The final total of decisions for Strawberry Festival is 230, men women, boys and girls who are now on their way to Heaven. They truly are a child of the King which was the theme of the booth this year.
Praise the Lord for all the opportunities He gives us to witness. This group is hearing the “3 Things God Can Not Do” from one of SOS Events Spanish workers.
Today in the USA is important in the area of politics because in several key states it is primary day. This is the day when registered voters go and vote for who they want to be their candidate for the next President.
There has been great controversy this election and unrest with the American people. The whole world watches as our Country is deteriorating before our eyes in the press, on radio and television. There is hope for unity in America and though it is every citizen’s privilege and duty to vote that is not the answer for peace.
The answer is in the Bible in 2 Chronicles 7:14:
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
We had a lady, Sam, gain assurance of her salvation at the recent SOS personal witnessing training at the end of the Jonah Bible Study at Eastmont a couple of weeks ago. Lynda Coley, a trained SOS volunteer, led her in that assurance and in documenting it. The lady made the decision to get baptized because of the assurance and when Jeremy Lynch went to talk with her about the baptism, he ended up leading her husband, Dale, to Christ!! Now he is getting baptized with his wife this Sunday!! They will have several rows of family there to watch the baptisms which means more chances for her the rest of her family and friends to come to Christ or rededicate their lives. Sam’s sister’s name is Suzanne and her parents names are David & Gladys.
SOS Events has many stories similar to this one. God uses various things to bring people to salvation. Training, events, personal witnessing and visitation are all things that are taught by SOS Events. All the praise belongs to the Lord. He is the One who saves. We are His witnesses and He brings the increase.
1 Corinthians 3:7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
Tom Curtis is a wise man for he is always looking for people to win to Christ. He has had 3 surgeries since October but as usual his goal is to witness especially in the hospital. Last evening he had the joy of leading Alden to Jesus. Please keep Tom in your prayers for complete healing of his left leg.
Proverbs 11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.
Annie age 31 wrote on the back of her decision card at Florida Strawberry Festival, “Today, I Annie accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior”
Mercedes 41 wrote, “my life has changed”
Sapphire age 14 commented, ” I just asked Jesus in my life”
Everett 37 made a decision and wrote, “Thank you lord for saving my sins”
Ella 63, “He forgive all of my sins”
This is just a few of the people who have been saved this year at the festival. As you can see they are all ages, gender and from all walks of life. All the new Christians need your prayers as they start their new life in Christ. He knows all their names.
Today and tomorrow is the last 2 days so please pray for many salvations. The weather is beautiful and usually Saturday and Sunday brings thousands of people into the festival. Pray God will draw them to the SOS Events booth.
John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
The last reason Christians do no win souls according to an article by Lifeway.
We’ve forgotten our source of power.Lastly, we don’t evangelize because we’ve mistakenly put ourselves at the center of evangelism. For many of us, our fears, our frustrations, our inability to talk about Jesus stems from a man-centered view of salvation. We really think it is us, our ingenuity, our power, our technique that delivers a soul from death to life. But salvation is not work we accomplish, but a work of the Holy Spirit. It is God who “quickens” the dead heart (Ephesians 2:1). It is the work of the Father to draw people to his son (John 8:44).
This means that in obeying the Great Commission, we can’t fail. Our job is not to do the saving, but do the sharing. Our job is to simply be faithful in declaring the word to those who haven’t heard. We are the ones God is using to share his message with the world. There are no others. (Romans 10:14). But we can rest in God’s sovereignty, motivated by the knowledge that if we share the news, people will repent and put their faith in Christ.
If Jesus is real in us, if Jesus is real in the people we lead, sharing Christ will be a natural outflow that will burst forward into our friendships, our neighbors, and our coworkers. The mission of God won’t be something we do on Sundays, but will be a way of life.
Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Second reasons why we don’t win souls according to Lifeway article:
We’ve lost our love for neighbor.Today our world is divided along political, racial, economic lines. Every day we are tempted by the ease of social media, by the tribalization of our politics, and by racial and economic differences. We’ve lost the art of loving people with whom we disagree. Just check your Facebook timeline. Consider the harsh and often vulgar language often used, by professing Christians, to describe politicians they don’t agree with, people groups they are afraid of, and religions they don’t agree with.
You will not share the good news of the gospel with someone you do not genuinely love. We need to teach people to love their neighbors and not just the neighbors that look like them. This means we need to teach our people what the gospel is doing in uniting people from every race, tribe, and tongue in the Church. In America, this means God is helping us obey the Great Commission by bringing the nations to our doorstep.
This means our people need to stop seeing missions as something we only do when we write checks to support missionaries. Every follower of Christ is on mission in his own community.
SOS Events ministry teaches how to evangelize and win souls using the simple plan of salvation “3 Things God Can Not Do”. It is nor offensive to anyone and with love you can be successful to your friends and neighbors.
Luke 10:27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
The first of three reasons why we don’t in souls according to a Lifeway article:
We’ve lost our wonder.In Matthew’s account of The Great Commission it seems that Jesus is not imploring his disciples to share the gospel. He’s expecting it. And why not? They’d just witnessed a man brutally crucified, buried for three days, now risen. If you had met Jesus, if you’ve seen him first dead, then alive, nobody would have to convince you to go tell someone about this miracle.
Why don’t we evangelize? Not because we don’t have the right tools or the right spiel. We don’t talk about Jesus because those of us who know Jesus have lost the wonder. If you’ve been with Jesus, who was raised from the dead and has given you new life, if he’s indeed the reigning King of the Universe, if you know and love him, of course you are going to tell people about him. A Christian’s first obligation is to lift up high the risen Christ, invite your people into the wonder of his love. If you do this and get a glimpse of Christ, you won’t be able to stop telling your friends and neighbors and coworkers. We are all evangelists for the things that capture our hearts. Think back to your last several conversations. Think about what animated you, what got you talking, what gave you excitement? Did anyone have to prompt you, beg you, guilt you? No, it came naturally.
If Jesus is the center, talking about Jesus will be natural.
Matthew 20:17-20 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
A recent Lifeway research survey revealed what most of us already know: Christians are reluctant to share their faith. According to Lifeway, 80% of evangelicals know they are called to evangelize, but 61% admit they’ve not had a spiritual conversation with anyone in the last six months.Many have offered new research and fresh strategies to motivate Christians. This is helpful. However, our hesitance to evangelize is less a matter of faulty methods and lack of opportunity. It goes deeper. There are three spiritual reasons why we don’t evangelize and in the next few days you can find out why they are.
Don’t be in the 61%. Tell someone about Jesus today. You can at least hand someone a tract, with a smile and ask them to read it.
2 Timothy 4:5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
A story to start your week off with a smile.
A little girl was asked what is the difference between a pastor and the congregation. She answered, “The preacher gets paid for being good and the people are good for nothing.”
Proverbs 15:13 A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.
Center for Evangelists 