Day 2: Ever Been To Prison?

I set out last night after dinner and headed to Troy Montgomery, a local night school downtown. I had been through this way before and saw such an opportunity to practice witnessing with people going to and from classes.

I found my spot and placed my stool and just let it out, "Turn or burn, be sanctified or french fried!" Just kidding, it was nothing like that. I did preach to the crowds and did some public reading of the Word. Using a springboard that people typically spend 12 years in school, then if they go to college, maybe another 2 to 7 years. Simply to prepare for this world.

To get a nice job, a nice house, family and all the fix-in's. In turn spending up to 19 years in college simply to prepare for this world and doing so little to prepare for the next. Where we will be dead a lot longer that we will be alive. Continuing making the point that we all die with a 100% chance of it. So when that happens what next? Where will you be? Then preaching the Law & the Gospel. (Click the link to watch a video on what I mean when I sat the Law & the Gospel)

To my surprise, a few people came up to me thanking me for proclaiming the Word. Thanking them, I gave them a tract and encouraged them to do the same as we all should.

One young man that I tried to give a tract to freaked out a bit from me and turned and ran into a nearby building standing inside till his ride showed up.

After about an hour, the crowds had gotten pretty low and it was getting late. I was about to pack up when Ken, a young college student walked by. I handed him a " 2+2 =" tract that I got just today "FREE" from The Bezugen Tract Club and spoke about no matter what we do, 2+2 will always equal 4, no matter how you look at it. In turn it is an absolute as is the fact that we all will die.

In my conversation with Ken, a father of an eleven year old son, told me that he has spent some time in prison 3 years ago. I asked him which one, all of them, he said. Ken mentioned to me some issues he carries but believes he is saved. Since I do not know his heart, for only God knows the hearts of man, I gave him the Law and the Gospel and the Law proved to be a schoolmaster as it is intended to do. (Galatians 3:25)

Ken saw his sin through the mirror of the Commandments and I then gave him the gospel and he admitted that he should be more grateful as seeing what a great price our Lord paid for us on the cross.

Continually speaking with Ken and sharing some truth with him, He tilted his head and asked me if I had ever spent time in prison as well. I mentioned to him that I had once taken some of my boys from my group home, showing them where they needed to stay out of, but never locked up thankfully. When I asked him why does ask, his reply was...

He said that the only type of people he knows that only goes on the street and preaches on corners and witness are those that have been in prison and that normally the other church people are to comfortable where they are at to do such a thing.

Are people that don't share their faith to comfortable? If you don't share your faith, you tell me. His other statement however was as truthful as the sun is hot.

I know personally, that I never shared my faith until I saw how bad my sin was. That I was guilty of breaking His Laws and just how serious my crimes were. I saw the prison of hell before me and was terrified. Did I want to go there? No way... Did I deserve it? Every inch of it.

Being able to understand how great and hideous my sin truly was enabled me to really see and appreciate the great length that God went to save me. By sending His son to die on a cross for me, even while I was still a sinner. ( Romans 5:8 ) For each of us, sharing our faith is simply out of gratitude for the freedom and salvation Christ gives. As we witness, a reminder is that if not one person shows interest or gets saved, God was glorified that some one, cared enough to share His good news.

As a prisoner, once locked up and only dreams of freedom, we now have it. Don't be comfortable, look at the great price our Lord went to save us! Then go out and share your faith.

Ken and I spoke a bit longer. He allowed me to pray for him and his son. I told him that I plan to return to this area and hoped to run into him again. I gave him some contact info for me and on his was he went.

I hope you enjoyed Day 2 of the journal and that somehow, it is an encouragement to you to boldly step out in your own city and communities and share this great news of the gospel of our Lord. I myself look forward to the opportunities that wait as I set out on Day 3 of my own Road to Decapolis.

Lighting the darkness~
David
EvangelizeYourCity.org