At The Cross...

OVERVIEW OF THE LAST FEW WEEKS

The last three weeks of sharing the Gospel have been blessed and beautiful. Thank you to Paul Collins, Samuel Selyukov, Valeriy Makayev, Rob Gilmer and Karen Brooks for your help on the street. Thank you to all of you who continue to pray for us.

One lady, Melody in the picture, put her trust in Christ downtown and came back the next day to sit with us and watch us share for over an hour...(She said her heart felt 'absolutely wonderful.')

Here she is the next day with Paul (right behind her) and Samuel as we got to lead Alecia and Quan to Christ...

J.M.U. is out for the summer. Thus we were downtown in front of the courthouse five times and saw 50 people profess faith in Christ alone. Several of these encounters were amazing.

We held the cross three times and saw 3 profess faith in Christ alone. The subject of this newsletter will be what the Lord has been doing as we hold the cross on the median of route 33 here in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Let me start with what happened yesterday and move back from there. Enjoy.

MAY 28TH HOLDING THE CROSS (AT THE GYM EXTENDED)

Before I even made it to the cross, at the gym while I was working out, a young lady walked past me. I smiled at her as she walked by.

She came back and said to me...

'I SEE YOU HOLDING THE CROSS ON FRIDAY'S AND I ALWAYS HONK AND WAVE AT YOU!'

This young ladies name was Bri. I got to share the Gospel with her right next to the 'PREACHER CURL' (Go figure) and she wanted to trust in Christ alone 'RIGHT NOW' and prayed with me.

As I was leaving the gym to go hold the cross, I ran into another gentlemen named Luke. Just like Bri, Luke also honked and waved at us as we hold the cross.

Yes, I got to share the Gospel with Luke as well. Luke was not ready to trust in Christ alone, but he did get tears in his eyes.

Guess who I saw drive by later on in the day with honks, waves and smiles as Paul and I held the cross?

BRI AND LUKE!

There were many honks, waves and smiles this day. Two large trucks pulled their horns and left my ears ringing. I did get seven 'birds', but the cacophony of praise swallowed up any possible discouragement.

Here is Paul Collins holding up the cross. Many will acknowledge as they drive by with windows rolled down...'THANK YOU!...PRAISE THE LORD!...AMEN!'

Next came Gerardo. He was walking across the street and I got to share the Gospel with him. He was initially trusting in himself...'I HELP PEOPLE'...and was 'HOPING' that he would make it to Heaven.

He thought he could one day measure up to God's standards by being perfect. It took awhile, but eventually he saw that there was nothing that he could do to save himself.

Gerardo did not know that Jesus is God, and that Jesus had fully satisfied the wrath of God in his place. Jesus 'drank' his Hell on the cross, and did not leave one drop left.

When did Gerardo want to put his trust in Christ alone...

'RIGHT NOW'.

After prayer, when did Gerardo say that he had eternal life?...

'STARTING NOW.'

What happened to Gerardo?

'HE FREED ME. (MY HEART IS) LIGHTER.'

Gerardo's prayer...

'THANKS FOR NEW LIFE...THANKS FOR A SECOND CHANCE.'

Then he told me...

'I WAS LOOKING AT THINGS WRONG. I HAD THINGS BACKWARDS. THANK YOU.' (Putting works before faith)

MAY 14TH HOLDING THE CROSS

Samuel Selyukov (15 yr old teen from the First Russian Baptist Church) helped me carry our crosses and supplies to the median. Paul Collins (dear brother who just moved here from New Jersey) was already on the median all set up.

Paul had brought his large amplifier which was hooked up to a gasoline generator. Our ministry has held the cross on the median now for ten years. This consists primarily of standing behind the cross and waving and smiling at the motorists who drive by. Secondarily we offer the Gospel bracelets and share the message with pedestrians coming across the median.

Because of what happened on Good Friday (I will get to that below), we decided to begin preaching to the cars parked at the light. The youngest in our group, Samuel, was most eager to begin preaching to the cars.

Samuel began sharing. Very simple...'WHERE WILL YOU SPEND ETERNITY?...HEAVEN OR HELL?...ROMANS 3:23...ROMANS 6:23...JOHN 3:16...JESUS LOVES YOU.' Paul and I were grinning ear to ear and enjoying every moment of it.

