With all the travel I've been doing lately, and with the WOTM Team's recent trip to Europe, it's been a month since I did any "Street Fishing" for Way of the Master Radio. Oh, the Lord has blessed me with many evangelism opportunities during the last month (one-to-one conversations, open-air preaching, and proclaiming the gospel in churches and community events). But I've missed hanging out with Ray, Kirk, and Todd on the show. So, it was great to head back to my local courthouse today. It has become my favorite WOTMR "Street Fishing" pond. There are rarely lots of people outside the courthouse, but the fish always seem to be biting, with the Lord providing wonderful conversations. Today was no different.Pictured above is Maritza. She was our guest during the first hour of the show. Take a good look at her face. She's happy and enjoying the conversation.
But check out the look on her face in the picture below. Notice the change in expression? Maritza isn't angry. She's concerned. She's concerned because she is, at that moment, being brought to the realization that her beliefs about God, up to that point, were wrong. (Yes, it is okay to lovingly and gently tell people they are wrong.) She is looking at herself through the mirror of God's Law, and what she sees is giving her cause for concern. Praise God!
What you see in the picture is the Law accomplishing in Maritza's heart and mind what most modern evangelism methods and messages cannot accomplish--a piercing of the heart, through conviction of sin. The Law of God, the Word of God, is doing exactly what Scripture says it will do. "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joint and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12).Rightly and lovingly applied, the Law of God is never used on or against the unbeliever like a machete cutting through a jungle. Rather, when rightly and lovingly applied, the Law of God is like a scalpel in the hands of surgeon who truly cares about the well-being of his or her patient.
The Law of God is what makes a person aware of their sins against Almighty God (Romans 7:7). And the gospel, and the gospel alone, has the power to bring an unsaved person to repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 1:16). Sadly more and more churches (and individual Christians) these days are operating with powerless and ineffective tools under the auspices of evangelism and outreach. They have set aside that which God has provided (namely the Law and the Gospel), and have carelessly exchanged that which is living, active, sharp, and piercing with that which is dead and impotent (namely man-centered messages and man-pleasing methods).
Click here to listen to Todd's conversation with Maritza. Click here to listen to my follow-up conversation with Maritza. Pray that the seeds planted, today, in Maritza's heart and mind will bring forth fruit in keeping with repentance--by the power of the Holy Spirit.
When those of us who do the "Street Fishing" segments for WOTMR hit the streets, we engaged more people in conversation than those you hear on the radio. Not everyone wants to be on the radio. And we often begin the evangelism before the show starts, and continue the evangelism after the show is over. Take today, for instance.
I got to the courthouse a couple of hours before the show. I gave away several million dollars and a few challenge coins. I was also blessed to have a very nice conversation with a young lady named Marquita. Marquita was at the courthouse with her boyfriend, who was in court for some traffic tickets. With Marquita was her 5-month-old (and adorable) son, Aiden.
Marquita told me she use to be a Christian, but gave up the religion because, in her mind, there were too many holes in the story. Click here to listen to my conversation with Marquita. Pray that the Lord would draw her to repentance and genuine faith.
It was another great day of fishing! :-)
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