Results of the Work – 10/15/24

Hey Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

I hope your day was blessed with the good things God prepared beforehand that you might walk in them. I had a good day on campus and Daniel and KD each prayed to receive Jesus. Their stories are below if you want to spend the time. Please pray they grow in their faith.

Daniel was sitting in the lounge that sits half way down the south hall on the second floor of the east Health and Science Building. Several students have come to Christ there this year (one yesterday) and I went there thinking that. Daniel was a good-looking black guy, a short afro, he had smaller soft features on an otherwise everyman face wearing a ball cap. He looked like Jackie Robinson with a bit smaller nose. He was clean-shaven and wore a black zip neck fleece and light gray sweats. I asked him one thing he wanted to do before he died. “Read more of the Bible,” he replied. “Live more of God’s [word] share it more. I’ve grown up in Church. I haven’t been as much as I want to be but I still have time.” I asked him what he would say to God if he died and were asked “Why should I let you into Heaven?” “Um well to be honest technically nobody should. I shouldn’t, even you shouldn’t.” Continuing he said, “You say you died for our sins. Ultimately reason we do is ultimately we have to live a righteous life. I wouldn’t say I’ve lived a righteous life. I want to. For the sake of the question if I were to die today I don’t think I would make it.” I asked him what the big thing Jesus had done to take away the sins of the world adding, “You already said it.” “He died,” he replied. “Right,” I said and went to explain how the blood of Christ cleansed him of sin and was a payment to God. I said Jesus earned the righteousness of God and he would not go to Heaven because he was good but because Jesus was good and he was connected to him. I then explained he was saved by faith receiving Jesus so that if someone asked him what God should let him into Heaven he would say, “because Jesus died for me.” I got to the end and asked if he would want to be forgiven trusting in what Jesus had done, then he would know he was forgiven and going to Heaven. Or did he think something else. I said, “I know you knew Jesus had died but when you would ask for forgiveness would you be thinking “I know I’ll be forgiven because Jesus died for me on the cross, or were you trying to earn it?” Yeah I was trying to do that,” he said agreeing with the second option. I said, “Well if you would want to be forgiven trusting in what Jesus has done not your own work there is a prayer you can pray.” I talked him through the prayer and asked if it was the desire of his heart. He said it was. “It says in Ephesians 1:13 that as soon as you believe the Holy Spirit enters you and seals you.” I said then that He would always be there. He could pray it then silently right now and know he was forgiven. “I wouldn’t hear you but God would hear and you’d be forgiven for your sins. Wanna do it?” “Yeah, thank you,” he said taking the booklet. He read it through and then closed his eyes and prayed to receive Jesus. When he opened them I said, “Amen?” “Amen,” he replied. I began to explain the Christian life to him and said “by the Spirit’s power” he could live “Inside out” where God would transform you and make you a better person who would do good things. I gave him Bible Promises for You and wrote his name and the date and “forgiven!” on the inside. I recommended Bible Gateway to get a reading plan that would prompt him to read the Bible more. I gave him a Bible study and The Case for Christ Answer Booklet. He asked about the Bible study and I said we had it at 2 PM today but he had class so I said to feel free to email me any questions he had. I explained now trusting in the righteousness of Jesus to be his righteousness and His blood to pay for his sins the likelihood he would go to Heaven was 100%. I got up to go and he was happy. “I’ll see you in Heaven,” I told him. “Thank you, Thank you sir!” he replied with a big smile. I reminded him, “My name and email are on the back of that booklet. He nodded and I headed out.

KD was standing at the doors in front of the cafeteria waiting for a ride. I had about 20 minutes before I was going to meet a guy there so I asked him if he would want to do a student survey. He said sure. He was a black student with a red watch cap on and really thin braids poking out from under it. His face was narrow and he had sharper features. He was working on some lamb chop sideburns that were not coming in and had a Michael Jordan mustache some under chin beard going on. He was my stature and height. And wore a black long sleeve t-shirt with some red designs on it and black pants. He had an easy smile. I asked him what he would say to God if he died and were asked: “Why should I let you into Heaven?” “What would I say in front of God?” he mused. “That’s a great question.” “Hmm, I don’t know what I would say.” So I asked what he thought it was that got someone into Heaven if you take away the face to face with God pressure. “Spread the word, live a righteous life, walk like Jesus. Be forgiven because he forgave you, be in the word know who God really is.” He listed. I asked if he thought he would go to Heaven when he died, “You think you got a shot?” I asked. “I have a shot, definitely, definitely,” he replied. “50/50,” I asked.” “45%,” he replied. He had not been to church much of late but had been thinking he wanted to get back into it and go a couple times a month. I began to go through the Gospel with him and he knew Jesus had died and knew the gospel in as much as he was affirming it as I went. The booklet’s first verse is John 3:16 and he kind of finished it out loud as I said it. He hadn’t understood the imputed righteousness of Christ. I finished explaining the Gospel and asked if he wanted to be forgiven for his sins trusting in what Jesus had done. “I need this right now,” he said to no one in particular. And then, “Yeah I’d be that one,” he said. I said if he wanted to be forgiven there was a prayer he could pray. I talked him through it and he had to text whomever was picking him up. I ‘m definitely going to pray this today,” he said taking the booklet. I said, “You could pray it right now, you wanna get it done?” He was looking at the prayer when I said it (having texted through part of the explanation). “Yeah, I’ll get it done,” he replied and he prayed to receive Jesus. I said now he knew he was forgiven. I explained living “By the Spirit’s Power Inside Out”. I gave him Bible Promises for You and wrote his name and the date and “forgiven!” in the front. Then I quickly gave him a Bible Study and The Case for Christ Answer Booklet. “He put it all in his back pack. “Thank you,” he said. And then said, “Have a good afternoon.” I missed it as he was bending over we’d stood through it all and asked what he’d said. He said it again. “Oh thank you man, that’s cool of you to bless me as you go,” I replied. He shot back a grin and headed out the doors.

