The Labor Continues...

Greetings beloved. I am truly thankful that I have the opportunity to share the Gospel with so many people. Let me share a general overview of our recent events and then some specific stories which will be an encouragement to you.

TRUNK OR TREAT AT ALUM SPRING BAPTIST

On October 30th, Karen Brooks and yours truly partnered with Alum Spring Baptist Church in Culpepper, Va. We went to share Christ with their community as part of their annual Harvest Trunk or Treat Festival. Many volunteers from the church participated and together we were able to help 20 people profess saving faith in Christ alone.

TRUNK OR TREAT AT FRONT ROYAL NAZARENE

Just the 'falloween' night, Karen and I partnered with the Front Royal Church of the Nazarene as part of their annual Harvest Trunk or Treat Festival. This venue was a little different. Over 1000 people came through the church grounds in a two hour period. With such an abundance of people who were moving quickly through the church grounds, I only had 5 minutes to preach the Gospel to each group.

With around 15 groups of 8 - 12 people, we were able to share the Gospel with 150 to 200 people. I actually spent the whole two hours on my knees preaching to each group. As you can imagine, when I finished my heart was extremely encouraged, while my lower body was significantly numb. Most of the men, women, and children in these groups prayed with me to trust in Christ. God knows those who were saved this night.

POTTER'S HOUSE SCHOOL

On November 30th, I had the opportunity to share the Gospel with 20 children who attend school at the Potter's House Worship Center. After I ministered for around 45 minutes, the children really seemed to have a solid grasp on trusting Christ alone. Thanks to Pastors Dan and Renee Garber for the opportunity to minister and for continuously ministering to these precious children!

We continue sharing at our 3 weekly venues: (1) Downtown Courthouse (2) James Madison University and (3) Holding the Cross on Route 33. Over the last two months, we have seen 180 profess saving faith in Christ alone. Thank you to Paul Collins and Karen Brooks for your continued faithfulness in sharing the Gospel. Favorite stories and pictures follow. Enjoy.

DOWNTOWN COURTHOUSE

'THE ARRESTING OFFICER'

We usually don't share the Gospel with police officers. We usually just thank them for their service and then say a quick blessing over them.
Usual sometimes becomes unusual.

I had a great conversation with Officer Bess. The conversation came around to the spiritual and he accepted a free bracelet. He was 50-50 that he would go to Heaven hoping that he would 'measure up'.

Do you want to 'measure up'?

It's easy...

Just be absolutely morally perfect from the moment of your birth to the moment of your death.

When you finally come to the understanding that you can't do it, you will give up and trust another.

Officer Bess had two problems...

1) He broke the law and deserved Hell.
2) He didn't keep the law and wasn't perfect.

God in the person of Christ solved both problems for him...

1) He took the punishment (Hell) for Officer Bess breaking the law.
2) He kept the law and was perfect in the place of Officer Bess. (Righteousness)

This officer saw that he was not good and couldn't save himself. Instead, he surrendered to thenew arresting officer...

Jesus Christ!

"HE WASHED ME FREE OF SIN BECAUSE I ACCEPT THE TRUTH. (GOD), I LOVE YOU. THANKS FOR HELPING ME TO ACCEPT AND TRUST YOU TODAY."

SEVERAL NEAT TESTIMONIES

Listen to what Rhonda had to say after professing Christ alone as her Savior...

"HE BLESSED ME THAT'S FOR SURE BY YOU DOING HIS WORK. IT'S NOT MYSELF THAT WILL SAVE ME IT'S GOD. (MY HEART FEELS) GOOD NOW BECAUSE GOD SAVED US."

After professing Christ alone, Bethany said...

"HE GAVE ME A NEW OUTLOOK, A CLEAN SLATE, AND A NEW BEGINNING. I'M 100% BECAUSE GOD ALREADY PAID FOR MY SINS."

Carlos told me...

