While it might seem that I have been neglecting posting some blog material - possibly suspected of being A.W.O.L. (Away Without Leave for those who haven't done military or other duties), the lack of putting reading material up here has three reasonable explanations:
1. I have been more disciplined with my time at work;
2. I have been more active preaching the Law and the Gospel of Grace in my lunch-times and on weekends; and
3. To a lesser extent my computer at home has problems and I think it needs an upgrading.
God has been good to us all who have been participating in Project Ezra and while we are possibly not all reading the same Scripture verses at the suggested times the Word of God is still being read in the public arena and proclaimed as God directs. The Word of God is powerful and never returns void (Isaiah 55:11).
I have noticed that there has been an increase in the amount of people who actually stop to listen and even approach us to find out where we fellowship with other believers. The frequently asked question at this time is: What church do you attend? This question, as those who have followed this blog will recall, is normally answered with a "We do not attend a church building, but we
are the Church." Normally blank looks or even more inquisitive questions arise like: "Um - but what denomination do you belong to?" "None. I belong to Jesus Christ and Him only." There seems to be alot of misunderstanding as to what it means to be the Church (
ekklesia). There are those people who hear the preaching of the Law and the Gospel of Jesus Christ and do want to learn more or attend the Church we attend, and more and more we are finding ourselves giving out our cell numbers, our addresses after we have had an opportunity of witnessing to them 1-on-1 and telling them to meet us on 'such-and-such' a day where we are right then and there preaching. The invitation is extended. When God does His work in their hearts they will arrive. For now we need to be obedient to God and continue preaching as if this is the last day to preach. For one day in the future, that Day will come to pass.
This past Friday 14th August, I posted the following on my Facebook page:
Today Mark McDonogh and I open-aired preached while Johan witnessed 1-on-1 in Church Street and then God gave me a boldness a while later when I fetched my son Chad from school. I was a Jonah who fled but today GOD gave me boldness to preach the Law and the Gospel of Grace to the school boy parents while they waited outside Maritzburg College for their sons. I stood atop a grass bank and lifted the Name of Jesus Christ to them. All Glory to GOD.
On Saturday Johan and I went out into Church Street again to preach at our local pond. But on the day we were joined by Dylan, our brother-in-Christ - a grade 12 pupil at
Maritzburg College who had seen me when I had preached the day before outside the school. It was a longer day than usual and it is All Glory To GOD. The Project Ezra reading that I read as a springboard was Ecclesiastes 3:1-22. We preached to longer lines outside banking houses, crowds passing by, gatherings of people sitting around and one-on-ones. The beauty of this day was that we had a few - possibly about ten or so - tracts and the Word went forth. We are realising that we can preach the Word with or without tracts, although we would like to leave them with material to read, at this time we are relying solely on the Word of God.
There were those who heard the Word and there were also those who were ocassionally offended by the Word. But let us rejoice in the positives and even in the negatives.
Beginning Monday, September 14, "Ambassadors Alliance Radio" will become "Ray Comfort, Live!" Ray Comfort will host the show. Tony Miano will have the privilege of producing the show and joining Ray in studio.
