Our kids were spending the night elsewhere, so Jill and I went out to dinner, and then to Mill Ave to witness to the lost together. Dan, Tom, Alan, Joe and a couple of new people from Tom's class were there.
A couple of Muslims stopped to talk with Jill when she handed them a tract, and we were able to take them trhrough the Good Person test and explain the Gospel to them before a few of their friends showed up to take them away. They said they'd like to talk with us about it later, and headed out, but we didn't see them again on this night.
A guy named Dave stopped to check out our illusion board. I took him through the four "fun questions" on the top of the board, and he called his friend Mitch over to try them. So, I started over with Mitch, meanwhile, Dan took Dave through the Good Person Test (GPT) while I did the same with Mitch. Mitch seemed to understand and said that it made sense, but he was uncomfortable and wanted to get away. Dave, on the other hand, was very interested and was talking with Dan and I for a while afterward, As we were talking with him, his phone rang, and I looked over to see Mitch at the corner, on the phone. "Was that your friend over there?" we asked Dave, and he admitted that it was as he hung up and so did Mitch. I guess Mitch was tired of waiting around on him and didn't want to come over and get into a conversation again. We talked for a few more minutes before he took off. I gave him a "Save Yourself Some Pain" booklet, which goes a little more in depth.
A drunk stopped by and I asked him how he was doing. He said, "Not very well" so I asked him what was was going on. He looked up and said that if I wanted anything from him, I would have to say something positive. I didn't want anything, so I just stood there. He asked if I wanted him to sign a petition or something and I said no, I didn't want anything from him. He asked what I was doing out there, so I told him that we came out to preach the Gospel, and he started cursing and saying that he hated religion. Understanding that there are a lot of bad "religions" out there, I explained that we were just preaching from the Bible. Then he started cursing about the Bible, so I decided it was going to be pointless to try to talk with this guy. I had a Paper Jamz drumset plugged into the amp, so I thought I'd play with that for a little while until he went away. Sometimes it's hard to get rid of a drunk who wants to argue. The PA speaker was sitting right next to him, so when I started drumming, he jumped off the window ledge and went over to argue with one of the people with petitions.
The illusion board works really well for catching people's attention and getting a conversation started. A lot of people stopped to check it out, but some of them would take off before we were able to go through it with them. We handed out a few more tracts and then packed up for the night.
Please keep the lost in prayer, reach out to them wherever you find them, and if you need training in how to evangelize Biblically, get yourself equipped. Check out LivingWaters.com for more information.
Soli Deo Gloria,
Monday, May 21, 2012
Thursday, May 17, 2012
What's Love Got To Do With It?
What is truth? That is what Pontius Pilate asked Jesus Christ, having no idea that Truth was standing right before him. So, here's another question: What is love? Definitions are important. Without knowing how one defines something, we may think that we're in agreement when actually, we couldn't be farther from it. For example, take Joel Osteen and his "loving" message of encouragment, and contrast that to Paul Washer, who offends people with his convicting preaching. Who is more loving? Be like the Bereans, search Scripture to see which of these two men is preaching the truth.
Is it ever loving to tell a lie?
Some might use the old analogy of your wife coming up and asking if this particular dress makes her look fat. Oh, that's a favorite one by atheists and so called Christians alike, as an attempt to justify a "little white lie", but let's really look into this shall we? You don't have to be brutal about it, saying something like, "It's not the dress that does it, Honey!" But neither do you have to lie.
You could say, "I don't like the way that looks on you, something else might be better." Now it's up to her if she wants to take your opinion or not.
But to tell her, "No, it looks great on you." when that is not the case, thinking that you're sparing her feelings is really only making matters worse. She now thinks that this dress looks good on her when it doesn't, and she goes out in public, while people are looking at her and laughing behind her back, ridiculing her and commenting, "Why would she wear something like that?" And it's your fault that she is publically humiliated because of your "little white lie" to spare her feelings. Who's going to spare them now that she was made to look foolish in public? And after she asked you the question in order to help determine what she was going to wear. The devil works in subtle ways, doesn't he?
What's even worse is to deceive someone into thinking that they're saved, not wanting to hurt their feelings, or anger them, or offend them, so you never confront them. And they fool themselves right up until they stand before the Lord and learn the truth (Matt 7:21-23) - can you call that loving? Real love would put others ahead of themselves, even allowing them to be angry, maybe to the point that they no longer want to be your friend! But you love them so much that you will take that loss if there is even a possibility that it will help them to be saved from eternal damnation. Lay down your pride!
