Full Text of It Really Works!
Many years ago I served in the army during a major war. Measles broke out and many of the brave soldiers died. The epidemic got so bad we moved all the measles patients into separate tents to protect, as far as possible, the health of the other soldiers. I was wardmaster in charge of the measles patients.
One night while I was on the ward, I passed a bunk where there was a very sick young soldier not more than seventeen years old. The boy looked at me with a pathetic expression and said:
“Wardmaster, I believe I’m going to die. I’m not a Christian. My mother and father aren’t Christians. I never did attend church. I did go to Sunday school just once. A woman taught the Sunday school class. She read us something out of the Bible about a man who went to see Jesus one night. Jesus told this man he must be born again. The teacher said all people must be born again in order to go to heaven when they die. I have never been born again, and I don’t want to die like this. Won’t you please get the chaplain so he can tell me how to be born again?”
In those days I was an agnostic. So I told the boy, “You don’t need a chaplain. Just be quiet now. Don’t worry; you’ll be all right.” I went around the ward, and in about an hour I came back to the boy’s bed. He looked at me out of such sad, staring eyes as he said, “Wardmaster, if you won’t get me the chaplain, please get me the doctor. I’m choking to death.”
“All right, my son, I’ll get the doctor,” I said. So I went off and found the doctor. He came and mopped out the throat of the lad so he could breathe a little easier. I knew the boy was going to die. I had seen many other cases just like his. I went away from the bed.
Do I Have To Die?
In about an hour I came back expecting to find the boy dead, but he was still struggling. He said, “There’s no use, Wardmaster. I’ve got to die, and I haven’t been born again. Whether you believe in it or not, won’t you find the chaplain and let him tell me how to be born again?” I looked at him for a moment and said, “All right, my son, I’ll get the chaplain.”
I walked away a few feet and then turned and went back to the boy’s bedside. I said, “My boy, I’m not going to get you the chaplain. I’m going to tell you what to do myself. Now, understand, I’m an agnostic. I don’t know whether there is any God. I don’t know whether there is any heaven or any hell. I don’t know anything except … I know my mother was a good woman. I know if there is a God, my mother knew Him. So I’ll tell you what my mother told me. You can try it and see if it works. Now, I am going to teach you a verse of Scripture — John 3:16. ‘God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ My mother said that I can’t save myself, but if I will believe in Jesus, He will save me.”
I asked the boy to say the verse with me. I started and he followed with a trembling voice. When we finished, I said, “Now, my boy, my mother said if a person will trust Jesus, he’ll not perish but have everlasting life.”
He closed his eyes, stretched his hands across his chest and in a whisper he quoted slowly, repeating some of the words several times: “God so loved the world … He gave His only begotten Son … that whosoever, whosoever … whosoever believeth, believeth in Him, believeth in Him.”
Then he stopped and said in a clear voice, “Praise God, Wardmaster, it works. I believe in Him! I shall not perish! I have everlasting life! I’ve been born again. Wardmaster, your mother was right. Why don’t you try it? Do what your mother said. It works, Wardmaster. This thing works! Wardmaster, before I go, I want to ask you to do something for me. Take a kiss to my mother and tell her what you told me, and tell her that her dying son said, ‘It works.’ ”
The lad was right. It does work. Whoever believes in Him will not perish but already has everlasting life. It works. I know it works! “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” (Romans 1:16).
Gospel tract
Pages: 4
Size: 89 x 139mm
Bible Truth Publishers
Pack quantity: 100
Bible Version: KJV
To purchase: No minimum quantities on any tract purchase so single copies or whatever is required may be ordered. Pack quantities are given for those who want to purchase a complete pack.
