Friday Night Notes

60% chance... what a joke!!!

It didn't look good early in the evening. The clouds were dark and a cold, light rain could be felt falling. I wondered if we were going to be rained out from our night of street evangelism, so I checked with Environment Canada to get the weather forecast. 60% chances of precipitation, it read. Right then and there, I was aggravated. 60%... what does that mean? If we go out for preaching and it starts raining heavily, the weather man can declare: "Well, I told you it was going to rain!" If we stay home and it doesn't rain, then the same guy can say: "I said 60%, that's not very high probability you know!"

So, we interpreted the forecast like this: "Who knows?!?" With that conclusion, we headed out for our night of street preaching. And then it rained. LOL! I rained for a good 2 hours. We toughed it out though; we found shelter in the entrance of a parking garage and we started preaching the Gospel.

The number of people walking the streets was pretty small, which isn't too surprising on a cold, rainy October night. That being said, there were some lost souls in the marketplace, and we did our best to show them the way.

Here are tonight's highlights:


1- Choosing Homosexuality Over God:

Four young ladies stopped in front of me and started reading my 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 sign. Everything seemed alright until they got to the "nor homosexual...". At that point I got the same old nonsense that some people are born homosexual and can't help themselves; and then the classic:

"What if your son came to you and told you he was gay? Wouldn't you accept him?"

"If my son did that, I would tell him EXACTLY what I would tell a homosexual on the street: REPENT AND BE CONVERTED UNTO GOD, BY FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS."

I don't think my answer was to their satisfaction. Actually, I know it wasn't.

"This really makes me mad," one of the ladies said.

"Tough," I answered. "This is God's Word, so you'll have to deal with it."

Then all of them rejected that the Bible was God's Word, though I strongly doubt any of them have ever read the Book, and then the mockery and insults started. I payed them no mind and finally took off.


2- A New Security Guard:

As I have already mentioned, we did our preaching tonight in front (well, sort of at the entrance) of a parking garage with is right in the middle of the marketplace. We had a good relationship with a security guard that worked in that garage, but apparently, he was transferred. Anyway, the new security guard came by me as I was preaching. I was afraid he'd give me trouble for preaching so close to the building, so before he could say anything, I said:

"I hope we're not bothering you here, my friend. We just want to stay out of the rain."

The security guard told me that he didn't have a problem with our preaching and that we were no bother at all. He even asked me a few questions about the Faith. Praise God.


3- A More Subdued Nick, But Still A Lost Nick:

A young man came by when I was preaching the Gospel, and I'll admit, I was praying that the Lord just keep him away. You see, I recognized the young man. His name is Nick and he doesn't like our preaching one bit; and after a few beers at nearby bar, he really despises our preaching. I once followed me around for half an hour just to jeer and insult me with every possible curse and harsh word.

"Long time no see," I began.

"Yeah, I know," he answered. "Don't worry though, I'm not going to bother you no more. I've come to realize that we are both serving God, just in different ways."

It took every ounce of strength in my little body to not roll my eyes at that statement as Nick was drunk as a skunk when he said this. I didn't want to argue with him though; I knew such action would be completely fruitless. So I just looked at him completely expressionless.

"Nick, my faith in the Living God. The God of the Bible, and the Bible is the Way, and there is no other."

Well, Nick would have none of that, but he wasn't angry or aggressive. He went on a rant about "the-only-thing-that's-important-is-love" (the John Lennon gospel), and that as long as we both showed love and compassion, we would, one day, be reunited in Heaven. Not wanting this nonsense to drag on too long, I concluded my time with Nick by saying:

"I hope we will be reunited in Heaven, Nick. I'll pray for you. Goodnight."

Let us pray that the Lord will convict Nick of the gravity of his sin, so that he may run to the Saviour.


4- Mickey, the Evangelist:

I ran into (not literally) a street preacher who used to labour in my city. I never knew the man, he laboured before I ever started street preaching but my pastor knew him well. We all had a nice chat about what the Lord was doing in our lives and encouraged one another in the Lord. It was a refreshing break from all the ungodliness around us.

"Different faces here tonight," Mickey said, "same wickedness though."


And that's the notes for tonight, dear readers. I'm going off to bed now, and praise God Almighty, when I wake up tomorrow, the Lord my God will still be with me.

"...when I awake, I am still with thee." (Psalm 139:18b)


Rand