Sunday, December 28, 2008

Laura's Second Chance

Rochelle and I met up and started to walk through the parking lot to see if we could meet new people. We passed a girl and Rochelle handed her a MDB. She took it and since I was about 10 feet behind Rochelle I stopped the girl to talk. I noticed that she was having trouble speaking. I couldn’t figure out if she couldn’t speak or was having trouble thinking. She did not say her name but showed me on her purple cell phone that it was ‘Laura’. I asked her some questions and I gathered that she had never gone to church. I could see that Rochelle had stopped to pray for me and I prayed that God would help me to understand this girl. She said she was not familiar with the 10 Commandments but admitted to lying. Then she stated that Jesus was dead! I told her that wasn’t true and that He lived even now! She insisted it wasn’t true. Then she didn’t want to listen anymore so I thanked her and told her we needed to go. We started to walk away. She followed and asked if she could come with us.

“You don’t agree with what we are saying so why do you want to come with us?” I asked her.

We talked for a minute before she rescinded on her admission of lying. I told Laura that she was actually an enemy of God’s right now. She told me I didn’t know God. I said that she was actually spiritually dead. She insisted that I didn’t know God and asked me his last name. I could not tell if she was being difficult or just didn’t understand. Again I thanked her and left.

This time she followed me all the way back onto the boardwalk but stayed about 15 feet away. Rochelle was talking to someone so I was alone. I walked within sight of Dennis and Jeff in case anything weird happened-you never know. She seemed like she was very troubled. I walked over to her and asked her if she had questions. She repeated that Jesus was dead. I was ready to walk away again.

Suddenly she said, “Jesus is in Heaven with God.”

“Yes, He is!”

“But He died so why you say He is alive?” she almost yelled it.

“He died and on the third day He rose from the dead, defeating Death and Hell for you and me, Laura!” I told her. “He is alive. He loves you so much that He has even kept every tear you have ever cried in a bottle! That’s how much He loves you! I am telling you the truth!”

She was troubled and put her head down in her hands on the railing. She stood up and said, “I know!! He is dead and in Heaven. “ She made a gun with her hand and pointed it at her chest. “I tried to kill myself!”

“Why Laura?” I asked her.

“Because I wanted to go to Heaven with Jesus!” She was really frustrated.

“He loves you so much that He didn’t let you die!” I replied.

“But I wanted to die!” she cried.

“If you had died you would have gone straight to Hell-you would be there now! He brought you back so that you could have another chance to follow Him!” I told her.

At this she put her head in her hands and cried. She continued to cry for a few minutes and I could see she was really in pain. Then she turned and hurried away.

Act 13:47 For so the Lord has commanded us, "I have set You to be a light of the nations, for salvation to the end of the earth."

This world is so dark. Sometimes when the Light shines into our eyes, it hurts.

Fishing at the beach.

People were crawling all over the beach today…guess it’s because of vacation. Tons of college students. Jeff, Rochelle, Dennis and I met there and right away Jeff walked into the middle of a group of Spanish-speakers. Even though he speaks no Spanish he was prepared-he had Spanish MDB’s and Good Person booklets in Spanish.


Dennis found a man who hated God. He said that God was evil for killing the entire world in the Flood. Dennis reminded him of how the people were living but it didn’t seem to faze him.

In the meantime Jeff talked to a woman who told him that her husband was a pastor. She had three kids with her and we gave them all tracts to pass out. When he was finished she walked over and interrupted Dennis, who was mid-conversation with someone!! Even though we motioned her away from them, she just kept talking. Dennis kept his cool and carried on.

I met a girl named Brittany who was unusual. She had odd pieces of jewelry on and fish bones in her matted hair. She told me that she and her sister make jewelry. Since she was friendly we talked about Heaven and Hell. She said she was on her way to Heaven when she died. I asked how she would get there and she said she was a good person. We started talking about that and after admitting to lying, thieving and blaspheming she told me that God would overlook her sin. In the middle of this the pastor’s wife showed up and started talking! I started to tell her to go away but I felt that I should not say anything. Suddenly she was gone as quickly as she had appeared. I told Brittany that God would not overlook her sin. She stopped listening and started asking if animals were in Heaven…

We met groups of kids and when possible they all got the test. Three girls I spoke with took it seriously. Others made it clear they were on vacation. Rochelle put it well when she said, “They think they are on vacation from God, too.” Hmmm.

