a word from pastor dave....January 12, 2004

Hey Everyone,
I am getting back to you a whole lot faster that I thought. I wanted to share something that happened the other night.

I was in Greensboro, NC doing a bible study for the bands of Winter Jam. The concert went well and there was an altar call done. Many came forth asking Christ into there life and rededicating there life back to Christ. After the concert I told everyone by and started back home. A group of High School students from Owen High came down and was going to follow me home. It was snowing earlier and the roads were icy, so we thought for safety reasons we just tag alone together.

We stopped at the all mighty Waffle House. We had our meal and I got up to pay and outside were two drunks trying to come in. They staggered passed the door and over to the wrong side trying to find there way in and realized they were at the wrong in and came back. The manager went out side to talk with them before the came in and I am not sure what he said but he let them in and gave them some coffee.

I stood in line to pay for our bill and one of the homeless guys with a big bushy beard asked me if I could give him a few dollars. I told him NO, because I pretty much new what he would do with the money. I paid and went over to talk to the to guys, one was named Joe and the other was Red Otis. Red keep asking me for money and I asked him if he was drunk and he said yes. I asked him if he was happy how his life was, and he said no. I asked if he liked what the world had given to them both and they both said no. I started sharing with them about Christ and Red looked up to me and asked if I would pray for him, because his mother had Alzheimers, and I told red that I would pray for him and Joe.

I looked at the manager Drew and asked him to give them what ever they wanted that I would take care of the bill. I shared with Red and Joe that it was not a gift from me but something God wanted to give them, that it was not something the world was giving to them but a gift from God. To not thank me but thank Jesus, because He loved them more than I ever could. I squatted down and started to pray and they place there hands on mine and I prayed that Jesus would touch their lives and set them free from all the garbage the world had given to them. I prayed that Jesus would send other believers to love and encourage them in a relationship with Christ and that Christ alone could help them with all there needs, not the world.

We need to reach out and show the love of Christ more often. Because I have seen to many who call themselves Christians turn there nose up at those who are less fortunate than us and pass them by. I am not saying that we need to give money to everyone, but at least we could give them some kind words of love like Christ did for us.

Thanks for your time and I love you all.

Pastor Dave Soesbee

2 Timothy 2:15