Friday Night Notes

dumb... dumb... dumb...

I worked quite late tonight so I actually met up with Pastor Tim in the market; he had already been preaching the Gospel for nearly an hour.  I'm sure I was a welcomed sight!  The market was quite busy tonight.  We've been having quite a mild September this year, so people are coming out to the restaurants and pubs, enjoying the warm weather while it lasts.

It's always bittersweet to us preachers when the market is busy.  Sweet because it gives us opportunity to share the Gospel with thousands and thousands of souls.  Bitter because these thousands and thousands are in the market chasing after all manner of wickedness.  Still, we took what the Lord gave us and ministered the Word of God to all who would listen.  The Lord have mercy on whom He will have mercy.

I had a pleasant enough conversation with a couple of students from France.  They first asked me for directions and then were curious about my evangelism.  I gave them an overview of my faith and the reason for my evangelism and they seemed genuinely impressed.  The men had obviously been drinking, but they weren't totally drunk.  They were able to ask reasonable questions and understand my answers.  After a good 15 minutes, they both shook my hand and thanked me for speaking with them.

The two other conversations I had tonight were with two charismatic women; and on both occasions, it was a real aggravation.  In both instances, the women affirmed that they were believers and saved members of the body of Christ.  However, after 5 minutes of talking with each of them, I strongly doubted their profession of faith.  The first woman was quite put off by my evangelism; she didn't like me on a street corner holding a Bible sign.  She wanted me to be more subtle and lovey-dovey (so much for faith coming from hearing, and hearing by the Word of God).  The second woman was really far out.  She told me she was a big fan of Joyce Meyer... enough said.  I showed the woman a number of Scriptures pointing out the heresies in Meyer's teachings, and while she was clearly disturbed by the clarity of the Scriptures, she made a number of attempts at defending Meyer's "ministry".  She eventually walked away warning me no "to judge".  Oh dear...

Lots of drunkards tonight, and lots of mockers.  We endured a number of "God doesn't exist!", and a few "You've been brainwashed!", with a side-dish of "What's with all the Christians tonight?".  That last one always makes me laugh... "all the Christians"... it's just me and Pastor Tim!

The Lord have mercy on my poor, wicked city... and by extension, my poor, wicked country.  Truly, the foundations are destroyed, and the righteous hardly know what to do (Psalm 11:3).

Lord, help us!


Rand

Friday Night Notes

a busy night...



It's like summer just doesn't want to give up just quite yet.  It was remarkably warm tonight, and the market was buzzing with people.  Pastor Tim and I shared the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ with lots of people, and that, with little by way of persecution.  Praise the Lord.

It's funny how things work out sometimes on our customary night of evangelism.  Tonight, the little hardship we encountered was pretty much directed at Pastor Tim in particular.  On two occasions, a couple of men tried to disrupt his preaching, a drunkard gave him a bit of a hard time, and someone knocked down a Bible sign the good preacher had set up near where he was handing Bible tracts.  There have been nights where I have been the whipping-boy and wondered why Pastor Tim had gotten away scot-free; it was a bit funny to see the reverse effect.

I had the opportunity to speak at length with three young women who professed faith in Christ.  All of them were quite open about the fact that their walk with the Lord was less then stellar, so I encouraged them to cleave unto the Lord.  One of the ladies told me that she often rebelled against the Lord, but would always come back, fearing the Lord's judgment.  I reminded the woman of 1 John 4:18...

"The reason you fear judgment," I said, "is because your love for God isn't anywhere near perfect.  If you want to stop living in fear and disappointment, give yourself to the Lord and to what He would have you do."

All three women agreed with my assessment and thanked me for speaking with them.  They took a number of pictures of all of us around one of our Bible signs, and went on their way.  I truly hope my wife doesn't come across these pictures on the internet of something... me and three good-looking ladies in the market one a Friday night... might have some 'splaining-to-do.

Pastor Tim had a good conversation with a couple of Muslims.  He focused on the need for a sacrifice for sin; something that is lacking in the Qu'ran's teachings.  I don't think Pastor Tim convinced the men, but he sure gave them food for thought.  The Lord be merciful to them.

The last hour I was out there tonight was quite difficult.  My seasonal allergies flared up and it wasn't pretty!  I did my best to keep it together, but I went through a whole lot of Kleenex in the process.  I was mighty thankful the Lord didn't bring anyone to me at that point; I don't think I could have carried a conversation.  What a curse these allergies are.

That's it for this week's summary of our evangelistic effort.  I'm off to bed.  Before I go however, a great big "congratulations" to brother Joseph and his wife on the birth of their first child; the Lord bless you and your family.


Rand

Friday Night Notes

getting chilly...

The Fall season is definitely coming!  It was quite chilly out there tonight, and that even with two sweaters on.  The light rain that fell on us at the beginning of our night of evangelism didn't help our comfort level either.  Nothing worse than a wet cold. The cold weather definitely thinned the crowds that are usually downtown on a Friday night; and I suppose that's how it's going to be as we head into another Canadian winter season.

Due to the smaller crowds of sinners, Pastor Tim and I only had a couple of one-on-one conversations, which is a bit of a downer.  However, a lot more people were reading our Bible signs tonight, and that's a really good thing; God's Word is the living, incorruptible seed of the new birth.  People who are saved, are saved by hearing and reading the Bible.  So as far as tonight's open-air evangelism is concerned: The Lord save as He wills!

I spoke with a young man named Pierre tonight.  He was a nominal Romanist (as I once was), and asked me to sum up the difference between Romanism and "my faith".  I explained some of the major differences and he saw the merit of my theological positions.  I told him that his nominal faith in Romanism didn't equal saving faith in Christ.  I made sure to point out that genuine faith in Christ wasn't just mental assent to the existence of the Person of Christ, but rather, obedience to the Lord.  Again, he understood what I was saying, and requested one of my Gospel tracts.  The Lord be merciful to this lost soul.

Pastor Tim had to deal with a couple of hecklers tonight, and he never lost his cool, and continued the work of the Gospel.  The two men eventually got tired of persecuting the good preacher and eventually left quietly.  Lord have mercy on them.

Considering the lower volume of people tonight, we still handed out a decent number of Gospel tracts which is always good.  You never know if the Lord will use that tract, at a future time, to save the lost sinner who took it; or perhaps that tract will make it to one of the sinner's friends or family members, and they'll be changed!  Who knows, really.  The Lord use that literature as He sees fit.

To Him be the glory forever and ever.

Amen!


Rand