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June, 2008
Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin
"For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.
For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's."
(Philippians 2:20,21)
I thank God always for the freedom and opportunity to preach the
Gospel. There is nothing more satisfying to me than to publicly share the
truth of God's salvation. However, sometimes it is a lonely endeavor, as I
have found few men who are willing to sacrifice their precious time so
that others might learn of the power of God's glorious Gospel. Where are
the men who will say, as Isaiah did, "Here I am, send me"?
June was a dry time of ministry for me, and
yet... "Notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will
rejoice" (Philippians 1:18).
My wife Evi and our four children were in Italy
visiting my wife's family for a month, and so I went it alone except for
June 14th when I was accompanied by my grand-daughter in Wisconsin Dells.
We passed out loads of tracts and had a few good conversations. It was
refreshing when my wife and two boys returned from Italy and we ministered
together on June 28th, merely because it always feels good to have a few
people along for support. But I appreciate my grand-daughter Kasey very
much.
I once expressed to a friend the feeling I
sometimes get when I am alone in ministry, and he encouraged me by saying,
"A day out on the street
beats a day of doing nothin'." I wrote and said, "Thanks, I
needed that." The time wasted by believers is astonishing. We are
told in Ephesians 5:16 and Colossians 4:5 that we ought to be
"redeeming the time." In fact, the passage in Ephesians says we
are to redeem the time "because the days are evil. To redeem the time
means that we should spend our time wisely; and figuratively to rescue
from loss. Time cannot be replaced. And the "days are evil"  because
they just fly past, are gone, and are irreplaceable. Count how many hours
you have spent wasting time with Hollywood movies, TV shows, sports and
other useless, vain pursuits.
In Luke 10:2 Jesus tells us, "The harvest truly is great, but the
laborers are few: therefore, ask the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth
laborers into his harvest." That is my prayer: that men of God
everywhere would not be ashamed of the Gospel, but would lift up the name
of Jesus... privately and publicly; in season and out of season; when it
is convenient and even when it is inconvenient. If it's true that faith
comes by hearing the word, and if God has asked "how shall they call
upon him in whom they have not heard," and "how shall they hear
without a preacher," then why is it that there are so few who are
willing to step out of the safety of church or home to proclaim the Good
News? Many have read the scripture that says, "...always be ready to give an answer to every man that
asks you a reason for the hope that is in you..." and they think they
should just wait around until someone says, "Hey neighbor, you're
such a good, clean, honest and happy fellow, what is it that makes you
that way?" But even though Paul said that he was "set for the
defense of the Gospel," the church is to be on the offense,
not merely the defense. Evangelism is an active endeavor, as in "Go
into all the world and preach the Gospel," and "warning every man, and teaching every man in all
wisdom," and "And as ye go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at
hand.'" Jesus said, "Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?"
"Don't you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which
you received from God, and you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
Thank you for all your help
and prayers. We will continue to minister in Wisconsin Dells and at fairs
and events around the state, as well as on high school and college
campuses during the spring and fall. We will be ordering quite a few
tracts in Spanish, as the Dells has so many visitors who speak that
language, and most of them are Catholic.
Please join us if God moves
on your heart. Young men especially... you are encouraged to join us and
to learn how to share your faith with boldness.
Brother Charles
KNOW
JESUS
KNOW
PEACE |
