A Preacher Bought Booze — E.A. Johnston

Compassion Beyond Personal Convictions

I was at a gas station earlier today, and a man in a wheelchair called to me. I went over to him, and he asked me if I would go inside and buy him a cold beer and some cigarettes. I told the man, no, I couldn't do that, and I was about to tell him why, that I was a Baptist preacher who didn't buy booze or tobacco, but the man pointed to his stub of a leg, and he said, I can't get in the door, won't you help me?

I said, do you have any money? He said, sure, money is something I don't care about, here's ten dollars, and he handed me an empty pack of Marlboros and the money, and described the beer he wanted. I said, I don't drink alcohol, and I don't know what you're talking about.

He said it was a bottle on the bottom shelf of the store fridge, and he described it. Something told me to go ahead and do as he said, if I didn't do it, the next person would. I went inside, and for the first time, friends, in probably forty years, this Baptist preacher picked up a bottle of booze and paid for it, and got his cigarettes for him, and came back out, and handed him his addictions and his change.

Building Trust Through a Gospel Tract

Then, since I was his new friend, I asked him if he would now do me a favor. Without even asking what it was, he said, sure. I said, if I go to my car, and I get you something to read, will you promise me that you'll read it?

He nodded his head, and promised me he would. I grabbed a gospel track that I had written years ago, entitled CPR for the Man in the Bog. And on the cover of the track is a drawing of one man, up to his shoulders, stuck in a miry bog, and another man, leaned backwards, as he is holding a cloth, pulling with all his strength to free that man from the bog.

I told the man in the wheelchair to go get alone, and take his time, and read this story about the man in the bog, that this story had done wonders in my own life, and if he would just carefully read it, I promised him it would help him too.

Prayer for a Soul Trapped in Addiction

And as I handed it to him, my heart went out to him, with the love of Christ for a soul in need. For here was a man, his body all shot, with a stub of a leg, and in a bog of addiction and sin. He took that little track, and as he wheeled himself away, I stood there watching, and my heart was heavy in prayer for his soul and salvation.

If you get the opportunity, friend, to step out of your comfort zone, for the sake of the gospel, I assure you, it will be worth your while, and if you can find time to pray for the man in the wheelchair, who is in a bog, I'm sure he would benefit from your prayers, and I want to leave you with the main story in that little track called CPR for the Man in the Bog.

The Man Trapped in the Bog

Here's a story about a man in the bog. The great preacher, Dr. Stephen F. Olford, related this incident in his life to me, and I'll share it with you now, friend. Born in Africa, to missionary parents, Stephen Olford grew up in the African bush, in a humble little cottage.

It was Christmas, and young Stephen decided to go sneak out of the cottage early that morning to go bag a wild goose for Christmas dinner. Before daylight, he left his parents' home, quietly, so not to awaken them.

Into the darkness he walked, with his rifle beneath his arm, making his way to the gate. He unlatched it, but it made a squeak. He kept going into the dark bush to a distant field, where he knew wild geese would be.

Slowly he moved in the darkness, but unfortunately, his next step landed him in a treacherous bog of mire. There he was, sinking in the miry bog, as he held his rifle above his head, and with one hand, while frantically trying to extricate himself with the other, he realized he was in grave danger and sinking to his death, but unknown to him.

A Servant’s Unexpected Rescue

The native servant of his father's house was awakened by the squeak of the gate, and this African had followed him in the darkness, without his knowledge. There stood the African, as the morning sun began to break over the field.

He was attired in a colorful robe of silk, which was wrapped around his naked body. Quickly, the native began to unfold his cloak about him. It unfolded into one long piece of material, and as he unfolded it, he reached the garment over to the desperate Stephen Olford.

Stephen grabbed it and hung on for dear life, as he was pulled to safety. Dr. Olford would then relate that this action of the African was like the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus stepped out of the glories of heaven, to come to earth to save lost man, who was sunk in the mire of sin, and in his great mercy, he unfolded his royal robe of righteousness, and reached it out for us to grab hold of.

Salvation Through Repentance and Faith

Jesus saves his people from their sins, once we acknowledge that we are sinners, lost and without God in the world, we see our great need of a savior from sin, and when we turn to God in repentance, and place our faith in his dear son, Jesus Christ, then God imputes his righteousness to us, and we stand justified in his sight, and no longer are we guilty before him, but have eternal life.

Sharing Christ Through Everyday Opportunities

The day a preacher bought some booze, he also bought an opportunity to share Christ in the gospel, look for opportunities everyday friend, to tell other poor sinners about the one who came down here, so we can go up there, let us pray.