ANOTHER TREMENDOUS RESPONSE!

MINISTRY PROFESSIONS OF FAITH

SEPT 11 COURT SQUARE 30
SEPT 12 JAMES MADISON 41
SEPT 13 CROSS LIGHT 07

I am blessed and humbled by the response of people this past week to the gospel. Why they continue to come and respond is beyond me. Right, way beyond me. May it please our dear Lord to continue to use this broken vessel for His glory.

Thank you to Johan, Karen, Rob, Judy, Richard and Rob for your help in sharing the gospel. Richard came out for the first time and helped us to share downtown. He was able to lead two people to Christ. Great job bro!

Judy recently started helping us on Friday's to hold the cross. She actually began preaching to the cars that were pulling up to the light. The people responded favorably, bearing witness to the Spirit in Judy. Thank you Judy!

On Sunday, Rob preached the gospel to a congregation of 60 in Comertown. Great job bro! Here is a picture of Rob bringing forth the Word of Life...

Here are my favorite encounters from this past week. Let's start with downtown court square...

COURT SQUARE

The first part of the day I was flying solo. Karen was able to join me later on in the afternoon. Some of my best encounters were then. Thanks for your help Karen.

When I met this couple, Jestin and Robin, on Wednesday, they told me they were planning on getting married on Friday. Both heard the gospel and both placed their trust in Christ alone. They thanked me several times and really seemed overwhelmed and blown away by the whole experience. Justin said his heart now felt...'AMAZING!'

Jason was hoping he would get to Heaven because 'he was good'. After explaining the difference between trusting in our good, and trusting in Jesus, he really seemed to understand the truth. He prayed, transferring his trust to Christ alone. He told me, "HE GAVE ME ETERNAL LIFE", and then said...(paraphrased)

"Wow. Thank you. I really did not understand. I thought I would go to Heaven because I was good. Now, I understand that I am not good. No one is. The only reason we go to Heaven is because of Jesus. People really need to hear this."

Chibango thought he would go to Heaven because he 'followed the bible'. In fact, he was so confident that he was 100% sure.

What this amounts to is trusting in our obedience. Have you and I been perfectly obedient? Hardly.

After sharing our sin through the law (liar, thief, adulterer, murderer, blasphemer), I then asked him if he had 'followed the bible'.

Chibango then told me that the first part of his life he hadn't followed the bible, but the second part he had. Many people say the same thing. This is actually trusting in our change.

God will judge us for our entire life. Doing better will not justify us in God's courtroom. Some may think that I am splitting hairs, but when the anointing came and I preached the gospel to Chibango, his perspective and his countenance completely changed bearing witness to the truth of the gospel. He repented and trusted in Christ alone.

"GOD SAVED MY LIFE. I FEEL BETTER. (I'M TRUSTING) JESUS."

You would be amazed at the understanding the Lord gives to little children. Most think they are going to Heaven because they are good. Little Brandon was no different.

I shared sin with him and then Christ. He then understood that he was trusting in his good. That meant hell. Trusting in God meant Heaven.

Brandon wanted to transfer his trust to God alone...

"HE TOOK MY SINS AWAY AND CAME INTO MY HEART."

After reading John 6:47 to him, I asked, "When do you have eternal life?"

"RIGHT NOW." (Many adults don't initially get this)
Tawana initially told me she was 50% sure of going to Heaven because...

"I ask forgiveness every night and try to do better."

This is not the gospel. Many professing Christians are stuck right here. In fact, many Muslims that I talk to give me this same answer.

People need to see that God's work in Christ is a finished transaction. It is done. The blood has already paid and the resurrection receipt says, 'Paid-in-full'.

When this truth penetrated dear Tawana's heart, she began to weep. She also wept when we prayed to place her trust in God alone...

"HE HEALED ME. HE SAVED ME."

Kelly thought she might get into Heaven because of her 'good intentions'. After hearing about sin through the law, she realized that would not cut it with God.

At that point, she had to leave, returning to the court room. She walked by me when she left the court later on that afternoon. I did not think I would see her again. I really wanted to finish sharing with her.

Surprisingly, she returned. She was friend's with Brandon's aunt and uncle. After sharing with little Brandon, I finished sharing with Kelly.

Kelly wanted to place her faith in Christ alone...

"HE SAVED MY SOUL FROM ETERNAL DAMNATION AND GAVE ME ETERNAL LIFE. MY FAITH IS RENEWED AND I AM ABLE TO TRUST HIM. I GOT COLD CHILLS PRAYING."

ON TO J.M.U.

Many thanks to my friend Rob Riccutti for joining me when I arrived. The first three encounters we had with the students ended in each one walking off. They were not comfortable.

God does this to do a reset in my heart. This reset brought the Spirit.

Bayleigh, Hannah, Madison, and Abby all stayed to hear the entire presentation. They each prayed to place their faith in Christ. They each said that God had come into their hearts and made them feel happy.

I prayed a prayer of thanksgiving to God at the end and asked each of them to pray what was on their hearts. I was blessed by their responses...

Bayleigh..."THANKS FOR ACCEPTING ME."

