Do You Claim to be a Christian? Be Careful.
What Evidence do you Claim for knowing Jesus the Messiah
What is a solid foundation? What is a tried and true belief? When you start to call on Christ as Lord and Savior, then you leave those things (sins) that separate you from Him. You will love those things He loves and hate the things He hates. Being a true Christian means being like-minded in all things pertaining to Christ, and may even require sacrificing those things which make us individually struggle with sin in our lives. But while only the Holy Spirit can verify a true change of heart, there is a certain measuring rod by which one can examine their own heart as to whether or not they are a true believer. The things that we have talked about previously form the foundation by which one can claim to be a Christian, and the Bible contains everything a person needs to truly live rightly by that claim.” Know this, that the only way you can claim Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is if He has claimed you as His own. How do you know He has done this? Read the book of 1 John several times until you understand it. Then you should pray for His mercy and grace on your life. God’s Spirit will bear witness with yours. A good time to start is now.
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Grace Trumps Perversion in Miami
Everything about the Super Bow
l festivities was nothing short of wild. The Saints and the Colts would compete in one of the most watched Super Bowls of all time. My Super Bowl three-day weekend was spent with like-minded brothers in Christ. Two days were spent all day long, from early in the morning to around ten o’clock at night, on Miami Beach, not as a tourist, but evangelizing. Then on game day we were out even earlier doing street evangelism. Talk about rewarding! It is beyond description!
The atmosphere on Ocean Drive just off the beach can only be described as rowdy, undisciplined, unruly or riotous. I think the main reason for this was that approximately 80% of those there were Saints fans–the sin factor was up more than usual if you know anything about New Orleans, the Saints and Mardi Gras then you would understand the height of the sin factor that I am endeavoring to portray for you. Getting in and out of the “party” area required a lot of patience due to the incredibly thick traffic. Once our vehicles were able to arrive, it was time to pull out the tracts, New Testaments, the Bibles, our Bibles, and the amps. The days were long. Our bodies were weary, but our spirits were joyous and extremely grateful for the encounters the Lord was bringing our way.
Throughout the time down in Miami I was privileged to meet and speak with numerous people, but I will just briefly share four conversations with you. They were with Gory, Parish, Patty, and Ronnie. 
Gory, was a young man that had a mouth full of gold teeth. I guess that’s normal for the younger set. I explained the Gospel to Gory. At the end of our time I asked if I could pray for him. He agreed. We prayed! Our time of prayer was right there in the thick of all that bare skin, drunkenness, cussing, and whatever you could imagine. Prayer knows no boundaries!
Parish was a police officer that guarded the Tide (soap) demonstration (huge area). As we conversed he reflected on when he, a black man, had not been allowed onto Miami Beach. He too, amidst all that was going on listened to the whole Gospel presentation.
Then there was Patty a loner. She was a young woman that could have graced the cover of any Vogue or Cosmopolitan magazine. She had a sharp mind, yet she was a wanderer, hitch hiker, one that would rather remain as invisible as possible. She roamed about with her dog and a beaten up guitar.
As we were talking, I could tell by the scars etched in her face that she had been beaten a few times. In the course of the conversation she told me she had been raped by a pastor, a pastor that her parents trusted. The rapist pastor would only get a few years in prison and still claim to be a “Christian”, and this would cause distrust in people like me. Now here I come along and proclaim the Good News of the Gospel to this one who has been beaten and raped by someone who proclaimed the same thing. I could have given up and just left her with a tract and claimed Ezekiel 33:9. NO WAY! Would I actually go to Miami to proclaim the Gospel just to leave this woman with a tract? I could not live with myself, especially knowing I had, on this particular day, been provided a day Christ set aside for a time like this. I had as much time as I needed to exegete some of the text for her.
I let Patty talk for awhile. I wanted her to know I actually cared and would listen. I told her that before I left I had to make absolutely sure she understood the TRUE GOSPEL, not a false, self-serving gospel from the mouth of a lying rapist. I began by asking her if God were to take her life that night would she be ready. Her answer was, “I don’t know for sure, but I think I am.” Interesting I thought. I jumped to 1 John 5 where God tells us that we may KNOW we have eternal life. I went through the Law so it would convict her of sin (Romans 7:7). I explained why God must punish sinners. When I quoted Hebrews 4:12 and related what joints and marrow were, she smiled and said, “I know what it is, I hunt.” (She hunts with a bow.) I explained that there was no goodness within her that God would accept. All her greatest achievements in anything good would be a stench to a Holy God. Before I moved on to the Cross (Grace), I made it clear to her that she had to understand her sins would never be cleansed by anything she could do. She had to have righteousness from someone else. (An alien righteousness).
Patty listened intently as I explained clearly the Cross (Grace) and of Christ who suffered and died at the hands of men. How He endured suffering, humility, loneliness, pain, and agony. But, all His suffering in our eyes was as nothing compared to what His Father did to His Son. Isaiah 53:10, “But the LORD was please to crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering. ..” Now because God was satisfied to crush His Son, and the wrath we deserved was canceled forever for those that repent, turn to Christ as Lord and Savior. Turn from your sin and turn to Christ. He will change your blindness to sight, your deafness to hearing, and your heart of stone to a heart of flesh so you will have a new ability to please Him. God justifies the ungodly. He would look on you as though you had never sinned (whether in the past, now in the present, or in the future) and He would look on His Son as though He became sin (even though He never sinned). At this point, He makes you a new creation (1 Corinthians 5:17).
This is just a condensed version of at least an hour’s conversation on the Gospel alone without the other things I mentioned. At this point I asked her one more time if she died that night if she thought she would go to heaven? Would she be able to stand before a holy God? She came back with the same reply (a bit more certain than the first time), “I think I am.” I replied, “Okay, only the Lord and you know what is in your heart.” I pulled out a New Testament and put my wife’s and my name in it with our phone number. She was thankful.
Patty began getting nervous as the sun would soon be getting ready to set. She explained she needed to find a place to sleep. She turned down our offering of finding her shelter insisting she would be fine and thanked me again. Later that evening, Jose (one of the men on my evangelism team) and I were on Washington Avenue, the street parallel with Ocean Drive, when we saw Patty again. I asked if she found a place to sleep. She pointed to a little patio area between two buildings where she would be hidden until the morning.
