Hey Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

I hope your day was blessed and you were a blessing to others. I had a good day on campus and Brandon prayed to receive Jesus. Please pray he grows in his faith. If you are interested his story is below.

Brandon was standing and pacing a bit by one of the counter height tables in front of the window of the bookstore. He had on a grey golf shirt that was darker in front where it was discolored or it was sweat. African American, he had a rough afro maybe 4 inches high and shorter on the sides. He had a rough beard and wore jeans looked a bit thrown together. I asked him what he wanted to do before he died and he said, “Have a better relationship with my Heavenly Father.” I asked him what he would say to God if he died and was asked, “Why should I let you into Heaven. “Because I repented, I acknowledge my sins, you’re my Lord and Savior. I accept you with all my heart.” I asked him what the % likelihood was he would go to Heaven. “70/30 he replied.” As I began to go through the Gospel with him I explained that God wanted to live inside him to give him eternal life and to do that He had to take away his sins. I asked what Jesus did to accomplish that. “He forgives you.” He replied. I said that was true but asked what Jesus had done so he could forgive him. He could not think of anything. So I began to explain the atonement. He was a simple-hearted guy, I’m not sure what kind of classes he was taking. But his theological answers matched other students who had told me this year similar things and did not seem to know how Jesus had saved them from sin. I told him that Lord meant Jesus was his God and Savior meant Jesus had died to pay for his sin. I gave him word pictures he really liked and asked if he had ever asked God to forgive him trusting in what Jesus had done to pay for his sins. He did not think he had. The Gospel seemed somewhat novel to him. He later said he had been baptized at a mega Church about a half hour south from school. He did not go there anymore. I had gone to a service there a couple years back where the pastor had offered a relationship with Christ without ever mentioning the cross. This pastor also omitted that Jesus had died for the sins of the world as a payment to God nor that He rose from the dead. At the end of the service they had announced they had 31 people accept this offer of relationship that seemed to cost God nothing. So I was not surprised Brandon did not understand the Gospel but just has some associated buzz words down. I explained the Gospel to him slowly and clearly. I asked if he wanted to be forgiven trusting in what Jesus had done for him. “Yes,” he said. I explained the prayer and asked if it was the desire of his heart. “Yes,” he replied again. So I said he could pray it silently. He took the booklet read the prayer and then closed his eyes and began to pray. He took a little time and then was finished. He was happy and I explained asking for God’s help by the power of God’s Holy Spirit in him. I explained the likelihood he would not go to Heaven was 100% trusting in the Blood and Righteousness of Jesus as I had explained it to him. I gave him a Bible Study and explained the miracle of Jesus waking on the water, which he had not heard before and showed him the verse in Job where God was described as “Marching on the waves of the sea”. I told him I would pray a Bible verse for him each day through Spring and one year after. He said he had many Bible versions on his phone. So I encouraged him to read John. I also explained the Christian life “By the Spirit’s Power Inside Out” and said he could ask for transformation. I gave him Bible Promises for You and wrote his name and the date and “forgiven!” in the inside and he was happy to get it. I said if I saw him around I’d give him a wave and said I would see him in Heaven. He was happy and I headed out.

So thanks for your prayers for the ministry today if you had a chance. I encouraged some other Christians and found a new guy who might do a Bible Study who’s stuck at school for a while Tuesdays after I meet with Braeden. So I felt blessed.

In Him,

Bob