Take the time.

Ever think it's too much of a pain to return something? I know I do.... but I'm sure glad I didn't do that today.

After talking to Chenise about this $9 item for over 15 minutes I'll admit to being aggravated. But suddenly I came to my senses. This wasn't about the light bulb I was trying to return. It was about the light bulb that had just come on in my heart!! This was really about the soul of the person on the other end of the phone.

While Chenise typed I asked her if I could ask her some questions. She agreed readily. I asked her where she would go when she died. She told me that she was going to Heaven.

"Why will God let you in?" I queried.

"I go to church and live my life according to His ways," she said.

"Well, think about your whole life, how many times have you lied?" I asked her.

"Wow, ummmm I have no idea...a lot." Chenise admitted.

"Did you know that scripture says "no liar shall enter Heaven"?

"No...."

"Have you ever stolen anything? I mean, even one minute on the time clock?"

"Well, when I was little..."

"That makes us thieves."

Chenise was getting more quiet all the time.

"Ever use the phrase OMG Chenise? Because that is blasphemy."

Chenise admitted to all of these but didn't want to think that God would condemn her. We talked about simply apologizing to a judge in court and expecting to be set free. She thought God would be more lenient than a human judge.

"Do you think a pedophile should be set free if his uncle is the judge presiding over his case?"

She adamantly declared that he should not.

"God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Psalm 5 says that God is holy and cannot dwell with evildoers and lawbreakers. Revelation 21:8 states that all liars shall have their part in the lake of fire...we deserve Hell Chenise, but do you know what God did so we don't have to go there?"

"Yes, He died on the cross." she said, gaining confidence.

"Did you know that simply being aware of that will not get you into Heaven? You see the demons know all of that, too. They are not destined for Heaven, are they?"

"No, they're not." She became quietly serious again.

"Chenise, God's desire is that we humble ourselves before Him and repent- not just apologize but turn away from our sin and follow Jesus with our whole heart and life. Do you think this information is important?" I asked.

"Oh, absolutely!"

"Chenise, I hope that you will seriously consider the things we've talked about. Does it make sense?"

"Oh yes, perfect sense. I will consider this."

"I don't know you but I'd sure like to see you in Heaven."

I could hear joy in her voice as she said, "Oh, I believe you will. God bless you!"


It would have been so easy to miss this opportunity....glad I didn't.

Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

A great problem...

In preparation for an upcoming, long flight I ordered an item to be delivered tomorrow morning. I found out an hour ago it won't be arriving. Arghhhh.


I called customer service since this is something they were responsible for. After speaking with Mahyreen I realized nothing could be done about it.

"Is there anything else I can do for you?" she asked me.

"Yes, you can answer this question for me. What happens after we die?"

Silence.

"Please, give me a moment to think about this."

"Certainly."

After a long silence..."I think we go to Heaven and see each other."

"Everyone goes?"

Hesitation and then, "well,...I think you have to be good. I try to be good and I always try to help everyone I can..."

"So you are a good person?"

"Yes."

"Have you ever heard of the 10 Commandments?" I said this thinking she was probably in India. "Thou shalt not lie, thou shall not kill..."

"10 commitments...no I haven't."

"Have you ever read the Bible? They are in the Bible."

"No, I haven't."

"God gave these Laws to us. They work through our conscience because no matter where we live in this world, we all have a conscience."

"That's exactly right! We all do!"

"Here's the first one, 'Thou shalt not lie'-
how many lies have you told?"

"Oh, I think that is innumerable."

"Me too, and I will tell you that I failed this test when I took it."

"Have you ever stolen anything? Think of it like this, ever taken anything at all that wasn't yours? One minute on the time clock, paperclip from work?"

"Oh, I have done this thing many times."

"When we do these things, we are liars and thieves."

"Oh..."

"Have you had sex outside of marriage? Because it is also says, 'Don't commit adultery.' "

"I have not done that. I am not married."

"It also applies to sex without being married."

