Yesterday, I went out to my spot at Dover Center and Center Ridge in Westlake from about 6:50 to 8:00. I have been wanting to get back out on the streets- I have only been out a few days on the weekends. I saw a story on the news about a man who came up to Cleveland from Louisville, Ohio, dressed as Jesus and carried a cross around downtown for about two hours.
Seeing that really put a spark back in me and motivated me to get back out there. I didn't have any conversations last night, but these are probably people who have never seen my cross. I used to go out during the week for about two hour increments between 11 AM and 5 PM, but I now work (praise God for that!) and am not free during the day. I look forward to the warmer weather and being back out on the streets!
Friday, April 22, 2011
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Sinagara Park in Lakewood - 3/20/2011
Sunday, I went out to Sinagara Park in Lakewood with a brother from church, Ryan. For anyone following my blog, I'm sure you've noticed this is one of my favorite spots. We were out there from about 3 to 5. There was quite a bit of foot traffic even though it was a bit chilly.
Ryan was handing out tracts and as I've come to know in Lakewood, he was being met with some opposition. At one point during our fishing, a woman named Victoria walked by and Ryan engaged her in conversation. Victoria had a lot of time on her hands and she was very open to listen to the Gospel.
Ryan shared the Gospel with her and at one point she asked something along the lines of what she must do in response to the Gospel. I wasn't sure what Ryan was saying was answering her question, so I offered my past experience. I told Victoria that after reading the New Testament myself for the first time in 2008, I knew I wanted to be saved. I knew God existed, I knew there was a heaven and hell and I wanted to do what I must do to be saved.
I knew Jesus died for my sins, but how did I get the substitutionary atonement apply to me? It was my sin that stood in my way. The hardest thing was repenting (turning away from my sin) and the changes that it would mean to my life. I told Victoria that it would be a radical change in her life, but "what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?" (Mark 8:36).
Please be in prayer with me that Victoria makes the right decision, repents of her sins, and places her trust in the only One who can save her- Jesus Christ.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Back on the Street in Lakewood - 2/19/2011
It's been a while since I've been on the street, but Saturday I went back out to Sinagra Park in Lakewood. A friend from church, Chris, joined up with me. I displayed my cross while Chris handed out tracts and engaged a few people in conversation as they passed by. As much as I like talking to people about Christ, I usually wait for them to come up to me- not the other way around- that is something I need to work on. I was glad to have someone alongside of me who took that initiative.
We arrived in Lakewood around 4:00 PM. Chris engaged a young man walking by who considered himself to be a good person, but Chris quickly took him through some of the commandments to show him how God viewed him.
Another young man who was 20 walked by and we engaged in conversation. He told he was on his way to his church for a youth activity. He told us his church was an Assembly of God church and there were about 30 youths in this group. Chris gave him about 30 tracts to distribute to the youth, which he said he would.
We got to talking a bit and he asked a few questions Chris and I really couldn't definitively answer. He asked about people having supernatural experiences where they were taken to heaven or hell. I told him I didn't really have an opinion on this because Scripture doesn't describe experiences like this. I told him I believed God has already revealed everything that is necessary for us in the Bible.
I offered one piece of advice when regarding revelation from God: Revelations 22:18-19: "I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book."
I made sure to ask the young man about repentance and his response concerned me a bit. Chris also asked this young man to go on YouTube and find Paul Washer's Shocking Message (to 5,000 youth). If you have never watched or listened to this message, please do. I also asked him to listen to Hell's Best Kept Secret. Chris wrote down this information on a tract and gave it to him.
Chris also engaged a man named Brendan in conversation while he was waiting for the bus. Brendan told us he attends mass regularly at a Catholic Church. Chris started off taking Brendan through the law and I remember at one point Brendan said, "But I haven't murdered anyone...' Chris asked him if he had ever hated anyone, and it was difficult to get him to admit to it. I'm sure Chris told him God views hate as murder in the heart. The conversation started going off on a tangent a little bit and Brendan had to leave to catch the bus.
Before Branden had come up, a group of youths passing by inquired about the cross and asked "ready for what?" I told them that it was appointed for man once to die and then comes judgment (Hebrews 9:27), and asked if they were ready to face God for judgment. One of them had some choice words for God that I will not repeat.
One analogy I made sure to always use in our conversations was the parachute analogy: if you were on a crashing plane and there was a parachute that could save you, just "believing" in the parachute doesn't save you. You have to strap on the parachute, trust the parachute with your life, and jump from the plane. In the same sense, you have to put on the Lord Jesus (Romans 13:14), trust Him with your life, and repent of your sins (turn away from them).
