Saturday, January 27, 2007

Larry Brown and Lot's Wife

Everyone knows the shortest scripture in the Bible: “Jesus wept”. But few know the second shortest scripture in the Bible: “Remember Lot’s wife”. She is the one who just could not seem to let go of the hideously sinful past and look to a future of clean living. But this post isn’t about Lot’s wife.



I am one very lucky man. God seems to keep putting people into my life to help make me a better person. But this post is not about me either.

My spiritual brother is Paul Darby. I can honestly say that nobody in my life leaves me scratching my head in amazement more than Paul. His company is thriving, and he is experiencing the blessings of the Lord in a big way. He is rolling out what he calls the “Wealth 2007 Project”, and he asked me if I would go into downtown Dallas with him and shoot some video of homeless people. A part of his project is showing the difference between people with a financial plan for success, and those without one. But this post is not about Paul.

We met a man on the street named Larry Brown. Here is the video we shot.



What you can’t see is the fact that after the camera quit rolling, we continued talking to Larry. He admitted that he was a pastor of a church with a wife and children. So why was he living on the streets away from his family and church? Two words: crack cocaine! We prayed for him right out in the open, he wept, shuddered, and spirits of drug addiction moved. He left a free man filled with joy and a new found sense of restoration and opportunity.

Two weeks later I received a call at 3:10 AM on a Sunday morning. It was Larry. He was in a horrible place, needed food, shelter, and a ride. I drove 45 minutes to south Dallas to pick him up. He was in a train station because he was kicked out of the local V.A. hospital. He was homeless, penniless, stinky, and desperate. As we drove him out of that part of town, this grown man cried like a baby. But this post is not about that night.

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery”. Galatians 5:1 (NIV)

“And when people escape from the wickedness of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then get tangled up and enslaved by sin again, they are worse off than before. It would be better if they had never known the way to righteousness than to know it and then reject the command they were given to live a holy life. They prove the truth of this proverb: “A dog returns to its vomit.” And another says, “A washed pig returns to the mud.” 2 Peter 2:20-22 (New Living Translation)


Why did Larry return to the bondage he was set free from to a life which he abhors? I’ll never know. But one thing I DO know: I saw a lot of myself in Larry. And I know that many times I have settled for a life that is far less than what Jesus has in mind for me.

If He came that we might have life, and have it more abundantly, why do we not claim it…and live it?

If you read this, please say a prayer for Larry Brown. May the Good Shepherd leave the 99 and go after the one lost sheep.

7 comments:

  1. Anonymous12:11 AM

    Larry is only a man, pastor of a church or not, all men have the ability to make choices. He has chosen to make bad choices, and only he can choose to turn his life back around. You should not feel bad for those who make the bad choices on their own, It's the victims of these men you should feel bad for and show your compassion to. Put them on your prayer chain, they are the ones who are suffering. I know. I've been a victim of people like this, (rape, throat cut, guns to my head) this man is pitiful, but I don't pity him, he made the choice. His victims did not. He disgusts me, he should be ashamed of himself and drop to his knees and ask for forgiveness, and take the steps to improve himself, he made the choice when he got involved with the crack, and he needs to make the choice to get off it. His victims are far more important than he is. He doesn't deserve the time it took to put up this page. Criminals have 12 rights, victims have none and are scarred for life, through none of their own doing, that in itself is, ridiculous and sinfull. He is a fool, and not worth the effort.

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  2. AMEN!! Great post. But I believe Jesus came to help us find spiritual abundance, not necessarily material abundance. The freedom He provides is so AWESOME, it the freedom to feel JOY in any circumstance and to know tha He is always with us. Thank you for introducing Larry Brown-I will add him to my prayer list, and you and Paul Darby too!

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  3. Thanks for the great comments folks. I appreciate your perspectives.

    Ruth 2:12 to you all.

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  4. Anonymous10:24 PM

    Wow! A lot of different emotions on this page!
    I will definitely be praying for Larry, and also for d. johnston.
    It seems that d. is living in some bondage also...

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  5. Anonymous9:19 PM

    You totally "mystify" me! That was a great story about Larry, and I like the thoughts about where are the strong men of God! But then I go under the "more about me" link and you give the astrological sign for yourself. Go figure. You can't have it both ways. Either you really are a strong man of God and under the direction of the Creator, or you chose to live under the direction of the stars.
    A total contradiction and very disappointing! Personally I chose to ignore the stars and live under the direction of the one who made the stars.
    Sincerely,
    Johan Knies

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  6. There is nothing to be mystified about Johan. That is a feature from blogger.com that I didn't subscribe to and can't take off. As soon as I put in my date of birth on the profile builder, it auto-populated.

    Personally, take the fact that God forbids astrology out of the picture and think about it logically. (Deut 18:10-12, Isa 47:13) It based on the science that the sun revolves around the earth. What's wrong with that picture? "They strain at a gnat and swallow a camel".

    I am in full agreement with you about who orders our steps: Capricorn or the Almighty God who made us all for HIS pleasure.

    Great comments folks! Keep them coming.

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  7. There are some great posts here…certainly enough challenges to create a very long thread.

    I pray for Larry and hope that he will continue to seek God’s will for his life and continue the fight to overcome his problems. Some problems can only be overcome with the help of the Almighty!

    I also pray for d. Johnston. It appears from d’s comments, that d. has had a rough life and still has some things to overcome. If I had been raped, had my throat cut, and a gun to my head, I am sure it would have a very deep affect on me, something that I am sure I would struggle with all my life. And my prayers are with you d. May God richly bless you!

    Nevertheless, I don’t believe Larry fits into that category of total rejection. I believe he is a man that made some bad choices, has had to live with them, is struggling to overcome them, but has not been able to break free at this point. More prayers from more people can help Larry to be an overcomer.

    Jesus did not come to the Earth to condemn people of their sins, but he came to save them from their sins. We have all sinned and none of us need to be proud, but need to humbly submit to our Heavenly Father and ask for his forgiveness.

    We all make mistakes. The Bible says to “judge not lest ye be judged”. That is not an easy thing to do at times. We all make snap judgments, not having all the information at our disposal to make a good decision. I know I have made up my mind about people only to find that my opinion was wrong and I was way off base. Some people that I avoided, later became my good friends.

    Anyway, Larry and d., I will be praying for both of you. And everyone that reads this post, I could use your prayers also. We all have problems and struggles that we need help with.

    On a lighter note…

    Did you know that the Bible speaks about the automobile? Oh, yes it does.

    Go to the Book of Nahum in the Old Testament of your Bible. Chapter 2, verses 3 and 4.

    Verse 3. The shield of his mighty men is made red, the valiant men are scarlet: the chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken.

    Verse 4. The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings.

    Interpretation:

    First of all one of the modes of transportation in Biblical times was the chariot. The reason the term chariots is used in the scriptures is because no one at that time had ever heard the term car or automobile. So to describe a mode of transportation the writer used words they were familiar with, thus chariot. Keep in mind as you read this that they are describing an automobile for the first time.


    V 3. Chariots shall be with flaming torches. (modern day headlights)

    V 4. Chariots shall rage in the streets (a good description of modern day traffic)

    V 4. Justle one against another (fender benders and automobile wrecks)

    V 4. Broad ways (modern day streets and super highway systems)

    V 4. like torches (modern day headlights)

    V 4. run like the lightnings (a super fast chariot)


    So, if you have a super fast chariot, which seems to have flaming torches and there is no mention of a super horse, the only conclusion is that the writer is speaking of the modern day automobile.


    Anyway, something to think about.

    Until next time…

    Sam Beavers

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