Mardi Gras Parade Outreach - February 15, 2014

We had a great time last night, giving out 1500 tracts in 2 hours. Bro. Charles, Bro. Donnie, and I only went 1/2 of a mile during this time. Bro. Gary showed up at the end to give out a few. He had been on a Valentine date with his bride. I went on one side of the road while Bro. Charles and Bro. Donnie hit the other. There were people everywhere! Some were tailgating. Others were cooking out in front of their campers. Some were just waiting with their families for the parade to start. Dorian was the first one to get a tract. I gave him the "On a scale of 0 - 10" tract. He said 0. The 2nd man who I offered a tract to said "Don't need it! I'm an atheist." I said "Ok" and got back to tracting. There were so many responses. I only had two rejects for the night. Everyone else took the tracts. I was able to give 9 tracts to Hindus. I talked to one man named Varoon. Hosea asked me to pray for him after I talked with Chris, Charles, and him. When I offered a tract to a man named Michael, he said " If it has to do with religion, I don't want it" This opened the door for a good conversation. I was able to take him through the good person test. He took a tract at the end of our talk. Paula said "9" when I gave her the "On a scale of 0 - 10". She asked for me to put her on our prayer list because she was in need of a kidney. I also gave a tract to her daughter, Amethyst. Several people that were drunk took tracts. I pray that they read them when they sobered up. I showed a free people the new tract app from Living Waters. I received one of the tracts for that app in the mail on Friday. Carol said that she wasn't a Christian after taking a tract. I ran into several people that I know. One woman recognized me from my work place. As I gave tracts to some of the families, their children would reach out to take one. I keep a wallet full of tracts and cards in my front pocket. It fell out of my pocket when we were walking back to our vehicles before the parade started. Three people pointed out that in had lost it. I picked it up and gave them tracts. I hope that we can get more tracts out at next year's parade. Please pray for the seeds to bloom into salvation for those who received them! 

The Gospel Of Jesus Christ

Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: (1 Corinthians 15:1-4 KJV)

These scriptures give us the description of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. All mankind needs a Savior. Good works can not atone for sins. Going to church will not save anyone. Every person needs to be born again. Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:3 -Jesus answered and said unto him , Verily , verily , I say unto thee , Except a man be born again , he cannot see the kingdom of God . 

Jesus died for our sins, was buried in a borrowed tomb, and was resurrected from the dead on the third day. He died so that man would be able to inherit eternal life

Sins Forgiven Only Through His Blood

And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. (Hebrews 9:22-28 KJV)

Remission - the cancellation of a debt, charge, or penalty.  

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. (Romans 3:23-26 KJV)

At Adam's fall, all were placed under sin. All mankind needed a way back to God. Jesus was the propitiation - the satisfaction of God's judgement - so that man could be redeemed from an eternal punishment in hell. 

Ephesians 2:8-18:

For by grace are ye saved through faith ; and that not of yourselves : it is the gift of God : 

Not of works , lest any man should boast . 

For we are his workmanship , created in Christ Jesus unto good works , which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them Wherefore remember , that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh , who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands ; 

That at that time ye were without Christ , being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel , and strangers from the covenants of promise , having no hope , and without God in the world : 

But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ . 

For he is our peace , who hath made both one , and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;  

Having abolished in his flesh the enmity , even the law of commandments contained in ordinances ; for to make in himself of twain one new man , so making peace ; 

And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross , having slain the enmity thereby: : 

And came and preached peace to you which were afar off , and to them that were nigh . 

For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

Jesus broke down that wall of separation between God and man. Through His blood, we have access to the Father. Through repentance and faith, we can be saved. We must confess our sins through repenting of them putting our faith and trust in Jesus. 

Would  you consider yourself to be a good person? Do you think that you have kept the Ten Commandments? 

The first one says "Thou shalt have no other Gods before me." Have you always put God first in your life? The third commandment - Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; 

Are you guilty of using God's name as a swear word? That is called blasphemy! One more - the ninth commandment - Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. Are you guilty of lying? According to these 3 commandments, if you stood before God, would you be innocent or guilty? Would you go to Heaven or hell? Jesus took the wrath of God for us on the cross. He paid the fine so that we can go to Heaven. You must repent of sin, put your faith and trust in the blood of Jesus to cleanse you from all unrighteousness. The only way to Heaven is through Jesus Christ. He makes all things new! Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV)

If you are not a Christian, please considered what you have just read. God wants you to be saved! God bless!