As I took Roxy for a walk yesterday, I saw parked cars lining both sides of a street. A small roadside sign in the distance read "Estate Sale." The Last of the Spirits The scene unfolding before me took my mind to a couple of places. The first place, I will discuss shortly. the second place was to a similar scene in Charles Dickens's classic work, "A Christmas Carol." Mrs. … [Read more...]
Tetelestai, “It is Finished!”: Jesus Does Not Need Your Help
Jesus' words, "Tetelestai," "It is finished," appear only twice in the New Testament--John 19:28 and John 19:30. "After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), 'I thirst.' A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he … [Read more...]
Follow-Up: Dinner with the Technician’s Family and the Gift of Hospitality
Recently, I shared about my interaction with an Internet technician who came to my home on a service call. Saturday night we had him and his family over for dinner. It was a wonderful evening of gospel conversation and hospitality. Before They Took Off Their Coats and Shoes The Smith Family (I am not using their real names) arrived on time. I watched from the window next to … [Read more...]
Crosswalking Testimony: God’s Providence, His Faithfulness, and the Fruit He Creates
Sometimes the fruit from my crosswalking efforts doesn't happen on a street corner. Sometimes God's providence leads to the unexpected. Technical Difficulties From time to time, my Morning Devotions broadcast on YouTube is interrupted by an unreliable Internet connection. It has been happening more frequently, as of late. So, I put in a call to my Internet provider and made … [Read more...]
Immaculate Conception: The Roman Catholic Church is Wrong
Roman Catholics believe Mary was born without original sin and lived a sinless life. They call it the "Immaculate Conception." The Bible says otherwise. The Immaculate Conception The origin of the false doctrine of the Immaculate Conception dates back to sometime during the progressive development of Roman Catholic tradition. Early church fathers stopped short of calling her … [Read more...]
Street Evangelism: How Important Is It To Get Your Church on the Streets?
Introduction One of the great joys and frustrations for any street evangelist sent out by his local church is the ongoing work of encouraging and facilitating the public evangelistic participation of the church family. During my 17 years of full-time street evangelism ministry I have experienced firsthand both the joy and frustration. The joy is always well-placed and the … [Read more...]
In God’s Providence: Fishing for Bentley (A Short Story)
I met Bentley and his grandfather Steve while fishing at Pride Lake, in Scott County Park. This is the story of God's gracious providence. A three-Fold Purpose For me, there is a three-fold purpose for sharing testimonies about my gospel encounters with people. First, I want to give glory to God for the times He allows me to watch Him work. "But Jesus answered them, 'My … [Read more...]