Grief

Sometimes the news comes quick. Sometimes the news comes slow. No matter how or when it comes, grief travels in the wake of the news. Grief is heavy, weighty, a burden, especially when it involves someone deeply loved. Grief is not meant to be carried alone. It’s too heavy and may last a while—and that’s ok. That’s what family and friends are for, to share the load. Jesus stood outside the tomb of his friend and wept but He did not weep alone. It was a deep, human moment. “ Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted ” (Matt 5:4). If anyone knows how we feel in grief, it’s Him. But His grief did not linger long, as at the mention of his name, Lazarus came forth. We are not meant to dwell in grief, but should leave room enough for it. Let it run its course. Like the song says, “ Every Storm Runs Out Of Rain .” Another song says, “ The storm We will dance as it breaks The storm It will give as it takes And all of our pain is washed away Don't cry or be afraid Some things...

Praying for a key

I finally understand now why God allows people to be brought together into clubs, bars, concerts and other diverse congregations. He allows Satan to bring people together so they can hear the gospel! Thanks for showing me that Mark Cahill! You know, my little train might be slow, but it does eventually pull into the station, knowwhutImean?

I’m praying about going down to Headliners, but will need a team to go with me. This is a local concert hall wherein gathers many Columbia youth who need to hear the gospel. Part of what is spurring me on to this is a text message I got from one of my kids who went down there to hear a band. The message read, “I wish I had some tracts.” How cool is that?

Why do I need to pray about going to a place like Headliners? Because, frankly, I’m an old guy, I’m scared, I have a family, a job . . . and I have a message to proclaim (which means I have no excuse not to go). When Jesus said, “Follow me,” He also included things like being made a fisherman and a cross-carrier. What I get from that is that if I am not fishing or cross carrying, I am not fully following. You follow?

I’ll never forget the conversation I had with a Jehovah’s Witness a few years back. She said, “I go out knocking on doors with the gospel every night. What do you do?” I felt ashamed to think how at that time I only spent two hours every Friday night on the street . . .

Years ago when I began in street ministry, a team member prayed that God would give us a bar. This was in a town where alcoholism caused the town to acquire a nation-wide nick-name of “Drunktown, USA.” This team member prayed and every time we went out to witness, we visited the bar (outside, of course). That first night two bouncers were on their knees repenting and we never saw them again. The bar owner got mad and offered free drinks for every tract that people brought in. Over the course of time, God gave us the bar; that is, it closed down and is now a parking lot—flattened like Tyre and Sidon. Other bars in that town have been converted into churches or centers of outreach and treatment, but the town is not dry.

I am asking that God would bring a team together for Headliners.
Each person in Headliners needs to either get mad or get converted.

What we need is the key to the place, like the woman at the well who was the key to the city of Sychar . . .

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