Thursday, Jun 19, 2008

Witnessing to Caesar

Download this episode (18 min)  
I wanted to do something a bit different with this post. I’ve uploaded an audio of an interview I had with a young man named Caesar. In addition, I’ve provided links below to the video footage of the same interview. I had to upload the video footage in two parts.

Please pray for Caesar – a very nice young fellow who clearly loves his sin so much that he’s unwilling to bend the knee to King Jesus. Caesar’s sin is so darling to him that he’s willing to go to Hell for it.

After watching the video footage, I realized that I might have been a bit “squishy” with him. I should have been more firm with him in addressing his faulty positions. Please watch the two-part video and give me some input.

A friend of mine gave me this very helpful critique after watching the video:

“I personally might have turned up the heat a bit... Dealt with some of his presuppositions a bit....Maybe asked since there is nothing inherently bad according to you, would it be okay for a grown man to be with a 6 yr old girl if they love each other?" Since they "feel" love and it can never be wrong, how can you judge him? Asked how he came to some of his conclusions.... Questioned him a little more on his assertion that his feelings are never wrong. "I feel so much more loved and free of restraints when I just be myself...." That speaks volumes based on his lifestyle..... Way to hang in there! It's always easier to critique than to be the one on film!”

This is helpful. Please consider leaving me a few comments on how I might have better communicated the truth to Caesar.

Here are the two video links.

Part 1
http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=789c4e0bfdc01bb7ab1a

Part 2
http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=e90833ec3921bcf30a00

Posted by Ambassador at 12:57 AM |  MAKE A COMMENT  

Wednesday, Jun 18, 2008

Crystal Clear Postmodernism

Download this episode (15 min)  
This is an encounter I had with two young ladies named Stacia and Casey. They both seemed to be holding onto a flavor of postmodernism. In essence, they figured that they would make their own destiny. Whatever they believe is what is true. If they don’t believe it, it’s not true.

When I asked the, “What do you guys think happens when you die?” question, Stacia articulated the postmodern person’s manner of looking at life and death – crystal clear.

Stacia said, “Whatever you want. I mean, it’s pretty much up to you. There’s nothing really set in stone…just whatever you want to happen happens.”

Isn’t that bizarre? By God’s grace, this line of “reasoning” has never ever made sense to me.

I did my best to help them understand that this mindset doesn’t make sense and cannot work.

Once we got past that silliness, both figured that they would go to heaven when they died. Both said that they believed in Hell and that it was a place for “bad people.” In other words, it’s as the Holy Spirit has said through King David:

An oracle is within my heart
concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:
There is no fear of God
before his eyes.
For in his own eyes he flatters himself
too much to detect or hate his sin.
Psa. 36:1-2

And as his son King Solomon was inspired by the Holy Spirit to say, “Most men will proclaim each his own goodness…” Pr 20:6a

Poor Casey is a very proud and self-righteous young lady. She reminded me of myself before conversion. I thought I might have sensed a bit of pride at the beginning of our discussion when I asked Casey, “What if you could stop a bad habit that you have, what would it be?” She went silent as she tried thinking of something she wanted to confess. Either she was too embarrassed to disclose that kind of information to a stranger (I understand that) or she was prideful and didn’t see that she had any faults. Either way I felt sorry for putting her on the spot.

My early line of questions were not to make anyone feel uncomfortable but to break the ice. Most people will share a little fault of theirs – even with a stranger when asked. Stacia didn’t have a problem admitting she had a bad habit of smoking. This type of question can be really effective in helping a person feel comfortable opening up or it can make a person feel defensive and uncomfortable. Not sure I’ll use it anymore to be honest with you. We’ll see…

Anyway, these young ladies believe what most people do when you get right down to it. I’m “good.” This whole mindset (sin of idolatry – worshiping the created instead of the creator) isn’t new. The, “I’m a good person” mindset isn’t only found in California or the USA. It’s pervasive amongst all of mankind.

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— Ro 5:12

These young ladies need to come to terms with this truth – there is no one righteous. It is absolutely necessary for them to understand that they too are, to the bone, vile sinners in the eyes of a perfectly holy, righteous, and just God. This sin of believing we are “good” (in spite of our conscience informing us we are not) is an affront to the goodness of God. In essence, the sinner believes the lie that Satan told Eve, over the truth of God. He commanded Adam, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Ge 2:16-17

Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Ge 3:4-6

Satan lied to Eve and said, “…YOU WILL BE LIKE GOD…” She believed it and so did Adam and so does all of mankind – even Stacia and Casey. These ladies figure they are good “like God.”

So Christian, how are you going to help them in their blindness? What are you going to say or proclaim that the Holy Spirit may graciously choose to use to help them see their true state? They need to understand that He sees them as dead in transgressions and sins (you will surely die).

In love, press the righteous standard of God’s law upon their consceince. It is the most loving thing you can do for them. Once they understand their plight, then take them to the Cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. Then proclaim, “For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead.” 1 Co 15:21

AMEN! Truly – this is GOOD NEWS!

