TWM Dec 2023 Prayer Letter

Third Watch Ministries, NFP                                                          Bob & Ellen Bollow

P.O. Box 1283                                                                                   December 11, 2023

Wheaton, IL 60187  

 

“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent me draws him” John 6:44

Hey Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

I hope you have been blessed this Fall with life and peace and now joy in the season of Christmas. I had a good semester on campus of sharing the Gospel, which I’ve been describing in the Results of the Work emails I send out. 87 students have prayed to receive Christ after I told them the Gospel this semester so far. A few more were close it seemed. But some really just have not come into the faith as I talk to them. I try to give them a last word or a book if they will take it, in the hope God will work with that.  I have conversations of other kinds on campus and students can sometimes say things that give me pause. When it was yet summer, a student told me he did not believe in God. It came out this was because he believed in evolution. I suggested this belief structure could not be supported by science and many scientists were abandoning it as a satisfactory explanation in universities. He found that ridiculous and justified his beliefs by simply saying, “I went to High School.” His ride came and he left, refusing a booklet I offered him to read. He was frustrated and a bit angry and we talked only briefly, even for me and most of my conversations are brief. He never even did a survey. Hopefully God used something said to provoke a thought opening a door for the Word. There is an old saying, “You can’t push on a string.” But God can turn a staff into a snake and back again. I try to remember that in contact evangelism.

You might think evangelism is sales. But I’m not controlling the situation or the conversation. Evangelism is also different in that, if you were selling some object or intangible, you might discover the person you were speaking with clearly did not need what you were selling. Ya can’t sell a tank to the Amish. I am never speaking to anyone where that was true. But they have to decide. This may confound people if they read what I write about talking with people on campus. I say I am going out to “Look for the Elect.” [Matthew 24:31, Romans 8:33, 1Peter 1:2] I believe God is drawing people to Himself. [John 6:44] These are Biblical categories. On some level, people are free and “without excuse,” as Paul writes in Romans 1. So, this is understanding presently beyond our grasp as Søren Kierkegaard writes, “The fact that God could create free beings vis-à-vis of Himself is the cross which philosophy could not carry, but remained hanging from.”

 Sometimes, because I’ve developed some skills at evangelistic conversation, I can throw a bit too much of myself into it (I’m not sure how else to say it). Then during one of the verses I’ve stated many thousands of times, I pray for God to work as I state it and let go of the reins (I should not have grabbed.) I have experiences where it seems someone has recently gone to church again or their family has brought them and “everyone else” is a Christian, something a guy named Alex recently told me. But then after talking with me, he decided to become a Christian. When first talking with him, he gave no evidence of having heard the Gospel where he was saved by faith in the Blood & Righteousness of Christ. I meet churched kids every week who seem to have never processed the Gospel before. But then some have and God brings them to a point of conviction they somehow haven’t had before. Maybe it was not their moment. They were not yet “ripe for harvest” until they came across me. They may attend a church we’d consider evangelical that does not preach the Gospel. I have visited churches and heard invitations, but the Gospel was never stated, though an offer of eternal life was. Or some connection with God was solicited in the sermon. In different years for Christmas Eve, I have attended two of the largest churches in my area where this problem occurred. During the service, some kind of offer for a relationship with God was given. The Gospel was never stated. Just the simple facts of sin, atonement—by the Cross—and His blood, then resurrection, were completely absent from the statements made. I have spoken with students who say, “I’ve prayed a prayer before like this.” I’ll ask them then if they understood it. More than once they said did not and prayed again, this time to receive Jesus. I went to a funeral a couple years back where two men spoke. One was a famous man who was the former pastor of one of the most well-known evangelical churches in the US. The other was a former professor of theology, now a pastor. Neither stated the Gospel. Both offered a relationship with God of some kind, not saying how that could happen. Sometimes a student who prays with me knows the details of Jesus’ death on the Cross and just never trusted the Blood and Righteousness of Christ to be saved. I will sometimes ask again (restating what I have just said of the Gospel), “Do you believe Jesus was God, died for your sins and rose from the dead? Do you think that is a true story?” And if they say, “Yes,” I say, “And do you want to place your trust in that to be forgiven for your sins?” If they say, “Yes,” I encourage them to pray. They are always glad when they did.

These are the 87 students who prayed to receive Jesus after hearing the Gospel from me this past semester. (An * means they said they would pray later.) Alijah, Jordan, Ken, Kolton, Will, Alex, Kiya, Marshall, Ashlyn, Tony, Mitch, Toni, Maia, Nick, Gabby, Brandon, Jameson, Christ, Kate, Trevont, Ian, Kyra, Davon, Vincent, Ian, Andy, Ray, Shauna, Oscar, Chris, Ella, Ryssa, Tim, Kayla, Kendall, Janayah, Juan, Mia, Abrianna, Ayleen, Daniel, Braedon, Tessa, I’sis*,Marnita, Sno, Matt, Kathline, Brenda*, Brandon, Rebeca, Bao, Diego, James, Neeha, Justin, KB, Mariah, Ben, Simona, Joseph, Darion, Michael, Jimmy, Leo, Clare*, Cristina, Maritza, Pablo, Gabriel, Alissa, Christopher, Kadin, Emerson, Lexi, Caliah, Yami, Kailey, Alex, Jonathon, DiLo, Joseph, Rosa, Fernanda, Oliver, Joe, Atiba, Christian, Zach, Isaiah

Thanks for your prayers and support this year.  In 2023, there were 157 students that prayed to receive Jesus.

