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! 

Using The "On A Scale Of 0 to 10...." Tract

I've been having a great time using this tract. It gets a response! Ronnie wouldn't take it at Walmart yesterday until after we had a coversation. He said that we can't know where we are going and then pulled out the "hypocrites in the church" card. I'm glad that he took the tract when we parted. Two people have said "I'm not sure." and just walked away. Maybe God has been dealing with them. Christopher told me "5" after I asked him the question. While I was waiting for my wife after work this evening, I walked to the NowSave. I asked Mac the question while I gave him the tract and while he was putting beer in a cooler. He said 7. His friend, Sham, said the same. I asked them to read the tract when they could. I gave Tavarus one at the gas pumps. He said "I know that I need to get right!". 

I'm glad that I can say "10", but there are so many that can't. Let's keep on working so that they can! 

Monday Witnessing - January 20, 2014

I went to Walmart at lunch time today. Usually when I do this, I'll give out tracts on the way to the McDonald's that is located in the back of the store. I gave  a "This Is the Verdict" tract to a man and asked him if he stood before God, would he be innocent or guilty. He said "Uh, Oh!". 
When I was leaving McDonald's, I gave two men the "Do You Know Where You Are Going?" tract. I asked Dominique if he knew where he was going when he died. He said that he didn't know. I saw several  Spanish men there. Juan, two named Jose, Francisco, Huber, and Guillermo took tracts. 

After work, I went to Super One to get a few things. I gave a "Do You Know Where You Are Going?" tract to  Chris. I gave two more Spanish men (Jose and his friend) tracts inside. I gave the "On a Scale Of 0 -10... " tract to Mitch. He said that he couldn't say 10. I asked him to read the tract and 1 John 5. 
It is very encouraging to witness on a daily basis. Most people have never had a Gospel tract offered to them or anyone speak to them about their soul. Please pray for boldness if you are struggling with witnessing. The more you do it, the more you want to do it! 

Gospel Tract Spotlight: Can You Name Ten Of The Most Popular Valentine's Day Gifts?

This tract is in February's supply in the Bezeugen Tract Club. ( Join Here : http://www.bezeugentractclub.org). It can be ordered thruonemilliontracts.com 

Can you name ten of the most popular Valentine's Day Gifts?

Answer: any of the following: card, roses/flowers, jewelry
spa day, dinner out, trip, chocolate, perfume, technology, romantic music, a day with you, photo frame,
candles, books.  Here is another question. Can you name the Ten Commandments? The Bible says there will come a day when we will all be judged by the commandments. Have you ever told a lie? Stolen anything? Used God's name carelessly or as a curse word? Have you ever hated anyone or called someone a fool? Jesus calls hatred murder. Have you ever looked with lust? Jesus calls lust adultery! If you admit that you are a liar, a thief, a blasphemer, a murderer and an adulterer, then you have broken five of the Ten Commandments. Will God find you innocent or guilty? Will he send you to heaven or hell? People generally associate Valentines Day with love and romance. "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." (1 John 4:10) God does not want you to go to hell. He sent His only son Jesus Christ to fulfill the Law. Being fully God and fully man, Jesus lived a perfect life and is therefore the perfect sacrifice for the sin of the whole world. He died on a cross to pay for your sin. Jesus rose from the dead, defeating sin, death and the devil. Make Jesus your Valentine! Repent (turn from sin) and trust Jesus alone, then you will have eternal life (Mark 1:15).www.AfterLifeCatalog.com

Door To Door Evangelism

Our church has been going door to door for about 5 months now. We go at least once a month, giving out tracts and leaving door hangers that have a Gospel message on the back. These door hangers, from Bezeugen Ministries, can be ordered through onemilliontracts.com.
We had a group of seven go out this morning. We went to about 75 doors, including new duplexes and houses in the Sterlington area. One Muslim woman took a tract. A young woman took a tract and a door hanger. She said that she didn't have a church background. This was a very encouraging time. Please pray for the seeds that were sown and the ones that will be sown the next time we go out.

A Gospel Tract Testimony From The Past

The Tract That Sent the Gospel to China

"The best thing I can do is enjoy the pleasures of this world, for there’s no hope for me beyond the grave." So thought 16-year-old James. Although he had been raised in a devout Methodist home, he was frustrated by his growing feelings of doubt about God. He had tried to make himself a Christian by doing the right things and associating with the right people—and he failed. "For some reason," he concluded, "I cannot be saved."

One afternoon, James found a gospel tract on a bookshelf in his home. While reading through the tract he was struck by the phrase "the finished work of Christ." "What does that mean?" he questioned.

In a moment he remembered something from his religious training: "And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world" (1 John 2:2).

Then he said, "If the whole work was finished and the whole debt paid, what is there left for me to do?"

Years later James penned these words about that moment of truth: "With this [thought] dawned the joyful conviction. . .that there was nothing in the world to be done but [to]... accept this Savior and His salvation."

It was not long after this eternal decision that James—James Hudson Taylor—now heralded as one of the pioneer missionaries of the 19th century, received his call from God to take this same Gospel of grace to China.

God’s heart for missions explains why He has so often used gospel tracts not only to carry the good news to foreign lands, but also to motivate men and women to become the messengers.

My Testimony / Happy New Year 2014!

Two years ago, I posted about my testimony. I wanted to repost it because it is the anniversary of my wreck that led me to call upon the name of The Lord! Here it is: 

Twenty one  years ago on New Year's Eve, I was involved in the party scene. I thought I was living the good life. I had moved to Shreveport, La. to manage the GNC at Southpark Mall. I had just bought a 1992 Dodge Dakota Sport. I was twenty-three at this time. Before this, I managed the GNC at Pecanland Mall in Monroe. I was into working out with weights. I had lost about 65 pounds through exercising and dieting. My friend, John, helped me to get on track. In November, my boss asked me if I could transfer to the Shreveport store. I eagerly told him that I could. I was wanting to go up in the company.

