Gospel for Chico on St. Patricks day

I got to go downtown on St. Patrick's day, where I went with a good friend to hand out tracts and to get into conversations with people on the street. It was an exciting time, and we were able to pass out over 200 Gospel tracts within an hour. The spiritual darkness there was unbelievable.

I use to go bar hopping many years ago when I thought I was a "good person" and still going to Heaven when I die, however this time it was a totally different experience (thank God I repented and place my trust in Him). I handed tracts to the bar bouncers, people going in and out of bars (green dressed folks), and also just the everyday people downtown who were there to eat lunch.

It was wild, it was crazy, it was like looking back into time at a modern Sodom and Gomorrah. So many people hurting who where trying to drink away their problems. However there were also people who were looking for truth, and stopped to read the tract. When there is great darkness it can become very easy for a believer’s light to shine very brightly.

I got to talk to a man who wanted to talk, and he even stopped and then put down his things to see what we were about. He was wanting to know what proof we had for Christianity, and had a lot of very in-depth questions about God. He hadn't really thought about the eternal side of life, but did get a degree studying the world religions. About halfway through the conversation, he told me that was "born-again" once but now considered it all to be rubbish.

I then asked him if he had repented and trusted in Jesus, but immediately he told me that he didn't understand why Jesus was the only way. I was able to explain to him that the Bible speaks of false conversion, in which many receive the Word with joy and gladness, but when tribulation, temptation, and persecution comes that they then fall away.

I was able to take him through a few of Ten Commandments, and then into the message of the cross, and the necessity of repentance and faith in the Savior. We had a great conversation and I was even able to leave him with a Why Christianity? Gospel tract which he said he would read, as he loves to read. I didn't want to end things on an awkward note, so I shook his hand and thanked him once again for talking to me.

From there we went toward more of the bar section of downtown and got into a conversation with another guy who considered himself to be spiritual but not religious. So we started talking and asked him a few questions, and even when through a few of the Ten Commandments as well. He had admitted to lying, stealing, and looking with lust. That's when the conversation got strange.

You see he had told us that he didn't lust after women but after men, and that the desires that were within him were completely normal. In fact he even told us that he embraced his flaws which he considered sin. I didn't want to loose this guys so I brought up civil court, and that this excuse would not work on Judgment Day. It is human nature to try, but it doesn’t work with God.

I was able to tell him that it is natural for all of us to desire sin and to be tempted to do things that God says are wrong. From there we talked about absolute truth vs. relative truth, and after asking him if what Hitler did was wrong he agreed that there must be some absolute truth. However, he didn't want to talk much further or take a tract from us. We still thanked him for his time and shook his hand before we left.

(Copyright Gospel Communications International, Inc - www.reverendfun.com)

The million-dollar question: Will you go to Heaven when you die? Only God can set us free from our sinful nature (Romans 7:23–8:2). Please tell someone today to repent (turn from sin) and God will grant them everlasting life to all who trust in Jesus. If you haven't done any witnessing let me ask you a question...Why don't you want tell the whole world about the best news ever?

Love Chico? Preach the Gospel!

We got to go downtown again to the Saturday morning farmers market. We were able to pass out a hundreds of tracts and had some very interesting conversations. A few weeks back we had been downtown in the rain and witnessed to a guy who grew up Mormon, and we were able to talk to him again this week. We gave him an invitation card to our church and also a million dollar bill. We have been praying for him so it was great to see him again.

Then I had a lady walk by and just grab a tract right out of my hand, and as she did so she said "I''ll take one", and she did. There are so many people searching for answers and for truth in this life. We must not fail to tell this world about Jesus and we must do everything we can to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Do you have a passion for the lost? If you don't I encourage you to pray about their fate and God to help you be moved with compassion.

We know that approximately 150,000 people will die today, and our hearts break for those who will slip form this life into an eternity of torment in Hell because they died in their sins. More importantly, we are consumed with concern for those sill on earth who have not yet trusted in Christ for their salvation. So together we must do all that we can to reach the lost. We must practice sharing our faith in order to become good at it, so why not start today?

Does anybody outside of your church know that your a Christian?

(Copyright Gospel Communications International, Inc - www.reverendfun.com)

The Makings of a Domestic Diva

     What a whirlwind the last few weeks have been!  For most of the winter this year, my work had been very busy trying to make accommodations to the budget cuts that Medicare made for 2010.  Since the agency I was working for is non-profit and entirely Medicare funded, we were frantic to get as many clients on board as possible just to stay afloat.  This translated into many long, long shifts.  And it just got the point were I couldn't take it anymore.  I was constantly exhausted.  I was not much fun to be around not to mention a poor wife and helper to Tim.  But I was making good money and able to contribute to a lot of good through the money my work was bringing in.  I figured "things are "okay", I'll just muddle through."
     Then Tim and I started reading a daily devotional about the names of Jesus.  One week the name we were considering was "Bread of Life" and we looked at the message in John 6 where Jesus compares eating food that satisfies for a time and then leaves one hungry again whereas Jesus brings everlasting fulfillment and contentment.  I realized that I was living my life at a mediocre level, just doing enough to get by, eating only the temporary food of this earth instead of letting Jesus nourish me.  I began to think, 'what if even though this lifestyle is 'okay', but even though I don't see the end, what if there is something even greater out there that the Lord has planned for me that I will never realize if I continue to stay in this mode I am in?'
     Tim and I began to discuss the possibility of me leaving my job and not taking another, simply being a housewife and helpmeet to him.  Every thought, doubt, fear and anxiety imaginable went through my head during the time of decision.  But I couldn't shake the feeling that if I just took this step of faith, the Lord was going to reward us greatly, even if it appeared to make no logical sense.  After many weeks of seeking the Lord's Will, Tim decided that it was time for me to put in my two weeks notice.  What an amazing ride it has been since that day.  Once we took that step of faith there has been nothing but confirmation that we made the absolute right decision.
     During those last few weeks at work I was able to talk with so many of my co-workers about my decision and the faith that Tim and I have that the Lord already has plans to work things out.  Of course they told me I can come back at anytime.  And I might.  I have no idea how long the Lord has called me out of nursing.  I am keeping my license active for that reason.  Since being at home, I have already been able to assist Tim with things I never would have been able to do before because I was constantly wrapped up in work.  So far, the Lord has graciously provided for us financially.  We are prepared to sell our house and move into something we can afford better on our new budget, but so far the Lord has not even addressed that issue, so we are trusting that He already has a plan for that as well and we certainly do not want to push anything in the flesh.
     God's economy works on faith and trust, not on dollars and cents.  Tim has been moving forward with a calling into High School ministry at our church and we are excited to see the full fruit of this.  The blessings have been wonderful, the times of trial have brought us closer to the Lord and each other and right now, we couldn't be happier with the simple act of stepping out in faith when the Lord calls you and following after Him in obedience.  Tim and I are confident that this first step is just that.  As more new and exciting things unfold for us, we will write more.  Thank you to everyone who has been a wonderful support to us during this time of transition.
     Here's to the new job title, Domestic Diva.