Hey Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I hope you had a blessed day and Spring feels right around the corner. I had a good day on campus and Kyran (ki rin) prayed to receive Jesus today. I also walked a student around doing evangelism and answer his questions for a while. Kyran’s story is below if you have the time, please pray he grows in his faith.

 An African American guy, Kyran, was the first person I spoke to today. He was sitting in an armchair across the hall from the offices outside of the continuing education rooms. He was wearing jeans and a black jacket. He had some multi colored Nike high tops on his feet. He had 6-inch braids and a narrow face with a bit of a beard under his chin and a slight mustache. He was a thin guy not quite my height, good lookin’ kid. Since he sat in the only chair against the wall, I sat at his feet. I asked him one thing he wanted to do before he died and said, “Have a strong relationship with God.” He said he wasn’t going to Church though he had as a kid. I asked him what he would say to God to get into Heaven. “That’s a good question, “he said thinking about it and then said, “I tried to follow your life as close as possible.” I asked the likelihood he would go to heaven and he thought he had a 50/50 chance. I explained knowing God was being one with Him and God could not be in the same place as sin that God had to take away his sin. When I asked what Jesus had done to take away the sins of the world he said, “He died for us.” I agreed that the blood of Jesus cleansed us and had paid God for all we had done. I explained the righteousness of God Jesus earned that was too our credit when God adopts us. We must receive Christ and believe Jesus is God; He died for our sins and rose from the dead. “Not that you just know the story but that that’s what you put your trust in to be forgiven. So if someone would ask you, ‘Why should God let you into Heaven?’ you’d say, ‘Because Jesus died for me.” I asked him if he’d want to be forgiven for his sins trusting in what Jesus had done. “Then God would live inside you and give you strength and take you to Heaven when you died. Or do you think something else?” “That one for sure,” he said, pointing to the circle with God inside. So I said if he wanted to be forgiven there was a prayer he could pray. I talked him through it and asked if he thought it expressed the desire of his heart. He nodded looking at it. I said he could pray it silently. “Wanna do that?” I asked. He nodded again and took the booklet and prayed to receive Christ. When he was finished I showed him there was more about faith in the booklet and then explained the Christian life to him praying and reading the Bible asking for forgiveness. He said he had a Bible. I explained also living By the Spirit’s power Inside out asking God to transform him on the inside so he’d do good things on the outside. I said I had some books to give him and for some reason offered him a Bible though he had one. I showed it to him, that there were study aids in the back and he said I said, “That’s way better than my Bible.” I was glad he thought it would be useful. So I gave it to him after I wrote his name and the date and “forgiven!” in the front. I also gave him Bible Promises for You and The Case for Christ Answer Booklet. I gave him a Bible study explaining it a bit. It turned out we’d gone to late and he was a little late for class. I told him I would keep him in my prayers each day and that the likelihood now he would go to Heaven was 100% trusting in the blood and righteousness of Jesus. I said, “Have a good one,” and shook his hand. “Thanks. You too,” he said and he hustled off down the hall.

 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 your day was blessed and God gave you grace in everything. Daniel prayed to receive Christ today and I touched base with many of the students who have trusted in Jesus this year one by one as I walked around.  I encouraged a couple Christians helping one to gain more assurance of salvation, Jesus [hey seus] thanked me and was grateful to go through the gospel again. Daniel’s story is below if you have some time. Please pray he grows in his faith.

