Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Searching for Treasure.


We decided yesterday to go hunting, so last night Dennis took a look at our metal detectors to make sure they would be ready to go this morning.

The morning was glorious...the sun rising over the ocean and the birds all hunting for food. We saw stacks of clam shells left by the Frigate birds after an early breakfast. I really enjoy just walking along and finding the cool shells that are washed up by the tide.

The detector was yielding nothing in the way of treasure so after a couple of hours I walked back down the beach toward where the truck was parked. I saw an elderly man and his wife fishing. He had all of his poles arranged 'just right' and was keeping a watchful eye on them. I stopped to talk about the fish he was catching. At one point one of the
poles nearly bent in half, but it was just a couple of Egrets flying by. One had become entangled, he quickly got out of the line. The man introduced himself as Eddie and his wife as Ruth.

I asked Eddie what he believed would happen to him when he died. He said he would go to sleep and that was it. After talking a little more he told me he didn't believe in God. If there was a God in Heaven why didn't He stop the wars. Why didn't He feed the children starving...on he went. As he was talking to me I remembered a little internet story I read last year. It goes like this...

A man went into a barbershop to get a haircut. He had been trying to get the courage to talk to the barber about God but didn't really know how. Finally he took the plunge. The barber immediately shut him down by saying he didn't believe in God. For if there were a God why didn't He feed the starving children and why were there wars and why did the crops fail?? The customer clammed up with no answer.

After he finished up the man walked out the door. He was still thinking about the barber's questions as he crossed the street to work. In front of him lay a very dirty, smelly homeless man. His hair was matted and his beard tangled and disgusting. The man wheeled around and ran back across the street to the barber. He flew in the door and said, "I don't believe in barbers!"

The barber looked at him like he'd lost his mind and said, "Uh...I just cut your hair!"

"If there were really barbers, why are there homeless men who need haircuts and their beards shaved?" the customer asked.

"He didn't come to me!!" the barber retorted.

"My point exactly!" said the customer.

Eddie laughed and came up with a couple more excuses but not with the same gusto as before. I was able to give him a Good Person tract and he said he would read it. I pray that he does.

2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

The problem with real Treasure is not finding it, but sharing it.

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Would you invite these guys to your church?


I ask this question because as I walked by Ezekiel and Sean, I noticed one of them (Ezekiel) had a few tattoos and some bling.... I wondered how many people walked right past these guys because of the way they look.

As I spoke to them, I soon discovered that Ezekiel had a Christian background but somewhere along the line had some real issues with the church and pastor.

Listen in (sorry for the background noise - very windy today).



Thursday, April 16, 2009

To Obey or Not to Obey: That is the Question!

When Tony Miano issued a challenge on a recent Lawman Chronicles post, people here in Florida took him seriously!

In this video you will see a group of people. None of these people, save one, have ever spoken in an 'open-air' situation before this. Among this humble group are a former homosexual, drug-addicts, drunkards, revilers-let's stop there...you've got the picture.





The whole point of this is that I would like to show you that there is nothing we lack in order to fulfill our purpose here-to glorify God!

We have no exceptional skills for this.

1 Corinthians 2:1-5: And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.


Our knees knock together! But we pray for courage and boldness as Paul did to obey the Great Commission issued from Jesus directly to us. Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

We have everything we need right now to get the job done.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor abusers, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Doctor's Office Witnessing

I got this note from one of the guys in the current Way of the Master Intermediate Class...thought you might want to see it.


Dennis,

God's Word is awesome. After getting my blood pressure and pulse taken this morning in the doctor's office, I gave the nurse, Traci, a million dollar bill as she left. A few moments later, she came back in, part-way and asked me where I got the MDB. She was responsive to my questions about lying [just white lies], stealing [never], being angry at others [just her ex's] and said she was thinking about church. I told her where we all stood before God, what Jesus had done for her, and for me, and asked her to consider where she stood with God. All the while, this was in the midst of a busy doctor's office, and Traci just half-way in the examining room! I am just amazed at God's power to draw people to Him, in the most unexpected ways and places! I am praying for Traci to come to know the Saviour in a real and personal way and to give her life fully to Him. After the exam, as the doctor was concluding his medical advice to me, I gave the him a MDB, but our conversation was much shorter, and then to the woman scheduling my next appointment [she laughed and said she had just seen one]...all in God's timing...

God is good, amazing, awesome, all the time!
Dave

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

...last but absolutely not least...

We'd also like to thank Rob over at Streetfishing.org for all of the advice and help he's given to us over the past year.

Thanks Blogfather! Your patience is never-ending.

Monday, April 6, 2009

Changes in the wind...

As you can see, we've cleaned up a bit! Even gotten a new blog banner-thanks to Terry and the team over at Primal Screen.

Thanks guys!!