A friend of mine was killed on a motorcycle while riding to a Bill Glass Prison Ministry event. The last time I saw him, he and I were visiting inmates on death row together in Huntsville Texas. We were accompanied by a lady from Colorado and her husband. She sang songs to the inmates and my friend, the director of Texas prisons, and I spoke to the inmates about Jesus and eternity. Nine inmates with dates already set for their executions made decisions for the Lord that day.
My friend’s name was Michael T. and he’d been in prison multiple times for many different crimes. He was at one point the number two man in the Aryan Brotherhood, a white supremacy group whose murderous acts of brutality were unmatched. Michael was greatly feared throughout the prison, but God wonderfully transformed his life, forgave his black sins, and years later when he was released from prison he became a preacher mainly ministering to outlaw motorcycle gangs and those incarcerated.
The Aryan Brotherhood does not allow anyone to just up and quit their ranks and when Michael became a Christian he had to be moved to a special unit in the prison for his own protection, because he literally became a marked man with a price on his head. The contract on his life did not go away when he got out of prison either and like the mafia they vowed to take him out. I talked to him several times about it and he told me that he wasn’t worried in the least about it. He was a champion for Jesus Christ and assured of his salvation and when he died he would see heaven.
Today he is in heaven. I assume his tattoos are gone and he is no longer dressed in blue jeans and a tee shirt which have been replaced by a sterling white tunic. I suppose that by now he’s hooked up with those inmates that we led to the Lord that day that were put to death soon after we visited them in Texas. And today . . . well today they are no doubt celebrating and worshipping Jesus and perhaps sitting next to the crystal-clear river of life enjoying eternity.
I wonder about those inmates that used to be his Aryan Brotherhood friends that have not turned to Christ. Some are probably still in prison. They are probably planning their next hit on someone because of the color of their skin, or because of some insult (perceived or otherwise) like walking through the wrong section of the yard with its imaginary boundary lines.
I racked my brain this morning trying to remember how Michael T found salvation, but I couldn’t remember. I suspect it was through a Bill Glass Weekend of Champions event, or possibly some chaplain that took an interest in him. I do know that had it not been for someone taking an interest in him, he would most likely have died on that motorcycle, and he would be in hell right now forever.
It is a sobering thought to say the least . . . What if no one had bothered?
I was talking to a man in church this Sunday and he told me that he had trouble talking to people about Christ and when he does is often met with hostility. I told him that I witness all the time, and it has been extremely rare that I’m ever met with ANY hostility from anyone. Most welcome the conversation. I recommended that he never condemn or judge, and instead be inquisitive. I suggested that the next time that he softly ask the person what their spiritual beliefs are. If they respond that they are an atheist, agnostic, a Muslim, Buddhist or whatever he should ask them, “If you were wrong would you want to know?”
My experience is that few people will refuse to engage you in further conversation when asked that question. Of course they would want to know if they were wrong when something affects their eternal future. I use it all the time to break the ice. It only takes a minimal of knowledge to find Scripture to lead someone to Christ once the ice is broken.
When you die and go to heaven it will be great to see all those folks that you led to Jesus. Perhaps you will be lucky enough to see all of those who you led to Christ surrounded by all of those that they led to Christ, surrounded by all of those that they led to Christ.
Isaiah reveals how God looks at those of us who share our faith in the verse below. Don’t miss out on your blessing. Witnessing to others is one sure sign that your salvation is secure . . .
Isaiah 52:7
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns!