Friday Night Notes

hot... hot... hot...


Weather has been extremely hot these last two weeks... my country really is a land of extremes temperature wise.  Five months from now I'll be freezing in sub-zero degree winter weather, standing on the very same spot I was cooking on tonight.

Pastor Tim and I were in the marketplace for our usual three hours of evangelism tonight, preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ, handing out Gospel tracts and carrying with us Bible signs.  We ministered the Gospel to thousands of lost souls tonight, who for the most part regarded us as a nuisance.  I'm still amazed at the level of bitterness directed at us for simply reminding people of God and His Gospel.  That said, I have to admit that the level of mockery and scorn we experienced in years past have somewhat lightened up over the last little stretch.  I hope that's a trend that will continue for awhile.

We had a few one-on-one conversations with people who had questions, and had a couple of chats with believers who came by to encourage us.  I spoke to a young Muslim who wanted some precisions on the person of Christ and what He accomplished on the cross two thousand years ago.  I was really surprised with how well that conversation went.  The young man didn't argue, he just asked questions, listened to my answers, thanked me and walked away.  Too often, conversations with Muslims end with vain babbling and unfruitful arguments.  I hope the Holy Spirit will use the information that young man got tonight to begin the work of salvation in him.

Both Pastor Tim and I had a short conversation with a French Christian couple at the start of our third hour of evangelism.  Benoit and Lysianne came by and expressed their support for our efforts, and asked us if they could pray for us!  Benoit prayed a lovely prayer and after a little more chatter, we evangelists went back to work and the young couple took off for home.  I pray that by our example, in time, the Lord might use Benoit and Lysianne to thoroughly evangelize their French community.

Near the end of our night of evangelism, I watched a group of young women walk by, many of them under the influence of alcohol, acting foolishly.  I gathered they were celebrating a "bachlorette" since one of the women wore a veil and the party seemed to be focused on this one woman's person.  Watching their foolish behaviour, hearing their vile speech, I couldn't help but remember this Biblical passage:

"But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.  For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." (Matthew 24:37-39)

With five minutes left to our labour, I started gathering our Bible signs when I noticed that a large group of people were around our 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 Bible sign.  The camera phones were out and everyone was laughing hysterically.  I couldn't hide my disappointment and distress; it was written all over my face.  Curiously, when the group noticed me standing behind them, their laughter quickly dropped and they all began walking away.  Some of them actually seemed to be ashamed of themselves.  I hope and pray that this experience will teach of these souls that:

"It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God." (Hebrews 10:31)

The Lord have mercy on the souls we ministered to, and to Him be the glory forever and ever.  Amen.

God bless you, dear readers.


Rand