So thanks for your prayers for the ministry and for evangelism today if you had a chance, God truly blessed. 70 Students have trusted Christ this semester so far

In Him,

Bob

Results of the Work – 10/14/24

Hey Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

I hope you day a great day as one of the righteous marching for Jesus. I had a long slow day on campus somehow, talking to believers, and one Muslim (Muhammad who was a small guy mop of hair mustache and chin beard, really friendly guy, had what I think was a Pakistan accent. He had friend who was a girl who had “converted” and had been talking to him about Jesus), and a future fireman who was polite but not interested. But the last guy I spoke with Victor prayed to receive Jesus today, please pray he grows in the faith. Thanks for your prayers. His story is below if you want to spend the time.

 Victor walked into the side hall lounge on the south side of the Health and Science building, just as I looked in. So as he sat down I asked if he wanted to do a student survey. He was a handsome guy with a sharp jaw line and perfect brown skin. He was a Latino with a mop of curly hair, shirt on the sides and a mustache and a beard just below his chin. He was wearing black jeans riding low and baggy (coming back in style?) and a black pull over hoodie. It turned out he was friends with a couple of the guys I talk to on campus who are in another Bible Study. He had a family-oriented response that is a good sign to the question: “What’s one thing you want to do before you die?” He said, “Prolly give the best for my future kids.”  I asked what he would say if he was walking down the road and got hit by a bus and was dead and God asked: “Why should I let you into Heaven?” I feel like it was the drivers fault it wasn’t my fault,” he said. Since he had not picked up on what I was after I asked what he thought it was that got someone into Heaven and asked if he ever went to Church. He said he’d been to Church. “I haven’t thought a lot about that specific question,” he replied. He thought he had about a 75% chance of going to Heaven.  As I went through the Gospel he tracked well with one of those “Oh ok I get it” smirks periodically I explained things. I asked what Jesus had done to take away the sins of the world—so God could live inside him. “I can’t say I know,” he replied. So I explained the Blood to cleanse him on the cross and righteousness of Jesus earned by Him to his credit. I said he was saved by faith. “So would you want to be forgiven for your sins trusting in what Jesus had done, His blood and righteousness? Then his Spirit would live inside you and give you strength. Or do you think something else?” “Probably that one seems the best one,” he replied pointing at the circle with God inside. His buddies walked by the outside of the lounge and then and he said he knew them as they said hey to me. (I had given one of them a pocket NT outlining the Roman Road to use to share his faith.) So I said if he wanted to be forgiven there was a prayer he could pray and I explained it to him. Asking it if was the desire of his heart. He said “Yeah.” I said he could pray it silently and only God would hear and asked if he would want to. He did and took the booklet and his friends came back, one fist bumped me and the other one shook my hand and I joked I will always shake your hand if I’m holding it. The interruption only threw Victor for a minute fortunately. He prayed then to receive Jesus as I looked over, after they left, he had closed his eyes to pray. When he finished he thanked me.  I said the likelihood he would now go to Heaven was 100% trusting in the righteousness of Jesus, which was worth an infinite amount because Jesus had earned it and His blood which was worth and infinite amount as well because He was God. I was old and so had sinned more than him but there was enough for us both. He said he could read his mother’s Bible so did not need one so I gave him Bible Promises for You and wrote his name and the date and “forgiven!” in the front. I gave him a Bible study on ways Jesus claims to be God showing him the prophecy and retelling him the miracle of Jesus walking on the water. He had not heard the miracle before. I gave him The Case for Christ Answer Booklet too. I said I would pray a Bible Verse for him every day from now until one year later. “I don’t know If I’ll see you again but I will be praying,” I said. “I have a class at 2 PM but I will be around tomorrow,” he said. I told him if he saw he and had any questions to flag me down. “You got questions I got answers,” I quipped. “Nice to meet you, thank you,” he replied. “Nice to meet you too,” I said getting up to go.  “I’ll see you around,” he replied. “Ok,” I said and headed off.

So thanks for your prayers for the ministry and for evangelism today if you had a chance. God truly blessed and was faithful to do His work.

In Him,

Bob

Results of the Work – 10/10/24

Hey Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

I hope your day was a good one and it’s been like rivers in the desert, which are happening btw Africa is getting lots of rain.  J., Diego, Damo, and Roy each prayed to receive Jesus Thursday and ask for God to change into the person He wants them to be. Their stories are below if you have the time. Please pray they grow in the faith.

J. was sitting in the hallway headed down to the bookstore. African American, he had on a black and white hoodie, mostly black with splashes of white. The zipper went up and around the hood, which he had pulled up on to his head. He had braids coming down out from under a watch cap. His off again on-again spotty beard was struggling to grow in evenly, had a mustache under a medium sized nose. He had a red backpack and gray sweats. I asked him what he would say to God if he died and was asked, “Why should I let you into Heaven?” His reply seemed correct. “’Cause he died for our sins. He gave us another chance to get close to Him. I don’t take that for granted. I need relationship with God. Relationship with God is important.” I asked him the likelihood he would go to Heaven and he said, “There’s still a chance to better myself, maybe 30%, I won’t say too high or too low,” he replied.  I thought that was a little strange since 30% seemed low. I said, “I guess you would say you’re a Christian,” he nodded. So I said the rest of the survey was 4 quick points of Christianity but I thought it would encourage him. I thought he only lacked assurance of salvation. I asked him what the big thing was that Jesus did to take away his sins. He had already said it. But he could not think of anything. I added, “To pay for your sins.” He still did not seem to know what “died for your sins” accomplished or meant when he said it. Maybe it was just something he heard and never processed. [Jesus once told the disciples that he would rise from the dead in Mark 9. In verse 10 we read: “And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean.” If I asked you could probably explain it, “the dead “ were a group of people (whom Jesus said were the living among them Abraham Isaac and Jacob Mark 12:27) and after he died on the cross Jesus was at one time among them, in Sheol (paradise of the Jews). 3 days under the earth. He rose out from among them. Like the Cubs traded Rizzo and came out from among the Cubs and played in NY.] In this case withJ I explained the Gospel to him. That Jesus had lived a perfect life and died on the cross. When He poured out his blood it paid God back for all the imperfect things we had done that we owe God something perfect for. The righteousness of God was earned by Christ. God adopted us and gave us these blessings by faith. I asked if he would want to be forgiven for his sins or thought something else. “I want to be forgiven,” he replied. I said there was a prayer he could pray if he wanted to be forgiven and hadn’t asked God to forgive him trusting in Jesus before. I explained it and asked, reading, “Does this prayer express the desire of your heart? Would you say it does?” He just said, “Yeah.” I said he could pray it silently wanna do that. He didn’t respond or take the booklet. It seemed like he might be praying it but it took a bit and then he said, “Is there something I am supposed to do?” “Just pray that,” I replied. “I prayed it twice,” he said. “Ok fine,” I said and I went onto tell him the likelihood now he would go to Heaven trusting in Jesus’ blood and righteousness was 100%. I explained the Christian life living inside out. I gave him Bible Promises for You and wrote his name and the date and “forgiven!” in the front explaining it a bit saying he could read the verses as encouragement or turn them into prayers. I handed him the book and he said, “Thank you.” I gave him The Case for Christ Answer Book saying he could find more of Strobel’s stuff on YouTube. I gave him a Bible study and explained it and said I would pray a Bible verse for him each day from now until Spring and one year after. He reached out and shook my hand and I got up to go. I said, “God bless you.” “God bless you too, have a good one man,” said J. And I headed down the Hall.

