Deathbed Confession
Ministry Update August 19, 2018
Rich, Kelly, Steven and I witnessed downtown Friday night and it was a night with many mockers. Rich started us off. He had a few people revving their cars, scooters and motorcycles revving their engines as well as people yelling out of their cars. But he also had a guy that had an amplifier that was in one of the loft apartments across the parking lot in front of us. The guy kept repeating how he was gay (but he used a derogatory term for homosexuals) and kept mocking through probably the last half of Rich’s message. This guy said that he’s going to live his alternative lifestyle and then plans on a deathbed confession at the very end.
Now I ask you, do you see anything wrong with this man’s plan? If you are a Bible believing Christian, then of course you see a problem. He may very well die in his sins and split Hell wide open after he dies. Rich immediately saw the problem too, so he reminded the man that Jesus told of a man who had his barns full and decided that he would tear down the barns to build bigger ones and he planned on taking life easy after that. But God said, you fool, I will require your very life tonight (Luke 12:16-20). One problem with planning on a deathbed confession is that you may die before you reach a deathbed. This man that professed to be gay, knowingly living his life against God and the Bible, may die instantly – say through an aneurysm, stroke, auto accident or any number of other ways.
God Turning People Over To a Reprobate Mind
A second issue I see is found in Romans 1 (which by the way Kelly preached on Romans 1) and that is God turning people over to a reprobate mind. In other words, you say no God, I’m going to live my life my way and God says have it your way. He turns you over to yourself and as you go through life rebelling against God, your heart gets hardened to the point where you no longer have the slightest interest in God or His salvation offered through Jesus Christ alone. I have an old friend in Lebanon, MO that has told me this is his same plan.
My friend has rebelled against God all these years, living in blatant sin (a different sin than homosexuality, yet regardless still sinning against God). I have repeatedly warned my friend that he may very well die before he ever has a chance at a deathbed confession. Also, please keep in mind that God says that His Spirit will not always strive with man (Genesis 6:3). No one comes to Jesus unless God draws that person (John 6:44). How do you know that God won’t quit drawing you? Remember Jesus answered Herod not a word (Matthew 27:14). I believe you can reject the Spirit so long that God no longer draws you. Do you really think it’s wise to gamble with your eternal soul?
God Brings Us Mockers Right In Time For Our Messages
After Rich finished up, I brought the next message and I started off by saying how I marvel that God brings us mockers right in time for our messages. My message was about how evil comes from a man’s heart and God sent us this mocker tonight who once again proves the Bible is true. Maybe he didn’t like being used by God in this manner, I don’t know, but he quit mocking in short order.
I also had a few cars honk, people yelling as they drove by. But one guy stopped his truck in the middle of the street to say that he couldn’t hear me. One man mouthed off something, but he and the woman he was with just kept walking down the sidewalk away from us. Another guy was walking with a group of people and he threw his hands high in the air mocking like he was preaching as he walked down the street. Ironically, I was preaching about how we either surrender to Jesus or He will be your Judge on Judgment Day. I told the young man that my prayer was that God would convict him over him mocking God and that the young man would repent and trust Jesus before it’s too late.
Guy Says Kelly Needs To Believe In Science
Kelly also had people revving their cars and people yelling as they drove by. But while he was handing out tracts, a guy walked by him and told him that he needed to believe in science. Kelly assured him that he does believe in science and God. Of course the man didn’t want to hear that, he just advocates science without God. But you see, we do believe in science. The Bible is full of science. Personally, I like Job 38:31 where God asks Job: Can you bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?
While Kelly was preaching, a guy rode by on a motorcycle that was all lit up. The motorcyclist pulled into the parking lot next to us. Evidently he was meeting a date there, but he appeared to be listening to Kelly while he waited. After a while I walked over and handed him a tract. Thankfully he received it before him and his date walked on up the street. May God bless the tracts, the messages and may God continue to work on many souls, yes even the many mockers we encountered.
Trembling With Joy
I witnessed at Planned Parenthood on Wednesday during lunch time. Praise God the storm held off and it just rained a little. Five cars were at the death care place. Two women came out at different times, but both just got in their cars and left without saying anything. But praise God a young couple stopped to encourage me for open-air preaching there. The young woman was so happy she was trembling with joy. This same couple encouraged me a little over a year ago while witnessing downtown! I must say that a little encouragement goes a long way.
(These updates are provided to encourage Christians to share the Gospel with others)