Little wonder that Samuel was the most eager to share. If you remember, last newsletter without a microphone he was lifting his voice up to people in the cars...'SIR, JESUS LOVES YOU! MAAM, JESUS LOVES YOU!' This young man also experienced persecution this day...14 birds as he calls them. (middle fingers)

I have held the cross for ten years and the most 'birds' I have ever received in one day, up until yesterday was six. Samuel's first day and he gets 14! I was jealous! We all laughed together.

Samuel preached for awhile and then I thought I should probably do it since I'm the leader. Honestly, I wasn't comfortable but did it anyways. I am glad that I did.

What a blessing that was. As I began to share, the Spirit came. I would read some from the bible, share some, pray some, sing some, as I waved and smiled at the people in the cars. The response was humbling. There were so many people with their windows down who smiled, said an encouraging word, or waved. Many honked as they drove off.

I remember sharing from Psalm 150...'PRAISE HIM WITH THE SOUND OF THE TRUMPET: PRAISE HIM WITH THE PSALTERY AND HARP.' Then I added, "PRAISE HIM WITH YOUR CAR HORN". One guy honked.

Two hours had passed and I had no idea that I had been sharing that long. What a true blessing. One young lady in a car handed Samuel a bag of four chicken sandwiches from Chik-Fil-A.

Later on, another young lady came up and handed Paul and I a box of Krispy Kreme donuts. We were definitely suffering for the Lord. Her name was Aubrey.

I gave her a bracelet and she told me that she was 89% sure of going to Heaven because 'I REPENT OF MY SINS AND I HAVE ACCEPTED CHRIST AS MY SAVIOR.' Did she want to be 100% sure? 'YES.'

So I shared. Aubrey understood that she had broken God's commandments...liar, thief, adulterer (lust), murderer (hate), blasphemer. She understood that she would be 'GUILTY'.

I asked her, "What do we deserve as guilty sinners?"

'FORGIVENESS.'

You would be shocked by how many professing Christians tell me this. Even the ones who tell me they are 100% sure of going to Heaven tell me this. There is a serious lack of basic bible understanding when it comes to the matter of salvation.

Forgiveness deserved is a contradiction in terms. Forgiveness is precisely what we don't deserve.

I asked her, "What do we deserve?" She had no idea.

I told her that we deserved punishment.

She spoke up, "THIS IS DIFFERENT FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND."

She did come around and then we talked about her being in God's electric chair. Was there anything that she could do to get out of it?

She said, 'REPENT OF MY SINS.'

Ask them what they mean by that. They really don't know.

She told me, 'I TRY TO COVER UP WHAT I HAVE DONE BY MAKING UP FOR WHAT I HAVE DONE.'

Wow. There are so many people, lost, and even professing Christians who do this. They are trusting in their 'dead works' to cover their sins instead of the blood of Christ.

"HOW MUCH MORE SHALL THE BLOOD OF CHRIST...PURGE YOUR CONSCIENCE FROM DEAD WORKS TO SERVE THE LIVING GOD." (Hebrews 9:14)

Aubrey also did not know that Jesus was God. This is another essential element of our salvation.

After I shared our dessert illustration, Aubrey spoke up...

'I SEE IT.'

At the end I asked her who she was trusting when we started...

'MYSELF'.

When did she want to trust in Christ alone?

'RIGHT NOW'.

She prayed and told the Lord...

'THANKS FOR SAVING ME AND HELPING ME TO TRUST YOU.'

Just then her ride pulled up to the light and she ran off. God's perfect timing. No time for a picture. Amen.

It was a beautiful day sharing the Gospel.

THE CROSS EXTENDED

As you saw above at the gym, there are so many people who see me around town and ask, "ARE YOU THE GUY THAT HOLDS THE CROSS?" This opens up so many Gospel conversations.

GROCERY STORE

At the grocery store a few months ago, as I was in the check out line, a lady came over and said...

'ARE YOU THE GUY THAT HOLDS THE CROSS?'

After answering her question in the affirmative, she stepped in front of me and paid for all my groceries!...$84!

Other people in the store were watching. I spoke up...

