Harvest Time

God has given a great weekend! Bus visitation / soul winning was excellent with many open doors to give the Gospel. He has sent people to the area we are now working in to till the ground and plant the seed, and He has sent us to water the crop and reap the harvest. I have encountered many "gang-banger" young men who upon our initial meeting appear angry and threatening, only to have God soften their hearts immediately upon introducing myself to them. Professed alcoholics and drug addicts listen with interest as I present the Gospel, and indeed whole houses have been saved. It seems that every time I go, there is more progress. This field is white unto harvest and thank God that he has sent us into it! This is an apartment community that has a high rate of crime; enough so that the police department has an office in it. The windows and doors of which are barred.

Praise God for the young lady who was saved just a couple of weeks ago and has told several people in the area of her testimony and what Christ has done for her. Several people have told me of her witness when I introduce myself and tell them where I'm from and Who I'm representing. Praise God for her niece whom she brought to church on Sunday because she was so burdened for her to be freed from the oppression she was under and whom also was saved and baptized that same day.

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Bonfire Blessings

The Killing Kings youth activity bonfire was great. Its actually not over yet, but kids came forward and burned pants (girls), music, written notes depicting internal sins, and other ungodly material. The kids bonded, and really paid attention to the Bible study, "Killing Kings". God kept it short and to the point. One of the new boys needed assurance of salvation, and Pastor said he broke onto tears as he spoke. Thank God for working in the lives of these young people!

Ps 16:11
RU in His presence?

Bro. Mark
www.todiedaily.blogspot.com
www.praisegoddaily.blogspot.com

More Encouragement

God gives me one blessing after another. Brian called tonight and is working on a sermon for little kid's chapel tomorrow. He asked about a couple of verses talking about what God promises and the riches we have in Him. He then offered to preach his message tomorrow night at the youth activity. I laughed and reminded him that I have a message for the night. He said, "I know. I'm looking forward to hearing it. I know I've already heard most of it, but I'm looking forward to hearing more." Isn't God amazing? This is a teenage boy who is at the age of "I know everything," and, "My parents are so out of it," and he's saying he liked the counsel I gave him a few weeks ago on the subject I'm preaching on, and is looking forward to hearing more. WOW! Praise God! He's giving my son wisdom.

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Open Doors

God gave me an open door this afternoon and thrust me through it. Shawn, an associate I had lead to the Lord a year ago knocked on the window of he office I was working in and asked me to come out and answer a question. I went and he asked what happens when we die, then explained that he had been talking to the other two associates and telling them about a show he had seen on one of the religious channels he was watching Sunday.

I was encouraged that he was seeking some spiritual food even if he wasn't looking in the best places, and proceeded to answer his questions. He continued asking questions and I understood that he was setting up a detailed explanation of the Gospel for his co-workers.

It was amazing and through his questions I was able to give them half of the Gospel; ending with them hanging over the lake of fire. Stopped talking and they continued liking at me as if to say, "Help me out of here." I said, "it would be unkind of me to leave you here, so with your permission I'll tell you the really great news," and finished the Gospel presentation. Neither of them prayed, but I am learning to wait on the Lord.

Afterwards I asked Shawn how the conversation and topic came about. He thought about it for a while and finally said, "I don't know. I really don't know. It just happened." Is that a God directed conversation or what?

Ps 16:11
RU in His presence?

Bro. Mark
www.todiedaily.blogspot.com
www.praisegoddaily.blogspot.com

Hope Lives

I was at a meeting last week with about 2,000 other folks who work for the same company I do. While traveling to the meeting I prayed that God would give me a room mate with whom I would have the opportunity to share the Gospel. My room mate was a man with whom I've been acquainted with for several years, but only see occasionally. He has very recently begun treatment for his second bout with lung cancer and is in very poor physical health. God did open a door for me to witness to him. I didn't know what to make of his reaction, but thought for the most part he had politely listened with no regard for what I shared with him.

Today I got an email from him that said rather pointedly that he wants to speak with me about "the Gift you told me about. I have been thinking about it since our meeting."  How cool is that?!  God is awesome!!!
Pressing on,

Mark Hebert
Christian, Husband, Father, Consultant
570-687-1984 mobile

Awesome God

God is awesome! He loves me. He hears my prayers. He answers my prayers. He promises me victory and always causes me to triumph in Christ (2Cor 2:14). He has made me more than a conqueror (Rom. 8:37), and not only will He never leave me nor forsake me (Heb. 13:5), but He has promised that He will never lose me either (Jn. 10:27-29). I was just praying in great concern that God would keep me from straying after my own lusts and depart from His presence and He reassured me that He would keep me close by Him. Oh God, give me a heart never to leave Thee!! God is AWESOME!!

Brian called a little while ago and said the new family of converts got on the van and while he drove them to services tonight talked excitedly about their new Bible and how they've been reading it and talking to others about coming to church. WOW! My God is AWESOME! Do you know my God? Do you know His power! Have you experienced His joy? Are you experiencing it now? Oh God, give me a heart that compels me to tell the world of Your incredible love and the great peace and abundant joy You greatly desire to give them!

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God Loves ME!!!

It's been a while since I've had a post to my Bible study side of the journal. How refreshing it is to hear God! I've allowed myself to get so busy that I did not focus in on reading the Bible. Oh, my soul! I even reached the point where I said, "Behold, what a weariness is it" (Mal . 1:13). Praise God He constantly, lovingly, encouraged and reminded me of the joy that is before Him and the blessings that are at His right hand! Thank God my spirit did not agree with my soul. PRAISE GOD, OH MY SOUL!! He saved me even before I knew Him. He loved me even while I hated Him! He did not withhold His only begotten Son, but delivered Him up for me, and has since and is now freely giving me all things!! (Rom. 8:32)

"What a wonderful change in my life has been wrought, since Jesus came into my heart..."

