John the Baptist's Testimony About Jesus

22 After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. 23 Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were constantly coming to be baptized. 24 (This was before John was put in prison.) 25 An argument developed between some of John's disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. 26 They came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—well, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him."

27 To this John replied, "A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. 28 but am sent ahead of him.' 29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30 He must become greater; I must become less. You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Christ

31 "The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. 33 The man who has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. 34 For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. 35 The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."

The part that sticks out in this passage to me is verse 36. The only way to avoid God's wrath is to believe in Christ. God is angry at sin in the Old and the New Testaments. He doesn't ask us to do more good than evil. He doesn't ask us to confess to a priest. He doesn't ask us to justify ourselves compared to others. He gives us the one redeemer, Christ, to fully attone for our sins. By repenting and putting our faith in the Savior, we will have eternal life.

Jesus Teaches Nicodemus

Let's continue with the third chapter of John from the perspective of someone reading it for the first time. After witnessing with people, I will encourage them to read their bible, especially starting with the book of John. This chapter especially supports the need for salvation through Christ alone.

1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him."

3 In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."

This is a great passage to quote. Try something this week. Everytime you meet someone who says they are a Christian. Ask them if they are "born again". Many people have a real aversion to saying they are born again. Ask them what they do with John 3:2 where Jesus makes it clear that you will not see the kingdom of God unless you are born again.

4 "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"

5 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."

9 "How can this be?" Nicodemus asked.

10 "You are Israel's teacher," said Jesus, "and do you not understand these things? 11 I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 14Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.

Another example of Jesus referring to a story in the Old Testament that pointed towards him. If you go back to Numbers 21:8-9, Moses put a snake on a pole and anyone who kept their eyes on it would live. Jesus would be put up on a pole and anyone who puts their faith in Him alone will be saved as well. Jesus speaks in parables and symbols, but usually right afterward He explains what he is talking about. And, as you read the whole story, you can look back and understand exactly what He was referring to.

16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.

3:16 is probably the most famous verse in the Bible, even for people who have never read the Bible. But, you will rarely hear people continue to 3:18. I hear all the time that I am condemning people by pointing out their sin to them using the Law. 3:18 clearly states that they are condemned already.

19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."

This section nicely sums it up. This is the verdict. Christ has come to save the world, but people would rather live in their sin than come to belief in the savior. It has nothing to do with evolution, or the Crusades, or their suffering, or any other excuse they come up with to obscure the Truth. People need to be shown their personal sin, need to be made to see how much their sin offends a perfect, Holy, God. And they need to understand that they justifiably deserve to be punished for that sin. Only then will the grace of a merciful, loving God make sense, and then all the other objections will melt away. Living by the truth, they will see plainly what God has done for them.

Law to the Proud

Tonight, we went to the Winnetka Theater again. It was a lot slower than before, so we had fewer people to talk with. There were a bunch of us... Evangelica, David, Jeff, a new addition Haig, Chris, myself, Tony and two of his daughters. Amanda is pictured here with the pink and blue illusion tract.

I didn't get an audio of us witnessing tonight, so I am doing something different. Tony has been preaching at his home church for two weeks as a guest. The first sermon is titled "Law to the Proud" The podcast episode for this week will be this sermon. One person said that they had never heard the gospel preached so completely and clearly as this in a church. Next week, if any of the members of the church come back, I will put up the second part in this series.

Jesus Clears the Temple

12 After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days.

13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, "Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father's house into a market!"

Two things to note here. Jesus did get angry. God has that right. And, Jesus was angry at the "televangelists" of His day. People often get turned off to the gospel because they associate Christianity with people on TV turning it into a money making enterprise. Jesus makes it clear that He has nothing to do with that.

17 His disciples remembered that it is written: "Zeal for your house will consume me."

18 Then the Jews demanded of him, "What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?"

19 Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days."

20 The Jews replied, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?" 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.

Another example of Jesus fulfilling prophecy. He often confused people by his words, but they were made very clear after what He foretold actually happened. I hear a lot from people the the Bible is hard to interpret, but Jesus usually explains any parables or confusing parts right after so we know what He was talking about. Again, Jesus stands apart from any other world religion figure as the One who laid down His life and took it up again.

