After MANY Years of Rejecting Christ...

[Cow Poke]

One of my best friends growing up (he grew up, I never did) was Greg.
His Mom was like a second mom to me - I called her "Aunt Sally".

His dad was not a Christian, and even though "Aunt Sally" and the family were very much involved in Church, Clarence (the dad) would have none of it.

Whenever an evangelist would be in town for revival services, the pastor would take the evangelist to visit Clarence to try to win him to Christ.

The same story every time "why do I need Christ - I live a better more moral life than most of the people in your Church".

It was hard to argue with that logic -- Clarence took us boys hunting and fishing, he loved his wife, he was a great father and mentor... he was actually a really good "Christian" in what a Christian is supposed to be, but never accepted Christ.

I often used him as a sermon illustration (without revealing his name, of course) that there were actually people who were "better Christians" than most of the people in churches.

Then it happened -- about a year ago now, Uncle Clarence asked Aunt Sally to call "her Pastor". Clarence, all these years, had been watching his son and daughter being faithful to Christ, and his three Nephews surrender to the Gospel Ministry.

Clarence told the pastor, "it's time for me to stop hiding behind the perceived hypocrites at church and focus on the Christ they should be serving", He admitted it was really late in life - he was 96 by this time - but he would spend his last breath telling people about Jesus.

[rogue06]

[Cow Poke]

And a prayer request....

Greg and I played baseball. I was not good at it at all because I'm right handed, and my right hand can't really control the ball.
Greg was fantastic - and was determined to be a professional baseball player.

When Greg was about 22 years old, he was working a construction job and fell off the scaffolding, breaking his back.
His hopes for professional baseball were over, and he spent years in therapy - eventually getting hooked on pain killers.

As you can imagine, his faith in God was shattered, and he drifted away, pretty much consumed with self-pity and anger at God for allowing this to happen.

Recently, because of Clarence's testimony, Greg has ... what's the word... stopped being so estranged to his Dad, and has been visiting him a lot more.

Prayers for Greg that he may come back to serving God and trusting Him.

[Sparko]

these Ornery types tend to make the best witnesses for Christ. My dad accepted Christ late in life after a lifetime of drinking and telling people that if he went into a church, it would collapse on him.

After he accepted Christ, several of his drinking buddies at the VFW also accepted Christ too, as did I, my brother, his wife and son, several relatives and other friends. I think I counted over a dozen conversions, just because my Dad finally became a Christian. And he really didn't go around preaching or telling the gospel, just seeing his life change was enough for most people to see that God can work miracles.

[Cow Poke]

these Ornery types tend to make the best witnesses for Christ. My dad accepted Christ late in life after a lifetime of drinking and telling people that if he went into a church, it would collapse on him.

After he accepted Christ, several of his drinking buddies at the VFW also accepted Christ too, as did I, my brother, his wife and son, several relatives and other friends. I think I counted over a dozen conversions, just because my Dad finally became a Christian. And he really didn't go around preaching or telling the gospel, just seeing his life change was enough for most people to see that God can work miracles.

Yup, we had an old truck driver who married a woman who ran a bar -- he got saved (at a very late age), they sold the bar, and he became one of the most fervent soulwinners I have ever known.

[Sparko]

Yup, we had an old truck driver who married a woman who ran a bar -- he got saved (at a very late age), they sold the bar, and he became one of the most fervent soulwinners I have ever known.

There was an old biker guy in my mom's church that was blind in one eye. His story was he was so bad that his momma tried to take him out, shot him in the head and that is how he lost his eye, and after that he gave his life to Christ.

[Cow Poke]

There was an old biker guy in my mom's church that was blind in one eye. His story was he was so bad that his momma tried to take him out, shot him in the head and that is how he lost his eye, and after that he gave his life to Christ.

Ah, I had almost forgotten about my BIKER DUDE story --- haven't heard from him in quite a while, but I've moved, so...