Comedian Jeff Allen Shares His Testimony (Must Listen To)

I thought Jeff Allen’s testimony was so precious, I wanted to isolate it and make it available for others to share.

These stand-up broadcasts are old, but Jeff’s testimony is very powerful! Bananas Family Comedy: was a broadcast-friendly, comedy television series produced by Guardian Studios and is taped before a live audience. The show features a different nationally recognized comedian each week and is hosted by L.A. comic, Thor Ramsey.

Here are Jeff’s two stand-ups I have watched. The first one is where this clip came from:


The HOUND of HEAVEN ~ Francis Thompson (1890)


I fled Him, down the nights and down the days;

I fled Him, down the arches of the years;

I fled Him, down the labyrinthine ways

Of my own mind; and in the mist of tears

I hid from Him, and under running laughter.

Up vistaed hopes I sped;

And shot, precipitated,

Adown Titanic glooms of chasmèd fears,

From those strong Feet that followed, followed after.

But with unhurrying chase,

And unperturbèd pace,

Deliberate speed, majestic instancy,

They beat—and a Voice beat

More instant than the Feet—

‘All things betray thee, who betrayest Me.’


I pleaded, outlaw-wise,

By many a hearted casement, curtained red,

Trellised with intertwining charities;

(For, though I knew His love Who followèd,

Yet was I sore adread

Lest having Him, I must have naught beside).

But, if one little casement parted wide,

The gust of His approach would clash it to.

Fear wist not to evade, as Love wist to pursue.

Across the margent of the world I fled,

And troubled the gold gateways of the stars,

Smiting for shelter on their clangèd bars;

Fretted to dulcet jars

And silvern chatter the pale ports o’ the moon.

I said to Dawn: Be sudden—to Eve: Be soon;

With thy young skiey blossoms heap me over

From this tremendous Lover—

Float thy vague veil about me, lest He see!

I tempted all His servitors, but to find

My own betrayal in their constancy,

In faith to Him their fickleness to me,

Their traitorous trueness, and their loyal deceit.

To all swift things for swiftness did I sue;

Clung to the whistling mane of every wind.

But whether they swept, smoothly fleet,

The long savannahs of the blue;

Or whether, Thunder-driven,

They clanged his chariot ’thwart a heaven,

Plashy with flying lightnings round the spurn o’ their

feet:—

Fear wist not to evade as Love wist to pursue.

Still with unhurrying chase,

And unperturbèd pace,

Deliberate speed, majestic instancy,

Came on the following Feet,

And a Voice above their beat—

‘Naught shelters thee, who wilt not shelter Me.’


I sought no more that after which I strayed

In face of man or maid;

But still within the little children’s eyes

Seems something, something that replies;

They at least are for me, surely for me!

I turned me to them very wistfully;

But just as their young eyes grew sudden fair

With dawning answers there,

Their angel plucked them from me by the hair.

‘Come then, ye other children, Nature’s—share

With me’ (said I) ‘your delicate fellowship;

Let me greet you lip to lip,

Let me twine with you caresses,

Wantoning

With our Lady-Mother’s vagrant tresses,

Banqueting

With her in her wind-walled palace,

Underneath her azured daïs,

Quaffing, as your taintless way is,

From a chalice

Lucent-weeping out of the dayspring.’

So it was done:

I in their delicate fellowship was one—

Drew the bolt of Nature’s secrecies.

I knew all the swift importings

On the wilful face of skies;

I knew how the clouds arise

Spumèd of the wild sea-snortings;

All that’s born or dies

Rose and drooped with; made them shapers

Of mine own moods, or wailful or divine;

With them joyed and was bereaven.

I was heavy with the even,

When she lit her glimmering tapers

Round the day’s dead sanctities.

I laughed in the morning’s eyes.


I triumphed and I saddened with all weather,

Heaven and I wept together,

And its sweet tears were salt with mortal mine;

Against the red throb of its sunset-heart

I laid my own to beat,

And share commingling heat;

But not by that, by that, was eased my human smart.