Hannah..."THANKS FOR LETTING MIKE SHARE WITH US."

Madison..."THANKS FOR FORGIVING ME."

Abby..."I LOVE YOU."

Lexi was 90% sure of going to Heaven because..."my heart is with Christ and I live right."

This is a typical mixed answer. It is mingling law with grace. Oil and water don't mix. "And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work." (Romans 11:6)

Grace and works are two mutually exclusive systems by which we may be justified with God. The former is based on the work of Christ alone. The latter is based upon our work, which must be absolutely perfect if we want to be justified with God. Good luck!

As a guilty criminal in the courtroom of God, how could Lexi be justified?...

"My righteous life...I will ask forgiveness and try not to do it again."

These answers were confirmation to me that Lexi really did not understand the gospel. I preached Christ, and Lexi wanted to place all of her faith in His finished work...

"HE FORGAVE ME...100% SURE...HE ALREADY PAID FOR MY SINS...(MY HEART FEELS) GRATEFUL"

Hannah gave another mixed answer. Again she was mingling grace and works as the basis of our justification. One preacher called this witchcraft. Wow.

Hannah initially told me she had faith. Make sure you dig a little. Upon extraction, here is what I discovered...

Hannah was 'probably 100% sure because He died and I am a good person.'

I preached the same law, same sin, same courtroom and the same Christ. Hannah understood...

Same result...

"HE TOOK MY SINS AWAY AND GAVE ME ETERNAL LIFE. (MY HEART FEELS) HAPPY.'

The next one was probably the best one of the day. Jordyn was 60% sure of going to Heaven because she was 'a decent person'.

Hearing the law took care of that lie. Jordyn was visibly moved and concerned when she discovered for the first time that she was a liar, thief, adulterer, murderer, and blasphemer. She was so concerned that I was able to get her down to 0% sure. She now knew she was heading to hell and was very concerned.

Jordyn thought she could be justified with God by 1) not doing those things 2) not doing those things again and 3) telling the truth.

My answers: Too late for number 1, and 2 and 3 won't work in a court of law. There must be a punishment.

Jordyn saw that she was trying to save herself by her actions. Was she the Savior? No! Who was? God! Who did she need to trust in? God!

I preached the work of Christ and Jordyn wanted to transfer her trust to God alone...

"HE SAVED ME...(MY HEART FEELS) VERY NICE."

This was another really good one. Shayla was so concerned that she sat down next to me.

Again like the others, Shayla was mingling law and grace. She initially said 'she believed and was dedicated'. What happened next validated the gospel of grace and again let me know that I was not splitting hairs.

Shayla was very convicted after hearing the law. How could she be justified in God's courtroom? Again, like the others...

1) I won't do it. 2) I won't do it again 3) Please forgive me.

Sorry, those things don't work. Shayla also did not know that Jesus is God. We had to spend some time here...God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit.

At the end, Shayla was eager to place all of her faith in the finished work of Christ alone...

"HE FORGAVE ME...(MY HEART FEELS) GOOD."

More lack of right believing with Kara. She was 65% because she went to bible study, went to church, and lived right. People are simply not hearing and believing the gospel.

After hearing, Kara wanted to place her faith in Christ alone...

"HE SAVED ME...(MY HEART FEELS) REALLY GOOD."

Morgan initially told me she was 100% sure of going to Heaven. Then she said, 'I believe He will forgive me.'

Notice her use of the word 'will'. Salvation is not, 'God will forgive me'. Salvation is, 'God has forgiven me.'

In the courtroom Morgan's answers confirmed her lack of gospel understanding...

1) I will change 2) I won't do it again

God's law is a mirror. It shows us that we are not clean. That is the function of the law. It shows us our need.

Morgan's answers indicated that she was taking the mirror off the wall and trying to clean herself with the mirror! That is not the function of the law!

The function of the law is to point is to Christ. "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith." (Galatians 3:25)

Morgan decided to place her faith in the finished work of Christ alone...

"HE SAVED ME TODAY...(MY HEART FEELS) VERY HAPPY."

Kristin was initially 100% sure of going to Heaven, very confident. I was surprised by her reason, 'I am a moral person and because of the good things that I do.' No mention of Christ.

After hearing the law, Kristen understood that she was not a moral person. After hearing grace, Kristen understood that God had already done everything for her in Christ.

She decided to transfer her trust to Christ alone...

"HE SAVED ME...(MY HEART FEELS) REALLY GOOD."

After Lucas and Morgan prayed to trust Christ alone, I prayed a prayer of thanksgiving with Lucas and Morgan. Here is what they had to say to God...

Lucas..."THANKS FOR HELPING ME TRUST YOU."

Morgan..."THANKS FOR LETTING ME INTO HEAVEN."

Listen to what E.J. had to say...

"HE SET MY HEART FREE. HE DIED SO I COULD LIVE."

After Michael transferred his trust from his good, and trusted God alone, I asked how his heart felt...

"GREAT...LOVING...HAPPY."

SOLI DEO GLORIA!

GRATEFUL AND BLESSED!