Hey Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

I hope your day was blessed with all good things from the Lord. I had a good day on campus and Shannon and Kyle each prayed with me to receive Christ and Larry said he believed and would pray at home.

Shannon was in the hall up on the 3rd floor of the BIC building on a bench with her back against a corner wall. Her hair was sandy blonde pulled back into a pony tail, pretty round face and she wore baggy sweats and a t-shirt she wore no make-up warm smile. When I asked her what she would say to God to get into heaven she thought for a bit saying, “That’s a hard question…” Then continued, “I guess because I care about people deeply and want to help others through their pain.” She thought she had about a 50% chance of going to Heaven. She said she hadn’t been to Church in about 5 years, that she was “Raised in a Catholic home” but her father was an atheist and it got kind of difficult.  She listened thoughtfully to the Gospel biting her pen in concentration as I spoke.  She said she would like to be forgiven when I had finished. So I asked, “Do you believe Jesus is God He died for your sins and rose from the dead?” “I would like to begin to try to believe that,” she replied. Responding to some of what she was saying I suggested she had kind of lost the track and she said that was true. So I explained to her if she would like she could ask for faith because it was a gift from God. I explained that Christianity was “Inside out” where the Holy Spirit living in her could give her all that she needs to live the Christian life and quoted her the verses on the fruit of the Spirit saying she could ask for more of these things. ‘If you wanted to ask God to forgive you trusting in Jesus, there is a prayer you can pray. You know what it is like, God’s like a pretty pretty girl He likes to be asked.” So I talked her through the prayer and suggested if she’d like to she could pray it silently just so God would hear and be forgiven. I asked if she thought she’d like to do that and she nodded her head yes and took the booklet from me and prayed to receive Christ. She had a Bible but I gave her the Student edition of The Case for Christ and 20 Things God Can’t Do writing “By the Spirit’s power” in the front and the date she had been forgiven with our names, talking to her about forgiveness. I also gave her a Bible Study on the deity of Christ. I explained that if she was trusting in the righteousness of Christ to be her righteousness that the likelihood of her going to Heaven was 100%. I told her I would keep her in my prayers and she asked if I would pray for a her friend DeAndre who was “In a lot of trouble from bad decisions” he was in the Kane County lock up and facing some time but it seemed he had been given a book about the Bible and was moving toward God. So I will be praying for him too but I’m not clear on the nature of their friendship. She thanked me and I headed out. Running after me a moment later to give me my pen and I thanked her and headed down the stairs.

Kyle is Filipino and had only been here in the US a few months. He had soft small features and a warm smile his ball cap turned backwards with some random facial hairs coming through. He wore a black shiny nylon shirt and jeans. Really nice guy from a Roman Catholic background. I asked him what he would say to God to get into Heaven and he said, “To be honest if that happened to me… I’m so young I haven’t done what I need to in life, been pretty good, I’m religious, but I haven’t got to the peak.” He listened to the Gospel closely and as I explained imputation he said, “Yeah I get that.” as I gave an analogous example. He said he would want to be forgiven for his sins. I walked him through a prayer he could pray and he said, “That’s a really good prayer actually.” And he prayed to receive Jesus. I explained living “inside out” he responded saying “This is really a deeper way of looking at things.” I had to talk him into taking a Bible explaining other people generously gave me money to buy Bibles. I wrote his name on the presentation page and the date saying he could remember that was the day he had been forgiven. Saying I got good deals on books and that they did not cost much.  I got him to take 20 Things God Can’t Do (writing by the Spirit’s power in the front and the phrase “To error is Human to forgive divine”) I showed him the “Where to turn” pages topologically in the Bible and he thought that was great. Taking it all in he said, “This is inspiring!” I got up to go explaining I would keep him in my prayers and he said, “Thank you. Continue blessing people!” I thanked him and said, “You blessed me too.”

So Thanks for your prayers for the ministry and for evangelism today if you had a chance, God truly blessed. I gave the student edition of The Case for Christ to Josh in the parking lot, who talked to me a lot about his thoughts on life and his DUI he regretted. To Kobe earlier in the day I gave the student edition of The Case for Faith. He did not believe in God as he had seen so many people shot dead in Chicago, one a little girl on her bike shot right in front of him.

In Him,

Bob

Hey Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

I hope you had a good day walking with the Lord. We are battling the stink bugs in the unseasonal heat this year at our house with soap water, they fly in and die. We have killed 5 or 6 hundred of the buggers. I had a good day on campus and Zay (Xavier) and Taeon prayed with me to receive Christ today.

