Posted by A Brother in Christ!!!!! on April 19, 1999 at 21:02:38:
Whats more important, Church politics or Loving people as they are?
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In 1967 while taking a class in photography at the University of
>> Cincinnati, I became acquainted with a young man named Charles Murray
>> who also was a student at the school and training for the summer
>> Olympics
>> of 1968 as a high diver. Charles was very patient with me as I would
>> speak to him for hours about Jesus Christ and how He had saved me.
>> Charles
>> was not raised in a home that attended anykind of church, so all that I
>> had to tell him was a fascination to him. He even began to ask
>> questions about forgiveness of sin. Finally the day came that I put a
>> question to
>> him. I asked if he realized his own need of a Redeemer and if he was
>> ready
>> to trust Christ as his own Savior. I saw his countenance fall and the
>> guilt in his face. But his reply was a strong "no." In the days that
>> followed he was quiet and often I felt that he was avoiding me, until I
>> got a phone call and it was Charles. He wanted to know where to look in
>> the New Testament for some verses that I had given him about salvation.
>> I gave him the reference to several passages and asked if I could meet
>> with him. He declined my offer and thanked me for the scripture. I could
>> tell that he was greatly troubled, but I did not know where he was or
>> how
>> to help him. Because he was training for the Olympic games, Charles had
>> special privileges at the University pool facilities. Some time between
>> 10:30 and 11:00 that evening he decided to go swim and practice a few
>> dives. It was a clear night in October and the moon was big and bright.
>>
>> The University pool was housed under a ceiling of glass panes so the
>> moon shone bright across the top of the wall in the pool area. Charles
>> climbed
>> to the highest platform to take his first dive. At that moment the
>> Spirit
>> of God began to convict him of his sins. All the scripture he had read,
>> all the occasions of witnessing to him about Christ flooded his mind.
>> He stood on the platform backwards to make his dive, spread his arms to
>> gather his balance, looked up to the wall and saw his own shadow caused
>> by the light of the moon. It was the shape of a cross. He could bear the
>> burden of his sin no longer. His heart broke and he sat down on the
>> platform and asked God to forgive him and save him. He trusted Jesus
>> Christ twenty some feet in the air. Suddenly, the lights in the pool
>> area
>> came on. The attendant had come in to check the pool. As Charles looked
>> down from his platform he saw an empty pool which had been drained for
>> repairs. He had almost plummeted to his death, but the cross had stopped
>> him from disaster.
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