Finally, on Super Bowl game day there was Ronnie, a limo driver. He just happened to be hungry at the same time that I was hungry. I ordered a Godfather’s mini-pizza (which happened to be in a gas station), and then turned to look for a table to find that all were occupied. I asked him if I could sit at his table. Of course, because God ordained it, Ronnie said, yes. He was from Canada. He spoke French and claimed to be an atheist. As we conversed, I informed him why I was in Miami, to preach and to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He asked me who Jesus Christ was. I told him that was simple. Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Ronnie, in his raspy, hard core voice replied mockingly, “Son of God, eah! Son of God, Son of God, that’s all you say is the Son of God.” I responded, “The Bible very clearly says that only Jesus is the Son of God, and that Jesus is God and only God forgives sin.” By the end of our 30 minute conversation, we were friends. He even smiled at me. Not only friends, but he agreed to read the book of 1 John in the Bible that I gave him. I opened it up to 1 John and showed him three and a half pages. I said, “Look you could read this in 15 minutes.” He said, “Three pages, that’s all? Yes, it is simple, huh?” Furthermore, I pointed out and said, “There is more in these three pages than I could tell you in a life time!” (Big smile) Again, I could have given Ronnie a tract and claimed Ezekiel 33. No way, no way, no, no, no way! Back up for one minute and think through this. Order food, get the food, no place to sit, I sit with Ronnie an atheist who sits with a proclaimer of the Gospel. Coincidence? No way! God wanted Ronnie to go home with His very words to read it for himself. Think about that for a minute. An atheist holding a Bible because I feared God more than man! I have more true joy in doing this than anything else! No one will ever talk me out of doing this!
Once the Super Bowl started we packed up our evangelism gear and headed back to base camp. Once at camp we packed up our belongings, loaded up the van and made our trek back toward the French Quarter in Louisiana to confront more sinners. God is so incredibly good! I have many reflections of sadness at times and yet indescribable joy from our Miami trip! I know my Lord does much better than I to convert a sinner to His saving faith. God is indeed faithful.
One week has past and this past Friday, Saturday, and Sunday were filled with activities here in Dallas for the All Star Basketball game. On Sunday it was extremely cold–I do mean, frigidly cold. The only question you need to ask yourself while at home, nice and toasty warm is this, “Will sinners be out there?” If the answer is yes, then the evangelist should be out there to meet them because hell is not cold! To make it short for a testimony, I share this sure fire moment. On the corner of a busy intersection of foot traffic and auto traffic I was reading Isaiah 40 aloud. I was getting all kinds of reaction from “Idiot” to “Preach it brother!” This one man of great stature (a modern day Goliath) walked up to me. I looked up because I could not ignore him. I looked into his eyes and knew he was not to be feared for there was kindness in his eyes. I greeted him with a hearty, “Howdy!” He said that he really appreciated that I was reading from the Scriptures and to keep it up. He shook my hand and gave me a “God bless you” and went on into the game.
I praise my Lord for allowing me to do the work He set up for His chosen. Many new friends were made that were
Pit Stop in Louisiana
strangers to start. I guess that’s real friendship evangelism.
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Just getting back from Miami. The saints beat the Colts. Will post something later about the trip.
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Sound the Alarm Against More Liberalism
From Apprising Ministries
PHIL JOHNSON ON THEOLOGICAL LIBERALISM
By Ken Silva pastor-teacher on Jan 27, 2010 in AM Missives, Current Issues, Features, Theology
As a Bible-believing Christian, it’s quite likely that more and more as you listen to what’s being taught in your mainstream evangelical church, you are sensing something is “off.” 1) you’re right; it is. And 2) at Pyromaniacs recently Phil Johnson has done the Church a service is exposing why.
He’s put together a couple of recent posts which are must-reads if you what to know what’s going on, and why even the mainstream of the visible church is only paying lip service to the proper Christian spirituality of Sola Scriptura. First, a few days ago in The Lie of “Liberal” Theology Johnson explains:
Liberal is such a benign-sounding term. The word itself means generous, open-handed, large-hearted, charitable. The synonyms commonly used to describe radical ideologies reverberate with positive overtones: “latitudinarian,” “progressive,” “forward-looking,” “free-thinking.” And the antonyms are all Scrooge-like words—”miserly,” “bigoted,” “narrow-minded,” “reactionary.”
Those semantic connotations disguise the true nature of liberal theology. When Christian doctrine is subjected to liberalizing influences, the inevitable result is a profoundly destructive drift that weakens churches, breeds skepticism, and quickly trades away the gospel for a differently-nuanced message. The long view of church history provides ample proof of that… (Online source)
Johnson also tells us:
This month’s 9Marks eJournal analyzes the subtleties and dangers of liberalism—especially the quasi-evangelical neo-liberalism currently vying for control of the evagelical movement. You must read this issue of the journal. Print it out, download it to your Kindle, or have someone read it to you.
Full disclosure: I wrote an article for the issue. Carl Trueman’s article is short but potent. I also loved Jonathan Leeman’s article. There are many such highlights—but the entire journal is must-read material. Take some time with it. (Online source)
And then a couple of days ago in A Thumbnail History of Theological Liberalism: The Lie of “Liberal” Theology, Part Two Phil Johnson explains:
Persons beset with the spirit of liberal religion invariably try to present themselves as cutting-edge visionaries. But liberalism is neither fresh nor progressive. Look at almost any era of church history and you will find the liberal spirit alive and well in some form or another… (Online source)
This is essentially what I told you in the Apprising Ministries article . And, although I don’t really know Phil Johnson personally, I can tell you this; I’m very glad he’s covering these issues for you because Johnson knows exactly what he’s talking about when he goes on to warn you:
Virtually every significant evangelical institution that embraced any degree of modernism soon abandoned evangelical principles. And practically all of them became empty shells of what they once were.
The legacy of such movements is clear—or it ought to be. No good has ever come from the liberalizing tendency. It is rooted in a way of thinking that is hostile to the authority of Scripture; it inevitably corrupts the simplicity of the gospel of grace; and it fosters skepticism and (in the worst cases) rank unbelief. (Online source)
I’ll tell you again; the truth is, what we are really dealing with in the sinfully ecumenical Emerging Church de-formation of the Christian faith aka Emergent Church—that’s now morphed into Emergence Christianity (EC)—with men like Brian McLaren and Rob Bell is actually a new form of liberal theology—a postliberalism i.e. Liberalism 2.0. Keep in mind here that the Emerging/ent/ence Church is quick to remind us that we live in a postmodern culture; and remember now, liberal theology was also known as “modern” theology.
What’s invading mainstream evangelicalism is a new hybrid, and highly subjective, postmodern approach to Christianity. But all these new Gnostics have really done with their secret knowledge gained through Contemplative Spiritualiy/Mysticism, under the guise of the spurious Spiritual Formation, within the EC ala Living Spiritual Teacher and Quaker mystic Richard Foster along with his spiritual twin Dallas Willard is to come up with a postliberal theology, which will kill the mainstream denominations just as dead as the original liberal theology once did the mainline denominations.
