Downtown

MINISTRY PROFESSIONS OF FAITH

DEC 04 COURT SQUARE 21
DEC 05 JAMES MADISON 16
DEC 06 CROSS LIGHT 01

If you only have time to read one story, scroll down to ALL THE WAY FROM SOUTH CAROLINA. I love you guys and God bless you all. There is a four minute video there too.

It is a great joy to share these stories with you. At the end of the day, after sharing with so many, all of the stories seem to run together and I lose the special significance of each one.

By having the opportunity to share these stories with you, I am reminded of some of these people that I have shared with, and how really special it was to share the gospel with them.

Thanks for being a part of this ministry as I reconnect with these precious souls with whom I have shared. Hope you receive encouragement even as I do.

DOWNTOWN HARRISONBURG VA DECEMBER 4TH

THE 'PUFF OF WIND' AND 'THE FILTHY GARMENT'...

Most people view the day of judgment through the eyes of a justice scale. That is, God will weigh all of your good on one scale, and then all of your bad on the other. The heavier one determines where you spend eternity.

Keishla was believing just this...'I hope the good that I have done outweighs the bad.'

"...verily every man at his best state is altogethervanity." (Psalm 39:5(c)) The other translations say, 'puff of wind'.

So, imagine all the good on the one end as a 'puff of wind'. Hint: the other side will be heavier. (lol)

"...And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment;" (Isaiah 64:6) The filthy garment belongs on the other side of the scale.

The point is that the goodthat we trust into get into Heaven is nothing more than a 'puff of wind' and a 'filthy garment'. Who then can be saved?

Those who only trust in Christ. Replace your good with Christ. He is a rock. That side will be heavier. lol

In God's courtroom we are all guilty. What can we possibly do now? Do you know what Keishla told me?

"Do more good and talk about the good that I have done."

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." (Proverbs 14:12) Our pride shouts to us, "Do something to be saved! There has to be something I can do!"

Repent. Change your mind. Humble yourself. There is absolutely nothing you can do. Exhale. There is absolutely nothing you need to do. It has already been done.

Trust instead in the work of another. I'ts already paid. In fact, it's paid in full.

Keishla understood this and trusted in Christ alone..."HE SAVED ME...I'M BLESSED...THANK YOU GOD FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE FOR ME."

A CUP OF COLD WATER ONLY...

Alberto actually walked by me twice. He said 'no' twice to the bracelet. Once, twice...two times the lady...Lionel Ritchie...sorry...lol

Two times the rejection. Thankfully, I tried again, a little differently..."Would you like to hear the message?"

Alberto said 'yes'. Thank you Jesus! Guess what?

He said 'no' again.

After telling me he was not sure of going to Heaven, when I asked if I could share how he could be sure...guess what he told me???

"I already know how...give my life to Jesus." Another no.

Undaunted, only by the grace of God, I was able to explain what 'giving your life to Jesus' looked like.

The same one who had initially given me three 'no's, was now the one who was drawn into our conversation by the Holy Spirit. Alberto was very interested, and he listened very intently.

Alberto told me that he had recently done a lot of bad things. He had gotten a DUI, he was now homeless, and his wife had left him.

Then he reminded me of something that I had forgotten. Before getting into trouble, he had owned a restaurant adjacent to where I hold the cross. I had come into his restaurant requesting permission to use the bathroom, which he had granted me 'carte blanche', and had even given me free bottled water.

"And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward." (Matt. 10:42)

Alberto's reward this day was placing his trust in the one who had died and risen for Him. It is finished.

"HE MADE ME HAPPY AND SAVED ME. THANK YOU JESUS FOR SAVING ME AND GIVING ME HOPE." (Alberto hugged me several times and had some tears in his eyes.)

AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION

Many people tell me that they have 'accepted Christ as their Savior'. However, these same people are not sure they are going to Heaven.

Jalen was one of these people. When I asked him if 'accepting Christ as Savior' was enough, he told me, 'no, it also depends upon my actions.'

Think about a guilty criminal in a court of law. For example, a murderer. What can he possibly do to be justified in the eyes of his judge?

Promise to change? Amend his actions? Do better?

Sorry, you are guilty and the penalty is death. Death in the electric chair.

There is absolutely nothing you can do to be justified in God's court of law. Nothing.

What justifies?

Someone else sits in your chair. That's it.

Penalty paid. He rises from the grave. That's the receipt...Paid in full.

Once I trust in that alone, then I am justified before God. None of my work, all of His.

Once I am justified, I leave the courtroom and am now a free man. Exhale. Thank you Jesus.

Once I see that he sat in the chair for me, my heart changes. I love Him. I am grateful. Now, my actions change.

But that is sanctification, not justification. Be careful not to confuse the two.

Jalen understood this important distinction and placed his trust in Christ alone..."HE DIED FOR MY SINS AND HE TAUGHT ME HOW TO PUT MY TRUST IN HIM. (MY HEART FEELS) A LOT WARMER RIGHT NOW. THANKS FOR RETEACHING ME THIS IMPORTANT THING.

