I spoke with a man last night who was very open to the gospel. Javier is from Ecuador but moved to the Minneapolis area about fifteen years ago.
Me: Do you have any spiritual beliefs?
Javier: I'm Catholic.
Me: Catholic by birth, or are you practicing?
Javier: (smiling) Birth.
Me: What do you think happens to you when you die?
Javier: I don't know. I don't think anyone knows. What do you think?
Me: I know what the Bible says, would you like to hear?
Javier: Yes!
I began to quote various verses that discuss life after death. With a nonbeliever, I rarely share the references so they do not get lost in our conversation. However, after I had shared with Javier he asked, "I own a Bible! Will you tell me where to find what you just told me?" Completely caught off guard by his response, I grabbed a tract and wrote down Hebrews 9:26 (judgment), 1 Corinthians 6:9 (thieves not inheriting the kingdom), and Romans 5:8 (Christ died for us). This was the first time in a long time that someone has asked me for a reference. I was so excited that I began to share additional verses until I saw his eyes glaze over. At this point I discerned that it would be wise to stop and let him process what we had discussed. He was just about to leave when I left Javier with one more verse, Psalm 51. I told him that if he decided to trust in Jesus then he could make this Psalm his prayer.
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