Coming Events
(Contact me at mail@sosmin.com or (510) 282-5629 for outreach locations and times one or two days before outreach.)
Friday October 1, 8, 29 4-7 PM Witnessing in San Francisco neighborhoods.
Saturday October 2, 9, 30 11:30-4 PM Witnessing in San Francisco neighborhoods.
WILL AMERICA REPENT?
Dear Christian friends,
(I wrote this for our Nov. 2001 Newsletter, shortly after the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Twenty years later, our nation has abruptly left Afghanistan, leaving behind thousands of Americans and Afghans who helped the US in the hands of the Taliban, along with billions of dollars in military equipment. I hate to consider the consequences of perhaps the worst foreign policy decision in American history.)
Throughout the Old Testament, God would raise up a godly leader for His people Israel. Israel would follow that leader and get right with God. God would prosper and protect their land. After this leader died, another leader would turn the people away from God. God would then remove His protection from the land. Israel would suffer a military defeat or some other calamity. In their distress, they would turn back to God, under the direction of a godly leader.
Israel persecuted and even killed many of the prophets who warned of God’s judgments. The prophet Jeremiah was imprisoned for speaking God’s word. He said that God would use “my servant” Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar to bring judgment to the Jewish people for their sins. He told them to submit to their enemies and not fight.
“If I bring a sword against that country…even if Noah, Daniel and Job were in it, they could save neither son nor daughter. They would save only themselves by their righteousness.” (Ezek. 14:17-19). A nation can become so hardened against God that it will no longer repent when God judges it. I do not know if America has reached that place.
Many scriptures indicate that God will bless any nation that honors and obeys Him and will ultimately (if not immediately) judge any nation that rejects Him and His laws. (Prov. 14:34, Jer. 5:29, 18:7.) In the past, our nation, to a large extent, honored God. We have given religious freedom to those who worship Jesus and preach His word. Throughout our history, many of our leaders, as well as much of our nation, have trusted in Jesus and sought to obey Him. Our nation has experienced numerous revivals and evangelistic outreaches throughout our history, resulting in millions being saved or rededicating their lives to Christ. Our nation has sent out more missionaries to evangelize the world than any other nation.
God has blessed our nation with great economic prosperity. To a large extent, He has protected us from our enemies. We have suffered greatly in various wars, but won every war except Korea, Vietnam (and now Afghanistan). Even after Vietnam, our nation was blessed with unprecedented economic and political strength, becoming the one remaining “Superpower.”
However, for 150 years, our nation has been in spiritual decline. This decline began with Charles Darwin and others who taught that we could understand the universe without God. Soon, liberal theologians declared that God was “dead” or irrelevant. As our youth were taught in our schools that there is no God and that there is no absolute truth or morality, multitudes rejected Jesus Christ and Biblical morality.
This decline has accelerated since the 1960’s. A number of Supreme Court decisions have in effect established atheism as our nation’s official religion. Today, our nation is caught up in an epidemic of immorality–drugs, alcohol, homosexuality and other sexual perversions, child abuse and molestation, pornography, etc. During the [now] 45 years I have been preaching the gospel in San Francisco, I have noticed a continual hardening of people’s hearts against the gospel. The TV preacher scandals of the 1980’s led to even greater mocking of the things of God.
I think it will be very hard for America to repent. Too many people are convinced that no God could exist who would judge people for their sins. During the Civil War, the U.S. Senate asked Abraham Lincoln to issue a Proclamation calling the nation to fast, pray and repent of our sins. “May we not justly fear that the awful calamity of civil war which now desolates the land may be but a punishment inflicted upon us for our presumptuous sins, to the needful end of our national reformation as a whole people?”
Is God lifting His hand of protection off our nation because of our sins? Without God’s protection, terrorists may succeed in carrying out some of their evil plans. I hope that many Christians will respond by getting right with God and preaching the Gospel fervently. I hope that many Americans will turn to God in response to this crisis.