Jeff met a guy who told Jeff that he was headed to Hell. He listened for a moment but then told Jeff he would enjoy it there.

Rochelle talked to Scott who said that he was trusting in his baptism to get him to Heaven.




Sean was visiting from Massachusetts. Walking up, Dennis noticed a fresh scar down his back. He was recovering from multiple injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident while driving too fast. He said that before the accident he thought he was invincible, but that had changed. They had a good conversation, leaving Sean with knowledge of his heavy burden and the Only Way to relieve it.

Jeff spoke to a guy who said he was a Christian but had a problem with sin. After speaking with him Jeff knew from the conversation that he was not saved.

We meet so many who have a false sense of security. Some trust in a verse taken out of context, or a conversation with a ‘spiritual leader’ who declares them to be ‘righteous’. Some trust in a feeling they have, others in an experience or a magic prayer. Some people even trust in what 'their parent told them'! All who trust in anything other than Jesus are LOST and on their way to HELL!

Act 4:12 And there is salvation in no other One; for there is no other name under Heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Andrew's Confession


The idea of knocking on a stranger's door is not all that appealing to me.

But...if I think that stranger may be heading to Hell unknowingly, it overrides my fear.

When I talked to Diana on Monday I realized that she was not teaching this week! Now this is great news because we love to fish together. She told me she and another friend Mary, had knocked on doors last Saturday in her neighborhood! That sounded exciting to me so we agreed to go today. After I got off the phone I called Rochelle and asked her if she wanted to come along.

We met and drove along on a side street while we decided where to go. We saw a man taking his garbage out to the curb. Rochelle rolled her window down and handed him a Good Person booklet. He took it and she asked him if he thought he was a good person. The amazing thing is not that Rochelle asked him that question without developing a relationship with him, but that he answered each question she asked. Keith stopped short of honesty on the second question and proceeded to become more proud. Rochelle thanked him for his time and asked him to read the information. Then she asked, "Keith, do you know when you are going to die?"

"No, it could be tonite..."

"You are right, please take some time and get right with God. Thanks for talking to us." And he thought he was just taking the trash out!

After we settled on a row of houses we started knocking on the doors. Diana went to the first door and Rochelle and I took the next. Most people just weren't home. Of those who answered, 100% were polite. We greeted them with, "Merry Christmas! Do you know the Reason for the season?"

When Andrew opened his door he smiled and answered, "Yes, Jesus."

I asked him if he would go to Heaven when he died.

"Yes, because I asked forgiveness and believe in confession" he replied. He seemed confident in his answer.

"If you were in court and found guilty of manslaughter after backing over a child in your car, could you apologize to the Judge and expect to be able to go home?"

"No.." he answered.

"What if after finding you guilty the Judge says that he is implementing a fine of $1,000,000 or life in prison. Can you come up with the money?" I asked him.

"No."

"The Judge is about to bring the gavel down and someone runs in the back of the courtroom waving a check for the full amount! Someone you know has sold his business and home and has come up with the money for you! Now can the Judge let you go?" I asked.

"Yes.." Andrew said.

"Do you leave the courtroom because of the apology or because justice was satisfied?" Andrew's eyes began to turn red and tear. You could literally see the Light coming on behind them. "That's the reason Jesus came Andrew. He came to pay our fine in His life's blood. He is the reason that God can dismiss our case. What will you do...pay with your own soul or accept this payment that Jesus made for you?"

"I will accept the payment He made", he said somberly. I asked Andrew to read John 14:6 out loud from a Gospel of John we had handed him. He did so thoughtfully.

"This is exactly why Jesus came Andrew, for you and me. Two things are required to accept this payment: Repentence and Faith. Repent means that you turn your back on sin and ask God to forgive you and wash you clean. Full faith and trust in Jesus is like putting on a parachute, you wear it and make sure it's on tight! When do you think you will be doing this Andrew?"

He looked up smiling and said, "Christmas seems like the right season!"

Sunday, December 21, 2008

My Christmas Party


I was able to share the gospel with about 10 unsaved friends and family yesterday afternoon.


I had a committment at church and time was running out for me to say anything. I really wanted to address everyone at once and I did not see how that was going to happen.

