December 24, 2025
Dear Friends,
This week one man prayed with me according to the pattern of Luke 18:13 & Romans 10:9.
The man is from the UK, call him Bill, retired, in his 70s, a former captain in the fire service (firefighter). He wrote:
“Hi Dr Tour, I have spent most of my adult life as an atheist. 30 years in the Fire Service exposed to me much of life’s frailties. Now in retirement, that has changed some 2-3 years ago. I am on a pathway which is completely new to me. I still have some difficulties with my growing faith- the resurrection being one such element. I would be most interested to learn your reasoning. My local priest has been extremely informative and kind with his time. I am certain that my baptism is coming. Your YouTube presentations have been helpful in as much I now have faith and science as my vehicle of understanding. Thank you very much.”
He was a most sincere man. Readily embracing the evidence for the resurrection. As is often the case when sharing with people over 60 years old, Isaiah 43:25 really impacted him to tears: “I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake, and I will not remember your sins.” Charles Spurgeon said that this is the most powerful verse in evangelism. I have found that to be the case with older people. There is a sense, like so much water has passed under my bridge in life, that I should never have been offered such kind forgiveness. This passage moved the tough firefight to tears. He replied, “A lot is packed there in that one sentence.” I explained it to him like this: If one of my sons were to go to jail, I would immediately bail him out. Even if he said to me, “Dad, for what I did, I deserve to be here. Just leave me here.” I would contest, “There is no way that I am leaving you here. We will deal with those other issues later. But I am not leaving you here. For my own sake, I am getting you out because I cannot leave you here.” I said to him, “Bill, God is saying he will not leave you here. He is getting you out of here for his own sake.” Bill was overcome for a few moments. I knew he was ready to embrace the resurrection, and he did.
God bless,
Jim Tour