"THAT'S KIND OF LIKE THE RESURRECTION...PAID IN FULL!" (I was happy at that point.)

There was a couple at the next register that told me they also recognized me. I knew what I needed to do. I walked up to their cashier and said...

"After she did that for me, how can I not pass the blessing on!" (I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw their bill...$18)

COURTHOUSE

In front of the courthouse on May 12th, I met Micah. The first thing he said was, 'I SEE YOU OUT HOLDING THE CROSS.'

This opened up the door for me to share the Gospel with him and he wanted to put his trust in Christ alone.

'THANKS FOR SAVING ME.'

AT THE GYM

A young man gave me a big smile at the gym. I asked where I had seen him before. He spoke up,

'I WAVE AND SMILE AT YOU WHEN YOU HOLD THE CROSS.'

This opened up the door for me to share the Gospel with him. Gracin hoped he would go to Heaven because 'HE WAS GOOD'.

After hearing the law, he knew he was not good and understood that he deserved punishment in Hell. He was now 0% sure that he would go to Heaven. No more goodness to trust in. Amen.

I preached Christ and Gracin saw the firm foundation that he could trust in. When did he want to trust in Christ?...'RIGHT NOW'.

Gracin prayed and then told the Lord, 'THANKS...FOR SAVING ME.'

FRIDAY MAY 7TH HOLDING THE CROSS

Samuel exited the ministry van first and immediately a lady came up to him and said...

'ARE YOU WITH THE PERSON THAT HOLDS THE CROSS?'

She wanted to give us a donation. When I exited the van, I offered her a bracelet. She was very happy to receive it from the guy that holds the cross.

Debbie was 100% sure that she would go to Heaven. I was honestly hoping that she would give me the right answer to the next question. After all, why would she be so happy about a guy holding a cross?

Debbie then told me that she was 100% sure because, 'I TRY TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND I OBEY THE COMMANDMENTS.' Oh, well, I guess I need to share now.

Debbie had no problem understanding that she had broken all of the commandments, was not good, and deserved Hell. What was the issue here?

Put her in God's electric chair and ask the question...

"Is there anything that you can do to get out of the chair?"

Debbie...'ASK FORGIVENESS.'

God cannot forgive us simply because we ask. This would violate God's justice. The great theme of the Gospel is how can God be just and justify guilty criminals?

God would not be just if he let us go simply because we 'asked forgiveness.' This would be a travesty of justice.

I asked Debbie, "If I killed your family, how would you feel about me?"

Debbie began to weep. Her son had been murdered. I had touched a soft spot in her heart.

Even though God had given her the grace to forgive the man, she understood that a good judge would not let this man go simply by him asking forgiveness. Only a wicked judge would do that.

Debbie (like me) had broken all of God's commandments. If he let her go simply because she said, 'Please forgive me', would he be just? No. How could he justify her (declare her righteous) and be just at the same time?

Like many people, Debbie had no idea.

Great Depression story to the rescue.

A grandma stole a loaf of bread and stood before the judge. He asked 'why'. She had 3 starving grandchildren and they needed to eat. The heart of the judge wanted to forgive her.

Just then the store owner stood up and said, 'If you forgive her and let her go, everyone will hear about it and no one will respect the law. You have a responsibility to punish according to the law.'

What can the judge do to forgive the woman and be just and punish at the same time?

I told Debbie, "God loves you and He wants to forgive you. However he hates your sin and has a responsibility to punish according to the law. How can he be both just (punish according to the law) and at the same time justify you? (forgive you and declare you righteous?)"

Debbie did not know. Most professing Christians are completely ignorant here. Romans 3:24-26. Paul Washer said that D. Martin Lloyd Jones said these three verses were the most important in the entire bible, the acropolis of the Christian faith. The whole Gospel hinges right here.

The judge looks at the store owner and says, 'How much for the loaf of bread?'...'$10'

"Who pays the $10?"

Debbie spoke up, 'JESUS!'

Yes. It is the judge who pays. Because the judge pays the woman's debt, he is now free to forgive her. Justice has been satisfied by the judge. He can now be just (he paid the debt, punishment has been meted out) and he can now forgive her. It is only because he pays, not because she asks.

