The Strange gods of Zaphon

I had an interesting & strange encounter at the Farmers Market with a man named Timothy, and woman named Sarah that I assume was his wife. Timothy heckled me, in an acceptable way, just after 3-1/2 minutes into my public preaching last Saturday, talking about "the gods of Zaphon." (Remember, hecklers are a good thing when open-air preaching, so I'm not complaining.) You can check it out via the link to the audio on my previous post, or on the Audio: Open Air Preaching page above (should be the top link on the page, the file starts with the date 20150627....)


When I finished speaking and stepped off my box, Timothy showed up right away, again talking about "the gods of Zaphon." A young brother in the Lord by the name of Ray had just got up on the box and started preaching, and I actually wanted to listen to him, but this conversation started with Timothy & Sarah, so we talked.

Be my guest, and listen in on the audio recording of this street corner encounter: LINK

I tried to tweak the audio to bring up the conversation and quiet the background, but it's the Farmers Market, what can I say? That young brother, Ray, is preaching 6 feet away from me, there's a singer using amplification across the intersection, etc. etc. But I think you can follow the discussion, and I wanted to share it just because:

1. I've never heard of "the gods of Zaphon"
2. I wanted you to hear an example of what one encounters out on the streets, often around strange teachings & beliefs our neighbors have, that are founded in pagan religions, as I think this one is
3. People wrest the scriptures (2 Peter 3:16), and we need to be able to answer with truth (Sarah's belief we are all born children of God; that Jesus' first coming was more about showing us how to do what He did and more than He did, not so much to rescue us from eternal damnation; that all the people in Hell will one day be released - just some examples you'll hear in the audio)

Hope this is an encouragement to boldly share the gift of eternal life we have, who have turned to Jesus alone and been born-again. Time is short. I hope to be back down to the Farmers Market this Saturday, the 4th of July, but we don't know what tomorrow may bring. Jesus may come to catch us away before then, or I may go to be with Him. 

Here's a few notes from a quick search for "the gods of Zaphon."

Holman Bible Dictionary

Zaphon

(zay' pahn) Place name meaning, “north.”
1. City east of the Jordan River in Gad's territory (Joshua 13:27 ). It was probably a center of worship of the god Baal-zaphon in the days of Canaanite supremacy before the Gadites took over. It is identified with tell el-Qos, tell es-Saidiye, or tell el-Mazar. Shophan (Numbers 32:35 ) may be another spelling of the same city.
2. Mountain viewed as home of the gods in Canaanite thought, perhaps referred to in Psalm 48:2 (NIV), Isaiah 14:13 (NRSV), and Job 26:7 (NRSV), showing Yahweh controls what Canaan thought their gods possessed.

The Official King James Bible Online

'ZAPHON' in the Bible ... 1 Instances   

Joshua 13:27
And in the valley, Betharam, and Bethnimrah, and Succoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, Jordan and his border, even unto the edge of the sea of Chinnereth on the other side Jordan eastward.

Private Interpretation

Was really hoping that someone would shoot me some feedback re: "Conversation with Patrick." The thing about street work...you study up & pray up, but it is a fluid situation out there in the real world. I usually pray Acts 4:29 (boldness & filling of the Holy Ghost) and Philippians 2:12-13 because I don't have the power and wisdom needed to get the job done. I am depending on God to work through me as I yield to him and go.

I save audio out on the street for a couple of reasons. One: if someone accuses me of saying something inappropriate, I want a record so I can refute it (or not, depending on what is deemed "inappropriate"). And two:  also opens  a small window of sound into this ministry, and we share it for the edification of the body of Christ.

So guess what? I have to listen to myself and do the audio editing to get something worth sharing on the website. Yep, even the cringe-worthy times when I blow it. Last Saturday I read from Psalm 90:10-12, and kept losing my place. Sheesh!  Or worse, when I am inpatient with a heckler, or when I miss a sound biblical response, like a major one I found with listening to the audio of my conversation with Patrick.

And here I thought someone would call me on it! It was when Patrick was commenting on "my interpretation" of what the Bible says regarding salvation alone in Jesus Christ. So, class, what is the Bible-Believer's response to this statement?

2 Peter 1:20- 21

Yes, taken in context, comparing scriptures with scriptures, etc. If we have anything, saints, we have God's mind regarding the way of salvation. Jesus is indeed THE WAY, and no one comes to the Father but by the one-and-only Savior of sinners, the Lord Jesus Christ.

We cannot encourage one another enough to be Bereans in these last days. Heresy and apostasy abound. The Bible is being questioned and attacked and neglected like never before. It is not uncommon for Pastors, Preachers, and other church leaders to set themselves above the flock and
make themselves un-approachable regarding what they teach and preach. Not so at Iowa Seed Sowers. We're just brothers and sisters in the Lord, and are open to questions, exhortation, and even a rebuke, if warranted (Proverbs 27:5).

Arise, My Soul, Arise

This is one of my favorite hymns. Written by Charles Wesley, it is a majestic, manly song, brimming with sound doctrine. It took some time to find a video clip of the hymn sung in this manner - mostly hit on more modern arrangements that are, in my opinion, tepid and weak compared to this one. Lame, lame, lame! The first video arrangement is not the original, and they skip the fourth verse, and in the fifth verse they have changed "My God is reconciled" to "My soul is reconciled", which TOTALLY misses the point! God, the offended party, must be reconciled. We are saved from Almighty God's wrath & judgement only by faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of the Savior. Aren't you thankful for the cry from the dying Savior, "IT IS FINISHED!" Oh, I am! Thank you, dear Lord Jesus Christ. The second video is a congregational song with fewer verses, but beautiful all the same.

Enjoy, and God bless you. 

Let's worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness, together!

Paul

Words: Charles Wes­ley, Hymns and Sac­red Po­ems, 1742.
Music: Len­ox, Lew­is Ed­son, in The Chor­ist­er’s Com­pan­ion, by Sim­e­on Jo­ce­lyn and Amos Doo­lit­tle (New Ha­ven, Con­nec­ti­cut: 1782)

“I have a re­cord,” said a Wes­ley­an mis­sion­ary la­bor­ing in the West In­dies, “of two hun­dred per­sons, young and old, who re­ceived the most di­rect ev­i­dence of the for­give­ness of their sins while sing­ing ‘Arise, my soul.’ The con­ver­sion of the great­er num­ber of these per­sons took place while I was a mis­sion­ary abroad.”

Arise My Soul Arise lyrics by Charles Wesley

Arise, my soul, arise; shake off thy guilty fears;
The bleeding sacrifice in my behalf appears:
Before the throne my surety stands,
Before the throne my surety stands,
My name is written on His hands.

He ever lives above, for me to intercede;
His all redeeming love, His precious blood, to plead:
His blood atoned for all our race,
His blood atoned for all our race,
And sprinkles now the throne of grace.

Five bleeding wounds He bears; received on Calvary;
They pour effectual prayers; they strongly plead for me:
'Forgive him, O forgive,' they cry,
'Forgive him, O forgive,' they cry,
'Nor let that ransomed sinner die!'

The Father hears Him pray, His dear anointed One;
He cannot turn away, the presence of His Son;
His Spirit answers to the blood,
His Spirit answers to the blood,
And tells me I am born of God.

My God is reconciled; His pardoning voice I hear;
He owns me for His child; I can no longer fear:
With confidence I now draw nigh,
With confidence I now draw nigh,
And 'Father, Abba, Father,' cry.