Please pray for these two young ladies.

I borrowed the graphic for this post from: http://teampyro.blogspot.com/ A very good blog…check it out.

Posted by Ambassador at 12:24 AM |  MAKE A COMMENT  

Tuesday, Jun 17, 2008

Chance Evangelism at the Strawberry Festival

Download this episode (10 min)  
No! I don’t believe in “chance” as in accidental or coincidental. I believe that God is sovereign in all things. Including divinely appointed witnessing encounters like this one.

I recorded this audio back in May when my son Sawyer and I attended the Arroyo Strawberry Festival. It was a very windy day (you’ll hear it in the audio). We arrived at 9AM. After finding a good parking spot, Sawyer headed up to the festivities by himself, while I sat in the car, finishing my coffee, praying, and reading a bit before heading out myself. Maybe an hour later I got out of the car and made my way across the street to where one row of the booths started. I warmed up by passing out gospel tracts for an hour or so.

I purchased a couple hundred of the “IQ Test” tracts from Living Waters. This one is called “Triangles.” Ray Comfort’s ministry has a series of these “IQ Test” tracts – very versatile tracts. These are good just to leave around for people to find or hand to a person and RUN. They are also effective icebreakers to start a conversation. In this audio, you’ll hear one way to use them to do just that.

I actually used the “IQ Test” and “Curved Illusion” tracts together. One sort of tricks the mind the other to trick the eye – showing the individual that their mind and eyes are prone to being deceived. Then you can go into talking about how the “world system” has deceived many into believing that there is no God…or something like that.

I approached two young guys sitting on a short wall. One of them said he believed in God. The other guy, named Chance, said he was a Buddhist and was sort of trusting in Buddha. I did my best to help them both understand that it is Jesus Christ ALONE that can save. Please pray for them.

If you’re interested in purchasing either of these tracts you can get them here:

Curved Illusion
http://tinyurl.com/kkh8t

IQ Card Triangles
http://tinyurl.com/2aeza8

Posted by Ambassador at 8:11 PM |  MAKE A COMMENT  

Wednesday, Jun 11, 2008

Performance or Promise

Download this episode (8 min)  
I met Chloe and her boyfriend in Pismo one afternoon. They were sitting on a bench on the boardwalk enjoying the sunset. Chloe gave me a few minutes to ask her some questions. This podcast starts from me giving Chloe the, “Good Person Test.” But before I got to the it, I had asked her this “What If?” question:

“What if someone broke into your families house and hurt one of your family members. Then the criminal was arrested and brought before a judge. The judge had all the evidence that would put the criminal in jail the rest of his life. But that day the judge was in a good mood and decided to just let the criminal go free. How would you feel about that?”

Chloe said what any of us would say. She said, “that wouldn’t be fair – the guy should have to pay for his crime.” She said that she would have wanted the guy to go to jail. I agreed with her.

Then later in the conversation Chloe told me that she had a Jehovah’s Witness upbringing. We talked about Judgment Day. Chloe didn’t seem too concerned about it because she figured that she would just “go back to dirt” – Annihilation –Soul-sleep. The initial “What if?” question worked out well because I think she understood that if God just annihilates sinners (back to the dust) in the end, He would not be giving them (the criminal) a just punishment. He would be giving them relief. I also hope she understood that this is totally contrary to God’s true nature. God is unswervingly just and His justice demands a just punishment for the infinite crimes we’ve all committed against Him.

Like many religions, the JW’s don’t believe what God’s Word clearly teaches – a literal eternal punishment for sinners. Is it any wonder she wasn’t all that concerned about her plight? So sad!

She continued to make comments like, “I’m kind of cool off on religion.” Can you blame her?

“Religion” to Chloe means, “I must obey to be accepted by God.” In essence, that’s what the little girl has been taught. Listening to this again I should have quoted Eph 2:8-9 and really expounded on the grace of God in saving sinners. She just seemed so reluctant to continue the conversation. More and more I believe people need also understand the difference between religion and the Gospel – they are NOT the same.

Think about it, the “I must obey to be accepted by God” is Galatians 3:10-12 is it not?

For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO PERFORM THEM." Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, "THE RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH." However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, "HE WHO PRACTICES THEM SHALL LIVE BY THEM." Galatians 3:10-12

Totally the opposite of performance religion, is the Gospel of Jesus Christ – truly, it is Good News. The gospel says that a sinner is saved from the wrath of God and is justified (made right with God) by grace alone, through faith alone, in and by Jesus Christ alone. Instead of “I must obey to be accepted by God” the Gospel (promise) brings mercy to a repentant sinner through faith and now the redeemed says, “I’m accepted therefor I obey.”

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us--for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE"-- in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Galatians 3:13-14

Please pray for Chloe and her boyfriend.

Posted by Ambassador at 10:42 PM |  MAKE A COMMENT  

Monday, Jun 09, 2008

Every Excuse in the Book

Download this episode (12 min)  
I took a little hiatus from blogging if you hadn’t noticed. It was really nice not trying to record each witness encounter over the last month or so.