"HE GAVE ME ETERNAL LIFE BECAUSE HE DIED FOR MY SINS. I HAVE PURPOSE AND I HAVE DIRECTION. I FELT LIKE I HAD PURPOSE AND DIRECTION BEFORE BUT ONLY GOD CAN GIVE THAT TO ME. (MY HEART FEELS) REALLY STRONG."

Kayla said...

"HE SHOWED ME THE LIGHT. I NEED TO HAVE ALL MY FAITH BACK IN HIM. (MY HEART FEELS) DEFINITELY A LOT BETTER...WEIGHTLESS. I'M 100% BECAUSE GOD HAS TAKEN MY SINS AWAY."

I love Tara's response and Darrell's smile...

"HE CAME INTO MY HEART. (IT NOW FEELS) OVERWHELMED WITH JOY AND PEACE."

'IT'S NOT CHRIST PLUS...'

When I first asked Tyler why he would go to Heaven, he told me

'I BELIEVE HE DIED FOR MEAND I TRY HARD TO KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS.'

This is why Tyler wasn't 100% sure. You may think that I am splitting hairs, but listen to what Alistair Begg had to say about this and then listen to what Tyler said after he trusted Christ alone.

Alistair Begg...

"WITHOUT THE PREACHING OF THE CROSS...WITHOUT PREACHING THE CROSS TO OURSELVES...ALL DAY AND EVERY DAY...WE WILL VERY, VERY QUICKLY REVERT TOFAITH PLUS WORKS AS THE GROUND OF OUR SALVATION."

He continues...

"TO GO TO THE OLD FORT LAUDERDALE QUESTION...'IF YOU WERE TO DIE TONIGHT AND WERE GETTING ENTRY INTO HEAVEN, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY?"...

"...IF YOU ANSWER THAT, AND I ANSWER IT...IN THE FIRST PERSON...WE'VE IMMEDIATELY GONE WRONG...BECAUSE I...BECAUSE I BELIEVED...BECAUSE I HAVE FAITH...BECAUSE I AM THIS...BECAUSE I AM CONTINUING..."

'...LOVED ONES, THE ONLY PROPER ANSWER IS IN THE THIRD PERSON...BECAUSE HE!...BECAUSE HE!..."

"..THAT IS THE ONLY ANSWER. IF I DON'T PREACH THE GOSPEL TO MYSELF ALL DAY AND EVERY DAY,THEN I WILL FIND MYSELF BEGINNING TO TRUST MYSELF, TRUST MY EXPERIENCE WHICH IS PART OF MY FALLENESS AS A MAN..."

"...IF I TAKE MY EYES OFF THE CROSS I CAN THEN ONLY GIVE LIP SERVICE TO IT'S EFFICACY, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME LIVING AS IF MY SALVATION DEPENDS UPON ME..."

"...AND AS SOON AS YOU GO THERE IT WILL LEAD YOU EITHER TO ABJECT DESPAIR OR A HORRIBLE KIND OF ARROGANCE..."

"...AND IT IS ONLY THE CROSS OF CHRIST THAT DEALS WITH BOTH THE DREADFUL DEPTHS OF DESPAIR AND THE PRETENTIOUS ARROGANCE OF THE PRIDE OF MAN THAT SAYS, 'YOU KNOW I CAN FIGURE THIS OUT AND I'M DOING WONDERFULLY WELL..."

"...NO BECAUSE THE SINLESS SAVIOR DIED, MY SINFUL SOUL IS COUNTED FREE, FOR GOD THE JUST IS SATISFIED, TO LOOK ON HIM AND PARDON ME!.."

Link to this clip for Alistair Begg...

Thank you Alistair Begg and thank you Lord Jesus!

Continuing with Tyler...

So I shared the ten commandments with Tyler to show him that he was not good. Then I put him into God's electric chair to show him that he couldn't save himself.

Part way through he spoke up...

'I'M 100% NOW...I'LL ADMIT MY MISTAKES...I'M NOT PERFECT...NOW I'LL DO MY VERY BEST!'

Interesting, isn't it?

Tyler thinks he's there, but he's not there quite yet...

Notice still the FIRST PERSON ANSWERS...