I looped around through the BIC and was walking down the hall and an elevator door opened up as I was right in front of it and a student walked out. I was on the ground floor and I don’t do a lot of stairs trying to save my leg a bit. I had the thought I should go up to the third floor. The door closed and I took a step past it and went back. When I pushed the button it was still there so I rode up to the top. I was right at the lounge and siting across on the other side was Diego. He had straight long hair, (longer than his face). It was tinted in streaks. He had black and white print jeans on (They looked like a vintage wallpaper) that had the pockets for carpenter pants and a black zip up hoodie. He had a good looking fair skinned diamond shaped face with the occasional birth mark, a mustache and a bit of beard under his chin. I asked him what was one thing he wanted to do before he died. “Be able to help other people,” he replied. I asked him what he would say to God to get into Heaven if he died. “I guess I’d probably just ask Him to give me a chance,” he replied. He was a kind good guy. I asked how likely it was that he would go to Heaven and he said, “I try every day to live by His commands, I go to church. It’s a 50/50 shot, I have no say in anything.” I began to go through the Gospel with him and he knew Jesus had died for his sins, so I explained what that meant. Jesus Blood cleansed him so God could live inside him. Jesus was a payment for his sin so he did not owe God for what he’d done. The righteousness of God Christ earned by perfectly fulfilling the Law was predicted in Isaiah and fulfilled in Galatians 3:27. God could make him his child. He needed to receive Jesus, trust in what He had done. Then he would be saved by grace in faith. I asked if he wanted to be forgiven or thought something else. “Definitely this one,” he said pointing at the Circle with Jesus on the throne of his life. I said there was a prayer he could pray and talked him through it. It was the desire of his heart? He agreed, so I asked if he wanted to pray it silently right now. “What time is it,” he said suddenly realizing he had class. He looked at his phone for the time. “I have a couple minutes,” he said. Then he prayed to receive Jesus. I quickly explained living by the Spirit’s power and wrote his name and the date and forgiven on the inside of Bible Promises for You. I told him I would pray for him each day through next Spring and gave him a Bible Study and The Case for Christ Answer Book. He shook my hand and said, “Thank you.” “God bless you,” I replied. “God bless you too,” he said and he ran off.

I was in the PE lounge later and came across Demo. He seemed to have seen me talking to people and wanted to know what it was about. This was a nickname. I believe he said his birth name was LeDanian. He was interesting looking for a black guy as his features could have been on my cousin. He had braids coming down from under a nylon cap. He wore a black zip up hoodie and black sweats. He wanted to go into some kind of sales or have his own business. I asked him what he would say to God to get into Heaven, “I would say because with everything I did in my life my intentions were pure. I’m not perfect but God knows my intentions were pure. If that’s not enough it’s up to Him.” I asked him the likelihood he would go to Heaven and he said, “I got a 75% chance. I got unfinished business in order to solidify my spot there.” I went through the Gospel with him and He knew Jesus had died for his sins, when I asked what Jesus had done to take away the sins of the world so he could live inside him. He listened closely to the Gospel and took it all in and seemed in agreement. As I explained the blood of Jesus to cleanse him and be a payment to God and His earned righteousness to his credit. I explained God wanted to make him His child and give all this to him. He could receive Jesus believing by faith in Him and be forgiven by grace. I asked if he would want to be forgiven for his sins or thought something else (like the cliff’s notes version of Islam and the Buddha I often say). “Of course,” he replied. So I said there was a prayer he could pray and asked if it was the desire of his heart. He said it was and I said he could pray it silently. “I’d love to,” he said taking the booklet. “I get to keep this?” He paused and asked. “Yeah sure,” I said. He prayed quietly to receive Jesus then. We were pretty much alone in the lounge, though one of the women’s teams was doing some kind of floor exercise beyond the glass door to the gym, or just stretching. He shook my hand and said, “Thank you I appreciate you.” I explained that the likelihood he would now go to Heaven was 100% trusting in Jesus’ blood and righteousness. He had a Bible and I gave him Bible Promises for You and wrote his name and the date and “forgiven!” on the inside. I gave him a Bible study too explaining it. He took The Case for Christ Answer Book. I said I would pray for him each day, “from now ‘til Spring and one year after”. He shook my hand again firmly saying, “Thank you for your time.” “All good,” I replied. “You have a good one,” he said as I stood up to go. “OK,” I said and headed up the stairs.

