Results of the Work – 8/21/19

Hey Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

I hope your day was filled with the joy of the Lord. The Lord blessed me on campus.  Jeff and Cole each prayed with me to receive Jesus.  Daniel also committed to Christ, saying he would pray later. So I am hopeful I’ll run into him again in the lunch room. He had the Clark Kent brown haircut and a wider nose, typical American face.

Jeff was sitting in front of some conference room doors, just west of the outside doors near the bookstore, up on the second floor. He had skin like mine (sadly for him), brown hair swept back and looked like a young Homer Simpson, minus the 5 o’clock shadow. He wore jeans and a blue t-shirt and said he was an Eagle Scout. When I ask him what he would say to God to be let into Heaven, he said, “I don’t think there is anything I’ve really done that’s been, like you know…” I queried him a bit more and he said, “Bad or spectacular, either.” “So you haven’t done anything really great, if that’s what gets you into Heaven and you haven’t done anything really bad if that would send someone to Hell?” I asked. “Right,” he agreed. He had gone to a Catholic Church as a kid and then his family had gone to a Lutheran Church that was closer to his home. He thought he had a 50/50 chance of going to Heaven. He did not know what Jesus had done to take way his sins, or could not remember. He really tuned into the Gospel however and it was enjoyable to talk to someone I was certain wanted to listen. It is good news after all. Based on where he was sitting, he wasn’t waiting for a class to start and we just sat on the floor leaning against the wall and talked. When I had finished going through the Gospel, I asked him if he wanted to be forgiven or thought something else. “Well, I’d want that one,” pointing at the circle representing Christ inside, with a tone of voice suggesting it was the obvious choice. So I told him there was a prayer he could pray to be forgiven and walking him through it. I asked if he would be willing to pray it silently and be forgiven, he nodded. I said “Just pretend I’m not even here” and he gave chuckle and received Jesus. When he’d finished he was glad.  I explained the Christian life living inside out by God’s power. He thought they had some Bibles around somewhere, but I offered him one of his own and he wanted it. I showed him the “Where to Turn” section in the back to answer questions and wrote his name and the date and “forgiven” in the front and told him Jesus’ words were in red. I gave him the book 20 Things God Can’t Do explaining how everything was by the Spirit’s power in the Christian life, writing that in front. I also gave him a Bible Study and got his email to send him some stuff. He offered me his hand and I shook it and he said, “Thanks.” I said I’d see him around maybe and say hi and he said ok. “Have a good one man,” I said getting on my feet.”You too,” he said with a smile and I was off. I also gave him an extra booklet and a Bible Promise book for Jenna his girlfriend, whom he said he wanted to marry.

I bumped into Cole just past the lounge where we have bible study down the hall a bit. He was a small guy with stick straight brown hair in a mop with bangs pushed over to the side, pointed nose and a round head, no facial hair, he looked too young for it. He wore a red, white and blue kind of tie-dyed hoodie and red and blue basket ball shorts. He was a really nice, friendly kid, smart. When I asked him what he would say to God to get into Heaven he said, “Ooo,” thinking a bit, then settled on, “You were always in my life, I guess, even when I didn’t go to Church you were still with me.” He thought he had a 50/50 shot at going to Heaven. He didn’t know what Jesus had done to take away his sins when I asked him. It turned out though he didn’t live far from school. His father and stepmother had taken him to Willow Creek Church, but the left it and had been headed downtown somewhere for church. He went occasionally. He listened closely to the Gospel like he hadn’t heard it before. Though he must have heard some. In the end, I asked if he wanted to be forgiven, trusting in Jesus and he said yes, using a theological term for abiding with Christ which escapes me now, (sorry it’s late and I’m tired).  I said something about growing up in the church you kind of just roll with it and don’t think about it much. But hey, welcome to college you’re a man and you have to make up your own mind to follow. I offered him the prayer and he decided to pray to receive Jesus, though he had to run to his class. That was great. I hadn’t had a chance to get another Bible so I said I’d look for him around and give him one since he said he needed to get a new one. I gave him 20 Things God Can’t Do and explained living by the Spirit’s power, writing his name and the date and forgiven in the front. I gave him a Bible study, quickly explaining it a bit and he thought it was cool.  I asked if he had any questions and he said, “No, I’ve heard it before.” I assumed he meant at church, which made some sense that it would all start sounding familiar. “Thanks,” he said, getting up to leave. “See ya around man.” “Yeah see ya,” and he ran off.

So thanks for your prayer for the ministry and for Evangelism today if you had a chance. God blessed and life was good.

In Him,

Bob