Voicemail Problems

Everyone kept bugging me about not being able to leave a message on my new phone. I hate change. I kept setting the recording up but friends just kept complaining.

Finally, I called for help. James came on the line and found that he could not help me after all.

"I can see that there is a problem but I've tried everything I know, so I need to get our technical department involved. Do you have any other questions for me?" (C'mon!)

"I do actually, James. But this question is off the beaten path-it's meant to make you think... where will you go after you die?"

"Well, I will go to Heaven to be with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who died to set me free."

"Wow James, that's great! I love to hear that."

"Thank you for asking me. I have never had one of my customers ask me that question before! Wow."

"Do you share your faith, James?"

"Not often enough but I do like to use the Law. I like to watch Ray and Kirk on the Way of the Master."

"That's great! I hope you'll be encouraged to share your faith, James. We all come into contact with so many people who are probably on their way to Hell."

"I agree. Thank you. Now, I'll turn you over to Debbie in our technical department."

Debbie came on the line and found the problem after just a moment. "OK, we've got you all fixed up. Do you have any other questions for me?" (Really, I love this.)

"I do. I have a serious question for you, Debbie. Do you know where you will spend eternity?"

"Wow. Heaven, I hope."

We went quickly thru the Law. Debbie was honest and admitted that she was destined for Hell.

"I know that we are having this conversation for a reason. I needed a reminder."

"Debbie, God arranged this conversation for you. He is calling you. You have no idea if you will be here tomorrow. This is something you really cannot put off. I know you don't know me, but I really do care. I hope you'll give it some thought. Take care."

"Thank you, I will."

Pre-arranged bugs?

This morning when I got up I asked God to put someone in my path who was searching for Him.

After doing some errands I stopped at the carwash. I was sitting on the long bench when all of the sudden a guy came and sat down-right next to me. No one else was there and he could have sat down about 8 feet away at the other end, but no.

"Hi" he spoke first. "I'm Steven."

"Hey. I'm Jen, how are you?" I asked him. I noticed he had a huge truck with a lift kit on it. "Wow, nice truck. I would definitely need a ladder to get in it."

"Thank you. Are you trying to get the love-bugs off of your truck?" In Florida we have a period of about a month when we get these bugs and they cover your car and everything else. They are actually acidic and need to be immediately washed from your vehicle.

"Yes, I am." Just then the guys signaled me that my truck was finished. I had to go. "Listen Steven, I want to give you something and I hope you'll read it." I handed him a Good Person tract.

"You know, this was meant to be because I'm trying to get my life on track spiritually", he said.

"Well, this will definitely get you where you need to be. I'm going to be praying for you Steven."

"Thanks", he smiled.

Why be surprised?

Are you a Christian? Do you share your faith?

This is a sample of different encounters, not with the unsaved but those professing to be Believers. Here’s what I have heard over the last several weeks when handing out tracts.

"I am a Christian and I don’t need that tract."
I then say, how about taking this Gospel message and passing it on, I hear, I don’t do that kind of thing.

"I know I am going to Heaven."
When asked how they know, I hear because I accepted Jesus into my heart. When I tell them that is not in the Bible, they leave in a huff!

"I don’t believe in shoving my religion on people."
When I say, Jesus commanded us to preach the Gospel to all the world, he stormed off.

"I am a Christian and know I am going to Heaven."
I ask – if I came up to you and asked how to get to Heaven when I die, what would you tell me? The response was you have to love Jesus and believe in him. Then when asked what that means, I get no response. I say the demons believed - are they going to heaven? Nothing again and he left.

"I am a Christian."
I ask how often you share your faith? The response was we only have Christian friends and associate only with people in our church. I then asked why not share your faith with non-believers as we are commanded to do? No response and they walked away.

"I am a Christian and am going to heaven because Jesus paid my sin price and I have faith in Him, what He did on the cross, that He is God and I admitted my sins to him."
My response to someone like this is – that is really great news and one day we will see each other again. How often to you share your faith with others? Response is, "... not often enough."

You may read this and say I am condemning. I am only giving you a sample of responses I hear. Jesus said: Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
(Matthew 28:19-20)

Trillion Dollar Question

What a great day witnessing. I spoke with Eric and Lauren for a long time after they each received a Trillion Dollar Bill. Eric looked at the bill, turned it over and began to read it out loud. This was great because a few others heard him reading this Gospel message.


Eric said he was a believer and Lauren was too except she was not sure. Confusing – yes. As it turned out Eric said he had a chemical imbalance but under medication and this explained a few things about his focus and listening. Eric was very sincere and cared very much about Lauren. He said she would be going to heaven with him because he cared so much about her.

I asked Lauren her beliefs and he time, Eric would answer – Lauren said very little. I asked her if she believed in God and she said she was not sure but did not think so. We talked about creation and how did all the trees, the ocean, etc. get here? I explained about the building behind where we standing that there had to be a builder even though she did not see the builder.

Eric said she was a very caring person and did lots of good things. I asked Lauren about her guilt and innocence in breaking a few of God’s commandments and she acknowledged she had broken some. We talked about a local court room and how if she had hit someone with her car, and stood in front of the judge – would she be guilty or innocent. Lauren said guilty. I said the fine would be $10 million or life imprisonment – which would she have to take? She said life and I said that what if someone came into the court and said he would pay the $10 million on her behalf, would that not be a great thing? She said yes and I told her how the judge could accept that payment on her behalf and her fine would be settled – then he can legally let her go and dismiss the case as paid in full. This is what Jesus did - paid her fine because she could not because like all of us, we are not good enough

At this time Eric said again Lauren goes to church with him and she will be saved because of his belief. I used again the courtroom example and said if Eric went to the court and was there the whole time, would the judge set her free just because Eric was there? They both said no and seemed to get the connection that salvation is not through another person. I also explained to Lauren what “being saved” meant as it was used a few times and I gathered she did not know that this meant being saved from eternity in Hell separated from God forever.

I explained to Lauren that when the person came into the courtroom and offered to pay her fine, she could say no to that offer. She has the free will to reject this offer of payment. I told her so far, that is what she has done with the free offer of payment Jesus has made – it’s there but she has rejected it so far. I could see a reaction for the first time. Lauren is now thinking about this and the idea that sitting in church and hanging with a believer is not going to help her. She needs to make that decision for herself and its between her and God.

I left her with a Why Christianity book and of course her Trillion dollar bill.
Pray Lauren repents and puts her faith in Jesus.