At the end of the afternoon I got a picture in my mind of the patio area at the top of the waterfall and started making my way there. No one wanted to talk on the way. Once on the patio I did bump into Sabine, (long braids, black girl, wide nose, cute, small girl) who I’d gone through the Gospel with but was not sure she believed, though she semi-regularly went to church. I chat her up when I see her. I thought that might have been the plan as she headed off but then saw the only other soul out there Roy sitting at a table. I got to talking with him and asked him if he’d want to do a survey. He had an easy laugh. He had one front tooth that was broken off by a 3rd on one corner, which with large white teeth was kind of striking. He wore a baseball cap and an American Eagle Brand zip up grey hoodie and jeans. He had a big cheerful smile and traditional black features, oval face. He was from Ghana and had a bit of an accent and also spoke French saying they made them learn it as children. I said I’d wished I managed to do the same {long story there}. He laughed at some things I said which I don’t remember and it made him open to do the survey. He said he wanted to do a survey and be a medical missionary. I asked what he would say to God if he died and were asked, “Why should I let you into Heaven?” “Why would you?” he said musing the question. “Hum..” He looked at me and said more pointedly, “How would I justify myself?” I let him keep thinking. “I don’t know. Nothing we have done. There’s nothing we can do to deserve it. Usually by mercy. It says in the Holy Book no one deserves it.” I agreed quoting, “There is none righteous, no not one.” With a smile. “We try to do good things,” he continued. “Do good deeds, read the Holy Word. I would just say, ‘Lord have mercy there’s nothing I have done to deserve it.’” I asked him what the likelihood he would go to heaven was, “At this point in my life I think I’d just go to Hell,” he said and he laughed. “I need to reconcile with a lot of people and I have drifted away so at this point I’d go to Hell.” So I said “Well the rest of this is what you think about Christianity, 4 quick points and you say what you think.” I started in and began to go through the Gospel and the love of God who wanted to know him to live inside him, but the problem was sin. So God took away his sin. “What’s the big thing Jesus did to take away the sins of the world?” I asked. “He died on the cross,” Roy replied. “Right and I began to explain what that meant. That the blood cleansed him and paid what he owed for his sins. The righteousness of God was to his credit and God wanted to adopt him and give it all to him. He could receive Christ and be saved by faith. He was engaged all the way through and I got a laugh for some of the illustrations. All are amusing or somber depending on the tone I say them in I keep in the spirit they seem to be received. “So would you want to be forgiven for your sins or do you think something else?” I asked. “I want to be forgiven,” he replied. “Well if you want to be forgiven there’s a prayer you can pray,” and I talked him through it. I asked if it was the desire of his heart. He nodded and I asked if he’d want to pray it silently and know he was forgiven. “Yes,” he said. He prayed then to receive Christ. When he finished he was happy and I told him the likelihood he would now go to Heaven trusting in the blood and righteousness of Jesus was 100%. He shook my hand firmly. I said I was old and had sinned more them him as a result, but the blood of Christ was of infinite value because He’s God and so too was His righteousness infinite because He (God) earned it. He had a Bible so I gave him Bible Promises for You and wrote his name and the date and “forgiven!” on the inside. I gave him a Bible study and he liked it. I also gave him The Case for Christianity Answer Book. I had run out of the much short cheaper booklets so I thought it was God’s providence to give him that one. He was grateful.  Roy reached out and shook my hand again firmly and thanked me earnestly, “Thank you for telling me this you could be somewhere resting but you came out to talk to me, thank you.” I said, “You are the best conversation I had all day thanks.” We had hit it off and laughed a lot. I got up to head out and I gave him my contact information if he wanted to do a Bible study to let me know. I went to the truck then feeling blessed.

So thanks for your prayers for the ministry and for evangelism this past week if you had a chance. God truly blessed.

In Him,

Bob

Results of the Work – 10/9/24

Hey Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

I hope your day was one filled with rest in the Lord as the author and finisher of your faith. I had a good day on campus and John prayed to receive Jesus today. I had good conversations with Giselle a Latina girl working toward being a physician’s assistant and Corrine in the PE lounge who looked a bit like an elf and was searching. Please pray John will grow and the girls will come to faith John’s story is below.

John was sitting alone in the PE lounge at the end of a long row of tables. He was a big Offensive Lineman with mostly blonde hair, stick straight and short at the sides. He had a few days growth of beard that was brown and blonde. He wore a grey White Sox Hoodie and black athletic shorts. He seemed a bit on the somber side. I asked him what he would say to God to get into Heaven if he died. “I don’t deserve it,” he said frankly. I asked if there was a “but…” in there somewhere and he said there wasn’t saying about getting let into Heaven, “As of right now I don’t think so. You can always work towards it right?” he said. I said he could, Paul says he presses on. I said then, “What’s the likelihood you’d go to Heaven if God had mercy on you?” “If he has as much mercy as I think 80%” he replied. I began to go through the Gospel with him and he knew Jesus had died for his sins. So I began to explain what that meant, that His blood had cleansed him and was a payment to God. Jesus had earned the righteousness of God, he would not go to Heaven because he was good but because Jesus was good and he was connected to Him. Christ’s righteousness was to his credit like extra credit in a class and these things were the gift of God when He adopted him. All of this God gave to those who believed that Jesus was God had died for their sins and rose from the dead. By Grace he was saved, through faith. I asked if he wanted to be forgiven for his sins trusting in what Jesus had done, then He could live inside him and give him the strength he needed to do all things. Or did he believe something else and I gave him the cliff notes version of Islam and the Buddha. “I believe this,” he said putting his finger on the circle with Christ inside it. I said if he wanted to be forgiven and he’d never told God he wanted to be forgiven trusting in what Jesus had done there was a prayer he could pray. I talked him through it and asked if it was the desire of his heart. He said it was and I said he could pray it silently and I wouldn’t hear him but God would hear and he’d know he was forgiven. Calvin sat down across from me at one point, a big black dude (also on the Offensive Line) with a beard who had prayed to receive Jesus last year. When John finished praying I said, “Calvin prayed that prayer last year.” He looked at Calvin who nodded it was true and went back to his lap top. Calvin says hi and fists bumps me when I see him but is a man of few words.  I gave John a copy of Bible Promises for You I wrote his name and the date and “forgiven!” in the front. I explained not trusting in the blood and righteousness of Jesus the likelihood he would go to Heaven was 100%. He said he was going to stay in the Catholic Church and I said, “Sure,” reminding him of the Mass he took at church. I said that the symbolism behind it was that the wine was symbolic of the blood of Christ and the wafer was symbolic of His body. It was reminding him Jesus had died for his sins and he was forgiven and when he took it he could just say “Thank you.” I gave him a Bible study and The Case for Christ Answer Booklet. He stood up to go and shook my hand and I said I would pray a Bible verse for him each day until Spring and one year after. I explained living the Christian life asking for the Holy Spirit’s power, living “Inside Out” asking God to transform him into a good man who would do good things. He shook my hand again. He seemed grateful and headed out. I gave Calvin a Promise book then he seemed to have misplaced his from last year.