Zay and Tae were sitting at at table with Jordan in the PE lounge on the ground floor. Both were African American, Zay with smaller features newbie beard running down his jaw line to a bit extra on his chin. Tae’s feature more full with a rough topped afro some facial hair. They wore sweats and played on the football team. Tae and Zay were chatting so I asked Jordan if he wanted to do a student survey for our Bible study group. He said no but Zay sitting across from him heard me ask and said, “Do it,” Jordan would not listen to him but Zay said, “I’ll do a survey. I know how hard it would be to get someone to do a survey if I was asking people.” Some days that is true, as I can have a dozen peeps say no for every one who will. But I’ve also had a few days when the 3 peeps who will all come to Christ. I kneeled at the end of the table. So Zay took the survey but Tae listened as did Jordan though his pride seemed a bit up. Another white guy occasionally interrupted, Zay once and later distracted Jordan from listening. a couple other guys took it all in near the table. When I asked Zay why God should let him into Heaven he said, “I been faithful to you for my whole life on the earth and I believe. And I’d ask Him for forgiveness for all my sins.” He thought he had 100% chance of going to Heaven. he went to a Catholic Church in his home town. It turned out Tae went to church too though not Catholic and both owned their own bibles. Both became interested as I went through the Gospel so when I asked Zay what “the big thing Jesus did to take away his sins” and he was stuck Tae jumped in with “Jesus died on the cross”. They were enthusiastic about the imputed righteousness of Christ and when I asked if they would want to be forgiven Zay said, “Yes, I would want to be forgiven with God living inside me.” So I showed him the prayer walking him through it. Asking Tae his name I asked if he would want to be forgiven too and he said he would so I opened another booklet and walked behind Zay to give it to Tae. They each prayed to receive Jesus. Jordan later said he had been trusting in Jesus but before that had wanted a booklet, then wanted the book 20 Things God Can’t Do I gave them all and and wanted a Bible study. He had sharper features and was more tan from the sun wore a ball cap. All had facial hair they were working on. I explained life in the Spirit and the Fruit of the Spirit to them and wrote their names in the front of the books and the day’s date in all but Jordan’s. I also wrote “By the Spirit’s Power” in the front. I said the Christian life was depending upon the Spirit where he gives you all the power to live the Christian life. They all gave me their email to send them some follow up stuff so that was great and Jordan said he’d come to the Bible Study so hopefully he will. I gave him Zwilngi’s symbolic view of the Mass. “Thanks for doing a survey,” I said to Zay as I was leaving. “Jordan figured ‘ah I know all this stuff,'” I said patting Jordan in the shoulder to get a smile. “But I needed you to break in.” Everyone seemed happy as I left and I will try to shore up Jordan a bit by emails and make sure he is trusting in Jesus, but he heard the Gospel, hopefully if he was not he is now.

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

In Him,

Bob

Hey Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

I hope your day was blessed in the Lord, no one prayed to receive Jesus today when I was first at school. I got home really tanked edited up the Bible study I had written and printed it and rested for a while. I was really sweaty from some conversations today in the sun so I took a shower and was still shot so I sat on the couch and flipped through some stations trying to shake off the brain fog but was still really tired. Then I felt prompted to go back a little early before Bible Study to do some more evangelism. I could not shake the feeling so I prayed if God would give me some energy I would go. I felt better so I left for school, (forgetting to fill up my bag with 20 Things God Can’t Do books). I walked around in a bit of a loop through the door I had pictured I was to go in once I got to school and the halls were empty, I asked one girl who said, “no thank you.” Then down the hall came across Issac. He was standing in an adjacent hall in front of a vending machine buying some tea. He asked how long it would take when I asked him if he wanted to do a survey and I said “5 minutes or so” since I knew I had to be at the Bible Study pretty quick. We sat on the padded bench right around the corner. He had kind of a rough afro, white t-shirt and athletic shorts, that looked worn, backpack on. Wore black athletic socks and sandals. Good looking kid about my height, nice features, young face. I asked him what he would say to God if he died and was asked why He should let him into heaven. “Well,” he said thinking “Because He forgives everybody.” He thought he had a 90% chance of going to Heaven and went to Church. He knew Jesus had died to take away sins and liked imputation of Christ’s righteousness. He said (when I asked) he’d like to be forgiven with God living inside. (After his mom interrupted with two separate phone calls I prayed away.) So I asked him if he was trusting in what Christ had done. “When you ask for forgiveness are you thinking you are a pretty good person who goes to church so you are the kind of person God forgives or were you trusting in what Christ has done for you to be forgiven.” “I believed I was forgiven.” “That’s not what I am asking you,” I replied. “I’m asking you if you are trusting in what Jesus did on the cross so that God can forgive you, not if God is forgiving.” Owning it he said, “I didn’t really think about it that much,” he said with a sheepish smile. He then agreed that if he had not been thinking about it he had not been trusting in it. So I offered him the prayer he could pray and he was happy to do so saying something like, yeah I’ll do that. I gave him Bible Promises for You and a Bible study, and they only had a family bible at home so I gave him one of his own and wrote his name and the date he was forgiven on the presentation page which made him happy, showing him the “Where to turn.” section showing verses he could look up for various questions. “Wow I didn’t know they had that,” he said. I explained the Christian life was By the Spirit and then his mom called, again. “Thanks I really needed this,” he said to me as he listened to his mom with one ear. “Is that your mom again?” I asked. He shook his head smiling so I said, “Here give her a book,” giving him another copy of Bible Promises for You. he grinned and nodded and I ran off for Bible study.

This  afternoon I encouraged a couple students who did not have assurance of salvation, one catholic student and another in the Chicago Church of Christ and went through the Gospel with a Muslim exchange student from Turkey, Rabia. So that was good though no one came to Christ today in the afternoon maybe that helped God get me out the door early later.

So thanks for  your prayers for the ministry today God blessed and Issac came late.

In Him,

Bob

Hey Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

I hope your day was blessed in the Lord with hope. I had a good day today sharing the faith and Remy (A Filipino guy) and Katie who each prayed with me to receive Christ. Stephanie  was close but her friend showed up and insisted they leave before she could pray.