23 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name. 24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men. 25 He did not need man's testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man.

Jesus doesn't need us to provide testimony for Him. He is more than capable of being a witness for himself. I make it clear to people that they should not take my word for the truth of the Gospel. They should believe the Author of the faith and His Word. I am just as fallible as any one else, but God is always faithful and will never let you down.

Response from Law office

I received a response from both law offices. The one in Florida thinks that even though we are in the right, the Mall can choose to discriminate on any basis they choose. They advise that we just move on, or talk with Pacific Justice, who are in California for more specific advice.

I just spoke with Matt McReynolds from Pacific Justice and gave him all the details. He seem to think that sending a letter from their office telling the mall that if they don't want a civil case filed against them then they should stop asking us to stop talking about God. We talked, and agreed that I am doing everything I can in good faith to not disrupt their business, nor solicit people, on their property. The next step is to draft this letter. I'll post here as any updates happen.

Freedom of Speech Does Apply to “Private Property”

(The following letter is from Scotty at Living Waters)

While there is no question of our Constitutional right to freedom of speech and handing out tracts in traditional public forums such as parks, public squares and the street; I recently had an incident happen to me which made me aware of access to locations I had previously thought to be off limits.

While leaving Home Depot, as I was loading my car, I noticed some people sitting at a table by a hot dog stand. I grabbed some tracts and went over and handed them out. The parking lot security guard was also there and immediately challenged me. He said I could not pass out any literature on the premises because it was “private property”. I said I was not soliciting, and it was my constitutional right to do so. As I headed back to my car, he blocked my car in with his cart and proceeded to threaten me with arrest if I tried to do it again. We warmly conversed on the subject, but I started to get upset at the threats of arrest and felt as though I was being pressed to promise never to do it again - or else! I cooled the conversation by agreeing with his responsibility to his employers and was able to leave under the threat of, "If I ever see you doing this again...”

On my way home it bothered me quite a bit. It bothered me enough to stop at the local police station and ask a few questions. I didn't want to break the law and I was unclear on this point. I ended up speaking with a Supervisor who happened to be involved in a similar incident at Wal-Mart's a few weeks prior; so he was familiar with the right to “freedom of speech” as it applies to “private property”. Here is what I came away with:

• California Penal Code 422.6 prohibits law enforcement or anyone else from interfering with any right or privilege afforded by the Constitution, State Laws or Statutes. I believe every state has a similar law.
• That this includes “private property” that has “public access” as long as there is no impeding of those entering or exiting. (This ruling is on a State by State basis.) In the California case, Pruneyard Shopping Center vs. Robins, a determination was made that owners of private property who allowed public access could not overrule the civil rights of that public!
• That even amplification can be used as long as it is kept under a certain decibel level (defined by local or municipal codes).
• That any ordinances passed (such as requiring a permit) are only to regulate the exercise of civil rights, not to deny them.

This issue of freedom of speech on private property was surprising to me; and would seem to include a lot of areas most of us have considered to be off limits. What about malls, especially outdoor malls, theater plazas, entertainment centers and town centers; as well as their parking lots? All are privately owned, but with public access. The managements of these facilities set up security to, among other things, chase off anything with religious overtones. My question is; is it legal?

By the way, when talking to the officer about this issue, it was in the context of open-air preaching, not just handing out tracts.

The guy at Wal-Mart was allowed to continue handing out tracts and talking to people. Wal-Mart had the police out several times and was unable to stop him. The Police are obligated to respond to any and all complaints, but here is what I was told. If those complaining (Wal-Mart or Home Depot) were to press the point, they could ask for a citizen’s arrest. The police are obligated to honor the request, but would advise against it since the penalty for violating my civil rights is a $5000 fine and/or up to one year in jail, as well as a mandatory one year of community service.

In most cases the police would inform you of their decision, and if against you, you would be asked to leave. My recommendation is to leave at that point; but not until the police ask you to do so, not just the management.