We wish you a Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!

In Him,

Bob & Ellen

bob.thirdwatch@sbcglobal.net

www.thethirdwatch.org

Results of the Work – 12/6/23

Hey Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

I hope you had a blessed day knowing we are we are in Him who is true. I had a good day on campus chatting up some Christians in discipleship and Zach and Isaiah each prayed to receive Jesus today. Please pray they are secured in their faith. Their stories are below if you have time.

Zach was sitting on the rim of the SSC Lounge, in a row of sofa chairs, his had a table attached I sat in one without beside him. There had been a meeting of some kind in the room at tables they’d brought in and it was breaking up. He was up for doing a survey. He had a large print red checked flannel shirt (It might have been something of a coat) on with a T-shirt under it of some kind of band. He wore grey sweats and had a couple days growth of beard, looked like a young lumberjack, handsome guy, solid build. He had dark brown hair in a short mop. I asked him what he would say to God to get into Heaven and he said, “I’m religious. I’m a youth group leader for High School. I do worship You and preach Your teachings.” He thought he had about a 75% chance of going to Heaven. He listened to the Gospel right off. I asked him what Jesus had done to take away his sins but nothing seemed to come to mind, when I tried asking it a couple different ways. I finally said, “Think of the Mass.” But that didn’t trigger it so I said “Well this is how it works,” and I began to explain that Jesus died, His blood cleansed him and was a payment for our sins. I explained the righteousness of God saying Paul said that it was not by his own righteousness but by the righteousness that was by faith. I read the passages stating Jesus rose from the dead. Then I said in the Mass the wafer is symbolic of Jesus body and the wine symbolic of his blood so the symbolism behind it commemorates that He died for you and so you are forgiven. “So when you take it you should just say Thank You.” I went on to say all this could be had by faith. If someone were to ask why should God let you into Heaven you’d say, “Because Jesus died for me.” I asked if he would “…want to be forgiven trusting in what Jesus had done to pay for his sins or thought something else?” “I would want to be forgiven.” He replied and so I said there was a prayer he could pray and going though it asked if it represented the desire of his heart. “Yeah,” 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. “Sure” he replied and he took the booklet and prayed to receive Jesus. I told him he could keep the booklet and used it to explain the Christian life. Saying he should try to obey God but when he failed all God’s anger was poured out on the cross and God new a million years ago what he’d done so he could tell God about it and God would forgive him and has a plan to fix it. I Gave him a copy of Bible Promises for You and wrote his name and the date and “forgiven” I the front. I gave him a Bible study on the deity of Christ and explained that when I was in college there was a meeting where a speaker had been brought in. He asked where Jesus said in the Bible He was God. No one knew so I stood up and said, “I and the Father are one.” He asked me where Jesus said it and I didn’t know at the time but my answer had triggered another guy who whispered to me, “John 10:30”. But I just sat down. I explained that when Jesus healed people he did not use the name of God and did not have to because he was God. I also gave him The Case for Christ Answer Booklet to read suggesting it might help him answer some questions for the kids. “Nice to meet ya,” I said shaking his hand. “Nice to meet ya too,” He replied and I headed out.

I discovered Isaiah sitting at the counter looking at his laptop in the cafeteria. He may have had a speech impediment or was a bit limited in speech but his conceptualization was spot on and he was willing to do a survey. A smart kid. He had a short curly head of hair on top very short on the sides and a well-trimmed beard. He was wearing black sweats with a white stripe up the sides and a gray sleeved thermal shirt with some kind of colorful picture on the chest I never got an angle to see. He was friendly and wore a face mask mostly half off. I could see his mustache and he pulled it up a couple times but it fell down pretty quickly.  I asked him what he would want to do before he died and he said that he had no thing he wanted to do but to spend time with his loved ones. He said his parents said that was important. I asked him what he would say to God if asked, “Why should I let you into Heaven?” He said he thought that, “If you stand before the man that created you, you would pretty much be speechless.” He thought he had a 90% chance of going to Heaven. I asked if he went to Church he said not often but he watched Joel Osteen. He knew Jesus had died for his sins saying he was “…nailed, crucified”. He listened to all I said and he had a Christian family and they prayed whenever they left home. He listened to the presentation of the Gospel and took it all in, the atonement and the righteousness of God. Then that God adopted him and gave him the blessings of his family. When I asked him if he would want to be forgiven or thought something else his speech was a bit hitched but pointing to the right circle and next to he read, “Life entrusted to Christ,” as his answer. I said if he wanted to be forgiven there was a prayer he could pray and I talked him through it asking if it expressed the desire of his heart. “Um hum,” he replied. I said he could pray it silently and asked if he’d like to. “Um hum,” he said again and he prayed to receive Jesus. I explained the Christian life to him and living “Inside > Out”. He did not want a Bible or any books but I gave him a Bible Study on the deity of Christ and another on prophecies about the birth of Christ and he wanted both of those. I wrote the date and “forgiven!” on the front of the booklet saying it would help him remember. “Thanks for talking to me,” I said. “I hope other people hear this insight,” he said. As I got up to go he said, “Take care.” “I will, take care,” I replied. “Spread the word,” he admonished me and I said I would.

