From a year ago on my timeline…
One of the first tracts I wrote was called “Directions to Heaven.”
I was going to just give you a couple lines from it, but all of a sudden a whole devotion birthed out of it. May it be a blessing.
The first step is to admit you are lost.
The next steps are to find a reliable map, turn around when possible, and follow the correct directions.
Mankind tends to rather drive hours out of their way then stop and ask for directions.
Proverbs 14:12 says There is a WAY which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
Many are going to end up in hell simply because they were to stubborn to admit they were going the wrong way.
A clue is this — if everyone is going in that direction, watch out.
Matthew 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the WAY, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Salvation is in a Person, the Lord Jesus Christ. Not by a prayer or performance.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the WAY, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Jesus is the WAY of salvation.
It is His WAY or No WAY. But whosoever comes His WAY will find salvation free and full!
You will find HIS WAY works. Turn from this Americanized Burger King “Have it your WAY”, Frank Sinatra’s “I did it my WAY” life.
Have it God’s WAY instead.
And turn around when possible to find the right WAY to God.
Hebrews 10:20-22
20 By a new and living WAY, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
21 And having an high priest over the house of God;
22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
Jesus is that living water.
Something I found fun and helpful in witnessing is to pay attention to people’s names. First you become a friend when you remember their name.
Second if you can share a verse that relates to their name or from a book in the Bible that matches their name it leaves an impression.
And at times you will be amused how when you weren’t thinking of witnessing or felt like witnessing simply noticing their name will get you out of that rut.
In the past month I had a Wal Mart cashier named Mana (and only later did it dawn on me the Bible word was Manna)…..and a Tim Hortons cashier Trinity and
Last night at Arby’s the workers name was Asa.
I love to witness, as well as Preach! I don’t got to witness! I don’t got to preach! I get to preach! I get to witness!
In 2004-2005 I preached regularly over at the Buffalo City Mission. It was wonderful and it was a blessing to also be able to serve in the kitchen after. The idea the Lord gave me was after preaching to them with some spiritual food, serve them them some physical food to go with it.
It is a bit amusing to look back because what I did for a long time was type out my messages in full on my laptop before hand, and then read them out.
But the truths God showed me were very powerful. I remember one message on the Mimic Octopus.
The mimic octopus is an amazing creature. It can change into many shapes to either fool it’s predators or fool it’s prey.
It can look like a sting ray, lion fish, jelly fish, sea snake or flat fish.
But you know what? At the end of the day, it was still an octopus. Even if it was able to fool other fish, other octopuses, or even fool itself.
The message was called Mimic Christians.
I preached out of Matthew 7 and used this as my main verse:
2 Corinthians 5:17)
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
The Bible says to examine yourself. Are you saved? And do you say YES because according to the bible God saved you and changed your desires and direction and destiny,
or do you say YES because you have become an expert in your head knowledge of spiritual things and you know how to ACT like a Christian?
I can’t stress enough — when it comes to eternity you cannot afford to be wrong.
To be 99.99999% saved is to be 100% lost. It is not good or bad, it’s not a feeling, it’s not a prayer or performance.
And it doesn’t matter what you believed, but it does matter if what you believed was true.
I wrote this on March 26, 2016
God gave me this thought when out preaching today. Will have to develop it more.
Many folks are waiting for a rainy day to get right with God. But just like in Noah’s day, that often is too late.
The heart beat of the motive behind the End Times Vol Fire Co. is revealed below with a couple exchanges between myself and a FB friend.
By simply sharing what works, and borrowing from each other we can change the world.
If you enjoyed a good restaurant, or a good movie, or a good coffee (try Timmies!), you want to tell someone. I am sharing what I found that works and I embrace the things you share that works and we have fun growing as we “GO ye”.
God gives and I share, and God gives me more. And He will do the same with you.
Here is what my friend Jeremy said:
Good stuff brother, the Lord will continue to bless your creative and smart approach to witnessing. … I would approach someone smoking and ask them if they had a light, they would figit around looking for their lighter and when they found it they would hand it to me and I would say “I was hoping you had the light of the world which is Jesus”
They would chuckle and I was surprised how many people were honest and said well, I don’t have that light….
Bam! I’m in the conversation w then know and they would at least listen to me and take a tract. Lol.
Good stuff you are doing their brother. Keep it up. Keep on keepin on. I can feel your desire to preach and your burden to live for the Lord – keep going.
– Jeremy
I wrote back:
Awesome. I am going to “steal that” idea and use it esp when i walk into wal mart and there are folks smoking outside. you are doing what i envisioned the ETVFC ministry doing — sharing what worked for you and all of us getting excited and energized!