'I'LL ADMIT...I'LL DO MY VERY BEST!'

So, I knew Tyler needed more light. I shared the speeding ticket illustration, the resurrection receipt, and the dessert illustration.

Again, part way through he spoke up...

'I SEE IT...WOW!...HE JUST GAVE THAT TO ME!'
'I'M NOT PERFECT...HE IS!'
'HE DIED FOR ME!...HE DID IT FOR ME!'

Notice this time THE THIRD PERSON...

'...HE IS (PERFECT)!...HE DIED FOR ME!...HE DID IT FOR ME!'

Then he told me...

'HE SAVED ME FOR SURE BY JUST PUTTING MY FAITH COMPLETELY IN HIM. I'M 100% SURE BECAUSE OF GOD...(MY HEART FEELS) A WHOLE LOT MORE AT EASE.'

'THREE TIMES A KNOCKING...'

Neil saw me at the Sharp Shopper where I shared the Gospel with him and his friend Raphael. Apparently, I had already shared with him downtown and he saw us quite a bit holding the cross on route 33.

Fast forward about a month later. I saw him again downtown where he shared the following with me...(paraphrased)

"My son and his grandmother were up in Front Royal and they went to a trunk or treat to get some candy on Halloween and there was a guy there preaching the Gospel. I knew that it was you."

Once...twice...three times (not a lady...Lionel Ritchie)...

but blessed confirmation that the Lord was drawing this young man. So, I preached the Gospel to Him again and this time he wanted to trust in Christ alone.

"HE PAID THE PRICE...100%...(MY HEART FEELS) PURE."

I also preached to his friend Raphael. When we started, he didn't even believe in the existence of God. When we finished, He wasn't ready to trust in Christ but he still heard the Gospel and listen to what he told me...

'JESUS FREED US FROM ALL OUR SINS. IF WE BELIEVE, GOD WILL GIVE US ETERNAL LIFE. (MY HEART FEELS) REALLY GOOD.'

'OPENED UP...'

MacKenzie and Chloe came to the courthouse all the way from Roanoke because of some trouble regarding a young man. After hearing the Gospel and professing Christ alone, they told me...

Chloe...'HE OPENED MY EYES ON EVERYTHING...HE REALLY OPENED UP EVERYTHING...I'M 100% BECAUSE OF GOD...(MY HEART FEELS) HAPPY AND A WEIGHT WAS LIFTED.'

MacKenzie...'HE OPENED UP MY EYES ON LITERALLY EVERYTHING. (MY HEART FEELS) HAPPY AND FULL...100% SURE BECAUSE OF GOD. YOU REALLY HELPED US GET BACK ON TRACK. THANK YOU SO MUCH AND KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING!'

'STILL BELIEVING?'

Dane told me that as an eight year old, he had asked Jesus into his heart. This is a beautiful thing.

Having said that, what was Dane believing all these years later? We must believe the Gospel. We must keep believing. Paul used three tenses...'We have been saved, we are being saved, and we will be saved.'

When I began to ask Dane some basic salvation questions he really didn't understand. After going through everything, Dane wanted to trust in Christ alone and prayed with me...

'HE OPENED ME BACK UP BY ME JUST LISTENING. THIS IS SOMETHING I NEEDED. (THEN HE PRAYED)...GOD, THANK YOU FOR SHOWING ME THIS TODAY AND BRINGING ME TO THIS MAN.'

'KEEP PREACHING THE CROSS...'

Remember what Alistair Begg said (above)...

.WITHOUT PREACHING THE CROSS TO OURSELVES...ALL DAY AND EVERY DAY...WE WILL VERY, VERY QUICKLY REVERT TOFAITH PLUS WORKS AS THE GROUND OF OUR SALVATION."

I had spoken to Rosemarie and Michael previously. Both were excited to see me again and Rosemarie told me...

'LAST TIME WE SPOKE GOD REMOVED A BUNCH OF BRICKS FROM MY SHOULDERS.'

Were they still preaching the cross to themselves and believing the Gospel?

Both were now 80% sure. What was the issue?

