Cardiac Christians

Date:

Back in the 50s and 60s, when I was growing up, my father would often round up all of our rubbish, debris, and leaves, load them into his power-blue GMC pickup truck and haul everything off to the local dump. I often went with him, checking out all the cook junk – all sorts of things – broken furniture, old toys, broken appliances, etc. There is a saying among archeologists: “Man is best described by what he leaves behind.” I believe it. Even the Bible confirms this with a verse out of Hebrews 11:4: “He, being dead, yet he speaks” Apparently, both our trash and our lives speak well beyond the grave!

Some people have left gigantic footprints in our history. Alfred Nobel left us with dynamite and the Nobel Peace Prize. Louis Pasteur left us with vaccines against anthrax and rabies but is best remembered for inventing the process that bears his name, pasteurization. On the dark side, Hugh Hefner left a much darker footprint with his Playboy brand of a sexual revolution and his dream of a “Disneyland for adults.” This has come with a huge negative price tag for our society.

What we leave as a legacy reveals our inner priorities, and it shouts how we want to be remembered. Are we pointing future generations toward good or towards evil? Are we giving people a spiritual inheritance or passing on a darker fate? I believe God’s plan for our lives has always been what Joshua told a group in the Old Testament: “If serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” As always – our choice!

Once upon a time – true story – there was an ordinary Christ-follower named Edward Kimball. In 1854, Edward taught Sunday school in his home church and made a living selling shoes at the local shoe store. Still, Edward had a passion – for sharing the gospel – and one day, he determined that he would look for an opportunity to present the gospel to another shoe salesman named Dwight, who had just joined the staff. Edward was a bit nervous as he hemmed and hawed, but he finally mustered up the courage to talk to Dwight. That day Dwight gave his life to Jesus.

Dwight is better known as D.L. Moody (1837-1899), who went on to become a great evangelist as well as founding the Moody Bible Institute. But the story doesn’t stop there. One day, Moody was preaching, and a pastor by the name of FB Meyer (1847-1929) was there listening. He was deeply stirred by what he heard and established a nationwide preaching ministry. But the story goes on.

Sometime later, while Meyer was preaching, a young man in the audience named Wilbur Chapman (1859-1918) accepted Christ. Chapman later felt the call to ministry. As he shared the gospel in various places, he decided he needed some help. He knew of a young former baseball player, named Billy Sunday (1862-1935) who was looking for work, so Chapman hired him. Billy asked if he could preach every now and then, and ultimately emerged as one of the greatest preachers of the early 1900s.

But the story doesn’t end there either. One day Bill Sunday was preaching in Charlotte, North Carolina, where the revival was taking place. Many people there came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. These new believers then invited a relatively unknown preacher, Mordecai Ham (1877-1961) to set up his tent in Charlotte and keep preaching.

It was then that a tall, lanky farm boy walked down the aisle and gave his heart to Jesus. His name was Billy Frank, but we know him better as Billy Graham (1918-2018). It’s said that Billy Graham has personally delivered the great news of the gospel to more people than any other man in history. All because of the legacy of Edward Kimball – the shoe salesman from 1854!

These men all shared one main characteristic – a passion for souls. They were all what I call “Cardiac Christians.” Their hearts followed hard after God and their individual lives proved out their faith in amazing ways. I love what D.L. Moody had to say about time passages: “Moses spent forty years thinking he was a somebody; forty years learning he was a nobody; and forty years discovering what God can do with a nobody.” As someone once noted, “A great leader’s courage to fulfill his vision comes from passion, not position.”

Openings for “Cardiac Christians” are currently available. Contact info: Your local church.

Bob and Susan Beckett pastor The Dwelling Place City Church at 27100 Girard Street in Hemet, CA. For more information, you may contact them at DPCitychurch.org

Susan Beckett | The Dwelling Place City Church

Find your latest news here at the Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Share post:

Subscribe to The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle

Popular

More like this
Related

Why are so many dying in California jails?

More people are dying in California jails than they did before the pandemic, and it’s not because of COVID-19.

Why California Democrats are divided on retail theft bill

Legislators may be off for spring recess, but debates about their bills are still happening outside committee rooms.

California delays financial aid deadline over bungled FAFSA rollout

California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday signed legislation extending the deadline for students to apply for state scholarships as problems continue to beset the Biden administration’s rollout of a simplified federal aid form.

Where is employment heading in the Inland Empire?

Once a year, at the beginning of March, the national release of the monthly labor market data coincides with that of the state and the region.