Last night I found myself at my new fishing spot in town, Troy State Montgomery. I have sort of adopted this new spot recently and found it to be a great place to go at night as students and other people who are downtown walk and drive by.
If you have read any of my last post, A few weeks back, I had a run in with the campus police about preaching downtown in this area. You can read about that by following this link.
Tonight, I had a run in with the same officer, but much different than previously. As I scanned through my bible and prepared to lift up God's name, the officer approached me and asked what section I would be in tonight.
A little confused, I asked him what he meant. "What are you preaching on tonight?" To my surprise but delight, I told him 2 Corinthians 5:21. " He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him"
As we talked about the text, I came to find out more about Officer Jones, that he was a former police officer and school teacher. As well as this Sunday he would be ordained as a deacon in his home church. We discussed some scripture concerning deacons as well as issues of the day.
Our conversation lasted maybe 20 minutes, but what was great, and all glory to God is given is that a few weeks ago, Officer Jones was telling me I wasn't allowed to preach, and tonight, we found ourselves on the same side talking about God's word.
Today started out just as I had planned for the most part. I made my way out near Eastchase Mall to stand at the busy intersection with one of my witnessing signs. The weather was fine, not to hot with a cool breeze. I had been out there for about thirty minutes when I began to fill trapped in the middle of the intersection between on coming traffic.
I found myself hard to breath and a bit nervous. I drank some water and continued praying. For the first time in my life, I felt as if I was having an anxiety attack of some sort. As I prayed, I felt as if it was just a mind thing and I kept telling myself that over and over. As quick as it came on me, it left.
As traffic slowed down, I made my way across the street back to my vehicle, where I relaxed and prayed. I felt as if this was more than just a simple anxiety attack.
Later in the day, I prepared to go back out to the Troy Montgomeryand do some witnessing in the campus, when just the thought of it, I felt a type of fear, much like earlier in the day besiege me.
I knew that I was fighting more that nerves and fear, but the enemy. I figured I must have done something to get him on my tail. I called a few buddies and voiced my concern to some online friends to pray for me as I still prepared to go out witnessing.
My fears subsided once I made my way downtown. I continued to pray and thank our Lord for the opportunity to share His word and prayed that he would speak through me.
I was not able to preach as I had planned, but was blessed to have met and spoke with many people, one who said he was an agnostic. After speaking with him, he had been searching and was very open minded to a point. He knew there had to be something out there but figured if he just lived a good life, then God would understand.
Others that I met was Freda, an older lady who lost her job and decided to go back to school to finish her Masters. She actually encouraged me on a few things since I recently lot my job.
There was more people I had the privilege to talk and hand a tract to, including some Christians who asked for extra tracts to hand out.
I wonder who was so important that the enemy would have to try to discourage me from going out? The answer to that is simple, everyone. The Everyone is important as everyone needs a Savior.
Ephesians 6:12 tells us that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
I once heard an evangelist speak about when we begin to share our faith, we make in onto Satan's top ten list. We can often forget when we share our faith, that he is very displeased. He is very happy if we remain fearful and never share our faith. If we never step out of our comfort zones to tell others of the hope that is within us.
I am not worried about more attacks, my trust is in the Creator God, the Almighty King. He is my refuge, My God.
Please pray for those I met today and for more opportunities to continue sharing my faith as I am able to. My prayer is that God would use this journal to glorify His name and encourages you and others to go out and share the gospel with all you can.
It's hard to believe I have made it halfway through this journal. Writing it, I had really no expectations on what to expect and honestly, how hard it would be to sit down and write out my experiences. But even though, I missed a few days here and there, those opportunities were there as they are for each of us everyday.
So halfway through, let me share with you Day 15 out of 30.
The last game was here. The end had come. The Montgomery Biscuits, one of our favorite fishing spots to witness was coming to a pause till next year. Not wanting to miss the opportunity and also distribute the last few remaining baseball tracts we had, Jeromy Mashburn and I made a last effort to share the Gospel during America's favorite pastime.
We arrived at the ball game and completed our task as we planned. The opportunity gave us some one two one conversations as well as the opportunity to preach. Later on that evening, we made our way to Troy Montgomery, a local university with night classes.
This would not be a new spot for any of us. Both Jeromy and I had been here before, passing out tracts and I preaching. Never had we had any altercations or situation with the law enforcement. As I said in a previous post though, every day brings something new.
While at Troy by myself, Jeromy had gone to get his car around the corner. I passed out a few tracts to people coming and going and especially to one young man sitting near a fountain outside the school.