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

In Him,

Bob

Results of the Work – 12/5/23

Hey Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

I hope your day was a victory in your spirit knowing greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. I had a good day on campus and Joe and Atiba prayed to receive Jesus today and I bumped into a guy named Christian also who I’d gone through the Gospel with (about a week ago) but was unsure. He said he had now prayed the prayer to receive Jesus and was reading the books I gave him. He had a short curly reddish blonde head of hair on top and real short on the sides. He said he was a Polish Catholic when we met asking why I believed. I talked before to him about prophecy God fulfilled in Jesus and gave him the Rose pamphlet “100 Prophecies fulfilled by Jesus” and The Case for Christ Answer Booklet. I also told him that looking at Christianized countries people lived better lives. This used to be true in Europe though now it is breaking down as they leave a belief in God. I talked to him about how India threw the widows of dead men on their funeral pyres until Christians stopped them and that this was the effect of Christ on a country. Joe and Atiba’s stories are below. Please pray all these grow in the Faith.

Joe a sharp-featured shorter guy with a mop of long curls on the very top of his head, wore a black jacket and blue jeans. Good looking guy. He was sitting at the counter looking outside when I walked up and asked if he wanted to do a survey. He hesitated, asking what’s it about. I said the main question was: “You’re walkin’ 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 believe in Jesus,” he responded without a hitch. So I said “That’s right. Would you like a little booklet to share your faith?” He nodded, so I began to go through it to explain everything. But when I asked him what Jesus had done to take away his sins he could not think of anything and I tried rephrasing it, “What did he do to pay for you sins?” Still, he had no recollection. I finished the gospel with him and the righteousness of Christ and adoption by God—At that point he said words of agreement, possibly remembering the story of salvation. I went on to say he could be saved by faith and asked if he would want to be forgiven for his sins there was a prayer he could pray. I read him through it and asked if it was the desire of his heart. He looked at it read it slowly, silently and said, “Yeah.” I said he could pray it silently right now. He took the booklet and closed it and said thank you. I asked if he had prayed it as he read it and he said, “Yes.” I shook his hand then and said, “God bless you man.” He went in to get his lunch. A girl had glanced at me and smiled and left her bag under the counter leaving us at the beginning. It turned out they were sitting together. He went in (leaving his back pack to also get his food) and she had not returned. While I went over to a table to write some things down she returned and then he did. So I wrote his name and the date and “forgiven!” in the front of Bible Promises for You, and walking back over to the windows I placed it near him on the counter saying, “Promise book.” His face became serious then and he nodded to me and I left them.

Atiba was sitting upstairs in the athletic building lounge. I asked him if he wanted to do a student survey about God. He said, “Let’s do it.” He was a good-looking black guy, (on the short side for playing football). He was a receiver and a running back. He wore a black winter coat and some black shoes that looked like down slippers, nylon straight leg sweats. He had a sharp jaw line, square chin. His hair was short on the sides and had a rough-cut afro on top. He had understated classic black features, a good-looking guy. He said he wanted to finish college and was looking at one to transfer to. I asked him what he would say to God to get into Heaven and he just said, “I don’t know.” I asked if he went to church at all and he said, “No.” “When you were a kid and he agreed, not since then. He thought he had a 50% chance of going to Heaven. I began to explain the Gospel to him and he knew Jesus had died to take away his sins. He listened attentively to all the word pictures I used and verses to give him the details of the Gospel, sin, atonement resurrection and the righteousness of God, adoption as sons and salvation by Grace through faith. I asked him if he would want to be forgiven trusting in what Jesus had done, then God would live inside him and give him the strength to live, or thought something else. I showed him the 2 circles pictures one with Christ on the throne of his life the other with the cross outside. “This one,” he said pointing at the one with the cross inside it. I said if he wanted to be forgiven there was a prayer he could pray and I walked him through it asking if it expressed the desire of his heart. He agreed it did and I asked if he wanted to pray it silently and he said, “Um hmm,” and prayed to receive Christ.” I told him then the likelihood he would go to Heaven was 100%. I was an old man who had sinned a lot more than him after so many years but the righteousness of God was infinite and the blood of Christ was of infinite value. If we both died today God would save us both and he agreed. I gave him Bible Promises for You, writing his name and the date and “forgiven!” in the front. I explained living the Christian life by the Spirit’s power “Inside > Out” and gave him a Bible study and The Case for Christ Answer Booklet. I told him I would keep him in my prayers each day until spring and one year after asking God to bless him. I said I’d pray he got into a good school. “Appreciate it,” he said as I got up to go. “Thanks for your time,” I replied “Merry Christmas.” “You too,” he said and I headed out.

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

In Him,

Bob

Results of the Work – 12/4/23

Hey Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

I hope your day was blessed and you trusted in the Lord through it all. I had a good day on campus. Talked to some students I had met before and Oliver prayed with me to receive Jesus. His story is below if you have some time, please pray he grows in his faith. Thanks for your help in prayer.

