Lawton Becomes "LAW town" via God's Moral Law

We're visiting Michigan for a week of vacation & our annual family get-together with Mary's kinfolk, staying at a rental home on Gravel Lake. We make daily runs into Lawton or Paw Paw for groceries and supplies, and yesterday it was Mary's & my turn to run to the grocery store in Lawton. So we got what we could find there, gave out a few tracts, and then walked across the street to the Public Library to use the rest room.

Lawton Public Library is on the left, grocery store on the right

Over the next 20 minutes or so, we crossed paths with a couple of young men, Matt and Ryan. Titanic tracts always go down well, and we used them to explain how God has provided a "life boat" in the Lord Jesus Christ, our only means to escape "going down with the ship." I went through a couple of the 10 Commandments to make it clear that all have sinned; Lawton, Michigan became LAW town, for a few minutes, and we pray the law would do its work in these men's hearts.

Matt seemed very interested & thankful for the conversation. He was wearing a large cross on a chain about his neck, and had a large cross tattoo on his right forearm, but I didn't get a sense that he is born again. We pray that he will be.

Ryan was an interesting fellow. He walked with us down the sidewalk as I explained the gospel. He's a felon, without work, and therefore is drawn to illegal methods to make money. We stopped at a street corner while Mary went into a Pharmacy, and I encouraged Ryan to flee from the wrath of a Holy God to the one and only Savior of sinners. He kept saying, " I know...I know...", but something has its hooks in him and is preventing him from running to Christ. I asked if he had a Bible at home, and he said, "Of course!" So we parted, and lifted both men up in prayer to God. Please do the same, and may we meet them again in Heaven some day.

That was yesterday. Today I made a run to Adams Hardware store with my daughter Emily and nephew Ian, for fishing licenses and some gear. Raoul helped us with the fishing lisences, and he got our thanks and an "Are You A Good Person?" tract. The lady at the checkout (I am terrible with names, and have forgotten her's) got a "CONTRADICT" tract, and listened while I explained the message on this one (how different religions have different beliefs about God, man, Heaven, Hell, etc., and that they are different one from another; they actually contradict one another, so they cannot all be true). There were no other customers in line, so we chatted about the outrageous claims made by Jesus Christ, like he being the only way to the Father (John 14:6), or that he had power on earth to forgive sin thereby proving he is God (Matthew 9:6; Mark 2:10; Luke 5:24). Like the Temple guards said so well, "Never man spake like this man." (John 7:46) I told her that Hell is a real place where real people go, and that God's will is that no one go there (2 Peter 3:9). I had just paid my bill, so I shared with her how that Jesus has done all the work necessary to purchase our pardon, and said his last words were, "It is finished" or in the Greek, "Tetelestai" meaning "Paid In Full." So because of this fact, we must repent/beleive on Jsus and be born-again and receive the gift of eternal life.

We stopped at Country Lakes General Store for some bait, and Emily got ice cream. While waiting, I got a chance to speak with Amber, the young lady serving ice cream. This is her last day working there, as she is off to college at Ferris State University. Funny how things work out. I happen in on our once-a-year trip to Michigan to this store in the middle of nowhere, and our paths cross. Next day she's outta there. So she took the "Good Person?" tract I offered her, but we had to wait a bit longer for something Ian was getting, so I went out to the car and grabbed a "COEXIST" tract and an "Evolution vs. God" DVD for her, and handed it to her through the walk-up window. She listened as I explained the DVD, and seemed sincerely interested;I hope she really looks into these things and considers her eternal soul.

So join us in prayer for these ones mentioned here, and take advantage of the privilege we have here in the USA to share our faith and reach out to the precious souls around us with the only gospel there is or that saves: the gospel of Christ (Romans 1:16). It's a heckuva way to enjoy your vacation, I'm telling you!

We love you in Jesus Christ.
Paul