The Ethiopian Eunuch

As Eva and I sat talking we saw a man sitting on a bench at the other end of the lake.

We walked closer and saw he was reading. Eva extended her arm as we passed him and offered him a "book mark". He smiled and she asked him what he was reading. The book had a title something like, 'What Catholics Believe.'

The man said, "I'm trying to find out what to believe. I have so many questions."

Eva smiled and sat down. "Well, I might have the answers you're looking for!" she said.

They began a great conversation. Mark was his name and he had a notebook with him. Eva took him through the Law and he began a list of The Commandments. I noticed he was putting numbers next to them, either a 1 or a 10. I asked him what the numbers were for.

"If I do well, then I get a 10, but if I do poorly then I receive a 1", he laughed.

"There is no sliding scale for this Mark. Either you have committed the offense or you have not. You have a '10' by Thou shalt not murder, have you ever hated anyone?", I asked him.

"Yes, I have." He answered.

"Well, Jesus said if you hate your brother without cause you are guilty of murder! How will you erase that?"

He put his pen down on the paper and looked up at me with a big smile. "Well..."

"You can't. You can't erase it Mark." I said.

The smile dropped from his face and he put the notebook aside. I knew Eva was praying for him.

"You know, I've been reading Isaiah and The Acts of the Apostles and Romans, but I have so many questions. I don't understand it all."

Well you probably know what I was thinking right at that moment, and just then he reached up and touched my arm...

"You are just like Phillip!!" he said excitedly.

It was so amazing to hear him saying that right as I was thinking about the Ethiopian eunuch!! "And you are just like the Ethiopian eunuch!!" I almost yelled it.

"Yes, I am!!"

I had prayed that morning that God would go before us to prepare hearts and here he was!

I explained to Mark how he had violated God's Law. He stopped at times to make notes.

"What must I do??" he asked.

I explained that he must let go of his old life. Just as Jesus had called the disciples, he was now calling Mark.

"You must die to yourself! Repent, pick up your cross and follow Jesus! This is not an easy invitation, Mark. Your life may be difficult. It will cost you everything."

He grew quiet.


"How do I do this?" he asked.

"Pray. Talk to God...."

"What stops you Mark?"

"Rules, regulations..." He said.

"Push that aside!" I said.

Eva's head was bowed, I was sitting on the sidewalk in front of Mark. He bowed his head and said, "Please allow me a moment to compose myself."

"Of course." I said as I bowed my head.

After a moment, Mark prayed a beautiful, simple prayer. When he raised his head up he was smiling broadly.

"I need more of these!". He said as he raised up a gospel tract.

We took him to the truck and loaded him up with books and literature. He kept asking us where we came from. He told us that he was only in town for 2 weeks from Zimbabwe, visiting his son.

"I can't believe this! I just came down this morning to try to find out what to believe. I was asking God what to believe."

As he walked away he asked us to continue to pray for him.

"I can't wait to tell my son, I am a new man!"

Big Ben's Time

I saw a large man coming toward me and I only had a few seconds to make a move!

"Did you get one of these?" I handed him a Million Dollar Bill.

Surprised, he took it. "What is this?" At about 6'4" he loomed over me.

"Well, it's a Million Dollar Bill with a million dollar question on it. Will you go to heaven when you die?"

"Yes."

"Can you tell me how I can get there?" I asked him, hoping to see if he knew how to get there.

He hemmed and hawed a moment and then told me to 'believe'.

I introduced myself and asked his name.

"Ben."

"Ben, Satan knew Jesus and certainly believed He was legit. The demons believe in Jesus and tremble (James 2), they are not going to Heaven for a moment!"

He looked very surprised.

I took Ben thru the Law (www.NeedGod.com), and then explained that he must repent and put his faith in Jesus Christ alone. I was surprised, but Ben very patiently stood and listened to me, even though it was evident that he was on his way someplace when we met.

"You know Ben, I want to thank you for listening today. I know God had us talk for a reason, so I hope you'll think about all of this."

"I will, thank you."

"Remember how short my time is: For what futility have You created all the children of men?  What man can live and not see death?  Can he deliver his life from the power of the grave?"  Psalm 89:47-48

Please take the time to tell someone today.  Don't forget to carry your gospel tracts with you-then you'll be ready!

Pray for Linda

Please click and read Linda's story.

Distractions

Walking in the park I crossed paths with a man on his way to nowhere. The whites of his eyes were long ago turned yellow by alcohol and drugs.

"Hello Sir." I said, catching him off guard. I wondered who the last person was who addressed him with respect.

