HOLLYWOOD 12-31-10

Today was a great day to end 2010!! Was blessed to go to Hollywood for a little while with Tony, his daughter Marisa and Mark.

It was SUPER crowded and so far we have had NO police intervention.

Tony preaching in front of Manns Chinese Theater with his cross. You can hear Tony's gospel presentation HERE.

We handed out several hundred tracts, did some quick stoplight preaching then headed back to Noho where Tony preached again. I was very blessed to share the Gospel with Henry who is a Catholic. The Lord was giving me great verses to share with him and Henry seemed to "get it". By God's grace... maybe we'll see him in heaven.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Believer in Christ: How would you live this year if you knew it was your last?

Hollywood 12-27-10

Nathan, Steve and I went down to Hollywood Blvd. the other day. So far NO police problems. It was a busy day. Nathan was bold and preached it! We probably handed out about 700 tracts in an hour then we went to Noho for a little while afterwards and Steve and I preached. All in all a great time! God has been faithful to protect us and open up doors for the gospel.

Leonard Ravenhill Biography

Pray for Terrence

Had a neat thing happen today. Was with some dear friends and my family strolling through Huntington Garden when I saw a family taking photos. When the father walked by I recognized him as this actor... Terrence Howard. I remember reading an article in a magazine that he is a Jehovah's Witness... so the Lord gave me the boldness to walk up and give him a tract. I said, "I know you are a famous actor but you probably don't have one of these." He responded "Now I do." I wished them a happy New Year and walked away. Please pray for him.

Christmas Worship Piece

Every Christmas that my mom comes out to visit us, I get the opportunity to draw a live worship piece while we listen to Handles Messiah and various other music that stirs the soul. This is the piece from this year for you all to enjoy!

A Little Christmas Cheer

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

"And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them." Luke 2:15-20

Just as birds were made to sing, Christians have been made to bring the good news of the Mighty King!! I encourage all my brothers and sisters to take part in what the angels and shepherds did the first Christmas by telling others of all that your Great Savior has done in your heart and life!!

Come, ye sinners, poor and needy,

Weak and wounded, sick and sore;
Jesus ready stands to save you,
Full of pity, love and power.

I will arise and go to Jesus,
He will embrace me in His arms;
In the arms of my dear Savior,
O there are ten thousand charms.

Come, ye thirsty, come, and welcome,
God's free bounty glorify;
True belief and true repentance,
Every grace that brings you nigh.

Come, ye weary, heavy-laden,
Lost and ruined by the fall;
If you tarry till you're better,
You will never come at all.

I will arise and go to Jesus,
He will embrace me in His arms;
In the arms of my dear Savior,
O there are ten thousand charms.

View Him prostrate in the garden;
On the ground your Maker lies.
On the bloody tree behold Him;
Sinner, will this not suffice?

Lo! The incarnate God ascended,
Pleads the merit of His blood:
Venture on Him, venture wholly,
Let no other trust intrude.

I will arise and go to Jesus,
He will embrace me in His arms;
In the arms of my dear Savior,
In the arms of my dear Savior,
In the arms of my dear Savior,
O there are ten thousand charms.

Charlie Brown

What would you do?

If you are doing open-air preaching and street witnessing, listen to me carefully... you WILL probably have to answer this question one day. What would you do?

Every year...

Every year Christians have to navigate a verbal & CHRISTMAS DISPLAY "minefield" that we don't offend the 4 atheists who have a thin skin.

I've personally felt the pressure of not saying "Merry Christmas" to people in the work place in case I might offend them. Whats sad is when I think I was being bold when I said it.

Are we so ashamed?

Creation Calls -- are you listening?

Joy from Christ, not your performance - Paul Washer

A Powerful Lesson From ER

RAIN DELAY

NO EVANGELISM TONIGHT. POURING RAIN! :(

Scolding from "Christians"... really?

The other night I had a young woman who claimed to be a Christian reprimand me after I open air preached saying that "What I was doing was being more like the Pharisees praying in the market place"... and questioned if what I was doing "repels people from God"? We certainly have to be careful that WE are not offensive but the truth is that the Gospel IS offensive. That night I knew I preached the straight gospel. Sadly almost half of the opposition I have had to the public proclamation of the gospel has been from those who claim to be Christians.

To those who claim to be Christian and are offended at the public heralding of the Gospel you need to ask yourself if you are even in the faith. I challenge you to read the book of Acts and ask yourself: what was the primary method the Lord used to advance His Kingdom?

The blood stained cross has no need for you to try to rescue its dignity. Jesus Christ died an undignified, public death for your sin. He bore your shame and guilt on the cross and when you share the gospel you will bear the shame that goes with identifying with Him.

