Saturday Ministry Report - August 27th 2011

We had a great day in Portland this past Saturday. We arrived at the fountain to find that a full scale juggling act had taken our usual preaching spot. There were gather great crowds...so I used the opportunity to pass out tracts. The Evangelist needs always to be ready to assess the situation and make the most of it! After a time we retired from the fountain and headed to the riverfront park area.

There were several interesting encounters. I use a brochure about the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. It gives reasons to believe the Genesis account of creation based upon geological evidence. Inside the brochure is a gospel tract with a message from our Pastor and information about Glencullen Baptist Church. I offered this 'package' to a big guy, he looked like he played football and had a 'Texas" hat on. He took it and went on his was with his girlfriend on his arm. Pretty soon he comes back my way grinning, "Boy you are really slick, that is really slick the way you are doing the work here!" He shook my hand, pressing a wad of bills into my hand and walked on! That is a first for me! I have never taken donations on the street before this and I probably will not see it again for a long while. I did not feel like I should keep it so I pressed it into the hand of one of our faithful listeners. See the picture, he is there at the end of the wall under the shade tree. Also notice the crowd under the shade tree. This crowd grows as the day gets hotter. Many of them listen...I know they can hear ...but pray that they hear and believe!

There was a young college age girl who nervously listened to me preach a message that answered FAQ of skeptics and unbelievers...you know like, "If God is all powerful and good, why doesn't HE stop evil in the world?" or "Why would a 'loving' God send any one to an eternal hell?" As I address the question of God's law and our condemnation she wanted to say something...afterward to justify herself she tried to make the case that I was guilty of slander! "What is slander in your thinking...." She answered her own objection and realized she had no 'case' and went away sorrowful. Pray for this young lady.

Look at this photo. A young man reading the gospel sign. I later passed him on my way out and he received a tract. Pray the light of the glorious gospel would break through the darkness.

GOD BLESS TIL NEXT TIME and thank you for your prayer support!

Let me Introduce you to A Hero of Mine...

"More things are wrought by prayer
Than this world dreams of."
Alfred, Lord Tennyson

I came to the Day Creek Free Methodist church as a young boy of 11 years old, lost and outside the covenant of the kingdom of Christ. There were many "old ladies" at this church. One particular lady, Iva Morgan, sat in a pew behind me that morning. I heard the gospel message and fell under deep conviction of sin. I was clinging to the pew during the invitation. The church was singing, "Just as I am without one plea....but that thy blood was shed for me...". Mrs Morgan lay her hand on my shoulder and asked, "Jimmy would like to be saved?" My answer took the form of action! I was at the alter on my knees not knowing exactly what to do ...when the preacher whispered in my ear, "Jim, put all your sins in a bag and give them to Jesus! I was the pilgrim...and that was the day the heavy burden rolled off my soul! O the sweet peace of sins forgiven!

Years later our family paid Mrs. Morgan a visit during the Christmas season. She was up in years and could not stand up straight. When she walked she could only look at the floor, but prayer she could see the heavenlies! Her greatest complaint was that she could not pray like she used too! I thought that she had plenty of time now. What would keep her from praying as she once did? Being curious, I asked why? "Well", she began, "There was a time, years ago, when the Spirit moved me to pray. I would go to my room.... the season of prayer would last for three days..." I sat there in utter amazement!

Mrs. Morgan had drunkard husband. He hated Christ and thought nothing of taking out his displeasure upon his sweet Christian wife. When he drank, there were times that Iva bore the brunt of physical abuse. But God used these trials to drive her into the prayer closet! It was her leadership in prayer that kept that country church open! Her prayers that brought Pastor Spurling to the community. Pastor Spurling visited me, carried me to church and preached Christ to me! I thank God for the prayers of this dear saint. She now is a part of that great cloud of witnesses in heaven (Hebrews 12:1). When I get to heaven, I look forward to expressing my deep gratitude to Iva Morgan for her many years of faithfulness in prayer!

Tomorrow pray the Lord of harvest, that he would send forth laborers into His harvest! We will be down town at the Skidmore Fountain at 10:45am. Thank you all for your prayers!

Lift up your voice like a trumpet....

Go into all the world and preach the gospel! This is the heart of our Lord Jesus Christ! The work of the cross is the Pulpit of God's love to the world. Jesus Christ was made an offering for us that we might be made " ...the righteousness of God IN HIM!"