It is a good idea to talk to the local police before exercising your rights. It is a wise first step for several reasons. Discussing your intentions before hand will go a long way toward diffusing a confrontation. It will also give the local police a chance to become familiar with, and inform their officers of, the legal rights of those they serve. An emotional response is much more likely to be avoided when the officers, and you, are aware of your intentions beforehand, and are well informed and prepared. If you decide to test your rights and the police are called out, if you don’t think the conversation with the officer is going the way you think it should, I was told you could ask for the Supervisor or the Watch Commander to be consulted.

It is scary to think about pressing this point; but we have a message of hope and life for a lost and dying world. You can share the gospel with more people in ten minutes in a good open-air then you could on a one-to-one basis all week. The traditional gathering places of today have changed from those of the past; and are largely privately owned. The ownerships shut out the gospel; but it may be that we have access to more than we think. How will we know unless we try? Very few of the lost are coming to church in comparison to the number of lost gathering in the new public forums of today.

Pray for boldness and compassion for the lost, ignore the fear, and step out in faith. God is able; but are we willing? As Ray Comfort has said; there is no higher calling than to follow in the footsteps of the way of the Master.

The wicked flee when no man pursues; but the righteous are bold as a lion.

–Proverbs 28:1

…a servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle to all men, able to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.

–2 Tim. 2:24-25

Pray therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth laborers into His Harvest.

–Mat. 9:38

God bless,

Scotty

Update:

Since this incident, I have done open-air several times at this very same privately owned shopping center, in a common area between a movie theater and a coffee house. On the last occasion I was approached several times by security and then the theater manager, informing me that if I didn’t leave, they would call the police. An officer was called out and after some conversation, I was asked to leave or I would be arrested. I asked that the Watch Commander be consulted and he said, “I am the Watch Commander!” Not much to do after that but leave. I had already been there for three hours, so I didn’t mind too much.

I have talked to the police since then and was informed that what happened was not right and I was within my legal rights. The officer who responded that night will be spoken to, and a memorandum sent throughout the department. I will try again.

Update:

I prayed a lot about it and felt led to again try and exercise my civil rights as before; but with one difference; limiting my time to a one-hour time frame. I went back to the same theater to do open-air and was immediately approached by security who informed me that management was calling the police. I thanked him for letting me know and then began to speak. The police showed up about a half-hour latter. They listened briefly and then asked to speak to me off to the side. The theater manager was a short distance away; but out of ear-shot. I found it interesting that the very first thing the police asked me was, how long did I plan on doing this? I said another half-hour. They said they would allow me to continue and that I did have a right to do it. They explained that I may have to get a permit in the future; but for now, I didn’t need one. I will continue to go there on Friday nights until things change.

Slow progress at the mall

The mall has given me an application for free speech, where I am welcome to give a $50 deposit for litter and set up a table. They have an application asking what organization I am with, how much money I make, what size my signs are, how loud my amplification system is etc. This has nothing to do with what I do.

I have been advised not to fill this out and even go down that road. Until we get this solved, I don't want to go back and get arrested for trespassing. I have left messages with two organizations, Pacific Justice and the Christian Law Association. I am still waiting to hear from either of them. I don't have any idea how they will be able to help, or how much they are going to charge, but I would like some legal precedent on my side.

From all I can tell, it is legal to have a one on one conversation with someone about any subject on private property open to the public in America. But, I want to find the best way to communicate this to mall management so are all on the same page.

Harvest

One of my aims is to reach people within the church who desperately want to see their loved ones saved, but don't feel equipped to share their faith effectively. Once a year, there is a gathering of 50,000 people with exactly those qualifications. Greg Laurie puts on his annual Harvest Crusade. It is basically a huge seeker friendly rock concert/alter call that ends up seeing a lot of people walk down the aisle to "accept Jesus". I see two big problems with this. Don't get me wrong, I completely support their intentions, but I think it can use a little help.

First, sometimes hearing a modern gospel message, people are not really clear what their "decision" actually is. Many people walk down to earnestly give this whole Jesus thing a try. I, myself, walked down an aisle many years ago, and would have been hard pressed to explain fully to someone else what I had actually done. That doesn't mean that people should be preached to, and asked to come forward, but it really helps if there is someone who can, one on one, explain and answer any questions that the person might have. Harvest had many people volunteering to do just this. I think it is important to make sure these people, who have the burning desire to see people saved, have a clear way of presenting the biblical gospel.

