From Mark Cahill: There are just so many interesting points to his video. Did you catch that the guy who witnessed to him wasn‘t at the show that night? That means he went home after a show, and was burdened for Penn‘s soul. He got a Gideon‘s Bible and wrote some information in it, and returned to the theatre another time to talk with Penn. That spoke volumes to this lost person. It showed that this man cared.You have to remember that Penn is not just some atheist. He continually dogs out God, Jesus, the Bible, etc. In his routines. I read that he has a license plate which says, “DOG ON” which is “No God” backwards. He has a hatred for God that is very deep-seated. Did you notice how Mr. Jillette kept mentioning how good this guy was? How polite, honest, and sane this man was? Did you notice when he said that he knew this man cared about him? 

Matthew 5:44 says, “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” 

Colossians 1:10 states, “That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;” 

Do you see that how we encounter people is so important when we witness to them? It is the whole package. The words we use, how we speak, non verbal communication, etc. Lost people are checking us out. How we encounter them speaks volumes to them. 

Did you see Penn‘s face as he was talking about this man? You might want to watch the video again. You can see it in his eyes and facial expressions: this conversation made a deep, deep impact on him. This man spoke words of life to him, and demonstrated how a man of God should act. 

I have written a new talk that is called “We Are Here for Two Reasons.” And those two reasons are: To make Him well known, and To make Him look good. That is exactly what this man did in his witnessing encounter. 

Some of us when we witness might have jumped on the fact that Penn didn‘t even know Psalms wasn‘t in the New Testament even though he has had some pretty hateful things to say about the Bible. That is truly a non-issue. His soul is much more important than his Biblical knowledge. He is lost. He needs truth. It is our job to give it to him. People don‘t get the gospel by osmosis. We are supposed to tell them. 

This gentleman, or should we say gentle man, looked him right in the eye and was not defensive. He didn‘t need to be. He is a defender of truth. He knows Jesus Christ is Lord, and the Holy Spirit guides him into all truth. We need to look people in the eyes, and speak the truth in love into people‘s lives. 

I really think Penn knows there is a God. The thing you can be sure of is that sin doesn‘t satisfy. All the money in the world will still leave you with some lonely nights as you lay on your bed. 

Would you please pray for Penn? Would you please witness to an atheist or any lost person sometime soon? Would you please stop worrying about if they look really tough on the outside? Because God might have already softened their heart on the inside. 

Matthew 4:19 says, “And He saith unto them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.’” 

Mark 16:15 states, “And He saith unto them, ‘Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.’” 

Many of you have read my books or listened to the messages I have given on reaching the lost. If you won‘t listen to me to get out there and tell the whole world about Jesus, and if you won‘t listen to Jesus, would you at least listen to an atheist who says, “How much do you have to hate somebody not to proselytize?”

Until the nets are full,

Mark Cahill

Now, his partner takes notice of the conversation, and I figure she being the leader of the two, takes charge. Her name is Nivana and she is clearly an Indian Hindu, she confirms this. I tease her a bit, about they, as scientologist, believe in science fiction, and aliens, she swore it was not true, that they have just found a way to happiness. I kept saying, teasing, “Nahhhh, you guys believe in Alien DNA and wierd stuff; I have read the Dune books, and Battleship Earth.”  I say to her, “You mean, sciencetology is like  if I found a good diet that worked for me, I would share it with a friend?” At first she agreed, but then she got a little irritated with me when I said to her, “Well, I might have found a good self help book, but I surely wouldn’t make a religion of it and walk around the streets sharing it.”  She claimed that people can be Christian, Hindu and a scientologist at the same time.  My exclamation to them that Jesus Christ is an historical figure that raised from the dead in front of eyewitnessing fell on deaf ears.