 Daniel was sitting along the wall on the south side of the science building eating some lunch looking out to the North through the windowed walls. He was wearing black sweats and a grey shirt. He had rectangle frames on his glasses and had short hair maybe a half inch. His mustache was thin and combed lengthwise, one end turned up a bit. He had an oval face. He was friendly and went to a Polish language church that was Roman Catholic. He was a friendly guy but struggled to find words to describe himself. He seemed to plan to write/design some computer games. I asked him what he would say to God if he died and God asked, “Why should I let you into Heaven?” “I’ve tried to live a life that’s good, tried to leave the place better or at least more advanced than when I came to it.” I asked him what the likelihood was he would get into Heaven and he said, “40% maybe 50/50.  Saying God wanted to know him (live inside him) I asked what Jesus had done to take away the sins of the world so God could live in him. “He was a sacrifice for sin,” he replied. He listened to the Gospel as I explained it and seemed to agree. He put in during the Gospel that you go to purgatory when you die before you go to Heaven. I said there were Catholics that taught that and some who didn’t. (I’ve gone to several funerals for Roman Catholics where the priest said the dead individual was in Heaven.) “Well that’s what I was told,” he said off handedly. So I said, “You could believe that if you wanted to, the Bible says this,” and I went on to explain the Gospel and the righteousness of God from the scriptures. [As an aside, I didn’t go into the details of purgatory, which I’ve read in the Catholic Encyclopedia. It’s described just like Hell; you burn there and the average person will be cleansed or purged there for 1000 years. Purgatory is pretty discouraging to look forward to. But if you believed on Jesus as the only way you could be forgiven but still believed God was going to cleanse you in Purgatory you would still be saved, and pleasantly surprised when you died.] I explained that the righteousness Jesus earned was to his credit and God adopted him and gave him the blessings of His family. “He gives you the sacrifice for your sins the blood that cleanses you and the righteousness of God that surrounds you. So you got some place to go, Heaven, and something to wear when you get there, the righteousness of God,” I explained. I said that we needed to receive Jesus, believing that He was God, had died for our sins and rose from the dead. “Not that you just know the story but that that that’s what you put your trust in so that if someone were to ask you why God should let you into Heaven you’d say, “Because Jesus died for me.” In the end I asked him, “When you prayed for forgiveness for your sins are you thinking I hope I’m be good enough to get in, or are you thinking I know I’ll be forgiven because Jesus died for me. Or you don’t know.” “I don’t really think when I’m praying I just try to get the words of the prayer right,” He replied. “Now after hearing this though I would hope for forgiveness.” I said if he wanted to be forgiven there was a prayer he could pray and I talked him through it. I asked if it was the desire of his heart. “I think it is,” he replied. I said if he wanted he could pray it silently and know he was forgiven and asked if he wanted to do that. “Probably,” he said taking the booklet. I wasn’t sure he was going to pray it or would just ask to keep it but he read it through again and then prayed it and crossed himself as he finished. I offered him Bible Promises for You he said he had a similar small book in polish with prayers for different occasions. He makes a rectangle with his fingers and it seemed the book was like a Gideon’s New Testament in size.  I said he could have this one in English and wrote his name and the date and “forgiven!” in the front. “So this prayer is the first prayer you’ve prayed in English?” I asked. “Probably,” he replied. “I only pray in Polish.” He said he’d look for Strobel’s stuff on line. I gave him a Bible Study on the Deity of Christ. I said that now trusting in the blood of Jesus and His righteousness the likelihood he would get into Heaven was 100%. I told him I would pray a Bible verse for him each day and if I saw him around I’d give him a wave. He said, “OK,” and I headed off.

 So thanks for your prayers for the ministry and to guide me doing evangelism today if you had a chance. God blessed the work and I walked in what He prepared beforehand.

In Him,

Bob

Hey Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I hope you had a great day marching with the righteous. I had a good day on campus an older black student with a beard Darian was close to receiving the Lord and James a Filipino students prayed with me to receive Jesus. His story is below if you have time. Please pray he grows in the faith.

 James was sitting at a counter height table overlooking the MAC lounge in the Art building. There’s a new Japanese display with patio lanterns, which is kinda cool. He seemed to be killing time waiting for a ride. He said he was going to go in a bit but had a few moments. He was a small, some Filipinos I meet really are not very big folks. He was wearing khaki cargo pants and a Black t-shirt on with a picture of a boxer with his taped hands raised after a fight. Boxing is one of the favorite sports in the Philippians I’ve read. He had a mop of a longish pixy cut dark hair parted down the middle, a boyish good-looking face and a Michael Jordan thin mustache. He wanted to make sure his family was stable financially and was a man of few words. I asked him what he would say to God to get into Heaven if he died. “I wouldn’t know how to answer that,” he replied. I asked him the likelihood he would go to Heaven. “I also would be unsure,” he replied. I began to go through the Gospel with him saying that eternal life was knowing God [John 17:3]. I said the problem is sin and asked what is the big thing Jesus does that takes away your sin. “He puts His seed in you?” he relied. “Also because you truly believe and know.” I said “Well, this is how it works” and I began to explain how Jesus had died and his blood and His life were worth an infinite amount because he is God. “He fulfilled prophecy,” he put in. I agreed all that Jesus did was prophesied. I went on to say this cleansed us from sin and that when He poured out his blood it paid God for all the imperfect things we had done we owed God something perfect for. I explained the righteousness of God and receiving Christ in believing on His name. “So if someone were to ask you why God should let you into Heaven you’d say, because Jesus died for me.” I’d explained that the righteousness of God Christ earn was to our credit too. I asked if he wanted to be forgiven trusting in what Jesus had done or thought something else. He said he wanted to be the field Jesus talked about in Matthew. I thought in that moment he meant some kind of new age force. I was a little tired today. Then he said, ‘The soil.” I realized he had heard a sermon on the parable of the Sower and wanted to be the field that produced 100-fold because it had the right soil. I guess I missed the metaphor as Christ is talking about different soils in the same field, which represented the ministry of His own teaching among the Jews before the Spirit entered into people who believed and sealed them. I said then if he wanted to be forgiven there was a prayer he could pray and I talked him through it saying then the Holy Spirit would enter him and he could be the soil in the field that produced 100-fold. I asked if the prayer expressed the desire of his heart. “It does yes,” he replied. I said he could pray it silently; I wouldn’t hear him but God would hear and he’d know he was forgiven and asked if he wanted to do that. “Yeah,” he replied and he prayed to receive Jesus. I pulled out some books quickly and put his name and the date and “forgiven!” in the front as he answered the phone telling him his ride was there. I showed him what I had written in front and told him I would pray for him. I gave him The Case for Christ Answer Booklet and I gave him a Bible Study showing him the prophecy Jesus had fulfilled in the beginning. I shook his hand saying I would see him in Heaven and he said, “thank you” and I headed out.

