As I write this Emilio and I are in Covington, Kentucky. We had a wonderful time at the Deeper Conference - it was like a big family reunion. I can only imagine what heaven will be like.Tonight Emilio and I went for a walk near the Ohio River around sunset. It was beautiful. I handed a million dollar gospel tract to a bridesmaid that was out on the boardwalk. She liked it so much she said, "Follow me...you need to hand one of these to the BRIDE". A minute later I was inside of a beautiful room with huge glass windows over looking the river and the wedding celebration was in full swing. I met the bride and said, "You don't know me, but...you look like a million bucks." Then handed her the tract. She gave me a huge hug. The rest of the bridal party stepped up and wanted one for themselves. You just never know where a tract is gonna lead you.
22 comments:
Love it!
Meanwhile, back in Texas, Sovereign Joy evangelists were looking for a spot near the church to evangelize while driving around. Couldn't find anything, so we hit up a Red Box machine. People flock to those. It turned out to be the perfect spot. Red Box machines are like a business with no owner to call the cops on you. Thank you Red Box for giving people a reason to receive a solid gospel message while waiting in line.
A couple of weeks ago, we had a festival in town. I passed those tracts around. Since most people are civil and gracious, it's the exceptions that are noteworthy. One old lady gaped at me, took a step backward and slowly shook her head "no" a little; it was like I was handing her a snake. Her friends started to hand theirs back to me. I said, "No, those are yours" and walked away.
How very odd.
I can only imagine what heaven will be like.
You speak as if you're sure you'll get there. But -granted that it even exist- are you entitled to be so sure? What guarantee do you have?
We were just at Deeper too! Well, to keep it affordable, my husband and oldest son were and the rest of us went to the Creation Museum! What an awesome story. I guess you never do know where a tract may lead you...
"are you entitled to be so sure?"
Yes. The bible gives me that assurance. Read all of 1 John. You could read it in one sitting, here:
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20john%201-5&version=NASB
I'd encourage you to read it. I'd like to hear your thoughts.
Take care and thanks for posting your question.
I'd encourage you to read it. I'd like to hear your thoughts.
Two thoughts:
1 - how do you know that everything that's written there is the truth?
2 - even if God promises you eternal life, what guarantee do you have that He will live up to this promise? Do you think he is obliged to keep Himself to this promise? After all, according to your belief, God created this world and everything/one in it; so what would keep Him from sending you to Hell even if you lived up to all of His commandments?
This comment came in via email from a dear couple from Amsterdam...
Today Evalien & I went to the medical center where I go from time to time, when the veins in my legs give me pain. Ever since the operation on my varicose veins (in both legs) 2 years ago, I've needed to have injections. The doctor injects into my veins a type of glue which then causes the veins to shrink & then be absorbed into the body. Very painful. Then I can't wash the bandaged leg (s) or get water anywhere near them for 6 -7days.
All glory to God as He has allowed us to give tracts out at the clinic to the staff & have been able to leave tracts where other patients can pick them up.
Today the LORD put the idea in my heart to give the Greatest Gamble dvd with Dutch subtitles to the doctor & 3 other staff members.
We wrapped each dvd up in gift wrap paper & wrote the words "Thank You" on each of them.
As it turns out (praise the LORD), I get the same doctor every time.
The doctor has for a while (when he comes into the room & greets us) - he calls me "Mr. Million Dollars" or something like that, because of the million euro or million dollar tracts handed out to him & the staff since I've been going there.
He took the dvd as did the other 2 nurses & thanked us for the gift. The other dvd (gift wrapped) we left on the receptionists desk as she was away from it at the time. 1 of the nurses asked if she could show the dvd to the other staff members - we of course said "sure!"
So even though the circumstances we might have to endure, God can still use us as vessels to get the gospel out to the lost. Amen. Thank you Jesus.
Please keep praying for the lost over here in Alkmaar & The Netherlands.
Be encouraged & God bless you all & everyone at LWP's.
In Christ,
Brett & Evalien Sutcliffe.
Trish,
Not sure how that answers my questions...?