He stood a little taller as he answered me. "Hello."

As I looked at him, I thought of the absolute love that Jesus had for him. What a picture this man was of us all. While we look like this, Jesus died to redeem us!

"My name is Jennifer, may I know your first name?"

"I'm Danny." He said without teeth.

"Hi Danny." With a smile I handed him a gospel tract. I could not help but think of the physical toll sin had taken on him. I prayed that God would grab his heart. "Are you a good man, Danny?"

"Yes, I am."

"Good enough for Heaven?"

"I hope so!" he said.

"Have you lied?"

"Yes, I have." he said quietly.

"Stolen anything?"

"Yes."

"Used God's name as a cuss word...ever?" I asked.

Danny looked embarrassed but admitted he had. When we talked about God's judgment, Danny realized he was not going to be in Heaven. He looked scared.

"I'm trying to get myself together." he said pointedly.

"Danny, if you are sitting on the train tracks, a train is coming and I'm yelling at you to get off the tracks, would you tell me you are trying? Or would you get off the tracks? Danny you should not let anything stop you at all from getting right with God. Do you get that?"

"Yes ma'am."

Danny had told me that he was homeless until his girlfriend's aunt had taken them in.  I explained repentance to Danny. I also explained that Jesus was the only way to Heaven. He replied with an 'amen'.

"Danny you should get on your knees right here in this park and beg God's forgiveness!"

"You are right I should do that...but I've got some thinking to do."

"Yes, you do but don't wait too long, Danny."

"I'm going to pick up some clothes, but I'm coming back this way. Maybe you'll still be here."

In ever saw Danny again. It's amazing to me what little things we allow to keep us from God.

Proverbs 1:24-33 includes these words..."For the turning away of the simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; But whoever listens to Me will dwell safely, and will be secure, without fear of evil."

Business is Picking up and Delivering...

Just a quick note to say you should give tracts any where and any place.  While waiting at a local store's loading dock for some items, I saw the UPS and FedEx guys doing their jobs.  So I gave them each a million $$. The FedEx guy read it, smiled and said "this is great!"  The UPS guy kept reading....
Pray the Lord's Word will not return void.

A Jewel For Tiffany

Walking across the grass I spotted a young lady sitting on a bench.  She was reading what looked like a textbook.  I started a conversation with her by asking directions that I needed to a nearby park.  She was quick to provide them for me.

"Hey, thanks.  By the way I've got something for you."  I gave her a Million Dollar Bill.

"Hey I really love these.   My friend has some of them."  Well, since I was in Salt Lake City I knew there was a chance she might be a religious person, but still not a Christian.  "She is 'of the faith'."

"Will you be going to Heaven when you die, Tiffany?"  I wanted her to define her view of the afterlife for me.

"Well, yes, we believe in different levels you know."  She said cautiously.

"I understand that, yes.  Do you think you are good enough to get there?"

"Yes, I do, I strive to do right..."

"Have you lied?"

"Yes, I have."

"Stolen anything..even a minute on the time clock?"  I asked her.

"Yes..."

We went through the Law and although she admitted to breaking many of the Commandments, Tiffany was insistent that she would be in some level of Heaven.  When speaking with Mormon people it will always come down to their idea of being saved by their good works.  In other words, 'I do my best and Jesus does the rest'.  According to scripture this is absolutely wrong.  Jesus paid it ALL.

"Tiffany we can't even add one inch to our stature according to scripture.  Have you ever read that?  How can we expect to even get one inch closer to Heaven with something we do?"  I pulled up the Blue Letter Bible app on the phone and referenced Ephesians 2:8-9.  She asked which version of the Bible I had open.  According to the Mormons it must be KJV.  "I have the KJV open here.  Can you read this?"
I handed it to her and she read it.

"I have not read that before."  She said softly.

"OK, well that clearly states that salvation is a gift of God to us.  We wouldn't want to cheapen it by attempting to pay a couple pennies for it would we?  That's insulting, really."

Tiffany agreed but began to shut down.

Seeing Tiffany stand up I said, "Tiffany I know you have to go, but do you know what the scriptural test for a prophet is?"  I opened the Bible to Deuteronomy 18 and started reading at verse 18 and on to the end.  ""But the prophet which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die...when a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously;  thou shalt not be afraid of him.""  Letting her see it, I asked her if she believed the scriptures.

"Yes, I do."

"Tiffany I want to ask you something respectfully and I just want you to think about it, OK?"  She nodded.  "Did Joseph Smith prophesy that the Temple would be built in Independence, Missouri in his lifetime?"

