By Bishop E. Roger Ammons, General Evangelism Coordinator
As a teen-ager, I played in the High School Band. When I was 14 years old, the band went on an outing at a huge lake. I was not an expert swimmer. I was in a boat with skiers behind it. One of the skiers had lost his ski in the water about twenty feet from the boat. I dived in the water to get the ski. But as I swam toward it, it kept drifting with the waves just beyond my reach. My body began to tire. I knew that I was about to drown. I began to cry out, “Help! Help! Somebody save me!” Someone on shore heard my cry and swam out to save me. In my panic, I grabbed my rescuer around the neck and shoulders. He said if I did not turn him loose that we would both drown. I had to quit trying to save myself and put my trust totally in him. About two years later, God began to deal with my heart and called me into the ministry. It was about three months before anyone else knew. A lady evangelist, Jo Ann Ard, came to our church for a revival. One night she called me up to the front of the church. She began to tell that God had revealed to her that I had been struggling with the call to preach. She shared things that only God and I had known. I preached my first sermon that night. One of the things that she related was about one of my dreams. In this dream, I was walking on a crowded beach. I heard someone screaming, “Save me! Save me! I’m drowning.” The people on the shore were so caught up in their recreational activities that they ignored the cry. I dived into the water and rescued the drowning person. That dream has motivated me to do all that I can to lead lost and dying souls to the Saviour. Those who are drowning in sin cannot save themselves. The harder they try to save themselves; the deeper they go into danger. Jesus Christ is their only Saviour. We must share the gospel of Jesus Christ with them.
Throw out the life line! Throw out the life line!
Someone is drifting away;
Throw out the life line! Throw out the life line!
Someone is sinking today.