Oliver was sitting in the Athletic Building in the PE lounge next to the gym at a table. He was up for doing a survey. He had reddish brown hair and the fair complexion of a red head. He had a mustache that nearly blended in with his face. His hair was thick and curly/wavy, parted in the middle not quite shoulder length. He had on a green COD hoodie and workout shorts. Turned out he was a pitcher and he was working on getting his speed up to 90MPH on his pitches. Oliver was a real amicable guy we hit it off. I asked him what he would say to God if he died and was asked, “Why should I let you into Heaven?” “I’ve gone to Catholic school my whole life since High School. I’ve always believed so I don’t know,” He replied. He thought he’d had a 55% chance of going to Heaven. “It’s enough to get elected,” I said. (I now realize the double meaning.) “Yeah just over,” he replied. I explained Christianity was like a blood transfusion where God had to make you His type so He could live inside you. Then you would be one with what is eternal and the source of life. I asked what Jesus had done to take away his sins and he right away replied, “He died.” I went on to explain what that meant more broadly. His blood cleansed him and paid God back for all he owed. Jesus earned the righteousness of God and it was then given as one of the blessings of God’s family. He was saved by faith. He took it all in and I finally asked if he wanted to be forgiven trusting in what Jesus has done or thought something else. “Probably this one,” he said, pointing to the circle with Christ on the throne of your life. I said something like. “Well, you grow up in your family and just go along with what to believe. But if you have never asked God before to forgive you trusting in what Jesus has done there’s a prayer you can pray.”  I talked him through the prayer and asked if it expressed the desire of his heart. He thought it did so I said he could pray it silently I wouldn’t hear him but God would hear and he’d know he was forgiven. “Wanna do it?” I asked. “Yeah,” he said and he took the booklet and prayed to receive Jesus. I explained the symbolism behind the mass as what we had talked about and when he took it he should just say thank you as it commemorated that Jesus had died so he was forgiven. I started to go through the Christian life with him. He said he only had a kids Bible so I gave him one I carry. (I’m almost out of them sadly maybe a great deal on a study Bible will pop up over Christmas break.) I showed him the study helps, marked the Gospel of John and wrote his name and the date and “forgiven!” on the inside. He seemed glad to have it. I also gave him a Bible study on the deity of Christ, Bible Promises for You and The Case for Christianity Answer Booklet. I told him I would pray for him each day until spring and then a year after. I told him the likelihood he would now go to Heaven was 100%. “Because how righteous is Jesus—100% righteous—and what’s His righteousness worth—an infinite amount. And His blood is worth an infinite amount. With me, I’m old and I sin every year and ask for forgiveness but all told I’ve sinned way more than you. But if we were both to die right now there is enough of His righteousness and blood to cover for both of us.” He agreed saying, “We’d both get in.” I talked about how God could help him focus and even help him with his pitching if he asked. I stood up to go and shook his hand and said, God bless ya man,” “Yeah good to meet you,” he replied. And I headed off.

So thanks for your prayers for the ministry and for evangelism today if you had a chance. God truly blessed on this the first day of the last week of class in 2023.

In Him,

Bob

Results of the Work – 12/1/23

Hey Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I hope your week was blessed and you are getting in a thankful Christmas Spirit. 6 Students trusted Jesus this week. Joseph, Rosa and Fernanda each prayed with me to receive Jesus Thursday (Alex, Jonathon and DiLo earlier in the week). So I was grateful for that blessing from the Lord. Those who prayed Thursday have their stories below. Thanks so much for your help in prayer.

Joseph was sitting in the hall on the third floor. He had stick straight hair and a full, well-groomed, beard, round head. He was not that big of a guy. Though not fat at all when I shook his hand as I left him it was fleshy without a grip, nice guy. He had a light blue button neck golf shirt on and blue sweats with a white stripe up the leg. Looked like “everyman” not very distinguishable from the crowd. He said he’d like to find his dream job and just be happy. I asked him the likelihood he would go to heaven and he said, “I’d say because I did well… tough to answer,” he said. He struggled a bit to put words together. He thought he had a 90% chance of going to Heaven and went to church regularly. When I asked him what Jesus had done to take away the sins of the world so he could be cleansed and God would live inside him he knew Jesus had died saying, “He was crucified.” He listened to the Gospel following along well and after I had explained that Jesus had also lived a perfect life and when he poured out His blood it paid God back for all the imperfect things we’ve done that we own God something perfect for. The real reason God forgave him was because He got paid, but he had to pay himself. I said he could receive Jesus, believe in His name, by faith. I asked if he would want to be forgiven trusting in what Jesus had done or if he believed something else.  “I would like to be forgiven trusting in Jesus,” he replied. I said if he wanted to be forgiven there was a prayer he could pray and I talked him through it reading the line that follows it in the booklet, “Does this prayer express the desire of your heart?” “I would think so,” he replied. I suggested he pray it silently and I wouldn’t hear but God would hear and he’d know he was forgiven. “Wanna do that?” I asked. “Umm sure,” he replied and he prayed to receive Jesus. I explained the Christian life to him living “Inside > Out” asking God not just to forgiven him but to transform him by His Holy Spirit. I said that now trusting in what Jesus had done the likelihood he would go to Heaven was 100%. I told him I would pray a Bible verse for him each day from now until Spring and one year after asking God to blessed him. He had a Bible. I gave him Bible Promises for You writing his name and the date and “forgiven!” on the inside. I gave him a Bible study explaining it a bit and The Case for Christ Answer Booklet. He seemed happy and I shook his hand saying I’d see him in Heaven. He asked, “What was your name again?” I told him it was Bob and said it was in the email. “Oh, ok.” (If I did not write a student’s name down right away I would forget it after a few minutes too, often enough. I memorize everyone’s names when I get home so if I see them again I can call it to mind but sometimes forget in the first moments talking to them.) “Thanks for your time,” I said. “Of course,” he replied. And I headed off.

