The Everyday Club

6/5/10 Danny, about 40
When I plan to witness while out jogging I usually procrastinate until the end of my run but today I felt compelled early on to talk to a man I saw on the other side of the street. Danny told me, between puffs on his cigarette, that he has been going to church all his life except lately, because his church is between pastors. Later he told me he hasn't read the Bible in a long time either. He knows he has drifted from God but he believes he will go to heaven "because God knows my heart, and he knows I'm doing the best I can". Although he said he trusts Jesus he added many other good works to his list as to why he should go to heaven, so I asked why Jesus died on the cross. He said, "Well to die for our sins, I guess, but even if I didn't know anything about Jesus I'd still go to heaven because God knows my heart." "You don't think you deserve punishment for your sins?" I asked. Danny responded, "God is love, and I don't believe in Him because of fear, I believe in Him because He is loving" "But isn't that the point?" I answered. "That was His Son hanging on that cross. Isn't that the ultimate sign of God's love? John 3:16 is followed by a warning that without Jesus we are condemned already" We talked for a while there on the sidewalk and I feel that Danny listened to my encouragement not to neglect God's word because if we do we will naturally drift from God's truth.