Afterward, I set my stool in place and prepared the word I would begin with when, I could not speak. I tried, but nothing would come out. I just couldn't preach. Taking that as a cue, that God wanted me to sit down, I did just that, next to the guy I gave the tract to sitting on the fountain.
It turned out that his name was Frank. A young man with a funny dialect to the way he spoke. After speaking more with him, about the tract I gave him, he was a Buddhist. I found it very hard to understand much of what he said due to his accent. But still carried on as if I new what he was saying, expressing the tract and God's standard of righteousness.
When out of nowhere, an older lady who apparently knew Frank appeared. She came up and began to speak to each of us, inquiring about the tract I had. Explaining it to her, she became loud, telling me that she too was a Buddhist.
I questioned her on what happens when she dies and she said her body goes to the ground and her spirit or entity goes to the sky and floats around until it is reincarnated. Interesting I thought. The interesting part was just about to come with my next few questions. I asked her relating to her answers about life after death, how she knows that will happen, what proof she has. Her next few words threw me for a loop. Come to find out she was Buddha. Yes, she said she was Buddha.
A little confused, I told her that I thought Buddha was the little fat bald guy. Her temper began to flair. She told me not to think that I knew everything. "Ma'am, I don't pretend to. I know I don't know half the things I want to," I said.
At this point, she was ranting about Karma and other things. Looking at me, she told me that she wasn't going to argue with me. Politely, I responded by telling her that I wasn't arguing with her either. That she can walk away anytime. Fumy though, she chose to continue.
She carried on about god and that there were many gods. When she said that, I told her she was speaking blasphemy. That there is one God. One Creator. One mediator between God and man and His name is Jesus. She just got louder. I looked at her calming repeating scripture and recalled saying in Jesus name she needed to leave. She blurted out a few more words and off she was.
As she walked away, I felt that fire in my bones to rise. I positioned my stool and began to preach. I was able to preach for about a good 4 minutes when the local police arrived. Keeping my stance on my stool, I stopped preaching and greeted the officer.
Very politely, he informed me that I could not preach here. Asking why, he said because it was disorderly conduct. Really? I asked. How so? The officer replied, "Well you’re drawing a crowd." When he said that, I almost placed my hand on his shoulder and said, "You see them too?"
But trying not to play, I kept it serious.
I told him that he could easily see that there was no crowd. Just people going to and from classes. Maybe a few people standing on the sidewalk across the street. He persisted that I just couldn't preach.
Not really accepting his argument, I told him that I just left the Biscuits game where there were more people that this there and that right down the streets, I use an amp and preach and have no problems with the police. He seemed to be shocked at that.
He asked me nicely, if I would give him two minutes to check with his commander. I had no problem with that. After a few phone calls, he said it would be OK, but with one condition. As long as I did not draw a crowd.
I knew that even if there was a crowd, I still had the freedom to preach. I used the opportunity to witness to him and the other officers that arrived on the scene. Jeromy discussed with them why we were out here and the urgency as Christians to share the gospel. The police were nice and although they were kind of restricting our freedom, it was just an opportunity that night to witness to them by remaining calm and orderly and respecting them as officers and letting them hear the gospel as I continued to preach.
As I write this journal, I recall the spot where I was standing. Behind me stood the Rosa Parks Museum. Inside tells of a lady and an era where people's liberty and freedoms were denied. Ms. Parks refused to give up her seat, her right you might say to be equal and sit where she chose. That night, I was practicing my freedom, that we all have. I'm sure there will come another night or day where I will be told to stop or go to jail. Maybe that day will come for many of us who go and stand on the corner to proclaim His word. It's not a day to look forward to, not a day to plan. Until though, we all should go and proclaim the good news.
I hope you enjoyed and have been encouraged by this journal and seek to do the same. To seek out opportunities in you own area to preach and share the good news. I will not be posting any entries this weekend. I have been invited to tag along and do some witnessing at Atlanta Motor Speedway during the Nascar race. Please keep myself and others in your prayers.
Last night I found myself at my new fishing spot in town, Troy State Montgomery. I have sort of adopted this new spot recently and found it to be a great place to go at night as students and other people who are downtown walk and drive by.
day started out just as I had planned for the most part. I made my way out near Eastchase Mall to stand at the busy intersection with one of my witnessing signs. The weather was fine, not to hot with a cool breeze. I had been out there for about thirty minutes when I began to fill trapped in the middle of the intersection between on coming traffic.