"Yes he did."  She got a funny look on her face.

"Did it come to pass?"

"No, it didn't...but things changed!"

"God never changes, Tiffany."  For this she didn't have an answer.  She just stood still.  "Just think about all of this, OK?  Have a great day."

I walked away from Tiffany praying that God would continue to deal with her heart.  Many young people are seeing the contradictions in Mormonism and they are walking away from it.  That's a great thing.  But what are they walking to??

According to a recent study by Advocate.com, Salt Lake City has been christened the #1 Gay City in the US.  The suicide rate there is also one of the highest in the nation. 


A local Pastor told me on Sunday that the spiritual warfare he is enduring is 'really bad'.  He asked us to please pray for his family.


We are.  I'm also praying that God will call people to this beautiful place.  There are so many here who are willing to listen.

No Greater Love

I have no words yet to describe this video....so I will leave it at that.  Hoping you will take a moment from your very busy day to watch this.

John 15:13

Greater love  has no man than this , that  a man lay down his life for his friends.

Door Hangers Will Travel

This just in from Carolyn and Luke, students from our most recent class in Richardson, TX:

I hope you're doing well and enjoying the time with your family. I wanted to let you know that all the door hangers that I was given have been hung on hotel doors on our floor! As I finished hanging the last few today, I told God that if even one soul came to know him, it was worth hanging them. I guess I'll find out in heaven!

This morning on our way out, I put a million dollar bill inside the free morning papers that were near the elevators. Why not give them something really good to read? I have also given out the bills to some of the hotel staff and a young man I met yesterday; hope to talk to him again tomorrow and see if he read the bill. He thought it was neat when I told him it was a gospel track. God can do anything with them!

Take care,
Carolyn

Prague: A Jesus-Free Zone

I am in Prague, Czech Republic for some meetings. I had a free day so I went to spread the Gospel message.
Prague has many beautiful buildings, churches and is in preparation for Easter. There are bands, drinking, dancers, fun stuff and many things happening.
I noticed one big item not present in anything – JESUS!
No one would take any of the tracks, either the English ones or Czech language ones.
Then I got an email from Steve saying he and Dayna would be, “...praying God will grant you many opportunities to witness.”
Things changed.
There were a couple of people in front on the candy store they work out, handing out samples.
The guy said he spoke English when I gave him a trillion dollar bill to read the message and I said it has a great question on the back.
We spoke a few minutes and he quickly took the conversation away from God.
His associate, Sabrina wanted a bill as well.
She’s Muslim and thinks as long as you are good, ‘god’ will see that and you do not need to pray, go to a church but need to open your heart to ‘god’.
We never sorted out which ‘god’ she was speaking about.
I talked to her about Jesus and He is the Son of God.
She admitted He was a great prophet and one day will return to rule the earth – not Mohammed.
When I told her what John 14:6 says, she again said ‘god’ will know your heart and will decide if you go to heaven or not.
I saw she wanted to go back inside, since her boss came out so I quickly told her that Jesus is the Messiah, and yes He will come back and rule the earth, but before then, she would need to be sure she has repented and her faith and trust in Him.
She left and asked for a tract for her boss..Pray for all of them.

One of the vendors accepted a tract but did not have time to talk.

By then, I needed to return the hotel.

I am so glad Steve and Dayna prayed.

A quick observation:  I have been in Europe several times during the  Easter season, and it is so sad to see them celebrating this special time in different ways yet always excluding the Savior.

Luke 8:13, “...  and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.

Dayna goes out as a full time evangelist - on the road with Diana

Tuesday was the first official day that Diana and Dayna went fishing together...what an experience!

The Lord truly ordered our steps all day. The first fishing hole was the bus stop at Varr. There, the Lord led us to speak to three young girls who just knew they were going to Heaven because they were good people. After going through the law, all fun and games stopped because the law had penetrated their hearts. Two of the three girls said they were going to repent that day.

The second fishing hole was the bus stop on 520 and A1A. There the Lord provided two prepared hearts, one was a young man name Cameron who just lost his two year old daughter, and the other was a young man named Matthew. Both, had never heard the gospel in such a way. Neither one had ever truly heard why Jesus Christ died on the cross. They both got on their buses in serious thought!

The third fishing hole was the beach. Dayna and Diana both did a lot of shaking the dust off their feet, but a lot of tracks were handed out, and we had an opportunity to encourage another Christian.