Second, I think many of the people here use an annual event like this to "do their evangelism". If you don't know exactly what to say to someone, then it can be a nice substitute to invite them to a big Christian rock concert, and let the preacher do the heavy lifting. The problem with this is that all the other people they come into contact with during the year don't get a chance to hear the gospel. Also, as a previous attender of the Harvest myself, I have invited many a non-believer to this event. I offered to drive and buy dinner. They weren't fooled. No matter how good the music, or how "cool" we Christians dressed, basically it was a ruse to trick them into going to a church service. Most people are too smart to fall for that type of deception. I talked up the music, and they didn't care, as they already had plenty of bands that they were already into. And, the more honest I was about the church part, the less they wanted to go.

With all the effort expended to try to get them to come to an event designed to evangelize, I found it was much easier, and more honest, to just present the gospel myself. I think this is supported by the fact that as I looked around at the stadium filled with about 50,000 people, I saw everyone raising their hands and praising the Lord and singing. Great. But, where were all the non-believers. I stood outside and passed out over 200 CDs and DVDs of Hell's Best Kept Secret to the people in line. I asked every single person, "Are you a Christian" and every single one said, "I sure am." Um, where were the people that they were supposed to bring to hear the message? My thought is that by getting these people, who already have the heart to save the lost, equipped with a solid, non offensive way of presenting the gospel, more people will be reached all year long.

There were people there protesting Greg Laurie. Actually they seemed to be protesting every Christian name I had ever heard. But, I was not there for that purpose. We are all brothers, and we are all doing our part. I just pray that during the rest of the year, each of us get out and share our faith to the people closest to us, and don't put the job of evangelism off for others to do for us. We can pray for the Lord to send out workers into the harvest, but unless we get out and go ourselves, our prayers are in vain.

Evangelizing Children

For many believers, fulfilling Christ’s command to make disciples of all nations begins at home—with their children. In fact, few experiences bring greater joy to Christian parents than seeing their children come to faith in Christ.

The process of evangelizing one’s children, however, can be a daunting task. For many parents, the questions are as practical as they are disconcerting: How should I present the gospel to my children? What’s the best approach to take? How do I know if I’m doing it right? Pitfalls, both real and imagined, intimidate virtually every parent who contemplates this responsibility. On one hand, there’s the danger of leading children to think they are saved when they are not. On the other, there’s the risk of discouraging children who express a genuine desire to follow Christ.

How, then, should we evangelize our children? The answer to this question is not an easy one, but it begins with recognizing and avoiding some of the common pitfalls in child evangelism.

• Oversimplifying the Gospel of Christ
• Coercing a Profession of Faith
• Assuming the Reality of Regeneration
• Assuring the Child of Salvation
• Rushing the Ordinance of Baptism

Trusting the Absolute Sovereignty of God The greatest need of children is to be born again. Regeneration, however, is not something that parents can do for them. Parents may pressure their children into a false profession, but genuine faith and repentance can only be granted by God who regenerates the heart. Put simply, the new birth is the work of the Holy Spirit and Him alone (John 3:8).

The salvation of children, then, cannot be produced by the faithfulness or diligence of parents, but only by the sovereign work of God Himself. Such a realization should bring comfort to parents. In addition, it should motivate them to bathe their evangelistic efforts in prayer to the One who does His work where they cannot—in the child’s heart.

Read the full text of this article put out by John MacArthur and Grace Community Church

Winnetka Theater

Tonight we started out by meeting at Shepherd of the Hills Church. I think until further notice, this will make a great starting/meeting point. From there we can decide where to go. Tonight a few of the core team were missing, but we had a nice turnout. A few new people, and some folks that are starting to become regulars and are quickly getting bold enough to get right in there and talk with people.

We started out by walking across the street to Starbucks in Porter Ranch and it was really empty. With the seven of us out tonight, it would have been too overwhelming to approach a table of two people.