In vain my tears were wet on Heaven’s gray cheek.

For ah! we know not what each other says,

These things and I; in sound I speak—

Their sound is but their stir, they speak by silences.

Nature, poor stepdame, cannot slake my drouth;

Let her, if she would owe me,

Drop yon blue bosom-veil of sky, and show me

The breasts o’ her tenderness:

Never did any milk of hers once bless

My thirsting mouth.

Nigh and nigh draws the chase,

With unperturbèd pace,

Deliberate speed, majestic instancy;

And past those noisèd Feet

A voice comes yet more fleet—

‘Lo! naught contents thee, who content’st

not Me.’


Naked I wait Thy love’s uplifted stroke!

My harness piece by piece Thou hast hewn from me,

And smitten me to my knee;

I am defenceless utterly.

I slept, methinks, and woke,

And, slowly gazing, find me stripped in sleep.

In the rash lustihead of my young powers,

I shook the pillaring hours

And pulled my life upon me; grimed with smears,

I stand amid the dust o’ the mounded years—

My mangled youth lies dead beneath the heap.

My days have crackled and gone up in smoke,

Have puffed and burst as sun-starts on a stream.

Yea, faileth now even dream

The dreamer, and the lute the lutanist;

Even the linked fantasies, in whose blossomy twist

I swung the earth a trinket at my wrist,

Are yielding; cords of all too weak account

For earth with heavy griefs so overplussed.

Ah! is Thy love indeed

A weed, albeit an amaranthine weed,

Suffering no flowers except its own to mount?

Ah! must—

Designer infinite!—

Ah! must Thou char the wood ere Thou canst limn

with it?

My freshness spent its wavering shower i’ the dust;

And now my heart is as a broken fount,

Wherein tear-drippings stagnate, spilt down ever

From the dank thoughts that shiver

Upon the sighful branches of my mind.

Such is; what is to be?

The pulp so bitter, how shall taste the rind?

I dimly guess what Time in mists confounds;

Yet ever and anon a trumpet sounds

From the hid battlements of Eternity;

Those shaken mists a space unsettle, then

Round the half-glimpsèd turrets slowly wash again.

But not ere him who summoneth

I first have seen, enwound

With glooming robes purpureal, cypress-crowned;

His name I know, and what his trumpet saith.

Whether man’s heart or life it be which yields

Thee harvest, must Thy harvest-fields

Be dunged with rotten death?


Now of that long pursuit

Comes on at hand the bruit;

That Voice is round me like a bursting sea:

‘And is thy earth so marred,

Shattered in shard on shard?

Lo, all things fly thee, for thou fliest Me!

Strange, piteous, futile thing!

Wherefore should any set thee love apart?

Seeing none but I makes much of naught’ (He said),

‘And human love needs human meriting:

How hast thou merited—

Of all man’s clotted clay the dingiest clot?

Alack, thou knowest not

How little worthy of any love thou art!

Whom wilt thou find to love ignoble thee,

Save Me, save only Me?

All which I took from thee I did but take,

Not for thy harms,

But just that thou might’st seek it in My arms.

All which thy child’s mistake

Fancies as lost, I have stored for thee at home:

Rise, clasp My hand, and come!’

Halts by me that footfall:

Is my gloom, after all,

Shade of His hand, outstretched caressingly?

‘Ah, fondest, blindest, weakest,

I am He Whom thou seekest!

Thou dravest love from thee, who dravest Me.’

Yeonmi Park: My Terrifying Escape from North Korea (#Merica)

  • I am most grateful for two things: that I was born in North Korea and that I escaped from North Korea. Both of these events shaped me, and I would not trade them for an ordinary and peaceful life. Yeonmi Park

UPDATED VIDEO INTERVIEW: exactly one year from original posting

Yeonmi Park, North Korea defector and author on her defection from North Korea and how Columbia University has echoes of her past on ‘Kudlow.’

  • Kudlow: “somehow God was looking after you”
  • Park: “Yes”
  • Kudlow: “Really.”
  • Park: “He did.”
  • Kudlow: And, it’s a great story” [….] “It’s a blessing you made it through.”

