Ocean City Part 2

"Let us for a few moments consider our own weakness...

Ye children of God have ye not proved your own weakness in the day of duty. The Lord has spoken to you and he has said, 'Son of man, run and do such and such a thing which I bid thee'...and you have gone to do it, but as you have been up on your way a sense of great responsibility has bowed you down and you have been ready to turn back even at the outset and to cry, 'send by whomsoever thou wilt send, but not by me.'

Reinforced by strength, you have gone to the duty. But while performing it, you have felt at times your hands hanging exceeding heavy, and you have had to look up many a time and cry, 'Oh Lord, give me more strength, for without thy strength this work must be unaccomplished. I cannot perform it myself.'

And when the work has been done, and you have looked back upon it, you have either been filled with amazement that it should have been done at all by so poor and weak a worm as yourself, or else you have been overcome with horror that you have been afraid that the work was marred, like the vessel on the potter's wheel, by reason of your own want of skillfulness.

I confess in my own position, I have a thousand causes to confess my own weakness everyday'

Charles Haddeon Spurgeon

These words were a great comfort to me, after returning from Ocean City a week early because of extreme physical and spiritual weakness.

I have heard preachers say, 'Sometimes when I thought the message was one of my worst, it turned out to be one of my best.'

Only God knows what really happens in a person's heart when I share the Gospel with them and they pray with me to trust in Christ. Having said that, Jesus did say...

'Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.'

I was amazed and encouraged as I read the responses of these people after hearing the Gospel and praying with me.

I hope you will be encouraged too!

'HE ANSWERED MY QUESTIONS...NOW I FEEL SAFE AND HAPPY.'

Nena: 'He gave me a new outlook...happy...100%...God died for my sins.'

Shelba: 'He helped me realize I'm doing wrong. It makes me grateful He was willing to take sin away from us as long as we believe in Him...happy...100%...I still believe in Him and not myself.'

Kala: 'I realize it's not about me...simply put faith in Him...good...100%...God saved us.'

Arsema: 'He answered my questions...I was confused...now I feel safe and happy...100%...I believe in Him.'

'HE HELPED ME TO FIND MYSELF BY WHAT YOU SAID.'

Frank: 'Yes...He showed me the way...got to believe in Him...100%...I put my trust in God.'

Griffin: 'Yes...He helped me to find myself by what you said...everything...sure...I'm going to trust.'

Maggie: 'Yep...He blessed me...He gave me life and brought me hope...100%...I put trust into God...full of love.'

Hope: 'Yeah...He gave me trust in God being sure I'm going to Heaven...I trust God...full of love.'

Kate: 'Yeah...He showed me the way...trust in God...beautiful...100%...I love Jesus.'

Eva: 'Sure...He put me here...grateful...It will all work out.'

There words as they left were humbling and sobering...

'Thank you Mike!'
'You made our trip!'
'You made the rest of our lives!'

'I'M NOT GONNA LIE...I'M HAPPY...I KNOW I'M GOING TO HEAVEN.'

Trey: 'He blessed me...He took all my sins...great...love...100%...God took all my sins away'

Eli: 'Yeah...I'm not gonna lie...I'm happy...I know I'm going to Heaven...He died for my sins...100%'

'SOMETHING GOT TO ME...I CAN'T EXPLAIN IT...CHILLS.'

Bebe: 'He helped me a lot today. He made me want to start doing right things and stay close to Him...100%...Him.' 'Thank you Lord for sending me here today.'

Mikey: 'Something got to me...I can't explain it...chills...He allowed me to give my all to Him and trust in Him...He gave me eternal living...full of love...100%...I am trusting God not myself.'

Here is a two minute testimony from Mikey: Video

Gabe: 'I had a spat with my girlfriend before I came out here to give you $20. He found me first and assured me that God loves me.'

Bebe came out the next two days to talk with me. He has a dream to play in the NFL. I was able to encourage him to give his dream to the Lord even as Abraham gave Isaac to the Lord.

'ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!...125% OUT OF 100...I'M SAVED BY GOD.'

Tyler: 'He showed me I'm not good...I'll never be good...stop trusting myself...start trusting Him...absolutely amazing!...125% out of 100...I'm saved by God.'

Tanner: 'He brought be knowledge how I'm living my life for myself through you...I feel selfish...100%...I know I will live my life for Him.'

Devon: 'He showed me I got to trust Him not myself through you...happy...100%...He's with me.'

Mason: 'He taught me to stop learning from myself and start learning from Him...free...100%...God gave His Son for us...all I have to do is believe in Him.'

Chloe: 'I feel lifted...I can have faith in the Lord...100%...I believe in the Lord.'

Nico: 'He made me love Him even more. He showed me to believe in Him more...amazing...filled...100%...He's always with me.'

Keira: 'He picked me up.'

Bella: 'If I accept Christ...50%.'

'THANK YOU GOD FOR COMING INTO MY LIFE TODAY.'

