Saints on the Streets: 8/13

James the Just was said to have spent so much time on his knees before the Lord that he had knees like a camel. Tiberius is a modern day James the Just. Whenever there’s a conflict, Tiberius withdraws into the throne room of God and leaves this world behind. There’s no one that this brother would rather talk to than the Lord. Whether happy or sad, grateful or concerned, he prays.

Tiberius Reading his Bible

I watch, day after day, as Tiberius reads the word and talks to God about what he’s reading. We talk about what he reads and learns, and he teaches me so much about how to talk to God. I asked Tiberius what he read today and he told me that he stayed awake most of the night in an abandoned house and read some of all 66 books. "I read from one book ‘til I’m reminded of another, then I go there. That is how I make my way around the Bible."

Mama B sees us all as her children in the Lord. Even though her life is filled with disappointment and loss, she always has an encouraging word and passage for everyone around her. Since coming to Christ, Mama B can’t help but talk about Jesus. She shares Anthony’s books* and her daily passage from her prayer journal with people on the streets. She has brought many people to River City Ministry and helped several of them come to the Lord.

In speaking of her troubles, Mama B doesn’t waste time blaming others. Instead, she said that God is a jealous God and He teaches us hard lessons to bring us back. But when we turn back to him, He gives us all we need. He gives His toughest battles to his strongest warriors, and if He brings us to it, He will see us through it.

 

Mama B gives a copy of Your Seeking Soul Set Free to her friend Randy

 

DJ is not where he wants to be. He was raised up in the Lord but wandered from Him. He has struggled to walk with God while living on the streets. Surrounded by alcoholism, drug addiction, violence, and ungodliness, he strives to live for God. But, the inability to find steady work, a home, or a restored relationship with his family drags him down.

These were all things that DJ kept to himself until last month. "There is no room for softness on the streets," he told me. "That life is hard and the people got to be hard too. If I opened up and cried like this with people on the street, they’d see it as weakness. Then I’m a target. So, I kept it bottled up. But I’m tired, Steven. I’m tired in my soul, and I can’t keep it in anymore."

DJ shared the story of his life with me, the pain, the loss, and the constant presence of God. He told me he wanted to make sure that He made God his escape from His problems, and he asked me to walk with him on his spiritual journey. We prayed together and DJ was restored to a right relationship with the Lord! DJ would do anything for me if I asked, and I would do the same for him. God gave us an instant bond, and I thank Him for the blessing DJ is to me.

These are just a few of God’s children that have made an impact on me. Their loving hearts, prayerful lives, and uplifting attitudes have taken me from teacher to student to fellow traveler on the journey home.

In the month of July, we had twenty-one restorations, and four baptisms. Several of these came from studies that Anthony and I did together and seven of the restorations came from personal studies I had with my friends at River City. Lorry and I walked in the local projects to invite people to church, and the next Sunday five people came to worship with us. This week we have follow-up visits and Bible studies with the ladies who came, and prayerfully, the Lord will add them to His church.

Please pray for us as we continue serving the poor to open doors to God.

*If you would like a copy of Your Seeking Soul Set Free or Spirituality 101 for only $3 per book, contact me and I will get you in touch with the author, Anthony Wood. These books make great baptismal gifts or class material.