Amen. (Concordia has a good posting on Yeonmi)

One commenter on the Fox Business’ YT channel says it all:

  • I feel so embarrassed for our country when a foreign warrior comes here for freedom and still can’t escape the war.

Her accent is hard to follow, but you get a rhythm going as you listen to understand here | GOD and North korea – Why the North Korean Christians Face the Most Extreme Persecution” (YouTube). She mentions the “real God” in the video speaking of the Judeo-Christian faith.

ORIGINAL POSTING

Born in North Korea, Yeonmi Park shares her harrowing journey to escape the hunger, thought control, and violence she experienced living under authoritarian regimes. Grateful to have found acceptance and justice in the United States, she cautions Americans to see the early warning signs—here in America—of the communist nightmares she fled in North Korea and China.

I’ll Die Before I Quit… a Navy Seal Testimony | Chad Williams

About Wingmen: Wingmen is a gathering of men with the purpose of forming transparent, Christ-centered, masculine relationships. As Wingmen, we offer men acceptance, affirmation and accountability.

Wingmen is unique in the fact that it is not an accountability group, bible study, or networking group. It is an entity that emphasizes relationships above all else, relationships with Christ first and foremost and then relationships with other men. Our name, Wingmen, was purposeful in that fact that using military visual pictures/analogies are a powerful tool to bring home the idea of the need for masculine relationships in our lives as we conduct warfare and “spiritual maneuvers” in our daily spiritual battles. We do not dance around sensitive topics – pornography, addictions, over working, and abuse. We are a safe house — a place to get off the front lines and seek a reprieve/respite before jumping back into the battle.

About Chad Williams:

Having been a featured guest on Fox News Channel, CNN News Room, Anderson Cooper 360, TBN, Daystar, Hour of Power, CBN 700 Club and more; former U.S. Navy SEAL Chad Williams draws on his experience as a combat veteran SEAL to yield an exclusive perspective rooted in teaching of Jesus of Nazareth.

Prior to entering SEAL training Chad was mentored by U.S. Navy SEAL Scott Helvenston. Just days before Chad headed off to Navy bootcamp, Helvenston took a brisk opportunity to serve his country once again in Iraq.

Shortly thereafter, Chad turned on a television one morning to learn first hand how precious and costly freedom is as his eyes met a screen that portrayed a smiling still image of his mentor followed by Scott’s birthdate separated by a dash March 31, 2004. What immediately followed was graphic video footage of Helvenston being mutilated and dragged through the streets of Fallujah, Iraq. Finally he was hung upside-down from the Euphrates River Bridge while an enraged Iraqi mob repeatedly chanted in Arabic, “Fallujah is the graveyard of Americans” and set him on fire.

Steeled in his resolve to walk in his Helvenston’s footsteps and become a SEAL in honor and memory of his good friend, Chad entered the military’s most grueling and difficult training known as BUD/S. BUD/S Class 254 started out with 173 sailors vowing they would die before they ever quit the rigorous training (which requires ringing a brass bell three times and surrendering their class helmet on the asphalt grinder). By graduation day there would only be 13 of those original sailors still standing there and Chad was among them.

Serving his country proudly as a Navy SEAL, on Teams One and Seven, Chad came into contact with the horrors of war first hand, even fighting his way alongside his Team through a premeditated ambush in Iraq, near the location that took Helvenston’s life in a similar scenario.

Today Chad is the author of SEAL of God and an in demand guest speaker, taking the principles and ethos learned as a U.S. Navy SEAL to better communicate the Gospel. As a gifted evangelist, Chad’s message is captivating and eye-opening as he relates to the audience the price of freedom that was not only paid for in the blood of our soldiers on battlefield but most importantly the blood of our Savior at the cross of Calvary.

