OVERDOSE
DENIED not once, not twice, but THREE times Peter denied his knowledge of Christ. Throughout the ages millions have died in the name of Christ yet Peter the one whom would be chosen to lead the world in the Christian movement denied him three times.
I have no idea where he came from all I know is he showed up at the right time. The young man was in a near state of panic due to the circumstances that were unfolding. I could see the pain in his eyes and could hear the fear in his voice. Just yesterday he was arrogant and bullet proof thinking he had the world under control and today his life as he knows it seems to be hopeless. What happened in such a short amount of time and who is this person that showed up at the right time.
I am sure if you ask the young man it all started a few months ago when he met the girl of his dreams. Her life was in shambles and all she wanted or needed was a friend with a strong shoulder to lean on. Her intentions were not in line with his even though he was not expressing how he felt. As she shared her story he began to see how volatile her life had been through drugs and abuse of all kinds. Instead of getting away he felt himself drawn in and he knew that if given the opportunity he could help her escape the demons that were controlling her life.
After a few months this young man had taken on a portion of her personality. He had been convinced that his Christian upbringing was wrong because that alone was what caused her life to spiral out of control. She firmly denied that the Christ everyone claimed to love even existed. Her compelling story of abuse proved to the young man that he was possibly wrong all those years. He left his circle of friends, his family drifted away, and his once arrogant yet productive attitude turned to one of bitter hate for the world around him.
As things progressed he found himself not only supporting her habits but now figuring out ways to support his own. His once in control life was now being lived out in reckless abandon. Then it happened, the truth started to rise it's ugly head. She was used to getting what she wanted and now that he had broken the law to take care of her she dropped him to move on to the next victim. That was the beginning of the end for the young man. He had lost his love, his dignity, and his will to live. He had pushed away everyone that had ever loved him and now was wasting away in pity searching for an end.
Sitting in the back of the church parking lot he came out of nowhere. There he was standing at the drivers door looking in at the young man. Trembling with fear he tried to start the car and drive away yet for some reason the car would not start. The man looked sick and scared and also seemed dangerous. After a few seconds the young man rolled the window down enough to ask him what he wanted. All the man could say was please help I am dying. With what little energy he had left the man outside the car said that he had taken a lethal dose of drugs to end his hopeless life. He went on to say that it was a mistake and he wanted to live so please help. The young man got of the car just in time to catch him as he collapsed. He somehow found the strength to get the sick man in the vehicle and rushed off to the hospital in hopes he could get there in time to save his life. The man in the passenger seat started mumbling something that sounded like the childhood tune "Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so". As the young man heard this he began to cry and pray "please Lord save this man that I do not even know".
Finally the young man pulls into the hospital emergency room he started screaming out the window to please help this man is dying. People rushed out got the man and took him away. The young man sit in the waiting room for a couple hours until finally the police came out to talk to him. The officer told the young man that his friend had not made it, he died from the gunshot wound. HE WHAT, the boy ask? He told me he had taken a lethal overdose. The officer said that before the man died he told the story of how he got shot trying to save a young girl from killing herself. In an effort to take the gun away from her he accidentally shot himself. He also said that while you were driving him to the hospital that he heard the voice of Christ telling him that you were going to change the lives of many people by the life you were going to live. As the officer got up to leave he said to the young man "Bless you sir for being a man of God".
The girl on drugs, the young man roped into a seemingly hopeless situation and the stranger that appeared out of nowhere, it was all the amazing work of our Lord. Through this weird twist of fate that no one will ever understand countless lives were saved. The young girl went on to start a home for drug addicted teens. The young man found his way back to Christ and eventually worked the streets of America preaching the Gospel.
Peter was not the only one that ever denied Christ yet our Lord saw in him exactly what he sees in you and that is a person of hope. Whether you denied Christ or led others away makes no difference as long as you find your way home. Never underestimate the strange encounters you have when things seem hopeless. The life preserver you throw someone may actually be intended for you.
peace to all
Dale
I have no idea where he came from all I know is he showed up at the right time. The young man was in a near state of panic due to the circumstances that were unfolding. I could see the pain in his eyes and could hear the fear in his voice. Just yesterday he was arrogant and bullet proof thinking he had the world under control and today his life as he knows it seems to be hopeless. What happened in such a short amount of time and who is this person that showed up at the right time.
I am sure if you ask the young man it all started a few months ago when he met the girl of his dreams. Her life was in shambles and all she wanted or needed was a friend with a strong shoulder to lean on. Her intentions were not in line with his even though he was not expressing how he felt. As she shared her story he began to see how volatile her life had been through drugs and abuse of all kinds. Instead of getting away he felt himself drawn in and he knew that if given the opportunity he could help her escape the demons that were controlling her life.
After a few months this young man had taken on a portion of her personality. He had been convinced that his Christian upbringing was wrong because that alone was what caused her life to spiral out of control. She firmly denied that the Christ everyone claimed to love even existed. Her compelling story of abuse proved to the young man that he was possibly wrong all those years. He left his circle of friends, his family drifted away, and his once arrogant yet productive attitude turned to one of bitter hate for the world around him.
As things progressed he found himself not only supporting her habits but now figuring out ways to support his own. His once in control life was now being lived out in reckless abandon. Then it happened, the truth started to rise it's ugly head. She was used to getting what she wanted and now that he had broken the law to take care of her she dropped him to move on to the next victim. That was the beginning of the end for the young man. He had lost his love, his dignity, and his will to live. He had pushed away everyone that had ever loved him and now was wasting away in pity searching for an end.
Sitting in the back of the church parking lot he came out of nowhere. There he was standing at the drivers door looking in at the young man. Trembling with fear he tried to start the car and drive away yet for some reason the car would not start. The man looked sick and scared and also seemed dangerous. After a few seconds the young man rolled the window down enough to ask him what he wanted. All the man could say was please help I am dying. With what little energy he had left the man outside the car said that he had taken a lethal dose of drugs to end his hopeless life. He went on to say that it was a mistake and he wanted to live so please help. The young man got of the car just in time to catch him as he collapsed. He somehow found the strength to get the sick man in the vehicle and rushed off to the hospital in hopes he could get there in time to save his life. The man in the passenger seat started mumbling something that sounded like the childhood tune "Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so". As the young man heard this he began to cry and pray "please Lord save this man that I do not even know".
Finally the young man pulls into the hospital emergency room he started screaming out the window to please help this man is dying. People rushed out got the man and took him away. The young man sit in the waiting room for a couple hours until finally the police came out to talk to him. The officer told the young man that his friend had not made it, he died from the gunshot wound. HE WHAT, the boy ask? He told me he had taken a lethal overdose. The officer said that before the man died he told the story of how he got shot trying to save a young girl from killing herself. In an effort to take the gun away from her he accidentally shot himself. He also said that while you were driving him to the hospital that he heard the voice of Christ telling him that you were going to change the lives of many people by the life you were going to live. As the officer got up to leave he said to the young man "Bless you sir for being a man of God".
The girl on drugs, the young man roped into a seemingly hopeless situation and the stranger that appeared out of nowhere, it was all the amazing work of our Lord. Through this weird twist of fate that no one will ever understand countless lives were saved. The young girl went on to start a home for drug addicted teens. The young man found his way back to Christ and eventually worked the streets of America preaching the Gospel.
Peter was not the only one that ever denied Christ yet our Lord saw in him exactly what he sees in you and that is a person of hope. Whether you denied Christ or led others away makes no difference as long as you find your way home. Never underestimate the strange encounters you have when things seem hopeless. The life preserver you throw someone may actually be intended for you.
peace to all
Dale
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