Hey Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

I hope you had a good day walking with the Lord, resting in His love for you that surpasses knowledge. I had a good day on campus. Ellen and I had a good Bible study and Darion and Michael each prayed to receive Jesus today. I’d be grateful if you could pray they’d be blessed. Thanks for your prayers to bless and help the ministry. Their stories are below if you have the time.

I had a nudge to go to the PE building after we’d finished Bible Study and I walked Ellen to her car. So I made my way to the other side of campus, asking around in case there was someone God wish me to talk to on the way. I look for people setting apart from others for the most part since I hope they’d pray to receive Jesus. This has happened in groups but it seems more likely someone would pray if not involved with others.

I entered into the PE through the tunnel and the main lounge was pretty crowded. I checked at a couple tables and then circled around the counter some guys were sitting. I asked a big football player on the end if he’d want to do a student survey for a Bible study group on what he thought about God. Darion [dare E on] He said he didn’t think he had time for a group. He was African American and turned out he played D-back. I said the survey was really to tell you how you get to Heaven from the Bible and I asked if he would want to see the Bible verses that explained that. He had a mustache that was pretty thick but only grew as thick as a pencil, a bit of a chin beard. He was over 6 foot and about 250. He had a really short haircut; his skin was a bit pitted on his cheek bones but he was a good-looking guy wearing a tie-dye powder blue and white hoodie. I began to go through the Gospel with him and when I asked him what Jesus had done to take away the sins of the world he said he had died. I explained that this purified him by His blood and paid for his sins allowing God to live inside him and forgive him. “The Bible says if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. So God is just to forgive us. It is fair for him to do it because he was paid by Jesus perfect blood. So He forgives us because He got paid but He had to pay Himself.” He nodded that he understood. I explained that Jesus earned the righteousness of God and it was to his credit and the story I told made him smile just a bit. He was pretty reserved. I asked if he would want to be forgiven for his sins or thought something else after explaining salvation by faith. He nodded. I said there was a prayer he could pray and walked him through it and saying he could pray it silently I asked if he’d want to do it and he’d know he was forgiven. “Yeah I’ll do it.” He said and he took the booklet and then slowly read it and prayed to receive Jesus.  When he finished I said, “Your sins are forgiven,” I shook his hand. I told him he could keep the booklet and explained the Christian life. I talked about asking God for self-control on the field and peace and patience waiting for the snap of the ball. He said he had a Bible at home answering my questions with “Yes sir.” I gave him Bible Promises for You though he said he had a book like that he said, “I’ll take another one though.” I wrote his name and the date and “forgiven!” on the inside and gave it to him. I told him I would keep him in my prayers praying a Bible verse for him each day through the Spring and one year after. “Thank you, I appreciate that,” he replied sincerely and I headed out. The loud conversations a couple feet from us had never let up or noticed me.

I went through the Gospel with a guy named Alex. He had a couple days growth of beard and a narrow mustache. His face has a sharp jaw line like the character the Joker in the comics.  We were overlooking the lounge in the MAC arts building. While talking to him an administrator with chartreuse Crocs on slid in with his back to me interrupting and asking him, “Is this guy bothering you?” The burearistocrat flashed a lanyard with his ID on it never saying his name. I never saw his face. The student kindly said, “It’s fine.” The burearistocrat turned and towards his office and said, “He likes to prey upon students,” and went inside. “Interesting thing to say considering he’s never met me,” I said quietly. I briefly went through the Gospel after he’d explained his Roman Catholic father and Mormon mother. I left him the booklet I hadn’t used much showing him the prayer and thanked him and he said no problem and I left the Croc-booted enemy encamped in their offices. I headed to the cafeteria. I thought later I should have corrected the burearistocrat and said “I like to pray with students.” But I never poke the egos there on purpose.

Michael was sitting at the counter in the cafeteria looking out the window. He was up for doing a student survey. He was smallish in build had a solid looking face, square chin and clean shaven. He wore a cap with tan curls pouring out from beneath. He wore a pull over hoodie and had sweats on. I asked him what he would say to God if He asked, “Why should I let you into Heaven?” He replied after a bit of thought, “I’ve had a positive effect, tried to have a positive effect, on all the people I’ve met. I tried to leave off on a good note even if I never see them again.” He thought he had a 50/50 chance of going to heaven. I asked him if he ever went to Church “like when he was a kid”. He said his parents had taken him to St. Isidore. (I had never heard of it but looked it up and it’s in Bloomingdale.) and then he had joined a Bible club in High School. He said it was led by his cousin who was going to be a pastor. He seemed very interested in the Bible and was attentive when I quoted a Bible verse. I asked him if he knew what Jesus had done to take away the sins of the world and he said “Yeah,” but it seemed more like he was saying he knew Jesus had done something to do so. I began to go through the heart of the Gospel then with him and he took right-to everything I said concerning the sacrifice for his sins and the blood that cleansed him and the righteousness of God to his credit. I asked if he’d want to be forgiven for his sins trusting in Jesus or if he thought something else. His pinky came out of a fist and pointed nail down to the circle with Christ on the throne of your life. “Well, if you want to be forgiven there’s a prayer you could pray.” I explained it. Does this prayer express the desire of your heart got a “Yeah.” And asking if he’d like to pray it silently got “Yeah,” also again nodding in support. So I said, “Just pretend I’m not here.” And he took the booklet and prayed to receive Jesus. When he finished I said his sins were forgiven and he smiled. I explained the Christian life living inside out by the Spirit’s power. He had heard of the fruit of the Spirit. I gave him Bible Promises for You and write his name and the date and forgiven in the front. I gave him The Case for Christ Answer Booklet saying that it answered some questions or he could email me if he had any.  I also handed him a Bible study explaining the deity of Christ by His own claims, which he liked. So I gave him another on the Angel of Jehovah. I told him the likelihood he would go to Heaven was 100% now trusting in the righteousness of Jesus. Though I had sinned far more than him, being old, “If we both died today there would be enough righteousness to cover us both.” I shook his hand saying, “Nice to meet you.” “Thank you,” he replied with a grin. “Yeah tell your cousin I said hi,” “I will,” he said enthusiastically. And I headed out to the truck.

Thanks for your prayers for the ministry and for evangelism today if you had time. God truly blessed.

In Him,

Bob