Both thought they could be 100% sure by 'trying harder to be perfect.'

The cross says that I can do nothing. I must despair of myself and trust in Christ alone.

In God's electric chair, what could they do?

They told me...

'Repent'

So I asked what that meant?

'We confess, ask forgiveness, and then try hard to do better.'

Paul Washer actually said that repentance was...

'GIVING UP AND FALLING UPON HIM.'

In another words, I can't do anything. I despair of myself and fall upon Him.

Once I trust in Him, then I am positionally perfect in Him. When I believe this, then I rest in Him. Resting in Him fills me with the power of the Holy Spirit.

Now it is no longer I, but Christ. Now I am not trying but trusting. Now I am not striving but resting.

This love in my heart for Christ now moves me to live the Christian life. We are not trying to be perfect. We are madly in love with Him.

When Rosemarie and Michael saw the truth again she spoke up...

'WE'RE DOING IT AGAIN! WE'RE THINKING IT DEPENDS UPON US! WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING!'

This time they told me that God took...

'A BRICK FROM OUR SHOULDERS AND TOOK ALL THE WORRY, PAIN, AND STRESS BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WE ARE FREE.'

JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY

SEVERAL NEAT TESTIMONIES

Listen to what John had to say after professing faith in Christ alone...

'HE SAVED ME JUST BY PUTTING ALL MY TRUST IN GOD...(MY HEART FEELS) UPLIFTED, TO SAY THE LEAST...(I AM NOW) 100%, ACTUALLY 110%! BECAUSE OF GOD. THIS IS AWESOME! NO ONE EVER EXPLAINED IT LIKE THAT, NEVER IN A CHURCH.'

Charlie told me...

'HE LIFTED MY COAT THAT I TATTERED AND MADE SURE THAT I ALWAYS HAVE A FRESH ONE. (MY HEART FEELS) PRETTY FULL OF LOVE AND SECURITY...100%.'

He prayed...

'GOD, THANK YOU FOR SENDING MIKE TO ME TODAY AND THANK YOU FOR SHOWING ME YOUR TRUTH.'

Madeline initially told me that she was 100% because she had 'good morals'.

After hearing the Gospel and professing Christ alone, she told me...

'HE MADE ME REALIZE THAT IF I PUT MY TRUST IN HIM I WILL HAVE ETERNAL LIFE.'

She prayed...

'THANK YOU FOR MIKE HELPING ME TO REALIZE WHAT I NEED TO REALIZE.'

'FALL ON YOUR KNEES!'

When I gave the invitation to receive Christ, A.J. got down on his knees and folded his hands in prayer!

'HE SAVED ME BY PUTTING MY FAITH IN GOD. I FEEL LOVED...100%'

He prayed...

'THANK YOU FOR SAVING ME.'

After professing Christ, Caitlin told me...

'HE SHOWED ME THAT HE TOOK MY SINS AWAY SO I AM PURE IN HIS EYES. (MY HEART FEELS) LOVED AND HAPPY AND BRIGHT...100%...I LEARNED THAT HE TAKES MY SINS AND PUTS THEM ON JESUS SO I CAN BE CLEAN.'

After understanding the truth and professing Christ alone, Josh told me...

'HE OPENED MY EYES TO THE GREAT SACRIFICE HE MADE FOR ME. HE DID EVERYTHING, REALLY.
(MY HEART FEELS) RELIEVED. I KNOW WHO DID IT FOR ME.'

Kyle told me...

'GOD SAVED ME BECAUSE I STOPPED BELIEVING IN MYSELF AND STARTED BELIEVING IN THE LORD. (MY HEART FEELS) FANTASTIC!...MORE COMPASSIONATE...100%!'

He prayed...

'GOD, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE A PART OF YOUR FAMILY.'

'TWO UNUSUAL OCCURRENCES'

Raquel was on the phone with her mother Kristen when she came over with her friend Allison to get a bracelet and hear the Gospel. Her mom stayed on the phone the entire time I shared the Gospel!

When we were finished, Raquel told me...

