Joshua Doll

Once again I find myself sitting in the wake of the passing of a dear friend taken from their earthly tent all too soon. This is the second close friend of mine to pass within the past two years. The first time I had time to prepare, the second time I did not. The first time I was without hope, yet this time full of hope, for if there is no hope then there is only hopelessness. The first time not knowing Christ but this time knowing Christ and with knowing Christ comes hope. The first time I did not know this saying to be true : “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have entered the hearts of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him” (First Corinthians 2:9 NASB) but this time knowing the saying to be true. It was through the first experience, the passing of my best friend that I learned these things. It was through that first experience that I learned that an earthly funeral for a Spirit-filled person is and should be met with great rejoicing for those who are Spirit-filled; for I assure you that the Lord and His host of angels were rejoicing Wednesday evening upon the arrival of my dear friend. Yet at the same time mourning with those who mourned and comforting those in need of comfort (a reference to Second Corinthians 1:3-11).

When I received the call at 9:45PM Wednesday night, I was left in a state of shock and it was not until the next day that reality hit me. Joshua Doll will surely be missed by many, many people. My friend, though your race had its share of stumbles, you ran it valiantly and with endurance “…fixing your eyes upon Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). And now, you have been added to the “…great multitude which no one could count…standing before the throne and before the Lamb…crying out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb” (Revelation 7:9-10). As one man’s earthly pursuit of God has ended ours must go on, enduring with all faith for a little while longer. But in our pursuit, we need not worry, for we have the promises of God given to us through His Word. We need only to stand fast and, we too will come to know “what God has prepared for those who love Him.” My friend, you will surely be missed, but may your memory never fade from our hearts.

Evangelism and Discipleship

Recently, I was asked the following question: "How do evangelism and discipleship relate to love and purpose?" My response is as follows.


Jesus called us all to be His disciples not only because He loved us, but because we are to love Him. We are to be disciples of Christ and to do it with love. Jesus was/is the greatest lover of all time and He was/is also the best example of an evangelist that we have. What greater evangelist has the world ever seen? Paul was good, but he cannot even begin to compare to Christ who came and evangelized to the very world that He created(cf. John 1:10). I would argue that evangelism needs to be done, but it needs to be done out of love just as Jesus and Paul did it, for without love the message will be lacking. Our purpose as Christ followers is to love and to worship the Lord for who He is as well as for the high price that He paid for our redemption. Since He has done this we are to be His disciples, living holy and sinless lives. Part of that being that we are to evangelize to the lost, those who do not know Christ as their savior, with love for the purpose of bringing them into the Kingdom of God so that they may become disciples and evangelists as well.


This is just a brief look at this subject. I could go on and on for hours, but the main point is well made.

In conclusion, I have a few questions for us all to ponder.

When was the last time you proclaimed the Good News of Jesus Christ to a lost soul? When was the last time you were a witness to a non-believer about the mercy and grace our Heavenly Father has shown you? Maybe just as important, when was the last time any of us witnessed to ourselves?

Suicide

How have I sinned against Thee? Let me count the ways. Arrogance, pride, selfishness, disobedience and doubt just to name a few. Assuredly the list is long. How could I be so foolish? Instead of taking things to You by prayer and supplication I have put things in front of You on my list of things to-do. Idolatry. I have neglected You, therefore, I have rejected You. How could I be so foolish?

…because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man – and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. (Romans 1:21-23 NKJV)

What have I done? How could I be so foolish? Through Your brightness, I see my darkness. In Your presence, I now realize my sins. Shame. Humility. I know now what I must do. Logically, it seems the only option that I am left with. I close my eyes. I take a deep breath. I feel the cold barrel against my temple. I gently squeeze the trigger. I lay motionless on the floor. I? There is no more I. I…I am dead.

…“Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.” (Mark 8:34-35 NKJV)

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20 NKJV)

…if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:21-24 NKJV)

Goodbye Self, old friend. You will not be missed.

Crappy Poetry

So I caught a little bit of slack over posting a verse because of its lack of originality on my part. Understandable. But I would say that any thing written in the Bible is a lot better and way more original than I could ever come up with. So how about I let you in on a small secret. I love poetry. I love writing it. Not so much on reading it. I do not like how people try to make rules for poetry and tell you it has to be done a certain way. Poetry is about emotion and expressing it. It’s not about rhyming or structure. It is about making the reader feel that emotion. For me, I become a literary warrior with my pen as my sword. How a warrior chooses to wield his sword is for him to decide. So with that, here is some poetry that I wrote that does not rhyme or have any set structure or definite style. It was written about a month after my conversion to Christianity from atheism and any of you who know me know the state of depression I lived in for many years. It is very raw and this is the original, written all at once, unedited and not proofread version.

Have you ever met a lonely man?
Do you know how to recognize one?
Do you understand gloominess?
Can you spot it in my eyes?
Do you see it in my posture?
Or the way I walk or talk?
Maybe if you opened my chest?
Maybe if you examined my heart?
Do you see where it’s been broken?
Right there, where it’s still unhealed
Some think it came from lost love
But they don’t know me that well
Ask me, I’ll tell you, all my life
As long as I can remember
Life has been filled with sorrow
But yet every day, I find strength
Every day I grow, because of faith
Faith in love, life and God
For all I know, tomorrow could be
The day I write in celebration!

1 Samuel 12:20-25

Then Samuel said to the people, “Do not fear. You have done all this wickedness; yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. And do not turn aside; for then you would go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver, for they are nothing. For the LORD will not forsake His people, for His great name’s sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you His people. Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way. Only fear the LORD, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you. But if you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king.”