Pridefest '08.
My wife talked some good friends from our little church into coming with us. We arrived at about 2:00 and drove around to find a place to park, I noticed a "protester" on one corner holding up a sign and a cross. We prayed before we left the car - and asked God again to "bring the people to us, or bring us to the people He wants us to share the Gospel with..."
If you've read much here before...it's astounding how God answers that prayer every time I pray it.
We headed into the park and split up into pairs. Don was with me, Laura with Dany.
I made a beeline to the "protester". Opened up a little conversation with him. He was holding up a sign with his left hand that said "Forgive them Father for they know not what they do", and in his right hand he had a typical Catholic Crucifix with Jesus still on the cross. I asked him what he was representing and he said he was Catholic.
We talked for a bit, talked about where he'd go if he died right then and there, etc. I was surprised that he answered heaven at first...but then I asked him about purgatory, asking him about why he thought there was such a thing. He said the story of the rich man and Lazarus was proof to him...as the rich man "didn't seem like a man in Hell" so he must have been in purgatory. It was a pretty brief conversation, but I did leave him with a copy of "One Thing You Can't Do In Heaven".
Don and I continued to walk around the perimeter toward the fountain...where Don said "If I'm making you uncomfortable or you think it would be better to split up, I'll just sit here by the fountain." I said "Ok."
So Don sat down in the shade by the fountain and I continued walking.
I handed out some tracts. The Evangelism Team "Homosexuality" tract is great for events like this because the front side looks like it is Homosexual literature...but here is what they say on the back:
Homosexuality has been under attack for some time now. Since the 1990s, when same sex marriage became an issue, the media ridiculed and publicized it in such a way, they forced us to take sides. As this caused such a stir in society, an even more important issue was being overlooked because we allowed ourselves to be caught up in the here-and-now. The more important issue is, what happens in the “there-after?” And because the here-and-now is only temporary, the there-after is worth looking into. Listen to what the Bible says. “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” When you die, you will stand before God and be expected to give a detailed account of your life. On that day, how will you do? Here is a quick test. Have you ever told a lie (even once)? Have you ever stolen anything (the value is irrelevant)? Have you ever used God’s name in vain (this is called blasphemy)? If you have done these things, you have sinned against God and He sees you as a lying, blasphemous thief. On Judgment Day, you will be guilty of breaking His laws, the 10 Commandments, and end up in hell. But God doesn’t want that. The Bible says, “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Simply put, you broke the law and Christ died to pay your fine. Then He rose from the dead and defeated death. If you will repent (turn from your sin) and put your trust in Jesus Christ, He will forgive your sin, take your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh to desire the things of God and grant you the gift of everlasting life. Isn’t that amazing? So, repent today. God will never let you down. Then read your Bible every day and obey what you read. See John 3:16 and John 14:21. God bless you!
I have been really "shut up" lately. You can pray for me. Not even for boldness so much as just doing what I should be FIRST and that is trusting God. With EVERYTHING, especially in opening my mouth and sharing His Truth with this world.
I had a few brief conversations, but didn't really get anywhere. It's so selfish the way I/we judge "success" on our level...on numbers, on what we think a "good" conversation should be. I have to remind myself more often...that His word NEVER returns void! My job, my duty, my loving outreach to anyone is simply to speak the Truth in love and not ever have a concern for the immediate "results".
I kept walking around and found Dany and Laura talking to a lady, I walked over just as they finished and I see Don RUNNING across the park toward us. He runs up to us and says "Do you have another copy of 'One Heartbeat Away'?" I said yes...gave him a copy and he took off RUNNING with it!
Dany and Laura kept walking...and I went a different direction too. I stopped to pray briefly a few times - eventually working my way back around to the fountain. Don was sitting in the same spot talking to some people. Just as I got there I saw Dany and Laura talking to another lady. I sat down and picked up part of the conversation...the lady they were talking to was quite drunk and slurring most of what she said...but Dany and Laura were giving her the Gospel.
Don finished up the conversation he was having...came over and his eyes teared up as he started to share with me. He said he sat down...thinking this is a good "safe" place. Before he knew it, 2 hours had passed by and he had proclaimed the Gospel to a whole bunch of people. The first guy had been a "believer/christian" but had fallen away and really questioned just about anything in the Bible anymore. Don walked through some great proofs with him and that's when Don came running to find us to get a copy of "One Heartbeat Away" for the guy.
Don said the guy seemed kind of "dead" to what he was saying at first...but really opened up when Don seemed to really CARE and wasn't pushing a bunch of religious junk down his throat.
I walked back over toward the Catholic protester guy...and sat down next to some teen/pre-teen girls. They were really working hard to make fun of the guy, they were seeking "something" and the gay lifestyle had them locked in. The conversation really didn't go very far...
We all hooked up again after a total of a little over two hours. I talked to a guy from Jamaica (Don had talked to him earlier) and gave him a copy of "One Thing You Can't Do In Heaven" as well. He was a "Christian" and had stopped by the park on the way back from church. He had so many of the "right" answers, he had talked to Don about not being lukewarm and taking his faith very seriously........yet there he was sitting on a bench as 1,000's of people walked by.....and him not taking his "faith" seriously enough to TALK to them about the only Truth that will matter in 100 years.
All four of us started sharing from the few hours we were there. Dany ran into a girl she had talked to last year and Pueblo Pride. She remembered Dany, gave her a huge hug - they talked some more again and exchanged contact info. She told my wife "This is really good, I won't try to jump your bones...this will be a good spiritual relationship." Dany asked her if she'll be at Pueblo Pride..."Yes...and you?" "Yes"...she then told my wife she looks forward to seeing her and talking to here there.
Is God amazing or what?
"Lord God...bring US to, or bring to US the people you want US share the Gospel with! Remind us at that instant...we can trust you and you'll do amazing things when we open our mouths for you!"
Posts