Everyone was having their own conversation and it was loud. It was about 2:30 pm and I had to leave at 3:30. The conversation came up about church from the couple I wanted to speak with the most. I met this couple several years ago when our daughters went to school together. We became friends because we liked to drink together. They were sharing their past experiences from church with me, when my wife announced it was time for us to gather in the living room for our kids to open a couple of gifts. We all wound up in the living room with everyone sitting down except my friend, his wife and I. About the time the gift opening was completed, my friend resumed the conversation about church with me by saying that he had been invited to attend a church nearby. That was when he was in the hospital last year for heart bypass surgery- he shared a room with a Pastor. I said it sounded like God was trying to get his attention. At this point everyone was listening to me.

He replied with no prompting from me, that he believed that as long as someone lives a good life and doesn't go around killing people they go to heaven. I asked if he ever was angry enough with someone to hate them. He said, "Yes." I told him that Jesus says that He sees and will judge our hearts, our thoughts, and that He says "You have heard it said you shall not commit murder. Whoever commits murder will be subject to Judgment but I tell you that whoever even hates someone else will be subject to Judgment." I told him that Jesus says, "Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer” and you know that no murderer has eternal life in Him. I then went on to ask if he had ever told a lie. I was able by the grace of God and power of the Holy Spirit to point out to everyone in my house that we were all sinners and why the only way to eternity in Heaven and not eternity in Hell was through Jesus Christ. As I was speaking, one by one each person got up and walked into the kitchen and I was there alone with my friend with his mouth open.

I thanked him for listening to me. I told him I was late for serving at church. We wished each other a Merry Christmas, shook hands and then I hugged and said goodbye to everyone who was hiding in the kitchen. They had heard every word that I had just spoken.

I asked my wife about it when I got home from church and she said no one made mention about what I said and no one was offended. The party went on as if nothing was said.

I know it will not be for nothing. It is up to us to speak the Truth- to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. God is the only one to bring a person to God Himself.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Our Prayer Today

Proverbs 24:10-12
If you falter in times of trouble how small is your strength!
Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering towards the slaughter.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

How Much Time Is Left?... SAY IT!!



James 4:14 ...For what is your life? For it is a vapor, which appears for a little time, and then disappears.

Titus 3:4-7 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared,
not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,
whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that being justified by His grace, we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

The Ice Man Cometh


Yesterday I had to stop and get some gas. I noticed a large truck parked in the lot with the name of an ice company on the side.

Hmmm.......I wondered where the driver was? The ice truck was running but he wasn't around. This meant to me that he would be right back! I left the nozzle in (not on autofill) and grabbed some tracts. When I saw him jump up into his truck I ducked under the gas hose and ran for the truck. I could hear that he was putting it into gear so I slapped the door. It scared him (works for me).

He opened the door cautiously and I said, "Hi", with a big smile. He smiled and told me his name was Javier. I gave him a Million Dollar Bill and told him that I just had one question for him. He said, "Sure."

"Will you go to Heaven when you die, Javier?"

He let out a long breath and turned toward the open door. "Well....I hope so." His openness encouraged me. I asked him if he ever thought about it and he said, "Yes..all the time!"

I took him through some of the Commandments and each time he answered that he was guilty of breaking it. As I took him to the courtroom and asked what God would think, he began to justify himself. We went back to the Law and he again admitted his guilt. When he found out that God would send him to Hell he told me that he didn't want to go there.

I told him that God didn't want him to go there either, that He was "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentence." We talked about repentence.

"Javier do you know what repentence is?" I said.

"Mmm..no, not really."

"It means you have to turn your back on sin. Are you married?"

"Yes, I am." he told me.

"Well, it means that you don't come to your wife with your arm around your girlfriend! You have to leave all that behind!" (Thanks Neil!)

Javier shook his head, "Yeah, yeah..."

"What stops you from taking care of this Javier?"

"I am so busy, so many things to do."

"Well, Javier you have a lot to think about, and since we aren't promised our next breath you should take care of this pretty quick. You could go down the road today and get in an accident. Then it would be too late!"

I waved goodbye and prayed that God would continue to speak to him.

Learning To Fly

We are so blessed to be a tiny part of completing two new Way of the Master Basic Classes. The students officially graduated on November 13th. Congratulations to Terri and Jeff in Melbourne and Diana and Mary in Merritt Island!! You guys all did a GREAT job!!!