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

In Him,

Bob

Hey Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

I hope your day was a blessed one standing on the promises of God. I had a good day on campus and Josh prayed to receive Jesus today so I’m grateful. I had a long talk about religion and the truth with Ricky too. He took a lot of info on prophecy Jesus fulfilled and so that was great. He had a wavy mop of brown hair, an earring with a cross hanging on it in his left ear and a couple days growth of beard, tan skin. He was writing a paper on religion and that’s how we began talking. He sat at the counter in the cafeteria.

 Josh was sitting on one of the bench couches on the edge of the pit in the middle of the Science building lounge. I asked if he wanted to do a survey about what he thought about God and he agreed. He said, “I always believed in God, specifically Jesus,” he replied. I said that’s the God I am speaking about. He was waiting for his girlfriend (Mayra) to get out of class though he did not take classes at present. He wore a yellow windbreaker with a black fleece lining and black sweats. He had full cheeks and a very neatly trimmed beard. The hair on the side of his head was in a fade and the top was short curls. He was an averaged size guy, fuller than me. He said he wanted to get closer to God and his aunt had been inviting him to church events but he’d been sick for the last couple, he had yet to go. He’d never been to church otherwise. She had been Catholic but now attended what he called a “Christian Church”.  I asked what he would say to God if he died and He asked, “Why should I let you into Heaven?” “That’s a good one,” he replied. He thought for a minute and said, “I’m here to give up my whole self to you, that’s all I could probably think to say.”  I asked how likely it was he thought he would get into Heaven. He thought and said, “Thinking about it I’ve done good things but I’ve also lied and stolen so taken all together I’d say 30%.” I began to go through the Gospel with him and said “knowing God” was that He lived inside him and this was eternal life. I said the problem was sin and God could not be in the same place as sin. So He took it away. I asked if he knew what Jesus had done to take away his sin, asking if his aunt had ever mentioned it. He didn’t think his conversations with his aunt had gone that deep. So I began to explain the blood of Christ as a sacrifice for his sins that cleansed him and paid for what we owed God after wrecking His stuff. I explained that Jesus earned the righteousness of God and it was to his credit when God adopted him. We are all children of God in one sense as Paul says in Acts we are His offspring. But if we place our trust in the name of Jesus, that He is God died for our sins and rose from the dead we have the rights of a child of God. If he did that that would mean he had faith. The Bible says this is a gift of God by His grace. I asked if he would want to be forgiven placing his trust in Jesus or if he thought something else. “Definitely that one,” he said of the circle with Christ inside you on the throne of your life. I said if he wanted to be forgiven there was a prayer he could pray and I read it through to him and read the line, “Does this prayer express the desire of your heart? Do you think it does?” He said it did so I said he could pray it silently and know he was forgiven. “Yeah cool,” he said and prayed to receive Jesus. I explained the Christian life to him. He did not have a Bible so I gave him a NKJV and showed him the study helps in back to help him find things. I wrote his name and the date and “forgiven!” in the front. He was really grateful as it seemed he only had a New Testament; he had just started to read it. I also gave him Bible Promises for You and The Case for Christ Answer Booklet and a Bible Study to read saying he could do it with his girlfriend who I met briefly and seemed stressed about school. I explained living the Christian life by the Spirit’s Power “Inside Out”. I said I would pray a Bible Verse for him each day from now until Spring and one year after. I explained to him that now trusting in Jesus’ righteousness to be his righteousness. “Thank you for this I think this wasn’t an accident,” he said. “Maybe your aunt is praying for you?” I put in with a smile. He didn’t seem to think so but I bet she is.  “Thank you for doing this I think this will encourage a lot of people.” I said he was welcome and I 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

