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April 11-15, 2007
- Our trip to the Evangelism Boot Camp in Atlanta was a great first time
experience for Shane and I. On our way to Atlanta we listened to some of Ray
Comforts teachings & shared verses with each other, that we felt God was using
to shape & mold us.
Wednesday evening & Thursday morning we heard some great teaching & instruction,
also what to expect, as well as pitfalls to avoid. I felt a roller coaster ride
of emotions during these first two days, from anticipation, to excitement, to
being scared out of my mind. We were told that there would be a lot of prayer at
this camp, later these times of prayer really bonded us together. Not only the
prayer meetings at the beginning of each day but also praying for each other in
a group huddle, right on the street, before & after each open air preaching.
We were also told that when we were doing one to one's, to break out from a
cookie cutter approach. That we were to trust that God's Spirit would be there
with us & to allow ourselves to be stretched & follow His leading. A very good
point was made to spend more time talking about the cross & the sacrifice that
was made for us & the person we were talking to. Allowing the seriousness of
breaking God's moral law to be revealed, but also to bring the the person to the
foot of the cross & stay there with them a little while longer, than we had been
doing.
Our last night out, going back to the hotel on the MARTA (Atlanta's mass transit
train). Joseph Buslovich had been doing a powerful job speaking to the people on
the train, he offered a five dollar bill to who ever would come up to get it. I
think it took a couple of tries to finally get someone to accept his offer. He
finished with this illustration showing the free gift God offers us. I got up
enough nerve to follow him with my first attempt & last chance to speak on the
MARTA, like several had already done.
After speaking for probably 2 minutes (and that could be exaggerating) I sat
down, shaking. A lady passed by me saying she was sure that what I was saying
was not from God because if it was I would have been calm in saying it, not
nervous and shaking so much. I read to these people what the free gift had cost
our God.
'Despised and rejected by men;
a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief...
we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God , and afflicted.
But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are
healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the
iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb
that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is
silent, so he opened not his mouth...
He was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of
my people...
There was no deceit in his mouth.
Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief.
The Prophet Isaiah 53:3-10
(From the dedication to Jesus Christ in John Piper's book 'Fifty Reasons Why
Jesus Christ Came to Die')
Are you interested in sharing
your faith and live in or around the
Richmond, KY area?
If so, please contact
Gary Snook or
Shane Hayes.
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