May God bless you all and open your eyes to many opportunities that you never saw before!

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Invisible People.

We are blessed to have ‘birthed’ two new WOTM Basic classes by raising up two teams of new teachers. Classes are going well and yesterday we accompanied both classes to the Space Coast State Fair.

After a couple of hours of some good encounters, I saw a girl in a booth that sold cold drinks. No one was there so I thought I could get in a quick conversation about eternal things. Crista was her name and she was friendly enough. She thought she was a good person and told me that every Sunday when they broke the fair down she would stay in the town and find a church to go to.

“Great, so you go to church. Where will you go when you die?”

She smiled and said, “Heaven, I hope.”

As soon as I began to take her through the Law tons of people showed up. (naturally) In between people I would pop my head in and ask her another question and she mentally stayed right with me. When there was a break I told her about Jesus. When I introduced Him to her I told her that He knew her even before she was formed. He knew exactly how many hairs there were on her head…and He even kept every tear she had ever cried in a bottle. Her face turned red and tears began to stream down her cheeks. I asked her if she knew that and she shook her head, no. I told her it was written in Psalms and Luke and then I asked her if she had heard of Jesus. She said, ‘yes’. I informed her that the demons believed and trembled and she again became troubled. We talked about repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.

After giving her a Good Person booklet I asked her if this was something she was interested in doing and she said, “Yes.”

I said, “Since you aren’t promised your next breath when will you be taking care of this?”

She picked up the booklet and said, “Right now!”

As I walked away from Crista I prayed for her that the Lord would protect her heart and grow this seed. I came back by a couple minutes later and I could see her hunched over the little booklet, reading intently.



One of the ‘carnies’ told Dennis that he felt that many people treated them badly. He said that people acted as though they were ‘second class’. I admit that some of them are a bit ‘rough around the edges’ but I also know that they are VERY precious to the Lord. They rate right up there alongside the heads of state or a sports superstar to Him. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor abusers, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God...


And such were some of you. But you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Priestly Advice

A few weeks ago we went fishing at a local carnival hosted by a large local church. I saw Jim at the “throw something into a dish and win a fish” stand. We spoke a short time and I could see he was searching. I took him through the Law, compared it to a civil court and could see he was concerned when he admitted he would be guilty. He was more concerned when he figured out he would spend eternity in Hell. However, he said he would think about it so I left him a GP booklet and the Gospel of John.

Shortly after this happened, the priest came out and asked us to leave. As he was telling Diana that we needed to stop witnessing, I snapped this picture. He said that preaching Law, Grace, Sin, Hell and Salvation by the blood of Jesus Christ is not something they wanted preached at this church because it was not in compliance with their ‘Sola Scriptura’ doctrine. He even used the scripture James 3:15 "This is not the wisdom coming down from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish".

This did not put a damper on things...we just went across the street to the beach to fish. It also did not stop the Word which had already penetrated Jim's heart....

UPDATE: This weekend we were fishing at the Florida Fairgrounds in Cocoa and discovered the same “carnie” folks were there. I saw Jim and asked if he remembered our talk and how things were going. He told me, “Just great and getting better” and he smiled. Jim said after we had our first conversation a couple of weeks ago, he left that carnival with a buddy, and saw a church on the way home. They stopped and Jim said he turned his life over to Jesus Christ. AMEN!

Carnival Time at Local Church=Great fishing

We heard that there was to be a carnival in town at a local church so we decided to drop in! After we prayed, we went in, in teams of two. My team mate must have had a different appointment, because at the gate to the carnival he kept going towards the church. We exchanged glances and then parted as I kept walked into the carnival and he towards the church. As I entered the carnival midway, I noticed there were not very many customers or spectators. It was pretty empty except for a few visitors and the carnival workers who were standing around talking with each other. More people came as we were witnessing. Since this was the first outreach for some of the new WOTM students, I thought I would wait for them so I walked the midway to check it out.

I then saw two teams of two, both of them witnessing. On one team, Mary was talking to the guys operating the Super Slide. They were very interested in what Mary was saying to them so I took their picture.

As I turned to my right, Trish’s group was still engaged in a conversation. They were talking to a man inside a Lemon Hut. He was holding a large $100 gospel tract. I could tell that the man’s conscious was working, by the expression on his face. I also know the Holy Spirit was working, because I was able to take several pictures and adjust my camera without him ever looking up from what Trish was saying to him.

