Weekly Letter
11/16/19
Because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too. 2 Corinthians 5:11
If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for your benefit. Either way, Christ’s love controls us, since we believe that we have died to our old life. He died for everyone so than those who receive His new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. 2 Corinthians 5:13-15
As we drove through downtown to pick up one of the ministers we noticed that the street corner where we park had cars parked all up and down the street and alley way. So we prayed that God would open up a spot. As we started the day in prayer before heading to the street corner, someone came to the bus for prayer. This person has died to their old life and is learning to walk in faith but was struggling. This person needed to be encouraged that Jesus was with her through the difficult times. When we showed up to the street corner all but two of the cars had been moved. There was a few people waiting for us as parked but by the time we set up the street corner was packed. The sermon was about living for Christ in whatever circumstances God places us in. During a prayer time one person was really angry and hurt. He had been robbed by people he believed were his friends. This person has placed his trust in Jesus but struggles with addiction. After one of the ministers spent some time talking to and praying with this man he made the choice to forgive because Jesus has forgiven him. Thank you Jesus! We believe that this will be a new beginning in his walk with Christ. During a prayer time one person said he was struggling with addiction and the damage that it has brought to his relationship with his sister. This man stated that he is tired of taking matters into his own hand and wants God to steer his life. Thank you Jesus! Another victory of surrender to God! One person after hearing the worship and sermon wanted to pray with one of the ministers that he use to know from the street. This man understood that the minister had become a new creation and was now living his life to please God. And so the minister led him through the sinner’s prayer and this man became a new creation! Thank you Jesus! Another blessed day serving Christ! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. We pray that God would bring a new song of praise to your heart this week!
Love,
Steve and Donna
11/9/19
We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies. While we live in these earthly bodies we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that cloth us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. God Himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee He has given us His Holy Spirit. 2 Corinthians 5:2-5
As believes of Jesus we look forward to eternity. But there are many people who have not placed their trust in Jesus and yet, they will live forever, somewhere.
Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this? 2 Corinthians 2:15-17
The message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ has an eternal impact on those who believe in Him and those who reject Him. No, we can’t save anyone and we are in-adequate for this huge responsibility, but praise God we don’t save anyone!
You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. 2 Corinthians 4:5-7
Today after an anointed message on being salt and light we started serving coffee and praying with people. One lady said that she asked Jesus to save her and it didn’t work. The minister asked her a few questions about what exactly she meant and found out that this lady thought that if Jesus saved her she would be in heaven. So the minister spent time sharing with her what it meant to be saved. We pray that this lady continues to show up on the street corner so she would come to have a better understanding of God. One man kept cursing and saying he knew God but he was going to kill some people. Four of the ministers tried to talk with him but he wouldn’t listen and finally left the corner yelling. Please join us in praying that he would come back and learn about forgiveness and healing in Jesus Christ through repentance. One younger lady asked for some shoes and the minister handed her some a pair of women’s shoes. She was surprised because she said most people think she is a guy. After providing for some of her physical needs, the minister shared that Jesus loved her. She seemed to really receive what the minister said but she wasn’t ready to ask Jesus to save her. We are praying that the Holy Spirit would draw her back and prepare her heart to receive God’s amazing gift of salvation. A younger man needed a warmer jacket but didn’t receive the truth that Jesus loved him and he didn’t want prayer. We are praying that Jesus would lead him back and he would come to trust that Jesus loved him enough to die for him. Even though a few hearts weren’t prepared to make a commitment we will walk by faith and trust that through our prayers these people will put their faith in Jesus Christ. One lady that was using a walker saw the cross from down the street. She started heading up the hill to the cross stopping along the way to rest. When she finally got to the cross that we place at the front of the bus she was so very thankful. She stated that she has a church but hasn’t been going. We believe that seeing the cross and with encouragement from the ministers she knew that God was speaking to her and will soon be back at church. Thank you to everyone that has been praying for Skippy who had the pre-stroke. He wanted to be out there with us Saturday serving God and the street community even though he was somewhat worn out from what he had been through. We thank God he was able to make it and he radiated with God’s presence. Please keep praying for him as he goes in around the end of the month to have stents put in the arteries in his neck. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. We so appreciate the prayers and donations that allow us to shine the light of Christ into the lives of the homeless!
Love,
Steve and Donna
10/26/19
“Listen, O Israel! Today you are about to cross the Jordan River to take over the land belonging to nations much more powerful than you. They live in cities with walls that reach to the sky! The people are strong and tall - descendants of the famous Anakite giants. You’ve heard the saying, ‘Who can stand up to the Anakites?’ But recognize today that the LORD your God is the One who will cross over ahead of you like a devouring fire to destroy them. He will subdue them so that you will quickly conquer them and drive them out, just as the LORD has promised. Deuteronomy 9:1-3
A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Ephesians 6:10
For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12
Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. Ephesians 6:18
Drug addiction, the cause of most of the homelessness, can at times seem like a giant that is looming over our country. Many families in this nation have experienced the devastation caused by this evil giant. But believers serve an awesome and mighty God who goes before us into battle and He will subdue and drive out this giant as in times past. Our part is to keep fighting the good fight of faith by praying in the Spirit at all times!
The last couple of weekends we have headed out to the street corner without one of the ministers who has joined us for the last four years. This man use to come to the bus when he was homeless and using drugs. Jesus has transformed this man into a powerful testimony of what God can do. A couple weeks ago this minister had what the doctor called a pre-stroke. The doctor will have to do some more tests to find out why this took place, but please join us in praying for this person that God would be glorified in whatever happens.
Today after a wonderful sermon on Jesus being the bridge to God, we set up for coffee and prayer. The minister serving coffee kept asking people that walked by if they wanted some coffee. One person who came and had some coffee was then offered some warm clothing since it was very cold and he only had a t-shirt on. As he spoke with the minister he shared that he had gone to jail and when he went to a treatment program he had placed his trust in Jesus. He went on to share that he had walked away from Christ. The minister shared that just because he wasn’t faithful didn’t change the fact that Jesus was still faithful. We are praying that the Holy Spirit would bring this lost lamb back into the sheepfold. Every person that has been to the street corner before was asking about the minister that wasn’t there and wanted him to know that they were praying for him. This minister with his warm smile and caring prayers has had a huge impact on the street community. As one lady walked by the minister at the coffee table offered her some coffee. The lady said no and started to walk off but then saw some cookies. She asked the minister if she could have a couple of cookies. The lady received much more than some cookies, she placed her trust in Jesus Christ! Thank you Jesus! After loading everything up and heading back to the church building one of the ministers realized that he didn’t have his Bible. He started to look around and found his Bible sitting on the hood of the bus. It had been left there as we loaded up to leave and rode all the way back to the building on the hood! Thank you Jesus! Another awesome day in Christ! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. Your prayers take down giants!
Love,
Steve and Donna
10/12/19
At the end of every seventh year you must cancel the debts of everyone who owes you money. This is how it must be done. Everyone must cancel the loans they have made to their fellow Israelites. They must not demand payment from their neighbors or relatives, for the LORD’s time of release has arrived. Deuteronomy 15:1
If a fellow Hebrew sells himself or herself to be your servant and serves you for six years, in the seventh year you must set that servant free. Deuteronomy 15:12
The two Scriptures above teach a spiritual principle of forgiveness but it also demonstrates God’s heart of forgiveness. We were all spiritually bankrupt when we said yes to Jesus. God cancelled the debt we couldn’t ever pay by providing Jesus Christ.
For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:21
Another amazing day on the street corner. During the sermon one lady tried to disrupt the sermon by yelling and screaming but she eventually walked away. One person wanted prayer for him and his sister who were fighting again. He confessed that they both struggle with addiction and when they fight he turns to drinking. The minister shared he could leave the addiction behind because he could do all things through Christ who strengthens him. One man that showed up had just gotten out of the hospital. We are praying that God continues to bring healing to his body. With each prayer time there was a longing for God’s will to be done. Along with the prayers we were able to hand out a lot of warm jackets, hats and gloves. One man who showed up at the end of the day was mumbling and cursing loudly but by the time he left he had asked Jesus to save him and his mind was clear and he was opening up the Bible and reading! Praise God! Jesus has forgiven his debt! When we left for the day and were taking one of the ministers home we saw a police car in a parking lot and the police officer talking to the lady that had walked away yelling. Please pray for our police officers they often deal with people who are being led by demonic spirits (whether they understand it or not). We are praying that this lady comes back and hears the truth of God’s word. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God bless you mightily!
Love,
Steve and Donna
9/28/19
For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost. Luke 19:10
Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that He was associating with such sinful people-even eating with them! So Jesus told them this story: “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep. In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away! Luke 15:1-7
This Saturday we headed for the street corner with warm coats and sleeping bags. Most of the street community isn’t able to stay dry when it rains and need dry clothes. As we worshiped Jesus on the street corner one man came walking up and started to worship through dance. When the music stopped he left. We pray that he is attending church and hearing God’s word or that he would come back and stay. During the prayer times one man asked for a sleeping bag and began to cry when he was given one. This man put his trust in Jesus many years ago and loves God. We will continue to pray for deliverance from addiction for him. Another man who last week didn’t want to put his trust in Jesus was there again today for the worship and the sermon. He wasn’t ready to place his trust in Jesus but he said he felt that Jesus was drawing him close. The minister shared with this man that he can ask Jesus to save him at any time day or night and he doesn’t have to wait for us to be there if he believes he wants that relationship with Jesus. We will continue to pray that the Holy Spirit would draw this man to Jesus. Today was a wonderful day of rejoicing in Jesus with the street community. We are so grateful that God allows us to spend our Saturdays there! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. We pray that your week is filled with rejoicing in what our Savior is doing!
Love,
Steve and Donna
9/21/19
I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. For there is only one God and Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity-the man Christ Jesus. He gave His life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time. 1 Timothy 2:1-6
And now He has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News. 2 Timothy 1:10
Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when He freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed His life, shedding His blood. Romans 3:24-25
We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with Him. We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and He will never die again. Death no longer has any power over Him. When He died, He died once to break the power of sin. But now that He lives, He lives for the glory of God. So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. Romans 6:6-11
And because you belong to Him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. Romans 8:2
And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as His adopted children, including the new bodies He has promised us. Romans 8:23
As we pulled up to the street corner today there was a large group from the street community waiting for us. A couple people that were there were in pain and asking for prayer, so while the street community helped to set up chairs two of the minister spent time praying. The powerful sermon was on Jesus saving us not just from hell but also from the power of sin over us. One man was suffering from a hernia. This man has put his trust in Christ and desires to walk with Him but is in a battle with addiction. Please join us in praying for Jesus to give him strength. Another man who had been hit in the head with a chair a while ago has been having crushing headaches. Jesus has brought such an amazing change to this man over the last six months and we are trusting that the good work that Jesus began, He will finish and this pain won’t cause a setback. Many prayer times were spent praying that with the street community were that they would put on the full armor of Christ and be able to stand against the schemes of the enemy and walk out the victory that Jesus has given them. One person who heard the sermon and listened to many prayer times still didn’t want to put his trust in Jesus, so he let the minister pray that Jesus would draw him to the light of His truth. We are looking forward to seeing the change that God will bring! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. Praying that Jesus would bring peace and joy to you and your families!