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New Births & Smote Lions

This morning was excellent. Sharitzi and her family came out. Luis, another of her sons was in my Sunday School class and he listened pretty intently. I was able to give them a good does of the Gospel, but it was merely the foundation. After services I asked Sharitzi if she would come to be baptized and she did. As she came Luis followed and said he wanted to be baptised. I gave him the Gospel, he prayed received Jesus as his Saviour and was baptised. This boy got fired up! He literally came to life. Questions began to flow from him along with great joy. He hugged before leaving, and his appreciation was genuine, as I believe his salvation is. Sharitzi, his mom told me that after I left Saturday she went in and read her Bible. Yes, sir! That's what salvation looks like! Praise God for another outstanding weekend.

This evening one of our members became upset. He was overtaken by the spirit of jealousy and stormed out of the services. I mean he stormed out. God has really been working in his life and he has been a blessing to me and many others. I went after him, spoke with him, shared some scripture with him, and by God's grace restored him. We went back into the services and Pastor was giving the invitation. As I sat there thanking God for His grace, He reminded of the scripture when David confessed to Saul that Goliath was no match for him because God would fight for him. He then said that he killed a lion and a bear who had taken one of the sheep. God smote the lion who was trying to take one the sheep last night and let me take part in it. Praise God! What a blessing!!

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Saturday Surprise

Soul winning / bus ministry was great! Jesse and I knocked on several doors trying to revisit some previous contacts and converts with no success. While walking by a young black man and his friend who both looked pretty rough, I introduced myself and began talking to him. Maxwell is his name. He initially wanted nothing to do with me, but did accept a tract and went off a little distance and read it. Meanwhile, back at the door Dino, one of last weeks visitors and converts came outside followed quickly by his mom. She was very interested in how she could be certain she could go to heaven, and I was very happy to show her. After about 20 minutes interrupted for a while by Santos (Maxwell's friend) she prayed to receive Christ. Santos is a professed alcoholic who really is not interested in anything religious, but as God would have it, his questions were great lead ins for the next point in my Gospel presentation. Dino believes he has about 11 visitors for tomorrow including his mom, Maxwell, and yup, even Santos. Maxwell, by the way told Santos he ought to read the tract. He said, "Its interesting, and funny." That would be great!

As we walked around we ran into Maxwell and Dino once again. They were talking to Maxwell's grandmother. She is saved, but backsliden, and looking for a church. As we spoke I discovered that she was the one in who's home Pastor and Dr. Ware conducted their pre-church fellowships in. How about that? God brought me to meet the lady who He used to help start Revival Baptist Church and I pray that she will return. What a blessing, and all because I "reached out to the leper."

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Update

It would seem I was hasty in my excitement and confidence in our operation not to make mistakes. In 15 years I've not seen this. Nevertheless there was an error in payroll and a deposit will be withdrawn. Unaware of this I attempted to get to a branch office to withdraw the money I needed to give. I arrived at the first one at 4:30. They were closed. The second was supposed to be open until 5:00 but I never fond it. Near as I can figure, my GPS had incorrect information. I could not understand why God would prevent me from successfully withdrawing the money He wanted me to give. Moments later I got an email explaining the error. Had I taken the money out, I would bounced a lot of checks. God is good!

Tremendous Supply

WOW! I woke up this morning, checked my email messages and find that I have a huge deposit in my checking account. I was expecting a bonus, but nothing like this. The amount that was deposited was actually just short of three times what I had anticipated. At the beginning of the year God challenged me to prove Him with my giving. During our missions conference I promised to give almost twice as much as I had previously. It was an amount that I could not afford to give, literally. I had to depend on revenue streams outside of the normal paychecks and although there was plenty of cause for apprehension, I was rather excited about the thing knowing that God WOULD do something and my dependence on Him would increase. In addition to that, he has led me to give an additional amount to a specific ministry in our church.

Through the last several months, people have given me money in small amounts with no prompting from me. Men have walked up and simply handed me money. There's no reason for it. "Just because I appreciate what you do," or "I thought you could use this." What a blessing. I thank them of course, but I praise God for the words they speak when they give it me is as if God himself is saying it!

While praying on Saturday with our men's group, God revealed a need in someones life to me and directed me to give a specific amount of money to that individual. I immediately said yes. It was a very large amount and I don't have it. In order to get it, I planned on selling some things I could easily turn into cash. Plans set, my mind set, the sale would take place in a couple of weeks. This morning I woke up and God has already placed that amount and twice that in my bank account. In other words, It works like this: I was expecting an amount of money to be deposited in my account as a bonus from my job. It would barely cover what I was told to give, and purchase a gift for my wife. God put that in my account, the amount He wants me to give, and just for good measure, that amount again. How's your giving?

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Late Night - Early Start

I was awake most of the night last night full of the joy and praises of God. Incredible! Another day of blessings from nowhere but the presence of God. I love serving Him! I woke this morning at 4:45 and knew I wouldn't get back to sleep and if I did I would miss something that God wanted to give me, so here I am writing an early morning praise to my God and Saviour! Oh Lord God in Heaven cause me to want to tell the world how they too can know you!!

That reminds me: I became aware the other day of my increasing desire to share the Gospel not just out of obligation or duty, but out of a great joy that I want to share with others. God is answering my prayers!!!

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