However, other Americans–perhaps the majority–will harden their hearts against God increasingly, as in Revelation 9:20-21: “The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent…of their murders, their sorcery, their fornication or their thefts.” If this happens, Christians will face increased persecution as we continue to preach the gospel in this nation.
On the Streets
On Sat. May 22, we witnessed at Fisherman’s Wharf. Richard Griffin played music. We also preached at two locations on Pier 39. Alex, Ryan and Andy all witnessed to Mike, who said he was a Mormon and thought that the Bible had been changed many times and could not be trusted.
On Fri. May 28, we witnessed at 24th and Mission. Tats, Andy and Kevin all witnessed to Patrick, who said he was God. Andy went through some of the 10 Commandments with him, and he admitted to breaking many of them. Mike witnessed to Jared, from Eritrea. His brother and sister were evangelical Christians but he did not know what it meant to be born again. Mike explained the gospel to him, got his phone number and instructed him to read the gospel of John.
The next day, Paul Coca played music at the Wharf and Adam Hood and Caleb Mills preached. At Pier 39, Alex witnessed to Griffin, Garrett and Andrew, all about 30, for about an hour. They all went to Christian school and church when they were young but had all turned away from God. Sadly, they knew the Bible well but had become atheists or agnostic. It seems they turned away because of their desire to smoke pot and fornicate.
On Fri. June 11, we witnessed at 4th and Market. Andy spoke with Ernest, 70, a Catholic, about salvation by faith, not by works. He was receptive and liked our preaching. Alex witnessed to Trayvon, 24, for an hour. His aunt took him to church so he knew the gospel, but still wanted to use marijuana and engage in fornication. Tats witnessed to 7 boys about 13 years old. They mocked the preaching and said they loved pornography.
The next day, we were at Fisherman’s Wharf, Chuck Girard and Paul and Noreen Coca played music, and many people gathered to listen. Mike spoke with a woman and her two sons, Lee (21) and Loren (19). The woman said her oldest son got baptized last week. Mike shared that we are not saved by being baptized, but must be born again, and explained how they can be saved.
On Sat. June 26, we witnessed at Fisherman’s Wharf. While preaching at Pier 39, Corey asked if anyone was a Christian and wanted to share their testimony. A Christian woman came up and shared the gospel publicly for the first time. Corey also witnessed to two Jewish girls, who were about 15. Mike witnessed to Constantine, who was listening to our music. He gave him a Spanish tract and invited him to City Impact.
On Fri. July 9, we joined with Sean Feucht for “Let us Worship” rallies at the Golden Gate Bridge and Crissy Field. This was the one-year anniversary of his first rally at the Golden Gate Bridge, held shortly after Gov. Newsome banned singing in church. Since then, he has held about 100 rallies in different cities around the US. About 500 Christians joined him that day. We worshipped God and prayed for the city.
The next day we witnessed at Fisherman’s Wharf. My home church, New Life Christian Church in Hayward, brought their pastor and worship group. Many people were drawn by the excellent music. While Alex was preaching, a man named “Sonic,” who records live humorous events for his internet channel, approached him with his video camera. He was there with his girlfriend. He asked Alex if fornication was wrong. Alex said it was. Sonic then panned the camera to his girlfriend, who was embarrassed. Sonic felt remorse about it, was tearful, and wanted a hug from Alex. Alex hugged him and then they left.
I witnessed to Curtis, 24, who shocked me when he said, “I came to the Wharf to steal something.” He said he couldn’t control his stealing, drinking, and sex addiction. His mother is a strong Christian who has witnessed to him, and he believes the Bible is true. I shared with him how he could get strength to overcome temptations. I gave him some money and invited him to attend Christ Forgiveness Church. He said, “I definitely will,” but didn’t show up.
A Final Word
Thank you again for your prayers and financial support for this ministry. Five of our house members attend a new San Francisco church, Christ Forgiveness Ministries. About 50 people attend that church. Many of them have been witnessing on the streets with us. Several are new believers who were saved or rededicated their lives to Christ on the streets. Please pray for these new believers.
Yours in His love,
Larry Rosenbaum
