Post by jed on Nov 9, 2005 11:45:21 GMT -5
11/8
Went downtown right before 5, when everyone leaves work. Getting less intimidated by business men and women. Praise the Lord.
Looked around for a good spot and left my stepstool in the car because it is cumbersome to carry around. Found a bench and "lifted up my voice as a trumpet and spared not" Isaiah 58:1.
Very very blistered by conviction. Was reading Spurgeons Lectures to my students, a passage relating to the voice. I will look around later for it online but now I will just paraphrase.
Mr Spurgeon said the worst thing that a minister/preacher could do for his voice was to preach two or three times a week. He said preaching every day or up to 12 or 14 times a week was excellent in preventing voice injury.
He likened it to the newsboys of old time, who cried in the streets seven days a week. They never came down with bronchitis, nor did their lungs weaken. They only got stronger.
So if the Sovereign Lord designed my voice to be used every day, I have a lot of work to do to get there!
Anyway, thought I should stop downtown.
Was hammering on sin, on how much Jackson needs to "plead guilty" in God's sight. Elaborated on many sins. Would try to preach directly to people, ie if a man in a suit walked by, I would preach against stealing from your boss, or ripping people off.
Or if a group of females walked by, dressed to kill, I would preach against fornication and adultery. I tried to incite this one group of women, but they did not respond. I DID NOT call them names or say You look like a _____. Just stayed with the Word and let the hammer of the Lord shatter their self righteousness.
Only 15 minutes after I started, a security guard walked up to me and repeatedly asked me to step down. So I did and he told me that he was "getting a lot of complaints" and that i was "yelling and screaming". I told him he could go ask the people at the bus stop if I had yelled or screamed, and that such a charge was ridiculous. Told me a bench was private property, that a group of large businesses owns all of the benches and flowerpots in that section of downtown. This I believed not but told him I would get my stepstool and be back. Unfortunately this was right at the best time at 4:55.
His supervisor came and agreed that it was certainly private property, but that I could stand 10 feet from the street (I thought it was only 6!) They said that I was correct-even if people didn't like me, I had every right to be there. I told them this quote: If there were no differences in opinion, we wouldn't need a first amendment. (Whoever said that is great!)
At this point I took it personally. I avoid any "yelling or screaming" since if by remote possibility a person has seen a street preacher, they automatically think of a person yelling and screaming and telling them they're going to fry like cheap bacon, etc. I wish I would have recorded the whole thing.
No crowd gathered at any time, but I think several people had the word of God "drop" on them and shatter their conscience.
Am I being arrogant for taking it "personally", and going back to the same corner with my step? I really want to keep going back to that same corner. Am I acting like the world, thinking these part. businesses are trying to pick a fight with me? But I hope it isn't my pride, please anyone feedback.
10/22
Went across the street from a favorite bar of ours and lifted up our voice. Almost immediately, people came outside and started complaining. Tried to preach at them. This is a alternative kind of place, so I just randomly preached "You are not going to come back as a sidewalk. It is appointed unto man once to die and after this the judgment. Heb 9:27"
And behold, a scantily clad young lady in black raged and came across the street. "I'm a pagan! etc etc" Rebuked all of that Hinduism nonsense. She became more and more displeased. Thankfully, she eventually settled down and even changed numbers with a girl in our group, who talked and counseled with her! It was incredible. Have noticed that male-male female-female interaction is best, because females usually just try to argue with me. Her boyfriend was trying to calm her down. He said basically, If it works for you thats great.
We were talking about Jesus and he said he was a good man but would not say that he was the Son of God. If they say he is the Son, their house of cards must crumble. Reminded him that the one difference that separates biblical Christianity from all other religions is this: What are you going to do with Jesus? Is he a man, or the Son of God? He acted unmoved but doubtless he thought about it that night.
Went downtown right before 5, when everyone leaves work. Getting less intimidated by business men and women. Praise the Lord.
Looked around for a good spot and left my stepstool in the car because it is cumbersome to carry around. Found a bench and "lifted up my voice as a trumpet and spared not" Isaiah 58:1.
Very very blistered by conviction. Was reading Spurgeons Lectures to my students, a passage relating to the voice. I will look around later for it online but now I will just paraphrase.
Mr Spurgeon said the worst thing that a minister/preacher could do for his voice was to preach two or three times a week. He said preaching every day or up to 12 or 14 times a week was excellent in preventing voice injury.
He likened it to the newsboys of old time, who cried in the streets seven days a week. They never came down with bronchitis, nor did their lungs weaken. They only got stronger.
So if the Sovereign Lord designed my voice to be used every day, I have a lot of work to do to get there!
Anyway, thought I should stop downtown.
Was hammering on sin, on how much Jackson needs to "plead guilty" in God's sight. Elaborated on many sins. Would try to preach directly to people, ie if a man in a suit walked by, I would preach against stealing from your boss, or ripping people off.
Or if a group of females walked by, dressed to kill, I would preach against fornication and adultery. I tried to incite this one group of women, but they did not respond. I DID NOT call them names or say You look like a _____. Just stayed with the Word and let the hammer of the Lord shatter their self righteousness.
Only 15 minutes after I started, a security guard walked up to me and repeatedly asked me to step down. So I did and he told me that he was "getting a lot of complaints" and that i was "yelling and screaming". I told him he could go ask the people at the bus stop if I had yelled or screamed, and that such a charge was ridiculous. Told me a bench was private property, that a group of large businesses owns all of the benches and flowerpots in that section of downtown. This I believed not but told him I would get my stepstool and be back. Unfortunately this was right at the best time at 4:55.
His supervisor came and agreed that it was certainly private property, but that I could stand 10 feet from the street (I thought it was only 6!) They said that I was correct-even if people didn't like me, I had every right to be there. I told them this quote: If there were no differences in opinion, we wouldn't need a first amendment. (Whoever said that is great!)
At this point I took it personally. I avoid any "yelling or screaming" since if by remote possibility a person has seen a street preacher, they automatically think of a person yelling and screaming and telling them they're going to fry like cheap bacon, etc. I wish I would have recorded the whole thing.
No crowd gathered at any time, but I think several people had the word of God "drop" on them and shatter their conscience.
Am I being arrogant for taking it "personally", and going back to the same corner with my step? I really want to keep going back to that same corner. Am I acting like the world, thinking these part. businesses are trying to pick a fight with me? But I hope it isn't my pride, please anyone feedback.
10/22
Went across the street from a favorite bar of ours and lifted up our voice. Almost immediately, people came outside and started complaining. Tried to preach at them. This is a alternative kind of place, so I just randomly preached "You are not going to come back as a sidewalk. It is appointed unto man once to die and after this the judgment. Heb 9:27"
And behold, a scantily clad young lady in black raged and came across the street. "I'm a pagan! etc etc" Rebuked all of that Hinduism nonsense. She became more and more displeased. Thankfully, she eventually settled down and even changed numbers with a girl in our group, who talked and counseled with her! It was incredible. Have noticed that male-male female-female interaction is best, because females usually just try to argue with me. Her boyfriend was trying to calm her down. He said basically, If it works for you thats great.
We were talking about Jesus and he said he was a good man but would not say that he was the Son of God. If they say he is the Son, their house of cards must crumble. Reminded him that the one difference that separates biblical Christianity from all other religions is this: What are you going to do with Jesus? Is he a man, or the Son of God? He acted unmoved but doubtless he thought about it that night.