Along with Rachel, shared for an hour with a dozen gals last night
– one left as a newborn by her mother on the street
– one killed her 5 year old
– one from 14 to 27 years forced into an incestuous relationship with her father.
Praise God. Some reached out and took God’s hand of friendship.
Then shared my story for another hour with 60 men – some lifers for murder.
Saw many stand to go God’s way, not there’s.
More than a 100 students came forward in my chapel in snowy Dubuque, Iowa wanting to confess get something right with God.
God is good
Hello from OM base at the foothills of the Italian Alps. I am enjoying being with the team and will be speaking to them and taking youth and church meetings with weekend.
Just had a brilliant weekend equipping 15 pastors and missionaries in Porto, Portugal at a church. Took the youth out on the streets and saw people respond to The Lord.
… said a number of shop owners and shoppers, as 20 of us from the OM team, accompanied by accordion and guitar, sang out Christmas carols in our local stores in Tyrone — and folk joined in with us as we handed out song sheets.
Praying a Christmas blessing over the business and all present, we invited people to check out the ‘Christmas Wish’ on the back of the song sheet and watch the video ‘The 5 Colors of Christmas’ at: www.RichardSharp.me
It made our day as well.
“What we cover, God will uncover.
What we uncover, God will cover.”
As I ended the message, this whole church in Bangalore, India rose, walked forward in repentance.
After the service a man came to me.
“A colleague just came trembling. “I only gave you 300 rupees and kept the other 200. Please forgive me.”
“I had an affair earlier this year,” said another to me, his eyes bowed. “Broke it off, confessed it to the Lord, but never told my wife. Going home now to confess to her.”
My heart skipped like King David’s:
Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not COVER UP my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.”
And you forgave the guilt of my sin.
Psalm 32:5
He took to himself what He was not,
while remaining what he was.
He came to us in a man
without ever departing from the Father.
He continued to be what he is
while appearing to us as what we are.
His divine power was confined in the body of an infant
without (his presence) being withdrawn from the (entire) universe.
– Augustine’s Christmas Sermon, AD 396
Passing our ‘One Wish’ truck at the New Hope’s Church Fall Festival, Terre, Rachel and I asked dozens of people, “If you had one wish from God for you today, what would that be?”
Some of the people we prayed for their one wish:
– A man contemplating suicide because out of work so long.
– A woman realizing her need forgive her father and be back in church this Sunday.
– A couple looking for a church home with good children’s ministry.
– A woman grieving over the loss of her mom one year ago.
– A young man wanting God’s will for his life, not his own will.
3 people wanting God to forgive sins or to be sure they were going to heaven – we shared the gospel.
Each person received a ‘Steps to Peace with God’ tract and their children ‘The ABC’ gospel booklet and candy.
What a night.
Someone said, ‘Don’t curse the darkness, light a candle.