Remy was sitting in the hallway of the BIC between classes on some hall chairs and said he had some time to answer some questions. He was a very well groomed guy, hair long on top, short on the side. Short in height with what a girl would say was a cute face (I think), wore stylish black rimmed glasses, tan shorts and a long sleeved button neck shirt. When I asked him what he would say to God if he died and was asked why he should be let into Heaven he said, “‘Cause I believe in Him,” He thought he’d have a 75% chance of going to heaven and went to a Roman Catholic Church. He listened attentively to the Gospel though and responded once with an affirmation but was a man of few words. I explained the option of two circles in the booklet I was using one representing a person who had trusted in Christ for forgiveness with God living inside him and the other God outside their life living for themselves asking which would he be and he put his finger on the circle with God inside him. So I asked him if he had been trusting in Jesus to forgive him for his sins or if he was, “Just hoping that he was good enough to be forgiven?” ‘That I was good enough,” he replied and so I said “if he’d like to be forgiven trusting in Jesus there was a prayer he could pray” and after walking through it I read the line, “Does this prayer express the desire of your heart?” He nodded in affirmation. “Then would you like to pray silently?” “Yeah sure,” he replied. And he prayed to receive Christ. He has a conflict of work when we have Bible Study but he took a Bible Study to read and the book 20 Things God Can’t Do. I wrote his name and the ate in the front he’d been forgiven. I explained a symbolic view of the Mass to him encouraging him if he was at church to use that time to be thankful remembering Jesus had died for him and reminded him that if he was now trusting in Jesus righteousness to be his own the likelihood he was going to Heaven was 100%. He shook my hand when I said maybe I’d bump into him in Heaven and said with a warm expression, “Thank you, it was nice to meet you man,” “Nice to meet you too I replied.”

I headed over to the PE building where Katie was sitting at a Table watching something on her computer. It didn’t seem to be school related so I asked her if she wanted to do a student survey. She said she went to Cru (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ) and was up for it. She had her hair up with a  2 inch headband around her head, like she had been working out. She wore a short sleeved t-shirt that was tie-dyed blue and white and had black yoga pants on. She had a oval, kind face, cute, sweet kid. She described herself as a “Very, very faithful Catholic.” And she wanted to “travel to another country and help people, like a mission trip”. I asked her what she would say to God and she said, “Oh.” then thinking a bit said, “Even though I haven’t lived my life in a perfect way, I have lived knowing You, and loving You and trusting You. I’m not perfect but I love Him very much.” She thought she had a 60-70% chance of going to Heaven. I began to explained the Gospel to her and explained imputed righteousness, that she did not go to heaven because she was good but because Jesus was good. I told her it was good she loved God but loving God does not get you to Heaven trusting in Jesus work on the cross to pay for her sins did.  “So if someone would say to you why should God let you into Heaven you’d say, ‘Because Jesus Died for me,'” She let out a quiet “Oh!” in realization after I said that. I went thought the rest of the Gospel and asked if she would want to be forgiven wth God inside and she said she would so I asked, “So when you asked for forgiveness for your sins in the past were you trusting that Jesus had died for you and so you would be forgiven?” “No! No!” she exclaimed. So I said there was a prayer she could pray then to receive forgiveness trusting in Jesus and the Holy Spirit could live inside her. After talking her through it I asked if she would like to pray and she said, “Yeah.” And she did. So that was great. She was happy and said, “Thank you.” I gave her 20 Things God Can’t Do writing “By the Spirit’s power.” in the front. I also wrote her name and the date in the front she’d been forgiven which she really liked. I explained “living inside out” and the fruit of the Spirit and a symbolic view of the Mass. She had to go so I gave her a Bible study with a quick explanation and she said she’d like to come to ours so hopefully she will. I told her I would keep her in my prayers and got up to go. “Thank you so, so much for everything,” she said. I gave her a light hug around the shoulders in her chair and said she was welcome and headed out the doors.

I went through the Gospel with Aleiah who came from a Muslim home but was not interested in the Muslim faith. Very smart girl. Very pretty eyes and long hair past her shoulders and we talked about God and the problem of evil in the world. I think I was of help to her moving toward faith, with several philosophical answers helping her to see how blessed she was being intelligent and pretty, she had braces on and I pointed out even getting her teeth straightened was something unavailable to most people in the world, and saying how God loved her. We talked for a while. She took the booklet I had gone through and the pamphlet “Jesus and the Qur’an”. “Thanks for talking with me,” she said as I got up to go. So I will pray for her this school year. I have gone through the gospel with a few Muslims this year disinterested in the faith they grew up in.

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

In Him,

Bob

Hey Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

I hope your day was blessed in the Lord. I had a good day on campus and Jordan, Abby and David each prayed with me to receive Jesus today.

Jordan was sitting outside the back of the MAC Arts Center under the arbor style benches that are outside the tops story doors. He was wearing black stone washed jeans and a gray t-shirt that read: “Winning is my business and business is good.” He had braids coming down off an afro some facial hair. Nice looking guy friendly smile. He said he had a religious family. When I asked him why God should let him into Heaven he said, “Because I’m a good person.” He thought he had about a 75% chance of going to heaven. He listened to the verses and as I came near the end quoting Jesus words, ‘I am the way the truth and the life…” He finished the verse for me and said he knew that one. He said he would want to be forgiven with Christ living inside him when I asked so I asked if when he asked for forgiveness if he’d been trusting in Jesus, (he’d known Jesus died for his sins) or just trying to be good, hoping God would forgive him. “Trying to be good,” he replied. So I walked him through the prayer and said he could use it to ask God to forgiven him and live inside him, “So do you think you might want to do it?” “Yeah,” he replied and prayed to receive Christ. I gave him a Bible writing his name and the date in the front and showing him the “Where to Turn” index. I explained the life in Christ walking by the Spirit writing that in the front of  20 Things God Can’t Do and gave him a Bible study. “I gotta get to class or I’m gonna be late.” “Sorry I did mean to make ya late,” I said as he hurried away. “No it’s OK I’m not late,” he said grinning. “Thanks!” And he trotted off.

