On the morning of August 6th, 1945 at 8:15 am local time, 77 years ago, under a clear blue sky, an American B-29 dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. An estimated 100,000 people were killed, shadows of the vaporized etched into the walls, and many of the suddenly homeless survivors lay on the ground of the city park that night, staring up at the stars in disbelief. So stunned were they, it was reportedly impossible to tell the living from the dead in the park that night.
God forgive us, and spare us, that everyone might look up in peace and believe what the stars proclaim every night.
The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.
Psalm 19:1-2
We brought outdoor necessities for our homeless friends today: plastic tarps, flashlights, umbrellas, rain ponchos, sterno, batteries, bug spray, socks, toilet paper and bottled water.
Earl spoke with a young man today and invited him to church. He told Earl he would come once he got himself clean. Earl told him LWCC is a no-judgement zone. The young man said he has a drug problem and that he was going to Pittsburgh to participate in a detox and rehab program there called “Pyramid”. The young man was once in “Teen Challenge”, a program that provides a faith-based approach to drug rehabilitation. But the young man dropped out after 30 days. That was a major mistake, he said, but this time he was determined to stay the full duration. Earl prayed with the young man for the Lord’s deliverance, protection, guidance and covering.
We also pray these strongholds are completely destroyed, with the authority given us in His name to vanquish them forever.
For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.
2 Corinthians 10:4
We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:6
Terry walked through the gospel story with Philip using one of our tracts. He said he had to think about what she shared with him. Terry prayed that the Lord would reveal Himself, opening Philip’s eyes to the glorious truth of Christ, so often misconstrued by our sinful hearts and minds, until the day we see Him face to face.
Holy, holy, holy Though the darkness hide Thee Though the eyes of sinful man Thy glory may not see Lord, only Thou art holy and there is none beside Thee Perfect in power, in love and purity
Terry also prayed for Philip’s job situation. He has difficulty keeping jobs. People on his jobs don’t treat him right, he says. Right now he seems to be between jobs. Terry’s conversation took a turn when Philip accused her of being just like the people on his job. That’s when she asked him if she could pray for him, ending on a positive note.
Javon (28 years old) and Tom connected when they realized their paths had crossed in Allison Hill when Javon was a youth. He willingly discussed spiritual matters and appeared to have a genuine desire to walk with God. They talked about the Joseph (and Paul) method of dealing with lust – fleeing it! He wondered how God deals with those who never hear of Jesus. Tom mentioned the different levels of accountability Jesus spoke of in the parable of the good steward (Luke 12:42-48).
Their conversation was interrupted by the yelling of a man sitting on the sidewalk nearby. As Tom approached him, he screamed, stood up, throwing food and drink, motioning as if he would attack him. Then he retreated down the alley. Javon and Abraham believed that man was demon possessed and warned Tom that he should not have approached him and could have been hurt. Abraham grinned and said Tom was a “survivor”!
Tom was thankful not to have suffered the fate of Sceva’s sons (Acts 19:15-16), but he longs for more “demonstration of the Spirit and of power” in his message.
…my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God
1 Corinthians 2:4
These pictures were taken in Allison Hill as part of the Serve the Burg / “Love the Hill” mission Saturday.
We saw a small, harmless garter snake slither across the pavement to escape our weed-whacking and shoveling in Allison Hill. May we weed-whack the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things that would choke the Word, as Jesus said, the seeds of His Kingdom, if left untended. When we were done, the weeds were gone, the beds were barren and ready for planting. I imagined flowers blossoming again, when virtue is cultivated as assiduously as vice in our neighborhoods.
This house of our spirit, this human body, is also decaying daily. And if we board up the windows of our souls, blindly follow the natural course of this fallen world, we will also be condemned along with the house. But Jesus Christ took the nails in his own hands and feet that would have otherwise affixed the condemned sign to us forever. Praise His Name!
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
John 3:17
And that is the Word on the Street!
~Jeff Mason
For more information, or to learn how to join us in reaching people for Jesus, please email Living Water’s Director of Outreach, Mike Bongo, at mikeb@livingwatercc.com and he will get you plugged in! You will be blessed as you become a blessing to others!