Love,
Steve and Donna
9/14/19
But suddenly, Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and exclaimed to his advisors, “Didn’t we tie up three men and throw them into the furnace?” “Yes, your Majesty, we certainly did,” they replied. “Look!” Nebuchadnezzar shouted, “I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god!” Daniel 3:24-25
When we are in the big storms of life we often rely on Jesus to be there with us in the refiner’s fire. Even when we don’t feel Him or see Him, we rely on Him many times because there are no other options. But what about the everyday storms, the storms of working at a job we dislike or of being patient when praying for someone. What about those times that is out of our control like a wreck that caused you to be late for work? A couple of months ago we were told of a break in at the mall. The thief went in through the roof and went out through Macy’s glass door by shooting it out. There were three women who should have been at work when all this took place but all three women were late that day. Before that day one of the women had never been late to work. We don’t know if these three women are believers but we do know a lady who prays for that particular store. What would you have been thinking about if you were late for work? That Jesus was keeping you safe or that it was going to be a headache? Many times the smaller storms of everyday life seem harder to rely on God for, than the big storms. But never forget Jesus is in the storm, big or small with you!
I know the LORD is always with me; I will not be shaken, for He is right beside me. Psalm 16:8
You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of Your presence and the pleasures of living with You forever. Psalm 16:11
There are many times when we are out on the street corner people seem distant and don’t desire to draw close to God or to be prayed for. But today was the opposite. With many of the people that showed up today it seemed that their storms large and small were drawing them closer to Jesus. One older lady who usually will only get some coffee and leave stayed for the worship and the sermon and she asked to have someone pray for her. One younger man was really grateful for the worship, sermon and prayer. One younger lady who sat up the sidewalk about twenty feet was welcomed by a minister to come and sit down in a chair but she didn’t seem comfortable moving any closer so a minister took her a song book. During the worship and sermon the younger lady seemed to pay close attention but after the sermon she left before any of the ministers could speak with her. Please join us in praying that she feels welcomed and comes back and comes to know the One who can save her! There were many wonderful prayer times and we are looking forward to seeing what God does for all those broken precious souls that are learning to trust that the Savior will be with them in the storms, big or small! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. Praying that you find comfort in knowing that Jesus is right there with you in every storm.
Love,
Steve and Donna
8/31/19
When the servant of the man of God got up early the next morning and went outside, there were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere. “Oh, sir, what will we do now?” the young man cried to Elisha. “Don’t be afraid!” Elisha told him. “For there are more on our side than on theirs!” Then Elisha prayed, “O LORD, open his eyes and let him see!” The LORD opened the young man’s eyes and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire. 2 Kings 6:15-17
After a powerful sermon we had a prayer time for everyone in the street community that needed physical healing. One man had been sleeping at the mission in Seattle and was hit in the head with a chair and now has a concussion. An older lady is waiting to have back surgery and one man has had part of his colon removed. After the prayer time for physical healing, we shared in a meal of chili nachos. One minister continued to serve nachos and the other ministers spent time with each individual person in prayer. As one younger lady waited to get a coat she started making a low, loud sound like a deranged crow. As she did this one larger man came up to the table to have nachos. Since this man was a tall and large man the minister heaped up the nachos for him and then turned to pray with another person. The younger lady that made the bird noise and needed a coat seemed to settle down and received a jacket and asked Jesus to save her! The large man that had a large portion of nachos finished his nachos and after thanking another minister walked off. The minister that was serving the nachos and turned to pray with someone wanted to ask this man his name so went walking quickly up the hill to catch him before he was gone. The minister looked up and down the street and down the alley and he was nowhere to be found. We know that the Bible tells us not to forget to entertain strangers for we might entertain angels and that some angels have something to do with ministering the Gospel, and we believe that could have been what happened. It might be that this large man (angel) came to rebuke the demon that the younger lady was carrying so she could ask Jesus to save her! At the end of our time on the street corner one older man came up that we have tried to minister too for the last fourteen years. He has never wanted prayer or to hear about the grace, mercy and love of Jesus. But today Jesus took his heart of stone out and gave him a heart of flesh and he asked Jesus to save him! As we were packing up one man came up the hill and kept looking behind him and from side to side. He looked angry. While the minister handed him some nachos, she asked him his name. He didn’t say anything. So she asked again and he mumbled that his name was ‘rebuked.’ We believe that the demon that the younger lady had been carrying might have fled and ended up in this man. We will be praying that he comes back and that the love of God causes the demon to flee and the man to accept the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ. Wow! What a day. Thank you Jesus! And thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God teach us to see more of the spiritual realm than the physical!
Love,
Steve and Donna
8/24/19
So they will fear the name of the LORD from the west And His glory from the rising of the sun. For He will come in like a narrow, rushing stream Which the breath of the LORD drives [overwhelming the enemy]. Isaiah 59:19
Darkness as black as night covers all the nations of the earth, but the glory of the LORD rises and appears over you. Isaiah 60:2
Today as one of the ministers stopped for coffee on her way to the street corner, she was just about ready to open the car door and step out when a car ran into the side of her car. Thankfully nobody was hurt and she still showed up and was eager to share with the street community the reason, even with this happening, she had peace. After spending time in prayer before heading to the street the bus wouldn’t start. No power at all. The bus has two batteries and so one minister hooked the jumper cables up to the second battery and still no power. As the ministers prayed one minister stepped off the bus and put his hand on the motor and prayed and the bus started right up! As we drove to the corner we were in the turn lane and the truck to the right of us was in the lane that only goes straight. As the light for the turn lane became green we started off and the truck beside us turned into our lane almost hitting the front bumper. Thankfully, we saw the truck turn and had time to slam on the brakes so as not to be hit. Please join us in praying for the minister that had her car side swiped that the insurance and the repair would be done quickly, thoroughly and wouldn’t be a headache. If the enemy wasn’t trying to keep us from going and sharing the great news of Jesus with the street community, we wouldn’t be doing any damage to his agenda. What a busy day on the street corner. During the sermon someone started walking up the road barefoot and yelling. As the ministers prayed the yelling stopped when the person was walking right by us but then he continued to yell when he was about twenty feet away. We are praying that Jesus would touch his heart. Another person walked by not too long after the first one and he was quiet but his eyes were throwing arrows of hatred. The ministers prayed again that Jesus would touch his heart with mercy and love. Many of the prayer times seemed to be filled with prayers and conversation of how to walk out our trust in Christ. One person shared that he had just received the news that he had AIDS. This person believes in and desires to follow Jesus but continues to struggle with addiction. We are praying that this terrible disease would give him the motivation to turn his complete trust over to Jesus and for a complete healing. One lady who showed up at the end of the day started to take her clothes off so one of the lady ministers went over. The lady minister spent some time with this younger lady and the younger lady confessed that she was on drugs. We will continue to pray for her. One younger man who showed up at the beginning of the day but hung back and just stayed by himself, but at the end of the day he came over to get some food, but he left with Jesus Christ! Thank you Jesus! As we started to load up to leave another large group came up and we were able to give all of them some food but what they really need is the Bread of Life. We will be praying that the Holy Spirit would draw them back next week for more than food that will perish. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. When it seems that the enemy is surrounding you, God will raise a banner over you!
Love,
Steve and Donna
8/17/19
Then on the Day of Atonement in the fiftieth year, blow the ram’s horn loud and long throughout the land. Set this year apart as holy, a time to proclaim freedom throughout the land for all who live there. It will be a jubilee year for you, when each of you may return to the land that belonged to your ancestors and return to your own clan. Leviticus 25:9-10
When He came to the village of Nazareth, His boyhood home, He went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures. The scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to Him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where this was written: “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, for He has anointed Me to bring Good News to the poor, He has sent Me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and the time of the LORD’s favor has come.” He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue looked at Him intently. He began to speak to them. “The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!” Luke 4:16-21
In Israel every fiftieth year was a jubilee year. It was a holy year of restoration and new beginnings. When Jesus started His ministry He proclaim that the Scripture in Isaiah had been fulfilled and that it is an era of the LORD’s favor, an era of restoration and new beginnings!
With all the terrible things that take place in our time; killing babies by the millions, genocide of Christian’s in different places of the world, teens committing suicide and so many drug addicted people killing themselves slowly with poison, and yet God has placed us here at this time in history to proclaim release for the captives, the oppressed will be set free, that the blind will see, that it is the time of the LORD’s favor!
Today was a busy day on the street corner. Many people we saw today we have had the honor of seeing them put their trust in Jesus and grow in faith over the years. Some grow slower than others and some we have seen take a giant leap backwards after taking a few steps closer to God. One person who was growing in faith the last few months took a step backward. The last couple of weeks this man has stayed down the street just looking up at us. He came up today but after getting some coffee told one minister that there was tobacco in the coffee. He showed the minister and the minister explained that it was just some coffee grounds. The man didn’t believe him and walked off saying that the coffee should be tested. This might seem funny to some but it is a sign of paranoia that very likely is caused by drugs. Please join us in praying that this man would repent and turn back to Jesus. One man shared that he had gotten kicked out of the Nativity house and since his clothing was there he couldn’t get to them. This man has been growing in his walk with Jesus and also has been working. We are praying that this doesn’t set him back but draws him closer to Jesus. One younger man with scars all over came up to get some coffee with his head hung down and not even looking up when the minister asked him his name. At first he didn’t answer and when asked again he said quietly, “Nobody” while his head still hung down. The ministers could tell that he felt that he was worthless. Another minister sat with him on the sidewalk and carefully tried to speak with him. The younger man just hung his head and didn’t say anything. Finally before leaving he did tell the minister his name. Please join us in praying for this younger man that he would come back and receive the truth that he has value because he was created in the image of God, so much value that Jesus died for him on the cross. One older man came to get some food and wanted to grab the food and take off but the minister kept asking him some very direct questions and the man made the best decision of his life, to place his trust in Jesus! Thank you Jesus! He was also very excited that the minister was able to provide him with a Bible in his native language. Thank you to everyone that prays and donates to The Street Corner Commission. What an honor God has placed on His children, that we are called to share this Good News!