J.J.: 'Definitely...He gave me someone who told me about how not to trust myself but to trust God...good...very sure...trust in Him...Thank you God for coming into my life today.'

Stephen: 'He showed me to stop trusting myself and to trust Him...really good...very sure...trust in Him...Thank you God for teaching me to trust you and not me.'

Josh: 'If I trust Him I'll go to Heaven...really good...100%...I trust Him...Thank you God for everything.'

J.J. sent me this text message as I was writing this newsletter...

'Thanks so much! I am currently at a Christian camp now! Thanks so much for the advice and teaching. I was actually just telling people about my experience with you today!'

BUDDING PREACHERS!

As I was sharing with this group, Tanner and Mason (whom I had just spoken to, from above), walked behind them and proclaimed...

'We're not good! Don't trust yourself! Trust God! He took the penalty!'

'HE FILLED MY HEART WITH JOY KNOWING I CAN BE SAVED...100%...NOW I'VE OPENED MY HEART.'

They all must have listened, for here is what this group told me!

Evan: 'He brought me faith with trust...good...100%...I trust Him.'

Aiden: 'He made me think I need to trust Him and turn my life around...good...full of love...I trust Him.'

Levi: 'He took my sins and made me feel loved...amazing...beautiful...100%...God has my back.'

Giovanni: 'He's very trusting...He's very worthy...He made me more fulfilled...100%...God never turned his back on me.'

Kyrie: 'He absolutely did. He filled my heart with joy knowing I can be saved. 100%...Now I've opened my heart...He came to take those sins and paid my debt.

Colton: 'He did...He brought me here to learn. He took my sins so I could go to Heaven...filled full of love...100%...I have faith in Him.'

MORE BUDDING PREACHERS!

Colton: 'He made me not believe I could do it but believe in Him...good...100%...I trust God.'

Trevon: 'I didn't know...I believed more in me...wonderful...100%...He died for our sins.'

Colton and Trevon walked past as I was preaching to this next group and proclaimed...

'This is an amazing message! Listen to Him! We love you Mike!'

'ALL BROKENNESS FIXED...10000%...GOD!'

This group must have listened as well, for here is what they told me...( I couldn't find the picture for this one but the words speak for themselves!)

Chris: 'Absolutely!...He saved me...full...safe...100%...Jesus died for me!'

Katie: 'Yeah...He talked to me...He came and showed me there is nothing I can do...full of love and pure...100%...He died.'

Calia: 'Of course...He showed me He saved us...I'm 100% going...amazing happy pure...Him.'

Asha: 'He made me want to go to Heaven more...Jesus is God...wonderful...100%...Jesus died.'

Cameron: 'Yes...He allowed me to think about the choices I've made and want to do better...protected...100%...I know He loves me...I'm safe.'

Haba: 'Yes, He made me trust in Him and believe in Him...He's my father...through Him I will go to Heaven...very warm with love...100%...I know Jesus died for my sins, I'm forgiven!'

Ava: 'He really did...God opened my eyes to accept me and embrace Him...I'm saved...I should surrender...full happy complete...all brokenness fixed...10000%...God!'

'I LOVE YOU AND I PUT ALL MY TRUST IN YOU.'

Eric: 'Yes sir. He helped me learn to trust in Him and not myself...good...full of love...100% sure...I trust God, not me...I love you and I trust you.'

Brandon: 'Yes, He saved my friend...I learned to trust in Him...more grateful...love...100%...I trust God...I love you and I put all my trust in you.'

Floyd: 'Yes, He saved me. He taught me to trust in Him...amazing...great...100% sure...I put my trust in Him.'

FATHER TRAINING HIS SON

I met Eric Kabler at Ocean City a few years ago. During Covid, I was blessed to teach him how to share the Gospel. Since that time, He has joined me a few times at Ocean City and also at the Highland Maple Festival.

Eric has begun training his son. A few months ago, Eric and his son Abraham shared with 40 people while at the beach at Ormond, Florida. 26 professed Christ as Savior.

Eric and his son joined me for one day at Ocean City on this trip! (In the pic below!)

'YOU DON'T HAVE TO LOOK THE PART...YOU NEED TO BE THE PART.'

Adia: 'He opened my eyes to Him...trust in Him and not in yourself...good...I put my full trust in God.'

Emma: 'Yes, He showed me the truth...You don't have to look the part...go to church...You need to be the part...live for Him...good...He loves me...100%...He is with me and He loves me.'

'OPEN...FREE FROM MYSELF...NEW POINT OF VIEW.'

Kayzia: 'Yes, He did...He saved me...He helped me to see...not thinking of myself...stubborn and selfish...start believing in Him...not believe I can do everything for myself...(My heart feels)...open...free from myself...very sure...100%...because I can start seeing things less from my perspective and more from His.'

Her prayer: 'Thank you for bringing me here and giving me a new point of view.'

THANK YOU GOD FOR OUR WEAKNESSES AND INFIRMITIES.

'And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.'

'Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then I am strong.' (2 Cor. 12:9,10)

MY LOVE TO ALL!