Hey Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

I hope your weekend was blessed with God things in the company of the Lord. I had some distractions and doctor appointments and am behind. On Thursday the 27^th, I talked with a Muslim guy Taha for 2 and a half hours and Natalie prayed with me to receive Christ. The things she said are below if you have the time. Please pray she grows in her faith. Taha (a short/slight Pakistani guy 23yrs old, here without his parents, had a short beard and mustache) asked me to pray for him after we had gone through the Gospel. He had many questions.  I explained that the Muslim belief that Jesus did not die on the cross did not change just one story but negated all the content of the New Testament. I said, “If I told you my wife’s name was Sarah and you saw me later and said you got a new girlfriend named Sarah I might say, ‘You’re dating my wife!’ But then you might say she had Brown hair and was from Lebanon and I’d reply my wife is blonde from Norway. Same name different Girl.” I explained that just because a Christian Arab used the name Allah for God did not mean he had the same God as he did. I gave him a Bible study and a Rose Publication one why the Bible is reliable looking at manuscripts. He believed he had verifiable dreams and I asked him if he had a dream of Jesus if he would believe it. He basically said he would so I am praying he will be directed that way. As we parted he said maybe we could get together and pray. “We’d be praying to different people,” I replied. “You’re praying to the brown-haired girl I’m praying to the blonde.” He remembered the analogy from an hour earlier and we parted amicably.

 Natalie was sitting in some sofa chairs in the hallway along the bookstore with a circular ottoman in front of her. She had on a purple fleece half zipped up over a t-shirt and black leggings that flared out at the ankles. She had brown hair just past her jawline, kind of wavy and tucked behind her ears. I told her she looked like the actress Natalie Wood her jaw was a bit more squared. She said a lot of people told her that. Her face really lit up when she smiled but she was very sober through the Gospel. When I asked her one thing she would do to get into Heaven she basically said she was kind to others. She thought she had a 50/50 chance of getting into Heaven. She went to, what she called, a Christian Church with friends some times. When I asked her what Jesus had done to take away her sins she knew He had died. She tracked right through with explaining Christ’s death as a payment to God. His blood cleansed her. The righteousness of Christ would be to her credit when God adopted her and gave her the blessings of His family. I said she was saved by faith and her good stuff could not fix her bad stuff. I asked her if she wanted to be forgiven and showed her two circles one with God inside her one with God outside her. “Be forgiven,” she said, “I’ve been trying to get closer to God.” So I said if she wanted to be forgiven there was a prayer she could pray and talked her through it. I asked if it was the desire of her heart. “Yeah,” she replied and I said then she could pray it silently and she said, “OK,” and prayed to receive Jesus. I told her then the likelihood she would now get into Heaven was 100% trusting in the blood of Jesus and His righteousness to be hers. I explained the Christian life living by the Spirit’s power in prayer and circumstances and I explained Christianity was “inside out”. First we pray for God to transform us on the inside then we become good people and do good things on the outside. I gave her Bible Promises for You writing her name and the date and forgiven!” on the inside. She thanked me and then I gave her The Case for Christ Answer Booklet and a Bible Study and ways Jesus claims to be the God of the Old Testament. I talked to her about being a Child of God and the beauty in everyone I see. I apologized then for keeping her and she said that was fine and I got up to go. “Thanks so much I really appreciate it,” she said and I thanked her and, “You’re welcome,” and headed off.

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

In Him,

Bob

Hey Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I hope your day was blessed and you walked with God in Christ. I had a good day on campus and Jess prayed to receive Jesus today. Her story is below and if you have some time. Please pray she grows in her faith.