So thanks for your prayers for the ministry and for evangelism today if you had a chance. God blessed the work

In Him,

Bob

Results of the Work – 10/8/24

Hey Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

I hope your day was blessed and you were a blessing to others. I had a good day on campus and Brandon prayed to receive Jesus. Please pray he grows in his faith. If you are interested his story is below.

Brandon was standing and pacing a bit by one of the counter height tables in front of the window of the bookstore. He had on a grey golf shirt that was darker in front where it was discolored or it was sweat. African American, he had a rough afro maybe 4 inches high and shorter on the sides. He had a rough beard and wore jeans looked a bit thrown together. I asked him what he wanted to do before he died and he said, “Have a better relationship with my Heavenly Father.” I asked him what he would say to God if he died and was asked, “Why should I let you into Heaven. “Because I repented, I acknowledge my sins, you’re my Lord and Savior. I accept you with all my heart.” I asked him what the % likelihood was he would go to Heaven. “70/30 he replied.” As I began to go through the Gospel with him I explained that God wanted to live inside him to give him eternal life and to do that He had to take away his sins. I asked what Jesus did to accomplish that. “He forgives you.” He replied. I said that was true but asked what Jesus had done so he could forgive him. He could not think of anything. So I began to explain the atonement. He was a simple-hearted guy, I’m not sure what kind of classes he was taking. But his theological answers matched other students who had told me this year similar things and did not seem to know how Jesus had saved them from sin. I told him that Lord meant Jesus was his God and Savior meant Jesus had died to pay for his sin. I gave him word pictures he really liked and asked if he had ever asked God to forgive him trusting in what Jesus had done to pay for his sins. He did not think he had. The Gospel seemed somewhat novel to him. He later said he had been baptized at a mega Church about a half hour south from school. He did not go there anymore. I had gone to a service there a couple years back where the pastor had offered a relationship with Christ without ever mentioning the cross. This pastor also omitted that Jesus had died for the sins of the world as a payment to God nor that He rose from the dead. At the end of the service they had announced they had 31 people accept this offer of relationship that seemed to cost God nothing. So I was not surprised Brandon did not understand the Gospel but just has some associated buzz words down. I explained the Gospel to him slowly and clearly. I asked if he wanted to be forgiven trusting in what Jesus had done for him. “Yes,” he said. I explained the prayer and asked if it was the desire of his heart. “Yes,” he replied again. So I said he could pray it silently. He took the booklet read the prayer and then closed his eyes and began to pray. He took a little time and then was finished. He was happy and I explained asking for God’s help by the power of God’s Holy Spirit in him. I explained the likelihood he would not go to Heaven was 100% trusting in the Blood and Righteousness of Jesus as I had explained it to him. I gave him a Bible Study and explained the miracle of Jesus waking on the water, which he had not heard before and showed him the verse in Job where God was described as “Marching on the waves of the sea”. I told him I would pray a Bible verse for him each day through Spring and one year after. He said he had many Bible versions on his phone. So I encouraged him to read John. I also explained the Christian life “By the Spirit’s Power Inside Out” and said he could ask for transformation. I gave him Bible Promises for You and wrote his name and the date and “forgiven!” in the inside and he was happy to get it. I said if I saw him around I’d give him a wave and said I would see him in Heaven. He was happy and I headed out.

So thanks for your prayers for the ministry today if you had a chance. I encouraged some other Christians and found a new guy who might do a Bible Study who’s stuck at school for a while Tuesdays after I meet with Braeden. So I felt blessed.

In Him,

Bob

Results of the Work – 10/3/24

Hey Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

I hope your day was blessed and you are somewhere diggin’ the weather. We are grateful it has not turned very cold yet. I had a good day on campus and John and Roger both prayed with me to receive Jesus. They were both really enthusiastic and grateful to join the kingdom so that was great. Their stories are below if you have some time. Please pray they grow stronger in their faith.

John was sitting at a counter height table in the hallway leading to the bookstore from the BIC. He was a good-looking black guy wearing a black hoodie and black sweats and he had larger rectangular black rimmed glasses. His hair was in dreadlocks, pencil thin about 6 inches long. He wore a mustache and had a bit of a chin beard. So many guys this year can be described with the same facial hair it’s tough to keep them straight in my mind. He was friendly about my size. I asked him what he would say to God if he died and were asked why should I let you into Heaven. He thought for a bit struggling with an answer and landed on “Because I’m one of your children.” He was sure he’d go to Heaven 100%. Knowing God is that He lives inside us, I explained. For God to live inside us He has to take away our sin. I asked what Jesus had done to do that. “He stays with us for the journey of like, well He forgives. Well I don’t know if He forgives me but He knows I know what I did,” he replied struggling for words throughout. It seemed he had been to church though less lately saying, “I’ve been to church some and I feel like it’s a good thing.” I began to go through the Gospel with him explaining the cleansing and atoning blood of Christ. Then saying He earned the righteousness of God and that he was clothed with Jesus [Gal. 3:27 where literally in the Greek we are clothed with Jesus as a garment fulfilling Isa. 61:10]. So he would not go to Heaven because he was good but because Jesus was good and he was connected to Him. I said, “Everyone is a child of God in a sense because He is their creator [Acts 17:28]. But God gives the rights of the Children of God to those He adopts who believe.” [john 1:12] So I said all Christ had done could be his by faith and asked if he wanted to be forgiven for his sins or thought something else. “So would you want to be forgiven for your sins trusting in Jesus?” I asked. “Of course, of course!” he said cheerfully. So I said if he wanted to be forgiven there was a prayer he could pray. Walking him through the prayer I asked if it was the desire of his heart. He said, “Yeah.” I said he could pray it silently and know he was forgiven. “Pray it right now?” asked. “Silently, so only God will hear,” I replied. “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” he replied and he prayed to receive Jesus. I explained when he finished that now trusting in the blood and righteousness of Jesus the likelihood that he would go to Heaven really was 100%. I gave him Bible Promises for You and wrote his name and the date and “forgiven!” on the inside. I explained living by the Spirit’s power to ask for His help in everything. I gave him a Strobel’s Case for Christ Answer Booklet. I gave him a Bible Study on the deity of Christ and explained it with the miracle of walking on the water. and I would pray for him until a year from Spring and he said, “Thank you. Appreciate you,” he said. I could tell he was really grateful and he reached out with a fist I bumped and saying, “See you,” as I got packed to go. I bumped his fist and with a smile said, “See ya around.”

