Soul Food

Clementine waited on Tina and I at the local soul food kitchen near campus. The pulled pork sandwich looked so good! (OK, I am coming clean when I say I got the mac n' cheese to go with it!) I gave her an icebreaker and she smiled.

When I asked her what she thought would happen to us after we die, she told me that we will go to Heaven. After discussing the afterlife in a little more detail I gave her the GP Test. She failed, as we all do. She listened intently as we continued. After talking about Hell, Clementine understood the ramifications of her sin.

As she gave me my change we talked about God's extraordinary grace in allowing a way for us to go to Heaven. I asked her to think about what we discussed and walked over to our table. Tina and I prayed for her immediately.

The soul food was everything advertised and more. I hoped Clementine was chewing on her 'soul food'.

A couple of minutes later she called out, "Nice to meet you." as she went out the door to catch her ride.

Tina is going to drop in and visit our new friend, and probably have some more of that delicious pulled pork along with conversation.

Hoping to see you in Heaven, Clementine...

Hope of Heaven

The team from theSowers Class arrived early Saturday to set up a table with gospel tracts and cold water.



Jim was having a great morning, riding along the Constitution Trail. The temperature was perfect at about 65 degrees. AJ got him to stop with an offer of free water. I asked Jim if he believed in an afterlife. "Sure" he said.


Heaven and Hell?"

"Yes."

"Where are you going?"

""Heaven, I hope." Jim said. Man, if I had a new tract for every time I get that answer I probably wouldn't be running out of them right now!

Jim considered himself to be among the 'good people' inhabiting this earth. "I wonder if you'd let me test that theory, Jim?"

"Sure, why not?" he said.

When I asked Jim to review his life and give me the number of lies that he's told, he hesitated. Finally he said, "Quite a few."
.
"Me too, Jim. I couldn't even give you a number. Have you ever used God's name in vain? You know, OMG?"

"Yes, I've done that."

"Blasphemy is really serious. God said, He won't hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain-did you know that? What about adultery? Ever done that?"

"No, I've never done that!" he exclaimed.

"The seventh Commandment says, 'Don't commit adultery but Jesus kicked it up a notch when He came. He said, 'Whover looks at another person with a sexual or immoral thought is guilty in their heart.' Ever looked at another person that way Jim?"

Jim was silent for a moment and then quietly nodded to the affirmative.

"If God judged you today, Jim would you be guilty or innocent of breaking His law?"

"Guilty."

"Heaven or Hell for you?" I asked.

"Well, I still think I would go to Heaven...I believe in God."

"So do demons Jim, are they going, too?"

"Well...no they aren't."

"It's not enough to 'believe' Jim. You've got to repent and put all of your faith in Jesus Christ. He's the only way in. John 14:6 says I am the way, the truth and the life-no man comes to the Father but by Me."

By now Jim was getting antsy on his bike and I could tell he wanted to leave. "Please take this little booklet and read it before you go to sleep. This is so important!"

"I will. Thanks for the conversation."

James 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

Survey your life...

The young man handed Dennis the clipboard as he asked, "Would you be willing to take this survey?"

We were attending the National Kidney Foundation Labor Day Surf Contest in Cocoa Beach and trying to make contact with as many people as possible. Dennis took the clipboard and as he did I said to the guy, "While he's filling that out would you be willing to take my survey?"

He smiled and said, "Sure."

"Now, my questions aren't easy-they're going to make you think."

He told me his name was Lido. I asked him where he would go when he died. He seemed a bit surprised at the question. I believe in getting to the point. (Whenever I speak to someone in a nursing home environment I never know just how long I will have before someone interrupts us-I guess that's what formed my lightning-like approach.) Lido told me he was going to Heaven. When I asked him how he told me, "I believe." Years ago that was enough to get me off the hook, but now...I have to make sure we're talking about the same thing.

I took Lido through a few of the 10 Commandments and asked him how he would fare if God were to judge him today.

"Guilty."

"You are going to Hell, Lido." I let that sink in a minute. "Does that concern you?"

"Yes, very much." He began to look very worried. When I told him about Jesus dying for him, Lido looked relieved. Then he began to tell me how much he tried to do 'the right thing every day'. I reminded him that we can't get there with 'good works' and then suddenly he stopped telling me how good he was. You could see his shoulders slump. We talked about simply believing and repenting. Complete surrender.

I gave Lido a CD of Hells Best Kept Secret and True and False Conversions. These are free for duplication and I try to make sure I always carry some with me. I also gave him a Good Person booklet. These are clear and concise. Good gospel tracts are called 'silent preachers' because people will read them long after we are gone.
2 Corinthians 13:5 examine yourselves, whether you are in the faith, prove your own selves...

Everyday people.

When I am out and about I like to talk to people about eternity. A boy named Christopher helped me to the truck with my groceries a couple of days ago. I took the opportunity to ask him where he would go when he died...

"uh...I don't know"

"Do you ever think about it, Chris?"

"Sometimes"

"How do we get there?"

"Being good people"

"Are you good?"

You can see where this discussion was headed. But to my surprise, I found a young boy of 16 or 17 who was already a proud liar. Chris told me he had never lied or stolen anything. Nor had he ever committed blasphemy. I gave Christopher a Good Person booklet and told him to go home and get honest with himself, because I didn't believe a word he said.

Even in the last few months I have noticed that younger people are becoming more calloused.

Jesus is coming soon...ready or not!