I had met a young woman at one of the clubs that I went to. We started dating before I moved. She lived in Ruston. She broke up with me when I stopped in see her one day on the way back to West Monroe to visit. The day before New Year's Eve, she called me to ask me and my friend, Al, to hold a place for her at the club where we would be at in Monroe. I was going to prove that I was ok without her! We all got to the bar that night with partying on our minds. I started drinking mixed drinks. Sometime after midnight, I blacked-out. I remember just bits and pieces of what was to happen after that. I remember walking out to my truck. After that, I remember shutting the passenger door to the truck. Then, I was walking on the other side of the bridge down Trenton Street in West Monroe. Then, I was at the door of Al's apartment. I woke up at 10:00 on New Year's Day. I told Al that we needed to find my truck. I didn't know where it was! We drove around looking for it in West Monroe and Monroe. I finally called the Monroe Police Department to ask if they had towed the truck. The woman on the line told me that it had been towed to Master's Auto Service in Monroe. I went to see it there. The hood and front was crushed in the middle. The truck was totaled. The owner of the towing company told me that I was fortunate to be alive. I had hit a utility pole on the corner of Pine and Walnut, which was several blocks from the club. The police had pulled some of my hair from the windshield where I had hit with my head. I had walked one mile from where I had wrecked. The officer that worked the accident called me at midnight on January 1st to ask me about what had happened. I lied about what I did, but they knew that I had been drinking. 

I had to go back to Shreveport without transportation. Over the next several months, I depended on my parents to come to bring me back home 

on most weekends. I walked to work sometimes and got a taxi at others. One day at work, I was talking with a regular customer about some of our products. She and her husband worked for the Shreveport Police Department. We ended up talking about church and Jesus. She asked where I went to church. I told her that I was trying to go back to church. She said "You're not doing anything! You better come back to Jesus now!" There had been others who had witnessed to me before, but her words made me think. I didn't write the exact date down, but around March the 15th, I repented of my sins, asked for forgiveness, and was saved at my apartment in Kingston Village Apartments on Kingston Road! What a change! I got born-again! I told everyone what had happened to me! I couldn't go back to the clubs anymore!

I couldn't listen to the same music anymore! I didn't have the desire to drink anymore! I was a changed man! 

I was able to move back home and get my old job back in April. I started passing out tracts. I went to church whenever I could. I wanted all that the Lord had for me! I wanted to do His will! I met Todd at a revival one night. We passed out tracts at several bars around town. Later, we preached at some of the bars. I was nervous about street preaching, but I was hooked after I did it a few times! I love to tell the story of how the Lord saved me! I witness as much as I can. I am thankful that I have had an extension on my life. I should have died and went to hell that night of my accident, but I am alive! I am saved! I never get tired of telling this story! Jesus is my all and all. He has done so much for me. I must do much for Him! 

           Happy New Year,

             Scott 

Another Look At Professor Grant Horner's Bible Reading System

On September 16, 2011, I posted about this great Bible reading plan. Here's what it read: 

On August 22nd, Tony Miano posted on his blog about Professor Grant Horner's Bible Reading System. I have never had a solid plan where I have read all the way through or in a year.

With this plan, I will have read the Bible in 250 days. I am currently on day 31. I am very excited about this!

My wife started this week . Several people from our church have also got on it. Here is the link if you want to look at it for yourself :  http://www.onthebox.us/2011/08/professor-horners-bible-reading-system.html

Each day you will read ten chapters a day with ten list to read from. I make sure I  get at least ten read everyday. I have doubled up a few times, reading two days worth. This system is very challenging. In Sunday School this weekend, I am going to talk about this plan in our Adult class as I teach on the Word of God. My Bible-reading will never be the same! 

Currently, I am in the second time around. I haven't done this reading as quick as the last one. I plan to do better. Here is the link to the list: 

http://www.thevinefellowship.com/10Lists.pdf

Try it out! I believe that you will really like this plan! Happy Bible Reading in 2014! 

Gospel Tract Spotlight - The New Year Resolution Tract

This is one of the four tracts that is featured in the Bezeugen Tract Club for the month of January. Everyone is thinking about those resolutions now! This is great to hand out while wishing a Happy New Year. Here is the text of the tract with the question on the front:

Can you name TEN of the top New Year Resolutions?

Answer (in no particular order): 1. Lose Weight, 2. Stop Smoking, 3. Go Greener, 4. Upgrade My Technology, 5. Change Career, 6. Get Organized, 7. Start a New Hobby, 8. Get Out of Debt, 9. Spend More Time with Family, 10. Help Others.

Each of these has to do with changing the way you think and act about something. God wants you to change the way you think and act about His Law, the Ten Commandments. The Bible says, "it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment" (based on the Ten Commandments). How many lies have you told? Have you ever stolen anything? Ever hated someone? Jesus calls hatred murder! Ever looked with lust? Jesus calls lust adultery. Innocent or guilty? Heaven or hell? God does not want you to go to hell. He sent His only son Jesus Christ to fulfill the Law. Being fully God and fully man, Jesus lived a perfect life. He died on a cross to pay for your sin. Then He rose from the dead, defeating sin, death and the devil. God commands all people everywhere to repent and trust in Jesus (Mark 1:15, Acts 17:30-31). Consider making repentance and trust in Jesus your number one resolution this year! www.AfterLifeCatalog.com