I'm not sure how often I will be able to go out on the streets- I'm hoping at least once a weekend now that it is getting warmer. I'm also thankful for some new faces in church who also have a heart for evangelism who will now join me.
We arrived in Lakewood around 4:00 PM. Chris engaged a young man walking by who considered himself to be a good person, but Chris quickly took him through some of the commandments to show him how God viewed him.
Another young man who was 20 walked by and we engaged in conversation. He told he was on his way to his church for a youth activity. He told us his church was an Assembly of God church and there were about 30 youths in this group. Chris gave him about 30 tracts to distribute to the youth, which he said he would.
We got to talking a bit and he asked a few questions Chris and I really couldn't definitively answer. He asked about people having supernatural experiences where they were taken to heaven or hell. I told him I didn't really have an opinion on this because Scripture doesn't describe experiences like this. I told him I believed God has already revealed everything that is necessary for us in the Bible.
I offered one piece of advice when regarding revelation from God: Revelations 22:18-19: "I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book."
I made sure to ask the young man about repentance and his response concerned me a bit. Chris also asked this young man to go on YouTube and find Paul Washer's Shocking Message (to 5,000 youth). If you have never watched or listened to this message, please do. I also asked him to listen to Hell's Best Kept Secret. Chris wrote down this information on a tract and gave it to him.
Chris also engaged a man named Brendan in conversation while he was waiting for the bus. Brendan told us he attends mass regularly at a Catholic Church. Chris started off taking Brendan through the law and I remember at one point Brendan said, "But I haven't murdered anyone...' Chris asked him if he had ever hated anyone, and it was difficult to get him to admit to it. I'm sure Chris told him God views hate as murder in the heart. The conversation started going off on a tangent a little bit and Brendan had to leave to catch the bus.
Before Branden had come up, a group of youths passing by inquired about the cross and asked "ready for what?" I told them that it was appointed for man once to die and then comes judgment (Hebrews 9:27), and asked if they were ready to face God for judgment. One of them had some choice words for God that I will not repeat.
One analogy I made sure to always use in our conversations was the parachute analogy: if you were on a crashing plane and there was a parachute that could save you, just "believing" in the parachute doesn't save you. You have to strap on the parachute, trust the parachute with your life, and jump from the plane. In the same sense, you have to put on the Lord Jesus (Romans 13:14), trust Him with your life, and repent of your sins (turn away from them).
I'm not sure how often I will be able to go out on the streets- I'm hoping at least once a weekend now that it is getting warmer. I'm also thankful for some new faces in church who also have a heart for evangelism who will now join me.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Nudity in Art
I have read a discussion on Facebook and even had one myself with a Christian about nudity in art. I have heard both sides of the discussion- that nudity is OK and not OK in art. I haven't really thought about this much until I heard Todd Friel talking about this week.
I am not going to go in depth with this, but I do believe nudity is not necessary nor should be permitted in art from a Christian perspective. I can't tell the world what to do or change its views, and I don't expect to.
In the beginning, before sin entered the world, Adam and Eve "were both naked and were not ashamed," (Genesis 2:25). What happened next in chapter 3? Eve is tempted by the serpent, ate the forbidden fruit and gave some to her husband to eat. Genesis 3:7 says, "Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths."
Clearly, they both knew they sinned and they knew being naked was something to be ashamed of. If you don't think so, just read the rest of chapter 3 and see God's response to their action.
Outside of marriage (1 Corinthians 7:2-7), Scripture clearly shows nudity is something to be ashamed of. There is no "exception rule" for art- and anyone saying there is, is shaking a fist at God.
I'm not saying the human body is something to be ashamed of- hardly- "But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband," (1 Corinthians 7:2). That's where God draws the line.
Actually, this is just like the Garden of Eden all over. God has given us an entire world to use as inspiration as art, and we want the one thing God has told us to stay away from.
I am not going to go in depth with this, but I do believe nudity is not necessary nor should be permitted in art from a Christian perspective. I can't tell the world what to do or change its views, and I don't expect to.
In the beginning, before sin entered the world, Adam and Eve "were both naked and were not ashamed," (Genesis 2:25). What happened next in chapter 3? Eve is tempted by the serpent, ate the forbidden fruit and gave some to her husband to eat. Genesis 3:7 says, "Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths."