Lately, I listen to sermons of our pastors to find something I can take on the street. Recently at the Calvary Chapel Pastor’s Conference, I heard a bit that was perfect for the street and in my experience the Holy Spirit generally gives me an opportunity to share this within about a week. At that moment, it came to me…and I was able to share the whole story just as the pastor told it. I turned to Peter, and I said, “You know there is a story of this crazy naked man in a place in Israel called the Gaderenes. He was crazy, naked, and cut himself, and he wore chains. The setting was a pristine land of Israel, a great place for a family picnic, but nobody would come near the place; they would hear the chains of this crazy naked guy, and stay clear of this beautiful piece of land. (The words crazy, and naked gets his attention; Peter is smiling and nodding his head). Jesus comes along and touches this guy. Then it is written: the man was found clothed and sane.”  (I look straight into Peter’s eyes).  “Jesus Christ has the power to change lives.”  I felt a power that was not of me that went with that last statement out of my mouth, and found a place in Peter’s heart.

It is at that moment I feel like I have been a lamp with a plug and I am plugged into this enormous power source, and someone just turned that lamp on. It is the most incredible feeling and it is why I will go out on the streets again and again. I tell Peter, “We Christians work it backwards, we care about dying to self,  being a servant to God, the creator of this universe (Peter is still smiling and nodding his head). I’m not so interested that you have your “best life now”. What I am interested in is what will happened to you when you take your last breath, what happens next.” He says to me….”then, I might be wishing I had listened to that blonde Christian lady on the street this day.” Please pray for Peter.

I was encouraged when one by one as we prayed, God’s solders trickled in to a little bigger army of 14 by the time we were done. Like any one in a band of solders, I looked around and I thought, it’s a good crew, a good mix of God’s people who made themselves available to whatever the night might bring.

As I was driving behind the church bus to the area where we were going to witness, doubts flooded my mind. I was thinking that my doubts were because I wasn’t with the family my Jesus sent me too. The thoughts were grabbing me, “What am I even doing here?!”, “How in the world did I ever end up in this place?!” Have you ever felt like you are on a train goin’ 100 mph and you start wondering “Have I picked the right train? Is this the direction I’m supposed to be going?”

Well, I learned that it is at those times that God will surely showed me that I am at the right place, at the right time, in the moment of HIM.

The night turned out to be a real blessing. We dubb it, “The night of encouragement”.

Why so encouragiung? Well, we talked with more people, prayed with more people who were really seeking answers. It was amazing. I had one guy Brandon, tell me, “Some guy was telling him that when he died his body goes into the ground, and that was it”. Telling him  that “God was all in his head.” He told me he has been wondering about that.

It was so awesome that even one of my team members shared the gospel with 7 people – folks who really wanted to hear the truth. My brother and sisters shared a lot too. Mike told me that while he was putting away all the tracts and prayer table, one young man who had kind words towards him asked for prayer for his brother. Mike said it was like God was saying to us, “here… have some pie..no wait, here is some whip cream….no wait, I have a cherry on top for you.”

Still basking in the encouragement that only God can give, I’m still eating my pie.

I like to encourage myself with the Truth contain in the scriptures…”the battle is the Lords”, and “it is not by my might, but the Lord God is mighty in battle and goes before me”. But my evangelist friends, it is a battle, and there is laboring involved.

I was walking down the brightly lit halls this morning of Manatee Memorial Hospital, and through the lobby and there was a 42 inch high definition television showing some really creepy cartoons in big color. The modern cartoons the enemy has laid on children’s small minds are dark and malicious. I was aghast. The weight of another brick on my heart.

Then, very clearly, the Lord spoke to me, and what He said to me is what I’m passing on to you, dear family and friends. He said to me, “I will not lose a one.” That encourages me as I hope it will encourage you.

John 10:27-29 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any [man] pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave [them] me, is greater than all; and no [man] is able to pluck [them] out of my Father’s hand

So, dear friends, be encouraged when you share the peaceful gospel without strife…

Colossians 4:5-6  Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech [be] always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

Titus 3:9-10 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject

Or when you make a Godly argument, as Paul reasoned with the Jews in the temple, till you feel you are blue in the face, and your head might explode, once again be encouraged…

Acts 18:4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks

Luke 14:23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel [them] to come in, that my house may be filled.

Or if you are simply kind and just and like to help a neighbor in need. Know this… you will are being used for His eternal purpose and He will not let one of them fall out of His hands. God bless you, good and faithful servants.