'SOMETHING DREW ME OVER HERE.'

She then told me that she had a therapy appointment at 1:30 p.m. It was 1:45 p.m. when we finished. Reminds me of...

'Lord, I will follow you, but let me first go bury my father.'

'Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead.'

Raquel told me...

'HE CAME BACK INTO MY LIFE. I'D LOST HIM LATELY BUT I HAD BEEN THINKING A LOT ABOUT CHANGING.'

She prayed...

'THANK YOU FOR COMING INTO MY LIFE AND TAKING MY SINS AWAY.'

Her mom Kristen prayed..

'THANK YOU FOR SAVING ME.'

Then she told me...

'THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. YOU ARE VERY GOOD AT THIS. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.'

Her friend Allison told me...

'HE HELPED ME REALIZE WHAT I'M DOING WRONG. HE WELCOMED HIMSELF INTO MY HEART.'

She prayed...

'THANK YOU FOR SAVING ME AND SHOWING ME THAT YOU LOVE ME NO MATTER WHAT.'

You can actually see her mom Kristin on the phone...

'TRYING TO BE PERFECT...'

Ben was 'trying way too hard'.

I like to use the following illustration:

I hold out a hat and ask...

"Areyou this hat?"...'No'.

"Will youeverbe this hat?"...'No.'

"Are you going totryto be a hat?"...'No.'

"Why not?"...'Because I'm not a hat.'

"Are youperfect?"...'No.'

"Will youeverbe perfect?"...'No.'

"Are you going totryto be perfect?"...'Yes.'

This is the problem for many. They are trying to be something they cannot be. If you are 'trying to be perfect', thenwho are you trusting?...'Self'.

We must despair of ourselves. We must give up on ourselves. The flesh profits nothing. It is consigned to the death of the cross.

We trust alone in Christ's perfection. We are perfect in Him. We have His perfect righteousness as a free gift.

Resting in Him alone allows the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love. Love is the fulfillment of the law. He that loves another has fulfilled the law.

Resting on our perfect position in Him fills us with His love. That love fulfills the law. We live and move in that love. There is 'no trying to be perfect' in any of this. There is just a resting and abiding. In His perfect love. Amen.

Listen to what Ben had to say after this truth penetrated his heart...

'HE SAVED ME AND GAVE ME THAT REMINDER THAT I AM SAVED AND GAVE ME THE DIRECTION I NEED TO TAKE AND HE IS GOING TO GUIDE ME. THAT IS WHAT I NEED TO TRUST IN AND I'M GOING TO TRUST HIM. MY HEART FEELS FREE FROM A HEAVY BURDEN ON MYSELF. MY HEART IS LIGHTER. I HAD THIS HEAVY BURDEN. I HAD TO BE DOING THE RIGHT THINGS. I WAS TREATING MYSELF HARSHLY TO DO THE RIGHT THINGS. THE RIGHT THING IS TO BELIEVE ON THE LORD AND FOLLOW HIS WILL. MY HEART FEELS LOVED, VALUED, AND SECURED...100% BECAUSE OF GOD ONLY THROUGH HIM AND NOT THROUGH ME.

Here is a two minute testimony from Ben...

'TEARS FROM AMIRAH'

Amirah was very expressive...

'Oh, no, I'm not good!'

'I'm 0%! I'm going to Hell. What can I do?'

'Wow! He did that for me!'

'I want to trust Him right now!'

She told me...

'HE OPENED MY EYES TO A NEW BEGINNING. (MY HEART FEELS) LIKE I'M NOT ALONE...HAPPY...110%!...I HAVE MY FAITH IN GOD.'

Here is a 1 minute testimony from Amirah...

TWO MORE TESTIMONIES

After professing trust in Christ alone, Kaylee told me...

'HE GAVE ME A DIFFERENT OUTLOOK. GOD PAID THE PRICE. THAT IS WHY I GET TO GO TO HEAVEN. GOD DID IT ALL FOR ME, I JUST HAVE TO BELIEVE IT. (MY HEART FEELS) VERY LOVED...100%.'

