Is it Real?

Not long ago, while going in the front door of the local "Dollar General" store I found an enormous diamond laying on the ground.  I chuckled as I picked it up, expecting that it came from a piece of toy jewelry.  As I rolled it around in my hand I was amazed by how real it actually looked.  So, I stuffed it in my pocket for safe keeping.  When I got home I secretly headed to the bedroom where I found an old mirror.  I gently rubbed the diamond against the glass and was surprised to find that it actually cut the glass!  I then headed to the computer where I looked up "tests you can do at home to see if a diamond is real."   There wasn't a lot of information but my diamond seemed to sparkle even more as I read about the precious stone.  Later that day, while running some errands, I placed my precious stone in our car ashtray for safe keeping.  Was it real?  Was it a fake?

So many times in Peru we've seen new visitors that came to church with the same attitude.   There are so many religious groups setting up shop.  New churches are popping up on every corner and they all claim to have their own way to peace, satisfaction and eternal security with God.  By stepping foot into our church many believe that they run the risk of being cheated, misled, or even turning their back on their own family's religious background.  No wonder so many people walk past our church, look in the door with a thirst for truth in their eyes, before passing by.  They too wonder, is it real?  Is it fake?

One of the greatest joys of working in a new church plant is seeing people begin to ask questions and test the Bible on their own.  This has been so very evident in the lives of our teens.  They come every week with questions.  As they read their Bible they come back with a hunger to learn more.  What a joy to see their faces when they see that the Bible that we teach and preach from is the truth!   The message we are spreading is true!  What are you doing to share it with others?  By the way, I still have my special diamond.  One of these days I may just take it into a jewelry store to see if its real!  Either way I'm happy that the God I serve, and the Word He left for us is real.  I'm also glad that He's allowed me to share that truth with those in Peru.