So, what's the Biblical definition of love? That's the definition we really need to use, if we call ourselves Christians.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV1984) Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Does it say that no one will ever get angry with you? No, they were so angry with Jesus that He was crucified. Does it say that love will not confront? No, nothing of the sort. Are we not to confront sin, or do we just leave it alone, lest someone accuse us of being judgmental?
Love must include truth, for if it does not, can it really be love, tainted by even the slightest lie? Who is the father of lies (John 8:44)? It doesn't matter if you label them differently, "little white lies", "stretching the truth", "tall tales" or whatever, they all come from the same place, don't they? Where does the Bible teach that any one type of lie is ok? Rather, it teaches that all liars will have their part in the lake of fire (Rev 21:8).
The Gospel is truth, so even if the Gospel is preached with contention, we should rejoice (Phil 1:18). God's Word will not return void (Is 55:11). So the question is not so much, "Am I loving enough?", it's more complete in asking, "Am I Biblical enough?"
If you find another believer that you feel is unloving, check what they are saying. If it is contradictory to Scripture, you've found a wolf among the flock. However, if it is doctrinally sound, and you cannot argue against it with Scripture, then maybe it's not unloving at all. Then you must face the possibility that it is a tough love that God is using in order to get your attention. Rather than unloving, it might just be the Lord convicting your conscience, and you are responding in anger and rebellion instead of repenting and acknowledging His truth from the sources that He chooses.
Soli Deo Gloria
Is it ever loving to tell a lie?
Some might use the old analogy of your wife coming up and asking if this particular dress makes her look fat. Oh, that's a favorite one by atheists and so called Christians alike, as an attempt to justify a "little white lie", but let's really look into this shall we? You don't have to be brutal about it, saying something like, "It's not the dress that does it, Honey!" But neither do you have to lie.
You could say, "I don't like the way that looks on you, something else might be better." Now it's up to her if she wants to take your opinion or not.
But to tell her, "No, it looks great on you." when that is not the case, thinking that you're sparing her feelings is really only making matters worse. She now thinks that this dress looks good on her when it doesn't, and she goes out in public, while people are looking at her and laughing behind her back, ridiculing her and commenting, "Why would she wear something like that?" And it's your fault that she is publically humiliated because of your "little white lie" to spare her feelings. Who's going to spare them now that she was made to look foolish in public? And after she asked you the question in order to help determine what she was going to wear. The devil works in subtle ways, doesn't he?
What's even worse is to deceive someone into thinking that they're saved, not wanting to hurt their feelings, or anger them, or offend them, so you never confront them. And they fool themselves right up until they stand before the Lord and learn the truth (Matt 7:21-23) - can you call that loving? Real love would put others ahead of themselves, even allowing them to be angry, maybe to the point that they no longer want to be your friend! But you love them so much that you will take that loss if there is even a possibility that it will help them to be saved from eternal damnation. Lay down your pride!
So, what's the Biblical definition of love? That's the definition we really need to use, if we call ourselves Christians.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV1984) Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Does it say that no one will ever get angry with you? No, they were so angry with Jesus that He was crucified. Does it say that love will not confront? No, nothing of the sort. Are we not to confront sin, or do we just leave it alone, lest someone accuse us of being judgmental?
Love must include truth, for if it does not, can it really be love, tainted by even the slightest lie? Who is the father of lies (John 8:44)? It doesn't matter if you label them differently, "little white lies", "stretching the truth", "tall tales" or whatever, they all come from the same place, don't they? Where does the Bible teach that any one type of lie is ok? Rather, it teaches that all liars will have their part in the lake of fire (Rev 21:8).
The Gospel is truth, so even if the Gospel is preached with contention, we should rejoice (Phil 1:18). God's Word will not return void (Is 55:11). So the question is not so much, "Am I loving enough?", it's more complete in asking, "Am I Biblical enough?"
If you find another believer that you feel is unloving, check what they are saying. If it is contradictory to Scripture, you've found a wolf among the flock. However, if it is doctrinally sound, and you cannot argue against it with Scripture, then maybe it's not unloving at all. Then you must face the possibility that it is a tough love that God is using in order to get your attention. Rather than unloving, it might just be the Lord convicting your conscience, and you are responding in anger and rebellion instead of repenting and acknowledging His truth from the sources that He chooses.
Soli Deo Gloria
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Saturday 05-12-12
Dan, Alan, Joe, Tom and I went out to Mill Ave to reach out to the lost with the Gospel.
A guy named Royal stopped to get a glow stick by going through the Good Person Test (GPT). However, he wouldn't cooperate, saying he was some sort of universalist, just going by his feelings. He couldn't answer any questions, as those stuck in relativism are unable to make any sense at all and only like to hear themselves talk.