The four fishing hole was the parking lot by Ron Jons. There we tracted cars and were given the opportunity to speak to twosouls. As we were tracting the cars, one man was sitting in his vehicle eating lunch. When he was given the tract, he said "I was just sitting here reading my devotional and realized I have been a hypocrite." He had not repented and was just going through the motions... The second soul was a Middle Eastern young man name Jay. This young man came under such conviction. His eyes bored through us, and when we spoke of the cross and Christ's substitution he was so very moved. As we asked him if he knew when he would die, he was panicked. At that point the person who was in the car became very angry with Jay because he was talking to us. Jay turned to us with absolute despair in his eyes and said he needed to go...please pray for Jay!

The fifth and final spot was the mall. We were actually headed back to Varr, but on the way there, Diana said she felt like we needed to stop at the mall. That is where our 96 year old fish named Sammy was. The Lord led us in a 45 minute conversation with Sammy who was raised Catholic. When we gave the survey to Sammy he said that he didn't think God would punish sin or that there was a Hell. By the time the conversation was over, he knew without a doubt there was a Hell and that God would punish sin. He wanted to give his whole heart to God and he wanted the New Birth. This was the most amazing conversation! We took him through Scripture and had him read it for himself. He was so blown away by what he read. He told us that he had gone to Christmas Eve mass and partook of Communion, and after that was done, the Priest told everyone they were good for a year... God truly guided us to Sammy! Please pray for him.

Wednesday started out in the nursing home. Diana has been going there once a week for a while now, and this day, she brought Dayna there for such a rich blessing! Every morning the nursing home has a coffee social. The volunteer will service those who come coffee and donuts and then read the paper. Diana knowing there is nothing good in the news paper, reads one article and then switches to the spiritual. This day, Diana after reading Psalm 23 and asking some Bible trivia, gave the whole group the good person test and then gave them the grace of God. The school teacher in Diana is still alive and well, and Dayna just marveled at how Diana brought the entire group in to participate. All said they so enjoyed the time, and we left off singing Jesus Loves Me, Amazing Grace, and In the Garden. What a true blessing!

After leaving the nursing home, we took a women who was in a rehab facility to a prospective place to live. A friend of Diana's asked if Diana would do it, and while we were taking her there, Diana's friend wanted us to share the gospel with the women. The women said she was a Christian, but she did not want to talk about God at all. Diana continued to ask her questions about God, but the women was hostile! Meanwhile, Dayna is in the backseat praying that God would give Diana the words to say, and just then, Diana asks Dayna "If you died today, where will you spend eternity?" The women heard the entire law and gospel because of course Dayna said she was going to Heaven because she was a good person... Please pray for this women as she is so hard hearted! Her name is Diana also.

When we arrived at our destination, the women wanted to smoke a cigarette, so while she was smoking, Diana and Dayna went fishing... Dayna had a good conversation with a young man named Randy, and Diana spoke with two elderly people. When Dayna was done talking to Randy, she took the women inside the lobby for her appointment, and while in there, one of the people that Diana was talking to came inside to complain about this "strange women" outside pushing her religion on people. Dayna said to the person, "her name is Diana, and she is sharing the gospel and not pushing religion. She is with us and we have business here." The person was speechless and walked away...

Their final destination for the day was Varr street where we had many good conversations. Diana was able to speak to someone who she had been trying to speak to since she started going to the Varr street bus stop, and this day, God allowed her to go through the entire law and gospel...God is so good!

Stay tuned for more Fishing News...

MONUMENTAL!

Please watch this video - coming soon to a theater near you . . .

Time's Up.

This just came across in an email from Steve and Dayna:


Diana just called us to let us know she had a fantastic time picking up her grandson from the airport.  On her way back, there was a fatal accident causing the traffic to be stopped for two hours. She prayed for God to show her what to do, and He said get to work...so for the next two hours she walked from car to car and handed out gospel tracts and had numerous conversations.  What a time to ask the question "if you died today where will you spend eternity?"  She was so full of the Holy Ghost when she called, we could help but shout and praise God.  I thank the Lord for her obedience and love for the Lord Jesus Christ and lost souls.

Murphy's Law

I got tickets not long ago to see Ladysmith Black Mambazo.  I was unfamiliar with the group but since they were free, I hooked my sister into going with me.

We wanted to go all out this night and just relax.  We planned to hire Murphy, a driver with a car company and even go out to the Capital Grille downtown.

Murphy was right on time when he picked me up.  I knew that Dennis had used Murphy previously on a trip to the airport.  Dennis had talked to him a bit and found out that he was Sikh and was from India.  Although he told Dennis that he didn't practice his religion anymore.