 I met Jess in the lounge between the science and health buildings. She was wearing blue scrubs and was tall and thin had long, stick straight, brown hair and a pretty face with a pug nose a bit flat across the top. She wore no make-up, which I think is standard in you are a woman in one of the nursing or medical programs like dental hygiene. She was sitting on a couch with no back against the pit in the middle they’ve now filled with tables. She said she didn’t have much time before class so I said, “Well I’ll just ask you the main question.” So I asked, “Say you’re and walking down the road and you get hit by a bus, so you’re dead and you stand before God and He asks, ‘Why should I let you into Heaven?’ What would you say?” “Umm, I would say I feel like I’ve become a faithful servant, a good disciple, a good representative of who you are. I do what’s right. I feel like I’ve extended the same grace you gave me. I’d ask His forgiveness for anything I did wrong,” she replied. I explained to her that Christianity wasn’t what she did to be forgiven but what God had done. I began to go through the Gospel with her. Showing her the verses that God loved her and wanted to know and live inside her. But first, like a blood transfusion God had to make her his type by taking away her sin. So I asked what Jesus had done to take away her sins. She knew his had died. So I explained that his blood cleansed her and was a payment to God. I explained the righteousness of God that was to her credit and that God adopted her. I went pretty quick and left out a couple illustrations. But wrote all the verses of His blood and righteousness. I told her that to be in Heaven we had to be perfect. She would not go to Heaven because she was good but because Jesus was good and she was connected to Him.  I explained receiving Jesus by faith, “believing that Jesus is God, died for your sins and rose from the dead, not that you just know the story but that that is what you place you trust in to be forgiven so if someone would ask you ‘Why should God let you into Heaven?’ You’d say, ‘Because Jesus died for me.’” I explained being saved by faith and that her good stuff would not fix her bad stuff. I asked if she would want to be forgiven trusting in what Jesus had done. She said she would. I asked if when she asked for forgiveness for her sins if she was hoping she had done enough of the right religious things or if she thought “I know I’ll be forgiven because Jesus died for me.” She replied, “I was going to a Catholic Church that taught that but I have been going to a Christian Church with my Boy Friend now. I’m still learning.” So I said if she had not told God she would want to be forgiven trusting in what Jesus had done there was a prayer she could pray and I walked her through it and said if she wanted to she could pray it silently, I wouldn’t hear her but God would hear and she’d know she was forgiven. “Say it in my head?” she asked. “Yes, God can read your thoughts so he will hear you,” I replied. She took the booklet then and prayed to receive Jesus. I told her then Ephesians 1:13 says as soon as you believe the Spirit lives inside you and seals you so He will never leave you. I explained the Christian life to her praying and reading the Bible. “I’m reading through the whole Bible right now,” she replied. “I’m not doing it just to be able to say I read it but to understand it as I read.” I said that was great and it takes a while. I said everything was by the Spirit’s power and Christianity was Inside out, not outside in, she could ask God to change her on the inside and then she would become a good person and do good things on the outside. I gave her The Case for Christ Answer Booklet she had heard of Strobel and I said he had other things on line but she could look at the chapters when she had time and she might fine one she was interested in. I also gave her Bible Promises for You and wrote her name and the date and “forgiven!” in the front. I then gave her a Bible study saying she could do it with her Boy Friend and explained Jesus claimed to be the same God as the God of the Old Testament by what he said and did. I told her I would pray for her each day from now until Spring and one year after and asked her Boy Friends name. “Tony,” she replied. I said I’d pray for him too and hopefully in a year they would still be together and she said that was the goal. “Well, thank you, I gotta go,” she said shaking my hand. “Ok,” I said and she hurried off to class.

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

 In Him,

Bob

Hey Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I hope you have had great day walking with the Lord and in His word. I had a good day on campus Monday. Dom and I had a Bible study and set a regular time and Drew prayed with me to receive Jesus. His story is below if you have some time. Please pray he grows in his faith.

 Drew was sitting in a lounge in the BIC on the north side first floor. He was right at the entrance and was willing to do a survey. He had mid-tone brown hair, short under a ball cap he wore backwards. He had round cheeks kind of a pointed nose and looked a bit like Luka Dončić who plays for the Lakers in the NBA. He was only 6’ however I’d guess. There was a couple days growth of beard on his face and he was wearing a black hoodie with black sweats. He thought he wanted to travel and went regularly to a Roman Catholic Church. I asked him what he would say to God if he died and He asked, “Why should I let you into Heaven?” “I would say, I’ve tried to live by His word in the Bible and I believe that I’ve done that.” I asked what he thought was the likelihood he would go to Heaven and he said he thought it was 85%. I began to go through the Gospel with him and he had an amused smile off and on thinking on it. I said knowing God was eternal life and that this meant God lived inside him but had to take away his sins to do so. I asked what Jesus had done to take away his sins, he began to think, “Historically,” I prompted. “He died,” he said then. “Right He died for you,” I replied and explained how Jesus’ blood had cleansed him and His righteousness was too his credit. I said all I usually say and explained that he could receive this by faith and that would mean he had the “right to become a child of God.” I showed him the two circles I explain the second one pictured first and asked if he would want to be forgiven trusting in Jesus of that second circle. In response he said, “The second one.” So I asked if when he was asking for forgiveness he hoped he would be good enough or was trusting in what Jesus had done but he didn’t understand the question and said, “ I believe but that’s why it’s faith,” So I said if he hadn’t told God he wanted to be forgiven trusting in Christ before there was a prayer he could pray and I read it through to him and saying, “I says here does this prayer express the desire of your heart. He looked hard at it then reading it again and he said, “I’d say it does.” I said he could pray it silently and know he was forgiven. “Wanna do that?” I asked. “Yeah,” he said in a matter-of-fact way. I handed him the booklet and he said, “Thank you Bob,” and prayed then to receive Christ. When he finished he said of the booklet, “Can I keep this?” I said he could and explained the Christian life, “By the Spirit’s Power” and I explained living “Inside Out” asking God to transform him. I told him in everything he should “Just ask” God wanted to help him through everything in life. I gave him Bible Promises for You writing his name and the date and forgiven. I gave him The Case for Christ Answer Booklet and a Bible Study. I told him the likelihood he would now go to Heaven trusting in the blood and righteousness of Jesus was 100%. I told him I would pray for him each day until Spring and for the next year after. He reached out and shook my hand as I got up to go. “I’ll see you in Heaven,” I said. “I’ll see you there,” he relied and I thanked him for talking to me 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