So, we headed down to the Winnetka Theater, which is pretty close to the Northridge Mall. The crowd here was much better. There were plenty of people in line and plenty of people sitting around, basically hanging out. That makes it much easier to approach people. I knew I needed to leave a little early tonight as my daughter was at her last night of Vacation Bible School, so I jumped right in.

I found a group of boys, who quickly turned from three to about twelve as I approached. They bordered on a little too rowdy to sit still long enough to listen to me. But, I focused on the three that listened the most and really got their attention. I still spoke loudly and clearly enough that the whole group could hear me and occasionally I got answers from people standing behind me. The last time I spoke to a group of boys like this, they were too proud to show any concern, but this time, the boys had their mouths stopped as I spoke and were very receptive to the gospel.

I'll tell you, I was really scared for some reason tonight. I always get the jitters and find some reason why I shouldn't approach a group, or why I should just keep walking around without talking to people. But, I forced myself to push through that fear, and as always I found myself very comfortable once I took that first step and started talking with the group.

When I finished, I got a text message from my wife telling me that my seven year old daughter had "made a decision" at the church and I should come right away. I jumped in the car and raced back up to the church wondering what on earth my seven year old could have decided. She has heard me preach the gospel, and I think she has a pretty good grasp of the whole Law and Gospel thing, but I was still very curious. As I got there, I asked her what happened. She said, the children's pastor asked everyone to raise their hands if they had never accepted Jesus into their hearts. She raised her hand. Then he asked of those with hands raised if they would like to come in the back and speak to a counselor about letting Jesus live in their heart. She went in the back. I asked her what the counselor said to her. She said that they asked her if she would like to ask Jesus to live in her heart. She said yes. I then asked her what that means. She said, "I forget. Can we get some ice cream now." Phew, there is the seven year old that I know.

Friends, I am not against teaching kids about Jesus, I mean, I sent her to the Vacation Bible School. I talk to people every day about God's plan for salvation. But, do you see the juxtaposition here of two different gospels? How ironic that I am out talking to people about their sins, and their need for forgiveness and God's redemptive plan for them to avoid His justice and wrath. And, at my own church, they are asking my own daughter if she wants to be part of the Jesus club. I might not be able to change the whole system, but we really need to be so well versed in the biblical gospel that we can teach our own family, we can get so filled with His Word that when a false gospel comes along we won't be snared. I don't think you need to talk with a seven year old about hell and scare them. I have always spoken honestly with my daughter, but I really try to only give her what is age appropriate. Instead of watering down the gospel and saying that you just have to sing a song and let Jesus live inside your heart, I would rather just not approach it until she can grasp her need for a Savior.

I think if you are looking for a great place to start with your kids, you should check out Way of the Master For Kids, as it teaches children how to memorize the Ten Commandments, in just five minutes, and helps them understand why they need Jesus. Another one you can read online is here, "Hey Kids" Take five minutes to go through that site and see a great example of what is appropriate and completely biblical, to teach your children.

Jesus Changes Water to Wine

I've heard several times that if someone knows nothing about Jesus or Christianity, a good place to start is reading the fourth gospel, John. A while back I started going through the Book of John, section by section to experience it from that point of view. What would one come away with if they read John with no presuppositions? Personally, I tell people to not take my word for what God says, but to take His word. Let's continue with chapter two.

1 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine."

4 "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied, "My time has not yet come."

This is a cryptic reference that in hindsight will make sense to someone who knows the whole story, but it wasn't meant to be picked up here by his audience, and probably not by the reader as well.

5 His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."

6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.

7 Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim.

8 Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet."

They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."

11 This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.

With Jesus' first miracle, He starts the theme of old becoming new. Jesus' glory is revealed in that the old is replaced by the new, the stony heart with a heart of flesh, water with wine, old wineskins with new, Old Testament with New Testament, Law with Grace. What we think we can do on our own, God can make infinitely better.