Then another guy who was playing the drums nearby, came over. He said his name was John Connor - Dan asked him about Skynet (a reference to the Terminator movies, since this is the name of the main character), and he said this really is his name. He gave me a bucket drum and stick to play while he sang a Christian rap song that he wrote. Tom filmed him, so you can probably find this on his blog soon. Link to Tom's Blog
Fernando, Amy and Jasmine stopped by with some younger kids to go through the GPT with Tom. Tom explained some of the error in the Catholic church once he realized they were Catholic. They stayed and listened, got glow sticks for all the kids and I handed Fernando an "Are You Good Enough to Get into Heaven?" tract. He replied that they were still Catholic, but I insisted, telling him that it went through the Ten Commandments, which are found in the Catholic Bible, so he took it. Pray that he reads it and God convicts him and draws his entire family out of the Roman Catholic church to be truly saved.
Ella and Shannon were a couple of young ladies that stopped by to check out our illusion board. They did pretty well on the initial questions, but were tricked by the last one. Then I took them through the GPT, and gave them some tracts to take with them. They thanked me and took their glow sticks and continued on their way.
A group of young Muslim men stopped by to talk with Dan. They debated for a while, and we split into smaller groups to speak with them. It was a very interesting conversation, and I think we've talked with some of these guys before. I mentioned that the Qur'an says to obey the Bible, but the guy didn't think so, and I couldn't remember the reference. I'll have to make a reference sheet for this sort of thing.
After that, we went to Denny's, and asked if we could pray for our waitress, Meeka again. She remembered us from before and requested that we pray for her friend Deante, who is currently in jail, unsaved and has even considered suicide. Please pray for Deante, that God would get hold of him, convict him and save him before it is too late. Also pray for encouragement and peace for Meeka, as she has not been able to speak with him and has no way to be able to reach him for a few days.
Soli Deo Gloria,
A guy named Royal stopped to get a glow stick by going through the Good Person Test (GPT). However, he wouldn't cooperate, saying he was some sort of universalist, just going by his feelings. He couldn't answer any questions, as those stuck in relativism are unable to make any sense at all and only like to hear themselves talk.
Then another guy who was playing the drums nearby, came over. He said his name was John Connor - Dan asked him about Skynet (a reference to the Terminator movies, since this is the name of the main character), and he said this really is his name. He gave me a bucket drum and stick to play while he sang a Christian rap song that he wrote. Tom filmed him, so you can probably find this on his blog soon. Link to Tom's Blog
Fernando, Amy and Jasmine stopped by with some younger kids to go through the GPT with Tom. Tom explained some of the error in the Catholic church once he realized they were Catholic. They stayed and listened, got glow sticks for all the kids and I handed Fernando an "Are You Good Enough to Get into Heaven?" tract. He replied that they were still Catholic, but I insisted, telling him that it went through the Ten Commandments, which are found in the Catholic Bible, so he took it. Pray that he reads it and God convicts him and draws his entire family out of the Roman Catholic church to be truly saved.
Ella and Shannon were a couple of young ladies that stopped by to check out our illusion board. They did pretty well on the initial questions, but were tricked by the last one. Then I took them through the GPT, and gave them some tracts to take with them. They thanked me and took their glow sticks and continued on their way.
A group of young Muslim men stopped by to talk with Dan. They debated for a while, and we split into smaller groups to speak with them. It was a very interesting conversation, and I think we've talked with some of these guys before. I mentioned that the Qur'an says to obey the Bible, but the guy didn't think so, and I couldn't remember the reference. I'll have to make a reference sheet for this sort of thing.
After that, we went to Denny's, and asked if we could pray for our waitress, Meeka again. She remembered us from before and requested that we pray for her friend Deante, who is currently in jail, unsaved and has even considered suicide. Please pray for Deante, that God would get hold of him, convict him and save him before it is too late. Also pray for encouragement and peace for Meeka, as she has not been able to speak with him and has no way to be able to reach him for a few days.
Soli Deo Gloria,
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Saturday 04-28/12
Tom had a class on Saturday, and Reuben came out on the streets with us afterward. Dan showed up a little later and tested him. Reuben did pretty good, he brought Dan over for Tom to help him out, but Tom played along and let Reuben give it a try. He did real well, explaining the Gospel and the need for a Savior.
Tom talked with Becki, who had stopped for a glow stick. Her friend wanted her to leave, but she stayed and went through the Good Person Test (GPT). She had some knowledge of Christianity, and called herself a believer. She said she was married, and her husband was home with the two kids. She was out with a friend and they had met some new friends at a bar. Tom explained the Gospel to her and gave her more to consider as she left with a glow stick.