Love,
Steve and Donna
8/10/19
The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. As the Scriptures say, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.” So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. 1 Corinthians 1:18-20
Our society has lost hope. They have put their trust in all different kinds of things that leave people hopeless. Hopelessness leads to evil deeds. Many people claim to have answers but every one of them leaves someone worse off than they were before. Only Jesus can bring hope to the hopeless, peace to those who mourn and joy to those who are down trodden. Believers in Jesus are the only ones who can give this message of hope.
Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. 1 Peter 3:15
Today every person that showed up to the corner had put their trust in Jesus. But they came carrying the burden of hopelessness. So we again shared the message of True Hope; the hope of a right relationship with God the Father through Jesus Christ. The message of True Hope; that Jesus paid for our sins not so we could go on living a life hopelessly sinful but that He set us free from our sins. During the prayer times one person wanted to stop using drugs. Please join us as we continue to pray that Jesus would give this person the strength to walk away from temptation. One man asked for prayer for a friend who was grieving the loss of her child. The minister prayed that Jesus would comfort her and draw her closer to Him. One person started walking up the hill towards us swearing about sin and God. The ten foot cross that we place in front of the bus brings joy to many but to others it is a sign of the judgement to come. The ministers started to pray that Jesus would meet the man walking towards us swearing, right where he was. Right before he arrived at where we were he turned and went across the street. We are praying that Jesus would lead him back and he would find True Hope. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. Let us come humbly but boldly to the throne room for those who are hopeless!
Love,
Steve and Donna
7/27/19
But to all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn-not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. John 1:12-13
God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:8-10
Today as we prepared to head out it seemed like we were moving in slow motion and time was moving quickly. So in a hurry we went to pull out onto the street and the bus wouldn’t move. So we prayed and put it in park and then put it in drive and still no movement. As we prayed we tried putting it in reverse and then in drive and that finally worked. We then picked up one of the ministers and drove through downtown and there were police cars on about four blocks and a swat vehicle. So we prayed for the protection of the police and the difficult jobs they do. We prayed for the city that people would find Jesus and turn away from evil. All these things that seemed to be working against us actually kept us even more focused on prayer throughout the day. As we pulled up to the corner there was a group already waiting for us. Everyone there was eager to help set up but it was obvious that everyone was tired from the heat the day before. During a powerful sermon people seemed to lean in and hang on every word that was spoken. The enemy tried to distract with someone down the road yelling up the street and several ministers started praying and the yelling soon stopped. During a prayer time one person was still looking for work. The minister shared with this person about a spiritual program that he might be able to enter. She shared how taking this first step would be difficult, but the benefit would outweigh the anxiety he was feeling. Please join us in praying that he takes that first step. One man shared during a prayer time that some people were tempting him with drugs but he walked quickly away and came to hear the sermon. He said last week he missed being at the corner because he had been tempted by these same people. We are praying that the Holy Spirit would continue to give him strength to resist temptation. One person that showed up today was having a battle within himself. One minute he would be in agreement with what one minister had said and then he would disagree. He said he has known Jesus all his life but he had opened a door for Satan to work and wasn’t willing to repent. We will continue to pray that he repents and turns back to God. Two people who listened carefully to the sermon wanted the peace that only Jesus can bring and asked Jesus to save them! Thank you Jesus! As we packed up the bus one person stopped for some water. The minister offered Living Water but the man replied that he couldn’t be forgiven for the things he had done. Two ministers shared with him that is exactly why Jesus died on the cross. The man seemed to appreciate what the ministers were telling him but he wasn’t ready to make the best choice of his life. Please join us in praying that the Holy Spirit would remind him hourly that Jesus can and will forgive him and bring him true peace. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. Jesus came to seek and save the lost and He has commissioned believers to do the same!
Love,
Steve and Donna
7/20/19
But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it. James 1:22-25
You can know that smoking cigarettes is bad for your health but unless you apply that truth, which means never smoking or to quit smoking, the truth isn’t beneficial to you. The same is true with God’s word. Just knowing that it is true but not applying that truth to your world view and the way you live, the truth is of no benefit to you. We have met people in the street community that know the Bible but don’t apply its truth to their life. The Bible shows us that even Satan knows what the Bible says; when Satan was tempting Jesus in the wilderness he used Scripture but twisted it. Our desire with the street community is once a person asks Jesus to save him or her that they would learn to apply what the Bible teaches to their life.
Today started out with a wonderful testimony of what God was doing in one person’s life. This man had someone ask him a question about God trying to get this man to stop believing in Jesus. The man said that he prayed and listened to worship music and felt that God told him he didn’t need to worry about what an unbeliever was saying. Another person that has put their trust in Christ wanted to help in any way that he could. This person usually stands at a distance and lets others help. He seems to be growing in his relationship with Jesus. One younger man came just to receive prayer and left the corner knowing that we would continue to pray for him. A person that the ministers hadn’t seen in about six months showed up. He was so thankful to be there. When we don’t see a person for that amount of time we become concerned that something might have happened to them. This person shared that he had moved in with a lady in Seattle. Both of the ministers that spoke and prayed with him made sure that he understood that as a believer he wasn’t making the right choice. He seemed to appreciate hearing the truth, but please join us in praying that the Holy Spirit would bring conviction and he would apply God’s word to his life. Today many of the street community that showed up were growing in their walk with Christ but the enemy didn’t like that so there was some push back. Right before the worship started a loud banging noise started up and carried on into the first part of the sermon. One lady showed up and started distracting people during the worship and sermon but with prayer she moved across the street. One man drove up and kept talking really fast and seemed to want to try and deceive the ministers about who he was and what he was doing. We will continue to pray that the prayer he received would be a light to guide him out of the darkness he was walking in. A younger man that listened quietly during the worship and sermon asked for prayer for forgiveness. A broken and contrite heart is what God wants and this younger man asked Jesus to save him! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. Jesus, help us to live out your truth every day!
Love,
Steve and Donna
7/13/19
“Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked. The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.” Luke 10:36-37
There has been a recent concern about the homeless population. When there weren’t as many homeless, even though there were still many on the streets, most unbelievers seemed to ignore their suffering or blame the homelessness on their lack of character. Yes, there are many reasons that cause homelessness but the one overriding factor that the secular population doesn’t understand is without Jesus there is no hope in this life or the life to come. Homelessness is a spiritual issue that needs to be addressed by the followers of Christ. And the future generations need to know and follow Jesus or there will be more hopelessness, more homelessness, more suicides, more destroyed families and all of the other destructive behaviors that come from a people that don’t know and love God. We believers need to be a neighbor and show mercy because we have been given mercy, one person that was thirsty and found Living Water showing another thirsty person where to find this Living Water.
What a blessed day! We had six people come out to help that had never been out before. With such a warm day all ten of us crowded into the bus and headed out. After a Holy Spirit filled time of worship and a powerful sermon there were many anointed prayer times. One person that asked Jesus to save him about two months ago never smiled. But since giving his life to Jesus he smiles all the time. We see Jesus smiling through him! One man allowed some of the minister that had come for the first time to pray for him. This man was always resistant to all but a few people praying with him. He has grown so much in his walk with God the last month, thank you Jesus. It was a busy day and Jesus provided that each person would have the time they needed by the ministers! We are looking forward to hearing the testimonies from the street community of how those prayers have helped to bring them closer to God. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. Every person that is suffering needs a neighbor that is willing to give a drink from the Living Water! Be that neighbor.
Love,
Steve and Donna
6/29/19
Long suffering, or as one teacher put it, suffering long.
Always be humble and gentle. Be patient (suffering-long) with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Ephesians 4:2
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives; love, joy, peace, patience (suffering-long), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Galatians 5:22
We are to suffer-long with others as God suffers-long with us.
But You, O Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry (suffering-long) and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness. Psalm 86:15
When three of Job’s friends heard of the tragedy he had suffered, they got together and traveled from their homes to comfort and console him. Their names were Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. When they saw Job from a distance, they scarcely recognized him. Wailing loudly, they tore their robes and threw dust into the air over their heads to show their grief. Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and nights. No one said a word to Job, for they saw that his suffering was too great for words. Job 2:11-13
The book of Job goes on to tell how his ‘friends’ decided to start hurling accusations against Job. For whatever reason, Job’s ‘friends’ weren’t willing to suffer-long with Job.
There are many people in the street community that deal with drug addiction along with many other issues. There can be months or years that go by after someone has asked Jesus to save them that they seem to have very little growth as a Christian. It would be easy for us to write those people off. But that isn’t God’s heart for them.
Today was another amazing day. We had many people that really listened and drank deeply from God’s word. It was such a blessing to see! One person that comes all the way from Kent has grown closer to Jesus in the last couple of months and wanted prayer that Jesus would give him guidance in his walk of faith. One man that struggles with addiction has been clean for the last two Saturdays and paying attention to God’s word and wanted prayer to find work. Please join us in praying that God would open a door for him to work and would keep him close to Jesus and that he wouldn’t be working on Saturdays. One group that was there today was a dad, mom, and daughter. Generational homelessness is one of the more difficult generational curses to break. We have been ministering to them for about six months and today was the first time that they took God’s truth to heart. One lady showed up later in the day and just wanted a pair of socks but she walked away with so much more, she asked Jesus to save her! Thank you Jesus that You give the strength and encouragement to never give up on those who feel hopeless! Thank You for pouring into us as we pour ourselves out for the Gospel! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May you come to know the overflowing of God’s Holy Spirt as you empty yourself for Jesus!
Love,
Steve and Donna
6/8/19
“I am leaving you a gift - peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really loved Me, you would be happy that I am going to the Father, who is greater than I am. I have told you these things before they happen so that when they do happen, you will believe. John 14:27-29
A few weeks ago we were waiting in a doctor’s office and a magazine sitting on the shelf had a title that said something to the affect that ‘You will only find peace within yourself.’ If you watch any television the commercials almost always have someone that is ‘healthy’ mentally and physically doing yoga, sending the message that they find peace in yoga. There are even some who preach a message of self-help instead of Biblical teaching which is again a message of just ‘do’ or ‘think’ this and you will find peace and happiness. This generation continues to seek peace in everything but the One true God who is the only One capable of giving peace when His Holy Spirit comes to live inside those who ask Jesus Christ, the Prince of peace to save them.
