From a Live Dead team leader:

Shortly after arriving here in our new country, a knock on the gate revealed an older man who had come to collect his monthly fee of $10. In return for the fee, he would watch our property at night. Later I found out his “patrols” were fairly casual. Basically, he would make occasional passes through the neighborhood blowing a police whistle. This version of a “neighborhood watch” program was intriguing to me. How could I pass up the opportunity to invest in my wife’s security in such a visible, effective way?

Since then, we occasionally hear the repeated blasts of “the whistler” walking through our neighborhood. We look at one another and smile, knowing that any bad guys are “shaking in their boots.” We recognize our monthly $10 fee is a gift rather than something “the whistler” earns.

I am like “the whistler” when I whistle through God’s world under the false impression I deserve His salvation by sharing the “good news” freely with the nationals here. Then reality hits and I recognize Jesus and the Father are sharing a smile, knowing that my salvation was a free gift and not something that I earned. Jesus did the work. I received the reward. I simply asked Him into my heart to be my Lord and Savior. The best part of all is that I don’t need to collect the gift each month. It is paid in advance!

May we truly celebrate Easter and what Jesus accomplished for us.

Please pray for the family of one of my best friends. W** was my most productive and fruitful worker. Many came to know the Lord through him. He died a few days ago in a motorcycle accident. I know he is with the Lord, but I feel the loss acutely. I can’t imagine how his family, his friends and his many disciples feel.