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The Gospel within a Doctrinal Statement
Every so often I will read the doctrinal statement of churches, schools, organizations and other institutions as is this one is from a school of theology. This is what part of a doctrinal statement looks like. Usually if a person wanted to join a church or institution that had a doctrinal statement, the person would have to sign a statement of agreement or agree audibly.
Sometimes though as a person grows to maturity in Christ, that person might want to read again the doctrinal statement they signed or agreed to when maturity was lacking in themselves. Sometimes it will get to a point where the agreement becomes awkward and you may have to put up and shut up or “move along”. This may be a hill to die on.
I like this partial statement and the whole one from where I copied it. Notice how it refers to the God Head three in One.
By His death on the cross, the Lord Jesus made a perfect atonement for sin, by which the wrath of God against sinners is appeased and a ground furnished upon which God can deal in mercy with sinners. He redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse in our place. He who Himself was absolutely without sin was made to be sin on our behalf that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. The Lord Jesus is coming again to his earth, personally, bodily, and visibly. The return of our Lord is the blessed hope of the believer, and in it God’s purposes of grace toward mankind will find their consummation.
The Holy Spirit is a person, and is possessed of all the distinctively divine attributes. He is God.
Man was created in the image of God, after His likeness, but the whole human race fell in the fall of the first Adam. All men, until they accept the Lord Jesus as their personal Savior, are lost, darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, hardened in heart, morally and spiritually dead through their trespasses and sins. They cannot see, nor enter the Kingdom of God until they are born again of the Holy Spirit.
Men are justified on the simple and single ground of the shed blood of Christ and upon the simple and single condition of faith in Him who shed the blood, and are born again by the quickening, renewing, cleansing work of the Holy Spirit, through the instrumentality of the Word of God.
All those who receive Jesus Christ as their Savior and their Lord, and who confess Him as such before their fellow men, become children of God and receive eternal life. They become heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ. At death their spirits depart to be with Christ in conscious blessedness, and at the Second Coming of Christ their bodies shall be raised and transformed into the likeness of the body of His glory.
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Joshua and the Battle of Lust?
- Tom Sadowski open air preaching
Saturday night Tom, Tim, Jon, and I went out to the Dallas Cowboys playoff game. Let me reiterate something here, the new stadium was custom built for open air preaching! Exterior glass walls leaning at an angle almost funnel like. Big at the top and then smaller at the bottom. The sound from an amplifier will bounce downward to the ground where people are hoopin it up. Jerry Jones is the billionaire that built the biggest stadium so we would have a great place with thousands of people to preach. Jerry still fails the good person test though.
All four of us preached, and all four of us were heckled. I believe when a person feels he has to say something to us to try to jostle us, he is feeling the “pinch” of his conscience. It is a kind of conviction that provokes action. Only their action is verbal (most of the time) and loud. Because a heckler disagrees with what he hears, he feels compelled to let everyone else know what he thinks. If we would leave Christ and the Scripture out of the open air sermon, we would not ever be heckled, only praised.
Hecklers are one side of the coin. The other is the conscience of those who call themselves Christians to give us the proverbial “high five”. Because we have a vantage point up high on a bench, most of the time we see them coming. You see the rowdiness in their action as they cross the street. You then see that they hear the Word and that they notice what we are doing. When they pass by, they too have to say something to soothe their conscience. I am not saying this is good or bad. I just think it is interesting to see conviction on both sides.
After we were there for some time, in those cold temperatures, I was finally able to talk to a man named Joshua. I do not know about you, but when I hear a Bible name I wonder right away why they have that name. In the case of Joshua, his father was a pastor! Why so much passion? Let me tell you. When the questions bite into their conscience you get a lot of information as though you were in a confessional (gross).
Once I knew his name and his father’s profession in life, I asked him, “If God took your life tonight would you be ready?” Shaking his head at the same time, without much hesitation, he said “No”! I stared at him for a second to let it sink in deeply. Not knowing how much time I had with him, I had hoped he learned something from dad. I knew I probably did not need to explain sin but, I went to the Ten Commandments as soon as possible. The Commandments showed him his sin. I then asked if he was concerned at all about not being prepared for eternity. He was. I said, “Don’t you know the wrath of God abides on you right now?” I told him I would be scared if I were him. He said yes he was scared.
He began feeling convicted. He said that he would be looking for a church soon. He mentioned that his girlfriend attends church. She was not just any girlfriend, but a Dallas Cowboys Dancer. I did not know of any such thing. Anyway, I knew from this information that this man was not going to attend church anytime soon. This is what I mean:
8 Passing through the street near her corner;
And he takes the way to her house,
9 In the twilight, in the evening,
In the middle of the night and in the darkness.
10 And behold, a woman comes to meet him,
Dressed as a harlot and cunning of heart.
11 She is boisterous and rebellious,
Her feet do not remain at home;
12 She is now in the streets, now in the squares,
And lurks by every corner.
13 So she seizes him and kisses him
And with a brazen face she says to him:
14 “I was due to offer peace offerings;
Today I have paid my vows.
15 “Therefore I have come out to meet you,
To seek your presence earnestly, and I have found you.
16 “I have spread my couch with coverings,
With colored linens of Egypt.
17 “I have sprinkled my bed
With myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.
18 “Come, let us drink our fill of love until morning;
Let us delight ourselves with caresses.
19 “For my husband is not at home,
He has gone on a long journey;
20 He has taken a bag of money with him,
At the full moon he will come home.”
21 With her many persuasions she entices him;
With her flattering lips she seduces him.
22 Suddenly he follows her
As an ox goes to the slaughter,
Or as one in fetters to the discipline of a fool,
23 Until an arrow pierces through his liver;
As a bird hastens to the snare,
So he does not know that it will cost him his life.
Joshua asked if I knew of a church in Denton. I did and mentioned Denton Bible Church. He told me he had to meet with a friend. I said I understood. Joshua knows the Gospel today because someone was willing to freeze off their south ends and open their north end and explain it, talk it, with passion and urgency. Joshua must repent and ask God for mercy unless he should go eternal torment.
NOTE: I know one man personally and some from afar who explain eternal torment, hell, and lake of fire to mean to be separated from God. This is a disservice to say it like that. Scripture does not say “your are going to suffer by being “separated” from God. Scripture is clear, you will suffer because you will burn in the lake that burns with fire. God does not need our help to make His word softer to the ear.
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Open Air Preaching? Who Listens Anyway?
