 

The things of this world are unimportant!  Big houses, new cars, designer clothes, sumptuous food…all the splendid things this life has to offer will not count for eternity.  In Jude chapter 1, verse 20-23 it says this:

 

But you, my dearly-loved friends, building yourselves up on the basis of your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 must keep yourselves safe in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ which will result in the Life of the Ages. 22 Some, when they argue with you, you must endeavor to convince; 23 others you must try to save, as brands plucked from the flames; and on others look with pity mingled with fear, while you hate every trace of their sin.

 

 

I started on this new quest on New Year’s Day.  We were visiting with some family and friends.  One of them was scoffing at this being a new year and making differences for the better in our lives.  This person made the comment… “I’ll never change!”  They repeated this statement several times and then looked at me and said it again with a, “huh?” tacked on the end.  I replied, “Well, you can!”  He retorted, “Naw!  I don’t want to!!”  I responded, “It is your choice…”  Someone in the crowd said, “If you don’t change, you can’t make it to Heaven…only one other place to go.”  He said with a chuckle, “When I get to Hell, the devil will send me back upstairs real quick…he don’t want me there”

 

I personally have endeavored to convince this person of his need for salvation for years, but he continues to scoff and argue.  Should I stop?  NO!  This person is one of those that the Bible talks about.  He is literally hanging over the flames of Hell, needing to be plucked from the fire!

 

My prayer for this year is, “Lord!  Let me endeavor to reach those that are lost and destined to the flames of Hell!  Let them find Salvation in Jesus before it’s too late!”

 

Anita Mondragon