Today as we showed up at the corner one of the ladies that was waiting for us shared that a person that we had ministered too for many years had died. This person had given his heart to Jesus years ago. He never was able to completely walk away from addiction but we could see the change that Jesus was doing in him and he had found a peace that only Jesus can give. Many of the people that were at the corner today knew him and had heavy hearts. After the worship one of the ministers shared that as heartbreaking as it was to know that this person was gone and would be missed we could have joy knowing that he had asked Jesus to save him. The minister shared that this person was in heaven and no longer had to live with the burdens of this world. The minister also shared that this was a reminder that no one is promised tomorrow and that today is the day of salvation. The people that were there who had placed their trust in Jesus were comforted by this. Even knowing the truth of heaven and hell, one person who was there when the minister spoke about the person that died still did not want to surrender his life to Christ. We will continue to pray that the Holy Spirit would do a work in his heart and mind. Another person who hadn’t placed their trust in Jesus and heard what happened and heard what the minister shared, told one minister that a friend of hers was going to save her. The minister shared with this lady that only Jesus who is God and came and lived a perfect life can save. This lady made the decision to trust that Jesus died for her sins and made a way for her to be right with God the Father! During the time we were out ministering a couple showed up and started handing out flyers. They stated that they provide resources for the less fortunate. One minister told them that resources are great but without Jesus resources aren’t what people need. Please join us in praying that the street community would come to fully understand that if they seek first the Kingdom of God they will find the hope and peace that the world is in search of!
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May you meet one person this week that needs to know where true hope and peace come from!
Love,
Steve and Donna
So Jacob took the food to his father. “My father?” he said. “Yes, my son,” Isaac answered. “Who are you-Esau or Jacob?” Jacob replied, “it’s Esau, your firstborn son. I’ve done as you told me. Here is the wild game. Now sit up and eat it so you can give me your blessing.” Genesis 27:18-19
With the urging of his mother Jacob deceived his father to receive his blessing. Jacob and his mother both lacked trust and patience in God to fulfill His promises. Jacob learned to trust God and to wait for His timing during his many years serving his untrustworthy uncle. There are many other examples in the Bible of someone not trusting God and trying to make things happen instead of waiting for God’s timing. Without waiting on God they’re struggles were always much harder then they needed to be.
Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled. Romans 15:4
I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near. James 5:7-8
Patience is not a hopeless resignation of whatever will happen, will happen. No, it is a hopeful expectation and trust that God is good and has our future safely in His most capable hands. We are to pray constantly with all expectation of God moving the mountains in front of us and breaking the strong holds that strangle the life of others.
And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Philippians 1:6
As we started to unload the bus at the street corner a person who we have been ministering too for many years told us that he had failed. He stated that he had been sober for 2 months and he blew it the night before. His head was hung in shame. This man has walked with the haunting voice of the devil telling him that he is a failure and a disgrace and he will never be free. During the day, through the worship songs, sermon, prayers and ministering one on one to this man, one minister after another told him the same thing; ask for God’s forgiveness and ask God to help him resist the temptations of Satan. This is the same message he has been given for many years. If it were up to us, we might give up on this person but Christ shows us that we can trust Him and that no one is beyond His most powerful reach. We need to have patience and trust that God’s timing is perfect and He will finish the good work He began in this person! One person who was riding his bike by the corner asked a minister what was going on. The minister shared that they were going to have a church service. The man on the bike got a big smile on his face, hopped off his bike and sat down. None of the ministers had a chance to talk with him because after the worship and the sermon this man hopped back on his bike and left. There is a real hunger for God’s truth. We see the desire to know Jesus and live in obedience to Him growing in the street community! One person shared that after we prayed for his ankle the last time we were out it started getting better. He said he still doesn’t walk too far without resting the ankle, but he wanted to make it to hear the Word! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. As we wait patiently for the Lord’s return may we wait with hopeful expectation that He will finish the good work He began!
Love,
Donna and Steve
5/25/19
When the poor and needy search for water and there is none, and their tongues are parched from thirst, then I, the LORD, will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will never abandon them. I will open up rivers for them on the high plateaus. I will give them fountains of water in the valleys. I will fill the desert with pools of water. Rivers fed by springs will flow across the parched ground. I will plant trees in the barren desert- cedar, acacia, myrtle, olive, cypress, fir, and pine. I am doing this so all who see this miracle will understand what it means- that it is the LORD who has done this, the Holy One of Israel who created it. Isaiah 41:17-20
You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest. The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike! John 4:35-36
He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with His winnowing fork. Then He will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into His barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire. Matthew 3:12
There is so much spiritual darkness in our time it can seem overwhelming. But we know the truth that God is not done with the harvest or we would all be standing before His throne. Look! The fields are ripe; Jesus is not yet at the threshing floor.
One person we prayed for before heading out was someone that says he wants to know God better. But this person usually shows up just as we are getting ready to leave. We prayed that this person would show up in time to hear the sermon. As we started to unload the bus we noticed something we hadn’t seen on this side of the street before; wheat was growing in such small cracks in the sidewalk it didn’t seem possible that it could grow there. We have always tried to keep the area clean of garbage so we often go around picking up trash on both sides of the street. When we were parked on the other side of the street we would see wheat growing but it had never grown on the side that we are now at. And now after a year of ministry it’s growing on the side that we are now at and the other side isn’t growing wheat. Amen! God is preparing us for the harvest. As we shared a wonderful time of worship with the street community the one person that usually comes late drove up. Amen! During a powerful sermon one girl started to cry and pulled out her Bible and held it to her chest. During the prayer times she said she knew that Jesus was with her and was going to help guide her. After spending time praying and encouraging her to draw closer to Jesus, the minister gave her some places that she might go to find help to get off the street. We are praying that she chooses to go to one. During the prayer times one man said he was talking to the girl that was crying for about an hour a couple of blocks away before we arrived. The minister told him that Jesus is the only One that would be able to really help her and he agreed and said that was why he brought her up to the corner. Amen! After hearing the sermon one person said during the prayer time that he wanted a fresh start. The minister said that Jesus could do that. This man asked Jesus to save him! Thank you Jesus! After the minister spent some time with him giving him a Bible, reading glasses and praying, this man went and told his friend what he had done. This man looked like the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders and he had the biggest smile as he and his friend walked away. As we were loading the bus up a man and his sister walked up. The man was smiling from ear to ear. The ministers had prayed with him about a month ago asking God to restore his relationship with his sister. He was so excited to share what Jesus had done and to give Jesus praise for healing this relationship. He was so thankful for this miracle that God had done for him and his sister. He said that they still had a few problems but he knew that God was helping them to work on those problems as they drew closer to God. Amen! The desert of hopelessness and hurt are filling with water. What an amazing day! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. Don’t lose hope for the lost, the harvest is just beginning!
Love,
Steve and Donna
5/18/19
Everything is pure to those whose hearts are pure. But nothing is pure to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, because their minds and consciences are corrupted. Such people claim they know God, but they deny Him by the way they live. They are detestable and disobedient, worthless for doing anything good. As for you, Titus, promote the kind of living that reflects wholesome teaching. Teach the older men to exercise self-control, to be worthy of respect, and to live wisely. They must have sound faith and be filled with love and patience. Similarly, teach the older women to live in a way that honors God. They must not slander others or be heavy drinkers. Instead, they should teach others what is good. These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God. In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely. And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching. Titus 1:15-2:7
Today as the worship music ended someone in a van around the corner kept trying to start the engine without success. During the sermon the pastor taught about the responsibility that men need to take for a pregnancy. The pastor taught about how a baby is a gift from God and that abortion at any stage is wrong. After the sermon one man asked, “what if someone was raped,” and the minister explained to him that just because someone is hurt doesn’t give that person the right to murder a baby. At this a light went off and this man understood that a pregnancy is a baby. During the prayer times one younger lady showed up at the bus shaking. The minister thought maybe she had walked really fast or because it was a little warm and she needed some water. The younger lady said that she was seeing demons. The minister asked the younger lady if she had put her trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of her sins and the younger lady said she had. The minister went on to explain that when she trusted Jesus, His Holy Spirit was living inside her and He is much more powerful than any demon so she no longer needed to be afraid and she could rebuke any demon. She stopped shaking and had a big smile on her face. This younger lady is disabled and we will be praying that she remembers this truth. Not to long before we started to put things away a man and a lady came around the corner from the van. After receiving prayer and some food they went back around the corner and the van started right up and they left. We believe that God stopped them so they would hear the sermon and take to heart what was preached! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. We always thank God for all of you!
Love,
Steve and Donna
5/11/19
But to all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn-not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. John 1:12-13
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone the new life has begun. 2 Corinthians 5:17
But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.” Luke 9:62
Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colossians 3:12
There is one older man that we have been ministering to for about seven years. When we first met him it was impossible to have a conversation with him or even hear a complete sentence come from him. One of the main reasons is that part way through every sentence he would start talking about what had happened in the past. The past seemed to be more real to him than the present. All of us have a past, a time before faith in Jesus, or maybe a time of not walking close to Him. And just like the older man, we can forget to keep our mind focused on the child of God we have become and instead walk in the hopelessness that was a life before Christ. A life spent depending on things that bring temporary fulfillment. But when we put our trust in Jesus we have an amazing future before us. We have been born anew, children of the King! Through the many years of teaching, praying and caring for this older man, he is now more focused on the present and less trapped in the prison of the past. We have been called to set captives free and as this older man spends more time focused on Jesus, his chains of the past have started to fall to the ground. This hasn’t been a sprint to the finish line but a marathon moving a little each week towards the goal and with God’s care and patience this man will become the child of God he was called to be. Never forget we are born to serve the King! If there is a struggle, mental, physical or spiritual going on in your life, keep your heart centered on an eternity spent with Jesus! God is the author and finisher of our faith!