Abby was sitting in the covered area in the shade outside the cafeteria glass at a metal picnic table. She looked Filipino and was 7th day Adventist in background but had ceased going to Church. She had black shirt and  yoga pants on with laces up the sides and the front of her bangs were frosted brown, her dark hair fell stick straight down past her shoulders, cute kid, petite. She seemed a little down-hearty-baby though she was friendly. When I asked her if she died and stood before God what she would say to get into heaven she said, “Because He created me.” She listened to the gospel and knew Jesus had died for her sins. She said she would want to be forgiven for her sins in answer to my question so I asked,” “Do you believe Jesus was God He died for your sins and rose from the dead?” “Yes,” she replied after a moment. I asked if when she asked for forgiveness if she had hoped she was good enough to get forgiven or if she had truly been trusting in Jesus dying for her, “I know you knew the story but had you trusted in Jesus?” And I pointed out that her answer that God had created her did not get her to Heaven because he created everyone but everyone is not in Heaven” And she agreed. I don’t know.” she said after thinking a moment. “Well if you don’t know it seems unlikely you were trusting in it right?” She agreed. So I offered her the prayer in the booklet she could pray. She want to and prayed to receive Christ. I gave her a Bible Study explaining it a bit and the book 20 Thing God Can’t Do writing “By the Spirit’s Power” in the front (having explained living inside out) and the date she’d trusted Christ. ‘What if you believe in God but don’t go to Church,” she asked. I took out a Compass Church card showing her where she could listen to sermons. “I’ve heard of this,” she said. I said she could listen to some sermons there once a week and check it out or wherever God might lead her to go to church when she was ready. It seemed like the 7th Day Adventist Church had kind of turned her off, She reached out to shake my hand and said, “Nice to meet you,” getting up to leave. “I’ll see you in Heaven,” I replied shaking her hand and she smiled at that and said “by-eye,” with kind of a sweet sing song lilt in her voice and walked back towards the doors.

David was sitting on the sofa benches just down the hall from were we have Bible Study. Latino guy 5 by 5, built like a heavy weight wrestler and he did in fact wrestle. He said he didn’t know where his parents had taken him to church early in life (when he didn’t speak English yet) but it was Catholic and he seemed to go still from time to time. He wore a gray nylon short sleeve shirt and dark sweats, high tops. Had a few days growth of beard and Superman hair cut some of the front curling back onto his forehead. Good looking guy. When  asked him why God should let him into Heave he said, “I try to help out others as much as possible. I’m a giver more than a receiver.” He thought he had a 50/50 shot at going to Heaven. He was a nice friendly guy. he listened with a bit of ascent here and there though he did not know the Gospel and hadn’t known how God took away his sins. I finished gong through the Gospel and he wanted to be forgiven. So I asked him also if he believed Jesus was God had died for his sins and rose from the dead and he said he did. So I asked if he wanted to trust in that And he said, “Yes,” nodding again. Walking him through the prayer I asked if he would want to pray it trusting in Christ and he said, “Um-hum.” And he took the booklet and prayed to receive Christ. I explained a life in Christ by the fruit of the Spirit how he could ask for the Holy Spirit to help in all things living “inside out” then writing “By the Spirit” in the front of 20 Things God Can’t Do. I also gave him a Bible writing his name and the date he trusted Christ in the front, showing him the “Where to Turn” index. I explained if he was trusting in the righteousness of Christ to be his righteousness the likelihood he would go to Heaven was 100%. Then I gave him a Bible study and he was grateful. “God bless you baby,”‘ I said getting up to leave and he said “God bless you too,” with a smile.

So thanks for your prayers for the ministry and for evangelism today if you had a chance, God directed me and was with me all day.

In Him,

Bob

Hey Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I hope you day was blessed in the Lord. I had a good day on campus and Felix and Dan each prayed with me to receive Christ. I also went through the Gospel with Summer. Please pray for her. Her father had been raised Jehovah’s witness though he was one no longer. But he’d either taught it to her and latter on rejected it or she had gotten a heavy dose of their lies from relatives. She had a sweet pretty face was wearing running shorts and an oversized Bears sweatshirt with some bright orange color dyed in her hair, no make-up kind of a rolled out of bed look. We talked for 45 minutes ending with her breaking down in tears abut her fears to sleep at night. The J.W.’s teach that you go into soul sleep and if you are going to rise Jesus wakes you in the end, otherwise hell for you is you sleep and never wake up. She said had a lot of anxiety just trying to fall asleep at night and had a tremendous overwhelming fear of death. I asked if I could pray for her she said I could and did and gave her the option of The Student Edition of the Case for Christ and complete copy of The Case for Christ and she asked if she could have both and I said sure. She took a Bible study on the deity of Christ. I told her some some word pictures about the trinity and God becoming a man that she then said had persuaded her of it. I gave her my number and she has texted me to thank me and will come to the Bible study. I think she is close to the Kingdom of God and we could pray her in.