She's a saleswoman, Tax. These days she rarely replies directly to anything except to offer empty platitudes to people that agree with her. Her goal is encourage people to support Living Waters with money, be it subtle or direct.
She's a saleswoman? Nah. Giving things away does not bring her money. But even so, it's better than being the poster boy for mockery and snide atheism.
Every good salesman/woman gives something away for free now and then: give them something and hope they come back for more.
But let's wait and see if Trish will answer my questions...
"how do you know that everything that's written there is the truth?" How do you know it is not?
"After all, according to your belief, God created this world and everything/one in it; so what would keep Him from sending you to Hell even if you lived up to all of His commandments?" No mere human can live up to his commandments, there was only One who could, the God-Man (Jesus Christ). God's wrath has been satisfied through the death of Christ on the cross.
If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Rom 10:9
Please answer the question, How do you know that the bible is not the truth?
Trish,
Please point out to me where exactly I said the Bible is not the truth.
Tax, I'm sorry for the confusion. Let me rephrase the question. When you say, "how do you know that everything that's written there is the truth?" My question to you would be how do you know that it is not?
Trish,
Why do you answer a question with a question? Please don't tell me you're avoiding my question?
Surely you can tell me why everything is written in the Bible is the truth without depending on me?
I believe the bible to be true because of the impossiblity of the contrary. My pre-supposition is that God exists and that the Bible is true. As a Chistian God has saved me and convinced me by His own Spirit that Scripture is true. Therefore God revealed not only His existence to me but His revelation as well in Scripture through His Spirit supremely through Jesus Christ. In other words, God showed me it is true and also proves it to me in a myriad of ways. So the ultimate proof for my assurance would be based upon the impossibility of the contrary. I understand that as non-Chistians people cannot make sense out of their basic view of reality, knowledge, or morality, as Christians, God is how we know all these things in the manner in which we know them.
Oh Stormbringer, clearly you're not pegging me as the snide poster boy for atheism, are you? I am not nearly witty nor, most importantly, snarky enough.
I may make a separate post to discuss how LW makes money. Those posts don't tend to see the light of day. Go ahead: try to post how much Ray Comfort makes here. It's public information too!
Oh hey, pre-sup! So Trish is right because...she think she's right. That circular logic will be conducive to a dialogue, I'm sure. I guess that's your last refuge when reality has risen up against you.
Living Waters is thriving off a lot of donations.
Which is why cheap tracts and books can be tossed out like candy. Let's not forget that most of their books are either just full of quotations from the public domain or Ray rehashing his tired old arguments. So really, you're paying mostly for publishing and they can be done quickly since there's little time investment spent "writing" the books.
This motivates people and gets them sending money to LW. Anything bought (like expensive evangelism courses) is gravy.
So all those Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, and people from other religions who have had revelations from their God are right, too?
What if God chooses not to reveal Himself to me because He wants me to be an atheist? Are you going to say that He cannot do this?
Also, you didn't answer the second question: why should God keep Himself to His promise to save you? Is He obliged to do so?
I'd also like to ask you the same question I asked stranger.strange land:
do you think Isaac Zamora and Christopher Turgeon (Google their names) are murderers?
Taxandrian said... “What if God chooses not to reveal Himself to me because He wants me to be an atheist? Are you going to say that He cannot do this?
Also, you didn't answer the second question: why should God keep Himself to His promise to save you? Is He obliged to do so?”
Taxandrian - To answer your first question, God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9) and He has no pleasure in the death of the wicked but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live (Ezek 33:11).
And your question about God keeping His promises - God cannot lie (Hebrews 6:18) and He does not change (Numbers 23:19). I hope this helps.
Hey Beth,
You base your answer on the Bible, but that is what I want to know: how do you know that what's in the Bible is the truth?
For instance; you say that God cannot lie because it's in the Bible. But the Bible is God's Word, so God cannot lie because God Himself says He cannot lie.
But how do you know that in itself isn't a lie? Is God obliged to tell you the truth? After all, you're his creation and He can do with you as He pleases, right?
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