I came across Rosa in the Cafeteria. She had a full attractive face and mouth, and long stick straight black hair, a big bright smile. She wore black leggings, white Crocs and a black winter jacket. She had a medium build to her. When I asked her what she would say to God to get into Heaven if she died she said, “I would say I grew up believing in God. I used to go regularly to Church and I used to be closer to God before.” She thought she had a 60% chance of going to Heaven. I explained that God wanted to live inside her with His Holy Spirit but first he had to take away her sin, to make her His type (like a blood transfusion). I asked what the big thing was that Jesus had done to take away the sins of the world but she could not recall in the moment. She was very engaged as we talked and laughed at a couple of the illustrations. I began to go through the atonement with her and she was very tuned in. I said she could receive the blood and righteousness of God in Christ by faith. Finally, I asked. “Would you want to be forgiven based on what Jesus has done or do you think something else.” “Be forgiven,” she said without hesitation. I said there was a prayer she could pray and asked if it was the desire of her heart after explaining it. “It dies,” she replied. So I said she could pray it silently and God would hear. “Wanna do that?” I asked. “Um Hum,” she replied and she took the booklet and prayed to receive Jesus. It turned out she did not have her own Bible so I gave her one explaining all the study helps. I wrote her name and the date and “forgiven!” in the front. She was grateful for the Bible. I explained the Christian life to her as well “By the Spirit’s Power”, living “Inside > Out” I told her I would pray a Bible verse for her each day until a year from Spring of next year.  I gave her Bible Promises for You and The Case for Christ Answer Booklet. I also gave her a Bible study on the ways Jesus claims to be God.  She wanted to be a Vet so at the end I gave her a Creation Magazine (https://www.icr.org/aaf) and told her a few quick defeaters for Evolution (which she also disregarded as impossible) as we parted.  I explained that now trusting in the blood and righteousness of Jesus the likelihood she would go to Heaven was 100%. “So nice to meet you,” I said getting up to go. “So nice to meet you too. Thank you so much.” She said in reply. “You’re welcome, Merry Christmas,” I said and she wished me Merry Christmas too and I headed off.

Fernanda was sitting on the second floor near main North SRC doorway on a small balcony area that overlooks the stairs going down to the bookstore. She had a grey Hoodie on that had block printing the looked like it might be a school. Since I was knelling at her feet and leaning on the wall a bit to spare my sciatic nerve pain I didn’t get the angle to ever see it. She was a pretty girl with a pointed chin a small nose and mouth and near round glasses flat at the top. The right knee of her powder blue jeans was completely torn away showing 9 inches of kneecap and leg as she sat. Her name would suggest she was a Latina but she had very fair skin. She had curly/wavy brown hair past her shoulders. She asked if the survey was on line I said, “No right here, I write things down and I walk away. The main question is: ‘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?’ It’s basically what the Bible says is the answer to that question.  So ya got any interest in that or not so much?” She said OK so I gave her my name and got her name (one I had never heard before though I think it is pretty common from looking on line) and started in. When I asked her something she’d like to do before she died she said “Sky Diving” and when I asked her why God should let her into Heaven she said, “I’m a good person”.  I get many different answers but those two are the ones I get more than others. I asked her the likelihood she would get into heaven and she said, “70-80% I would hope.” She listened to the Gospel and she knew Jesus had died to take away the sins of the world. I explained everything I usually say and told her some word pictures which got a cleaver smirk. She had a nice smile. I asked her if she would want to be forgiven for her sins or thought something else and she said, “Well this is what I’ve been taught my entire life,” she said pointing at the circle Jesus on the throne.” Well,” I replied, “When you’ve asked for forgiveness for your sins were you thinking God would forgive you because of what Jesus had done or was what he’d done a story you know and you never really processed it before?” “I never processed it before,” she replied. I suggested, “You grow up and for a time you are covered by the faith of your parents but then you have to decide for yourself. If you’d want to be forgiven for your sins and you’ve never told God you would want to be forgiven, trusting in what Jesus had done, there’s a prayer you can pray.” I walked her through the prayer and asked if it “expressed the desire of your heart?” She said it was. I said “If you want you can pray this silently right now, I wouldn’t hear you but God would hear and you’d know you were forgiven. Wanna do it?” She seemed to agree and she took the booklet and then said, “Right now?” “Yeah sure,” I said. “Out loud?” she said like she was a bit scandalized by that. “No. It’s none of my business,” I replied. “Just between you and God.” She looked down at it then and prayed to receive Jesus. I had explained that the Bible verses I read were the symbolism in the Mass as I often do with Roman Catholic students. “The wafer is symbolic of His body and wine is symbolic of His blood, so when you take it you should just say, ‘Thank you.’ as it is reminding you you’re forgiven.” When she finished praying I explained the Christian life to her too, “By the Spirit’s Power” and said, “Everything in the Christian life is “Just Ask”. God wants to give you all the strength you need to live.” I said I would pray a Bible verse for her every day until a year from spring. I gave her a clever pocket-size book of John with a million dollar cover  another student group gave me. I gave her Bible Promises for You and wrote her name and the date and “forgiven!” on the inside which she liked. I also gave her The Case for Christ Answer Booklet and a Bible study on the ways Jesus claims to be God. As I got up to leave I said of the little stack, “So there you go Merry Christmas.” She put on a big smile and said, “Thank you.” “You’re welcome. Have a good one,” I replied. “You too, thank you,” she said again and I headed off.

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

In Him,

Bob

Results of the Work – 11/28/23

Hey Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I hope your day was blessed and the nearness of God was felt in your heart. I had a good day on campus, Jonathon and DiLo (DiAngelo) each prayed with me to receive Jesus today. Their stories are below if you have a moment. Please pray they are sanctified in the Spirit.