Andrew Klavan Gives His Testimony (One For Israel)

(Read more at BISHOP’S ENCYCLOPEDIA)  …. Klavan got baptized at the age of fifty. This frightened him given his nominal Jewish background,

“One of my biggest fears confronting baptism—took me five months to work through it—was I didn’t want anyone to think I was turning my back on Jews, trying to escape my Jewish identity. The default mode with some Jews is to assume you’re trying to “pass as gentile” or blend in or that you hate your Jewishness and are joining the enemy. All understandable, because the Jews are the most mistreated group of people on the face of the planet and some of that trouble has come out of Christian sources, which stinks. Oddly, though, accepting Jesus made me feel more Jewish than I ever had, religiously at least. I had no connection to the Old Testament particularly, until I accepted the New.”

Today Klavan is an outspoken Christian and has since authored a book called The Great Good Thing: A Secular Jew Comes to Faith in Christ (2016).


Ben Shapiro Interview of Klavan


Author, screenwriter, and Daily Wire host Andrew Klavan joins me to discuss the craft of writing novels, how he went from being “intellectually agnostic” to deeply religious, and why he decided to out himself as a conservative Christian in Hollywood.

A New Years Miracle Many Years Ago (One For Israel)

Born in 1944 Rivka Lazarowitch endured great trials to follow her Messiah Yeshua, and today she stands with Him in Glory. Rivka has passed from this life to life eternal, and heaven is lit up a little brighter by her smile. Join us as we celebrate her life, the testimony of Her Messiah and the Joy of her salvation. Help celebrate her life by sharing her story of faith.

Adrienne Johnson: Why I Am No Longer an Atheist

PragerU Chief of Staff Adrienne Johnson was once a cynical atheist, struggling to find meaning and purpose in ways that left her feeling even more adrift and alone. After hitting rock bottom, she learned that it’s never too late to take responsibility and change your life. Adrienne shares her powerful personal story of how finding faith in God gave her a second chance at life.

What else does this craving, and this helplessness, proclaim but that there was once in man a true happiness, of which all that now remains is the empty print and trace? This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him, seeking in things that are not there the help he cannot find in those that are, though none can help, since this infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object; in other words, by God himself.

Blaise Pascal (Pensees 10.148)

What Started Out As a Question Ended Up Being a Lesson In Gods Love

(Originally posted January of 2011)

During a Q&A with Ravi Zacharias and RZIM at Oxford, a homosexual man asks a question but really ends up encouraging those in the faith of the miraculous work of God in peoples changed lives.

Something said during this exchange that really clicks with my understanding of this very important issue. Love. Most often — as I note often in my debates and posts on this topic (see below) — there is abuse or some family issue that drives these young men and women into this lifestyle. While I am more of a political-animal/armchair-philosopher and I deal with this issue in a “cut-n-dry” fashion, love is the motivating factor of change….

Gay Christians?

….Usually the Christian [at the time of conversion] has this immense connection with their Creator and what He has done for him/her and the depths of their depravity that has been covered. Dorothy Sayers says it best:

  • “None of us feels the true love of God till we realize how wicked we are. But you can’t teach people that — they have to learn by experience.”

There is love and change available to those who seek it (GREGALOGUE). the problem has become a society that perpetuates the PC status quo, i.e, egalitarianism. To keep the quoting of Mrs. Sayers going, she comments well on tolerance:

  • “In the world it is called Tolerance, but in hell it is called Despair, the sin that believes in nothing, cares for nothing, seeks to know nothing, interferes with nothing, enjoys nothing, hates nothing, finds purpose in nothing, lives for nothing, and remains alive because there is nothing for which it will die.”

This is such a great expansion to my video library and writings on this topic. I highly suggest getting the entire Q&A by Ravi.

Brandt Jean Carries His Brothers Legacy On – Well

(Finally, a heartwarming humanity story! Especially after watching this — SMH) BTW, for a young man that lost his brother… to have the coherence to forgive, speak as nicely and lovingly as this man did in speaking to the woman who murdered his brother… is a testimony to God in HIS life.

