OUR FATHER’S PERSISTENT LOVE MINISTRIES
“AN OUTSIDE PERSPECTIVE”
My Dear Family in Christ,
Ever precious greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ! It is my great honor and privilege to share my heart with you once again. It was a beautiful, Southern California evening in February. Warm, dry, breezy weather; the kind of warm wind that tickles your senses even as the birds worshiped with their swan song for the day. I had been at a pastors’ conference, at which I received encouragement while sharpening my gifts. Now, we were staying at a friend’s house, donated by grace, as we prepared for an upcoming Sunday speaking engagement at a Calvary Chapel in La Habra. As is our like, Debbie and I had gone out for a walk. We love to walk (knees permitting). We enjoy each other, and more so the King of creation. She likes to walk; I like to be with her – therefore, I walk.😁
In the course of our walk, we noticed a Door Dash – type vehicle seeking to make a delivery. He seemed to be going to and fro, back and forth as it were, looking for an address. Eventually, he pulled over to the side of the road at exactly the same time that Debbie and I were walking by. Looking at each other, we were attentive, knowing sovereignty always rules the moment. We studied him and discerned he was in duress. As such, we walked over to him and began a conversation. We quickly discovered that he spoke no English! How can these things be?
As we sought to speak with the man, we discovered that he was a Ukrainian. We supposed that he was trying to make a food delivery and could not find the house. He was very humble and cordial as best as he was able. And then boom, as if by revelation, it came upon Debbie’s heart to go on our phone and use the translator app! In no time, we discovered his name, his purpose, and a little bit about his life. He was simply trying to make money for his family. He could not find the address for his delivery, and he needed someone to show him the way.🙂 You know me, as does my Lord – I like to give directions!😄 The gospel of the grace of God served on the platter of love is Heaven’s fare for the sinner. He is the way. . .
Quickly discerning the Lord’s hand, we began to bend the conversation toward the real purpose of our meeting. The bible is the road map no matter where you are going. We began to speak to him about the Lord and the forgiveness of sins. We touted the crucifixion, death, and burial of the Lord Jesus Christ. We set before him the hope of sins forgiven by the resurrection of the dead and of new Life in Christ. As we shared, he began to weep. Here we were in the middle of the desert, in a place we knew not, speaking to a man we knew not, about a Savior we knew well.
As he wept, we comforted him. We took our time and lovingly, patiently, prayerfully shared the gospel and all the fullness of His glory with him. Debbie is very gifted here; she is lamb-like in her delivery. She makes me want to be saved again! Ha! We then asked if he would like to receive Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. Praying over him, we committed him unto the King. Finally, he made his delivery (as we did), and off he went with a big smile on his face!
Evangelism is the sharing of the gospel of the grace of God with an unbeliever. The gospel has a specific content of which we must be fully cognizant. The gospel message is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes (Romans 1:16). In my mind, there are three types of evangelism. The first type is what I call the “shotgun approach.” The preacher/teacher is behind the pulpit, and he is preaching the gospel to a large group and letting seed fall where it may (Luke 8:11-15). The second is what I call friendship evangelism.” It is personal and time- consuming. In this type, you come alongside someone, befriending them as it were. Then, you earn their trust by speaking the truth in love; and finally, you are able to speak into their heart the full gospel of the grace of God in Jesus Christ. Thirdly, is the evangelism that I call “drive-by.” This is when you know you are only going to see that person one time in your life for just a few minutes. In such a case, you must deliver the fullness of the gospel message in a nutshell, bringing it to bear upon their heart with surgical precision and prayer, while driving home their need to call on the Lord personally.
It is written, “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2:1-4)
There is nothing new under the sun even as there is nothing new under the Son.🙂 Modern day technology bows before the King of creation and serves His good pleasure. All serves His will and purpose. All creation methodically moves, as a train barreling down the track, toward the consummation. All eyes of faith look toward the coming of our King. The Lamb was slain; the Lion is coming. He shall take no prisoners. He’s not coming to render mercy and grace. He’s coming to render justice to all who have rejected His crucified Son, the Holy One of Israel. Beloved, it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God! (Hebrews 10:31)
Having been crucified, Jesus still speaks. At Pentecost, He spoke in tongues to reach those who knew not. In Southern California, He spoke in tongues through a translator app. From a simple cell phone came forth the Word of the Living God. We remember in days gone by that water was found gushing from a smitten rock, and that Rock was Christ (1 Cor. 10:4)! That day in Southern California, we saw water gushing from a simple cell phone, smitten by faith; and that water, too, was Christ.
I always tell the guys in the jail, “Yo, don’t miss the big picture of what the Lord is really doing. He has people preparing you three meals a day and even doing your dishes. He also has people doing your laundry! This is your seminary, bro! Learn that Word!” In a similar fashion, setting politics aside – I know, I know, we all want redemption for our country. But don’t miss the big picture of what the Lord is really doing! He has people pouring into your life from every tribe and tongue and nation everyday. He sends them to you because you too have a translator app, and you are, therefore, without excuse. Do you see them in the flesh through the lens of your worldly politics? Or, do you see them by the Spirit of the Living God? I know, I know, they broke the law – yep, and so have we. Remember, we all came out of the same dumpster! Debbie and I don’t like Halloween either, but we are keenly aware that it is the only day of the year when the Lord sends multitudes of children right to our front door with an open bag! I just sit on the lawn in my chair, and He sends them to me – one after another. Thus, I put candy and living water tracks in their bags (not necessarily in that order). In Matthew 9:36, the Lord looked on the multitudes, too, and He was “moved with compassion for them”. . .
“ARE YOU?”
JOYFULLY IN JESUS,
LOVE, PHILIP
“REMEMBER THOSE IN PRISON AS IF CHAINED TO THEM.”
