Wednesday December 2, 2009
Summary ::
Today our team split up into two separate groups. Bus 1 went to go share God’s love out loud to different parts of the valley. Bus 2 went to First Community Baptist church to host a free carwash and a free lunch for the surrounding community. Today was one of those days that the Lord really allowed us to see how much he cares about each individual in the community. Each person had a unique story met with a unique way in which God met them.
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Testimony ::
Samuel Gichuhi ::
Today my group went to do a carwash at the First Community Baptist. I was busy washing cars when Nikki pointed out a guy that was standing around watching what was going on. She motioned for me to go talk to him and I walked over and asked him if he wanted to have some lunch. I also told him to go get his car so we could wash it. He brought his car over. As the car was getting washed Cisco and I started engaging him in conversation.
We asked him if he went to church. Then he started telling us that he grew up in church but when he was older he decided he didn’t want to live that kind of life anymore because he didn’t want to fully surrender. So we asked him why? He wanted to do his own thing because when he was in church he could never get it right, he felt like a failure. He explained that since he didn’t want to sacrifice any part of himself for God, he couldn’t live up to the standards of those around him. He realized that he was living out selfish motives but he just found it so challenging to live a life with Jesus as the Lord of his life. He wanted to control his own life and do what he thought was best.
So we started talking to him about the Holy Spirit. We explained that the Holy Spirit was there to help him; that he doesn’t have to do it by himself. We explained that God desires that we do the will of the Father (loving God and loving people) with the understanding that he didn’t have to live off his own strength. He liked that idea because he knew he couldn’t do it on his own. He realized a long time ago that he needed help. We prayed with him and he said that he wanted to go back to church and get back into reading the Bible. He wanted to ask the Holy Spirit to help him. He explained that God had rescued him from so many circumstances that he knew God had to be real.
He said he was tired of depending on himself. He told us that life around that part of town was rough. When I had first walked up to him one of the first things out of his mouth was “Do you guys have any idea what kind of community you all are trying to show kindness to? This is a super rough neighborhood!” And without any hesitation I smiled back and said “Perfect.” We prayed that the Holy Spirit would come into his life and help him experience God as he reads the Word.
He wants God to make it all real and tangible to him. God had used us to do that very thing. We prayed that God would be his very present help in time of need and we know that God is faithful to do so. Our prayer was more about revealing this truth to this man.
Psalm 46:1-2 “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;”
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Philip Reneau and Michelle Valdez ::
Today we were doing a car wash a couple miles down the road from where we were staying at. As I was sitting down to rest a little bit and eat some lunch. This guy drove up with his girlfriend and little girl. Michelle immediately walked up to them and asked them how we can serve them. He handed her the keys and asked her to just wash the rims. While Michelle motioned them over to go get some lunch while they waited she immediately felt a heavy burden for this family; way different than anyone else she had encountered that day.
The guy and his girlfriend came and pulled up a seat nearby where I was sitting. Angela, another team member asked if I could talk to him to make him feel welcome. I was contemplating my approach when Michelle gave a holler at me as well. So I walked over to where she was and she asked me if I could go approach this couple while she washed their rims. I pulled up a seat and started talking to the boyfriend. I began talking to him about cars and racing. He had a pretty decent racing car so I knew that would break the ice. I mentioned that I used to be stationed in Germany when I was in the air force and got to drive the auto bond at 100 mph. He said he was on a racing team around the valley. He loosened up after that. We told him we were from San Diego and came down here to show the love of Christ.
I talked to him a little bit about the love of God and asked him where he was at in his Faith. He started talking about how he was raised Catholic and now he has fallen away. He went on to say that his brother is a Christian and had spoken to him about Christ a while back. He accepted Christ into his heart when his brother had began to share with him the love of Christ. However, he hadn’t really surrendered to the Lord. He believes but isn’t living for the Lord. I asked him what was holding him back. He said his lifestyle was really hard to break free from. He is currently living with his girlfriend and his two kids. He spent two months in prison and had since then been hanging with the wrong crowd lately.
He admitted that he hasn’t been willing to give up his lifestyle but that his brother has been calling all this week about going to church. He know’s the Lord is calling him back into his presence. He admitted he knows he’s not living for God. I explained that it’s the Father’s will that draws us to his son and it’s not the son’s will that anyone of us be rejected. It’s not about him giving up his lifestyle and then surrendering his will to God’s, but it’s about surrendering his life and God will take his old desires away. God is faithful to lead him in that direction. I started telling him about how I fell away from the Lord and shared some of my testimony. I shared how God took my old desires away.
Shortly after he was getting ready to leave and he asked if he could go talk to the pastor and get some information on the church so he could start attending. It’s then when his countenance really changed. The pastor talked to him about God’s joy and how God was calling him now. Now is the time for surrendering. He started getting excited and full of smiles. We told him God was going to completely change his life so that a year from now, when he looks back, he won’t be same person. He started smiling so big and started getting excited and said he wants to bring his family to the church and start coming. Then I explained that just as God has called me out of darkness, God was calling him out of darkness. Then we started sharing about the love of God and everything about him changed. He was just smiling so big.
Then we prayed that he would walk in obedience to what God was calling him to walk in now. He gave the pastor his information and said that he would come back Friday for the new believer’s class to get plugged in. When we walked out, we saw that Michelle had been talking to his girlfriend, Sila. Coincidently, The girl’s mom used to attend this church. Sila was raised in a Christian family. Sila had been sharing with Michelle about her difficulties she had experienced in the past and Michelle started telling Sila about what God has done in her life.
Michelle began explaining about how God allows difficulty in our lives to cause us to a place where we realize that our life is lost without Him. She also explained that God is a merciful God and that he desires to show mercy and grace to those who cry out to him. She explained that there is no life apart from God. Michelle prayed with her and asked God to show Sila His mercy. God is so rich in mercy that he would choose to reveal his love in this way to BOTH of them in the same day!
Hebrews 4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Psalm 32:10 “Many sorrows shall be to the wicked ; But he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround them.”
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<span style=”color:#dd3300;”><span style=”font-family:georgia;line-height:26px;font-size:18px;letter-spacing:1px;”>Love Out Loud Tour :: Baptist Church Car Wash & Church 212 Service