What a fun day! The sun was shining and we had a couple of friends join us on the street today. On the way down one minister was sharing how he had a dream that we receiving a whole bunch of clothes, sleeping bags and other donations. As we got off the bus a truck pulled up in front of the bus and someone jumped out. Being on the street corner with a ten foot cross we thought he might be in need of prayer or maybe looking for someone. But he started telling the pastor that he was a manager at a storage place and wanted to know if we needed donations and asked what we could use. Thank you Jesus! We had a wonderful time of worship and the Scripture that was preached caused repentance with a motivation to stand boldly on God’s truth! During the prayer times one of the ladies that came out today told one younger man that he reminded her of her grandson. This younger man just put his trust in Jesus a few months ago and has struggled with the ministers caring for him through prayer. But what the lady said seemed to open a path to his heart and she was able to pray and minister boldly to him! One man that was there was telling a minister about the difficult day before. He said that his duffle bag was stolen and then he twisted his ankle. He wasn’t sad or upset because he said that yesterday after those things happened he just wanted a cold coke to drink but couldn’t put any weight on his ankle. But today he was able to make it to the corner and after the sermon there were hotdogs to eat and cold coke to drink. He was not just thankful that God had heard him ask for a cold coke but that God had touched his heart during the sermon and he left the corner filled physically but most importantly reminded of the God who loves him. At the end of the day one man showed up and complained that we didn’t have what he wanted. He was filled with bitterness and anger and the ministers prayerfully tried to reach him but there didn’t seem to be any breakthrough and he left the corner as hopeless as he came. But God has demonstrated to us through so many people that there isn’t anyone beyond the reach of Jesus and we will be praying that this man will come back and come to understand where true hope comes from! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. Never lose hope in the God of true hope!
Love,
Steve and Donna
4/20/19
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves His children, too. We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey His commandments. Loving God mean’s keeping His commandments, and His commandments are not burdensome. For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God. 1 John 5:1-5
So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do and He will show you which path to take. Proverbs 3:5-6
As children of God we have been given victory over the power of evil and as stated in 1 John 5, this victory is achieved by faith in Jesus Christ.
As we prayed with people today there seemed to be a theme, people that love God and want to have victory over the sin in their life. One person that showed up today wanted just to make it through the day without falling into old habits. The minister prayed that Jesus would strengthen this person and give him victory over the temptations of the devil. One man who just recently came to Christ, wanted his luck to change. The minister took time to explain that as a child of God he doesn’t need to believe in luck but can instead believe in the truth of Scripture and that if he seeks God out, God will show him which paths he should take. After hearing the minister say this he became very excited that Jesus was going to guide him. He left the corner praising Jesus! One younger man that we hadn’t seen for a couple of years showed up towards the end. He had always brought chaos and havoc with him when he would show up. At first, today wasn’t any different and he started arguing with another man who was sharing with a minister what God has been showing him in the Bible. The minister tried to help the younger man with some of the questions he had about God. Please join us in praying for this man. He said he has placed his trust in Jesus but that he isn’t sleeping at night because he is sober. We believe that arguing was his way to ask some important questions about God and what Scripture says. We are praying that the Holy Spirit would help this younger man sleep and that he would continue to show up on Saturdays so that the Holy Spirit would speak through the Scriptures that are taught and would help him to have a better understanding of the Bible and who he is in Christ. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May we all reflect on the mercy of God this week.
Love,
Steve and Donna
4/13/19
But the people who did not die in these plagues still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God. They continued to worship demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood-idols that can neither see nor hear nor walk! And they did not repent of their murders or their witchcraft or their sexual immorality or their thefts. Revelation 9:20-21
Everyone was burned by this blast of heat, and they cursed the name of God, who had control over all these plagues. They did not repent of their sins and turn to God and give Him glory. Revelation 16:9
Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was plunged into darkness. His subjects ground their teeth in anguish, and they cursed the God of heaven for their pains and sores. But they did not repent of their evil deeds and turn to God. Revelation 16:10-11
Even at the end of the age God is calling people to repentance. What an encouragement to get out and share the Good News!
Wow, what a wet day. It hasn’t rained this much in a long time. One young lady that showed up at the corner was talking loudly and not making any sense in what she said. She talked during the worship but the ministers prayed and she stopped talking and started to pay close attention during the sermon. She even started asking some good questions about God’s word. One man started to complain about the rain and another man said that rain brings the produce and is a gift from God! Amen! Everyone else that was there today was wet and cold but they seemed to be attentive to God’s word. During the prayer times one person wanted prayer for housing but as he asked he stopped himself and said that he needed to get off the drugs first. The minister prayed with him and asked Jesus to intervene and give him strength to walk away from the drugs. One younger lady who asked Jesus to save her about a year ago wanted a Bible. She was really happy to have a Bible again and that we were still there. One man told a minister that he wasn’t good enough to go to heaven. The minister told him that is the Good News of the Gospel; that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. The man decided that Jesus paying for his sin was Good News and asked Jesus to save him! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God give us all a boldness to share the hope we have even with our last breath!
Love Steve and Donna
3/23/19
“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to give you this message for the churches. I am both the source of David and the heir to His throne. I am the bright morning star.” The Spirit and bride say, “Come.” Let anyone who hears this say, “Come.” Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life. Revelation 22:16-17
Seek the LORD while you can find Him. Call on Him now while He is near. Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the LORD that He may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for He will forgive generously. Isaiah 55:6-7
The sacrifice You desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. Psalm 51:17
Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Psalm 51:10
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and make me willing to obey You. Psalm 51:12
Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in Him! Psalm 34:8
Show me the right path, O LORD; point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by Your truth and teach me, for You are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in You. Psalm 25:4-5
God never rejects those that come to Him with broken and repentant hearts.
As we started to set up at the street corner today one person that likes to hang back and get some food and take off, greeted the ministers with a face full of joy and a hug for each minister. He asked Jesus into his life a few years ago but has never walked with joy. But God has done an amazing transformation on the inside and that is now radiating out for others to witness! During the prayer times, one younger man started crying because he had a fight with his twin sister. After the minister prayed with this younger man, he knew that Jesus had not abandoned him and that Jesus would lead him in a path of repentance and restoration. One older man, who was at the corner a couple of months ago and stated that he didn’t believe what Christians do, showed up today. The minister asked this man if it would be ok to pray that the Christian God would make Himself known to this man. The man agreed and the minister prayed. When the prayer was done the man had a different look on his face and was thankful for the prayer. Please join us in praying that Jesus would show this man during the week that He is God. God’s arm is not too short to save, heal and restore! One person that just put his trust in Jesus a couple of weeks ago wanted prayer to be humble. It was wonderful to see that Jesus was transforming this man’s desires to conform to the will of God. God’s arm is not too short to save, heal and restore! There is a very real hunger for the truth of Jesus Christ in the street community and that hunger is spreading wide and far throughout the street community. We are seeing more and more people show up each week! We are so very humbled and thankful that God lets us be a part of sharing His truth. Another amazing day serving Jesus! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May Jesus encourage you to shine brightly for His glory!
Love,
Steve and Donna
3/17/19
For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom He paid was not mere gold or silver. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. God chose Him as your ransom long before the world began, but He has now revealed Him to you in these last days. Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because He raised Christ from the dead and gave Him great glory. You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart. 1 Peter 1:18-22
Last month when it snowed everything looked so beautiful because the illusion of purity the snow gives.
When a person places their trust in Jesus, that person is purified. But it isn’t an illusion seen on the outside. The heart is transformed on the inside. And as a new believer starts to submit to the Holy Spirit that transformation shows on the outside by their love of God and others.
Today as we pulled up to the street corner a small group of people were waiting. As we set up more people showed up and everyone pitched in to help set up. Everyone there had placed their trust in Jesus; some had made the choice to follow Jesus years ago and one just last week. When the man that had just asked Jesus to save him last week walked up, he looked like a different person. It isn’t usually apparent on the outside when someone puts their faith in Jesus but this person showed on the outside what had taken place on the inside. He walked up smiling and looked like he now had hope for a new beginning. During the sermon the street community listened intently to the truth of Scripture. The sermon was on the hate that some unbelievers live in and the contrast of what a follower of Christ should live like, loving God and loving others. During a prayer time one person asked to pray for world peace. The minister shared that the Bible states that there will be times of trouble until Jesus comes back. The minister and this person prayed that Jesus would come quickly. One younger man who had just placed his trust in Jesus about a couple of months ago, asked for prayer to be to work on time. After trusting Jesus it wasn’t long before he returned to work and wanted to make sure that he wasn’t late. Most everyone stayed until the end of the day and spent time with each other giving praise to God and all He has done. As we started to load up for the day the street community helped to load the bus. What a blessed day! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May Jesus Christ give you grace and peace this week!
Love,
Steve and Donna
3/9/19
So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making His appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” 2 Corinthians 5:20
An ambassador is someone sent to represent their country. As followers of Christ we represent the Kingdom of God in the kingdom of this world.
You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Philippians 2:5
How do we do that? We follow Jesus example by loving and serving others.
This is My command: Love each other. John 15:17
Love is not just a feeling but also a commitment to do what is right and good, and to speak what is truth.
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Love compels a follower of Christ to speak the truth that there is only One way to God, and that is through Jesus.
Jesus told him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me. John 14:6
Jesus gave us the greatest example of service by laying down His life for us. There are many ways we can serve others and this is just one example in James.
Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well,’ but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? James 2:15-16
As we drove up to the street corner today there was a group of people waiting for us. As we set up more people showed up and everyone seemed calm. All that changed right after the sermon was finished. One man came up and was yelling at people and then started doing some unbalanced karate kicks. As he did this he would with one sentence praise God and then another sentence praise Satan. The ministers prayed. As this was going on, one person who has rejected the Gospel and hasn’t wanted anything to do with Jesus, when asked if he knew where he would be spending eternity, stated that he was trying to make himself better. The minister told him that was the Good News of Jesus Christ; that we can’t make ourselves good enough for God and that Jesus died to pay for our sins on the cross and rose on the third day to make intercession for those who place their trust in Jesus. The man made the choice to trust in Jesus! What an unexpected blessing from God! This man has always tried to cause distraction and chaos when he was near the street corner and today God made him a new creation. As soon as this man prayed the sinner’s prayer the other man that was yelling just disappeared. We looked up and down the street but couldn’t find him! During a prayer time one lady asked if the minister studied any other religions and the minster said, ‘a little.’ The lady asked if it was because the minister wanted to be tolerant of other religions and the minister said, ‘no that it was to better share the Gospel.’ The minister told the lady that the Bible says that Jesus is the Way, and the Truth and the Life and that no one, no one, comes to God but through Jesus. The lady told the minister that she believed that. One youth came up as we were loading up and said that he didn’t like asking for things but could he get something to drink. A minister handed him a bottle of water. The youth said that God was punishing him for making bad choices. The minister shared with him that God will discipline those that belong to him in the same way that a good father would discipline a small child that starts to run into the street. The minster told the youth that it might feel as though God is far from him but He never left him. The minister explained that when we sin we move away from God, God doesn’t move away from us and that he needed to repent of his sins and turn back to God and to continue to ask God to help him make good choices. We pray that this youth comes back and starts hearing and obeying God. As we drove home there was a ‘crazy’ Christian on the street corner with a megaphone telling people to obey God and believe Jesus! Imagine that. Amen! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. Jesus, help us all to hear You clearly and obey You quickly!