We talked about his kids and family.  He then told me that his wife was not very happy anymore.  It seems they might even get a divorce!  Murphy was very concerned about his children.  He told me this just as we arrived to pick up Jody.  Naturally the conversation ended.

All through the show the only thing I could think of was Murphy and talking to him again.  At the end of the show Murphy was there waiting outside.  We dropped Jody off and said goodnight.

I saw a small figurine on the dashboard of the car. It was the elephant idol that hindu's worship.  I asked him about it and he told me the story.  After he was finished I asked what he thought of Jesus Christ.  He told me he thought there was something divine there.

"Murphy, Jesus said He was God!  He said He was the only way to Heaven.  Have you read the Bible?"

"No, I never have.  But every morning I take a few minutes of quiet time and pray to many gods."

I took Murphy through the Law of Moses and he was very honest.  He became convicted right away.

"You see Murphy, you are in big trouble on Judgement Day aren't you?"

"Yes, I am.  I have hated and I have lusted after women.  It is true."

"Murphy, you are at a place in your life when you need to worship the One True God.  He said if you search for Me with your whole heart you will find Me.  Do you have a Bible?"

"No, I don't."  By this time we were in the driveway, so I quickly texted Dennis to bring out a Bible.

"Murphy, I think Dennis gave you a copy of this book (Cahill's 2nd Greatest Lie) did you ever read it?"

Embarrassed, he said no.

"Murphy, it is very important that you think about what we have talked about and get this straight.  You remember I told you two things...you must repent and you must follow Jesus-right?"  Just then Dennis walked out with the Bible.  I handed the books to Murphy and told him again to read them.

"Oh, I will read them because if I am going to follow Jesus I will do it with my whole heart!!" he said with a big smile.

Murphy told me that part of his family had turned to Christianity about 40 years ago.  He even has 2 cousins in California who are 'christian ministers'.  I know that if they are Christians they have been praying for Murphy for a long time.  I'm going to join them-will you?

Revelation 7:9
 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands

Take every Opportunity

I was getting some lumber at Home Depot and needed some of it cut smaller. Besides the convenience of them cutting the lumber, it gives a great opportunity to witness to someone who cannot leave you for a few minutes. Al came to assist me. His accent said “Islands” so I asked Al which island he was from and he said Cape Verde. I said I had stopped there once but never got to see much. Thinking that was enough to start the conversation, I asked – “If you were to die today would you go to heaven or hell?

Al - "I’d go to heaven because I know Gods Word.

“That's good but if you were asked at the gates of heaven. Why should God let you in what would you say?

Al – “I’ve kept the Ten Commandments

“How many lies have you told?

Al - Only white lies

“God sees all lies as lies and its sin

Then I gave him the courtroom example and of course right then, he got a page to go help someone else. Al told them he was busy with a customer and he'd be there soon- he wanted to hear more. He understood the example of the courtroom and Jesus and how not only did Jesus pay the price that he could not pay, but that Al must accept the payment that was made for him. If he did then the judge could legally let him go free because his fine was paid. But it required Al to accept that gift, not just to know about it.

Al said it makes sense. I told him he needs to repent and put his faith in what Jesus did on the cross. He promised to read the good person tract and really think about it.

The Buck Stops....Where??

I got an article about a poll of America's young people from a dear friend.  His concern is shared by many people I know.  Reading through the piece was disturbing to me, even though as a daily evangelist I have spoken to many of these people.  The article has no guidelines to define what a Biblical Christian is, which makes some of the answers/problems more obvious.  When I finished reading I remembered something that I saw last week from David Barton over at Wallbuilders.

- Understanding the role of clergy and the pulpit, the Rev. Charles Finney (a leading figure of the national revival known as the Second Great Awakening) reminded the ministers in his day of their historic influence in these areas:

Brethren, our preaching will bear its legitimate fruits. If immorality prevails in the land, the fault is ours in a great degree. If there is a decay of conscience, the pulpit is responsible for it. If the public press lacks moral discrimination, the pulpit is responsible for it. If the church is degenerate and worldly, the pulpit is responsible for it. If the world loses its interest in religion, the pulpit is responsible for it. If Satan rules in our halls of legislation, the pulpit is responsible for it. If our politics become so corrupt that the very foundations of our government are ready to fall away, the pulpit is responsible for it. Let us not ignore this fact, my dear brethren; but let us lay it to heart, and be thoroughly awake to our responsibility in respect to the morals of this nation.

It is so important, especially as the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ draws ever-nearer, to pray for our pastor's and teachers.  As parent's we need to know what the youth Pastor is teaching-or not!  It truly matters.