No one listens anyway, do they?
Read what Charles Spurgeon (1834 – 1892), wrote:
You that preach in the streets, go on preaching Him. I saw a man preaching the other day with no creature but one dog to listen to him, and I really thought that he might as well have gone home. But I met with a story yesterday, which I know to be true, and it showed me that I was making a mistake. There was a woman who for years had been is such dreadful despair that she would not even hear the gospel.
She became very ill, and she said to one that called on her, “You sent a man to preach under my window 3 months ago, and I got a blessing.”
“No,” the friend said, “I never sent anyone to preach under your window.”
“Oh,” she said, “I think you did, for he came and preached, and my maid said that there was no one listening to him. I did not want to hear him; and as he made so much noise , my maid shut the window, and I lay down in bed; but the man shouted so that I was obliged to hear him; and I thank God he did, for I heard the gospel, and I found Christ. Did you not send him?”
“No,” said the good man, “I did not.”
“Well,” she said, “then God did. There was nobody in the street listening to him; but I heard the gospel, and I got out of my despair, and I found the Savior, and I am prepared to die.”
Fire away, brethren! You do not know where your shot will strike, but “there’s a billet for every bullet.”
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The Last Stop at the Stop for 2009
What happened on New Years Eve 2009
On December 31, 2009, I decided to go out one more time to the “stop” before year’s end. I am exceedingly glad I did. It was cold and windy night. My family and I had been invited to the home of Paul and Colleen Tosello. Images of the warm fireplace, wonderful fellowship, and delicious food were going through my mind. My wife and son took my Mother, Step-Father and youngest sister on ahead of me to enjoy the festivities. I felt I needed to go to the “stop” even though I did have second thoughts of backing out. I am glad I did not.
I spoke with a man named John at about the 10th truck I came to that night. He eyed me coming around his truck as I held up a tract (I knew he had no clue what I had). He looked from me and then to the tract. He opened his window, I handed it to him telling him what it was. Not having great timing, especially when it gets cold, I told him what it was and just as fast asked, “Do you attend church anywhere?”. He said he attended church a couple of weeks ago. I then asked, “Are you a Christian?” He replied that he was a Christian. After further conversation and more investigation there was scanty evidence of Christianity. After a few more questions he began to feel cold with his window open. He invited me inside his truck for more conversation. I am thinking how odd, not even my own brethren from my church invite me to their homes. This had to be of the Lord I was thinking, so I said sure.
Once I settled into the truck and thanked him for his hospitality, (weird, like a Christian) he said it was not a problem because he was getting cold. Prior to my entering the truck, I had a host of “red flags” waving in my head stemming from his various responses to the questions I asked, (wondered if I could get all those flags into the truck or not). My next few questions indeed settled in my mind the direction our conversation needed to head. I asked first, “When was the last time you read the Bible, and what did you read?” To the first question the response was “two weeks ago”, and to the second, he could not even provide an answer. Oops, not a good start.
Over the next few minutes we went through several of the Scriptures with one being John 9:31 to lead him in the direction of what unbelievers should expect for their prayers. After all, John had said he prayed all the time. By now he was on his second cigarette, interesting. Going through this exchange another red flag popped up. John did not believe this verse applied to him. We began establishing firmly that he was not a Christian, a true believer. If a professed Christian does not read the Word of life, has no fellowship with other believers, does not attend church, does not know the Scriptures to be true, then it could be, this man is not a Christian. 1 John 1:6 says, “If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.” Five cigarettes later and an upset stomach for me (too much smoke in my lungs), I asked him again, “do you think you would be ready if God were to take your life today?” He replied with a yes. It was not long after that point that I thanked him for the Mountain Dew and bid him farewell. He was glad that I made him think. I was glad I made him doubt!
Allen, the next trucker, did not let me into his truck. This is what Ezekiel says: “When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require from your hand.”
Allen cut me off shortly after I said that if I did not tell him about Christ, then the words of Ezekiel would probably apply to me. Allen knew nothing about the Gospel even though he lived with his wife who attended church “all the time”. He said she does the la la la thing when she is there and that whatever she tells him, he believes her. I shared a few other things with him including that I did not do the “la la la thing.”
Allen was nervous from the onset. I assured him I was not there to make him uncomfortable, or to ridicule him. He understood what I said, but he could not go on talking to me. Ezekiel really gave him a scare.
So, we bid farewell to 2009, thanking the Lord my God for His mercy and grace on my life. I deserve hell, but He gave me life eternal. I did not earn one atom of God’s wondrous grace, but He shed His blood for me. Nothing will ever take His salvation from me. Because I did not earn my salvation, I cannot lose it. Because God gave it to me, I cannot give it back. Christ Jesus is Lord! Christ Jesus is Lord and Savior of my life and my household. I praise my Lord God, I praise Him and give Him all the glory.
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Almost a Christian
Paul in Chains
In Acts 26:28 we read how King Agrippa replied to Paul, “In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian.” Powerful insight of a known unbeliever. People I speak to most often reply as King Agrippa did. I know for sure in the majority of instances that the men, women and children that I have spoken with are mulling over what I have presented as the Gospel. With the assistance of the Holy Spirit, I, like Paul, had the ability to persuade many sinners to become believers, followers of Jesus Christ.
After a lengthy, solid discussion of sin, hell, the Cross, justification, expiation, being “in Christ”, no longer an enemy of God, but His child, many people I encounter on the streets have a visible change in their countenance. My encounters with these people is usually but once. I see the irritation melt away, the puffiness deflated, and a clear change of attitude as they see themselves and their lifestyles in the clear light of the Law. Many times I hear people say things that I used to say before I came to Jesus Christ. Many times as they leave, it is much like King Agrippa as he left Paul. They walk away not wanting to have the Light expose their sinfulness–it causes uneasiness. I think they feel the tug of the Holy Spirit calling them to “give in” to the power of Jesus Christ that is working on their hearts, (yes, I know, Christ is more powerful than our stubborn wills, I don’t claim some great insight either). Sometimes there could be the beginnings of conversion taking place (a taste) that is causing them to think hard and to reflect on what they have heard.
As I have spoken with individuals out on the streets, and as the Holy Spirit works on their hearts, I see a change in their eyes and body language. As they contemplate the way God views sinfulness verses the world’s view, there literally seems to be at least a glimmer of light turning on within their expressions. Presenting scripture verses like Revelation 21:8 that provides serious warning about those that will be left out of the new heaven, “But for the cowardly, (fearful) and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death;” and then getting hitting even closer to home there is Matthew 5:22 that admonishes, “…but I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever say to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.”
Yes, this is the message I share with people that I meet out on the streets. It is the message I share with everyone whether they are obvious sinners or professing “Christians.” I cannot count how many times I have parted after these many and varied encounters with a handshake, a thank you, a hug, a prayer, tears, the exchange of information, and then there are many times all of the above are experienced. It is the love of Christ that drives me to go out. I look at each with the love that only Jesus Christ can produce and the knowledge that if they perish, their eternity would be in hell with despair, weeping and the gnashing of teeth. It is my prayer that I will be used of God to share with everyone that He brings my way and even with those that I go out to encounter on the streets. I want them to hear the Truth and have the ability to chose for themselves either Jesus Christ or to be an enemy of God who gave His only begotten Son.
Yes, King Agrippa could have yielded to the Truth. His heart of stone could have become a heart given totally to God, with ears to hear, and eyes that could clearly see. Conversion is never easy, but it is well worth the loss of worldly desires for heavenly treasures. It sets the sinner apart from what they now know to be a lie. It is in Jesus Christ that there is fullness of joy. Believers are now in Him, and God sees them as righteous, just, pure and holy. He gives believers the righteousness of Jesus Christ. All the sin was placed on the perfect Lamb of God. We deserve the death He died, but Jesus Christ bore our sin-debt, paying it with His precious blood. In our place Jesus Christ took on the fury of His Father.
My friends, King Agrippa, like unbelievers in our world will never enter the Kingdom of God on their merits. Being “almost persuaded” will only land the unbeliever in hell for all eternity. But to those that repent and trust in Jesus Christ, they will be forgiven. A place has been prepared in heaven for all who repent, (not for all) in eternity. Time as we know it will stop. Reality, in heaven or hell, will never stop!
Unbeliever, please repent, don’t be “almost persuaded”.
Topics: Witnessing Events | 3 Comments »
From Slice of Laodicea
Aug 25 by Sam Guzman
Last week it was reported that Brian McLaren and other emergent church leaders are celebrating Ramadan with Muslims. WorldnetDaily has an article on this new trend and notes that McLaren is not fasting for the salvation of his Muslim neighbors, but rather to join them in an act of community and solidarity.
This is What a False Convert Professes: From His Own Website, Brian Mclaren
Ramadan 2009: Part 1 What’s going on?
Ramadan is the Muslim holy month of fasting for spiritual renewal and purification. It commemorates the month during which Muslims believe Mohammed received the Quran through divine revelation, and it calls Muslims to self-control, sacrificial generosity and solidarity with the poor, diligent reading of the Quran, and intensified prayer.
This year, I, along with a few Christian friends (and perhaps others currently unknown to us will want to join in) will be joining Muslim friends in the fast which begins August 21. We are not doing so in order to become Muslims: we are deeply committed Christians. But as Christians, we want to come close to our Muslim neighbors and to share this important part of life with them. Just as Jesus, a devout Jew, overcame religious prejudice and learned from a Syrophonecian woman and was inspired by her faith two thousand years ago (Matthew 15:21 ff, Mark 7:24 ff), we seek to learn from our Muslim sisters and brothers today.
Muslims observe Ramadan in the same basic way world-wide: they fast from food, water, sex, etc., from dawn to dusk. We Christians who are joining in the fast will share these four common commitments:
We, as Christians, humbly seek to join Muslims in this observance of Ramadan as a God-honoring expression of peace, fellowship, and neighborliness. Each of us will have at least one Muslim friend who will serve as our partner in the fast. These friends welcome us in the same spirit of peace, fellowship, and neighborliness.We will seek to avoid being disrespectful or unfaithful to our own faith tradition in our desire to be respectful to the faith tradition of our friends. For example, since the Bible teaches us the importance of fasting and being generous to the poor, we can participate as Christians in fidelity to the Bible as our Muslim friends do so in fidelity to the Quran.
Among the core values of Ramadan are self control, expressing kindness, and resolving conflicts. For this reason, if we are criticized or misunderstood by Christians, Muslims, or others for this endeavor, we will avoid defending ourselves or engaging in arguments. Instead, we will seek to explain ourselves humbly, simply, and briefly when necessary, connecting with empathy to the needs and feelings of others as we express our own.
The god of Your Own Choosing
Our main purpose for participating will be our own spiritual growth, health, learning, and maturity, but we also hope that our experience will inspire others to pray and work for peace and the common good, together with people of other faith traditions.
May God bless all people, and teach us to love God and love one another, and so fulfill our calling as human beings.
**************
Last week it was reported that Brian McLaren and other emergent church leaders are celebrating Ramadan with Muslims. WorldnetDaily has an article on this new trend and notes that McLaren is not fasting for the salvation of his Muslim neighbors, but rather to join them in an act of community and solidarity.
This is What a False Convert Professes: From His Own Website, Brian Mclaren
Ramadan 2009: Part 1 What’s going on?
Ramadan is the Muslim holy month of fasting for spiritual renewal and purification. It commemorates the month during which Muslims believe Mohammed received the Quran through divine revelation, and it calls Muslims to self-control, sacrificial generosity and solidarity with the poor, diligent reading of the Quran, and intensified prayer.
This year, I, along with a few Christian friends (and perhaps others currently unknown to us will want to join in) will be joining Muslim friends in the fast which begins August 21. We are not doing so in order to become Muslims: we are deeply committed Christians. But as Christians, we want to come close to our Muslim neighbors and to share this important part of life with them. Just as Jesus, a devout Jew, overcame religious prejudice and learned from a Syrophonecian woman and was inspired by her faith two thousand years ago (Matthew 15:21 ff, Mark 7:24 ff), we seek to learn from our Muslim sisters and brothers today.
Muslims observe Ramadan in the same basic way world-wide: they fast from food, water, sex, etc., from dawn to dusk. We Christians who are joining in the fast will share these four common commitments:
We, as Christians, humbly seek to join Muslims in this observance of Ramadan as a God-honoring expression of peace, fellowship, and neighborliness. Each of us will have at least one Muslim friend who will serve as our partner in the fast. These friends welcome us in the same spirit of peace, fellowship, and neighborliness.We will seek to avoid being disrespectful or unfaithful to our own faith tradition in our desire to be respectful to the faith tradition of our friends. For example, since the Bible teaches us the importance of fasting and being generous to the poor, we can participate as Christians in fidelity to the Bible as our Muslim friends do so in fidelity to the Quran.
Among the core values of Ramadan are self control, expressing kindness, and resolving conflicts. For this reason, if we are criticized or misunderstood by Christians, Muslims, or others for this endeavor, we will avoid defending ourselves or engaging in arguments. Instead, we will seek to explain ourselves humbly, simply, and briefly when necessary, connecting with empathy to the needs and feelings of others as we express our own.
The god of Your Own Choosing
May God bless all people, and teach us to love God and love one another, and so fulfill our calling as human beings.
**************
Topics: Witnessing Events | 2 Comments »
More Truck Stop News
If you sit in one of these on Sunday, make sure you proclaim what you heard to those who don’t sit here on Sunday.
New American Standard Bible (©1995)
“Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent,
The following are emails from David Campbell, one of the faithful going to the Pilot truck stop at 170 and I 35w. He goes there to proclaim the Gospel.
Ron,
I was excited to tell you about tonight although I could not find you when I was done. I saw your truck but did not find you. I was freezing so I left. I hope you fared well. Tonight was a most gracious gift from our common savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. If you remember we asked that He allow us to see some fruit for our efforts and you asked specifically for at least one person. He gave me just what we asked for.
I was unable to speak with anyone until I got to the end and there was a truck there and the guy waved me over. I simply asked him if I could explain the gospel to him and he said sure and turned his truck off (the truck was positioned to be insulated against noise). We went through the law and he said, “I thought I was a decent person but that standard is so high no one can meet it, what are we going to do?” I then explained to him Christ and HIs atoning sacrifice and even drew stories from the Old Testament which I was not sure if he even knew but he seemed in awe.
Then he said that just this morning he asked for ‘God’ to help him because he just had an overwhelming sense that everything needed to change. He said it is so bizarre that I showed up tonight. I began to walk him through laying down ones life to follow Christ and looking to the life that will be ours one day and the treasure of Christ as exceeding the best that this life has to offer. I talked about the cost of following Christ and explained the difficulties that he was sure to face. He said he wants Christ. He asked “If I want to know God and I begin asking God to save me, how soon do I get to know him? How soon do I see a change in my life?” (we had talked about the evidences of salvation) I later shared with him the story of the Navigators founder (forgot his name) and talked about how when he was driving a truck he would make it a point to memorize and think about a new verse each and every day. I talked to him about the desire for Christian fellowship, the desire to read the bible, the desire to walk as Jesus walked. Not as salvific but as evidences of a renewed life.
I do not know what will happen with Billy but I must say I am so excited how the Lord was pleased to answer my prayer and encourage me to persevere in my prayers for the lost. He is so good to me, He is so patient, He is so kind.
Take care brother, it is an honor serving with you.
Ron,
I had been meaning to write you back about the truck stop the other night. Chris and I ended up staying out until almost 10:30pm or so. It seems that standing where we were we continued to engage person after person that happened to be coming by. It was a difficult night for me but also a very good night. I saw how the gospel can cause divisions even in a husband and wife, the wife was extremely receptive and the husband thought it was all a big joke.
I think the most striking is that both Chris and myself (independently) came across people who made the statement that it was angels that came and killed the guards outside the tomb and therefore they tried to lay at the feet of the only true Sovereign the death of two ‘innocent’ soldiers. I was baffled when I heard it because it was so ridiculous that I could not believe that some one actually said it out loud. Chris was kind of dumb founded as well since he had never heard such a claim either. How in the world does a human being charge the Almighty God with murder!? Talk about total depravity!
Thank you David for your continued labor for our Lord.
Matthew Henry quote:
The harvest is appointed and looked for before it comes; so was the gospel. Harvest-time is busy time; all must be then at work. Harvest-time is a short time, and harvest-work must be done then, or not at all; so the time of the gospel is a season, which if once past, cannot be recalled.
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Leonard Ravenhill, not a Man Pleaser
[Concerning one of the new "movements" in the church that was causing a stir among Christians:] “There’s also a stir when the circus comes to town.”
-Leonard Ravenhill
Leonard Ravenhill was one of Britain’s foremost outdoor evangelists of the 20th century. God used him to help bring thousands of people to Christ throughout Britain. Unlike the case with many of today’s evangelists, the conversions that Leonard helped to bring about were generally lasting conversions. That’s because he did not water down the Gospel when he preached it. Later in life, Leonard and his family moved to the United States, where he worked with Bethany House Publishers. In the 1980s, Leonard and his family moved to a home near Lindale, Texas, a short distance from Last Days Ministries. Leonard regularly taught classes at Last Days Ministries, and he was a mentor to the late Keith Green.
by David Bercot
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gc4pclpeau0
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Just More Power of Romans 1:16
David Campbell and I made the weekly trip out to the “Stop” again on Thursday evening, November 12th. I write about these weekly outings over and over, but each of them is never really the same. It is merely the same location. Each and every week we have divine appointments with different people. Never a dull moment, never the same story, just new individuals that need to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ! I may not always come up with new ways of putting into writing the narratives surrounding these divine appointments, yet I believe that Jesus Christ chooses with whom we speak and we just go obediently in His name. I often think of these God ordained times somewhat along these lines–God has known from eternity past that Ron and David would obediently get off their backsides (though often times their flesh would really like to stay at home and kick back and relax) and go out to the “Stop”.
There may be times when ministry can seem somewhat mundane or routine. Yet, I know that when I get my eyes off myself, get out there and engage minds, it becomes anything but monotonous. It comes alive! Ministry like this is exciting! You know, it is truly mind-boggling to consider that God first of all chose David and me to become His saints in Him. Then to reflect on the fact that He called us to be His ambassadors. The wondrous message that is shared is the “power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1.16)
I feel that going out to share the Gospel weekly is a privilege. I am compelled to go. I cannot remain at in home in comfort, with a world of people out there that have never really heard that Jesus Christ, God in human flesh, came to die for all that would believe. I cannot stop from telling of something so important and so powerful! The Scriptures describe it as the “power of God”!!!!
Sometimes I feel like a “fire hydrant” I have so much to share. I have to communicate with all that will listen. Yes, I will continue to go out to the “Stop” weekly, with as many as will go with me to talk with as many as individuals as possible that are at the “Stop”. I will continue to weekly share some of the tremendous opportunities that are encountered. Weekly you will read of God injected in the lives of many. Maybe not unto Salvation each time but, for my obedience everytime.
Topics: Witnessing Events | 3 Comments »
Pig Sermons
Luke 15:11-32
The Prodigal Son
11And He said, “A man had two sons.
12“The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me .’ So he divided his wealth between them.
13“And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living.
14“Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished.
15“So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16“And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him.
17“But when he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger!
18‘I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight;
19I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men.”‘
20“So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.
21“And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22“But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet;
23and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate;
24for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.
