December 27, 2007

December 9, 2007

To Those Who are Seeking Salvation

Charles Spurgeon's best-selling book. A clear, simple gospel presentation.

An Earnest Word with Those
Who Are Seeking Salvation
by the Lord Jesus Christ
By
C. H. Spurgeon
"Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound" (Romans 5:20).
(click blue link above)

December 6, 2007

Four Jewish Men

Before I get to the reason for the title, I just wanted to say that I was really blessed by Andria today in regards to fishing. She called looking for a way to make it possible for her to come to the mall tonight when she could have had a good excuse for not going. Sometimes I don't feel like going out witnessing which is why I was blessed by her attitude and willingness. I, myself, wouldn't have been out tonight if she hadn't called.

We talked with one older teen woman taking a break from her clothing store job and were both concerned about her. We walked away and prayed for her right then. It seemed like there was a battle going on for her.

We then talked with two very young teen girls for 20 minutes. That was very encouraging because we seemed to get a lot of Biblical truth to them. As Andria and I were discussing that encounter and getting ready to head to the food court for some dinner, four obviously Jewish young men (head coverings, top hats, long coats and beards) walked by us and at fairly quick pace...

I've really wanted to talk with a Jew and tell them the Good News that Jesus is the Messiah they are waiting for! Yeah! :c)

I made a purposeful move to get by their sides (they were moving fairly rapidly, remember) and say, "Excuse me, sir. Excuse me, sir," before the back two heard me and turned towards me. I asked if I could ask them some questions and they said yes (but I knew I had very little time with them). This is rough b/c of my memory but thought it would be interesting to many...

"Are you Jewish?"
"Yes"

"Are you waiting for the coming Messiah?"
"Yes"

"Do you think that Jesus is that Messiah?"
"No!" (turning from me but and slightly moving away)

"Why? Have you looked into how He fulfilled the prophesies?"
"Because He's not. And I don't care."

"But, have you looked into it?"
"Yes, and He's not."

"Why do you believe He is not?"
"Why should I believe that He is?"

"Because He did fulfill all the prophesies, but, I asked you what made you believe that He isn't?"
"He's not." (angry and walks away as I try to hand him a Why Christianity? booklet who I then try to hand to the non-talking friend but who wouldn't take it either)

At one point for maybe just a few seconds all four of them were near me. The other two had walked up quickly and I had a surreal feeling with them all around me. I think that's the way it happened but I guess Andria had a better perspective. Maybe they weren't all around me even though it felt that way.

We were both surprised by the prideful attitude. Although we really shouldn't be - considering. It was just so neat for me to get this opportunity. Please pray for all these people (God knows who they are). That the unknown woman's battle would be won... That Hillary and Miranda (?) would continue to search out Jesus... That God, in His loving mercy, have compassion on the four Jewish men.

-Sarah

December 5, 2007

Sergio

The Lord has been disciplining me in a some areas for a few long months. I am very thankful for that, but it is painful (sometimes very much so) and I think I am still in the middle of the discipline.

Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before a fall.
Proverbs 16:18

Before last week, I hadn't been out purposefully witnessing for a month due to a child's surgery, a miscarriage and Matt going while I stayed home with the children. A week ago today I finally just wrote down four questions that I'd really been struggling with the Lord over. He answered three of them through His Word, the Bible. The fourth He answered that night while 'fishing'...

Without much thought into it, I sat down next to Sergio, a God-fearing Christian with a huge faith, who had been planning on spending an hour at Best Buy but thought that he should just sit and wait at the mall instead. Through an almost hour and a half long conversation, Jesus Christ ministered to my soul by just listening to Sergio talk about his faith in Christ.

What did I learn? We can't worry about anything else than 'once saved-always saved' because there is really nothing else... If we don't have Christ, we have nothing. When we don't feel like praying, that is when we especially need to pray. When we don't feel like spending time in the Word, that is especially when we need to spend time in the Word.

So, even though I wasn't really 'fishing,' I'm really thankful that the Lord showed me how much He does care.

-Sarah

December 4, 2007

Casey

In a previous post, I mentioned talking with a young man named Casey.

Two of us talked to him about a month ago. Well, about two weeks ago, by coincidence (yeah, right!), my wife talked to one of his friends. She told my wife that we had offended Casey with the manner in which we had shared with him.

Since we told him about the book "A Case for Christ" by Lee Strobel, I decided to buy the book for him. I stopped by the place where he works at the mall and gave him the book, with a $5 bill tucked in the middle. I told him that we had heard we offended him, and that it was not our intention to do so. Since we previously talked about this book, I hoped that he would enjoy it.

Pray that God would draw Casey to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.

-t