Good Catholic Boys
Ministry Update March 19, 2017
Friday night, Justin and his little brother Brayden joined me witnessing downtown. It was St. Patrick’s Day, so we weren’t too sure of what to expect. We started off singing a couple of hymns and then I brought a message We Are Not Used Car Salesmen. I wasn’t very far into the message when three young men stopped right in front of me. I asked them if they had a question and they all said no, they were just listening. But before long a couple of them said they felt like I was judging them and I shouldn’t judge them because they were good Catholics.
Good Person Test Kept Getting Interrupted
Cody said that he was really good, in fact he was so good that he was great. So I asked him if he was good enough to go to Heaven and he assured me that he was. I asked him if I could test him with God’s word to see how good he is and he said sure. So I took him through the good person test. We made it through him admitting that he is a liar, thief, adulterer at heart and a covetous person. But about that time a mocker walked by mouthing off and kept walking. Cody flew after him and wanting to fight the guy. So I yelled after Cody to come back and continue our conversation, but he was gone and evidently threatened the mocker.
So I looked at Ryan and said you heard Cody admit that those things and I asked Ryan if he had committed the same sins. He said yes, but so have you. I told him that I have sinned against God. Ryan kept telling me that he believes in God and prays to God. Earlier they all admitted that they had been drinking. When I asked Ryan if he’d be guilty before God on Judgment Day he said that he would be guilty, but that he was going to bargain with God.
Where’s That In The Bible?
I held out my Bible and said where is that in here? He said he didn’t know so I agreed with him that it isn’t in there. It didn’t matter, Ryan said that he’s a good person and that he tries to do good. I told him that there’s nothing wrong with doing good, but doing good cannot save us. He repeated that he tries to good and in fact he reminded me that he and Cody stood up for me. (Which he did by cussing people out when they mocked me and Cody chased after them.)
I kept trying to get Ryan to see that he would be guilty on Judgment Day and that he deserved Hell, just like all of us from Adam on down deserve Hell. He just kept going back to that he was going to bargain with God because he deserved to do so. I tried to get him to see that he wasn’t going to bargain about anything when he stands before God. Cody came back about that time so I tried to get him to see that he was going to be in trouble on Judgement Day and bring him up to speed. Cody wouldn’t admit that he would be guilty at the judgment. He just kept saying that he was innocent.
Potential Flasher
About that time a car stopped at the stop sign behind us and the female passenger yelled something about flashing us. All three of the good Catholic boys turned around and encouraged her to flash us. Thankfully the car drove away before anything happened. So I tried to get all three guys to see that their encouraging the young woman to flash us was wrong, it was a sin. But Ryan wouldn’t get past his wanting to bargain with God and Cody wouldn’t admit that he’s guilty of breaking the commandments. I pointed out that we only went through a few of them, we didn’t even go over all ten.
Ryan told me that it’s ok because he believes in God. So I told him the key is that you have to repent and put your faith in Jesus. I told him that he hasn’t repented. He admitted again that he was drunk so I told him that the Bible says no drunkard shall enter into the kingdom of God. He didn’t believe me. So I turned to 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 and read the verses to him while he read along. He told me that he works really heard, back breaking work and that he wants to enjoy himself on the weekend.
I said I hear what you are saying, but God’s word says no drunkard goes to Heaven. You have to repent and surrender your life to Jesus. About that time he started talking to Justin who was standing next to me. I could tell they were about done listening, so I tried to hand Ryan a tract but he wasn’t paying attention, so I stuck a tract in his front shirt pocket. Then I tried to hand a tract to Cody, but he backed away saying something like he’s good and that he’s not guilty.
The Silent One May Have Been The One That Was Really Listening
The third good Catholic was Ray Ray and to prove it, Ray Ray showed me his tattoos on top of both wrists and sure enough, each one said Ray. Well Ray Ray took a tract and shook my hand and thanked me for sharing truth with them. Keep in mind, he never really said anything the whole time except when he tried to encourage the young woman to flash them. But he thanked me and when Cody kept backing up refusing to take a tract, Ray Ray took another one and told me that he’d give it to Cody later.
During all of this we had a couple of more mockers and Ryan had chewed them out. Then a vile young man walked by mouthing off and called all of us a bad name and all three good Catholics took off chasing him and they confronted him and his friends right in the middle of the crosswalk in the street. So traffic stopped for a bit while they were all out there ready to start punching.
Other Distractions
We had a some drivers rev their engines and play loud music. Typically every Friday night a motorcycle or two will drive by real slow, revving their engines as they are right in front of us. Friday night was no exception, except this time another couple of guys were just down from us and evidently someone was with them who had their SUV parked near them and they pushed the panic button. So we had the alarm going off and the motorcycles revving trying to drown out the preaching.
There was also a girl across the street twirling a lighted hula hoop and one guy was walking around playing a tuba. But in the midst of all the craziness, Justin had several good conversations and he told me that he gave out around 50 tracts. We sang Amazing Grace to end the night and Anton who used to go to Aaron’s church, joined us singing at the end. It was a blessed night of witnessing and may God use His truth that went forth to reach lost souls.
Praise Report From Georgia
Aaron didn’t join us because he witnessed at the second largest parade in America in Georgia and he reported Saturday that a young man named was saved the day before. Here’s what he said: Praise God! Yesterday, Kyle asked us if we could share with him how to be born again. He said the Lord was really dealing with his heart about trusting Jesus! Praise God he still saves sinners!
Very Busy Lunch Hour At Planned Parenthood
On Wednesday, Aaron and I preached in front of Planned Parenthood. It was busier than usual. I think there were about six cars there when we first got there. I went first and read Psalm 5 and pointed out that the people with Planned Parenthood are a bunch of liars, thieves, and killers. They lie about abortions only being 3% of their business. If that was really the truth, then they would have accepted President Trump’s offer to stop providing abortions and he’d increase their funding.
They are thieves because they steal our taxpayer money and give millions back to liberal politicians who keep the 500 plus million going to Planned Parenthood. They are killers because they are murderers. They are very proficient at it. Planned Parenthood kills 900 babies a day in America. I pleaded with the workers and the people inside to repent and trust Jesus.
Pleading With Sinners
Aaron preached next and a couple came out and talked to each other in front of the building. So he pleaded with them to not cover up their sin by murdering a little baby. They drove away and the woman had her window down with a cigarette in her hand, looking at Aaron with contempt. Then a young woman pulled up and went inside. Aaron pleaded directly with her to come out of the building. He kept pleading and pleading with her, but she turned around and smiled and started recording him on her phone.
Also while Aaron was preaching a truck came to a complete stop on Battlefield Road, a busy four lane road and a woman rolled her window down and yelled for us to mind our own business. God knows if it was right or not, but I yelled what one my favorite old time preachers Rolfe Barnard used to say “Go on to hell, that’s where you want to go anyway.” She yelled a second time for us to mind our own business and I repeated Barnard’s words. I really did it in hopes that maybe it would shock her and the driver and make them think about where they are really headed.
There really wasn’t anything positive to report from our time witnessing at Planned Parenthood. Except when we were walking back to our vehicles Aaron accidentally dropped something and a young man walking behind us saw it and handed it to Aaron. He thanked the young man and I handed him a tract as he walked on past us.
(These updates are provided to encourage Christians to share the Gospel with others.)