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The Action Report Tough Sinners Transformed into Dedicated Saints Dear One, God has given me special favor with very tough sinners. Many of them have been changed from tough sinners to tough but tender saints. It's been like that for half a century. Like Alaska where, as a young missionary, I met the number one bully in a village called Unalakleet. We just hit it off-a former marine and one angry native Alaskan. Buddy ended up on his knees before the Lord, with tears and "nose stuff" forming a pond on the ground as he wept his way to Jesus. ...that invisible bond with 8th degree karate black belt, Cesar,
and the "much loved-no nonsense" pastor ...
Those kind of encounters have happened down through the years-all around the globe. I saw it again a few weeks ago in Argentina. That invisible bond with 8th degree karate black belt, Cesar. And the "much loved-no nonsense" pastor in one of the most violent neighborhoods in Buenos Aires.
How violent? One "pistolero" was a hold-up expert. To resist was to risk a beating or death. One night, he waited for his next victim. As he readied to strike, he saw the face of a woman. This violent gunman still had a code of ethics. He never robbed women. But this woman's face-it was black and blue from a beating! ...please don't make me go home. He will beat me worse than this...
"Who did this to you?!" "My husband. It's not the first time." "Go home to your husband!"
"Oh please don't make me go home. He will beat me worse than this!" "No he won't! He will never beat you again. I'm going with you. Let's go!" The wife-beater answered the loud and angry knock. "Did you do this to your wife?" The coward whimpered "yes." "If you ever hurt her again, I will shoot you!" Then he added, "There is a church in this barrio with a good pastor. You will go with your wife to this church. Understand?!"
He went to church, got saved and became one of the leaders.
They went-and my tough, tender pastor friend led them both to Christ and into the Lord's service. And our "pistolero"? His friends applauded his act but called him a "hypocrite" because he didn't attend the church. This man could stand in the dark waiting for his next victim. But what he couldn't stand was to be called a "hypocrite." You probably already guessed what happened. He went to church, got saved and became one of the leaders. Why am I drawn to-why do I love-these tough sinners so much? Because they make some of the most dedicated saints. They admit they are rotten sinners. They are action-oriented and when Jesus shows them His love they are not ashamed or afraid to stand up for Him. That's another angle to this ministry. I thought you'd enjoy this bit of humor and pray that God will lead us to many more of these "tough guys" just waiting to be loved by Jesus. Thank you for your support! Frank Eiklor Related Articles · More Articles Jesus said many would come in His name and deceive the hearts of the simple, sinful and proud. Eastern mysticism and meditation is a big thing in the gullible West. And one day a “world leader” will appear on the scene with the persuasion of a god and the heart of a devil. Jesus warns His children to know the Scriptures, live in obedience to the Father’s will, and stay alert to the signs of the times. They laugh no more. Now God’s description of how He will destroy the old earth and create a
new one makes perfect sense. The splitting of the atom turned many skeptics into believers.
After all, look what man himself is capable of doing with the atom and hydrogen bombs. Now
the fear is that nuclear weapons are being placed in the hands of madmen who wish to annihilate
their enemies. God has blessed man with incredible genius. We stand in awe as we watch men and women in a room full of computers and high-tech instruments guiding and landing spacecraft on distant planets. At that moment, we appear invincible. But then a mammoth tornado comes—or a terrifying hurricane—or rains that flood whole regions and never listen to our shouts to “Stop!”—or the shake that removes from under our feet any confidence or pride we carry, and leaves us numb with hardly enough breath to even utter the paralyzing word “EARTHQUAKE!”. And man is helpless in the face of it all! |
