Relatives Report (Etc.)

Some of you know that my grandmother and aunt were here (in St Petersburg) over the weekend. Please keep them in prayer, that they will pursue the righteousness found in Jesus Christ alone. Both of them have been going to church for a long, long time, but neither of them is "overflowing" with the love of God and His people.

They didn't complain too much about my friends--in fact, they told me that they approved of all but one of the ones they met. We had a great time showing them different things and people around the county. They visited the Clearwater Aquarium while Team Hope went street fishing (for souls, not fish) on the beach on Friday, and Wal-Mart in Pinellas (by the church), attended two parties on Saturday and the 9:00 service on Sunday, and did some sight-seeing on Monday (without me, because I had to work). They said that they enjoyed their stay. I hope they did, but, more importantly, I hope the message that was preached Sunday sank in. If you didn't hear it, please go to the website and stream it or download it. You won't be sorry.

Also over the weekend: While my relatives were resting, I went to see a movie with some friends on Sunday night. I hated the movie (Hancock), because there was so much foul language in it, but, after the movie, God started moving. I handed out tracts to several people as they left the theater, including two members of our congregation, but I ran out of tracts right after I got out of the door.

So I went straight to my car--and good thing I did: because there was a man and his girlfriend about to pull away, and the Lord gave me the words to get him to wait: "Before you go, bro, I've got something for you." He waited and I gave him a tract out of my backseat. He and she thanked me and left.

Then, as I was driving out of the parking lot, I let a car go ahead of me. I immediately thought, Wait a minute--I should have let him come in behind me, and then he could have seen my evangelistic bumber stickers! But the Lord had another plan.

As I left the lot, I noted that the passenger window was down and the passenger seat occupied. If I can just catch them at a red light, then I will be able to give them a tract. So I reached behind me and put some tracts in the seat. But I never caught up with them. I prayed for them, and took my normal route home.

As I made a turn, I saw three youths, two walking, one riding a bicycle. Well, I know what to do for them! So I stopped and held two tracts out to the guys who were walking. The one closest to the car came over and took them, asking what they were. "Gospel tracts," I told him: "They teach you how to have eternal life." Then I said, "There are three of you, right?" and handed him the last tract on the seat.

Right. When I had reached back for those tract to give to the guys I never caught up with, I had grabbed only three--exactly three--just for those three.

I was rejoicing all the way home.