Love,
Steve and Donna
2/23/19
To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons. The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons. A few days later this younger son packed up all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. About this time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything. When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! I will go home to my father and say, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’ Please take me on as a hired servant.’ So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’ But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began. Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, and he asked one of the servants what was going on. ‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’ The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him, but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!’ His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’” Luke 15:11-32
In this parable, Jesus exposes the sinful heart of the older brother. The son that obeyed his father was only doing so externally and this was made clear when the father celebrates the younger brother’s return. The older brother despised the fathers grace toward his younger brother. This was the same heart condition that Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for.
“What sorrow awaits you Pharisees! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from you herb gardens, but you ignore justice and the love of God. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.” Luke 11:42
“If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.” 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
God’s truth will always expose our heart condition. Jesus wants His followers to love like He loves.
There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:13
Laying down our own life doesn’t necessarily mean martyrdom, but it does mean living a life of sacrifice to care for others, in whatever way it is that God leads you.
Today many of the people we spent time with on the street corner with had broken and contrite hearts. This is a heart condition that God can shine His grace into. One lady came up and her shoulders were slightly slumped and the look on her face was ‘these people are going to judge me for being homeless.’ This lady told a minister that she was a really good person even while living on the street. The minister told her that it was great that she was doing good things but God still wouldn’t accept her because of those things. The minister shared the Gospel with this lady and she asked Jesus to save her. When she left the street corner with a new Bible and warm clothing she had a spring in her step and the weight of the world lifted from her shoulders! Thank you Jesus! A group of older women came up (trying) to ask for directions as they didn’t speak English, but had a newspaper article with a picture of a building next to the Tacoma Dome. The minister pointed to the top of the dome and tried to explain that was where they needed to go. Before this group of older women walked off the minister asked if they knew Jesus. This seemed to make them hurry off even quicker. We pray that the hounds of heaven were released through our prayers for them and they come to know Jesus where ever they are. One younger man who is working on his walk with Jesus told a minister that he enjoyed fishing. The minister shared that he also enjoyed fishing, but not for fish, for people. The minister encouraged this younger man to seek out a church where he could take part in the great commission. As the ministers were talking with and praying for the street community one car that drove by turned around and someone jumped out and ran over. He stepped in front of everyone that was waiting for warm clothing and wanted something. The minister explained that there were people in front of him and it wouldn’t be long. This wasn’t what he wanted to hear so he left somewhat angry. We are praying that he comes back and stays next time and comes to faith in Jesus Christ. Another younger man that came up tired and cold and just wanted a pair of gloves but he left with a heart excited and warmed by asking Jesus to save him! Please keep the street community and their health in your prayers as many are really sick with the flu. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May the love of Christ rule in your thoughts!
Love,
Steve and Donna
2/16/19
The day of the LORD is near, the day when destruction comes from the Almighty. How terrible that day will be! Joel 1:15
Fear grips all the people; every face grows pale with terror. The attackers march like warriors and scale city walls like soldiers. Straight forward they march, never breaking rank. Joel 1:6-7
The earth quakes as they advance, and the heavens tremble. The sun and moon grow dark, and the stars no longer shine. The LORD is at the head of the column. He leads them with a shout. This is His mighty army, and they follow His orders. The day of the LORD is an awesome, terrible thing. Who can possibly survive? Joel 1:10-11
That is why the LORD says, “Turn to Me now, while there is time. Give Me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping and mourning. Don’t tear your clothes in grief, but tear your hearts instead.” Return to the Lord your God, for He is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish. Joel 2:12-13
When the king of Nineveh heard what Jonah was saying, he stepped down from his throne and took off his royal robes. He dressed himself in burlap and sat on a heap of ashes. Then the king and his nobles sent this decree throughout the city: “No one, not even the animals from your herds and flocks, may eat or drink anything at all. People and animals alike must wear garments of mourning, and everyone must pray earnestly to God. They must turn from their evil ways and stop all their violence. Who can tell? Perhaps even yet God will change His mind and hold back His fierce anger from destroying us.” When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, He changed His mind and did not carry out the destruction He had threatened. Jonah 3:6-10
God is merciful. God desires that all should come to know Him. But there will be a day of judgement. And so we go, with the simple Gospel. Jesus being fully God came to earth by way of a virgin and lived a perfect life. Jesus died on a cross to pay the price for our sin that we couldn’t pay and was raised to life on the third day and for those who place their trust in Jesus, death is trampled underfoot. We have hope for our future and we have a message to give to the lost; there is hope in Jesus Christ but there is also a day of judgement for those who don’t follow Jesus.
Today as we pulled up to the street corner there wasn’t anyone around. Last Saturday we couldn’t make it down the hill into the city because of snow so we thought the street community might not know that we were going to be there today. After spending time worshipping God people started to show up. A few people at first but by the time the word was preached there was a large group of people. This year the street community that shows up has been eager to listen and learn about Jesus. In the years past there were always some people that would want to know more about Jesus but this year, so far, the street community is spiritually hungry. Like in Jonah, many come, wearing spiritual burlap and ashes wanting to turn from their violent ways. One person, who showed up today, placed his trust in Jesus a couple of years ago. He seemed for a while to grow close to God but then last year he went back to his old life. Today he wanted to repent and come back to God. He said he had been in a spiritual clean and sober house but had been kicked out. When asked if he was reading his Bible he said he had lost his. So the minister provided him with a Bible but the print was too small. The minister had a giant print Bible to give him and even though it’s heavy to carry he was excited to have it to read. We will keep praying that the Holy Spirit draws this man closer. Many of the prayer requests today were to know God better and to follow Him closer. At the end of the day as we were packing up a younger boy came up and asked for a jacket. The minister was able to provide him with a jacket and asked if he wanted a pair of long underwear to stay warm. This younger boy wasn’t sure what long underwear was so he didn’t want them. When the minister asked him if he knew anything about Jesus he replied that he had been thinking a lot about God and heaven. After the minister shared the Gospel with him and asked him if he wanted to place his trust in Jesus, he said he had been thinking about God a lot lately, but he didn’t want to make that choice right then. The minister told him that he could make that choice at any time anywhere; he just needed to ask Jesus to save him. Please join us in praying that this younger boy makes that choice and that God would lead him to a safe haven, away from the destruction that is so much a part of the street community. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. You have the hope that the world is in need of, never give up!
Love,
Steve and Donna
1/26/19
And you, dear brothers and sisters, are children of the promise, just like Isaac. But you are now being persecuted by those who want you to keep the law, just as Ishmael, the child born by human effort, persecuted Isaac, the child born by the power of the Spirit. Galatians 4:28-29
If we rely on our own efforts to save us we become slaves to the law.
Trust only in Jesus and His sacrifice for salvation and fulfillment of all God’s promises.
So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law. Galatians 5:1
For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace. Galatians 5:4
For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love. Galatians 5:6
There are people in the street community that have a good understanding of God’s word. But there are many more that are confused or have made their own religion by believing pieces of Scripture and combing that with other beliefs that they have made up. And another group from the street community has given themselves over completely to demonic forces. We reach out to each group with the truth of Jesus Christ.
Today was one of those days that we saw God’s Holy Spirit working in people and we also saw Satan working through people. It was such a stark contrast between them. During the sermon a few people were nodding their heads in agreement. After the sermon was over one person asked the pastor to come to the mission and preach there. He didn’t want anything off the bus or even a cup of coffee and said he had a meeting to go to but he heard the sermon and had to stop and listen and was so thankful that he had been walking by at that time and was blessed to hear God’s truth. In contrast another man that heard the sermon said he didn’t believe in heaven and hell and wanted to live forever on the earth and restore it to paradise. The minister tried to reason with this person from Scripture but he wouldn’t listen. Sadly, the minister understood who was in control of this person and causing him to be so misled. We pray that he comes back and that the Holy Spirit would speak to his heart and mind. One younger man shared that he was very encouraged by God’s word on the street corner. He had been in a spiritual growth program at a church in Seattle that the pastor spoke about in the sermon. This younger man said he had a passion for missions and wanted to connect with a church in Tacoma doing missions. After praying the minister gave the younger man the name of a church that is involved in missions. We are praying that God leads this younger man to work in His mission field again. After praying for a group of people another younger man came up. When he was offered some coffee he said that he didn’t need anything because he was an angel. He then started yelling some evil things and scared a younger lady that was there. The ministers were able to calm him down enough to provide him with a warm coat and some food but as he left and the ministers prayed he started swearing again. This young man was tormented and didn’t know about the freedom and peace that only Jesus can offer. Please join us in praying for him that the Holy Spirit would lead him to freedom in Christ. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God’s Word fill you with wisdom, revelation and shine through you to a hurting world.
Love,
Steve and Donna
1/19/19
We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strong holds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Ephesians 6:13
Every Christian is a soldier in the war whether they realize this or not. On the streets this is more clearly seen then others places. When someone puts their trust in Jesus we don’t always have the opportunity to help them learn how to have victory over the enemy by prayer and repentance. That is one reason we spend so much time praying for the street community.
Today as we showed up at the street corner there was a large crowd waiting for us. As we entered into a time of worship many of the people were lifting up voices of praise to the King. During the sermon the pastor spoke of who we are when we put our trust in Jesus and the responsibility we have to be our brother’s keeper. As the pastor was preaching we could hear people speaking in agreement with what was said. After the sermon one person told the minister how he was spiritually encouraged by the sermon. Praise Jesus that the Holy Spirit was working through God’s Word! During the prayer time one man told the minister that he needed prayer for his spine that needs surgery and he added that he was so thankful that we were there to share God’s Word and to pray. One younger man asked for prayer to find a girlfriend so the minister prayed that he would know the true fulfillment that only Jesus can give. Three people from the street community were really sick with the flu; we will continue to pray for healing for them. One person asked for prayer to stay strong in following Jesus; he has been clean for a week and didn’t want to stray from Christ. Please join us in warring on our knees for this person. It was very encouraging to for us to know that many from the street community were drawing closer to Jesus and learning to war against Satan. During the prayer times there was one person standing behind the coffee table who was chanting under his breath. We pray that the Holy Spirit would minister to his heart and he would be set free from any of the demons that are terrorizing him. One older man that who was really sick said that he wouldn’t be accepted by Jesus because he was evil. The minister shared that the Good News of the Gospel is that Jesus died for us while we were sinners and because of His sacrifice, Holy and perfect, we could have peace with God. The man was shocked to hear the Good News and asked Jesus to save him! Thank you Jesus! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. Please pray for workers in the harvest. There are many people that haven’t heard the Good News or those that have don’t know that power that they have in Jesus Christ.
