Friday Night Notes

folly on the one hand... wonderful grace on the other...


It was an up-and-down kind of night of street preaching with many cursing our very existence, while others kindly blessed us. The blessings uttered tonight were so gentle and kind that I took courage and continued labouring in the Gospel work even in the midst of persecution. I do not know if I can effectively relay to you, dear readers, just how wonderfully refreshing it is for an evangelist to be encouraged by his fellow brothers and sisters-in-the-Lord; and not just within the walls of the local assembly, but out in the field where he/she is surrounded by the hostility of the devil's world.

The wicked grimaced in disgust at our Bible signs. Some cursed us out loud, others mocked us grievously. Some ripped our Bible tracts and threw the pieces on the street, others yelled: "I love the devil!" We've seen all manner of wickedness tonight, but the Lord, in His awesome mercy, sent us some of His saints to encourage us. I clearly remember a Chinese man walking up to me after reading my Bible sign, and said:

"I'm a Christian too! God bless you in your evangelism!"

Another man was on his cellphone as he walked by me, and after a quick look at my Bible sign, he asked the person he was talking with to hold the line for a moment. He then looked right at me and said:

"God bless you for what you're doing... no seriously... God bless you!"

I also had a chance to speak with Alex, a fellow evangelist who was out distributing Bible tracts. He is always an encouragement to me. We had a pleasant, though short conversation, which again helped me to take heart and soldier on. The Lord bless this brother in his efforts.

Now the night wasn't only "blessing and cursing", there was a few "in-betweens" which I hope the Lord will use my words to save. For example, just before meeting up with brother Alex, a man walked out of a pub and called out for me. He said he had seen me walk by with my Bible sign and wanted to know what my evangelism was all about. I explained John 3:36, the Scripture on my Bible sign, to him and he said:

"Okay... I think what you're doing is right. I'll think about what you said."

I also dealt with a young lady who felt sorry for me (after our conversation... I felt sorry for her). You see, the young lady didn't think the Lord wanted me to stand on a street corner with a Bible sign, because that is just too convicting (I'm not kidding, that's what she said). I explained that I was quite pleased to hear her say that my evangelism was convicting. I also told her that my evangelism was meant to be foolishness to carnal men, and the power of God unto salvation of God's people. She said she understood, but clearly, she didn't get it. She kept claiming to know the Scriptures but everything she said was so terribly un-Scriptural! She eventually left with a friend of hers, wishing God's blessing on me, though she continued to claim that God definitely didn't care much for my method of evangelism. The Lord help this young lady; I remember a time when I believed the same "seeker-friendly" nonsense she believed in.

Both pastor Tim and I handed out a fair number of Bible tracts tonight, so the seeds are out there. Let us pray that they will find good ground!

"And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; and when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: and when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: but other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear." (Matthew 13:3-9)

"Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty." (Matthew 13:18-23)


God bless you, dear readers...


Rand

Labels: Friday evangelism