After former Dallas police officer Amber Guyger was sentenced Wednesday to 10 years in prison for the murder of Botham Jean, his brother embraced her and said he forgives her. Brandt Jean went over to Guyger and the two hugged. Jean told her he doesn’t want her to go to prison. “I love you as a person and I don’t want to wish anything bad on you,” Jean said before they hugged for nearly 30 seconds. Jurors on Tuesday had found Guyger, 31, guilty of murder for fatally shooting Jean in his Dallas apartment in 2018. She had faced between five years and 99 years for the shooting.

Has Jim Carrey Come To Know Jesus Christ As Savior? (No)

Carrey has struggled with depression, and in the past has said (among other things),

  • “I’m a Buddhist, I’m a Christian, I’m a Muslim, I’m whatever you want me to be. It all comes down to the same thing. You’re in a loving place or you’re in an unloving place, if you’re with me right now you cannot be unhappy, it’s not possible.”

But what about this more recent video? Has he encountered Christ? Or is he speaking from a Buddhist perspective? (I say he is speaking as a Buddhist.) His claim about suffering leading to salvation (grace) is very Biblical (see here). Here is Jim discussing the issue at HOMEBOY INDUSTRIES:

BTW, Father Gregory Boyle could be a fan of THOMAS MERTON… another “taboo” in my mind’s eye.

Jim Carrey was raised a Catholic. He later switched to Presbyterian and attended church in early 1990s. He has been connected to Kabbala, Scientology, Christianity, and Transcendentalism.

But Jim Carrey has been opaque about his religious beliefs. Recently he has spoken about God and faith. In particular, he focused on forgiveness. Demonstrated by a speech he gave at HomeBoy Industries, a rehabilitation program for convicted felons. The speech has been seen 184,000 times.

He mentioned God, but his message was about forgiving oneself in order to be able to have a full life. He does not preach nor mention a particular denomination while giving the speech. He also talked about God in a short video he made about painting. He mentions searching for God and how it influences his art.

This led to several groups claiming that he was clearly demonstrating a deep faith in Christianity. But let’s not get carried away. He has mentioned Jesus as an inspirational figure, but he has also used Buddha and the works of Eckhart Tolle, a famous New Age philosophy as significant figures in his personal and spiritual journey. “I’m a Buddhist, I’m a Muslim, I’m a Christian. I’m whatever you want me to be. It all comes down to the same thing.”

[….]

He mentioned God, but his message was about forgiving oneself in order to be able to have a full life. He does not preach nor mention a particular denomination while giving the speech. He also talked about God in a short video he made about painting. He mentions searching for God and how it influences his art.

This led to several groups claiming that he was clearly demonstrating a deep faith in Christianity. But let’s not get carried away. He has mentioned Jesus as an inspirational figure, but he has also used Buddha and the works of Eckhart Tolle, a famous New Age philosophy as significant figures in his personal and spiritual journey. “I’m a Buddhist, I’m a Muslim, I’m a Christian. I’m whatever you want me to be. It all comes down to the same thing.”

It empowers groups to claim to have an A-list celebrity as a member. It creates visibility and appeals to a particular faith. But an individual’s faith is a deeply personal issue. We should not put labels on someone because it is convenient. It disregards their understanding and does not properly acknowledge an understanding. Respect for an individual is what Jim Carrey speaks about. Shouldn’t we listen a little better?

(WORLD RELIGION NEWS)

Here is more of Jim Carry trying to convince one mind through his mind that no mind’s exist”

Jim Carrey explains to the tee the Buddhist philosophy as proposed by ALAN WATTS in this following explanation of the above:

A Satanic Church Leader (and his family) Saved and Baptized!

In the video, you see this Church of Satan founder (Texas), baptize his wife in the name of the “Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,” and then is baptized in front of his young sister and daughter. God Is Good! The video is a bit drawn out, but a wonder call to those involved in the occult to come to a Savior that IS Love and first loved us. Here is CBN’S article on this:

The founder of a satanic church in Texas has converted to Christianity.

