BY DR. JOHN SULLIVAN
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR-TREASURER
FLORIDA BAPTIST CONVENTION

Let's Go Fishing

Sept. 1, 2006

For the next three weeks I plan to share some articles written by my good friend, Dr. Sumner Wemp. They will encourage you.

"The harvest in plenteous," Matt 9:37. “I sent you to reap," John 4:38. "Preach the gospel to every creature," Mark 16:15.

Driving south on Philips Highway in Jacksonville, my home town, just ahead of me was a sailor hitch hiking. Quickly, I pulled out a gospel tract. Long before, I had learned if you hold a tract as far as you can over the roof of the driver’s seat and let it go just right, the wind will land it right at someone's feet.

As I let it go, I watched and sure enough it landed at the feet of the sailor. Then I prayed, ‘Lord save him.’ Of course, with the litter law, you don't do that now.

Months later I was attending a Navigator's meeting. The song leader, between songs said, "Let's have some testimonies. Tell us how you got saved." A sailor jumped up all excited about being saved. He looked familiar and I said to my friend, "I have seen that sailor somewhere."

Then the sailor said, "I was hitchhiking one day and a guy honked at me and I reached for my duffle bag, thinking I had a ride. He didn't even slow down but threw something out the window and kept going. It was a piece of paper and it landed right at my feet. I would hate to tell you what I called him for throwing his trash at me. My curiosity got me and I picked it up and read it.

“It told how the Lord Jesus suffered and died for my sins, paid my debt in full and rose again. God broke my heart and I prayed right there to receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior and God saved me that day."

As he told his story, I realized that he was the sailor I saw on the Philips Highway. After the service, I went up to him and asked, "Where were you hitchhiking?"

He said, "On the Philips Highway."

"What time of day was it" I asked.

"It was about five in the afternoon."

"Do you remember the car?" I further inquired.

"Yes", he said. "It was a green Chevrolet. Are you the fellow who threw out the tract?"

When I said, "I think so" we both burst into tears of joy realizing how God worked to get him saved.

Some people might say, "That's crazy, throwing tracts out the window." It wasn't crazy to that sailor. He got saved.

Oh, dear people, we ought "by all means to try to win some." I have found tracts a great way to give the gospel and for people to have a chance to go to heaven. Let's go fishing. The fish are biting.

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You may contact Dr. John Sullivan at 1-800-226-8584, ext. 3015, or by e-mail.