I started walking and heard Dennis over the noise of the carnival rides. I looked and he was about 50 or so feet away. I realized Dennis was giving a really good "open air preaching" to a man running a game with little rubber ducks. I got closer for a picture and saw that the man he was speaking to was locked on to every word coming from Dennis’ mouth. He never noticed me taking the picture but Dennis did. It didn't slow Dennis down and he never even changed his tone. I could tell the Holy Spirit was speaking directly through Dennis to this man’s conscious.

I started back to the other side of the midway when the game attendants started calling me over, not to play a game but because they wanted some of the giant $100 bills (gospel tracts) I was carrying around. These people working for the carnival were basically starving for Truth. It was such a refreshing opportunity to share the Gospel of Jesus with them, they were so open. When I asked where they were going to spend eternity they weren't sure, or they knew it would not be in Heaven. I found that I didn't need to share too much about the Law of God before they knew they had broken it-that they were sinners. I spoke to them of Judgment Day and Gods penalty for sin. I related this to the natural realm here on earth by comparing an example of standing in a court room before a Judge being convicted of a serious crime and then having someone else come and pay our fine in your stead. I told them about the Cross and what Jesus has done to pay for our sins. I told them it was not just a belief in Jesus but that we had to repent and trust in Jesus and do as He commands in the Bible. I asked them what sin was so important to them that they were willing to give up Heaven and spend eternity in Hell. I asked them why they would be willing to spend eternity in Hell in order to have a few short years of doing life their way- instead of just surrendering control to God.

As Dennis said to me as we passed each other in the midway, " I know that man I was talking to is really going to be thinking of his eternal destination while he is trying to go to sleep tonight." And that’s what I asked people to do before they went to sleep- to get right with God. They were very happy to take Ray Comfort's book, "SAVE YOURSELF SOME PAIN" which tells how to get right with God and how to have a relationship with Him. I also gave them "The Pocket Testament" book of John.

I had finished one conversation I was having and saw that Diana was standing next to me. She was locked into a conversation with a young man I had planned to speak with next. I took their picture. They never even looked up.

The most memorable moment was when I saw Trish witnessing to a lady, tending one of the games. They were very much into their conversation and I could see the concern on the face of the lady Trish was talking with. Trish had her back turned to me and the lady was facing me. I was going to take a picture when I realized the lady was praying and giving her life to Jesus! I waited with such joy and then asked Trish to see if I could take their picture. She agreed and I took the picture of them and congratulated her on her decision for Jesus. That by far is the best thing I have witnessed all week. Praise God!

Monday, November 3, 2008

I know Satan!!

Halloween night means going downtown to a festival known as “Meg-O-Ween” which is sponsored by a local bar, Meg O’Malley’s. We don't often get to wear our AWD shirts but we did tonite. (BTW-these are available at www.appointmentwithdeath.com)


As we walked toward the entrance gate Dennis, Jeff and I met our first fish. Dennis gave them both a MDB tract and started to ask a couple of questions. One of the guys jumped up and turned to Jeff and me and said, “I’ll bet you don’t know where the word Bible came from!” We could smell the liquor on his breath and backed up a couple of feet. We stayed just a couple minutes more, deciding that these guys needed to sober up a bit.



As we left, we asked them a question of our own…”What is the difference between a slave and a man who drinks strong drink?” When neither could answer it we told them, “Nothing. They both obey their masters.”

We went thru the gate and started handing out tracts; the weather looked as though any moment it would begin pouring. You won’t see any photos of the costumes that we saw, because it would be indecent to document them. This seems to be worse each year we go to this ‘festival’. Shocking.

The rainy night really fit the mood of this 'party'. Despair was covered up by over-zelous laughter. It rained intermittently and when it did we ran for cover. Jeff began conversations with a group, and since they couldn’t go anywhere he would take them all through the Good Person test. It was great! We got all sorts of reactions to the tracts…from smiles to cussing us out. One woman somewhere in her 40’s screamed when I told her it was a Gospel tract! She said, “@#%&* and &*@#% I already tried that *%@#! Besides I got a boyfriend!” and she yanked the arm of the teenaged kid with her. He kept his tract and looked back at me as she screamed. I said, “Hey! Read it!” to which he nodded slightly. I pray that this boy will hear God’s Word and obey!