We love Him because He first loved us. The only reason we love at all is because He first loved us. The Ten Commandments require that a man should love his God and neighbor, but the law could not produce this love. How then could God obtain this love which His righteousness required? He solved the problem by sending His Son to die for us. Such wonderful love draws out our hearts to Him in return. We say, “You have bled and died for me; from now on I will live for You.”

  • William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments, ed. Arthur Farstad (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995).

Jacob McKelvy, formerly known as Jacob No, was instrumental in bringing together a group of “Luciferians” to form a Luciferian church.

But on February 5, 2017, McKelvy and his wife renounced their ties with the Luciferian church, after becoming born-again Christians.

[….]

McKelvy now speaks in churches to prove the power of prayer and the love of God.

“The power and peace and wholeness I feel today is far greater than anything that I’ve ever felt before,” he said.

“I created a church to destroy dogmatic religion and he still loved me. So if he could still love me for me to be here today talking to you than there are no excuses anymore.”

Pastor Hogan said he is working very closely with McKelvy to make sure that he has a solid foundation and that he becomes rooted and grounded in the word of God.

Meanwhile, the Greater Church of Lucifer has closed its doors.

LOVE did this… and only a Holy Love! (1 JOHN 4:7-21)

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

13 This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

19 We love because he first loved us. 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

Iron-Sharpening-Iron… At Toyota

As one is reading this, keep in mind that a few things are weighing in on this person spoken of below. First, he is an immigrant from Columbia, so being “culturally passionate” about issues is common place. Second, the person is a newer Christian and so has the natural zeal of such a fresh believer. Third, with cultural barriers comes a frustration to express oneself well… so shorter statements are often preferred (bumper sticker mantras). The person this post is about actually has a VERY powerful background to speak on his faith, his love for his country, and the like — if only he could reign it in and hone his thoughts.

While sitting at Toyota waiting for the 40,000 mile tune-up on my car, Fox News was on in the waiting room (always is at this dealer). As the waiting area began to fill, an immigrant guy sits down next to an Asian gal who has headphones on and is — from what I can gather with books and binders by her side — studying something for a child development class of some sort. Another woman is sitting catty corner to them.

The man tried to engage in conversation with the Asian gal, he had a very heavy accent. Because Fox News was on his mind was political and he blurted out his dislike for Democrats. Very boisterously mind you. I could tell she wanted to study, but was going to engage a bit with him, but shied away after the many statements about Democrats that went something like this:

  • “Trump will be the best president ever. Democrats are low-class. Trash. They are all communists. They are homosexual. They hate God…”

One has to be in my mind while I was thinking that the most immigrant guy here is SUPER pro-Trump and the “raised in America her whole life college student” probably learning about multicultural studies was not computing.

Just then a press conference of some sort with Trump starts up on Fox as a couple more people enter in to watch the TV. Just as Trump starts speaking, ANOTHER immigrant gentleman comes in and mentions in a similar “south of the border accent” that Trump is a mess.

The first guy — in a very thick accent — says:

  • “Trump will be the best president ever. Democrats are low-class. Trash. They are all communists. They are homosexual. They hate God…” [or some combination of that

Again, inwardly I was laughing. Because you had two immigrants with accents (the pro-Trump guy’s was thicker… giving him more authority using a leftist scale of classes — this could also be due to one was more educated in the English language from a younger age) in front of a student probably steeped in the idea that those South of the border are all anti-Trump… being privy with the others to a forceful rejection of Democrats — rightly or wrongly.

Too forceful, but hilarious to me nonetheless. I noted to myself the example we [conservatives] usually use of Democrats and their adherence to their emotional state being represented in bumper sticker responses. THIS guy was an example of the opposite. (I recalled a post of mine where some Trump supporters tried to discuss issues with Ted Cruz. I think many people voted for Trump because he speaks like they do — and wears his emotions on his sleeve as well as in general discussion. >>> Rightly or Wrongly.)