Jonathon was sitting at the counter in the cafeteria eating some kind of wrap. He had on a gray zip up hoodie that read Chicago in Cubs blue and blue jeans on. He was a smallish guy with a boyish good-looking face a couple day beard coming out on his chin and under his nose. His dark brown wavy hair was a mop on top of his head. I asked him one thing he wanted to do before he died and he said, “Be free.” When I asked him what he would say to God to get into Heaven he said, “I don’t know I don’t know a good reason to be let into Heaven yet. I don’t feel like I know a good reason.” He thought he had a 35% of going to Heaven.  He said he had been to Church when he was a kid. I began to go through the Gospel with him asking what Jesus had done to take away his sins. He said he didn’t know and it had been a while since he’d been to Church. So I just said “Well this is how it works,” and explained the blood shed on the Cross and righteousness of God earned by Jesus to his credit when God adopted him. I explained he could believe by faith. He listened and took an occasional bite of his wrap sandwich. Finishing the Gospel, I asked if he would want to be forgiven for his sins trusting in what Jesus had done or thought something else with God on the outside of his life using the 2 circles one with Jesus on the throne of your life on the right and one with Him outside it. After thinking a moment, he pointed to the circle on the right and said, “This one right here.” I said if he wanted to be forgiven there was a prayer he could pray and talked him through if asking if it was the desire of his heart. “Yeah,” he replied. So I said he could pray it silently and know he was forgiven. “Wanna do it?” “Sure,” he replied. And I said, “Just pretend I’m not here,” and he prayed to receive Jesus. I said the likelihood now he would go to Heaven was 100%. I began to go through the Christian life asking if he had a Bible. He did not have a Bible of his own so I gave him one showing him how some of the study tools worked. I wrote his name and the date and “forgiven!” in the front with John 8:31,32 and turned to it marking the book of John with the marker and read him the verse. I told him when I was a Philosophy major I was talking to a theologian and he asked me why I was a Philosophy major. I said I wanted to know the truth and be free, saying, “Doesn’t the Bible say, You shall know the truth and the truth will make you free?” He asked if I knew what the verse before it said and then turned to John 8:31 which read if you are in my word then you are my disciples and you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” I reminded Jonathon what he’d said in the survey and I put a little star by the verses. “That’s a great verse,” he said. I agreed. I gave him Bible Promises for You and The Case for Christ answer Booklet and a Bible study, each with some explanation. I went on to finish the Christian life explaining living by the Spirit’s power, “Inside > Out”. “Thanks for this, I’ll take it all in,” he said.  I told him I would pray a Bible verse for him each day from now until Spring and one year after to bless him. We fist bumped because he had dressing on his hand. “I’ll see you in Heaven,” I said getting up to leave. “Thank you, I appreciate it,” he replied and I walked off.

DiLo was sitting at the end of a row of chairs just past the first NW 2nd floor door of the BIC waiting for a friend to get out of class. He had on clay red pants with grey pockets and a big curly mop of hair but shaved on the sides. He was good looking, had a mustache and goatee, not too tall though.  He appeared Latino in coloring and had on a black winter jacket, (it was cold today). He said had maybe 5 minutes I asked him if he just wanted to answer the main question and he agreed. “You’re walking down the road and you get hit by a bus. You’re dead and you stand before God and He asks, ‘Why should I let you into Heaven?’ What would you say?” He said something like, “That’d be interesting to stand before God.” I asked if he would want to hear some Bible verses that told him how to get to Heaven. He agreed so I kneeled leaning against the wall to spare my sciatica pain. I began going through the Gospel on my knees. He tuned in, focusing. He knew Jesus had died to take away the sins of the world. I just went straight through everything God loved him, wanted to know and live inside him, could not because of sin, took away his sin with Jesus. I went through the cleansing blood the payment for sin, righteousness of God resurrection and adoption. I asked if he wanted to be forgiven for his sins trusting in Jesus had done or thought something else. “I would want to be forgiven,” he replied. I explained the prayer to him and asked if it was the desire of His heart. He said it was. I said he could pray it silently and know he was forgiven, “Wanna to it?” “Yeah he replied and I gave him the booklet and he said, “Thank you.” He read it a bit and then said “Can I have this?” I said sure and asked if he’d prayed and he seemed to have forgotten that part and prayed then to receive Jesus. I quickly explained the Christian life living “Inside > Out” and said, “Let me give you a book,” and wrote his name and the date and “forgiven!” on the inside of Bible Promises for You and also gave him The Case for Christ Answer Booklet and a Bible Study. His friend had come so I said I would pray a Bible verse for him each day. He was grateful and I said, “I hope I didn’t make you late for anything.” “You’re good, you’re good,” he replied and he headed off, putting everything in his backpack.

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

In Him,

Bob

Results of the Work – 11/27/23

Hey Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Alex prayed to receive Christ today. Before that Willy (African American with almond Asian eyes and a small nose in the PE building) answered the question by saying, “I know how to get to Heaven I’m just not living it.” He thought Christ would forgive him for his obedience. He knew John 3:16 but hadn’t put the Gospel together. “Yeah that all makes sense,” he said when I had finished. His friends were leaving the building and they were his ride, we’d been sitting on the counter. “Next time I see you I’ll see if you prayed that prayer,” I said. “I definitely will,” he replied. Thanks so much for your help in prayer. Alex story is below if you have time for it in the busy Holiday time.