Pig Sermons
In the Scriptures whenever pigs are mentioned, they are repugnant animals. They are, to a great extent, viewed in the same manner as the foolish son from the above parable. He was described as a son who loathed his father so much that he willingly embarrassed him by demanding all the inheritance that would be his. Since the father was neither dead nor dying, the son’s demand of inheritance money was looked upon by the society just as if he wished his father were dead, out of the way.
The parable of the prodigal son is one of the most well known from the Scriptures. It is the parable that causes me to reflect in many ways on the countless number of the churches that surround us today. Many churches are nothing more than pig styes suitable for the swine, and goats. Very few of these “churches” provide the necessary surroundings for a wayward son that would cause him to desire the presence of his father over the filth of the world.
In the vast majority of the churches today, a myriad of sermons are spewed forth Sunday after Sunday. Sermons that have had little or no preparation, little or no time meditating on the Scriptures, little or no time in prayer. They are fashioned to be sugar-coated, or ear-ticklers. These are what I label as pig sermons!
But why do I label them as “pig sermons” you may ask. Think of it in this light. Pigs are filthy animals. They love to wallow in the mire. They can be taken from their mire and slop, washed and cleaned, manicured, and even have perfume and lipstick applied. Try as they may, the pig is still a pig and will run directly back to the mire the first chance it gets. Pig sermons are just a cover up, not sermons that provide the necessary sustenance to keep one from starving to death spiritually.
Pig sermons are just like taking a pig from its mire. This type of sermon can be taken from a host of pre-written sermons from the internet, composed by anyone, Christian or non-Christian, on any subject or topic. It can be just a 15-minute talk on something in the news. These pig sermons can be “cleaned up and manicured” to be presented to an undiscerning congregation who may never realize the “slop” that they are being fed. These sermons are still, and will always be, filthiness in disguise. These types of sermons do not challenge the church attendee to examine their lives through the eyes of the Scriptures. They do not want to make anyone feel uncomfortable about the foulness of their sin. They are nothing more than worldly stories from a pulpit that can do little to cause one to reflect on their state of “filthiness,” or to reflect on the fact that if the world is flocking to it, it more than likely is not the nutritious meat of the Word of God. The non-thinking “convert” lacks the fortitude to demand sound doctrine because they have never tasted more than the “pig slop.” They feel no condemnation when listening to the pig sermons.
Pig sermons can be beneficial for those in charge of the styes. They are profitable in the form of vast revenues. The revenues are gleaned through filling the pages of books with syrupy slop, CDs and DVDs filled with nauseatingly malnourished feed. They do not see the final outcome of this diet. They feel good in their own “righteousness.”
We are called to arise up from the mire of pig sermons; sermons which have one outcome, destruction. The destruction is in the form of eternity in the lake of fire. Just because a sermon looks good, sounds good, makes one feel good, it means nothing in the eyes of a Holy God. We are called to be discerning, to search the Scriptures to see if what is being taught lines up squarely with the Word of God. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thought and attitudes of the heart.” Paul warns in Galatians 1:6-9, “I marvel that you are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: which is not another, but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel to you than that you have received, let him be accursed.”
It has been a long time since Paul wrote those words of warning. Those words of caution are all too often allowed to sound hollow to those of the Emergent Church, Catholics, Jehovah’s Witness’, Mormons, Muslims, many Baptists, Presbyterians, Assemblies of God, Lutherans Independent church attendees, Bible Church attendees, the followers of Benny Hinn, Todd Bentley, Juanita Bynum, TD Jakes, Joyce Myer, Medina Pulling, John Wimber, Joel Osteen, the Crouchs, Bush, Obama, and the list goes on. People have become complacent. They have become tainted by sin, like a drop of arsenic in a glass of water. It is lethal! They have been given over to pig preaching.
When the prodigal son finally came to his senses (became discerning), he realized that all his life he had listened to pig counsel and pig teachings. He realized that he had been listening to pig doctrines. He began to comprehend his need to repent and ask the forgiveness of his father. He desired to be in the presence of his father as a slave more than to be in the mire and slop of the pig sty. Humbly and repentant he returned home to a waiting father.
The parable illustrates what our heavenly Father has done for those that repent. It represents a loving Father that patiently awaits the return of His child. It represents a Father willing to forgive, and celebrate the return of a wayward son. This is our heavenly Father’s acceptance of us, His prodigal children. It is an acceptance that extends beyond any human understanding or reasoning. I love this parable.
A word of caution: be on the alert for pig sermons. These sermons are meant to destroy you through a pseudonym love. It is a faulty love pat on the back which endeavors to provide a false assurance that your time spent in the mire is actually good for you. Beware!
| Romans 1:32 | and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them. |
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Thundering through the Stop
There are countless reasons I could come up with as to why I should not go out in the cold, on a Thursday night knowing what would confront me when I arrive at the truck stop, better known as the “stop”. Throughout the summer it is hot, stinky, noisy, and dirty. There are prostitutes there to lure truckers to their doom, mobile porn dealers with their “smooth “sounding pitch to buy 3 videos because they are cheaper than buying only 1. During the colder months it is stinky, noisy, and dirty, but you have wind that seems to whip right through you. Truckers are in a zip code to themselves.
Truckers have no post office box while they are out on the road, and no place to relax outside their truck. What they do have is a lot of television, videos, and internet to pass their down time away. This is but a minute description of the world in which they subsist. This is all they experience until evangelists intrude upon their world.
For a couple hours each week several of us from around the metroplex step out in faith attempting to make the most of their time on this earth, and to fulfill God’s purposes according to Ephesians 5:16, “making the most of your time, because the days are evil.” Since the days are evil, what better way to combat the battle of evil than to go to a stinky, dirty place where sin proliferates? Note: Not all truckers are of the devil. There are a few that put into practice righteousness. Very few!
This past Thursday, Jeff, Jeff, Bryron, of Light Pursuit, David, and Ron, of Gospel to the Perishing, descended on the Pilot Truck Stop like Texas thunderstorms. By God’s grace each was able to have conversations of biblical proportions, conversations that bothered consciences and caused mouths to be stopped. Our Lord is doing a work at the stop.
David has been able to come out with us for about 4-5 weeks now. He is full of the Spirit, and God is working in his life to grow in Him who is True and Faithful.