A Muslim girl Daniya responded a bit to the Gospel this week saying, “I think it is interesting you believe God lives inside you.” Naveen was close to trusting Christ too, a guy in the PE building yesterday. 26 students have received Jesus on campus this semester and God as really at work thanks for your help.

Felix was sitting at a table in the PE building lounge and had been thinking about his walk with God. he was a small Latino guy, mop of hair, waiting for  his work-out class to start on stationary bikes. He had the first fuzz of long mutton chop sideburns that looked like they’d stay thin for a while and a bit on his lip and chin he pulled at. He wore a grey T-shirt with some printing and shorts. He was certain he was a Christian and was sure he was going to Heaven. When I asked why God should let him into Heaven, “Well, I mean I am a Christian so I have total faith I am going to Heaven.” He said he knew a lot about God and his entire family did too. He went to Calvary which is a good church. But as I began to go through the Gospel with him he did not know what Jesus had done to take away his sins saying, “He does a lot of things.” I pressed him but he had nothing. As I went through the atonement and the cross I was pretty sure he had never heard it based upon his reactions. He was very enthusiastic about the righteousness of Christ imputed to him. He said he would want to be forgiven with God inside so I suggested he had not put all of this together before and think he’d almost realized at that point he had not.  He started talking religious things with me, how he was trying to focus on doing better. I directed him away from that and  I explained more of the Christian life to him walking by the Spirit, living by the power of God in us, “Inside out”. and he said how it was strange I should come by as he had been thinking about things and his family had said you gotta get right with God. And I pointed him back to God’s work not his and that he needed to receive Him. I walked him through the prayer he could pray and said he needed to ask for forgiveness for his sins so God could live inside to give him the strength to live by the Spirit’s power and he prayed to receive Christ. I gave him a word picture for God’s power to live. I wrote “By the Spirit’s Power” in the front of 20 Things God Can’t Do writing his name and date in the front and gave him a Bible study he said was “Deep”. His class had started and he had to go and he thanked me then said, “Thanks for telling me this stuff.” “Sure, Have a good one brother.” I said shaking his hand. “Thank you. Thank you, you too,” he said enthusiastically, he was happy.

Dan was sitting in a section of benches right near the front of the MAC arts building. He was up for doing a survey as he was done for the day it seemed. He was a young good looking guy wearing a Wheaton South HS sweatshirt, jeans and sunglasses, couple well placed movie star freckles. He attended a Lutheran church and was a good guy. He said he wanted to get married (that is always a good sign coming from a guy’s pie hole that he will accept Christ in my experience). When I asked him what he would say to God to get into heaven he said, “It is the hardest question.” He replied. “I believed my whole life.” He thought he had a 65% chance of going to heaven. He knew Jesus had died to take away sins when I asked and listened to the Gospel taking it all in and seemed to believe so I showed him the 2 circles in the booklet saying “There’s two kinds of people, people who have asked God to forgive them for their sins and trusted in Jesus so he can live inside them with His holy Spirit–then there’s the kind that think something else. Islam thinks God’s a mystery that can’t be known, and his spirit does not live inside them, so a different god. and the Buddha left his wife and kids to seek enlightenment, so it sucks if you’re his kid. So which kind of person are you or would you want to be?” The second one up to now,” he replied. So I asked if he would want to be forgiven trusting Christ and I offered him the prayer he could pray asking if he’d want to pray it between him and God like I wasn’t even there. “Yeah I think so,” he said taking the booklet from me and he took off his sunglasses and closed his eyes praying, read some more and prayed until the end saying, “Amen.” I explained to him if he was trusting in the righteousness of Christ to be his righteousness the likelihood he would go to Heaven was 100%. He smiled at that. I gave him 20 Things God Can’t Do and wrote his name and the date in the front and “By the Spirit’s Power. I reached out and shook his hand and said, “God bless you.”  “See ya,” he said. “I’ll see you in Heaven.” I said as he walked away and he turned and smiled.

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

In Him

Bob,

Hey Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

I hope you were blessed today with all good things. I had a good day on campus and Jimmy and Luis each prayed with me to receive Jesus.

 A fire alarm had gone off and a couple of the buildings were clearing out but the PE building is only attached by a tunnel so I walked in there and found

Jimmy standing and leaning against a pillar in the PE lounge upstairs. He was Latino in appearance, thin, shorter than me by half a head wearing shorts and a t-shirt, fair with his dark hair making bangs, hair cut up over his ears, nice looking guy.  He said he’d’ done survey’s twice when I asked so I said, “Yeah this isn’t about that it is how you get to heaven, so would you like to know how to get to heaven from the Bible. He said he would so I began to go through the Gospel with him. He knew Jesus had died for his sins and I explained how Christ’s blood cleansed us from sin he asked, “Is that what the Eucharist is about?” he asked. Saying it commemorated Christ’s death I said,”The wafer is symbolic of His body,” and the Wine of His blood, he finished for me “But is is only symbolic,” I said and he agreed. I said he could use that time of the Mass, even if he’d been a bit foggy on Sunday to remember that Jesus had died for him and to be thankful.  I said he needed to receive Christ and he said he would want to be forgiven. He went to Catholic Church so I asked if he had been trusting in Christ dying for him and He said after some dialogue, “The idea was there but I never made the connection.” He realized he had not trusted in Christ and decided to do so after I suggested that agreeing with everything growing up was part of who he was but when he becomes a man he has to make up his own mind about how he will relate to God. He silently prayed to receive Christ. He took the Book 20 Things God Can’t Do And I explained the Holy Spirit in the Christian life and wrote “By the Spirit’s Power” in the front. I gave him a Bible putting his name in the front and the day and showed him the “Where to Turn” section to look things up and gave him a Bible Study. He shook my hand and thanked me for my prayers and I headed out.

