Many people are saying that Jesus was a really good guy who hung around with a prostitute by the name of Mary Magdalene. They also say that Adam’s first wife was some woman by the name of Lila, but he couldn’t get along with her so he divorced her, and God felt sorry for him and made him a new wife by the name of Eve. They go on to say the writers of the Bible didn’t like that part so they changed it to say that Eve was his first wife.    

This man claimed to be a youth pastor at a local church (click for larger view)

  When asked where they are hearing this stuff, they say it’s on TV – of course that means it must be true, why they saw it with their own eyes!   

 Old wives fables and lies of the Devil is all they are, but you cannot present the Gospel to someone until their mind has been cleared of these weeds. It is a daunting task to say the least.   

 At one point, out of frustration I broke down in tears at the booth after yet another person told me that they would be in heaven as long as they ask God for forgiveness. Nearly everyone has been saying this, and they have no patience to hear the truth. They want spiritual fast food – just tell me what I need to get into Heaven. When I begin to tell them what the Bible says, it is the exact opposite of what they have been hearing in “church,” so they get really frustrated, confused, and then leave. Or they will say “how do you even know there is a heaven any way?” – As soon as I say the words “the Bible says…” many respond saying “that’s just the bible…”   

 “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” Psalm 11:3      

 After asking “if you were standing before God right now, and he said why should I let you in? What would you say?” One girl said “if there is a God, I would say – You have no reason to let me in because I didn’t believe in you, and I’ll just have to suck it up and go to Hell.”   

 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Romans 8:13   

 Another man said “Nowhere in the Bible does it say that Jesus laughed. He was just an old fudy-dudy.” Little does he know that the Bible says “The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.” Psalm 37:13   

 A young boy about 11 or 13 years old stopped by the booth and said that he was not sure of heaven, but was iterested in knowing what the Bible says how you can know. Just then his parents came by and said oh, he’s good. He goes to Catholic school; then whisked him away to continue looking at other booths. This scenario happened on several occasions with many parents believing their children were fine because of their church, school or some other institution. The children however when asked were clueless about heaven, and the parents would take them away from hearing the truth. One lady who said she was sure of heaven because God forgives everyone was shocked when I told her that was not true. She replied: “but my daughter just got back from Vacation Bible School and they told her that everyone was going to heaven!” She left with a lot to think about after reasoning with her the reality of hell. It is so sad to see families trusting the minds and very souls of their children to schools and churches, when God has given them the responsibility to train their children up in the fear of the Lord.   

This girl wrote: “One does not need to be Apostolic/UPC/Pentecostal to be saved. Because man cannot pay for it, it is completely in God’s hands. But, one does need faith.”

Despite the opposition however the Lord opened the eyes of several souls to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. And many others who were beginning to doubt their faith were strengthened in the Lord.   

One young lady who was not sure of Heaven said that she was on a spiritual journey, so I asked if she would come with me on her journey, and I would take her to the cross. God blessed in opening her eyes to see that Jesus was her only hope of eternal life. While fighting back the tears, she wrote on her decision card “What can I say? Very sweet. I was enlightened already. A Presbyterian thanks.” I pray, now that her eyes have been opened, that she will believe to the saving of her soul.   

Another young man who said he would go to Heaven as long as he asked God for forgiveness wrote: “I am glad you told me, It actually taught me a lot because I thought it was a lot to do with forgiving – Thank you”   

Another girl who was confused about the gospel and what the Bible says about Heaven Wrote: “Jonathan explained the 10 commandments and made them more clear. I am more sure that Jesus Christ is my savior. He helped me believe even more.”   

A young man who thought that salvation was by grace, but you had to keep your salvation by works wrote: “Good illustrations of not being able to lose your salvation. Very good, easy to understand way of sharing the gospel.”   

Thousands and thousands of people every day

 A Muslim by the name of Shay stopped several times at our booth wanting to know more about Christ. He was raised an atheist, but converted to Islam because of some bad experiences he had with Christians. He was working at the fair at a Muslim booth telling people about Islam, and would come by our booth on his break times. The last time he stopped, I talked with him for some time and he said “before I converted to Islam I didn’t know anything about Jesus, but now that I have to acknowledge him as a prophet I know more about him than I ever have…” He was very open to hear the truth, and I could tell was beginning to feel much oppressed by the rigorous rules imposed on him by Islam.   

The light is fading fast over the horizon, we must gather in all that we can – “the night cometh, when no man can work.” John 9:4    

Your servant for Christ’s sake.   

Jonathan