God is Evil, Man is Good???

The other day I was witnessing to a young man who thought he was smart and smug about his beliefs. When I asked him why he had a hard time believing in God, he said it was because of all the suffering in the world. He said if God was a loving God He would take care of the human race because any loving father would. When I asked him what part of the world bothered him the most he said Africa. It's full of disease, kids are starving, and the water is so poor that people barely drink. So the conversation finishes like this...

"That's interesting", I said. "Do you know what one of the major natural resources are in Africa?"

"No, what is it?"

"It's diamonds. Do you know how many water wells could be dug, farms to be planted, and people could be fed just from a handful of diamonds?"

"I don't know, probably alot."

"So if it's God who gave them the natural resources to begin with, and that's just one resource. There is also oil, copper, uranium, natural gas, along with fishing, then why are you blaming God for all the suffering in Africa? But because of the greed of man, corrupt governments, and love of money, those resources which God provided are being used to line the pockets of the rich and powerful, and not being used to help the poor, needy, and hungry. So...shouldn't you be blaming man, who you thought is basically good, and thanking God, who you said was basically evil?"

"Uhhh...you have a good point. Sorry."

Iowa State Fair 2012 - Tuesday

Had a great time at the fair today.  I didn't pass out hundreds of tracts, nor did I witness to thousands of people, but the conversations that I did have were genuine, honest, and hopefully memorable.  That's what I hope for at events like this. 

One conversation walking back to my car to take a break was with a woman sitting on her porch.  After several minutes in the natural subjects she told me that she stopped going to the fair after her fiance died in a car wreck they were in 13 years ago where she also lost her left eye.  Last week she told me that her dad passed away and she's just trying to cope with everything.  We talked about heaven, hell, eternity.  I shared the gospel with her in the 1st person and said that she never heard it like that at all.  After over an hour with her I prayed for her, and her family, then gave her a tract to help remind her of our talk. 

I also talked to some 10 - 19 year olds.  Many of them didn't know who Jesus even was.  One kid asked, what the "H" stands for in his middle name (when people blaspheme His name some say, "Jesus H. Christ").  That's not the first time someone has asked that.  Most people I talked to today never knew why Jesus had to die on the cross since God just forgives people.  When I explain to them that God doesn't just let sinners go (Nahum 1:3), but that the payment for sin needed to be made (Hebrews 9:22).  Either we pay that in hell, or Jesus pays it through His blood.  Watching people's eyes light up and finally understand is pretty cool to watch. 

The Iowa State Fair has a special place in my heart which it was the first time I heard the gospel.  When I came here from New Jersey 9 years ago someone witnessed to me at the Noah's Ark Exibit and gave me a tract and took the time to explain the gospel to me.  Even though I didn't understand it, I read the tract over 100 times and it kept bugging me.  It was the catalyst that drove me to ask questions and seek the truth.  Then when I did receive the Lord over a year later, He opened my eyes and understood everything.  It's that thankfulness to God that drives me.  Not that I have to witness to gain my salvation, but that it's my reasonable service in that I want to tell others about the One who saved me.  I want to share that gift.  To God be the glory forever and ever. 

Iowa State Fair Parade - August 8

Tony, I, along with my co-worker Chuck went to the Iowa State Fair parade located in downtown Des Moines, IA.  Since there was only the three of us, we split up in different directions.  It was much bigger than I had expected, and I knew even with passing out tracts I couldn't possibly hit everyone. But to me, I'm not interested in reaching every person.  I'm more interested in using those tracts to start some meaningful conversations with people who need to know Christ and to glorify Him with their life. 

It didn't take long to get into conversations and you never really know who you're going to run into.  Of all the thousands of people that were at the parade, the first couple tracts I passed out were to my athiest neighbors.  I never really talked with them before because I knew they had conversations with my other neighbors.  But since the cat was out of the bag I gave it a shot. 

Along the way back to my church where I parked, I ran into all kinds of people with all kinds of beliefs.  Along the way I talked to homosexuals, Catholics, athiests, and a satanist.  I had at least 20 conversations that day.  But the ones that were the hardest, and felt the most pitty for, were the kids.  One question I ask kids is, "Why do people celebrate Easter?"  I have talked to alot of kids since I got saved back in 2003 and not one could answer the question right off the bat.  Even when I bring up Jesus, they still doesn't know.  With all the resources we have in America, bibles, christian websites, churches, pastoral leadership, church app's and commentaries...and you mean to tell me that a 14 year old kid can't tell me why we celebrate Easter?  Something is horrably wrong.  What in the world are churches teaching?  Not the gospel that is for sure. 

The last conversation I had was with a Satanist named Mike who told me when I gave him a tract that he was too bad to be saved.  He even told me of a story when he walked into a church it caught fire.  He went to give the tract back when I told him about the apostle Paul who killed Christians and called himself the chief of sinners.  I also said, "You owe it to yourself to at least read this tract and take a look at the website because it's a long time in eternity if you're wrong."  He said he would, and looked sincere.  I hope he did too. 

It was a great day.  Please consider coming out with us.  The Iowa State Fair is going on now.  You'll never regret it. The only regrets is when I don't go.  Trust me.