"I have not done that."

"Jesus took this to a higher level when He said, 'Whoever looks at another person with a sexual or immoral thought has already committed adultery."

"Oh...I have done that many times."

"The Bible says that 'It is appointed for man to die once, after this the Judgment!' The moment after you die you will stand accountable for your life. God will judge you with His standard of righteousness. If something happened to you today and He judges you, will you be innocent or guilty of breaking His law?"

I heard her take a deep breath but she didn't answer right away. After a moment she said, "I'm speechless!"

"Does it concern you that if God judged you today, He would be bound by His Holiness to condemn your soul to Hell??"

"But not if I apologize to Him for what I've done!"

We talked about going to court after running over a child, and being found guilty of manslaughter. "If you apologize really well, can you go home?"

"No, you can't!"

"If the judge gives you a fine of $2M USD, can you pay it?"

"No, I don't have that."

"What if someone comes in and tells the judge they have the payment he's looking for, can you go free?"

"Yes!"

"Well, Jesus did that for you. Jesus was God in the flesh. He took on the form of a man for us. This God Who created the Heavens and the Earth can do anything He wants, can't He?"

"Oh, yes He can!"

"He did! He died after living a perfectly sinless life, He was buried and three days later He rose from the grave to defeat our worst enemies, Death and Hell!! We don't have to fear those anymore! God requires two things of us in order to pay this fine. He requires that we repent or turn away from our sin and trust in Jesus and no other. In the book of John Jesus said, 'I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, no man comes to the Father but by Me.' Do you own a Bible?"

"No. But I will purchase one today."

"Oh, please read the Gospel of John and think about what we talked about-OK?"

"I will, God bless you and Merry Christmas!"


Romans 3:19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God

Job 15:6 Your own mouth condemns you, and not I; your own lips testify against you.


Another seed planted.

Paid For By The Republican Party But Ordained By God!

A nice lady just called me to remind me to vote. I let her know that she was actually the eighth one to call me from the Republican Party. She sighed and apologized profusely. I let her know that I have already voted (absentee ballot) and she let me know that the call was paid for by the Republican Party.

I said, "I have a question for you before you go."

"I'll try to answer it for you."

"If Hell is a real place, do you want to be warned?"

Silence..."If...what?"

I repeated the question.

She repeated the question back to me and then said, "I believe in Hell."

"So you believe in Heaven and Hell? Where will you go when you die?"

"Oh, I'm going to Heaven." I could hear the smile in her voice.


"Oh. Well, how do you know?"

"She said proudly, "Because I'm a good person."

OK now the bell was going off in my head...I love this! "OK, let's see if that's true." I asked her about lying, stealing and taking God's name in vain. She got very quiet. I asked her name and she told me it was Mary. I quoted Hebrews 9:27 and then asked her how she thought she would fare if God judged her today.

"I think I'm in trouble!"

"Where will you go since you've been pronounced 'guilty' under the Law?"

"Somewhere very hot!"

"Do you know what God did for you so that you would not have to go there?"

"He gave His life for me."

"So you know what He did for you-so do the demons. They've known Him alot longer that you have. Are they going to Heaven?"

"No!"

"2,000 years ago God took the form of a man. He laid His life down and rose again 3 days later-to pay for you so that you could avoid Hell! There is a difference in believing and trusting." I gave her the parachute illustration and she listened without saying a word. I told her that two things were required: repentence-that is turning away from her sin and faith in Jesus Christ.

Mary thanked me for talking to her and said she really enjoyed the conversation. I could tell that someone was now there with her on the other end. She said, "I need to tell you that this call is paid for by the Republican Party."

I replied, "Paid for by the Republican Party Mary, but ordained by God. I hope to see you one day in Heaven!"

She said, "Thank you!"

We have our civic duty and should consider it a privilege to vote. But no matter who gets into office God is still on His throne and He alone is in control!

Rev 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and Him sitting on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And a place was not found for them.