Our Windows of Questions Our Book of Knowledge!

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government
shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful,
Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of
Peace" (
Isaiah 9:6)
A gift from God to Man
(By: Pastor L.R. Simas, Sr.)
12-13-08
With all the bad news all around the country, isn't it time we
had some good news?? People are not only concerned with the
Christmas holiday and the cost of it, but where will the money
come from or how to pay for it. Will that be cash or charge?? The
cashiers ask. The decision follows as folks ask themselves, “Shall I
pay for that now or later” and they will too. Not necessarily in
the way they might be thinking at the time.
Folks are losing jobs, houses, and more as the times seem to be
getting worse. If you listen closely you might hear folks saying “I
don’t think we can afford to buy this for him this year” or “I
know, I know” a wife says to her spouse “but how can we pay
for that this year??” Sounds all too familiar huh??
Okay now let’s take a look at another situation.
It’s a place no one wants to be and yet the only place to be when
one is not well or dealing with a disease. Yes, this situation takes
place in a hospital. A place in which doctors, nurses, and the
unsung heroes, Certified Nurse Aides, all try to make the stay
easier and (for the most part) happier.
This nigh is a cold and dreary night and a hard one for the folks
working the late shift. The call bells are ringing and seems like
they just won’t stop. The folks seem needier than most other
nights.
Suddenly a Nurse Aide (CNA) calls out for help. The others come
quickly and find a little old man in distress. They all spring into
action. The person in charge makes the call and these folks do
what is necessary to ease the distress and calm is restored once
again.
This is all in a night’s work for them. For others and any new
personnel it is scary as well as being exciting. These night people
take it all in stride.
Next is a low cry from an elderly lady, say about in her middle
eighties. A Nurse Aide (CNA) hears the cry and looks in on her.
She says, “What’s the matter? Can I get you something?” “No,
no” says the grand lady “But thank you all the same.” In less
than a second she says, “Wait” she asks, “Is there a minister here,
tonight??” The aide thinks to herself, “not at this time of night”
and says, “I’ll check, okay??” “Sure and thank you, you are so
kind”, the grand lady says.
What the aide knows is that the kindly lady most probably doesn’
t have many days left and will not see home again. Sad as that
maybe, this sweet lady hasn’t accepted or may not have even
heard of the one that can help her.
Try as hard as she can there are no ministers on call this night nor
will any return her call. She then says to herself, “I’ll try this
one” as she reaches in her pocket for the card with a number and
calls it. The phone rings and the man answer’s it saying, “Sure, I’
m on my way!”  With that she hangs up the phone and goes to
the grand lady and reports that a minister is on the way. She
says, “Oh good and thank you dear.”
It’s nearly three thirty in the morning and the minister arrives.
After some correcting of misunderstandings at the entrance, the
person makes a call to the section in question and allows the
minister to gain entry. He heads for the floor and section and
upon reaching the floor he speaks with the nurse and aide. After
which he is escorted to the grand lady’s room.
He introduces himself and she says, “I’m glad you are here, they
(the folks on the floor) don’t know that I know I’m going to
die!” He questions, “Now good lady how you know that?”  She
says, “Look, I’m over eighty years old and I know I don’t have
much time.” “I know I have cancer and it is incurable too”, she
exclaims. “I wanted to talk with a minister before I go and to
make a last confession so I can go to heaven”. She says, with
concern. “Can you help me?” She inquires. “Will you hear my
confession and give me the last rights? “ She asks.
The minister says, “Do you believe in God??” She replies, “I do.”  
“Would you do as God says then??” He questions. Again she
says, “I sure would” with a sense of confidence in her shaky
voice. “Wonderful” exclaims the minister.
“May I share with you what God’s word says about heaven and
how to get there”, begs the minister. “Please do!”, she says.
“First”, the minister says, “The Bible says all you need to know
about God. Also how God is revealed to us and what it is He
desires of us too.” He continues, “If you, dear lady, confess your
sins to me I have neither authority nor power to forgive them.”
She looked sadly at him and he continued, “Only Jesus can
forgive your sins, mine, and the whole world’s this is one of the
reasons God gave us Jesus. Jesus is God’s gift to mankind. If
only we would believe it.”     
The minister shares with the grand lady how God sent Jesus to
earth, how Jesus would willingly place his life on the cross to
take away or forgive our sins, how we could then come in to God’
s family,  and be sure of a place in heaven. He shared with her the
many places in the Bible where Jesus is quoted as saying things
such as the following saying, “
Therefore doth my Father love me,
because I lay down my life, that I might take it again
” (John 10:
17).
The minister continues to share with her as he says, “Jesus says
something so important and yet so simple that most folks miss it.
“Shall I show it to you?” He inquires of the grand lady. She say,
“Please do, I don’t want to miss it too!”
The minister turns in the Bible to very spot and says to her before
reading, “This is how you know for sure you are going to heaven
and it is the only way, for sure okay?” “Okay”, she replies. He
then turns to John 14:6-7 “…
I am the way, the truth, and the
life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known
me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth
ye know him, and have seen him.
“Do you understand this?” The
minister inquires of the grand lady.  “I think so?” she says. The
minister continues, “Do you believe that Jesus is God and that
God is Jesus??” “Sure, and so is the Holy Ghost!” She says with
pride. “Good” the minister says. “Then do you believe that when
Jesus said, “
And Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall
make you free
“(John 8:32).  She says, “If Jesus said it, it must be
true!” “Good “says the minister. “Now, one more thing, if you
believe all that I’ve shared with you thus far, please let me share
this part of what the Bible says okay?” “Sure go ahead” says she.
He turns in the Bible to Romans 10:13-15 and begins to read to
the grand lady. “It says here in the book of Romans the
following: For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord
shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they
have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom
they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a
preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is
written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the
gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things.” The
minister then says, “Do you understand what I’ve just shared
with you?” “I think so”, she says.
Our minister explains to the grand lady how that believing on the
name of Jesus, accepting that Jesus’ death, burial, and
resurrection is how one comes into the family of God, and as a
result gains entrance into heaven. The minister says, “Do you
understand as I’ve explained it to you?” “Sure do and thank
you.” She says. He then says, “Would you like to gain entrance
into God’s family then?” “Yes I would” She states. “Wonderful”,
he says. “Then close your eyes and bow your head and tell Jesus
what you’d like and call upon His name. For He alone can
forgive all your sins and will save you from hell too!” The
minister declares.  
She starts by saying, “My dear Jesus, it is my request that you
forgive my sins please? This young minister said that if I call on
your name and ask, you would. I believe that you are God and
you sent your son to come here to forgive me and take me home to
heaven. I believe you, Jesus were my sacrifice …..”  
The sound of her voice fades as we leave the grand lady and the
minister. We again hear the noises of what is going on, on the
floor. In a little while we hear “Room 18! Stat! Call a code!!” The
minister stops, bows his head, and says, “Thank you Lord and
thank you for the love you shared with me this night, Amen.” He
knew that the grand lady had gotten the gift from God to man.
May you my friend get the gift that God has for you too. You
can if you will just believe!!
May this message touch your heart and cause you to know that
Jesus is the gift that keeps on giving!! And please remember Jesus
died for you; will you live for Him?? Please feel free to e-mail or
write at the address below. With love in Christ, whose I am and
yours,
Pastor Popeye,
pastorsimas@hyannisbaptistchurch.org
Or write snail mail at:
Hyannis Baptist Church
Po Box 34
West Hyannisport, Ma.
02672-0034
Psalms 12:6-7 and Ephesians 3:8
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http//:www.hyannisbaptistchurch.org