Experiences in New York

Over the past 12 years I have had to travel on occasion as part of my job.  In August 2012 I had to travel to New York to work at a large bank.  I always look forward to these trips, because I use them to seek the Lord and to share the gospel with others.  The way I see it, I could watch endless episodes of TV shows and sit in my room or go and pursue others with the good news.  Believe me its much more thrilling and living on the edge to share the good news!

Picture of me with Ironman in NYC...I got to pray with Ironman in the middle of Broadway.  Hey, did anybody know that Ironman's real name is Stephan!

I thought this would be a fun blogpost to share some of the experiences I had while in New York and pursuing others with the good news.

On the ride into the “Big Apple” I started talking with my cab driver.  He had an unusual accent so I asked him where he was from.  He told me Bangladesh.  I didn’t know exactly where that was so he told me his country shares a border with India.  Not knowing much about Bangladesh, I asked him was his country primarily Hindu and he said no, it is a muslim country.  I made small talk with him about what life was like in Bangladesh and asked him questions about his family.  As he was talking, I was asking God to please help me share the gospel with him.  

So I started talking to him about the difference between what Christians believe and what Muslims believe.  I told him about Jesus and how both Christians and Muslims believe Jesus came from God.  He had a lot to say about that subject, but it was good to get him talking and thinking.  As I talked to him, I felt my own inadequacy, but I called on God and trusted that the Holy Spirit would help me be a witness to this man.  I asked him if he had any assurance that when he died, he would be in heaven.  He told me no.  I then explained to him the big difference between Christianity and Muslims is the assurance of salvation.  This was a wonderful segway into telling him what Christ did on the cross.  I asked him if he wanted to be assured of where he would live for eternity.  And he said, “Yes, I do”.  Hallelujah, I led him in the sinners prayer and he was born into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.  All the while, we did this while driving through the streets of NYC...and no accidents!  Ha!  As I was getting out of the car he told me how happy he felt.  He was smiling and filled with joy!  He then said to me, “Don’t tell my other muslim cab drivers, they’ll kill me if they find out what I did.”  God will help him, I know!

One afternoon for lunch I asked the Lord to give me a divine appointment.  I wanted to meet with the Lord.  Whether this was an appointment to share Him with others or for God to just meet with me...it didn’t matter to me...I just wanted to be at an appointment with God.  So I prayed and asked Him to lead me. I started walking and after several blocks and passing several lunch spots I turned into a local sandwich shop. After getting the sandwich I sat down and to my amazement there was a guy singing and playing guitar in the shop. He was playing the secular song named Hallelujah! Lol! I knew I was in the right place then. I asked God to give me a word for the young man playing the guitar. And He did. So I told this young man what the Lord gave me and he just sat there in wonderment.  I told him about what brought him here to NYC and what God was about to do in his life.  I prophesied to him that God has called him to be a worship leader and that he would be going through a course of events very soon to change his life and bring him into the destiny God has called him to.  He wants me to correspond with him. Very cool!

One night I walked the streets around Broadway and prayed with a few people God led me to.  Nothing remarkable happened that I saw...but isn’t that the wrong way to think about this.  I think from heaven’s perspective its remarkable that anyone is sharing anything about God’s kingdom.  We never know what God will do with the seeds that we sow.  Sometimes we are in the process of sowing and sometimes we are in the process of reaping.  A farmer doesn’t always reap...he can’t.  If nothings been planted, nothing will grow.  So I look on these times as planting times.  I got to plant much more when I was there than I got to reap.  But that’s ok...the jobs in the Kingdom Farm all pay the same...Eternal Life and Joy Unspeakable and Fullness of Glory!!

One young woman I will always remember.  She was sitting on the sidewalk with a sign saying, “Hungry, Poor, Homeless, Need Help!”  So I stopped to talk with her.  I knelt down and shared as best I could of God’s love and what He’s done in my life.  She seemed distracted.  I think I must have been distracting others from helping her, so she was ready for me to leave...I don’t know; maybe she just wasn’t ready to her about the Kingdom.  She was 21...and looked very depressed.  I gave her some money and prayed for her.  What will happen with her?  I keep praying for her.

On my last night in New York, I prayed and was spending time with Jesus in my room.  And on this occasion, the Lord gave me a vision.  In it I saw Jesus standing on the sea and looking at me as I sat in a boat.  He didn’t say anything, but as I looked into His eyes I clearly could see a message in His eyes.  He said to me “Come walk on the water with me.”  Oh my, how that has affected my heart.  God is calling us out of our comfort zones!  He’s calling me out of my comfort zones.  But don’t be afraid, He will catch you.  Come walk on the water with Jesus.  His eyes won’t turn away from you...he’ll keep you...you might sink a little but he’ll not let you drown.