Luis was sitting in the hall in the Science building they were going over a test he’d missed in his class it seemed. He had on red trainer shoes, t-shirt, jeans and a ball cap. He was tall dark hair with a beard and mustache. Good looking guy, nice smile, he looked a bit older. He said he came from a 7th day Adventist Church but hadn’t been much of late having a conflicting work schedule. He said, “I feel like for most people it’s about being able to party late on Saturday night and not be hung over for church on Sunday.” So it would seem the piety of his church tradition had pretty much broken down. When I asked him what he would say to God to get into Heaven he said, “I never hurt anybody in this life…” “So you had pretty good break-ups?” I put in jokingly. “Well, I never attacked anybody.” He said. He listened to the Gospel and knew Jesus had died for his sins. I explained the imputed righteousness of Christ and that he had to be perfect saying, “So it isn’t what good works you do, or things you haven’t done,” realizing he hadn’t said he’d done anything but had kind of weakly said he hadn’t beaten anyone up. “But it is that Jesus is good and you are connected to Him.” And so I offered him the option to be forgiven and have God live inside him or “Did he think something else.” He didn’t seem to follow at first asking what the options were again so I asked, “Do you believe Jesus is God, He died for your sins and rose from the dead?” He said he did. “Would you want to trust in that to be forgiven for your sins? He said he would so  I walked him through the prayer asking if he would want to pray it silently. Thinking he said, nodding affirmingly, “I think so,” almost as if he was just realizing it. And he prayed. I gave him a Bible Study and the Book 20 Things God Can’t Do  I explained the Holy Spirit in the Christian life to him too and wrote “By the Spirit’s Power” in the front. He needed to get back to class and I got up to leave and said I would see him in heaven and he smiled.

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

In Him,

Bob

Hey Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

I hope you had a good day walking by the Spirit’s powers through the trials of today and could rest in Him. I had a good day on campus and two guys Mason and Tom each prayed to receive Christ.

Mason was sitting in the southeast corner lounge of the second floor of the BIC killing some time until his class. I asked him if he wanted to do a survey for our Bible Study group and he agreed and got up to go wherever the survey was and I said it’s cool right here, “You just tell me what you think…” He had dark hair slicked back short on the sides, he’d grown a couple days of a beard and had shaved the mustache. Good looking kid wearing cargo shorts and a red shirt and sandals. He said he like to be “classy”. It turned out he was attending church and a Bible study a couple times a week. Unfortunately he was attending “Second City” which is the college group of the “Chicago Church of Christ”. They are a works salvation cult effectively, though some genuine Christians may be in the Church. The teach that you must be baptized and do good works to go to Heaven. Only secondarily if at all in my experience talking with them do they mention the atoning work of Christ. When I asked Mason what he would say to God if asked why he should let him into Heaven he said, “I wouldn’t have a reason because I’m not baptized yet.” He thought the likelihood he would go to Heaven was 0% saying as if it was God talking, “You can’t join Heaven if you have not pursued My work.” I imagine that is something they say at meetings. But of course the work of God is not limited to categories one would typically think of as a ministry. And being a good employee, or parent, sibling, student whatever are not the works of righteousness unless the Christian does them in the power of the Spirit. I went through the Gospel with him and he knew Jesus had died for his sins and wanted to be forgiven. When I showed him the option her said, “The one on the right.” Which was a circle with Christ living inside him, but he had not been trusting in Christ for forgiveness. I walked him through the prayer asked if he wanted to pray and he said, “Yeah.” And he prayed to receive Christ. As he finished I said, “Your sins are forgiven. Not because I say so but because God’s word does.” It was then I found out what Bible study he went to so I cautioned him against the legalism of Second City.  I said I had gone through the Gospel with some of the leaders i the past.  They had answered the question of why they went to Heaven appealing to Baptism and their own good works.  Only when I finished going through the Gospel with them did they agree saying, “Well of course Jesus had to die to take away sins.” I told him the parable of the Wedding Banquet [Matthew 22] explaining the wedding clothes were the Righteousness of Christ which we are clothed in not our own righteousness [Gal. 3:27]. I told him how Christ said “I never knew you.” to people who had appealed to their religious works of casting out demons prophecy and miracles. I generally helped him see that yes he should be baptized, but if he walked out in the parking lot and was killed by a car he would go to Heaven though he was not yet baptized. He was saved by faith and should do good works but only those done in the power of the Spirit please God, not those done in our own strength. We had a long conversation about how we sometime failed in trying to please God and I explained to him that now he could ask God to change him and the Christian life was not just trying hard but living “Inside Out” by God’s power. I gave him a Bible Study and 20 Things God Can’t Do writing his name and the date he had trusted Christ in the front and “By the Power of the Spirit”. He gave me his phone number and got up to head to class and I said, “I’ll see you in heaven.” “He turned and smiling said, “There’ll be a big banquet too!” “And we’ll have classy duds,” I replied. He laughed and went off to class.

