Another Night at the Theater

Here are a couple of interesting experiences I had while I was handing out tracts a the _Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe_ movie.

First, an observation; Smokers tend to be very chatty, and open individuals. See this as an opportunity from the LORD.

As I stood in the cold, just outside the side exit door, handing out tracts and shivering, several smokers came a lit up near me. Two men, stood by me. I asked them if they had seen _The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe_ movie? They said, "no, we're just going in now." They asked what I was giving out. I told them "They're the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe Gospel Tracts." What's that? they asked. This is how to have real-life eternal life, and go to heaven. I said, "I don't want to give away the movie, so I shouldn't give you one now." They went off and finished their smokes. When they came back by, they said "Go ahead and give me one." I said, "you promise not to read it until after you see the movie?" Sure they responded. So I gave them one, and they stuck it in their pocket and went into the theater.

Another incident was very interesting. I saw a couple in their early twenties come out of the theater, and they were bantering back and forth to each other and using foul language in the process. Then they came over next to where I was standing and lit up cigarettes. I asked the guy if they had seen _The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe_? He said, what's that? I said its a movie. Are you going to see it? I asked. He said, No probably not, because I don't even know what it is. Then the guy got on the phone and started talking, while his girlfriend just stood there leaning against a pole and puffing her cigarette. After a while, she said, what are you handing out. I said "They're _The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe_ Gospel tracts. She just looked at me blankly and said what's a Gospel tract? I said, it tells how to have eternal life, and go to heaven when you die. Are you going to heaven when you die? I asked. She nodded her head, and said yes. And you know that how? I asked. She pointed to her heart and said I know. I said, what do you mean by that? She said, I believe in my heart... I'm a good person.

I said, can we test that, to see if you are a good person? She said yeah, sure. Have you ever told a lie? Yeah. What does that make you? Not a bad person, she said. What would you call me if I lied to you? Not a bad person. Come on, it starts with an "L", I said. You wouldn't be a liar if you just told one lie. Okay, have you ever stolen anything in your life. No. Not even cheated on a test or downloaded music that wasn't legal. Nope. Okay.

Have you ever used the LORD's name in vain? What's that mean? Have you ever said G.D. or J.C? Yeah, everybody does it, but that doesn't make me a bad person. That's called blashphemy. When I read it in the Bible, it blew me away, because it says, "Whoever uses the LORD's name in vain, God will not hold him guiltless." I'm still not a bad person, she said.

I said, if you were in court, and had been convicted of a crime, and all the evidence was in, and you were guilty, and you were standing before the judge. You had even admitted that you were guilty, do you think the judge would let you go, if you told him, but I'm a good person? No, she answered

As she was walking away, she said, "I'm still not a bad person."

God bless...

The Chronicles Movie Event

I took my wife and two younger sons to see _The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe_ yesterday evening. It was a GREAT movie, and I mean GREAT! As we walked into the theater lobby, there was a mock castle and an area were children could color Chronicles pictures. I left a few C.S. Lewis, The Chronicles of Naria Collectible tracts. Then I went over a dropped a few more on a table where people could sign up for some "Movie Goers Club".

After we watched the movie, we almost the first ones out of the theather, and we walked outside and I began to hand out the tracts to the people, as they left. I was impressed by how many people took one, said thank you, and a couple of people even came back for second one. As we were driving out of the parking lot, I saw a teenager actually reading the tract while he was waiting for his ride. Praise the LORD!

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Later in the evening, we got a phone call from a person asking if I would spare a few minutes and answer some questions for their survey. I said sure. After he finished, I asked him if I could ask him a few questions. He said sure. I asked him if he considered himself to be a good person. He said yes. I asked him if he had ever told a lie. He said yes. I asked him, "what does that make you?" He said, a liar. I asked him if he had ever stolen anything in his life. He said yes. I asked him, what would that make him. He said a thief. I said, based on your answers, when you stand before God on judgement day, will you be innocent or guilty. He said, I thought God was forgiving. I said, He is, but how do you receive that forgiveness? He said, you have to get saved. I said, how do you get saved? He said, you just receive Jesus. I said, is it that easy? He said, no, you can't continue to live the way you used to. I said, right. I said, if I could just rephrase what you've told me; there are two things you need to do to be saved, "Repent, which means confess and forsake your sins, and put your trust in Jesus." I asked him if he had much opportunity to share his faith with others, he said no. I recommended www.livingwaters.com to him, so that he could equip himself to share what he already believed about his faith.

God bless...