December Night: Reconciled

December Greetings!

It's always a privilege to go and to serve on Monday nights with my church family. Getting to go serve the homeless and those less fortunate is always a tremendous blessing and its also humbling as well. It's humbling because I am always worried that we're not doing enough for our kids. Don't get me wrong, all of our kids get more than what they deserve at Christmas time. But when mid December, I wonder, as does my precious wife, is this enough? It's a struggle. We go and we serve those that get nothing. The wonderful people we serve are excited about things such as blankets, chap stick, toiletries. My problems are those of "Will the iPhone I'm buying her be enough storage?" or "Will she be happy with the color choice?" and so many other non importance details. Then, I go and serve those who have nothing, and it causes me to think more and more about those that are in TRUE need. It causes me to remember such verses like:

Deuteronomy 16:17:
“Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee.”

Proverbs 3:27:
“Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.”

Luke 6:38:
“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”

2 Corinthians 9:7:
“Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”

It causes me to evaluate my own giving and sharing with others. I'm a pretty stingy guy. I like to get cool, shiny, happy, techy toys. But I don't ever pay for someones meal at the restaurant that I'm eating at. I've never offered to fill the gas tank of someone else at the gas station while getting my own. It's about $20 to fill my tank right now. That's AWESOME! Why can't I fill another? It's just money, right? It all belongs to God, right? I shouldn't be so stingy with it.

God calls us to lay down our lives for the cause of the Gospel if the Gospel calls for us to do so. We get upset when we get a bad parking space at church on a Sunday morning......in the rain. Forget that, it's raining? No way, I'll just stay home.

I have no idea where I'm going with this. However, I'll say this....there are needs all around us. People are broken, bogged down, destitute, in need of so many things that I take for granted. Things that I might have two or three of. Things that I could most likely do without. But, I'm stingy.

Serving these people are a blessing. It's wonderful to do so. But more than that, it's imperative that we share the Gospel. We can give them sweaters, blankets, chap stick and turkey dinners, but if we fail to share with them the life saving message of the Gospel, then as Christians, we've failed.

So, don't fail. By all means, give of yourself, but also share the Gospel. Whether that be one to one, open air, pulpit, or social media, just share. Do it. Do it today.

One of my favorite evangelists, one that proclaims on the streets, lives in southern California. His name is Tony Miano (for more information on his ministry go to Cross Encounters ministry page.

I am reminded of one of his quotes he gave. It's something that I'll never forget. It reads:

"If you feed a lost person, give him something cool to drink, put a roof over his head and five him the shirt off your back, but you fail to share the gospel with him, know this. If he dies after you've lovingly served him, having never heard the gospel from your lips, he I will be warmed and filled as he faces God's judgement and eternity in hell. Serve people? Yes. But please share the gospel."


Please remember what's at stake here. Souls.

Merry Christmas to all that read this. Happy New Year and may 2016 be a new year of new beginnings of things you've not done before. If that's sharing your faith, I encourage you to do so. May this year reflect more of Christ in your life than ever before. People are watching.

To all my readers, God bless you and your families.

Chris

November Night: Center of The Universe

This past Monday night, I had the opportunity to be able to go and serve alongside those of my church, the homeless of Oklahoma City. This opportunity is usually not taken lightly. It comes as a privilege. Some would argue "It's just handing out food and clothes" as some have said before. However, it's much more than that.



What does "Serve" mean? For you and I, it is that. It's just doing something nice for someone or meeting a need somewhere or in someones life. We would meet that need and chalk that up as "Okay, I served. I've done my good deed for the week." and simply walk away. Should we serve the needy? Should we take care of the poor and less fortunate? Absolutely. I believe that this is the soul mission of the church of Jesus Christ. Well, three missions.

1. Soul winning (evangelism)
2. Taking care of poor people (Serving)
3. See first two missions (rinse and repeat)

Outside of those three things, our purpose is fulfilled. That's the only reason why we're here. The lost. Poor people. The work of the church.

What was the purpose of the life of Christ here on earth? Well, you may quickly answer "To die on the cross for our sins, of course!" Are you sure? Yes we, as Christians, know that the reason Christ came to this earth was to be the sinless, perfect, lamb (Isa. 53), redemptive plan for all humanity. That's an easy answer. But isn't there more to that?

During the Last Supper, before Jesus was arrested and taken to the cross, He prayed with His disciples. In His prayer, Jesus says, “I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do” (John 17:4). How could He say that He had completed the work God had given Him to do when He had not yet died on the cross and risen from the dead?

The answer? In His prayer, Jesus said that He had completed the work of making disciples. The disciples were ready to go and make disciples themselves; all they needed was the Holy Spirit. If Jesus had died on the cross for our sins but had not made disciples who could deliver the message, none of us would have heard the good news. Jesus completed the message: He died for us and rose from the grave. He also created a way for people even today to hear that message: by releasing His disciples to go and make disciples, who in turn were released to go and make disciples, and so on.

 How are you doing in that area? Do you live your life in such a way that you are so caught up with yourself, meaning you are the center of your own universe, and there just isn't enough room for anyone or anything else? When you're out and about in your daily routine, commute, and see someone you could reach out to, but choose to ignore it because you're just to busy? To much going on? Afraid you don't know what to do or say? Then that would mean that you're basically, so full of yourself that there's just no enough room for anything else.