On the same note, the master in the story here remarks that everyone else does it in a way that seems to make sense, but Jesus does just the complete opposite of what we would imagine. All other religions make the way to heaven by our own good works earning our way, but Jesus turns that idea on it's side and gives forgiveness as a free gift. This stands in stark opposition to those that say that all religions are the same. Jesus never allowed for that. Jesus revealed Himself in His glory standing in stark opposition to all other man made religions.

Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael

43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow me."

44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."

46 "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked.
"Come and see," said Philip.

47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false."

It always strikes a good chord with me when I see that the New Testament references and supports the Old Testament. Jesus was clearly a Jewish figure who was looked forward to by anyone familiar with the Law. Jesus also lived a sinless life. The Bible says nobody but God did that. Here is another reference to His divinity.

48 "How do you know me?" Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you."

49 Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."

50 Jesus said, "You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that." 51 He then added, "I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

Sounds like we can expect some great things from the Son of God, the King of Israel. So far, this is not like any tract I have seen or handed out. But, let's keep going and see what God is able to do with our hearts using His Word.

Don't Talk About God

Today, I spoke with the Mall Security, who were still maintaining that I can not talk to people about God at the Northridge Mall. They pointed to the rules printed at the entry way. I was not violating any of the rules there. The closest one that applied and the one they said I was violating was "disruptive behavior". Even trying to see their side of it, I am not disrupting the flow of traffic, not blocking any store entries, not discouraging people from entering stores etc. I really talk to kids who are sitting on benches, and only to those who are interested in talking with me.

We ended it with the security giving me an application for 'free speech' that when filled out will be passed up to mall management for them to approve or disapprove my actions. I took the app and said I'd be back. Looking through it, it really doesn't apply to me at all. All the questions were about which organization I represent, how much compensation I receive, what types of handouts I pass out, what types of signage I use, what type of amplification system etc. Answers are basically, none, nothing, nothing, not applicable.

I'm not an organization, I don't get paid, I don't set up anything. I TALK to people. I have a few people helping out with sending me information, including this news article:

Pacific Justice Institute Successfully Defends Youth Minister Arrested For Mall Evangelism
June 24, 2006 | WorldNetDaily.com

Posted on 06/25/2006 4:28:48 PM PDT

Charges were dropped against a Sacramento-area youth pastor who was arrested while sharing his Christian faith one-on-one with shoppers at a mall.

Matthew Snatchko, who regularly takes a small group of youth from his church to the Galleria Mall in Roseville, Calif., said he was interrupted by a security guard May 8 while in the middle of a conversation.

Pointing out no one has ever complained of his activities at the mall, Snatchko told WND the guard demanded he leave because he was "walking around and talking to people."

The pastor, 23, said he "kind of laughed," insisting he wasn't doing anything wrong, because "everyone else was walking around and talking as well."

A second security guard then joined the encounter and informed Snatchko he was being placed under citizen's arrest for "trespassing." The pastor says he agreed to leave peacefully, but, instead, the guards grabbed him, roughly shoved him against a storefront window and handcuffed him tightly enough to draw blood. Snatchko later was taken to the police station where he was booked on charges of battery and trespassing.

With the youth pastor facing a court date, the senior pastor at his church contacted the Sacramento-based public-interest legal group Pacific Justice Institute.

Affiliate attorneys for the group, Gregory Koonce and Timothy Smith, said the district attorney's office likely realized the arrest was illegal and decided to drop the case "in the interests of justice."

More reading is here at the Supreme Court Case: Pruneyard v Robins. I am going to pursue this and see where we get. If you have anything that can help, please let me know.

Jesus' First Disciples

35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!"

37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?"
They said, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?"

39 "Come," he replied, "and you will see."
So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour.

40 Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas" (which, when translated, is Peter).

This is clear proof that Jesus instituted the Catholic Church and installed Peter as the first Pope. (just kidding)

NASCAR Invocation

For some unknown reason, I have been getting into NASCAR lately. Maybe it is because my father has moved to North Carolina, the home of NASCAR. Maybe it is because I now have a son, and I can see something other than Barbie in my future. Maybe it is the timing of the movies Cars, and Talladega Nights. Maybe it is a combo of all of it, but I watched my first NASCAR race today. I thought it would be just three hours of drivers making left turns. But, when I turned it on I was met with a shocking surprise. Howard Brammer, of Trader's Point Christian Church opened the event with a heartfelt prayer. I have never heard the name Jesus Christ spoken on a major network sporting event. I thought I would share it with you here, as it really touched me.