Crossing Guard

MY TWO CENTS: Yesterday I was driving and saw a crossing guard walking a young teenage girl across the street. I couldn't help but think how most public schools spend thousands of dollars to protect students from danger while they cross the street but teach them things that will destroy their lives and ultimately lead them down the broad road of destruction. The schools will teach them "safe sex" and even provide prophylactics to encourage fornication, that homosexuality is a normal lifestyle and that they are merely animals that evolved from a Big Bang. But whatever you do... make sure they get across the street safely!

That isn't loving them. Love does what it BEST for the person. I want these kids to have a blessed life that gives glory to God, which is why they were created.

Isaiah 53

"Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him.
He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.
But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.
He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken.
And they made His grave with the wicked But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth.
Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.
He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors."

Can We Trust the Bible?

I witnessed to someone the other night who made the statement, "You can't trust the bible it was written by men." My question for him was, "Have you ever written a letter?" His replied, "Yes." I then asked, "Was it you or the pen who wrote it?"

Burbank Media Center Follow-up 12-11-10

Forest, Dean, Sai, Steve, Nathan, Tony & myself were out this past Saturday night at Burbank Media Center.

We arrived to find that our usual spot to preach was blanketed in snow and we were not about to preach somewhere that had unlimited "ammo".

We set up shop in a big open area on the sidewalk.

I had a great conversation with a nice couple Danielle(? Seemed to be raised with some biblical background but thought she was a good person) and David(believed god was in everything and you could attain that). The Lord is faithful and His word doesn't return void!

Spurgeon quote for the day! 12-11-10

“Are we earnest enough about the souls of others? Christian men and women, do you love your fellow-creatures, or do you not? How few there are of us who make it our business to be constantly telling out the sweet story of Jesus and his love! I read, the other day, of a chaplain in the Northern army in the lamentable war in the United States, who, while he lay wounded on the battle-field, heard a man, not far off, utter an oath. Though he himself was so badly wounded that he could not stand, yet he wished to reach the swearer to speak a gospel message to him, and he though, “I can get to him if I roll over.” So, though bleeding profusely himself, he kept rolling over and over till he got to the side of the poor blasphemer, and on the lone battle-field he preached to him Jesus. Some of the other men came along, and he said to them, “Can you carry me? I fear that I am dying, but I do not want to be taken off the field. I should like you, if you would, to carry me from one dying man to another, all the night long, that I might tell them of a Savior.” What a splendid deed was this! A bleeding man talking to those who were full of sin about a Savior’s bleeding wounds! Oh, you who have no wound, who can walk, and possess all the faculties to fit you for the service, how often you miss opportunities and refuse to speak of Jesus! “Thou art now the blessed of the Lord,” and at this moment I would have you think that the blessed Lord lays his pierced hand on thee saying, “Go and tell others what I have done for thee.” Never cease to tell the divine tale, as opportunity is given, until thy voice is lost in death; then thy spirit shall begin to utter the story in the loftier sphere.” C.H. Spurgeon

The Sillyness of Atheism

The Unconditional Love of Christ - Paul Washer

Man on Fire! - Ian Paisley

There are 4 parts to this video, I highly recommend hearing all of them! You may not agree with everything said... but man this is some preachin'!!

Don't Waste Your Life

Trials Before Glory - Pastor Jack Hughes

This was such an encouraging sermon. PREACH THE WORD while you can!!

HOLLYWOOD FOLLOW-UP 12-4-10

We just got back from Hollywood Boulevard... PRAISE THE LORD!! We had a great night out at Hollywood. Honestly, I was expecting to be given the boot or worse from the police, but the Lord was faithful to open doors for the good news with NO problems. I'm SO blessed to serve with these bold brothers in the Lord!

We planned to go hand out tracts an talk with people 1-on-1

When we got there is was business as usual. TONS of costume people and street performers.

Even saw an E.T. out there.

At one point I was blessed to open air and the Lord drew several people to listen intently. Had some great hecklers that drew even more people to hear about what Christ has done for them. Lately I've been amazed at how the Lord has drawn people to hear the Gospel with absolutely NO gimmicks. No chalk lines, trivia, heckler mics... nothing but the pure word! GLORY TO GOD!!

Please pray for: Derrick (thought he was Christian but denied, hell, that Jesus died for sins and God isn't angry with people), another Derrick (wanted something "deeper" than the Gospel...:|...believes in other gospels that were "left out " of the bible), Walker (young guy who heckled me... thinks he's just going to "hang out" with God and has no problem with fornication... took him through the law and the gospel) Tim (a young Scientologist who needed the Lord)

Chickenhead

This was boosted from Atheist Central... I thought it was funny.

Prophecy

This is such a good idea! Its really that obvious.