Dan and I wandered around to other areas, since Sean and Edwin were out, too. We stopped and talked with a lady handing out tracts, who didn't recognize us, so we talked with her for a while. She was surprised that we knew the Ten Commandments until we told her that we were out doing the same thing.
Then we went across the street and talked to a young man named Kyle, who was passing out some tracts. We stopped and questioned him some. He told us that Jesus loved us, and that not believing in Him was sin. Then he told us that we're all sinners (a bit judgmental, don't ya think?). We asked him some hard questions to get him to think about what he was saying, and he stumbled a bit. Then we told him that we were Christians out evangelizing as well, and he said, "Are you shh.... are you serious?" We told him to watch his language and he tried to play it off, but we know what he almost said. We took him a bit by surprise. We asked if he was familiar with WOTM, and he'd heard of it, but obviously wasn't using it. So we gave him an "Are You Good Enough to Get Into Heaven" tract to show him how to use the Law to explain the need for a Savior. Then we headed back over to our own corner.
Another guy that stopped by to talk to us about the importance of speaking in tongues. I asked if this was a requirement for salvation and he said no, but went on to tell us how we should seek this gift. He was wasting our time in reaching out to others, so I told him that I agree with John MacArthur as a cessationist, believing the sign gifts had ceased.
The guy that likes to heckle us after he's done singing was on the corner, and when he got done there, he claimed that it was "garbage hour" and that he was done. Apparently, he was talking about us, but he went on to keep repeating himself about someone having more kids with their daughter than their wife. He seemed to think he was funny, but just sounded like a broken record. Garbage hour indeed. Eventually he left.
After that, a drunk Hopi Indian, who said he was not a Navajo, which seemed to be important for us to know, came over and talked with me. He wasn't making much sense, and said something in his native tongue that I couldn't understand. Where was the guy with the tongues lecture now? Anyway, this guy wanted a couple of tracts, so I gave him some and he passed them on to others who actually took them. He said his sister was a Christian, but he followed his native beliefs, whatever those were.
Over all, it was a pretty average night witnessing on Mill Ave.
Soli Deo Gloria
Tom talked with Becki, who had stopped for a glow stick. Her friend wanted her to leave, but she stayed and went through the Good Person Test (GPT). She had some knowledge of Christianity, and called herself a believer. She said she was married, and her husband was home with the two kids. She was out with a friend and they had met some new friends at a bar. Tom explained the Gospel to her and gave her more to consider as she left with a glow stick.
Dan and I wandered around to other areas, since Sean and Edwin were out, too. We stopped and talked with a lady handing out tracts, who didn't recognize us, so we talked with her for a while. She was surprised that we knew the Ten Commandments until we told her that we were out doing the same thing.
Then we went across the street and talked to a young man named Kyle, who was passing out some tracts. We stopped and questioned him some. He told us that Jesus loved us, and that not believing in Him was sin. Then he told us that we're all sinners (a bit judgmental, don't ya think?). We asked him some hard questions to get him to think about what he was saying, and he stumbled a bit. Then we told him that we were Christians out evangelizing as well, and he said, "Are you shh.... are you serious?" We told him to watch his language and he tried to play it off, but we know what he almost said. We took him a bit by surprise. We asked if he was familiar with WOTM, and he'd heard of it, but obviously wasn't using it. So we gave him an "Are You Good Enough to Get Into Heaven" tract to show him how to use the Law to explain the need for a Savior. Then we headed back over to our own corner.
Another guy that stopped by to talk to us about the importance of speaking in tongues. I asked if this was a requirement for salvation and he said no, but went on to tell us how we should seek this gift. He was wasting our time in reaching out to others, so I told him that I agree with John MacArthur as a cessationist, believing the sign gifts had ceased.
The guy that likes to heckle us after he's done singing was on the corner, and when he got done there, he claimed that it was "garbage hour" and that he was done. Apparently, he was talking about us, but he went on to keep repeating himself about someone having more kids with their daughter than their wife. He seemed to think he was funny, but just sounded like a broken record. Garbage hour indeed. Eventually he left.
After that, a drunk Hopi Indian, who said he was not a Navajo, which seemed to be important for us to know, came over and talked with me. He wasn't making much sense, and said something in his native tongue that I couldn't understand. Where was the guy with the tongues lecture now? Anyway, this guy wanted a couple of tracts, so I gave him some and he passed them on to others who actually took them. He said his sister was a Christian, but he followed his native beliefs, whatever those were.
Over all, it was a pretty average night witnessing on Mill Ave.
Soli Deo Gloria
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