THE STORY WASN'T OVER...

Amy came over to hear the message. The man she was with, Joe, stood aloof in the background.

Ministry partner and friend Karen Brooks spoke to Joe, "Go over and listen too! You will really like it!"

I focused my sharing on Amy, while Joe stood right behind her. Amy was just like Jalen. She told me that she 'believed Him as Savior', but that was not enough. She also had to 'do right'.

Just like with Jalen, Amy needed to see that there was absolutely nothing she could do to be justified in God's court of law. She just needed to trust in Christ alone.

When I gave the invitation to Amy, I spoke up to Joe in the background and said, "You can pray too."

Both prayed. Amy told me, "HE SAVED ME. (MY HEART FEELS) A LOT BETTER." Joe told me, "HE SAVED ME. (MY HEART FEELS) KIND OF OVERWHELMED."

Amy had tears in her eyes and was definitely touched by the whole experience. She actually responded to my follow-up text message and guess who showed up for church of Sunday?

Amy and Joe...Yes, with son Caleb in tow...

Yes, you know me...Caleb got a bracelet and I shared with him too. It was right after Pastor Adrian's message reminding us that OUR INTERRUPTIONS are GOD'S OPPORTUNITIES.

Caleb wanted to put his trust in Jesus, right after the service, at the front of the church...."HE SAVED ME. (MY HEART FEELS)...HAPPY." (giggles followed, this wasn't a giggling kid)

HE BEING DEAD...YET SPEAKETH

Cody walked by wearing a red soccer shirt with the words...BARKE-----. I got excited and made a dumb comment about my last name having the first four letters of his shirt...BARKO.

This comment went over like a lead balloon. Cody kept walking. I really felt in my heart that I needed to share with Cody, but did not know what else to do.

Cody walked back by us a few minutes later. I am glad one of us was sensitive to the Holy Spirit...Karen Brooks. She enthusiastically spoke up, "Would you like a bracelet?" (Unbelieving me was thinking, 'I already asked him')

Yes, you guessed it, Cody said yes and Karen directed him my way.

Yep, Cody said..."I do good things".

Yep, in God's courtroom Cody said, "I'll do good...I'll do better...I'll keep the law."

Anyone ever play in the mud as a little boy or girl? What did the mirror tell you?...Dirty. How did you get clean?

Take the mirror off the law and try to clean yourself with it? No, hop in the shower knucklehead! lol

God's law is simply a mirror. It reveals what we are...dirty sinners. We don't clean ourselves with it. We go to the one who can clean us.

"Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:24-26)

The truth was dawning upon Cody. About halfway through, this young man began to weep. He covered up his face with his shirt. Then he spoke up...

"You sound just like my dad. He died two years ago of lung cancer."

He being dead...yet speaketh.

Cody succumbed to God's irresistible grace..."HE SAVED ME...(MY HEART FEELS)...VERY GOOD...I TRUST THE LORD. LORD, I'M THANKFUL FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE FOR ME."

THE GOOD PERSON TEST...

All four walked by...mom, dad, daughter and son. Daughter hesitated, caught in the valley of decision...

"Uhhhhhhh..........Yeah, I'll take one!" Not wanting to be left out of the deal, brother Chris grabbed one too.

Daughter Taylor got very excited and proceeded to explain to me that I had actually given her a bracelet four years ago at J.M.U when she was just a freshman.

Taylor was now a senior and final exams were next week. I spoke up, "Here's your first exam, are you ready?"

Taylor was 70% sure of going to Heaven. When I asked why, her brother Chris spoke up...

"I'm a good person and I do good things!" Taylor echoed the same thing.

I responded, 'Really? Let's take the good person test! Ready?'

So, we went through the law, the ten commandments. God's Spirit was present. Mom and dad participated. We all laughed together...No one was good but God alone. We all had failed the good person test.

Many times, the parents of college students are very protective, very suspicious, and not very open. I was blessed by the openness and genuine sincerity of this family. I felt like they were loving and accepting me, the evangelist!

All were tracking with me, and receiving each point as I shared with them. I was primarily sharing with Taylor and Chris, but was responding to mom and dad as appropriate. At the end, when I gave the invitation, I told mom and dad they could pray too if they wanted to.

This whole family prayed with me to trust in Christ as Savior. It was truly a glorious experience. Each told me...

"HE SAVED ME...(MY HEART FEELS)...GREAT...AMAZING...GRATEFUL...BLESSED..."

You know, just the fact that these folks would even sit there for 10-15 minutes and listen to a complete stranger share the gospel is...well...you know...OUT OF THIS WORLD!As if the other stories were insufficient, this was my favorite of the day. Thank you God...

ALL THE WAY FROM SOUTH CAROLINA...

Amy was frustrated. She had just come out of court and the news was not good. Amy had driven all the way from South Carolina, only to hear that the custody ruling regarding her children would be postponed for several more weeks.