Alex, a Latino, was sitting by the Student Services center offices in some couch chairs with an 18×24 table top that swings around from the side. He wore a silver cross that would fit inside a quarter. He had a diamond shape face that looked flat from the side, his chin pronounced. He had stick straight black hair, short on the sides. He had jeans on and a green sweatshirt (with white writing I did not have the angle to read when sitting next to him). Working on a beard it seemed to be mostly side burns and a thin mustache. He immediately said, “Yes,” to a student survey about God and asked where it was at I said, “Right here,” and got his name. I asked what he would say to God if he died and was asked, “Why should I let you into Heaven?” “That’s pretty hard… I’ve been a pretty good person all my life. I Usually put others before myself, I’ve done the right things,” he replied. He thought he had a 70% chance of going to Heaven and had recently been to church with his family who were all religious. He thought Church was OK. He didn’t seem excited about it at all. Everyone in his family seemed to be Christian but him. So I was praying as I talked that God would break in on him as I figured they were praying for him. He took in the Gospel attentively though and when I asked what Jesus had done to take away his sins he said, “The crucifixion.” I went on to explain what it meant that Jesus had died. I explained Christ’s righteousness and that God wanted to adopt him and give him the blessings of His family. He was taking it all in but I couldn’t tell if he was actually interested. He could be “believing on His name, that Jesus was God had died for his sins and rose from the Dead”. I asked if he would want to be forgiven or thought something else, describing a couple options and then repeated asking if he’d want to be forgiven he said “Yes.” I was pleasantly surprised and said if he wanted to be there was a prayer he could pray. I went through it and asked, “Does this prayer express the desire of your heart?” He nodded it did and said “Yeah,” when I said he could pray it silently. I handed him the booklet and I said, “Just pretend I’m not here.” “Thank you,” he replied taking the booklet in hand. And he prayed then to receive Christ. He did not have a Bible of his own though he said his family had Bibles. So I gave him one and after showing him all the stuff in it I wrote his name “Alexander” and the date and “forgiven!” on the inside and put it back in the box saying he could have it too and gave it to him, “All of it?” he said rhetorically kind of. Then I gave him Bible promises for You and The Case for Christ Answer Booklet and a Bible Study. I went through the Christian life more with him explaining “Inside > Out” asking for God to transform him and then I said the likelihood he would go to Heaven was 100% now trusting in the blood and righteousness of Jesus. I told him I would pray for him through Spring and for one year after. I shook his hand and he thanked me and I thanked him for his time and headed off to meet another student who needed some guidance.

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

In Him,

Bob

Results of the Work – 11/21/23

Hey Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

 I hope your holiday left you blessed and filled. We took in a restaurant with Ellen’s parents and nephew in town and Ellen made a pumpkin pie. So I was blessed. On Tuesday, which now seems like a week ago, Kailey trusted in Christ as her savior praying to receive Him which I was thankful for. I’d be grateful for your prayers for her to come into a deeper walk with Christ. She attends an evangelical church in Naperville. Thanks for your help.

 

 Kailey was sitting on the NE corner of the second floor of the BIC building. She had light brown hair in a random bun and had a small lovely face. She had petite pointed nose and sharp jaw line pretty mouth and a tiny diamond like stud in her left nostril.  Thin, she wore a fleece zip-neck gray pull over with snowflakes all over it and maroon red leggings. She was outside her classroom in a row of chairs because the door appeared to be locked and by God’s providence, no one was going inside. I asked her if she wanted to do a student survey for a Bible study group. As I recall she had talked to someone about a Bible Study already. I said that the big question of the survey was this: “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?”  “What would you say?” She asked. Usually when someone turns it back on me for an answer tell them I will tell them what I’d say after they tell me, “I asked you first.” But for whatever reason, maybe kind of intuitively realizing I did not have much time, I just began to go through the Gospel with her beginning with “Christianity is like a blood transfusion…” She tuned right in and as I began to explain that God wanted to live inside her but first had to take away her sins, to make her His type.  I asked what it was that Jesus had done to take away her sins and she thought as I rephrased it and said, “He died.” I said, “Right.” Then I began to quickly clarify the implications of the death of death in the death of Christ. The guys near us had begun talking again and I prayed there’d be a longer delay. At one point her professor walked up, he could not get the door open either and I heard his call to the facilities number complaining his door was locked. I explained the righteousness of God (Christ earned) to her and that God wished to adopt her and give her, “…the blessings of His family, He gives us the sacrifice for our sins the blood that cleanses us and the righteousness of God that surrounds us. So ya got some place to go, Heaven, and something to wear when ya get there, the righteousness of God.” I said all this could be hers by Grace through faith. I asked her if she wanted to be forgiven for her sins and she said, “Yes”. So I said if she wanted to be forgiven there was a prayer she could pray. And I went through it with her saying she could pray it silently. She took the booklet and prayed to receive Jesus. I explained the Christian life by the Spirit’s Power living “Inside out”. Then I went back to the questionnaire I only had her name on. I said one of the questions had she done the survey was what is the likelihood she would now go to Heaven. I said it was 100% trusting in the righteousness of Jesus and His be her righteousness and His blood, both were worth an infinite amount.  “I’m old, so I have sinned way more than you. I sin each year and it just adds up and I have to ask forgiven for those sins. But if we both died right now, if there was an earthquake or something, there would be enough of Christ’s righteousness to cover us both because it is worth an infinite amount. And His blood to pay for our sins because He is God is worth an infinite amount.” I gave her Bible Promises for You and wrote her name and the date and “forgiven!” on the inside. “Thank you so much,” she said as I gave it to her. I said I would pray a Bible verse for her each day from now through spring and then one year after asking that she would be blessed. I also gave her The Case for Christ Answer Booklet and a Bible Study saying, “I’m making you late for class.” But she seemed in no hurry. Her teacher had somehow moved the handle a different way and he and a couple guys had gone in. “Well it was nice to meet you, thank you for everything,” she said earnestly. “Nice to meet you too,” I replied and I got up and headed down the hall to the south and she went into the corner classroom where conversation had already begun on the inside.