He eventually got up to go handle some business about his car, the waiting room settled down, and I got back to my reading of Michael Reeves, The Unquenchable Flame: Discovering the Heart of the Reformation. The previous interactions were fading into my memory and was reading the following…

Underpinning the whole system and mentality of medieval Roman Catholicism was an understanding of salvation that went back to Augustine (AD 354-430); Augustine’s theology of love, to be precise (how ironic that this theology of love would come to inspire great fear). Augustine taught that we exist in order to love God. However, we cannot naturally do so, but must pray for God to help us. This he does by justifying’ us, which, Augustine said, is the act in which God pours his love into our hearts (Romans 5:5). This is the effect of the grace that God was said to channel through the sacraments: by making us more and more loving, more and more just, God ‘justifies’ us. God’s grace, on this model, was the fuel needed to become a better, more just, righteous and loving person. And this was the sort of person who finally merited salvation, according to Augustine. This was what Augustine had meant when he spoke of salvation by grace.

Talk of God pouring out his grace so that we become loving and so merit salvation might have sounded lovely on Augustine’s lips; over the centuries, however, such thoughts took on a darker hue.

Michael Reeves (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2009), 19-20.

As I was finishing the paragraph this person walks back in to the waiting room, repeats his mantra above [see above], and then turns my way to walk past where I was sitting. I caught his gave and asked him if he wanted to sit down and talk. He said yes and gladly sat down next to me.

Carlos is his name. He is from Columbia.

He opened up immediately about his political and religious affiliation. I had him pause and said “as conservatives and as Christians we are suppose to change minds with speaking truth in love to people.” I continued, “by merely stating ‘x-y-z’ you are playing into a stereotype that will chase people away from your positions rather than endear them to these truths.” I then gave an example[s]:

Carlos, I asked quite a few Democrat friends I know to give me the best example of why they think Trump is a ‘bigot, racist, or xenophobe’ (or any combination thereof).” I mentioned I got three recurring themes from them. “I will explain one of them,” I said. “I usually ask a Democrat in conversation who has stated his dislike for if they agree that Trump’s statement about ‘Mexico sending their rapists and drug dealers across the border is an evidence of Trump’s bigotry, or xenophobia, or racism.'”?

“Typically,” I continued, “I get a yes. I then ask if I can share how I view this statement to share with them a perspective they probably have not heard.” Continuing in the conversation…

“Almost always they say yes. I then share that while I think Trump generalized this to Mexico he and we know that many from Honduras and El Salvador and other countries make this trip… even from Columbia.” He agreed. I continued on, “The Left-leaning human rights organization and other organizations that help these people have said that during their travels, 80% of the women and girls are raped. Eighty-Percent. I explain that by controlling our border we will stop this mass raping of those coming to get across our porous border, thus protecting these women by making it more likely they will stay with their families. NOT only that, but many of these rapists ARE crossing over the border… and by controlling our border we will protect women of all nationalities in our country from being subjected to this heinous crime.”

I explained that by having such a conversation we are not forcing a change on the person, but merely offering information that they may not heard of before, giving them a different perspective OTHER THAN this is merely a bigoted, racist, xenophobic position.

I explained as well that in the past I have met with fellow conservative/libertarian gay men and women who vote Republican. Many of whom are against gay marriage saying that the States have the AUTHORITY to set the meaning of marriage, NOT the Federal government or the Courts (like the Constitution enumerates). Others are against it because they believe heterosexual marriages have an inherent quality that under-girds society that same-sex relationships do not.

So, I explained, “homosexuals” know and love freedom and voted for Trump along a line of thinking that his (Carlos’) adamant statement does not fairly reflect — THUS building walls in people’s hearts rather than knocking them down.

We shared testimonies, he is a newer Christian of three years… he shared that his wife has mentioned to him his “exuberance.” Sometimes men need to hear it from men for it to register. We talked about iron-sharpening-iron and his obvious passion that he displays that is very cultural, and that I felt moved to talk to him out of love. He goes to a wonderful local church. He brought up Islam and his travels and speaking to Arab Muslims in other countries. Relaying their hatred for Christians and especially Jews. I shared how I approach persons of the Muslim faith… getting them to agree that the followers of Jesus and the followers Muhammad are fallen and not always the best representation of their faith. I always get an agreement with this. I then compare Jesus’ life to Muhammad’s life.

