Ok so today I almost got shot by someone with a handgun. Actually just a about an hour and a half ago (8/10/2012-5pm right now). Here is the story and I will try to keep it short.
Ok so around 1-ish I went to lunch with some family and just spent a couple hours with them. Across the street I was planning on getting my haircut. When I left to Great Clips I sat in the parking lot for a few moments to Gtalk (gmail Instant Message) with a good friend of mine for a second. While I was chatting and letting my phone charge a lady that was obviously high or drunk was walking through the parking lot. I could tell she needed something but I just prayed for her. Next thing I know she knocked on my car window. I rolled it down and asked if I could help. She needed a ride home. Claimed her car was broken down. Without much thought, I knew I wanted to help her. I just asked her where she lived and she told me, so I said, "well hop in, I will take ya home".
Well I was correct, she showed many signs and said many things, touching my shoulders and giving invites. She even was inviting me to get in her hot tub and drink a bottle a Jim Beam with her. I wasn't going to give in at all. I just let her talk and kept my eyes and ears open for the perfect opportunity to share the gospel. There didn't seem to be a right moment, so I figured the perfect place to share with her was at her home in the drive way were she didn't feel trapped by me and felt the freedom to leave if she wanted. I never like backing someone up in a corner to share the gospel. They should always feel the freedom to listen or not to listen.
Long story short we finally get to her house, or were she told me she lived. Things got stranger. She couldn't operate the gate and she said it must be broken. I could tell there was a long rocky road up to her house and I still wanted to share the gospel, so after the gate was pried open enough for my car to get in I agreed to take her home up the long rocky road. Car did fit and we drove up the road, and we sat in the drive way, she looked for a piece of paper to write her number down so we could get to together. LOL This was the perfect door of opportunity for me. But it wasn't even about 2 minutes after I stopped and a stumbling raging running man with a gun pointed at our faces came running after us yelling. He was mad that we got through the gate, this never even crossed my mind before that would could have been trespassing. He was to high to recognize the lady I had with me was his friend or roommate or whatever she really was. Even after he recognized her I kept the gun locked in our direction ready to shoot us with His finger on the trigger. I couldn't tell you what happened in the moment but it was quickly resolved after a few minutes. He came to his senses put his gun down and acted like everything was Ok, she indeed got out of the car and they were fine with each other. It was like he didn't even know her while he had the gun pointed at her face when she was talking. Then after while He realized they were friends and possible even roommates. I still don't know the truth. It was suppose to be her house to. She knew the exact directions word for word street names even while she was that high. I could tell he was very messed up too.
So they told me to leave and I did just that, I was completely dumbfounded from what just happened. I immediately started praying, God what is this about? Why couldn't I share the gospel? Did I do something wrong God? Thoughts ran through my mind. Even when the guy first started running toward us my thoughts were to even share the gospel with him too. In my heart I saw myself getting out of the car with no fear and beginning to tell the man about the saving power of Jesus Christ who was murdered and yet He lives!!. This didn't obviously happen but it was the only thing on my mind, it just didn't play out that way for me. I literally drove off asking God what was the purpose in this and what do you want me to learn from this glorious plan gone wrong. I felt defeated and worthless.
I was indeed shooken up and my heart was indeed pumping, but the verse ran through my mind. Psalm 37 "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." God was whispering this Word to my heart. It kept going back and forth in my mind. Then it dawned on me, as my own thought raced back through my mind. I was even praying before the scripture and asking God if He wanted me to go back and preach the gospel to them. I realized that God had put a supernatural peace upon me and I didn't fear the entire time. Not even with the gun pointed in my direction. I was indeed having all kinds of thought running through my mind wondering how this had gone bad and what I should do next and what would happen if one of us got shot but no fear. NONE at all.
I just went on my day like nothing just happened. I text my friend to tell what just happened but that was it. I got back to Great Clips and first thing I saw was another person who needed some kind of assistance. His car was out of gas or something, and without doubt again I simply said, "Hello (waved as I was getting out of my car), do you need any help?" He said he could indeed use a little help too. So I immediate went over there. I just smiled because I knew that Satan had just hindered the gospel but he was not going to stop me from being who God has called me to be. I have let to many Good Samaritan opportunity's pass me by to let anymore fall to my side. It is time to stop letting fear get the best of us. To do the gospel and not just hear the gospel. What I thought to be a disaster was actually a victory. God is in control and He will send someone to tell that young lady the gospel. God's purpose was to show me that I can trust in Him. To show me that even when faced with death He is in control and there is no reason to fear. Like King David the writer of that psalm, faced danger as he was being hunted by King Saul, David feared nothing. We don't have to fear anything. NOTHING AT ALL.
Romans 8:38-39 (NIV)
38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
I was writing a blog before I left out of the house earlier to go eat with family. Had a few pages opened on my web browser as well. As I was thinking about all that happened and trying to mentally grasp everything the Lord wanted me to glean from this I saw this on one of the pages I had opened previously.
Ezekiel 34:12 As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.
How awesome is that, that the Lord knew beforehand what I was about to experience. This webpage was already opened and left on my computer for me to see when I got back home. This verse had nothing to do with the study that I was doing before I left my house earlier. And this was indeed a confirmation of the Word that the Lord spoke to me in my car on the way home. This will be a reminder to me in every peril that I may face, everything that seems to be darkened that although I am walking through the valleys of death, God will rescue me. That guy was so high and didn't even recognized his own roommate till minutes later, with his finger on the trigger that gun could have gone off at any moment, but it was God who rescues His righteous. Children of God, do not fear. Do not give into the bondage of fear that God has delivered you out of. Smile and laugh in the devils face when faced with shadows of darkness that seem to bring death upon you. I have had similar experienced like this before but this time I experience no fear. Before the Lord showed me and encouraged me not to fear this time the Lord showed me that the righteous have no fear. God gives piece to us even at the tables of our enemies. We shall sit and eat and drink with those that most hate us and yet there shall be no fear for those who are being perfected in Love. My heart was to preach and to show the Love of God and God showed me His love instead. How awesome is our God! How wonderful are His mercies every morning. I am going to stop hear because I know this is long. Just read these last verses that are on my heart. Thank you for reading and I am just so pumped to tell people about Jesus now. Lets do this Church!! God loves you!! Share His love with others. Be the Samaritan an be the evangelist like Stephen! Laugh and do not fear!
Psalm 37:12-29 (NIV)
12 The wicked plot against the righteous
and gnash their teeth at them;
13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for he knows their day is coming.
Psalm 37:25 I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
Luke 10:27 He answered: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
Colossians 4:5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.
Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."
This is the call of us have, but fear it the greatest enemy in loving our neighbors and sharing the gospel.
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Love your writings, Richard! Thanks for pooping in on my blog! Always a joy to hear from you! :) So where are you now (location and church) and what are you doing??
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