Hey Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

I hope your day was blessed walking with Him in His wisdom and love.  I had a good day on campus and felt led right away to head over to the Health and Science buildings and had a good conversation with Elizabeth. Later in the PE building Ryan prayed with me to receive Christ. Please pray for Elizabeth’s relationship with Christ to be restored and for Ryan to grow. Their stories are below if you want to spend the time. Thanks for your help.

I had another conversation with my lawyer who said unless there was a study showing the lack of efficacy of a plastic face shield I was right in believing it limited my free expression of the Gospel and I could continue to wear it on campus. I wear a neck gator to pull up if anyone official gives me a hard look. But since they have used the cops to hassle me already and have not bothered two other Christian groups on campus and a couple different cults he said anything else they said to threaten witnessing on campus was actionable. But I’d rather just be left alone so thanks for your prayers for protection.

Elizabeth was an older student I would guess to be over 30. She was in the SW corner lounge of the west most science building. She had a short straight dark brown hair cut. When I asked her 3 words to describe herself she said, “Quiet, angry and fair.” When I asked her what she would say to God to get into Heaven she said, “You owe me.” It turned out she had been “on her knees” for several years asking for some direction or relief from God that never came. She finally decided to turn her back on God and change things herself. She said she felt like now God was asking her to come back, “but it’s too late.” She also had an unsupportive Church at the time. I heard her out and said I could not argue with her experience. I wasn’t there and it is just what happened. I said in my own life when I have sought direction I eventually got up and did what I thought I should do and found God giving me the power to do it. I said, “I would just say, I’m sorry. I’m sorry that was your experience. And you were treated that way. I can’t explain why things go the way they do some times.” I said I’d had several churches throw me under the bus and so I decided to do a ministry apart from them (though I’m the poorer for it). I knew how she felt. I apologized again. I had gone through the Gospel with her and offered her the prayer and she did take the booklet. When people have been rolled over by the Church or believe they have been abandoned by God, I try to remember to apologize. I’m a pastor and I try to remember in some ways, in the minds of people listening, I am a representative of God and of the Church. Many people can make the first step toward a healed relationship with God if the hurdle of hearing someone owning what happened to them (in an official position or capacity) simply says they are sorry. It seemed to have a positive effect as we spoke and I left her. I’ll be praying God heals her heart and her relationship with God is restored. I think often enough people blaming God for not hearing them were never in a saving relationship with God, in which case He is in no obligation to hear.

Ryan was a big dude wearing grey sweats and a dark blue hoodie. I never saw his face as he had to jump and go into class as we finished and his teacher being right there I did not feel like I could ask to see him. He had a short rough top afro and rimmed glasses. He was on the floor of the hallway just down from the PE lounge sitting on the floor. When I asked him what he would say to God to get into Heaven he said, “I study your word and go to church every Saturday.” It turn out he was Adventist when I asked him if his church had a Saturday and Sunday service or if it was just on Saturday. I said there was really no reason to change the Sabbath day and I thought his church got that much right but that Jesus is our Sabbath rest and he nodded in agreement. [I did not go into it with him but I believe because we are the Temple of God—1Cor. 3:16—everyday should be treated like a Sabbath day honoring the Lord with our lives. And Col. 2:16 says we are not accountable to the old Sabbaths days of the Law. Hebrews 4 says we enter rest in Christ Jesus. So He is our Sabbath rest, regardless of what day you might set aside for a community time of worship or preaching.] He thought he had a 50/50 chance of going to Heaven. When I asked him what the big thing was that happened to take away his sins he guessed, “Prayer?” I said, “It’s something Jesus does.” But he had nothing so I said it would come back to him as I went through it. I explained the Sacrifice for our sins the Blood that cleansed us and the Righteousness that surround us to our credit. He seemed in agreement with all I said and I used some stories to make him laugh and we hit it off. I asked him if he would want to be forgiven for his sins and he said, “I would want to be forgiven.” I continued saying, “You know you grow up in the Church and hear it all but now being a man you have to make a decision if you want to trust in Jesus to be forgiven.” He nodded in agreement. So I said if you wanted to tell God you want to be forgiven trusting in Jesus there is a prayer you can pray to tell him and I walked him through it asking if it was the desire of His heart. He nodded it was so I said he could pray it silently. “I wouldn’t hear you but God would hear and you’d know you were forgiven and going to Heaven.” He nodded again and the students were showing up for class. But he prayed to receive Jesus. When he finished I said going back to the survey question, “This is 100%: Because if you are trusting in the righteousness of Jesus to be your righteousness—how righteous is Jesus? 100% righteous. And what’s his righteousness worth: An infinite amount. So there’s enough to cover an old Biker like me that’s done some things and a young man like you that hasn’t even gotten around to much yet.” He seemed to be smiling at that. I wrote his name and the date and “forgiven” in the front of 20 Things God Can’t Do. And I gave him a Bible study. We both stood up then from being seated on the floor and I said I’d pray for him every day for a Year. He thanked me 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