Later in the day I came across Roger. He had kind of an everyman look for a Latino guy. His face was more or less oval his features were smooth. I could see from the shadow he could grow a full beard but he was clean-shaven and the side of his hair was military short, the mop on top swept to the right. He was of modest height and looked pretty solid. He had on a green short sleeve T-shirt and blue jeans, white tennis shoes. He was a bit older student and had been in Texas doing construction when 2020 shut things down so he came home. He was from a Mexican heritage but seemed to have a lot of Venezuelan friends. It seemed like his family had tried a few they were invited to and hadn’t attended one Church growing up. He talked more than any student I have gone through the Gospel with in a long time. He also said he did not sleep much and had an off hour shift he worked. He just had conversational energy. I asked him what he would say to God to get into Heaven. He thought a bit then said, “The reason is I always had a good heart. If I ever am wrong I regret it and I did something to make it better. I do to people the best I could. I am not perfect, but I tried. Maybe more that last one. It’s like balancing to live your life, be yourself, take care of yourself.” He thought he would go to Heaven 100% He talked throughout the presentation of the Gospel interjecting thoughts. I asked what Jesus had done to take away his sins and he said “Sacrifice?” He followed a guy on Twitter (I know it is X now but no one calls it that) who was a friend living in Montana, kind of an outdoorsman who posted a lot about his faith. This guy had him thinking. I began to explain that God became a man. His sacrifice for our sins was then worth an infinite amount because His life and blood were worth an infinite amount because he was God. “Oh that’s what I never got, infinite,” he said. It seemed like the math had not held up for him—that one man could die for the sins of the world. His friend had recently posted that everyone should remember that one man had paid for all our sins. So the idea of the sacrifice of Christ he seemed to have picked up from his friend’s posts from Montana. Then I explained the righteousness of God to His credit through adoption and then he needed to receive Jesus by faith, “If you believe Jesus is God died for your sins and rose from the dead. Not that you just know the story but that’s what you put your trust in.” I explained your good stuff could not fix your bad stuff but that God could turn your bad things into good things because he controlled the future and I wrote down Romans 8;28. He fixed on that and wanted to write it down as I said it again so I wrote it on the back of the booklet saying he could do good with God’s power then knowing God could control the outcome of an action. I explained that I sometimes thought about something I had done in the past that hurt someone like a car accident. I asked God to bless them and make up for what I had done and make it into Good, not to only forgive me. This seemed to really strike him as he thought about his past. He was taking a lot but the rest of the day he’d said he had nothing set. So I didn’t feel the tension as I often do that I need get the Gospel in before a student has to up and suddenly leave. I finally got to ask him if he would want to be forgiven then trusting in what Jesus had done. He said he would so I said there was a prayer he could pray and started to explain it, but he seemed to have a thought and missed the explanation, I think captured by a scene in his past for a moment. I asked again if the prayer expressed the desire of his heart. He read it and said it did. So I said he could pray it silently and be forgiven.  So he took the booklet and prayed it, when I glanced over he had his eyes closed too I think he was adding to it in his heart. He finished. I explained then to him that the likelihood he would go to Heaven was 100%, now placing his faith on the blood and righteousness of Christ. He said he thought there might be a Bible around his house but he wanted one more recently updated language wise, they might have been in Spanish. I gave him the NKJV and explained the study helps and wrote his name and the date and “forgiven!” in the front. He was grateful and I gave him Bible Promises for You and The Case for Christ Answer Booklet recommending Strobel in a YouTube search. I talked him through the Bible study too. We talked some more, he thanked me saying, “This really made my day.” He told me he thought we were entering into a time when people were realizing a lot of things. He saw it with guys he worked with in their desire to learn English, maybe meaning they were making longer term plans for life in the US. He was heading back to Mexico over Christmas with his family to try and reconnect with their extended family down there. Finally I got up to go we’d talked for at least an hour. I told him I would pray a prayer for him each day using a Bible verse to bless him until a year from Spring. “Awesome,” he replied.   “I’ll see you around,” I said. He said I definitely would and I headed out.

So Thanks for your prayers for the ministry and for evangelism today if you had a chance God truly blessed.

In Him,

Bob

Results of the Work – 10/2/24

Hey Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

I hope your day was blessed with the peace and love of Christ through His Spirit. I had a good day on campus Michael prayed to receive Christ today and Sabine a Black girl was unsure, but seemed to be struggling with the stuff going wrong in her life. She still goes to Church but wasn’t trusting Jesus as her savior so I’ll pray for her too and hope she trust in Christ. Michael’s story is below if you want to spend the time Please pray for these students.

Michael was sitting alone in the cafeteria at a table having finished lunch. He had on a black hoodie and light grey sweats. His hair was a loose curly mop that stopped just above his ears. He had a mustache and a beard below his chin. He wore a clear Plexiglas head around his neck depicting Jesus wearing a crown of thorns. It was bigger than a walnut and smaller than a plum and hung and off a thick chain about the width of a pinky finger. I’d never seen anything like it. He was a good-looking Latino guy with a sharp jaw line and pointed nose, slight and short. I asked him what he would say to God to get into Heaven and he said, “I would say even though I have sinned multiple times I have spread out the word of God. I follow the word of God. If you asked me if I would be let into Heaven I would say no. [But] that’s the ultimate goal.” He thought he’d earn it. He listened closely to the Scripture as I began to explain it to him. Though he said he never went to Church he knew John 3:16 and he knew Jesus had died for his sins when I asked him. I explained the cleansing blood of Christ to him. I said that His blood allowed God to live inside him saying this was also a payment to God, so that He was just to forgive him. Christ earned the righteousness of God by perfectly fulfilling the Law. He would not go to Heaven because he was good but because Jesus was good and he was connected to Him. This was the gift of God when God adopted him making him His child. He could receive Christ by faith. I asked if he would want to be forgiven or thought something else comparing the two circles. The one on the right had Christ inside him on the throne of his life. “I am definitely on this side,” he said pointing to that circle. I said if he wanted to be forgiven there was a prayer he could pray. I talked him through the prayer and asked if it was the desire of his heart. He nodded so I said he could pray it silently; I wouldn’t hear him but God would hear and he’d know he was forgiven. “Right now?” he asked. I said, “Yeah.” He took the booklet and asked if he should pray out loud. I said “No silently just between you and God.” So he prayed then to receive Jesus. I explained the Christian life “By the Spirit’s power living Inside Out”. He had a Bible but I gave him Bible Promises for You writing his name and the date and “forgiven!” in the front. I gave him a Bible Study on the deity of Christ and The Case for Christ. I told him I would pray for him each day from now until Spring and one year after. I got up to go and he said, “Thank you. I appreciate it.” I said, “All good,” and headed out.