Clearly, they both knew they sinned and they knew being naked was something to be ashamed of. If you don't think so, just read the rest of chapter 3 and see God's response to their action.
Outside of marriage (1 Corinthians 7:2-7), Scripture clearly shows nudity is something to be ashamed of. There is no "exception rule" for art- and anyone saying there is, is shaking a fist at God.
I'm not saying the human body is something to be ashamed of- hardly- "But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband," (1 Corinthians 7:2). That's where God draws the line.
Actually, this is just like the Garden of Eden all over. God has given us an entire world to use as inspiration as art, and we want the one thing God has told us to stay away from.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Being Gay: Choice or Genetics?
A few months ago, a young man walked up to me with my cross and asked, "Would it be a bad thing if I'm gay?" This had been the first time I had been asked about this subject on the street and I needed to handle it with extreme care.
I told this young man that I could only tell him what the Bible said about homosexuality. He asked if it said it was bad and he would burn in hell. I told him that it was true that if he looked in 1 Corinthians 6:9 that it does say no homosexual will inherit the kingdom of heaven (The ESV says kingdom of God, but they are interchangeable).
At this point, I was quick to point out the Bible also says that no fornicators, murders, or even liars would enter, either. The young man rightly pointed out that is everyone in the world. Paul points that out in Romans 3:23: "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." The command to repent is just as universal: "No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish" (Luke 13:3).
The fact is we are all born with a sin nature- the types of sin just differs based on the person. While some may have the sin of homosexuality to repent of, others may have the sin of sexual immorality (sex before marriage, adultery) or looking with lust (Matthews 5:27-28). The homosexual and the sexually immoral will find their selves in the same hell (as will liars, thieves and other unrepentant sinners).
All this said, I do not believe being homosexuality is in your genes. While one may have feelings toward the same sex, that does not make them natural. Recently, in Cleveland, there was the story about Anthony Sowell, who alleged murdered several women and buried their bodies on his property. No one would say this is natural. Neither are homosexual thoughts.
You may say to me these are two completely different things- murder and homosexuality, but the Apostle Paul talks about them in the same sentence in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. If this is the way Paul, who Jesus Himself commission to carry His name among the gentiles (Acts 9:15), it is the same way I will deal with it.
Just like any other sin, you must acknowledge your guilt before, apologize for it, and repent (turn from your sin and toward God) before God will take away your sinful nature. It is at this point that God will give you a new heart with new desires (Ezekiel 36:26). This is what God requires of you for salvation (John 3:3).
You may be saying that your feelings are too strong and they have to be natural. That isn't so. Salvation is a supernatural act of God and He will give you a new heart with new desires. I have experienced this myself- things I used to love I now have come to despise.
It will be the same for you- but God wants you to take the first step. I know it will be difficult at first and those desires will still be there, but each time you turn away from them, those desires decrease.
Someone asked me what I would do if I had a son that was gay. I tell him exactly what I said in this article and to the young man I met on the street- that he must repent of his homosexuality. I would also make it clear that God views us all as sinners, not just the homosexual, and we are all in danger of his wrath unless we repent. Anyone who tells you otherwise isn't telling you the truth.
In closing, I believe remaining homosexual is a choice one makes. It is a choice one makes not to repent of that sin (or any other sin). You may say you aren't strong enough to overcome the feelings- you aren't. You need the supernatural power of God- that way He gets all the credit. Just take the first step.
I told this young man that I could only tell him what the Bible said about homosexuality. He asked if it said it was bad and he would burn in hell. I told him that it was true that if he looked in 1 Corinthians 6:9 that it does say no homosexual will inherit the kingdom of heaven (The ESV says kingdom of God, but they are interchangeable).
At this point, I was quick to point out the Bible also says that no fornicators, murders, or even liars would enter, either. The young man rightly pointed out that is everyone in the world. Paul points that out in Romans 3:23: "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." The command to repent is just as universal: "No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish" (Luke 13:3).
The fact is we are all born with a sin nature- the types of sin just differs based on the person. While some may have the sin of homosexuality to repent of, others may have the sin of sexual immorality (sex before marriage, adultery) or looking with lust (Matthews 5:27-28). The homosexual and the sexually immoral will find their selves in the same hell (as will liars, thieves and other unrepentant sinners).
All this said, I do not believe being homosexuality is in your genes. While one may have feelings toward the same sex, that does not make them natural. Recently, in Cleveland, there was the story about Anthony Sowell, who alleged murdered several women and buried their bodies on his property. No one would say this is natural. Neither are homosexual thoughts.