David had witnessing contacts with four men, even one that was not at the stop. Here are his highlights:
Ron, from NC, fooled David temporarily. Ron is a sinner who is trying to break away from alcohol. Psychologis
ts label it “alcoholism” and identify it as a “sickness” to make people feel better about themselves. But they are not sick. In truth, they are sinners who love their sin. Ron was able to fool David briefly because AA utilizes “Christian” lingo in their 12-step program. In reality, Ron was anything but a Christian”. At one point Ron mentioned, “God is not a God of wrathand punishment”. However, David stuck to his guns. Whenever someone says something like that, you can tell them they are right, “your god is not the god of wrath and punishment.” Your god is not the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Your god is a god of your own making.
Another contact, Nathaniel, was possibly a Christian with wrong theology. But warning flags were waving over his head. At the end of the conversation, he thanked David.
Here is David’s account his contact with a man named Solomon:
Solomon was from Jamaica. He was not sure what to think of God, but he felt like he had been good enough to go to heaven. I quoted Proverbs 21:2 for him, asking if he knew how God weighs the heart? Solomon replied that he did not know. We then went through the 10 commandments and what Jesus Christ said regarding lust and anger. It really bothered him that God would judge him even on his thoughts. I was able to explain how God cannot be good if He did not punish sin. There appeared to be a tear is his eye.
Solomon listened intently to how Christ bore the punishment of sin for him. I explained God’s salvation plan, the only way he could be right before God is through repentance and faith. I was completely caught off guard by his next question: “But I am a truck driver. How can I go to church?” I replied, “Church attendance does not save you!” He said, “No! You do not understand. How am I supposed to be with other Christians to help me walk right?”
Is this not possibly the evidence of someone coming to Christ? (2 Tim. 2:19, 1 John 1:6) Only God judges the heart. I was surprised how quickly a person went from justifying themselves to demonstrating the possible first fruits of repentance. He says he has a Bible and will be reading. I gave him my contact information; perhaps I will meet Solomon again either in this life or the next.
The others in our group: Jeff Wortham was able to engage in numerous conversations.
I (Ron) was able to speak with Kenny and Brian for just under 2 hours. Kenny knew nothing of the Gospel. Brian knew different things about the Bible, but had problems linking them together. I do not know if Brian is a Christian, but Kenny is not.
I am not sure who Byron and the other Jeff spoke with, but they enjoyed the visit to Fort Worth to help us “thunder through the truck stop.”
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Bold Evangelism not Pew Evangelism
This update was taken from http://http://www.lostcauseministries.com/blog/
This past week was an insanely busy week for TLC Ministries. Josh Williamson and Heath Pithouse were in town from Australia. They are with an evangelism ministry called Operation 513 and have been touring the USA doing evangelism ministry.
This week we took the gospel to the U2 concert in Dallas, UNT in Denton, OU in Norman, OK, Sundance Square in Fort Worth, the “Kiss In” stage by a pro-homosexual group in the Stockyards of Fort Worth, and the West End Marketplace in Dallas. Of course, this does not include the faithful work of the men with TLC who were at the Truck Stop or at the Day Laborer Camp and Skate Park.
Topics: News to Use, Witnessing Events | 3 Comments »
Arrested At West End
The cost of the Gospel Message in America
Yesterday many of us went out to proclaim Christ Jesus on the one year anniversary of both Jon Speed’s bogus ticket for amplified open air preaching, and my arrest on false, trumped up charges, at the West End in Dallas, Texas. Christ had His hand on us in the events that led to several Dallas police officers intrusion into our lives. Jon’s expensive ticket was dropped! My ticket and charges, dropped! All that remains to be done is to get the arrest expunged from my record.
Last night was the evening after the famous Texas OU football game. If you care about such things, Texas won again. Jeff, Tim and Jon, Josh and Heath from from Australia, Chris from Jeremiah Cry Ministries, Chris from Christ for the Nations college, Tony, Melvin, and others I know I am missing. I counted about 15 people whose concern last night was to be a witness for our Lord.
Did God do somethng last night at the West End?
We packed up between 9-10 p.m. to go home. We walked back through the area where all the sinners were suppose to be partying. What we found was amazing! The West End last year was packed sidewalk to sidewalk. Eating and carrying on like it was going to be lint the next day. This year was a merchant’s nightmare. The place never brought the numbers of party goers it did last year.
My thoughts about the low turnout: I believe that due to the way we were treated last year (tackled to the ground by Dallas police officers and falsely arrested, ticketed for using a small, hand-held amplifier), God cursed that area. Understand this, the hari krishnas were allowed to use 2 huge amplifiers while they hopped around like fools. The establisments used large PA systems to crank up and spew forth wicked music broadcasting the worldly doctrines of man. Our small amp could not even be heard across the street.
So by the end of our night there at the West End in Dallas, we had nothing but praises for the many people we spoke to, and the many who heard our open air message.
| KJV | Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. |
Topics: Witnessing Events | 2 Comments »
Ronnie?
Again I am playing catch up from the last two Thursdays at the truck stop (“the stop”). Remember that I now have help from Jeff and David. All contacts are not recorded by me. Most of the time I just mention the ones I have talked to out there. Too, I do not mention all of my contacts as there far too many.
Last Thursday went well, I thought. David was already talking to a trucker by the time I arrived at just before 7 p.m. I waited for Jeff to make sure of our logistics. The three of us in the last two outings have been able to cover just about 100 percent of “the stop.” Because of our method of dividing the entire stop campus into thirds, we are better able to keep from overlapping one another.
Diary part: I talked to Gary and older gentlman, kind in spirit. I know if anyone would meet with him their heart, like mine, would go out to him. I wonder how a man could go through life without knowing the basics about the Scriptures. Gary knew very little and nothing at all about the Gospel.
In short I explained the Gospel fully to him and bid him farewell.
Ronnie, was a man who thought he knew the Gospel. His explanation of it proved to me that he was far from the true knowledge of it. Sure there are people out there who claim as long as you feel that God is in your heart then you must be saved. This was the case with Ronnie. Holding onto a hope in a feeling is how he explained his “gospel”. His gospel was a feeling, faith in a feeling. My friends, feelings change like the wind. Whose feeling can you say counts for eternity? God is not a feeling. He is Jesus Christ in the flesh. Jesus Christ who created feelings never said in the Scriptures to trust in them. He said to trust in Him alone.
God's Creation
For God alone my soul waits in silence: from Him comes my salvation.
He only is my Rock and my Salvation, my Defense and my Fortress.
I shall not be greatly moved.
…My soul, wait only upon God and silently submit to Him;
for my hope and expectation are from Him. He only is my Rock and my Salvation;
He is my Defense and my Fortress, I shall not be moved.
Psalm 62:1-2, 5-6
The above Psalm is not a feeling. Oh, it generates plenty of feelings but, the feelings are not telling us anything. God is doing the talking, not the feelings. Trust in Him alone.
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