So thanks for your prayers for the ministry and for evangelism today if you had a chance God truly blessed.

In Him,

Bob

Results of the Work – 10/1/24

Hey Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I hope you were filled up to all the fullness of God today. I had a good day on campus and Ozzy prayed to receive Jesus. Destiny said she would pray latter, a pretty girl with sharp features chin and nose and a very sharp jaw line. She, I believe, was mixed in race based on her skin tone and hair in ringlets pull up over head and falling down in her face.  Shauntel was a round featured good natured black girl both nostrils pierced. She said she would think about praying and thought she was on a journey of faith but she was great to talk to and said I was the brightest spot in her day. So Ozzy’s story is below and I will be praying for the girls. Please pray they are all strengthened in the inner man that Christ might dwell in their hearts by faith.

Ozzy was a really low-key guy. He looked to be a Latino or possibly Filipino. He had a thin Michael Jordan mustache with a bit of growth on the underside of his chin. He had sharp features, jaw line and nose and a dark mop of shorter hair more or less parted on the right. He wore black sweats and a grey t-shirt. He was pretty reserved. I asked him one think he would want to do before he died and he said, “Have a family,” so I figured he would trust in Christ because saying that is a tell. When I asked him what he would say to God to get into Heaven if he died he said. “I’d say because I’ve been faithful to Him. I’m not exactly sure, I have a lot of faith.” I asked the likelihood he would get into Heaven, “I’m not exactly sure, some people say it’s hard to get in…” “The Narrow Gate,” I replied. He nodded in agreement and then said, “50%.” I asked if he’d ever gone to Church, a bit when he was young he said so I asked what kind and he said he thought it was Adventist. I began to go through the Gospel with him and asked him what “Jesus had done to take away the sins of the world.” He thought for a moment and then said, “He died.” I agreed and began to explain the blood as a payment for his sins and the righteousness of God to his credit that Christ earned. He took it all in very somberly and I could not tell if it was taking root but reminded myself he had said he wanted a family so he probably was listening. I kept telling him the points in of the Gospel. I explained salvation by faith and asked if he would want to be forgiven for his sins or thought something else. “I would want to be forgiven,” he replied. So I said, “If you’d like to be forgiven there’s a prayer you can pray and talked him through it with a bit of explanation. “It says here, ‘Does this prayer express the desire of your heart?’ would you say it does?” I asked. “Yeah, I think it does,” he replied. Well if you wanted to you could pray this silently right now, I wouldn’t hear you but God would hear and you’d know you were forgiven, wanna do it? “Yeah,” he replied and I said, “Just pretend I’m not here.” “OK,” he said and prayed to receive Jesus. He didn’t have a Bible so I gave him one and explained some of the study helps in it. I wrote his name and the date and “forgiven!” in the front. “Thank you,” he said when I handed it to him. I explained living “By the Spirit’s Power, Inside Out.” I gave him Bible Promises for You and The Case for Christ Answer Booklet telling him Strobel’s story and a Bible Study just explaining the Prophecy and how it was fulfilled in Christ.  I told him I would pray a Bible Verse for him each day from now until Spring and on year after. “Thank you so much,” he said with real sincerity. I said I was sorry I took so much time, he’d only taken 3 bites of his chicken sandwich in a bun. “No you’re good, thank you,” he replied and I said if I saw him I would give him a wave and headed off.

So thanks for your prayers for the ministry and for evangelism today if you had a chance, God blessed.

In Him,

Bob

Results of the Work – 9/30/24

Hey Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I hope your day was blessed with life and peace as the Spirit led you through the day. I had a good day on campus Abbie prayed to receive Jesus today. I also encouraged some 3 believers who were thankful to have more assurance in Christ. Please pray Abbie grows in her faith and can find a church near her. Her story is below if you have time.

Abbie was sitting on a bench against the stairs that lead down to the cafeteria on the second floor around the corner from the security desk. She had sandy hair pulled back in a ponytail, a cute apple shaped face with a pretty dot birthmark on her cheek. She had red leggings on with black words in some kind of print that among other things said take your time near the knee closets to me. She had a white eyelet sweater on with a crew neck. I asked her what she would say to God to get into Heaven if she died and she said, “I don’t know, I just try to get through life and see the potential in in other people and do good.” She thought she had a 70% chance of going to Heaven. She said she went to church when she was young with her mother. Her mom died but her dad was an atheist so she did not go after that. “I’ve been meaning lately to get back into it now that I’m older.” That seemed to mean she did not need to go places with her father. I told her God loved her and wanted her to know Him by living inside her. So I asked her if she could remember what Jesus had done to take away her sins and the sins of the world. She could not think of anything so I began to explain the Gospel to her. Jesus’ blood cleansed her and was a payment to God for sin. His righteousness could be to her credit when He adopted her. I said all that Jesus had done was hers by faith. If she believes on Jesus He would forgive her. So would you want to be forgiven for your sins? Or do you think something else. “I would want to be forgiven,” she replied. I explained if she wanted to be forgiven there was prayer she could pray and I talked her through it and asked it expressed the desire of her heart. It did so I said she could pray it silently and I wouldn’t hear her but God would hear and she’d know she was forgiven. “Wanna do it?” I asked. She nodded and I handed her the booklet and she prayed to receive Jesus. I began to explain the Christian life to her. She did not have a Bible so I gave her one and I wrote her name and the date and “forgiven! in the front showing her the study helps. I explained everything in the Christian life was “By the Spirit’s power, Inside Out” God would transform her. I gave her Bible Promises for You and a Bible Study explaining the miracle of Jesus walking on the water as a claim to be God and the prophecy that said the Messiah would be God. She lived in a town pretty far away and I did not know any Churches there but I said she could do a search on “Bible Church” or “Community Church” or “Evangelical Church” (writing each on the Bible Study) and she might find something nearby. I gave her The Case for Christ Answer Booklet too. I explained that now trusting in the righteousness of Jesus to be her righteousness and His blood to pay for her sins, the likelihood she would go to Heaven was 100%. I explained that the Bible said people could witness our lives from Heaven and I am sure that her mom could see her now. “The Bible says there is rejoicing there when one sinner turns and believes so I’m sure there is a celebration and your mom is happy.” I told her I would pray for her each day from now until the Spring and one year after asking God bless her. I said she could contact me if she had any questions by email. “If I see ya I’ll just give ya a wave.” I said getting up to go. “Thank you,” she replied and I said “OK” and headed off.