JESUS — when Peter struck off the ear of the soldier, healed it. Christ said if his followers were of any other kingdom, they would fight to get him off the cross. He also told Peter if he lived by the sword he would die by it.; Christ invited and used children as examples of how Jewish adults should view their faith… something culturally radical – inviting children into an inner-circle of a group of status oriented men such as the Pharisees was unheard of. Especially saying to them their faith must be similar; Jesus, and thusly us, can access true love because the Triune God has eternally loved (The Father loves the Son, etc. ~ unlike the Unitarian God of Islam). Love between us then: (1) my wife and I for instance, as well as family, (2) the love in community/Body of Christ, (3) love for our enemies, etc., has eternal foundations in God; This love from God towards us has caused a Sacrifice to ensure our salvation. Jesus said as well that he has “spoken openly to the world…  always teaching in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. ‘I said nothing in secret.’” The Bible also states that God cannot lie… and Jesus is God in orthodoxy. The love of Christ and the relationship he offers is bar-none the center piece of our faith… something the Muslim does not have. Which is why the Church evolved because they have a point of reference in Christ to come back to.

MUHAMMAD — (a) ordered his followers, and (b) and participated in both digging their graves and cutting the throats of between 600-to-900 men, women, and children. Some of the women and boy and girl children were taken as property. He was a military tactician that lied and told others to use deception that ultimately led to the death of many people (taqiyya): The word “Taqiyya” literally means: “Concealing, precaution, guarding.” Lying and cheating in the Arab world is not really a moral matter but a method of safeguarding honor and status, avoiding shame, and at all times exploiting possibilities, for those with the wits for it, deftly and expeditiously to convert shame into honor on their own account and vice versa for their opponents. If honor so demands, lies and cheating may become absolute imperatives.” [David PryceJones, “The Closed Circle” An interpretation of the Arabs, p4] We never see any depictions of Muhammad with children, we just know that he most likely acquired a child bride at age 6 and consummated that “marriage” when she was nine — he was a pedophile in other words; While the Qu’ran states that a follower of this book should have no more than 4 wives, we know of course that he had many more. Many more; Even the most ardent/obedient Muslim still leaves his or her entrance into “heaven” is an arbitrary choice of “Allah” … no story of love and sacrifice.

I told Carlos if this encounter looks uneasy for the Muslim person I am speaking with, I will end with:

  • “I pray you try to model your life more-and-more like Jesus’ rather than Muhammad’s.”

You see, knowing your worldview, being ready to give an antithesis that points to Christ and the Gospel message when witnessing, should be honed. The same applies for speaking about other important issues as well, LIKE POLITICS. If one shows a grace in interactions face-to-face with people on a political level, they are more readily apt to give you time when speaking about your faith.

The Apostle Paul was trained his whole life… and God used and transformed that training for His glory. We should all continually do the same… train as ambassadors for Christ. Carlos has a powerful story…

Carlos has a great testimony and story of his family

coming to America in the 1870’s, then leaving

for Colombia after being established for a generation here.

coming back and loving our freedoms.

…if only he would reign in the VERY obvious passion he has and redirect it a more constructive communication. Paul had a passion and zeal as well.

This takes practice by the way.
Patience.
Grace.
As well as care.

We all fall short in these and other areas of life. BUT (I shared), like a sail ship going to a point, it has to tack… as it approaches it’s destination those lines of crossing get tighter-and-tighter. We are ALL in a learning mode and ALL look forward in our race to glorify Christ and our ultimate glory. As we learn more about God, our faith, how the church interacts with one-another and the world… our “tacking” gets tighter. (He mentioned he likes to sail.)

I was told my car was ready

I ended with a quick reading of Roman’s 5:5 (which I had just read… God is good!):

“And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”

And then we said a quick prayer for God’s grace and love to always wash over us, building us up in His truth.

That was it. Hopefully Carlos contacts me, I would love to fellowship with him more.