While Jeff was talking to the first group of people I noticed ,one of the guys looking at the Giant Money poking out of my bag. I pointed to it and to him He nodded his head and I realized he was deaf. I only know a little sign language so I asked if he wanted one. He told me 'yes' and I was able to give him one along with a Good Person booklet. He promised to read it and I pray he does with an open heart.

Dennis engaged a couple who turned out to go to a mega-church in the area. When he asked them how to get to Heaven...the man articulated fairly well after a few moments, but the woman...not so much. The man finally told Dennis he didn't want to talk anymore.

We met all sorts of people; most of them were very self-righteous. In fact, I don’t think we have ever encountered so many people who have never told a lie in their lives! Kumar was one of them. He wavered between telling me he had never sinned and justifying it. I talked with him for a few minutes but it was clear he was already drunk. I left when he began detailing why it was OK to sleep with any girl he wanted. TMI! Maybe when he sobers up he will remember our conversation?

Trying to keep track of everyone, I saw Dennis handing tracts to every person he could, as fast as he could. When I turned around I walked right into Satan. Now, I have seen people dressed like this before, but this was different. This man ‘belonged’ in this guise. He looked just like Anton Lavey and was comfortable in his skin. He looked at me and I looked at him. It was as though time stood still. I said, “Did you get one of these?” He calmly took the MDB from me and said, “What is it?” I told him it was a Gospel tract. He stopped and looked up from it. For the life of me I cannot remember what it was he said or what I said to him-but I do remember thinking that I did not want to engage this person in conversation. I don’t really know why because normally I would not have stopped… I turned to go and Jeff was right behind me. As we walked away he said, “Did you notice that he ‘was’ the costume?”

The area in which we live is renowned for Satanism. I think often of this as I read Revelation 2, where the Lord addresses Pergamos and talks about Satan’s seat being there.

Driving home I could not get the encounter off of my mind…then suddenly I yelled, "I know Satan!!" Now Dennis never saw the encounter so he jumped.

A few months ago I had to visit this guy's office and the first thing I noticed was that there were human skulls in every room. Maybe not weird for a medical professional but this really was overkill and very creepy…now I KNOW why!! I asked him at the time what his fascination with death was. He just smoothly told me they were medical specimens. Wonder who it is sitting up on his shelves??
Revelation 2:13 I know your works, and where you live, even where Satan's seat is. And you hold fast My name and have not denied My faith, even in those days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwells.




What’s the strangest witnessing experience you’ve had????

Monday, October 27, 2008

Carnival Time!

We heard that there was to be a carnival in town at a local church so we decided to drop in! After we prayed, we went in, in teams of two. My team mate must have had a different appointment, because at the gate to the carnival he kept going towards the church. We exchanged glances and then parted as I kept walked into the carnival and he towards the church. As I entered the carnival midway, I noticed there were not very many customers or spectators. It was pretty empty except for a few visitors and the carnival workers who were standing around talking with each other. More people came as we were witnessing. Since this was the first outreach for some of the new WOTM students, I thought I would wait for them so I walked the midway to check it out.

I then saw two teams of two, both of them witnessing. On one team, Mary was talking to the guys operating the Super Slide. They were very interested in what Mary was saying to them so I took their picture.

As I turned to my right, Trish’s group was still engaged in a conversation. They were talking to a man inside a Lemon Hut. He was holding a large $100 gospel tract. I could tell that the man’s conscious was working, by the expression on his face. I also know the Holy Spirit was working, because I was able to take several pictures and adjust my camera without him ever looking up from what Trish was saying to him.

I started walking and heard Dennis over the noise of the carnival rides. I looked and he was about 50 or so feet away. I realized Dennis was giving a really good "open air preaching" to a man running a game with little rubber ducks. I got closer for a picture and saw that the man he was speaking to was locked on to every word coming from Dennis’ mouth. He never noticed me taking the picture but Dennis did. It didn't slow Dennis down and he never even changed his tone. I could tell the Holy Spirit was speaking directly through Dennis to this man’s conscious.