Feeling very encouraged as you can imagine from the earlier events of the day, I spoke up...

"You know what Amy? I believe that you will understand why you drove all the way up here after you hear the message in this bracelet."

Amy had lived a rough life. She had been addicted to drugs and given her kids to her mom when she realized she could no longer care for them.

Amy told me that she was 'changing and doing better'. She was 'hoping' that because of her changes, God would let her into Heaven.

Folks, here is a very sincere person who just needs to hear the truth of the gospel. She knows she was bad. Now, she is very naturally trying to right her wrongs and do better so she can make it to Heaven.

Who is going to tell her the truth? Well, God sent her all the way from South Carolina so some crazy evangelist could tell her. I am thankful and blessed that God would think enough of this old mule to use him.

Yes, Amy was able to see her sin through the law...liar, thief, adulterer, murderer, blasphemer. In God's courtroom, this is what she needed to see...

As a guilty criminal, would 'changing and doing better' justify her before a judge?...NO.

When Amy saw this truth, she then saw that she was trying to save herself. If she was indeed trying to save herself, who then was her Savior?

HERSELF!

Repentance came. The truth hit. She understood. Tears followed.

Christ had already paid for her. She simply needed to trust instead in Him.

Before we even prayed, Amy spoke up...

"IT ALL MAKES SENSE NOW...EVERYTHING IS CLEAR." Amy even went on to tell me that her ENTIRE LIFE NOW MADE SENSE, after hearing the gospel for the first time.

When I gave the invitation, guess how Amy responded?

"ABSOLUTELY!" We prayed...

"HE JUST SAVED ME AND GAVE ME THE BIGGEST BLESSING. (MY HEART IS)...HAPPY AND JOYFUL." She told me that she was also sad that it cost God His life.

There was so much she shared afterwards that blessed me so much, that I decided to put it into a 4 minute video testimony.

After this, I did have some challenging ones. Two college kids Mike and Rickey wanted to argue. A young man named Jason was hanging on to his works for dear life and would not humble himself to trust in Christ. A mom and her daughter (had a little baby) really were interested in hearing the message. They were not saved, but because of the intense cold and the little baby, they had to go.

God did bless me with two more good ones...

BECAUSE HE FORGIVES?

Mandy was really excited to see me. (Can you imagine that?) lol Apparently, I had shared with her when she worked as a waitress at a local restaurant a few years previous.

Mandy 'hoped' she would get into Heaven because 'He forgives'.

This too, is a very common answer. Everyone knows that God forgives because everyone knows that God is good.

This is only half the story. Why does God forgive? To answer that, we must tell the other half.

Because God is good, He is just. Justice means that every wrong action will be accounted for. No one will get away with anything. God's justice demands punishment.

This is the half of the story that no one likes to talk about. However, without it, the first half, God's forgiveness, makes absolutely no sense.

If God isn't just and holy, what do I need to be forgiven for? In fact, if He is isn't just and holy, why for that matter, do I need to be forgiven at all?

Well, He is just and holy, and because He is, His very nature demands a penalty for our sin: Hell.

How much does God hate sin? Look at the severity of Hell.

How much does God love us? Look at the severity of the cross.

The very one who requires the penalty is the very one who pays the penalty. The love of God satisfies the justice of God. Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

God's forgiveness of Mandy was predicated upon her understanding the gospel. With that information, she was now ready to receive God's forgiveness, by placing her trust in Him.

"HE FORGAVE MY SINS BECAUSE I WAS FOUND GUILTY. (MY HEART FEELS) BETTER THAN 2 MINS AGO."

THE BEAR HUG FROM HEAVEN...

God the Holy Spirit reveals the truth to people. I am responsible for sharing the truth in an understandable way. God is ultimately responsible for driving the truth home.

Think about a steel ship. There is a pneumatic gun with a rivet.

The steel ship is the stony heart of man. The pneumatic gun is the Holy Spirit. The rivet is the gospel.

You and I are simply the hand. We hold the gun, and trust the power of the Holy Spirit to drive the truth of the gospel into the stony hearts of men.

Juan kept telling me..."I try to do good and I'm good."

I kept asking Juan, "Who is the person mentioned in your answer?" (Juan, of course)

Instead of saying 'himself', Juan kept saying..."God."

Until Juan sees this truth that he is trusting in himself as Savior, instead of trusting in God as Savior, there is nothing I can do.

We went around and around and around and around...for quite sometime...

Then, Praise God, he saw it!

"Myself!"

'Can you save yourself?'

"No."

'Who can?'

"God!"

'Would you like to trust in Him as Savior today?'

"Yes!"

Juan prayed with me..."HE SAVED ME TODAY...(I AM TRUSTING)...GOD." (My friend Richard is in the background. He came out to watch and learn)

Juan gave me a bear hug before he left, and he lifted me up off the ground. (That is pretty impressive, as you know I am less than dainty)

My plan was to share J.M.U. with you as well, but I believe I have shared more than enough. I love you guys.

God bless you,

Mike