My encouragement to you would be to get out of your comfort zone. This world is yours for the taking. Take it for the Gospel. Take it for Gods kingdom.

When it comes to serving, I am reminded of the quote from one of my favorite evangelists, Tony Miano:

If you feed a lost person, give him something cool to drink, put a roof over his head and give him the shirt off your back, but you fail to share the gospel with him, know this. If he dies after you’ve loving- ly served him, having never heard the gospel from your lips, he will be warmed and filled as he faces God’s judgment and eternity in hell. Serve people? Yes. But please share the gospel.

So when you "Serve" are you serving men or serving yourself? Let's focus on the task at hand, the Great Commission. There are souls on the line.

Light the darkness,
Chris

October Night: Persistent Spider

I had the opportunity to go and serve with my church family, into the community of Oklahoma City. On Monday nights, we get to serve the homeless of OKC. It's an honor and a privilege to be able to serve with my church and for this great community. Starting with food, something to drink, clothes to wear, toiletries, they are given many things to meet what needs they may have.

Afterwards, I have the chance to stand and proclaim the Gospel, and can give away some money, and some food gift cards from local eating establishments in the area.

This encounter last night was great because we had sixty-nine people (at most recent count) show up. About half of those was still around when I began to preach.

We ask that you pray for those that were in attendance, that God will open their hearts and they'll receive the Gospel and respond accordingly in faith in Christ. 

Pray.

No Thanks, I Don't Do Orange.

     A few weeks ago, I was down in Rush Springs OK taking part in the festivities of the Annual Rush Springs Watermelon Festival. It's always a fun event. It's one that draws in thousands and thousands of people focusing on the food, crafts, carnival rides, and the long time history of watermelons. Did I mention seed spitting contests? Yeah, they have those. In the end, there's even a new Little Mr. & Mrs. Rush Springs and  Watermelon Queen are crowned for another year. The whole event is great and my family does their best to never miss. 

For those that are fit, and for those like me that are not, they have what's called the Watermelon 5K. This year was my second attempt in both starting, and finishing this race. Thankfully, I did finish and proudly held up the rear of all the runners. My whole goal, internally, was to not die (also my daily goal in life). No matter what, just get to the end with breath in my lungs and the cool morning wind behind me. 

At one point during the race I came to the corner of Rush and Blakely. For those that don't know, that's dead center in the middle of the city. That's the cross streets. As I looked over to my right I could see this massive monument that was standing tall. When I saw it, I realized that it was the 10 Commandments proudly being portrayed for all the city to see. It was at that moment that I paused, stopped running, and whispered a silent prayer thanking God that such a controversial piece was here on display. Today, so many people are angry about seeing this display anywhere throughout the United States. It's definitely a subject that causes a lot of discontent, disconnection, anger and strife. However, Rush Springs knows what's up. I'm thankful for that. I hope more cities are this bold in the near future. 

I think it's good that so many are wanting the removal of the Ten Commandments. It's reminding a sinful nation of the moral Law. I hope the secular press keeps reporting on the issue. What they mean for evil, will turn out to be for the good of the evangelistic endeavor for Christians. 


Today, October 6, 2015, the Ten Commandments statue that sat at the capital grounds in Oklahoma City were officially removed for good. People didn't like it because it's a "Religious symbol" on state property. Okay, whatever. 

People hate that law. They hate looking at it. They hate seeing it. But thankfully, it's written on their conscience (Rom. 2:15). They know it's wrong to lie. They know it's wrong to steal. They know full well with in their own conscience that it's wrong to murder another human being.

They remove them from the public sector in hopes that it will be "Outta sight, outta mind". Sadly, they are ignorant of the truth that they are going to be judged by God and they are going to be held accountable to that law.

They can be perfect as Creator is perfect, or they can recognize that they have indeed violated that law and repent and believe the Gospel. 

Hell is hot. Sin ain't right. Christ is coming. Righteousness will prevail. 

Time will tell. 

Thank you Rush Springs OK for taking your stance. May every soul that passes by this monument, found on private property by the way, be reminded of the law that we, as humanity, have violated, and point us back to the Cross, in which Jesus Christ paid for that penalty, and because of the Cross, His death, burial, and resurrection (He rose from the dead three days later),  we can have forgiveness through Christ. And ONLY Him. 

Until the nets are full,

Chris 


 

"Don't Wait"

Upward Gospel Presentation from 2007

Heartbreaking Homosexual Encounter

This is from the "Terrified" CD with Todd Friel. Todd has a conversation with this man and shows him that he's damned despite his sexual preference because it had not even been brought up yet. Must you address this issue when giving someone the Gospel? No. Not at all. You'll hear that this young man was guilty of the law. Gods law. Who was the law made for? Homosexuals. WHAT?!? How could I say that? I didn't. God did.

Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted. (1 Timothy 1:8-11 ESV)

So go find yourself a homosexual or a heterosexual....and give them the Gospel because THAT is what is the "Power of God unto salvation"!



If the above link does not work, click here.

Chris