Hey Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

I hope your day was filled in joy and peace and believing, abounding in hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. I had a good day on campus and Joe prayed to receive Christ. His story is below if you have some time. Please pray he grows in his faith.

 Joe was sitting in the cafeteria playing a video game on his lap-top. He was a big dude, wearing a bright green hoodie and black pants. He wore wire rimed rectangle glasses and had a day’s growth of beard on a wide face. He had light brown hair a thick mop of curls combed back that was receding a bit. His mouth was on the small side his lips showed a bit of orange from a kind of chili in a cup he’d been eating as I’d interrupted his lunch. He was also playing a video game but he didn’t seem that interested in it as he readily talked with me.  He was a very kind guy. He asked what the survey was about and I just said the main question. “You’re walking down the road and you get hit by a bus so you’re dead and you stand before God and he says, ‘Why should I let you into Heaven?’ what would you say?” He thought about it and said he believed and had tried to be good. Trying to find out what he believed I told him in Christianity God lived inside him with His Holy Spirit. In order to do that God had to take away his sin since God could not be in the same place as sin. I asked him what God had done to take away his sins. “I don’t know,” he replied. So I asked if he would like to hear some Bible verses about how God took away his sins so he could go to Heaven. He said “OK.” So I sat down and showed him the verses where God love him and wanted to know him giving him eternal life. This meant God would live inside him so he could have eternal life. I began to explain further, the Gospel to him. The blood of Christ cleansed him and was how God got paid for what we owed Him. I explained Jesus earned the righteousness of God, which was to his credit. God adopts us and gives us the blessings of His family, the sacrifice for our sins, the blood that cleanses us and the righteousness that surrounds us. And then fills us with His holy Spirit. “So ya got some place to go Heaven, and something to wear when ya get there the righteousness of God.” I explained salvation, receiving Christ by faith. I asked if he wanted to be forgiven trusting in what Jesus had done. He said he would. I asked them if when he was praying for forgiveness if he hoped he’d be forgiven because he went to Church and that kind of stuff or if he thought he’ be forgiven because Jesus died for him. He said he most often just hoped God would forgive him but sometimes he hoped Jesus would forgive him. He wasn’t trusting in forgiveness because Jesus had died for him. So I said if he wanted to be forgiven there was a prayer he could pray I talked him through it. He decided to pray to receive Jesus. He prayed then silently to receive Christ. I asked if he went to Church. He said that his family went to 3 different Churches and he could not remember their names. I asked if they had “Saint” in their names. “Yeah,” he said. So I explained the symbolic idea behind the Mass, “The wafer represented Jesus body and the wine His blood. It is reminding you Jesus died for you so you know you are forgiven so when you take it you can just say, ‘Thank You.” “OK,” he replied. I began to explain the Christian life to Him. He did not have a Bible but wanted one so I gave him the NKJV I had and I wrote his name and the date and “forgiven!” in the front. I showed him all the study helps in it. It lists prophecies fulfilled by Jesus and His miracles and parables and a word index. I also gave him Bible Promises for You and The Case for Christ Answer Booklet explaining Strobel’s story a bit. Then I gave him a Bible study on passages where Jesus claims to be God. “Thanks so much for telling me this,” he said. I said, “Yeah sure,” I said I would see him in Heaven and if I saw him around I would just say hi. He was grateful and I headed off.

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

 In Him,

Bob

Hey Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I hope ya had a good day walking with God in the Holy Spirit. I had a good day encouraging some believers and Ashley prayed to receive Christ trusting in His work to save her. Jake had stick straight hair ruffled up bangs in the front, wearing a black t-shirt and sweats. Waiting to do a workout he was sitting in the upstairs of the PE lounge. He did not have much time so I got his response to the question and he listed some of the good things he would be known for with friends and family. I went through the Gospel with him and he said he would pray at night. I’ll hope to see him again and find out. Ashley’s story is below if you want to take the time. Please pray she grows in her faith and Jake receives the Lord.