Almighty God. As we assemble here in one of the most famous venues in the history of sports, to witness and enjoy one of the most exciting events of the year, we pause now to acknowledge you as Lord of Heaven and Earth, Creator, Sustainer and Redeemer of mankind. As we await the roar of engines coming from turn four which will create an enormous and collective adrenaline rush througout this arena, and as the drama unfolds with man and machine, battling endurance and speed, we pray for the safety of every driver, team member and spectator. Thank you for this incredibly great nation we call home, a nation built upon principles of Your truth. We are mindful today of our armed forces around the world, defending our rights. We pray for them, and we pray, dear God, that you would bless America in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Maybe, it is just a bunch of drivers turning left for 160 laps, but any event that has 175,000 people standing reverently, bowing their heads, praying to the Savior has got my attention.

Jesus the Lamb of God

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' 31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel."

32 Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33 I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' 34 I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."

After talking with someone about their sin, and how Jesus is the one that paid the price so they could be set free, describing Him as the 'Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world" should make some sense. It is also noteworthy that he was first revealed to Israel. Jesus, was, is, and always will be Jewish. He came not so Jews would have to change their religion. He came so that Jews would have their sins forgiven. They were intimately familiar with the sacrifice of an unblemished lamb that was necessary to cover their sin, the blood of the lamb that made the Angel of Death 'Pass Over' their families, and this is a direct parallel with Christ Himself as the unblemished lamb that would once and for all pay for their sins.

Smackdown by Mall Security

Tonight when I got to the mall, the kids were in full force. The one conversation I got recorded was of David Banales with a group of guys. They repented and put their faith in Jesus Christ right there. All totalled, he witnessed seven people throughout the night who wanted to get right with God on the spot.

As I tried to get a good picture of David, mall security asked me to put away the camera. They told me there is a rule against taking pictures at the mall. I told them I was taking pictures of our friends telling people about God. He asked me if I believe in the Trinity. Wow, he was a Jehovah's Witness and wanted to actually witness to me. I felt he was open enough to hear why I believe that the Bible makes it clear that Jesus is Jehovah. I have experience with their beliefs and gave a concise explanation of the Trinity from the Bible. I said that more important than that was one question, "Would you consider yourself to be a good person?" He had had enough and said that he needed to get back to work.

So, I continued on and started to listen in on a conversation that Matt and Spencer were having with some kids. One girl, Mary, had some issues with the idea of forgiveness. She didn't really hear where Spencer had started, so I took her through the good person test. She was young, and compared to a lot of people I talk with, she actually was very good. But, still not perfect, as God demands. She was having a difficult time seeing herself in the light of God's Law. I felt bad trying to show her, but her friend Lindsey piped in and said that nobody is good compared to God's perfect standard. It turns out that we had spoken to Lindsey before and she still had one of the "Good Person" tracts in her purse. I left her with some more stuff to read and reminded her of the two things we need to do to receive God's forgiveness: Repentance and Faith.

Next thing I know, I was pulled aside by Mall Security. Evidently there is a rule I was breaking. We were not able to clarify what rule exactly it was, though. They said I was not to solicit people. I wasn't. They said I was not to approach people and talk. I pointed to hundreds of people talking with other people. Well, they said, that wasn't exactly it. They said, I wasn't supposed to speak to people who didn't want to talk with me. I said, I only talked with people that wanted to talk with me. Well, they meant that I couldn't talk about God. What??? Well, they said that if I talked to people and the conversation got to God, that was OK, but I couldn't just talk to people about God directly. What??? Is this actually written down? I asked to see the rules somewhere. They said it's a fine line and they are just enforcing the rules. I asked again to hear which rule exactly I was breaking. Well, they told me basically that we need to just stop for the night and on Monday we can talk with the company that owns the mall and clear this up. While they were trying to figure out the rule the two girls came back and asked where they could get some more information. I pointed them to Living Waters and to this website. Security said I couldn't talk with them. Even they got mad at this assertion. This was really absurd. So, we shook hands, complied with their wishes and we plan to speak with the management company on Monday.