Saturday Ministry Report

First, we want to thank you for your prayers for the gospel ministry! Brother Pavel and I met together shortly after 10:30am for a brief time of prayer and setting up. It is hard to know all that happened today because so many contacts were made in the time we were there. I took the box first at Pavel’s insistence that the elder must go before the younger! I gave a message outlining the “lines in the sand” or the trespasses of God’s law man has broken, beginning with the fall and continuing through the big ten written in the rock. It is amazing to see the response of people when confronted by the law of God…there is the sixth command…thou shalt not murder, our nation has crossed the line with the millions of abortion since Roe vs Wade; there is the 7th commandment; the state is ignoring God’s marriage covenant to “redefine” marriage. People were stopping, listening and hopefully consciences were pricked with word of God.

One character of note was a street person that was attracted to the preaching and who tried to interrupt and confuse. He sounded like a sincere ‘seeker’ at first but was then found to deny the deity of Christ. Pavel passed him off to me…I could tell he was “well versed” in his heresy. Having dealt with JWs for years I know the verse they are going to use before they get there…he used them all. After a firm rebuke of his high minded pronouncement that he was speaking the 'words of God’ he got angry and left the scene.

In the above picture you see a young lady that sat on the fountain listening to Carlin preach the gospel. Carlin has a very wonderful style of preaching the simple and profound truths of the doctrines of grace. The young lady approached Carlin afterward to inquire further about the gospel of Christ. She received gospel literature as she was leaving. Pray that she would come trust in Christ by His grace.

Another remarkable thing happened. A young woman, after receiving a tract returned and with amazement said, “ I was looking for a church to attend tomorrow! I had found Glencullen’s web page this morning and was hoping to find the church!” Sarah attends a reformed church in her area and plans to attend services at Glencullen tomorrow!

Our brothers Justin and Jason came in on the "second" shift at about 12:30 and continued the good work of gospel. We thank the Lord for all the those who are faithfully serving on the ground and in praying for this work!

The Dearest thing to Jesus Heart!

The thing a man speaks about the most tells us what he cares about most, for out of the abundance of the heart a man speaks. Did you know that Jesus warned poeple more about hell than he spoke of about heaven? Do you remember one of the first things Jesus said to Peter? "Follow me and I will make you a fisher of men!" Our Lord came to seek and to save that which is lost! The last admonition Jesus gave before he went back into heaven was....

"But you shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Acts 1:8

That is like saying, "You shall be witnesses unto me in Portland, in Oregon/Washington, in the United States and unto the ends of the earth!"

PRAY FOR US TODAY THAT THE LORD GRANTS TO US BOLDEST TO SPEAK THE WORDS OF THE GOSPEL!!

We meet at the Skidmore fountain at 10:30 am, Portland Oregon to hand out tracts and to preach the gospel.

Thank you!

The Young Atheist

A young man approached me this week after an open air message down on the river front. He said something about ‘free speech’ and handed me a sticker promoting ‘Atheism’ and then turned and walked quickly away. But he stood and listened for some time, waiting for me to finish so that he could deliver his message of atheism. A Christian brother next to me, quipped, “Yea, there goes a brave one, he hands you his literature and runs away!” I quickly said, “Brother, he heard the word of God! God's word will have its way with him.” This is the confidence we have in our message of the gospel; IT IS THE LIVING WORD OF THE GOD!

This is the confidence of the evangelist! He preaches in obedience to his Savior the good news of the gospel, knowing the Jesus’ sheep will hear and come to Christ!

John 10:27

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

Imagine a voice without sound…this is the voice of Jesus Christ speaking right down into the soul….Words of the Holy Spirit that quickened spirit of the sinner to "see the kingdom of God!" (John 3:3)

We were not saved by a clever arguments, or superior apologetic, but by the foolishness of preaching and the power of the Spirit of God speaking life into the dead soul of the sinner.

John 10:28-30

28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish; neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

30 I and my Father are one.

The question to the Christian….will you be obedient to your master? Will you speak the good news that Jesus Christ shed his blood to purchase, or will the fear of man lay a snare for your feet? Lets fear God, not man! Always be ready to leave a tract or speak a gospel word to those you meet day by day.

Pray for that young Atheist and all those who received gospel literature!

Remember to Pray for Us!

Hey Watch this guy hand out tracts.....Oh and remember to pray for us tomorrow. We'll be at the Skidmore fountain in Portland, Oregon at 10:45am handing out tracts and preaching the gospel!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_grPpt47SE&feature=player_embedded