So I said to her...

"Remember when you said, 'I TRY TO DO THE RIGHT THING. I TRY TO KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS.' Who was the person mentioned in your answer?"

'ME.'

"So who are you trusting?"

'ME.'

"Who are you supposed to trust?"

'I GOT IT. THANK YOU.'

I finished preaching Christ (His work and His person) and Debbie wanted to transfer her trust to Christ alone...

'RIGHT NOW.'

She prayed and said...

'THANKS FOR SAVING ME.'

APRIL 23RD HOLDING THE CROSS

The honks, waves and smiles were off the charts. Another dear brother from the First Russian Baptist Church had come out to help me hold the cross, Valeriy Makayev. Having this dear brother with me, coupled with the amazing response from the people, encouraged me to turn to a man across the street who was filling up his vehicle at the gas station.

I held the bracelet out and yelled...

"Would you like a free bracelet?"

He lifted his hand up forefinger extended, indicating...'I'LL BE THERE IN A MINUTE!'

WOW!

Josh came out. Josh told me that he always honked and waved at us when he saw us holding the cross. He happily accepted the bracelet and told me he hoped he would go to Heaven because he was 'NICE AND KIND'.

I shared the ten commandments with Josh and was able to get him down to 0% sure that he would go to Heaven. Attempt to remove all self-righteousness before presenting Christ's righteousness.

After sharing the electric chair, I talked about how God the Son had taken his place in the chair and had been 'crushed' by God the Father. All of the wrath that should have fallen on Josh, fell on God the Son instead. He drank Josh's 'Hell'. (Paul Washer quote.)

Josh spoke up...

'THAT WAS POWERFUL...PERFECT...IT MAKES SENSE. IT IS MORE THAN CLEAR NOW.'

At the end, with tears in his eyes, Josh wanted to trust in Christ alone and prayed. He told me that God had saved him because he had trusted in Him.

He was excited to tell his wife, who he said was already saved.

This time, I didn't holler to someone across the street.

Someone was behind me tapping on my shoulder...

I turned around and saw a young African American woman. This young woman had pulled up to the light a month previous with her mother and asked the question...

'SIR, WE HAVE SEEN YOU OUT HERE FOR MANY YEARS...EVEN IN THE RAIN AND BAD WEATHER...WHY ARE YOU OUT HERE DOING THIS?'

I simply responded, "I just want everyone to be saved."

Here was this young lady standing behind me a month later with a very heavy heart. Her mother had dropped her off and was waiting in the gas station parking lot.

Without getting into a lot of details, this young lady (Ebony) had just broken up with a man she met over the internet from a different country. He had come over here and been with her for awhile. Ebony did not have a dad to help her with these issues. Ebony wanted to know if she should try to reconcile this relationship.

Preach Christ first.

Ebony hoped she would go to Heaven because God had previously helped her with some personal issues. She really did not understand the Gospel at all. She was even fasting to see if God would bring the man back.

I preached the person and work of Christ. Ebony understood and wanted to pray with me to trust in Christ alone. She told me...

'I FEEL FREE NOW, WHOLE, AND LIGHT. I AM ABLE TO MOVE ON NOW FROM THIS RELATIONSHIP.'

Dear brother and friend John Lutz came out and held the cross as I shared with Ebony. This was good too because Ebony is a much younger lady. John is the one who first shared the Gospel with me to bring me to Christ.

I walked Ebony to her car where I met her mom Cherie. Cherie hoped she would get to Heaven and was not sure if she was 'ONE OF THE 144,OOO'.

Somehow, I think because she was not too steeped in the Jehovah's Witness, she listened to me. As expected, she didn't know that Christ was God (this took a while) and she kept trying to earn her way to Heaven...'IF I DO MY PART, IF IF LIVE RIGHT, IF IF DO RIGHT.'

Finally, at the end, I asked her what her part was?

She responded, 'TO BELIEVE'.

Cherie prayed with me and told me that God had saved her.

Just last week, Cherie stopped at the same gas station and her daughter Ebony brought Valeriy and myself coffee as we were holding the cross. She told me that she had been reading her bible and was doing better. Thank you Jesus.

