Open Air preaching in Tacoma on the waterfront.

CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO, AND TURN UP YOUR VOLUME!

Glad tidings all!  We had our first open air in Tacoma today, and it went well.  I have posted a link to a video and please understand that you must turn it up all the way to hear it, and I promise it will get better.  Here is a short summary of our experience.

Upon arriving and spending some time in prayer, Steve ( guy in the hat) and I set up and traded off playing worship songs and handing out gospel tracts.  While Steve was handing out tracts a couple stopped and began to engage us in a conversation.  Vince and his wife must have been about 60, and very mild mannered.  they are  however of the opinion that all roads lead to God.  We began to chat about what the bible said, and Vince was a little surprised to be speaking to Steve and I who actually KNOW what Jesus said about the road is broad but the gate is narrow.  In the end I was able to deliver the Gospel message to them two different times, and they listened to it.  Vince's wife actually asked me why I did not think it was ok for her to have her own beliefs.  I told her I am not telling you not to have your own beliefs.  She replied to me "what are you saying"  I responded plainly that I am saying the only way to heaven in through Jesus Christ, this is what the Bible says.  The bible is not misinterpreted and we worship a God who calls us to lay down our sinful nature, and be born again in Christ.  God sent his only son not to condemn the world but to save it.

They wanted to present to bible as true for some and not true for others, but we gently pointed out to this point again that is not possible at all.  Based on what is said in the Bible, it is either true for everyone, or true for no one.  We went on.  In the end we were able to deliver the Gospel of Jesus Christ twice to this sweet loving couple.  Once we started identifying their need for a savior Vince's wife began to get a little uncomfortable, and left saying that the conversation was going nowhere, Ah but the wisdom of the world did not understand Jesus however God is still pleased to save those who believe.  Praise be to God the seed was planted and we had a success on our first trip out!!! We will be making some needed adjustments in order to improve the sound quality of the video as well as the quality of our open air program, and we will be at it again soon.  Stay TUNED!!!!!

GOD BLESS AND KEEP YOU!!!!!!

How do we learn

Did you know and I am sure most of you do, that there are three main ways that people learn. Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic. There are more, but they are slightly more complicated versions of these. Do you know what type of learner you are? Visual obviously means you learn best by seeing, audio means by listening and kinesthetic means by doing.  Now, along with these types of learning come different ways to teach, and there are clues for identifying what type of learner you are. For instance someone might say I hear what you are saying, or do you feel me, or I can see that. If you would answer I hear you! You may be an auditory learner. If you would say something like I see what you’re saying, you may be visual, and I feel you, well you are kinesthetic. Of course you would need a little more in depth test than this to be sure, but this is a good clue.

I believe in order to really and truly understand and believe something most of us need all three of these touched. Jesus does that for us. He came to save us from eternal separation from God, he also came to show us how to live, how to pray, how to serve, how to love, how to be fruitful. He showed us, told us, and allows us to live it out learning first hand.

Now, after Christ had risen from the grave he caught up with his disciples who where back to their old trade of fishing. I can imagine Simon Peter sitting on the boat thinking about his friend Jesus whom laid down his life. From the scripture we know at this point he still didn’t get it. He had witnessed an incredible display and pain and anguish poured out on his teacher and friend Jesus. I cannot imagine what the disciples must have been thinking, but for me it would have been hard to connect the dots to what Jesus had been saying. Jesus told them he was going away to be with the father, and they saw him killed. If you remember they really did not fully understand what that meant, I mean Jesus told them he was going to be with the Father and they said, we want to come too! Of course by this Jesus meant his crucifixion, death, and resurrection and ultimate ascension into Heaven. The disciples did not yet understand how their sin our sin would be poured out on Jesus.

Think about it in this context. They heard him say it, the saw him teach but they did not experience it yet, so they just did not get it. It is unclear the full depth of their understanding at this moment, but what is clear is that after Christ had been buried they had turned and gone back to their old life. Though it is hard to imagine them being unaffected or totally without some sense of change in their hearts, yet they were still standing on the fence.

This particular day they were fishing and had caught nothing, Jesus came walking up and blessed them with fish, he said “hey the fish are over on the other side of the boat go get them,” John 21:6 and he said to them, cast the net on the right hand side of the boat and you will find a catch. Now I have been told different things about the part of scripture that Jesus loved them and wanted to bless them so on, and this is true. But what really happened here? They saw him, they heard him, and he told them essentially, hey you are going the wrong way let me show you once more what will happen if you go the way I tell you to. And they experienced a huge catch simply by following Christ’s instructions. This is what I call a kinesthetic prophecy. Think about that. Now listen to me I am not using this to say that if you listen to God he will make you rich with monetary rewards. If you think that is the universal case please discuss it with me later. I am saying that the entire world belongs to God, including all the fish. In fact, I believe the catch that God cares about equals two things. New souls saved and previously saved souls maturing. On both counts it equals kingdom growth and both are happening to God’s most prized possession, his sheep, you and me, all of his people. Do you feel me? Can you see what I am saying? After Christ died the Disciples did not really know what to do next. They followed him while he was on earth trying to understand what he was saying, and knowing it was important. Maybe getting a little bit of it but like many of us I am sure they put their own expectations on it and did not dive straight in to life as a follower of Christ.  They were on the fence what they got was confusion.    No idea where to go, no idea where to turn, however when they saw and heard Jesus they followed his instruction. You see there is no gray area with Jesus he goes into the gray and makes it black and white. When we come to Jesus and say Lord I want to follow, we are most likely a little confused about what that means, but it is ok. Jesus will take you and he will keep you. But he will also set you in the right direction.

I believe that we have a slight advantage over the disciples. Jesus even said that it was to our advantage that he goes to be with the Father because we will not receive his helper unless he goes away and sends it to us. John 16:7 but I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away the Helper will not come to you; but if I go I will send him to you. Who is it that Jesus is talking about in this passage? Anyone…..? Right, he is talking about the Holy Spirit. One thing I have always found interesting about this passage, Jesus makes it sound like we are almost better off with him being in Heaven, and the Holy Spirit being with us instead. Why is this? One reason is obvious, his sacrifice was not complete until his crucifixion and death but do not forget he was resurrected and walked on Earth for 40 days and I suppose if he wanted to stay he could have, but the Holy Spirit was meant to be our guide after his ascension. As we see from the disciples going right back to their old way of life after Christ’s death they were lost once more. Even after all they had witnessed, even though Christ walked with them, and he was with them for three years. Still, as soon as things went way above their understanding they climbed right back up on the fence, and began to revert back to the old self, or at least into their old profession.

You see Jesus knew this about us, he knew we needed to have him guiding us somehow in our daily lives because he already knew that following his footsteps was not possible for anyone without the power of God at work in their hearts. Furthermore he knew what was most important about the work of the Holy Spirit he said it will tell you when you are falling in to sin. He says because I will be in heaven and you will not be able to see me, I will send something that will teach you kinesthetically, “If you will”. Furthermore, in John 16:8 And He when He comes will convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment. Now I believe the Holy Spirit guides us in many ways, I believe God speaks to us through the Holy Spirit; God can pretty much do whatever he wants to with it. But the thing Jesus points out is convicting the world of sin, is a priority. 

Let me ask, are you confused about God's calling on your life?  Are you on the fence?  Remember Jesus is teaching us still today, and it is when we seek first His kingdom and His righteousness that we understand second what he has for us to accomplish here on earth.  Allow the Holy Spirit to intercede for you, and allow yourself to learn the tough lessons, God will bless you for it when you turn to the side he has called you to be on.

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