I started back to the other side of the midway when the game attendants started calling me over, not to play a game but because they wanted some of the giant $100 bills (gospel tracts) I was carrying around. These people working for the carnival were basically starving for Truth. It was such a refreshing opportunity to share the Gospel of Jesus with them, they were so open. When I asked where they were going to spend eternity they weren't sure, or they knew it would not be in Heaven. I found that I didn't need to share too much about the Law of God before they knew they had broken it-that they were sinners. I spoke to them of Judgment Day and Gods penalty for sin. I related this to the natural realm here on earth by comparing an example of standing in a court room before a Judge being convicted of a serious crime and then having someone else come and pay our fine in your stead. I told them about the Cross and what Jesus has done to pay for our sins. I told them it was not just a belief in Jesus but that we had to repent and trust in Jesus and do as He commands in the Bible. I asked them what sin was so important to them that they were willing to give up Heaven and spend eternity in Hell. I asked them why they would be willing to spend eternity in Hell in order to have a few short years of doing life their way- instead of just surrendering control to God.

As Dennis said to me as we passed each other in the midway, " I know that man I was talking to is really going to be thinking of his eternal destination while he is trying to go to sleep tonight." And that’s what I asked people to do before they went to sleep- to get right with God. They were very happy to take Ray Comfort's book, "SAVE YOURSELF SOME PAIN" which tells how to get right with God and how to have a relationship with Him. I also gave them "The Pocket Testament" book of John.

I had finished one conversation I was having and saw that Diana was standing next to me. She was locked into a conversation with a young man I had planned to speak with next. I took their picture. They never even looked up.

The most memorable moment was when I saw Trish witnessing to a lady, tending one of the games. They were very much into their conversation and I could see the concern on the face of the lady Trish was talking with. Trish had her back turned to me and the lady was facing me. I was going to take a picture when I realized the lady was praying and giving her life to Jesus! I waited with such joy and then asked Trish to see if I could take their picture. She agreed and I took the picture of them and congratulated her on her decision for Jesus. That by far is the best thing I have witnessed all week. Praise God!

The 500: Vanessa

Last weekend we participated in an event called The 500. A huge group of us converged on the downtown area of Atlanta. We gave out many, many tracts and had many interesting conversations but I want to share one especially. My heart cries out for this girl-LORD PLEASE SAVE VANESSA!!

I met Shannon on the street. She was holding the hand of a rambunctious three-and-a-half-year-old boy, Tyler. Standing to the side was a very quiet girl, with her head down. Shannon wanted to know what the four of us were doing in this neighborhood. We clearly didn’t fit into this very dangerous place. I began to talk to her about her life. She told me that she lived on the streets. She said her little boy Tyler would be leaving next week to live with his father who was in the military.

We talked about sin and Hell and she listened intently. I noticed that the girl with her was also listening very carefully, with her head down. I asked Shannon if she was willing to pay for her crimes with her own soul. She thought a minute and said, “No.” I asked her if she ever thought about it before. She told me, “Many times…all the time.” I told her about the provision that God made for her. She knew about Jesus but when she realized that the demons also believe, she grew quiet. The young girl continued to listen keenly as I explained the difference between believing and trusting fully.

I told them both that to repent you had to walk in the opposite direction from your sin. You could not come to your husband with your arm around your boyfriend. Shannon wanted to pray with me right on the street. I told her that I didn’t want to talk her into it. She assured me that it was something that she wanted to do. She told me that she had tried to get another woman to pray with her earlier in the day, but the woman had refused her.

I looked at the girl and asked her if what I was telling them made sense to her. For the first time she looked up enough to meet my eyes then she nodded. I asked her name. She lowered her face toward the ground and told me it was Vanessa. I estimated her to be about 12-years-old. She was very dirty and looked very sad. Shannon prayed silently. When she was finished I looked at Vanessa and asked if she wanted to pray. She smiled and said, “I already did.” Hallelujah! Shannon gave me a big hug and Vanessa just sort of stood there. I asked her for a hug and she stood still while I hugged her. My heart broke. This area behind the civic center was not place for a little girl to be, much less spend the night. I asked Shannon if Vanessa was her daughter. She told me that Vanessa was a ‘friend’.

When we got home the next morning, I called the Atlanta Police department and asked if they could go find this little girl. The officer told me that there is a homeless shelter in the area. I told the officer that this was no place for this little girl to be and she agreed to try to find her.

May God give directions to these officers and may He provide a wonderful Christian home for this beautiful little lamb. May she grow to love Him and be a strong voice for Him!

Psalms 82:3 Defend the poor and fatherless; do justice to the afflicted and needy.