Tom was sitting at a table in the downstairs of the PE lounge. He was a big dude with freckles and strawberry blonde hair, mustache and beard, said he wanted to play in the NFL. He had a ball cap on shorts and a hoodie. He’d been to church in Georgia and Wisconsin when he lived there but now just read the Bible on his own. When I asked him what he would say to God to get into Heaven if he died he said, “I would say, ‘I know I’ve sinned in my life. I’ve also helped my community, [and] pushed people to do their best.'” He thought he had about a 95% chance of going to Heaven. He understood that Jesus had died to take away his sins and seemed to be familiar with the Gospel. After I finished explaining everything to him I said, if he wanted to trust in what Jesus had done, there was a prayer he could pray.  I walked him through it and said. “Say for some strange reason I had to take a class here and you were in it and some girl in it said to me that she thought you were good looking and asked me to give you her number. So I did. And you got to know her, studied together, had coffee together in a group but you never called her up. You’d have a relationship with her, because you were friends but you would not be in a relationship with her. A lot of people who go to church are like that with God, they believe He is their creator, they know the stories in the Bible and believe them, but they have never trusted in Him for forgiveness. So I know you knew the story [of what Jesus had done] but were you trusting in it to be forgiven or is that something you still need to do?” I had pointed out earlier that his answer to the question had been an appeal to his good works. “I still have to do that,” he replied. So I offered him the prayer and he silently prayed to receive Christ. We talked about how there was a Bible study with one of the coaches and I encouraged him to go (turned out it is Monday nights. This year Football practice is in the morning so I said we had pizza and he could come to ours too but no pressure. He gave me his e-mail and I gave him a Bible Study and 20 Things God Can’t Do writing his name and the date he had trusted Christ in the front and “By the Power of the Spirit” explaining the life in Christ and the fruit of the Spirit. I said that he could ask God to give him skills on the field and even ask to play in the NFL and if it is not something that would be bad for him God might give that to him and that I would pray that for him too for the next school year and the year after. I suggested somethings he could read in the Bible. I explained that if he was trusting in Christ’s righteousness to be his it was 100% he would go to heaven. He smiled at that and as he got up he should my hand and said, “Thanks for the talk.” And he headed into the meeting.

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

In Him,

Bob

Hey Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I hope you day was blessed. I had a good day at school and had an opportunity to plant a few seeds though no one came to Christ.

Gucleen looked Indian with ripped jeans on wearing a black baseball cap turned backwards had a cute smile who is from a Sikh family and Anma a Muslim girl from Pakistan were sitting on the steps by the book store. I got to go through the Gospel with Gucleen who originally said she did not believe in God saying she could not see Him. “There are other things you cannot see, have you ever been in love? Going through life only believing in things you can see won’t work very well.” This seemed to provoke her into listening to the gospel and at the end she said she thought she might like to be forgiven with God living inside her and she took the student edition of The Case for Christ to read. I talked Anma (who hadn’t heard much of what I’d said busy on her computer, sitting beside us) through some issues in the Quran. The description of Mohamed’s home town is of ancient Petra not Medina I explained and the Quran endorses the NT. Mohamed tells his followers to check his teaching against the Bible and Gospels. I told her I believed the Mohamed’s teaching had been changed not the Bible telling her we had the entire Bible in ancient manuscripts and knew it had not been changed by the time of Mohamed. She misstated that the Quran taught the Bible had been changed and I explained to her the Quran does not hold up to western academic scrutiny and that 20% of it was unintelligible in Arabic which would suggest it had been translated from another document in another language. She also had long dark hair but her head was uncovered, she wore all black, jeans and a black shirt. She was deceptive about the reason why women cover up in her country unwilling to say it was dangerous for Christians in Pakistan. I pointed out how a Christian based country treated women better and protected the weak. She seemed to be given pause over my statements and I said many students of Muslim background I had met were searching after watching YouTube stuff on the Quran. I don’t know how much I got through to her but she took a pamphlet Jesus and the Quran.

Later Patrick a guy in the Hall way of the BIC  sitting on the floor heard the Gospel and took The Case for Christ. He had sandy hair parted on the side, chin length with sideburns wore Jeans and a t-shirt. He was well informed and knew the faith pretty well and was open to learning more.

Saleh (sa-lay) Heard the Gospel, a Muslim he had thinning hair and braces, a round oval face, nice guy he also took Jesus and the Quran. He was sitting in the Cafeteria and hopefully he’ll read more.

So thanks for your prayers for the ministry and for evangelism today if you had a chance I had some good conversations and felt God’s blessing.

In Him,

Bob

Hey Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I hope your day was blessed i the Lord. 3 students prayed with me to receive Christ today. An Indian guy Thomas and two Roman Catholic Girls Daisy and Caitlin. 21 peeps have prayed with me to receive Christ this school year.  Counting Joe, the guy who was seal coating the parking lot last Friday around the deck I was staining at Mission Eurasia in town.