Luke12:6-7 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

Philippians 1:15-18 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel. What then? Notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice

Here was my response (edited slightly for the blog):

For someone to imply that the Bible (God’s Word) has been corrupted in the modern English translations, simply manes that they are uniformed. Haven’t done much homework on the topic.

The English Bible has been translated ONCE… from the orignal languages the Bible was wirtten in (Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic) into ENGLISH. Best I can tell, that’s one language translation to the other – not a whole bunch of times. Most contemporary English Bibles can be trusted (not all – some have been intentionally corrupted).  I “personally” prefer the translations that attempt a word for word translations like the ESV or NASB because they are more suited for word studies. But the thought for thought Bibles still communicate God’s Truth just the same (like the NIV) and are the preferance of many others.

The textual accuracy and textual proof of the English Bible, as it relates to the thousands of ancient manuscripts that scholars have in their possession, is simply amazing. There isn’t any other piece of literature that comes even remotely close to the textual support (ancient copies) of the Bible.

We know why that is… God is the author of the Bible. And if He wrote it, He can surely preserve it. Even until 2008.

The below is from an article written by Charlie Campbell that might help.

THE MANUSCRIPT EVIDENCE

Manuscript? What is a manuscript? A manuscript is a hand-written copy of an ancient document that predates the invention of the printing press in 1455. There have been those (including the Mormons and Muslims) who have falsely asserted that the Bible has undergone corruption down through the centuries as it was copied and translated. But the evidence actually proves otherwise.

Today there survives more than 24,000 partial and complete, ancient handwritten manuscript copies of the New Testament alone, not to mention hundreds of Old Testament manuscripts that survive today dating back to as early as the third century B.C. These hand written manuscripts have allowed scholars and textual critics to go back and verify that the Bible we have in our possession today is the same Bible that the early church possessed 2,000 years ago. You can view these manuscripts yourself at places like the British Museum, the Cambridge University Library, the Smithsonian Institute, Oxford University, the National Library at Paris, Israel Museum

Even if we did not have any manuscripts, we have the writings of the church fathers. By church fathers we are referring to those leaders in the church, of the first three centuries A.D. that followed the original disciples. Men like Justin Martyr, Eusebius, Tertullian, Polycarp. These men in their writings and correspondence with other believers and other churches quote the Scriptures over and over again. In fact, the early church fathers refer to the New Testament alone more than 86,000 times. There are enough quotations from the early church fathers that even if we did not have a single manuscript copy of the Bible, scholars could still reconstruct 99. 86% of the New Testament that we have today.

So then, what kind of proof is the Muslim or Mormon able to offer to prove that the Bible has been changed or corrupted down through the centuries? None. To demonstrate or prove that the Bible has been corrupted, the Muslim or Mormon would need to be able to hold up ancient copies of the Bible and say, “Look, here’s what the Bible used to say, and here is what the Bible says now. It has been changed.” But that is exactly what the Mormon and the Muslim can not do. WHY? When you go back to the ancient copies of the Bible that are still in existence today in museum’s and library’s around the world, you quickly come to the conclusion, as numerous secular scholars have, that the text of the modern Bible has not undergone corruption. Isaiah 40:8 “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.” Jesus said in Matthew 24:35 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.”

It is called GetAnswersNow.org

The thought is this. To design a site where we can point Non-Christians when we are out street evangelizing. A place where they can go to get the truth in love about Jesus Christ and Christianity in the comfort of their own home. We are really excited about it and would encourage you to check it out and let us know how we can improve it. Our intention is to put this link everywhere. Teeshirts, custom tracts, maybe even bumper sticker.

This is by far one of my favorite YouTube videos of all time. I would imagine that some of you have already seen it. Maybe multiple times. I think everyone should watch it at least once a month – it’s that good. Especially if like me, the Lord has rescued you from a crazy past. From out of darkness into His marvelous light. Thank you Jesus!

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. -1 Peter 2:9

]]> http://www.teamharvestblog.com/2008/12/09/into-his-marvelous-light/%/feed 0