So thanks for your prayers for the ministry and for Evangelism today if you had a chance. God truly blessed.

In Him,

Bob

Results of the Work – 9/26/24

Hey Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

I hope your week was blessed with all good things from above. 8 people trusted Christ this week (Ellis, Savannah, Lena, Joseph, Kaycee, Alexa, Malcolm) and the last Daniel on Thursday. Please pray they grow I their faith. Daniel’s story is below if you have time. It turned into a bit of a discussion on how evil you can be and still be forgiven. Thanks for your help in prayer.

Daniel was sitting in the cafeteria alone at a table polishing off some pasta in a Tupperware®. He had a blue Coors beer hat on and a tan hoodie, brown hair. His mustache was like two pencil size caterpillars that went to the ends of his mouth and did not join in the middle. He had a good looking every-man kind of face and a square chin with a beard on the underside of it, friendly guy. He’d gone to church as a kid but it had been a while. When I asked him what he would say to God, if he died, to get into Heaven he said, “Umm, I don’t know.” So I asked if he could remember anything they’d said at church about it what might get him into Heaven, “Nah,” It was too long ago he thought, “Good deeds?” I asked him what the likelihood he would get into Heaven, “10%‘s low or 100% you’re sure, 50/50 you got a shot?” “I think I got a shot,” he replied. I said God wanted to live inside him and give him eternal life and asked if he knew what Jesus had done to take away his sins. He didn’t have any recollection of that so I went on to explain the Gospel to him. As I was explaining the blood of Christ cleansing him and it as a payment to God he asked something like, What about people who are doing evil things but say they are Christians? I told him that a genuine Christian would make mistakes but if the Holy Spirit is inside you and He doesn’t just hang out there, He actually transforms you. So though I did not know him well enough to be able to say if he had changed someone that knew him better might see the gradual change God was making in him. If someone continued to do really wicked things I’d have to assume they did not really have genuine faith and believe that Christ had died for them as they did not show any sign of transformation. I said that people who appeared to be basically good would begin to do things by the Spirit’s power inside them. I went on to explain the righteousness of God that Jesus earned by perfectly fulfilling the Law. I said the complete work of Christ was all these things and that by ourselves we did not have anything perfect to offer to God. I told Him God wanted to adopt him, make him His child so He could give him all these things. He needed to receive Christ by faith and his good stuff could not fix his bad stuff. I asked if he wanted to be forgiven for his sins or thought something else giving him the quick take options of Islam where their god did not live inside you, was not a father, as he didn’t have a son and there was no sacrifice for sin, “So they have a different god.” And the Buddha left his wife and kid to seek enlightenment but he was not looking for God at all, he did not care if there was a God or not. He thought if he got his head straight he could escape the dream world. “So would you want to be forgiven for your sins and have God live inside you?” I asked again. He stared at the booklet for a slow count to at least 10 and then said, “Yeah,” and looked up from the booklet. So I said if he wanted to be forgiven there was a prayer he could pray. I walked him through it and said, “It says here, ‘Does this prayer express the desire of your heart?’ Would you say it does?” “Yeah,” he said. So I said he could pray it right now, “I wouldn’t hear you but God would hear and you’d know you were forgiven. Wanna do that?” “Yeah,” he said again and he took the booklet and prayed to receive Christ. He did it so quickly I wasn’t sure he had and he asked, “What about someone like Hitler?” I checked and he had prayed and I said, “People have asked me that. I’m pretty sure people like Hitler or some of these criminals are psychotic. I don’t know if they would have [the freedom of] choice anymore to ask God to be forgiven. The Blood of Christ is an infinitely valuable payment for sin so philosophically speaking they could be forgiven. But the Bible says God gives some people over to evil. He asks them and asks them and they push Him away so He finally says, ‘Alright’. Then they just get worse and that is all they are. Some people you can’t take away their demons or there would be nothing left of them.” He saw that was true and agreed.  I explained the Christian life to him asking if he had a Bible. He didn’t so I gave him one and explained the study helps in it and a Q -> Bible verse sheet I got from another Bible. I wrote his name and the date and “forgiven!” in the front and he thanked me. I explained living “By the Spirit’s power” asking for God to transform him “Inside Out”. I also gave him Bible Promises for You and a Bible study explaining it a bit, that Isaiah 9:6 is revealing Messiah would be God and the Trinity was expressed. I briefly expressed how he was a plural being (body mind and spirit) and God was a plural being also. I talked him through the miracle of walking on the water as a claim to be God. I gave him The Case for Christ Answer Booklet and recommended Strobel on line for questions. He reached out and shook my hand and thanked me. I told him I would keep him in my prayers each day from now until Spring and one year after. I said something like, “I’ll see ya around.” “I’ll give ya a wave,” he said with a smile and I had to run to a treatment appointment for sciatica.

So thanks for your prayers for the ministry and for evangelism last week if you had a chance. God truly blessed.

In Him,

Bob