 Ashley was sitting towards the back of the cafeteria at a table. She’s a mom and had thick stick straight thick blonde hair and a square chin. She looked to be in her mid-20’s, old enough looking that I asked if she was a student when I first asked her to do a survey. She ate her yogurt cup as we talked. She had a brown and tan thin striped sweater on and jeans, wore glasses, looked like an attractive business woman. I asked her what she would say if she died and stood before God and he asked, “Why should I let you into Heaven?” “Because I learned from my mistakes and I acted better—something I was doing wrong, I changed it,” she replied. I asked her what the likelihood was she was going to Heaven. “Highly likely,” she said. She said she prayed a lot and was very grateful. It seemed like her prayers sometimes involved her kids, asking God to help them to see she did not mean something she’d said in a negative way, possibly in frustration, but they’d think of it in a way she had intended, or later hoped so. Almost as if He would change their memories. I began to go through the Gospel with her and she agreed with the first points that God loved her and wanted her to believe in Him. Eternal life was that He would live inside her. I asked what Jesus did that took away her sins so God could live inside. “He forgives you,” she replied. I asked her what Jesus did to forgive her. “He opens your eyes so you can digest how to act better?” she replied. I said the Bible taught something different than that and went on to explain the death of Christ and his blood cleansing her and being a payment for God. She seemed to accept that but didn’t really hear it. I explained the righteousness of Christ. She heard it but I could tell she wasn’t getting it. I explained how her good stuff could not fix her bad stuff and God had to make our actions into good. I asked if when she asked for forgiveness was she thinking that she’s know she would be forgiven because Jesus died for her or hoping somehow her actions would allow for it. She reiterated that she was thinking she would try to do better and learn from her mistakes. I prayed silently that God would break through and help her see what I was saying because it wasn’t getting through. I said if she wanted to be forgiven trusting in what Jesus had done and I walked her through the prayer. She somehow didn’t really hear what I had just explained. “I do that a lot by my own words,” she replied speaking of her prayers. She said also she had felt God presence since she was very small, 5 years old. I agreed that God’s Spirit had been on her influencing her. I said this is different it is asking God to forgiven you because the blood of Jesus paid for your sins, not because of anything you do. It seemed to finally dawn on her. “That’s a different perspective I hadn’t thought of it that way before,” she replied. I said then she could pray it silently knowing she was forgiven based on what Jesus had done. She agreed and took the booklet and prayed to receive Jesus. I went on to explain the Christian life to her going to God in prayer and confessing her sins and living “By the Spirit’s Power” asking Him to change her from the inside to be made good so she’d do good things on the outside. I gave her Bible Promises for You and I wrote her name and the date and “forgiven!” saying now forgiven by His blood. I gave her The Case for Christ Answer Booklet and a Bible study on passages where Jesus claimed to be the God of the Old Testament. She thanked me. I told her I would pray a Bible Verse for her each day asking God to bless her and I’d ask for blessings for her life with her kids. She was delighted to hear that and said, “Thank you I’ll pray for you too.” “Oh thank you that would be great,” I replied. I got up to go saying I would see her in Heaven and being old I’d get there first. She laughed a bit and said, “OK I’ll see you there.” And I 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

Hey Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

I hope you day was blessed and you are resting in God’s protection and peace.  I had a good day on campus. Elizabeth and Jeremiah prayed to receive Jesus. I also went through the Gospel with Joey who had been baptized yesterday at a church that meets at school but had no assurance of salvation though he said Jesus had done for him. He did not appeal to his works but just did not seem to understand what the criteria was to go to Heaven, he just hoped it would work out.  But he understood by the time I explained some verses to him. I also told him that as soon as he believed. Eph. 1:13 said, he was sealed by the Holy Spirit and so the Spirit sealing him did not leave him, he looked the verse up on His phone and saw this was true. Since God was then one with him and God can’t go to Hell he wouldn’t go there either. He was happy to have assurance. Elizabeth and Jeremiah’s stories are below if you have time. Please pray they grow in the faith.

