I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. John 17:15-18

I was in Atlanta Tuesday night witnessing with Chris Galloway and his group and I observed the spiritual darkness that exists there in the city. I have noticed it before, but this particular night it seemed even more evident. Atlanta is a very dark city. You can almost immediately feel it when you go out there. I fear what it may look like 15 years from now. Children now are being raised by children and I think it is fair to say almost all of them are growing up with no knowledge of the Bilbe or Christ.

These thoughts have troubled me in the past. Try to imagine what is happening in our world right now. I want to give you a few pictures to ponder. On television you can watch shows like Cheaters, Jerry Springer, and American Idol. Think of the kinds of people that watch such shows and the people who go on such shows.

The people who watch the shows are typical Americans. Cheaters (a show about people who cheat on one another), I am sure, is entertaining to those who are in relationships right now. Realistically there are millions of ongoing adulterous relationships. People are steeped in every type of sexual immorality and they laugh at and even condone others caught in the same bondage. Jerry Springer fosters the same thing. It is a show that brings gluttonous, adulterous, murderous people on a show to boast about their sin. Many people who watch this show I can imagine are gluttons themselves. Many are probably stay at home moms, obese, not caretakers of their homes or children, unsubmissive to their husbands, and involved in too many other sins to count.

Think about the people who watch American Idol (I may step on a few toes here). Many (not all) are idolaters. They watch such shows and becoming the next Americal Idol is the pinnacle of their existence. That is why they go to the tryouts and try to get on the show. They want to be idolized. They want to be just like the world, even professing Christians. I saw many professing Christians at Miley Cyrus last night. The children were not dressed as young modest virtuous women. They were wearing pimp-like hats, flashy clothing, and holding signs professing their love and devotion to their real god. And it is encouraged by the parents. I doubt any of the kids could name the ten commandments in order, but I am sure they could sing along to their favorite songs. I guess Deuteronomy 6 has no relevance to Christian parents anymore. Life is about going to concerts and sporting events and whatever else. Jesus saved us to do such things, praise God! I guess it is okay as long as we pay our tribute to the building on Sundays.

Hopefully you now have a few images in your mind. Think about all of the people put together. Think about the obese woman sitting on the couch watching her soaps and neglecting her kids, the crazy demon-possessed people in downtown Atlanta, the rampant idolatry that exists on TV and in Hollywood, the homosexuals who proudly parade themselves down the streets of Atlanta, the prostitutes selling their bodies on the streets, the rebellious kids who are not being disciplined, and the list goes on.

You might ask the question I asked: Why does God allow such evil to continue? I admit I sound like one of those guys on the streets we talk to who says, "If there is a God, why does He allow so much evil to exist?"

Well, I know God exists, but it still boggles the mind to think about so much darkness and God just letting it continue year after year. So the question is why? It really is a valid question.

I believe there are two answers.

God is long suffering and

God has sent us into the world.

Notice in the above passage Jesus does not want us taken out of the world. He says He has been sent into the world and He has sent us into the world. So, the answer to the question, why does God allow the darkness to continue? is He is long suffering toward sinners and He wants His children to bring the light to them.

Think about your conversion. The God of the Universe put His seed inside of you. He took some of His light and placed it in human flesh and now that light rests inside of you. Why didn't He just rapture you home when He regenerated you?

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16

There is the answer. God wants men to repent so He does not squash them, but He wants you and I to deliver the message to them.

Now, I want to say something with confidence and instead of you getting upset, and justifying yourself, and sending me hate emails, I want you to simply pray about it and obey God.

Witnessing to someone at work once a month is not enough (if you even do that).

I will not make a rule about how often since Scripture does not make the rule, but I do know that many of you can do more. I know this because we are doing other things on the weekends and not doing our duty of evangelism. I have been accused of emphasizing evangelism too much. Praise the Lord, I will keep exalting it because people keep trying to minimize its importance.

Evangelism is important! It is so important that God left you on this earth to do it. And He did not leave you on this earth to play golf on the weekends,  watch football, go to work, make money, wash your car, cut the grass, etc. We do what we want to do. Let's start doing what God wants us to do. He wants us to shine our light in all of that darkness that exists. The Bible says the light came into the World and the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. Christ is the light of the world and when He entered the world the darkness did not squelch His light. As a Christian, you are a type of Christ, a brother (Rom. 8:29), and the darkness is not supposed to overcome you. Stop playing the sovereign card. Get out there and do your duty, soldier.

The Thanksgiving Outreach could not have been better. We had probably close to 15 different people show up at different times. It was cold, but we proclaimed much Truth to those who needed to hear the gospel. There are plenty of videos and pictures to view on the main page.

Leonard Sicilian was preaching the gospel to the shoppers when a young lady approached me. It turns out that she is a student at GSU and had heard all of the preachers when they came to her campus. She did not agree with them because they were calling names and yelling. Even though Leonard was preaching loud she said he sounded reasonable and I began to share Truth with her. Her boyfriend came up and I was able to share a lot with both of them. I found out she is Catholic and loves C.S. Lewis. I began to share some Truth with her from Romans 8. We talked about the difference between the fleshly man and the Spiritual man. I told her she needed to be born again and then the Spritual would make sense. We talked about sin and what it means to come to Christ. She was thinking a lot and I could tell that God had been working in both of their hearts. Praise the Lord for this divine appointment. I gave her One Heartbeat Away and they thanked me for the conversation. Please pray for Megan and Blake.

Please follow the schedule and join us at an event.

Lord, take me home, but until then send me many souls to bring with me.