You may say to me these are two completely different things- murder and homosexuality, but the Apostle Paul talks about them in the same sentence in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. If this is the way Paul, who Jesus Himself commission to carry His name among the gentiles (Acts 9:15), it is the same way I will deal with it.
Just like any other sin, you must acknowledge your guilt before, apologize for it, and repent (turn from your sin and toward God) before God will take away your sinful nature. It is at this point that God will give you a new heart with new desires (Ezekiel 36:26). This is what God requires of you for salvation (John 3:3).
You may be saying that your feelings are too strong and they have to be natural. That isn't so. Salvation is a supernatural act of God and He will give you a new heart with new desires. I have experienced this myself- things I used to love I now have come to despise.
It will be the same for you- but God wants you to take the first step. I know it will be difficult at first and those desires will still be there, but each time you turn away from them, those desires decrease.
Someone asked me what I would do if I had a son that was gay. I tell him exactly what I said in this article and to the young man I met on the street- that he must repent of his homosexuality. I would also make it clear that God views us all as sinners, not just the homosexual, and we are all in danger of his wrath unless we repent. Anyone who tells you otherwise isn't telling you the truth.
In closing, I believe remaining homosexual is a choice one makes. It is a choice one makes not to repent of that sin (or any other sin). You may say you aren't strong enough to overcome the feelings- you aren't. You need the supernatural power of God- that way He gets all the credit. Just take the first step.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Thanksgiving at My Place
Trying not to have a repeat of Thanksgiving 2009 and Easter 2009, I pretty much kept my mouth closed at Thanksgiving this year in regards to religion. My relatives know my position and they've heard the Gospel from me before.
The Gospel, the Bible, and Jesus are my favorite things to talk about, so when my uncle started talking about my aunt being "church lady" by my uncle because of her involvement in her (Catholic) church, it was hard for me to bite my tongue, but I did.
It was mentioned that my aunt was still teaching CCD. If you read the two blog posts linked above (Thanksgiving 2009 and Easter 2009), you can find out what my aunt believes. Sitting here a few days later, I want to ask her if she is teaching what she believes or what the church believes. Either way, it is still heretical.
In defense of the Catholic Church, I have had it said to me in the past, "Everyone doesn't believe everything the Catholic Church teaches." Guess what? They aren't Catholic- just like I can't cherry pick in the Bible what I want to believe and be Christian. If you have read the posts above, you will see what I mean about my aunt's "doctrine."
One thing that I did notice is that through all this religion and church talk, not once did anyone bring up Jesus or what He did on the cross. Funny how "religion" does that. Your religion won't save you- only Jesus Christ.
The Gospel, the Bible, and Jesus are my favorite things to talk about, so when my uncle started talking about my aunt being "church lady" by my uncle because of her involvement in her (Catholic) church, it was hard for me to bite my tongue, but I did.
It was mentioned that my aunt was still teaching CCD. If you read the two blog posts linked above (Thanksgiving 2009 and Easter 2009), you can find out what my aunt believes. Sitting here a few days later, I want to ask her if she is teaching what she believes or what the church believes. Either way, it is still heretical.
In defense of the Catholic Church, I have had it said to me in the past, "Everyone doesn't believe everything the Catholic Church teaches." Guess what? They aren't Catholic- just like I can't cherry pick in the Bible what I want to believe and be Christian. If you have read the posts above, you will see what I mean about my aunt's "doctrine."
One thing that I did notice is that through all this religion and church talk, not once did anyone bring up Jesus or what He did on the cross. Funny how "religion" does that. Your religion won't save you- only Jesus Christ.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Does God Accept Me?
Someone recently posted a response to a status I had posted on Facebook that, "If Jesus is not love and accepting and if what you assert is true...then basking in His presence for all of eternity doesn't sound much more appealing then being sent to Hell." Let me unpack that statement.
First of all, while God is God of love, He also a God of wrath. How can this be? Simple. God displays His wrath toward unrepentant sinners by sending them to Hell as a penalty for their sins and God displays His love through sending His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for our sins. Through our repentance (turning from sin) and placing our trust in Him (like a parachute), we can have eternal life- even though we deserve Hell for our sins.
To the second point- God as accepting. I am not going to even look at this from a Biblical standpoint initially, but a human perspective. The above comment was posted in response to me saying this: "I will be loving and accepting toward a homosexual in this lifetime- but when that person dies, they go to Hell. That isn't love- that's hate."