Thomas was sitting in the hall of the BIC building at the end of one of the bench seats. He wore a polo shirt and tan pants, wore glasses and had his hair combed back (both Clark Kent style) and had a beard that did not meet his mustache. Nice friendly face, good looking guy on the small side. If an Indian guy is named “Thomas” there is a pretty good chance he came from a Christian background in southern India where tradition holds the original Thomas the Apostle brought the Gospel, probably arriving by boat. Thomas was from a Christian background and knew the Gospel. He wanted to help others in life. When I asked him what he would say to God if He asked ”Why should I let you into heaven?” he said, “I wouldn’t say anything He’s the one that chooses. It’s my actions that determine (my eternal destiny). I would probably unintentionally lie [If I tried to say I was good] because I would want to go to heaven but He would know that I did unknowingly.” When I explained imputation and went through the Gospel he was in agreement and knew Jesus had died, but I pointed out that though he knew Jesus had died for him it seemed like in his answer he was really trusting that his own righteousness would carry him, not the righteousness of God by faith. He suddenly realized that had been true and he decided he wanted to pray to receive Jesus. I explained the life in the Spirit living Inside out and that if he was trusting in Christ’s righteousness and not his own the likelihood he would go to Heaven was 100%. I gave him 20 Things God Can’t Do writing his name and the date he had trusted Christ in the front and a Bible Study. He was interested to come to our Bible Study so I hope he will come. He seemed like a nice guy. As I got up to leave he shook my hand and said, “Thanks very much. Nice to meet you.” And I said he was welcome and it was nice to meet him too.

Daisy was sitting in the Science building lounge in one of the built in benches that overlooks the floor beneath. She had long dark straight hair parted in the middle, wearing black plastic framed glasses with an oval, kind face. She went to Catholic Church most weeks it seemed. Dressed in black she wore yoga pants and a fleece. When I asked her what she would say to God if He asked “Why should I let you into heaven?” she said. I would say I haven’t done anything wrong that wouldn’t let me go up to Heaven. I wouldn’t want to say I deserve it but I kinda feel like I do.” But she still only thought she had about a 60% chance of getting into Heaven. We talked a bit but her class was going to start so I quickly made the points I like to make in explaining the Gospel saying that she did not go to Heaven because she was good but because Jesus was good and she was connected to Him. I hoped I was not rushing too much but she wanted to be forgiven with Christ inside her so I asked, “Do you believe Jesus is God, He died for your sins and rise from the Dead?” She said she did and so I asked if she would want to trust in that and be forgiven there was a prayer she could pray.  I offered it to her after explaining it saying she could pray it right then and be forgiven. “Now,” she replied. “Yes just in your heart where God can hear you though not so I hear.” “OK,” she replied and prayed to receive Christ. She did not have her own Bible and so I gave her one putting her name and the date saying that she could remember that was when she had been forgiven. I showed her the “Where to Turn” section in the back that lists verses for specific questions. I also gave her 20 Things God Can’t Do writing By the Power of the Spirit” in the front having explained to her the power by which we live the Christian life. She thanked me and we parted.

I went to the truck to get some books then and got another Bible. I was pretty tanked but thought I would look for one more person and headed about with no takers until I got the PE building lounge 20 min. later. Caitlin was sitting on a bench seat facing the downstairs railing, turned a bit to the wall having plugged in her phone there. She had blonde hair in a flip ending in tube curls like horizontal pipes resting on her shoulders, parted on the side with bangs swept across her forehead, cute kid. She might have just finished working out as she had layered on a couple tank tops and wore running shorts. She did not want to do a survey and I said that’s cool and turned away and she asked, “What sect (of Christianity) is this? .” I said it was christian and offered her a booklet and began to explain the Gospel a little saying God wanted to live inside her with His holy Spirit and take away her sins. Then she asked something like, “How would you say that happens?” I guess God knew how tired I was and was helping me with promptings. So I sat down and explained how Jesus died in her place for her sins and His blood was like a power in the world that cleansed her from her sin and the death it had created inside her. I explained that then God could live in her as she matched God having become His type. “Do you understand what I mean?” Absolutely,” she replied. “My problem is that I don’t reach out to God enough,” she said. She said she did a reading each day and meditated on it. It unfortunately turned out she was reading Jesus Calling which is a popular devotional book. The author claims she is looking for something more than the Bible and has used channeling like in the new age book God Calling which uses occult practices of automatic writing.  I warned Caitlin that she should not read Jesus Calling but read the Bible instead and that the author, Sarah was letting a spirit communicate to her but apart from the Bible she could not know who that Spirit was and that she had gotten some things wrong. I explained living by the Spirit inside her and asked if she had trusted in that Jesus died for her sins so that God could forgive her and live inside her and give her the strength to live the Christian life. “I never thought about it that way before,” she replied. Then she could pray for God to remind her to call on Him and it wasn’t so much reaching out to Him but more reaching into Him inside her where she could ask him to transform her. I held up my hand showing her my wedding ring explaining that I was in a relationship with my wife, that I could have a relationship with her–we could meet up and have coffee once in a while or something but I could not be in q relationship with her as I already was married. You have a relationship with God but you can be in one if you trust in Jesus for forgiveness. I said if she would like to trust in Christ there was a prayer she could pray and walked her through it and she prayed to receive Christ. I gave her a Bible showing her the “Where to Turn” section in it. I wrote her name and the date saying she could know that was the day she was forgiven. She looked at her phone and had to leave so I gave her the book 20 Things God Can’t Do writing “By the Spirit’s Power” in the front and explaining that to her. I had to let her go wishing I could say more and told her I would keep her in my prayers and she said, “Thank you. Bless you, you did a good thing.” I said she was welcome and maybe I would see her around and headed out the doors into the sunshine.

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

In Him,

Bob