by Frieda Cowling
Schererville, IN

I am aware that God has left His children on earth to be witnesses for Christ according to Acts 1:8: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

Sometimes the most difficult people to talk to about the Lord are our relatives. They know us better than strangers to whom we witness, and I find it more upsetting if they reject the Gospel. However, they need salvation, and it is our job to share the Gospel with them at least once. This doesn’t mean you must bang them over the head with the Gospel every time you see them. After sharing the way to Heaven, I love them and pray that they can see the difference Christ can make in a life. The following is the story of my husband’s aunt and uncle, Shrimpie and Louie Meisel. They lived in Wisconsin while we lived in Tennessee and Indiana. They were kind, gracious people who did not attend any church and would not talk about anything concerning God and the Bible. Uncle Louie was a bartender and would say, “That church stuff ain’t for me.” Shrimpie was the treasurer for the Lutheran church, but rarely went to a service.

It had been 36 years since I first met Shrimpie and Louie. Every time we took a Hyles-Anderson College tour group through their town, we would let the tour girls sing for them, try to witness to them, and invite them to the service. They gave us refreshments, listened to the singing, and refused to come to the church to hear the girls sing.

The last time I saw Uncle Louie with the tour group, Aunt Shrimpie had died. He was as gracious as ever, but it was obvious a part of him had died. The girls sang, and we tried to talk about salvation. He didn’t want anything to do with it, and we started walking toward the van with my heart breaking. I hung back as the girls climbed into the van and, halfway between the house and van, I turned to Uncle Louie with tears in my eyes. I said, “It must be very lonely with Shrimpie gone. I wish I could help, but I don’t know how.”

Tears began to stream down Louie’s face and he said, “I’ve hated the church for over 50 years because they broke my wife’s heart. She was a good person, the best I ever knew. We were members of two different churches, and she wanted to be married in her church, but my church told us we would be living in sin unless we were married in my church. I’ve hated all churches ever since.”

“Uncle Louie,” I said, “the way to Heaven is not a church way, but God’s way. I know you believe the Bible.” He nodded his head. “Please let me tell you.” He nodded again, and I took him down the Romans Road with tears in both our eyes.

“Uncle Louie, I want to pray for you before I go.” He reached up and took my hands. I started praying the sinner’s prayer, and he prayed aloud after me.

“Thank you,” he said. “It feels like a burden has lifted from my heart.”

That was the last time I saw Uncle Louie on this earth because shortly before Christmas he went to Heaven. However, I will see him again one day in Heaven. I’m so glad I serve a God Who never gives up on anyone, and neither should I.

John 12:32: “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”

If you died right now, do you know for sure that you would go to Heaven? Like Uncle Louie, you can know for sure that you are going to Heaven someday because the Bible says in I John 5:13, “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” All you have to know are four facts.

First, you must accept that you are a sinner. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) No one is perfect. No one has lived up to God’s perfect standard.

Second, you must accept that as a sinner you owe a penalty. “For the wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23a) “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” (Ezekiel 18:4) This death is described in the Bible as the second death, the lake of fire. “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.” (Revelation 20:14)

If we pay what we owe as sinners, we must spend an eternity in the lake of fire (Hell).

Third, you must accept that Jesus Christ has already paid our sin debt. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) Christ was not a sinner, and the Bible teaches that God took all of our sin and placed it on Christ. While Christ was bearing all of our sins in His own body, God punished Him in our place to pay the debt we owe. This is not something God promised to do. It is something God has already done. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) It is a fact; Jesus Christ has already paid your sin debt.

Fourth, you must accept by faith what Jesus Christ did for you. Ninety times in the Gospel of John the Bible says, “believe.” The word believe means to trust, to depend on, to rely on. To believe on the Lord Jesus Christ means that you accept the fact that you are a sinner, that as a sinner you owe the sin penalty, and that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the debt you owe. But it means going one step further. It means that you will completely trust Christ to get you to Heaven—that you will put the matter of your salvation in His hands and depend on Him for everlasting life. The moment you do this, God promises you will have everlasting life and that you shall never perish. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13)

Since Jesus would be willing to take you just the way you are, wouldn’t you be willing to receive Jesus as your Saviour right now?

Praying does not take anyone to Heaven, but receiving Jesus gives you eternal life in Heaven. If you would like to receive Jesus as your Saviour, then sincerely tell Jesus something like this:

“Dear Jesus, I know I am a sinner, and I deserve to pay my own sin debt, but I do believe that You died for me to pay the debt that I owe. Today, the best I know how, I trust You as my Saviour. I will depend on You from this moment on for my salvation. Forgive me of my sins. I trust You today, Jesus, and only You, to take me to Heaven when I die. Thank You for saving me. Amen.”

According to the Bible, if you were to die today, you would go to Heaven because in John 3:36 the Bible says, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.”

If you trusted Christ today, please contact us!