At one point I wondered, “what if the early Church spent time messing around with mp3 recorders, editing software, and blogging?” There is definitely something to be said about just hitting the streets with a Bible in hand. It’s nice to changing things up from time to time. But it has been nice not messing around with it. On the other hand, I also missed it. Why?

First, you and I know there are web surfers out there that “stumble across” websites. It serves as a sort of a big gospel tract. The unregenerate person who God divinely appoints to come to this blog may listen to a witnessing encounter, hear the gospel, and get saved. I believe it can happen.

Secondly, it’s cool to post the encounters so these individuals can be prayed for by the believers who read/hear the encounters.

Thirdly, I trust that God would use these audio blog episodes to encourage you Christian.

Finally, my biggest desire is that it honors the Name above all names – the Lord Jesus Christ. It’s about Him ultimately. If it’s not, this is all for NOTING!

Over the last three weeks, I did record a bit. I thought I would pick things back up with sharing an encounter I had with three young ladies I met at the San Luis Obispo Farmer’s Market.

In this one encounter you’ll hear almost every excuse in the book why the unregenerate believes they don’t need Jesus Christ. I’m sure we’ve all heard many other excuses but I’m not sure I’ve heard so many in one encounter before.

Towards the end of the encounter I found out that one of the three young ladies was not a “lady” but a young man. Fooled me! But this young man was the most curtious, respectful one out of the three of them. I thought he was the most receptive. I tried to communicate the Gospel to him but even that was interrupted with more excuses.

I got the feeling that this young man had just recently “come out of the closet.” This was the same night the homosexual community was out in strength, celebrating the California Supreme Court decision to recognize gay marriage. This lame court decision just emboldens and encourages the unregenerate to go deeper and deeper into immorality. This young guy is somebody’s baby boy. My heart still aches for this young man. He did take a tract and a Bible at the end.

The other reason I wanted to share this with you was so you can see what happens when we get caught up in the “intellectual” – trying to argue them into getting saved. I don’t think that’s what I was trying to do but I should have continued to stay in the realm of the conscience, using God’s Law and pleading with them about sin, righteousness, and judgment. This was actually almost a thirty-five minute encounter and most of it was intellectual argumentation. Christian, don’t follow my example. Apologetics are good but the Bible says, “the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation.” We should take the time to answer the sincere questions but otherwise, continue speaking to them about sin, righteousness and judgement so the Cross will make sense.

After listening to this encounter again, I realize what a weak job I did explaining how a believer has victory over sin. I told the young man that my friend used to be a homosexual but since becoming born again he no longer has those desires because, “he no longer wants to sin against the God who died on the cross for his sin.” That’s not untrue but really, a Christian has victory over sin because God gives us a new nature that hates sin and loves God, then He fills us with the third Person of the Trinity – The Holy Spirit. It’s by His power a sinner is transformed to walk a holy life from the inside out.

Even so, I believe God can use my weak efforts in evangelism. Christian, He will use your efforts too if you’ll make yourself available to Him. Go for it.

Within just a few seconds of meeting these young ladies and distributing my tracts, the guard went up. I could see it coming. One of the three girls held up her tract to her friend and said, “This has Jesus stuff all over it.” And then she began to prop up all her straw-man arguments.

Excuse
#1 Jesus is great for you… (Postmodernism)
#2 To each their own…
#3 As long as you live a good life then what will happen will happen. (Insinuating she lives a “good life.”)
#4 Reincarnation (wishful thinking)
#5 How do you know yours is the only right way?

Excuse-Violating God’s moral Law

#6 That was in the past – we’ve learned from our mistakes and that’s what matters.
#7 You’re judging people – “pointing the finger.”

Then the conversation really spins out of control.

#8 (Back to postmodernism) I think that it’s great that you feel you have a great religion and that it’s fulfilling your life…BUT…that’s not my truth…your truth is right “for you” and my truth is right “for me.”
#9 I was a Christian before…then I saw the Christian life (then stop short of any criticism so as to be tolerant, instead of just saying, I believe your wrong.)
#10 I believe in Mother Nature, love and peace (essentially – I’m a good person).
#11 I believe in science (I’m not gullible like you)
#12 You can’t take the Bible literally
#13 You can be an evolutionist and a Christian
#14 THE TRAP – Do you think it’s a sin to be homosexual? (They know what the Bible says)
#15 The Bible has been translated over thousands of years – it’s made by man
#16 I was born a homosexual – God created me this way – it was not my choice – I did not want to be like this.
#17 Here’s the heart of the matter – I LOVE MY SIN TOO MUCH TO GIVE IT UP!
#18 I don’t believe in God (therefore, I’m not accountable)
#19 I don’t believe in Hell
#20 If your God is all Almighty and forgiving why would he make such a place to torture the people He created?

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. Romans 1:18-20

Please pray for these three young people.

Posted by Ambassador at 10:56 PM |  MAKE A COMMENT