She prayed...

'THANKS FOR DYING FOR ME AND PAYING FOR ALL MY SINS.'

Leah told me...

'I HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING. HE PAID THE FULL PRICE FOR US. WE MUST PUT OUR FULL TRUST IN HIM TO GO TO HEAVEN. HE PAID THE ULTIMATE PRICE I JUST HAVE TO TRUST HIM...100%...I FEEL LOVED.'

She prayed...

'THANK YOU FOR PAYING THE ULTIMATE PRICE. AS OF TODAY, I PUT ALL MY TRUST IN YOU.'

AT THE CROSS

'HE FELL ON MY CHEST WEEPING'

When I leave the cross for the day, I carry two crosses on my back while pulling a cooler loaded down with stuff including a 25 lb Bluetooth speaker. Needless to say, it is a load.

One particular Friday, I was on my way back to the van when a young man came running up to me. He had just pulled into the EL CHARRO restaurant parking lot.

'SIR, LET ME HELP, LET ME HELP!'

Damian helped me carry everything back to my van at the back of the parking lot. Then he told me...

'I WAS COMING ACROSS THE INTERSECTION AND I SAW YOU WITH THE CROSS. I COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT WITH ALL THOSE CARS AT THE LIGHT THAT NO ONE WOULD HELP YOU. I WAS GOING TO HELP YOU!'

Damian took a bracelet and told me that I had shared with him a few years previously in front of the courthouse. He mentioned God's forgiveness but didn't know why God would forgive him.

After sharing the law and the Gospel, he knew why and wanted to trust in Him 'right now'.

After praying, Damian did something that has only happened one other time that I now recall.

His head fell upon my chest and he began to sob.

After getting it all out he told me...

'IT FEELS SO WONDERFUL, INDESCRIBABLE, KNOWING THAT ALL MY SINS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN BY GOD'.

'MORE WEEPING'

About a month later, I met a couple Brandon and Amber walking across the median. When I began to talk about God, they both began to weep pretty severely.

I didn't need to explain very much after that. They both wanted to trust Christ alone and prayed with me.

He told the Lord...

'THANKS FOR COMING INTO MY LIFE AND MAKING ME FEEL A WHOLE LOT BETTER. BEAR WITH ME.'

Here is a pic of this couple with a friend a few weeks later...

'AT YOUR SERVICE LORD...'

Here is another homeless couple, Brandon and Maggie. Brandon prayed with me to receive Christ and told me it really was exactly what he needed.

Here they are the next week holding the cross with me..

'SHE CAME TO CHURCH AND BROUGHT A FRIEND'

Lyssia had recently moved here and was staying at the Howard Johnsons Motel. After sharing the Gospel with her, she wanted to trust in Christ alone. A few weeks later she came to church with me.

A few weeks later Lyssia returned with her friend Jonathan. Jonathan was a regular church attender who did not understand the Gospel. He thought he was 'good' and was really trying hard to be perfect.

As I shared the Gospel, I could see the work the Lord was doing in his heart. He was humbled and came to understand that he was anything but good. When he saw the finished work of Christ, Jonathan was able to cease his striving and rest in Him.

At the end, He really poured out his heart to the Lord in prayer confessing that He had been trusting in himself and really didn't understand the truth. He was very thankful that the Lord showed him the truth and that he now trusted Him.

'MORE PERFECT UNDERSTANDING'

Finally, I had the pleasure to meet a J.M.U. student named Charles just yesterday while holding the cross. He initially drove by and handed me a box with some goodies in it. He then came out because he wanted to talk.

He told me that he sat in his car for quite some time getting up enough nerve to come out and meet me. He told me that he had been recently born again.

Charles was only 50% sure that he would go to Heaven. When I began to preach the law and the Gospel, Charles started to cry. He wept quite a bit and kept apologizing. At the end, he definitely wanted to trust in Christ alone.

He sent me a text message later and told me...

'I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN, YOU HELPED CHANGE MY LIFE TODAY.'

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS AND SUPPORT!

SOLI DEO GLORIA!