Love,
Steve and Donna
1/12/19
I have discovered this principle of life – that even when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Romans 7:21-24
Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. So now, there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to Him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. Romans 7:25-82
The law of Moses is unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do, He sent His own Son in body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving His Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit. Romans 8:3-4
But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit. Romans 7:6
Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. Romans 8:5-6
Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. Romans 8:12-14
Followers of Jesus are to have spiritual vitality. The way to do this is to allow the Holy Spirit to guide our life. A life of faith is what pleases God.
As we pulled up to the street corner today the temperature was in the thirties. On cold days like today we try and spend a little less time in worship and the sermon. During the worship one man showed up and started trying to interrupt the worship. When he failed to stop everyone for his benefit he became angry and tried to argue with all the ministers. When that didn’t work and he started to walk away and he left the corner cursing all the way down the street. We pray that this man comes back and hears the worship, sermon and prayers and receives the transformation that only Jesus can bring. A life lived by faith through the power of the Holy Spirit. That is that man’s greatest need even though he doesn’t see it. During the sermon the pastor talked about all the blessings that we miss when we allow anger to rule our life. The pastor mentioned that he had been studying for this sermon for a couple of weeks. What a divine appointment that someone would demonstrate the anger that he had been studying all week. The contrast of a life in Christ by faith or a life lived controlled by the sinful nature. It spoke volumes to one person from the street community that was paying close attention to all that was taking place. This man had put his trust in Christ a long time ago but wants to rely more on the Holy Spirit in him and less on his circumstances. In repentance and faith we believe he will be able to do this. One younger man during the prayer time didn’t want to accept the gift of life that Jesus paid for. We will continue to pray for him that he would see that the prison cell he thinks is keeping him safe will become real and he would want to break free by trusting Jesus and the price He paid. One younger lady was really struggling today. She kept whipping her head back and forth and didn’t seem to be able to have a conversation. We will continue to pray that Jesus would bring healing to her. Many of the people that showed up today were thankful for the worship, sermon, hot coffee and warm sleeping bags and clothes. They went away praising God for all He has done! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God bless you and your family in this New Year as we all learn to walk more and more in faith!
Love,
Steve and Donna
12/22/18
Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!” John 11:43
As believers we go out to the highways and byways to call the dead to life in Jesus. As believers we are also called to help those who have been born again to new life in Jesus Christ to remove the graveclothes that belong to the dead.
Today as we pulled up to the corner there weren’t many people there. But we don’t go to the street for the excitement of a big production, no, we leave the ninety-nine and go for the one. And we were so thankful that we did. The people that were there were extremely cold and wet. After singing songs of praise to our King and hearing a sermon on the first and second coming of Jesus we joined the street community in a Christmas lunch. We served a smoked turkey soup that one person said warmed him up all the way to his toes. During the prayer time one person who was really cold and very thankful for the hot soup started to cry. He was overwhelmed by the love that Jesus was showing him through the kindness of the ministers. We pray that he would grow in God’s love and mercy. One lady who thought it was luck that provided something warm that she needed was gently told that it wasn’t luck that it was Jesus that provided for her. She believes in Jesus but is learning how to walk free of the graveclothes. One minister prayed for an older man that had an ear ache and it stopped hurting. One younger lady that needed some dry pants was thanking God that the minister had a pair that would fit her in black because she said she camps in the dirt. We are continuing to pray that she would allow the Holy Spirit to empower her to throw off her graveclothes and leave the addiction and to break free of generational homelessness. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. As we rejoice during this time of the year when we celebrate the Saviors birth, may we remember those around us who are still struggling to remove the graveclothes.
Love,
Steve and Donna
12/15/18
But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgement will be revealed. He will judge everyone according to what they have done. He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after glory and honor and immortality that God offers. But He will pour out His anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness. Romans 2:5-8
And this is the message I proclaim-that a day is coming when God, through Christ Jesus, will judge everyone’s secret life. Romans 2:16
For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony of circumcision. No a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather it is a change of heart produced by God’s Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people. Romans 2:28-29
Paul makes it clear that what pleases God is a change of heart produced by His Spirit.
As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous – not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one. Romans 3:10-12
All of us, like sheep have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on Him the sins of us all. Isaiah 53:6
Obviously, the law applies to those it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are. Romans 3:19-20
But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgement! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell. Matthew 5:22
It is only a changed heart produced by God’s Spirit that pleases God and produces fruit in our life and the lives around us.
Today started off with someone about a half a mile away yelling really loudly. This kept up during the worship and sermon. We prayed that God would bring this person up the road and Jesus would create in him a new heart; maybe next week. We pray that God would transform him and bring this tortured soul peace. One person that was there had filthy torn clothes that couldn’t have kept him warm. Not only were his clothes dirty but his face, hair and hands were dirty. He wasn’t able to speak coherently either. We pray that Jesus would intervene in his life. We were able to give him warm, clean clothes, shoes without gaping holes, a warm sleeping bag, hygiene items and some food. It can be heart breaking to see so many people each week that Satan has such complete control over but we don’t lose hope because we know that Jesus is still on the throne and can break down the gates of hell and set captives free! At the end the end of the day right before we packed up two men came up. They didn’t speak very much English but we were able to communicate enough to know that they believed in Jesus and were so grateful for some warm clothing. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May Jesus Christ fill your heart with joy at the remembrance of His first coming and with a watchful eye for His second coming!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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12/8/18
The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine. Isaiah 9:2
I the LORD, have called you to demonstrate My righteousness. I will take You by the hand and guard You, and I will give You to My people, Israel, as a symbol of My covenant with them. And You will be a light to guide the nations. You will open the eyes of the blind. You will free the captives from prison, releasing those who sit in dark dungeons. Isaiah 42:6-7
I have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and He is the glory of Your people Israel! Luke 2:32
Jesus was the light spoke about by the prophets, by the Apostles and He is the light that shines into the dark corners of every repentant heart today.
The last week had been pretty cold and today as we headed out we were loaded up with warm coats, thick gloves and winter hats. After singing some Christmas songs about the wonders of our Savior and listening to a sermon about the angel appearing to the shepherds in the fields, we thought most of the street community would want to get some provisions and leave because of the biting cold, but everyone wanted to stay. One person shared that he had died for seven minutes but had been sent back. He said he believed that God had a purpose for his life. The minister agreed and after spending time in prayer with him told him that he since he wasn’t part of a church family he needed to attend one and there would be many opportunities for him to serve and find out how God was calling him to serve. One older man when asked by a minister if he was staying warm replied that this wasn’t cold and that where he was from it use to get down to minus 0 degrees. Everyone one there left with warm coats, gloves and coffee or hot chocolate to warm their stomach but the most important thing they left with was the light of Jesus shining in the dark corners of their life. And two people who came blind, left with the light of Jesus Christ shining in their hearts! Thank you to everyone who prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May this blessed Christmas season draw you closer to the Savior!
Love,
Steve and Donna
www.thestreetcornercommission.org
11/24/18
But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, for what he did was very wrong. When he first arrived, he ate with the Gentile Christians, who were not circumcised. But afterward, when some friends of James came, Peter wouldn’t eat with the Gentiles anymore. He was afraid of criticism from these people who insisted on the necessity of circumcision. As a result, other Jewish Christians followed Peter’s hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. When I saw that they were not following the truth of the gospel message, I said to Peter in front of all the others, ‘Since you a Jew by birth, have discarded the Jewish laws and are living like a Gentile, why are you now trying to make these Gentiles follow the Jewish traditions? You and I are Jews by birth, not ‘sinners’ like the Gentiles. Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law. Galatians 2:11-16
The Good News of Jesus Christ is not just for unbelievers, but for Christians as well. The gospel teaches that nothing, nothing you do can earn God’s grace. In fact all of our works are as dirty rags before God’s Holiness. Does this make any difference? The fight against sin is not waged in our willpower, effort, or our theological prowess. It is a life empowered by God as we put our faith in Christ’s efforts, His teaching, His atonement and His constant intercession for us. Our part is to repent and believe, trusting that Jesus will be faithful to complete the work He began in us!
And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Philippians 1:6
But because Jesus lives forever, His priesthood lasts forever. Therefore He is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through Him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf. Hebrews 7:24-25
Many Christians live as if they must fulfill the Old Testament law in order to be right with God. But the law does not make us perfect. It condemns us by pointing out our sinfulness. Christ alone can release us from our slavery to sin and grant us new life. Do you trust in your performance to get you to heaven? Repent, trust in the work of Christ alone to save you and draw near to God through His work, not yours.
Today on the street corner was filled with Thanksgiving. First and most importantly for what Jesus did for us and secondly for the blessing from God to share a Thanksgiving meal with the street community. After a blessed time of worship and an insightful sermon on every breath we take comes from God, we shared a hot meal together. As we were setting up a couple of ladies stopped and provided turkey sandwiches for everyone there. At the same time one minister tripped on his shoe lace and fell hard on the sidewalk just missing hitting his head on the wall. Thanking God that his head didn’t hit the wall he got back up and started serving coffee. Everyone from the street community came over to see if he was ok. One person shared during the prayer time that she was staying in her car. She said it was usually warmer outside then in her care. She was given a blanket and some warm clothing and was thanking Jesus for providing. One younger man didn’t have a coat on. After getting a warm coat, sleeping bag, and gloves he prayed that Jesus would give him the strength to go to a Christian clean and sober program. Please join us in praying with him that God gives him the strength to go through the program. One lady after hearing the Good News of Jesus Christ made the choice to put her trust in Jesus alone! Thank you Jesus! It was a busy day but we all felt the warmth of the Glory of God filling everyone’s heart with thanksgiving and praise! Thank you to everyone who prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. In this season of thankfulness to Christ for all He has done we thank God for you also!
