A Conversation With Greg

Today, I drove down Dover Center debating on whether to go to Center Ridge or Lorain Road. There was a girl promoting a car wash at the corner at Center Ridge, so I went to Lorain Road in North Olmsted. I took "I ASK" after only one day of trying it out- I'm not sure whether or not I want it on there.

I showed up around 1:45 at the corner of Center Ridge and Lorain Road. Vehicle traffic was moderate and there were a few people who rode by on bikes, but I don't hand out tracts to people zooming by on bikes. John, from church, will hand them out to people on bikes when we are in Lakewood, but that is on a stretch of sidewalk away from traffic and not at an intersection.

While I was standing with the cross, a man came out of the restaurant I was standing in front and came onto the sidewalk to look at my cross. I said hello, but after reading the message on the cross, he went back inside.

A little while later, a man came out and asked me if I wanted something to drink. I appreciated the offer, but I had brought my own water. He told me he was a born again Christian and he commended me on what I was doing. He went back inside and later when he left the restaurant, I called him over and gave him a tract.

About an hour after I showed up, Greg, who works at the restaurant, came out to talk to me. He asked me what church I was with, and I told him that I don't do this as part of my church, but I told him where I go to church.

I told him I was trying to get people to think about if they were ready and Mark 1:15- "The time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel." I told Greg that so many people "believe," but that don't repent.

I told Greg that I used to also "believe," but I never turned away from my sin- I just continued living in it. He told me that sometimes he finds he does that himself. He said he kind of uses God as a crutch. He told me he tries to pray to Him all the time, and always keep in mind that that He is in his life and heart, but less so when things are going good- whereas he should be doing it all the time.

I then gave Greg a gospel tract and told him it was the message that I am trying to spread. I then told him about the passage in Matthew 7 where Jesus said, "On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’" I wasn't able to quote it exactly, but I was close.

I told him to make sure that he's not one of those people who doesn't just profess their faith. I told him that even Satan believes in Jesus. I told him there was a difference between believing and trusting in Jesus. I then gave Greg the parachute analogy- being on an airplane that is about to crash and having a parachute that can save you. Merely "believing" in the parachute won't save you- you have to strap on the parachute and jump from the plane. In the same sense, we need to strap on the Lord Jesus and jump from our sinful lifestyle.

I told Greg that Scripture says, "Unless you repent, you will perish." I told him it was a hard message and there a lot of things I've had to give up in my life.

I also told Greg about how Scripture says we must be born again to inherit the kingdom of God. I told him I never would be into what I was doing- holding a cross and promoting the Gospel, but I explained to him that God gives you a new heart when you repent of your sins and place your trust in Him and it's something I really can't explain.

Greg told me he does a lot of praying, tries to live a clean life and do the right thing, but sometimes he falls back into his old ways and isn't living 100% godlike or what Jesus would do. I told Greg I had the same problems where I had trouble letting go of things. I would ask God to take things away, but He wants us to take the first step and repent.

I then told him that the Bible says looking with lust is adultery in the heart. I also told him that God views hate as murder. I told him that we've broken all the commandments- we haven't always kept God first, we've all coveted, we're all thieves, lairs and blasphemers. We're all guilty and we need a Savior.

We discussed a few other things and had a very good conversation. Please pray for Greg.