Till then, please pray for us (BTW, there were almost 15 people out tonight, many I have never met before), and pray for all those that heard the Gospel preached tonight. Lord, these kids have such open ears and soft hearts, I thank you for being faithful in seeing your Word produce fruit.

John the Baptist Denies Being the Christ

19 Now this was John's testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, "I am not the Christ."

21 They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?"
He said, "I am not."
"Are you the Prophet?"
He answered, "No."

22 Finally they said, "Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?"

23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.' "

24 Now some Pharisees who had been sent 25 questioned him, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"

26 "I baptize with water," John replied, "but among you stands one you do not know. 27 He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie."

28 This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

This section of John 1 clearly shows that the religious people of the day were expecting the Messiah, the Christ. It also shows that Christ was held up higher than just someone who speaks of Christ, or even baptizes people. Without Christ Himself, the mere Christian ideas and morality are meaningless. I've heard non-believers tell me that they are a "better Christian" than I am. It is not what one does with their own works, but what is done with Christ that makes one a Christian or not. Also, take note that a real place, the river Jordan, is mentioned. All of this takes place in a real place in a real time in history. This book is not intended as metaphor. Christ is a real historical figure and does not allow us to merely allegorize His life.

Morning Open Air at the DMV

This morning we got up early and headed over to the DMV in Simi Valley. Usually they open at 8 a.m., but on Wednesday, they open at 9. This means there are a lot of people standing outside waiting for the doors to open with nothing better to do than listen to some good ol' fashioned street preaching.

Joey started out by talking about the test that many people were there to take, and transitioned into the test that we all will take on judgment day. How many of us have lied, stolen, blasphemed and committed adultery in our hearts? Even looking at only four of the Ten Commandments, we are all clearly guilty, and a just, perfect judge of the Universe will have to punish us.

Then Ryan got up and expounded on grace in light of God's holy Law. Afterwards, there was just enough time to pass out a Gospel tract to each person in line before the doors opened. Only one person didn't want to take one, but his friend did. A couple of people told Joey that what he did took a lot of guts. So, my question to you today is, "Hey, McFly, what are you, yellow?"

The Word Became Flesh

Many times, after witnessing with someone, I will encourage them to read their bible. Or, if they don't have one at home, I will leave them with a Gospel of John. I've heard the book of John described as a giant gospel tract written by God. If I can't spend enough time with someone, having God's word speak with them long after I am gone is a great way for the Holy Spirit to soften someone's heart. It has been a while since I have read this book myself for this purpose, and I figured I would go through it here systematically. We can take a look at what God would say, and, from that, infer what God would have us say as we witness to people.

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning.

3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

This is an oft-quoted passage that points to the Deity of Christ. One of the big distinctions between Christianity and any other religion is that the central figure is God Himself. When witnessing to people, I often hear, "Jesus was not God". Let's take note each time the bible makes it clear that Jesus is God in the flesh. The bible makes it clear that even though Jesus created men, we did not immediately understand him, even when he came in person.

6 There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9 The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.

Many people speak about Jesus, but the bible says that He stands out. We tell people about the light, but the light Himself is Jesus.

10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.

Jesus came to a specific people at a specific time, but came for everyone. The people who saw Him didn't recognize Him, but people today, two thousand years after His birth, are still putting their faith in Him and becoming children of God. Christianity is not a religion of race or culture, but an offer made to all people of all times, that to those who believe in His name, He gives the right to become born of God.

14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

15 John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' " 16 From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known.

The Law was given through Moses, Grace through Jesus Christ. The Law shows us our need for a Savior, and the grace provided by Jesus makes sense in light of this Law. Even though, we have never seen God, the Law, written on our hearts, and the life of Jesus Christ have made Him known to us. The bible makes it clear that we are without excuse if we do not believe in God.

"A wrong understanding of the harmony between Law and grace would produce 'error on the left and right hand.'" -John Newton