The night I've been waiting for...

The Lord of the Harvest:

Greetings friends,

Last night, several of us headed to the downtown city streets of Norfolk, VA.  We were all in faith that God was going to do something amazing and He did just that.  It was Aaron, Monique, Jeremy, Noah and I and we brought the grill, hamburgers, hotdogs, football, basketball and a guitar.  What we thought would just be a fun night hanging out with our homeless friends, turned out to be a night where men and women encountered God.  Here's what happened:

"A woman caught in adultery"

Yesterday afternoon, I spent several hours praying for our time in the streets.  I was walking in my secret place, where the voice of the Lord seems to pierce my ears and heart so clearly.  I was reading the book of John.  As I was reading, I came across John 8.  Little did I know, the Lord would use this story to change the environment in the city streets last night. 

After serving the burgers, chips, cookies, etc I invited my friends to sit down and hear the story of a women who was caught in adultery and how she encountered God the day she was caught.  Most of them responded and I had an opportunity to share this word with around 25 - 30 people. 

The main theme of my message was that this women was caught "red handed" in the act of adultery.  I reminded them about Deuteronomy 22:22, and how such a woman - according to the law - should have been put to death.  The scribes and Pharisees were exactly right, she should have been killed, but King Jesus makes a stunning statement and he addresses the scribes and Pharisees..."Let him who is without sin, cast the first stone."  Then, they departed one by one and the only one left standing with the women was Jesus.  He was the only one worthy enough to stand there, he was the only one that could have thrown a stone, but he says "neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more!" 

At that moment, he literally saves this woman’s life.  Aren't you glad that he desires mercy more than sacrifice?  Haven't some of us had this same encounter with the Savior that this woman had?  That's not it though.  Jesus says something else after he says, "neither do I condemn you."  He says, "Go and sin no more!" 

This was my exhortation to my friends.  I told each of them that we are all worthy of stoning according to the law.  We all deserve death, as the wages of sin is death and all have fallen short of the glory of God because of sin.  I declared over them, that right now, they were caught in the act of adultery.  Maybe, not specifically "adultery," but God saw their sin at that very moment.  I reminded them of the grace and mercy of the Lord Jesus and how he had the power and did in fact "save their life" as he did this woman, when he died on the cross. 

But, I also reminded them of God's justice.  He is a merciful, loving Father, but he is also a "Just" God who desires justice.  I invited my friends to beg God to regenerate their heart and save them.  Some started to step forward as if to prompt me that they wanted to say the sinner’s prayer.  I felt a strong caution from the Lord at that very moment.  One man said, "I want to say the sinner’s prayer."  I said, "Sir, that's fine and I'll pray that prayer with you, but I want you to know that just because you say this prayer one time in your life, you are not safe, repent and believe!  I said, "Sir, the bible says not only to confess with your mouth, but also believe.  How will I know you believe sir?  By the way you live your life!"  I encouraged him to live a life of repentance and to GO and sin no more!

I pulled out my jar of oil and began to start anointing the men and women who stood before me as we begged God to remove their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.  We begged for mercy, mercy, mercy.  I told them that according to the law, they did deserve death and unless God saves them that's exactly what they will get.  As I started praying, I began to prophecy over one man.  I declared over him that he would be a loving father for his daughter.  As I prayed for another the man literally bent over, with his hands on his knees, weeping bitterly, crying out for God to please deliver him and save him.  I confronted another man about how he was dressing in ladies cloths and appeared to be a transvestite.  I told him to repent and believe the gospel and go and sin no more! 

Three men asked God to save them last night and I saw true repentance.  It was accompanied with sorrow, weeping, affection, etc.  I hugged one man who wouldn't let go of me.  This is the power of the gospel!  The true gospel, that goes out into the world to save dead men and women.

My final words to many were, "GO AND SIN NO MORE."  Many walked away with tears in their eyes, sobbing in their hearts, but I believe they encountered God and I'm in faith that God has regenerated their hearts.  We'll continue to encourage these to examine their lives to see if they are in the faith!  A good tree can't bear bad fruit and a bad tree can't bear good fruit!

There wasn't many left at the end, and there wouldn't be any playing football this night!  God had something much larger in mind.  I noticed Jeremy's shoes laying by one man.  I looked and Jeremy was walking around in his socks.  I said, "Did you give the man your shoes?"  He said, "Yeah."  I smiled. 

What a great Saturday night!  How was yours?

Grace and Peace,

"A Church Without Walls"