 

So thanks for your prayer for the ministry and for evangelism during the week. There are just two more weeks until we break for Christmas for the Semester. 75 Students had prayed to receive Jesus after I told them the Gospel this fall.

 

In Him,

Bob

Results of the Work – 11/20/23

Hey Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I hope your day was blessed with life and peace from the Lord. I had a good day on campus giving assurance of salvation to one new Christian and Yami prayed to receive Jesus today. Please pray for those who heard the Gospel today that they would be blessed.

Another girl Breana who first described herself as “lost right now” said, after hearing the Gospel, “I’m like spiritual, I used to be a Christian, this kind of resonates with me.” She was very focused as we spoke and asked for my contact information. Slight, she had a pretty oval face and almond shaped eyes her long brown hair pouring out under a winter cap and a coat on. She said she was going to think about it and I gave her The Case for Christ Answer Booklet and then I offered her Bible Promises for You saying she could pray the verses too. “I’ll take it,” she said. Later I gave a book to Mo (Mohammed) comparing Christ of the Scriptures (Dear Muslim Friend by Mattix) to the Isa of the Quran. He was friendly but believed the Quran was universalistic in offering salvation to any sincere practicing Christian. I encouraged some Christians too it was a blessed day.

Yami was sitting outside some administration offices in a row of chairs on the third floor. It’s kind of a bridge through the Student Services Center. Her back was to the lounge below. She was a pretty girl her face was kind of a wide diamond shape framed by brown hair the edges dyed blue. She had a bright smile. I think she was a Latina based on her coloring. She wore black leggings and a faux black leather shirt over a blue t-shirt. She was very upbeat and said right away she would do a survey, I told her the main question (Why should God let you into Heaven?) and asked if she was interested in some Bible verses to give the answer. She said she was but only had 10 minutes. I began to go through the booklet with her and she tuned right in with expressions of sort of surprised interest at what was being said, “This is sweet,” she said sweetly, she really seemed to be touched by the love of God. I asked what Jesus had done to take away the sins of the world so God could live inside her. She knew Jesus had died but had said she did not go to Church. I explained the payment for her sin and how God was paid through the blood of Christ. I explained trusting in what Jesus had done by faith. I asked if she would want to be forgiven. “Yes I would want to be forgiven,” she replied. I explained then how God living inside her to transform her was living the Christian life, “Inside > Out” which I usually say later. (as I wasn’t sure how I was doing on time). I said if she wanted to trust in Christ to be forgiven and know she was going to Heaven there was a prayer she could pray. I talked her through it and she wanted to pray. She took the booklet, checked if she could pray it silently and then prayed to receive Jesus. I gave her Bible Promises for You writing her name and the date and “forgiven!” in the front. I gave her The Case for Christ Answer Booklet writing her name in that and a Bible study. I told her I would keep her in my prayers each day praying a Bible verse for her until spring and one year after.  It seemed like she still had moment so I explained the righteousness of God Christ had earned that was to her credit. “Oh my heart,” she exclaimed. “Thank you so much! I’m gonna cry!” She was such a sweet kid. We parted ways and she took my contact information. Then in a moment I looked at my hand where I had written her name at first and realized I had spelled it Yani in the books I gave her. I hurried back over and found her in the lounge and checked and I said, I think I spelled her name wrong in the books. “Oh that’s OK I can fix it later,” she said. “Would you like me to fix it quick?” “Yes,” she said with a smile and it was easy to turn and “n: into and “m”. She thanked me happily and I left the inner lounge grateful to have been given the grace to fix my mistake.

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

In Him,

Bob

Results of the Work – 11/16/23

Hey Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

 

I hope your week was blessed with Grace and Peace from the Lord. I had a blessed week on campus and 7 students (Gabriel, Alissa, Christopher, Kadin, Emerson, LexiCaliah) trusted Christ, though I don’t know the date the last one, Caliah, trusted Christ. She is a thin, tall, cute Black girl who yesterday had red thin braids down to her elbows. The last time I had seen her they were thicker and black and blue. Her glasses are in the shape of “aviators” and she has a narrow face. I found out she had prayed to receive Jesus talking with her on Thursday. I first went through the Gospel with her the week of September 20 in the Science and health buildings and later seeing her there gave her a Creation Science Magazine called “Acts & Facts”. I had also had given her a copy of Bible Promises for You. Thursday she told me, under the stairs in the PE building, she had found two promises to pray as I had encouraged her to do and was praying them before class and each day, she believed the Lord had been helping her. She was happy with how well she’d done on a couple of tests in a hard class she used as an example. When I had first asked her what she would say to God to get into Heaven she said, “I have a lot of love for [others]. If He wants to look at my previous records, I have nothing to ashamed of, I’m a truly positive person.” I was grateful she had trusted in Christ and not her own goodness and was in the Word.

 

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

 

In Him,

Bob