This society has been taught to accept homosexuals. Coming from that view, I can see how it is hard to understand why a homosexual deserves Hell. Let me make this abundantly clear, though. It is not just homosexuals who deserve Hell.
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 says, "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." The list extends to a lot more than just homosexuals.
The question is, who should be accepted? Should homosexuals? Some would say yes. What about the sexually immoral- those who have sex outside of marriage? These are both sins, but a lot of people want to write these off as not severe enough to send one to Hell. In fact, as I will later show, we are all guilty.
What about Hitler? Should God accept Hitler? I have asked this to people on the street and it is at this point that a clear line is drawn in the sand. Obviously, not Hitler. He killed millions of people! This, by the way, is breaking the 2nd commandment- creating a false idol. Your "god" would never send a homosexual to Hell, but He would definitely send Hitler to Hell.
The problem is we measure people according to our standards. If someone is worse than our standards, they deserve Hell. If our standards allow for sexual immorality, then that is no longer a damnable sin.
Here is the problem: God is not grading you on a scale, as you are with the rest of society. If you want someone to compare yourself with- compare yourself to Jesus. He sinned not ONCE in thought, word, or deed. How do you look now? God made this very easy for us: He told us that "None is righteous, no, not one" (Romans 3:10,3:23). There aren't a certain amount of good deeds that need to be done or a sin "limit" that can be reached- we are all guilty.
To sum this up, God doesn't accept ANYONE except through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ on the cross. By repenting of our sins (not just admitting you are wrong, but turning from them) and placing our trust in Him, you can have eternal life. Not because you are a good person, not because you deserve it, but because you are a sinner justified in the eyes of God through the blood of Jesus Christ.
"For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21). By repenting and placing our trust in Jesus, God will take all of your sins and place them on Jesus on the cross. He paid the penalty for your sins. His righteousness, perfect and sinless, will then be imputed to you. This is the good news of Jesus Christ.
First of all, while God is God of love, He also a God of wrath. How can this be? Simple. God displays His wrath toward unrepentant sinners by sending them to Hell as a penalty for their sins and God displays His love through sending His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for our sins. Through our repentance (turning from sin) and placing our trust in Him (like a parachute), we can have eternal life- even though we deserve Hell for our sins.
To the second point- God as accepting. I am not going to even look at this from a Biblical standpoint initially, but a human perspective. The above comment was posted in response to me saying this: "I will be loving and accepting toward a homosexual in this lifetime- but when that person dies, they go to Hell. That isn't love- that's hate."
This society has been taught to accept homosexuals. Coming from that view, I can see how it is hard to understand why a homosexual deserves Hell. Let me make this abundantly clear, though. It is not just homosexuals who deserve Hell.
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 says, "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." The list extends to a lot more than just homosexuals.
The question is, who should be accepted? Should homosexuals? Some would say yes. What about the sexually immoral- those who have sex outside of marriage? These are both sins, but a lot of people want to write these off as not severe enough to send one to Hell. In fact, as I will later show, we are all guilty.
What about Hitler? Should God accept Hitler? I have asked this to people on the street and it is at this point that a clear line is drawn in the sand. Obviously, not Hitler. He killed millions of people! This, by the way, is breaking the 2nd commandment- creating a false idol. Your "god" would never send a homosexual to Hell, but He would definitely send Hitler to Hell.
The problem is we measure people according to our standards. If someone is worse than our standards, they deserve Hell. If our standards allow for sexual immorality, then that is no longer a damnable sin.
Here is the problem: God is not grading you on a scale, as you are with the rest of society. If you want someone to compare yourself with- compare yourself to Jesus. He sinned not ONCE in thought, word, or deed. How do you look now? God made this very easy for us: He told us that "None is righteous, no, not one" (Romans 3:10,3:23). There aren't a certain amount of good deeds that need to be done or a sin "limit" that can be reached- we are all guilty.
To sum this up, God doesn't accept ANYONE except through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ on the cross. By repenting of our sins (not just admitting you are wrong, but turning from them) and placing our trust in Him, you can have eternal life. Not because you are a good person, not because you deserve it, but because you are a sinner justified in the eyes of God through the blood of Jesus Christ.
"For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21). By repenting and placing our trust in Jesus, God will take all of your sins and place them on Jesus on the cross. He paid the penalty for your sins. His righteousness, perfect and sinless, will then be imputed to you. This is the good news of Jesus Christ.
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