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(Not so) Good Friday?

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Carol Nicholson is a member of our evangelism team who is very bold in her witness. She sent me this report about a very scary encounter she had on Good Friday.

Yesterday was the worst persecution I have suffered for the Gospel since my salvation. Olga, another sister, and I went to the Redondo Beach Pier holding up a 6 foot cross with the words  “Are you ready?” written on it. What better time than Good Friday to pick up our cross and go explain the meaning of it?

As I was preaching and getting ready to read about the empty tomb and resurrection, a man came from behind me, grabbed the microphone from my hand, then yelled to the crowd blasphemous words, insults, mockery—all while denying God, even calling me a devil. Then he wrestled with me, trying to yank the bible from my hands. Since he could not, he started calling the police and 911, saying that he lived in the condos up the hill behind us, and we were disturbing his peace. He appeared to be under the influence of drugs.

I had a chance to read about the resurrection, but by then he was joined by an angry woman— twice as furious—and between the two of them, they went back and forth between Olga and I, cursing us and claiming that they were devils.

By this time, there was a large gathering, with 3 people videotaping the whole scene. The man grabbed my bag of Gospel tracts and threw it down to the lower level of the pier, all the while cursing at the top of his lungs. The once complacent diners on the lower level were now all listening intently and heard the full Gospel. Many of the bystanders were Christians, and they rebuked our attackers until they finally left.  A large group of Christians then came upstairs where we were, brought me my bag, and gave us words of encouragement to persevere in the work of the Lord.

We thank God for once again rescuing us and using us for His glory. I told the crowd that the Truth is offensive to those who are perishing but power for salvation; that’s why the devil gets angry when it is preached. The devil did not win. Instead he proves that God’s prophesies are true.

God is giving us more power and courage to go to the Santa Monica Pier today—with the cross once more—to preach on the resurrection! Our heart sings “If we perish, we perish.” Glory to God.

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