APRIL 9TH HOLDING THE CROSS

This is Chase. I got to share with him as I was holding the cross. He really seemed to understand the Gospel and was eager to trust in Christ. Listen to his prayer to God at the end...

'THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DID FOR ME TODAY. I WAS WITH YOU BEFORE, BUT NOW I KNOW THAT I AM REALLY WITH YOU. I UNDERSTAND NOW WHAT I NEED TO DO. I AM GOING TO START TRUSTING YOU AND DO THE THINGS YOU WANT ME TO DO. I AM STILL GOING TO MAKE MISTAKES, BUT I AM GOING TO LIVE THROUGH YOU. IT'S GOING TO BE OKAY AS I TRUST YOU AND FOLLOW YOU.'

After holding the cross all day, I headed back to my van which was parked at the back of the EL CHARRO restaurant parking lot. As I turned off the sidewalk into the parking lot with both crosses on my back and the cooler that I as pulling, I could see the Spirit in what happened next.

A couple from the left of the parking lot approached me simultaneously with a couple on the right side of the parking lot.

It was too simultaneous and there was too much of a perfect flow to it to be anything other than God the Holy Spirit. It was the 'reverse' of the parting of the seas.

They both converged at the middle, right in front of me, at the same time...

'WOULD YOU LIKE HELP WITH YOUR CROSSES?'

"Yes! Absolutely! Thank you!"

All four grabbed all my stuff and hauled it back to my van at the back of the parking lot. They helped me put everything up and away in the van.

Yes, I offered them a bracelet and they were very eager to hear the message from the cross guy. I got to share the Gospel with all four and all responded to the invitation to trust in Christ alone.

APRIL 2ND GOOD FRIDAY HOLDING THE CROSS

The response on Good Friday's is generally very positive. Not so this day. The looks I received the first hour were very difficult for me to deal with.

The Lord sent the Calvary. My dear brother Erik Dressel from Baltimore was passing through the area. Erik came out to help me and brought a large speaker.

As he approached the median, the wonderful Christian music emanating from the speaker changed the atmosphere. Then, when he got out to the median, he hooked a microphone up to the speaker and began to preach to the cars!

Seeing Erik do this gave me the inspiration to begin doing this as you read above. Erik has a very unique gift. Many open air preachers can be very condemning. Erik preaches the truth with love. Thank you Erik.

Here is a ten minute video of Erik preaching on the median...

MARCH 19TH HOLDING THE CROSS

I met these two brothers this day holding the cross. The first brother, Franklin, came out and told me that he sat in his car for ten minutes talking to his girlfriend trying to get the nerve up to come out to the cross.

The second brother had driven by earlier with a friend who was discipling him and had come back by after fighting through much hesitation, fear and doubt.

Both were solid believers and J.M.U students. The second brother had a bible study that he was going to that night. The first brother, Franklin, was looking for one and ending up meeting him at the bible study that night! Thank you Jesus!

Since that time, Franklin has come out consistently to help us share the Gospel at J.M.U. Thank you Jesus!

MARCH 12TH HOLDING THE CROSS

After a long day of holding the cross, I stepped into the El Charro parking lot, cross on my back, cooler in tow, and headed towards my van parked at the back of the lot.

A young lady in a green Volkswagen beetle pulled up, got out, and ran up to me. This young lady was more than excited to 'FINALLY MEET THE GUY WHO HOLDS THE CROSS.'

Emily told me that she had watched me for years and had never had time to stop and say hi. I could not believe how excited she was 'to meet the guy who holds the cross'. She went on and on and on. I felt like a 'celebrity rock star.' This was a great encouragement since it had been a rough day out there.

She helped carry all my stuff back to the van. Emily shared that she had been through a lot in her childhood and had suffered much. After telling me much of what had happened to her, I was amazed that she still had a smile on her face.

She talked about God and loving God but really had no understanding when it came to the simple Gospel. I was able to share the Gospel with Emily and with tears in her eyes she wanted to trust in Christ alone.

She told the Lord...

'THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME ETERNAL LIFE.'

God continues to do wonderful things as we hold the cross and share the Gospel on route 33.

I AM HUMBLED AND THANKFUL.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT.

PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW!

AMEN.