 Elizabeth had a round sort of flat face brown eyes and long brown hair parted down the middle. She wore a blue, fleece lined hoodie and jeans.  She was a bit heavy set and cheerful. She sat against the counter in the cafeteria looking out toward the science and health buildings. I asked her what she would say to God if she’d died and He asked, “Why should I let you into Heaven?” “I work in an animal program to help animals who are injured go back into the wild.” Later she said, speaking of it, “That’s why I’d get in,” later as we were talking. She said she went to a Lutheran Church and I said I was raised in the Lutheran Church too. I asked her what the likelihood was she would go to Heaven and she said, 50%. I began to go through the Gospel with her and asked her what Jesus had done to take away her sins so God could live inside her. “I don’t know,” she replied. As I continued to explain how Jesus lived a perfect life and His blood cleansed her and His righteousness was to her credit these facts seemed novel to her. I continued to tell her if she received these things by faith. I asked her if she would want to be forgiven or thought something else showing her the circles representing a life. She pointed to the circle with God in her life trusting in what Jesus had done saying, “That one.” I said if she wanted to be forgiven there was a prayer she could pray. I talked her through the prayer and asked if it expressed the desire of her heart. She said it did. I asked if she wanted to she could pray it right now, I wouldn’t hear her but God would hear and she’d know she was forgiven. “Wanna do it?’ I asked. “Yeah,” she replied and took the booklet and prayed to receive Jesus. I went through the Christian life with her saying everything was “By the Spirit’s Power” Then I explained asking God to transform her on the inside so she would do good things on the outside. I explained now trusting in the Blood and Righteousness of Jesus the likelihood she would go to Heaven was 100%. I gave her Bible Promises for You and wrote her name and the date and “forgiven!” on the inside. I also gave her, The Case for Christ Answer Booklet and a Bible study. I told her I would pray a Bible verse for her each day from now until Spring and one year after asking God to bless her. I got up to God and said if I saw her around I would just say “Hi.” “Thank you,” she said. “Thank you, you’re welcome,” I replied and headed off.

 Jeremiah was reclining on a hard bench under the stairs in the PE lounge. He had dreads, the longest of which was 10 inches some shorter. Most were the width of a pencil. He had a patch of beard under his chin and a mustache, sharp jaw line and a medium sized nose. Good looking guy with a very slight build. He ran sprints and short relays for the track team. He had on a black backpack that was completely stuffed and a black puffy coat, skinny jeans with a torn knee.  He said he lived in Chicago but went to church in Oak Park. He said he already went to a Bible study so I asked if he wanted to hear the big metaphysical question to think about. He said, “OK.” I asked, “So you’re walking down the road and you get hit by a bus. So you’re dead. And you stand before God and He asks, ‘Why should I let you into Heaven?’ What would you say?” “I don’t know,” he replied. I asked if he’d like to hear the Bible verses that told him how you get to Heaven. He said, “OK,” again so I got his name and he reached out and shook my hand with a solid grip. I just took out the booklet using part of it as I always do and adding, that Jesus was God, His blood cleansed you and His righteousness was too your credit. These things are not in the booklet, nor is Hell. I added that too. He tuned right in to all of it. When I asked him What Jesus did to take away his sins so God could live inside him he said, “Repentance, baptism?” in a tone like he was guessing. So I said, “Yes you repent of your sins and Baptism is symbolic of it.” I began to explain what Jesus had done through his blood to cleanse him and be a payment to God and His righteousness to his credit when God adopted him. I explained receiving Christ by faith. I offered him the two circles and he said, “This one.” He pointed to the circle with Christ inside. I said if he wanted to be forgiven trusting in Jesus there was a prayer he could pray and I talked him through it. I asked if the prayer expressed the desire of his heart. He nodded. I said if he wanted to he could pray it silently, I wouldn’t hear him but God would hear and he’d know he was forgiven. He gave a nod with a tilt of his head took the booklet and prayed to receive Jesus. I explained the Christian life to him also, living “By the Spirit’s Power” “Inside Out”. I gave him Bible Promises for You and also wrote his name and the date and “forgiven!” on the inside. “Thanks I appreciate it for real,” he said taking the book.  I wrote his name in The Case for Christ Answer Booklet (he hadn’t heard of Strobel) and a Bible study. I told Jeremiah I would pray a Bible verse for him each day from now until Spring and one year after asking God to bless him. I offered him a Bible Study but he felt like he was in one. I asked, “If I ask now, do you believe Jesus is God, He died for you sins and rose from the dead?” “Yeah,” he replied. And do you place your trust in that to be forgiven?” He said he did so I shook his hand and said, “Ok so I’ll see you in Heaven? He said he’d see me in Heaven. I shook his hand and he said, “I was always trusting in Jesus.” “It’s what you trust in about what he did,” I replied. “Maybe there’s just a few things God wanted you to know,” I replied. He accepted that idea and was smiling. As far as I could tell he had not been trusting in Jesus for the forgiveness of his sins or fully understood the Gospel but he was sincere and God had been at work in his life. We shook hands and I got up with him and we parted.

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

 In Him,

Bob