Love,
Steve and Donna
11/17/18
Then a demon-possessed man, who was blind and couldn’t speak, was brought to Jesus, He healed the man so that he could both speak and see. The crowd was amazed and asked, “Could it be that Jesus is the Son of David, the Messiah?” But when the Pharisees heard about the miracle, they said, “No wonder He can cast out demons. He gets His power from Satan, the prince of demons.” Jesus knew their thoughts and replied, “Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A town or family splintered by feuding will fall apart. And if Satan is casting out Satan, he is divided and fighting against himself. His own kingdom will not survive. And if I am empowered by Satan, what about your own exorcists? They cast out demons, too, so they will condemn you for what you have said. But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you. For who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man like Satan and plunder his goods? Only someone even stronger-someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house.” Matthew 12:22-30
When Jesus announced ‘the Kingdom of God has arrived among you,’ He was declaring war on the kingdom of Satan. By casting out demon’s Jesus and His disciples were ‘plundering’ Satan’s goods that had caused so much harm to the Israelites. Satan still holds people captive today, but praise Jesus, the Holy Spirit of God working through believers is still setting those bound and chained captives free!
As we set up for worship today on the street more and more people kept showing up. At first we had some technical difficulties with the amp, but once the batteries were changed it worked great. Very rarely does every person from the street community pay so close attention to what is being preached but today everyone listened carefully. The pastor shared that only in Jesus Christ is there forgiveness of sin and went on to share about the devastation caused by the fires in California. He shared that the fires were moving so fast that people wouldn’t have time to move out of the way and if they hadn’t put their trust in Jesus Christ alone they would end up in eternal fire. As the prayer times started one man shared how grateful he was that he got to hear the sermon and be reminded of how much Jesus has done for him by forgiving and loving him. As coffee, coats and warm sleeping bags were handed out to many the thankfulness for what God had done was on the lips of many. One younger lady that uses a walker came up today. Her walker was falling apart so we told her we would try and find her some parts to fix it. But instead someone donated a pretty new one that we gave her. Another younger lady after hearing the sermon made the most important decision of her life to place her trust in Jesus Christ! Soon after she asked Jesus to save her a fight broke out. Thankfully, through prayer, the ministers were able to separate the two fighting. The ministers knew what was really going on; it was the enemy wanting to stop Jesus from plundering what Satan thinks is his. Not only was Satan not able to stop Jesus, His Holy Spirit transformed the heart of one younger man and he asked Jesus to save him! Praise God! And as the street community left the corner today they were rejoicing in Jesus! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God’s grace pour over your time with family and friends and lead to overwhelming thankfulness!
Love,
Steve and Donna
11/10/18
“Make them holy by Your truth; teach them Your word, which is truth. Just as You sent Me into the world, I am sending them into the world. And I give Myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by Your truth. I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in Me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as You and I are one-as You are in Me, Father, and I am in You. And may they be in Us so that the world will believe You sent Me. I have given them the glory You gave Me, so they may be one as We are one. I am in them and You are in Me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent Me and that You love them as much as You love Me. John 17:17-23
One of the greatest gifts that Jesus gave His followers is unity with other believers. This however is not just for us to enjoy but to be a witness to unbelievers that God the Father sent Jesus Christ and that God loves His children!
Today one of the ministers that we haven’t seen in a long time showed up with his two year old son. What a blessing it was for all the ministers to serve alongside him and his young son! The Holy Spirit was doing more than blessing us, the Holy Spirit was demonstrating the unity that Jesus spoke of in the Scripture above to those that were on the street today. Even with the cold weather people stayed and fellowshipped around hot coffee and muffins feeling the love that only Jesus can give through unity. One person asked for prayer for his feet. This older man has been having problems with his feet for a few years and it seems to have gotten worse. This man stays outside of Tacoma so he will stay away from alcohol and even though his feet are hurting he walked a long distance to hear the preacher speak truth from the Bible. Please join us in praying that God would bring healing to his feet. One lady was happy to receive a blanket to keep warm at night. Another man was thankful to receive a military jacket to stay warm. Thank you Jesus for the unity only You can provide! And thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May you experience the perfect unity that the world will know that God sent Jesus and His love.
Love,
Steve and Donna
6/18/16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. John 3:16-18
There are many myths and fictional stories written about people seeking eternal life; from the Epic of Gilgamesh to the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León to the vampires of today’s movies. People seem to understand that they are eternal beings and there is more to life then what our eyes see. Too often, people will exchange a much lesser thing for the truth. Why do they exchange the truth for dark?
This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. John 3:19
Until a person that is living in darkness becomes broken before God there is very little hope of that person will put their faith in Jesus.
For this is what the high and lofty One says-he who lives forever, whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. I will not accuse forever, nor will I always be angry, for then the spirit of man would grow faint before me- the breath of man that I have created. I was enraged by his sinful greed; I punished him, and hid my face in anger, yet he kept on in his willful ways. I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will guide him and restore comfort to him, creating praise on the lips of the mourners in Israel. Peace, peace, to those far and near,” says, the Lord. “And I will heal them.” Isaiah 57:15-19
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Psalm 51:17
Until a person becomes broken before God, they won’t come to the light of Jesus Christ and understand that eternal life is found in Him alone.
As we headed to the street corner today, the weather prediction was for rain showers. It didn’t rain the entire time we were on the corner until we were heading back. The rain drops seemed especially large and it almost seemed like tear drops from heaven over the lost. We saw an especially large number of people today, most of whom we have witnessed to for a good length of years. But it seems that so many of them have placed their faith in other, much lesser things. One person received a pair of pants that were sewn to fit him specifically (he is very tall and very thin). He was happy about the pants but as he saw other people receiving things he started to fly into a rage. We will continue to pray that he will put his trust completely in Jesus and find peace. Two people that have placed their faith in Jesus showed up. They both recognize that they are called to evangelize, but they seem to struggle with the truth that God would use them. One of the ministers told one of these men that when Jesus delivered the man with a legion of demons, the man that was delivered just wanted to go with Jesus but Jesus sent him back to his town to tell everyone how much God had done for him. The minister explained that Jesus doesn’t need you to know the Bible perfectly but to trust that as you read the Bible the Holy Spirit will show you what you need to know. Please pray with us that these two men would start walking out what they believe! We seemed to be seeing in the physical what we have been sensing in the spiritual for some time. One lady was asking about the Bible and if there weren’t a lot of contradictions in it. The minister realizing that this wasn’t her reading the Bible and having questions but an excuse from the people around her for not believing in Jesus, responded by saying that when we take Scripture out of context it can seem to have contradictions. Please pray with us that she would have a broken and contrite heart and fully place her trust in Christ alone. As we left the street corner we prayed that the street community would come undone before the Savior. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God open our eyes to see all the people that are missing out on the greatest Gift there ever was, is and is to come!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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6/11/16
I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you. Sing for joy O heavens, for the Lord has done this; shout aloud, O earth beneath. Burst into song, you mountains, you forests and all your trees, for the Lord has redeemed Jacob, he displays his glory in Israel. Isaiah 44:22-23
Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. Isaiah 55:1-2
Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. Isaiah 55:6-7
As fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians 6:1-2
For as in the day of Median’s defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor. Isaiah 9:4
The territories of Zebulun and Naphtali suffered greatly during the Assyrian invasion. God promised a time of salvation and blessing which would be the Messiah.
The street community suffers greatly by the rod of their oppressor. That rod comes through the schemes of the prince of the air. The prince of the air promises great things through the drugs or other lies that only bring destruction to a person. Jesus has come as a light that those living in darkness no longer have to stay there.
I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. John 12:46
Living on the streets is a very dark lifestyle. If they find a place to put a tent or sleeping bag, others that want to steal or just destroy things come into their camps. Sometimes they are trespassing and are given warning which when they are able to think clearly, they pick up their things and move. And if they aren’t thinking clearly, then the city comes in and throws the very little belongings they have away. The city has decided that they want the city to ‘look’ like there isn’t any homeless people living there. It’s especially challenging for those that have chosen to follow Jesus. When they commit their life to Christ, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they will have a place to stay off the streets. So not only do they have to try and stay away from the people that they use to spend time with, they now become a target for the enemy. That is why we spend so much time in prayer, especially for those that have chosen to follow Jesus.
Today we didn’t see many people on the street corner, but the ones we did see we were able to spend time with them. One person came up apologizing for talking to himself. His clothing was dirty and so was his face, hair and hands. He seemed to have all the right answers about Christ, but for reasons we don’t know, he wasn’t following Jesus. We pray that he first comes back to the street corner and then starts learning to walk in the authority that God has given him. One person was there just to let us know that he was doing well. Praise God, he has been in a battle the last couple of months trying to stay away from the drugs and stay close to Jesus! One young man seemed to know some scripture but like many people we come to know, he had twisted the scripture to say something that it doesn’t. Even after two of the ministers try to help him understand a verse, he rejected the truth. The devil is persistent in what he does. It’s what he did in the garden and he is still doing it. We are praying for this young man that the true light of Jesus Christ would come into his view! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. We know that through you we don’t stand alone on the front lines!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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5/28/16
From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth come through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known. John 1:16-18
I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom in his wedding suit or a bride with her jewels. Isaiah 61:10
The Lord has taken away your punishment; he has turned back your enemy. The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm. On that day they will say to Jerusalem, “Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands hang limp. The lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:15-17
The search for God in His truth-Jesus Christ- can lead us to a place of joy! God has clothed us in salvation and draped us in a robe of righteousness.
For God made him who had no sin be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21
Jesus poured out His joy today on the streets of Tacoma. It might be difficult for someone that has the comforts of this world to understand that someone without any worldly possession but the coat on their back can be in a better place of joy.
Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Luke 12:22-24
After the worship and sermon we took time and everyone there had a chance to pray. One person came up and wanted the minister to know how much he appreciated the ministers being there and that he didn’t know what he would do if we weren’t there. The minister explained to him that whether we are there or not, that he needed to depend on Jesus not us. As the minister explained this the man got a huge smile on his face and was so thankful that he had Jesus! Amen! We are careful to help the street community understand that we are not Jesus. We don’t save, deliver, or heal anyone. It’s Jesus! One person that has been struggling with addiction said he is trying to stay away from others that are addicted so that he might not think about his addiction. The minister shared that if he filled his mind with the Bible and Jesus, he wouldn’t have time to think about the addiction. Please pray with us that he chooses to fill his life with Christ! One person came running up and told one of the ministers that someone had told him to hurry and get to the church on the street corner, so he came running over. After prayer and coffee he left with the peace and joy of knowing a little better the love God has for him! As we left the street corner the bus decided that it didn’t want to keep running. After trying several times to make a U-turn to head back and the bus wanting to die, we just headed up to the top of the hill and it kept running. When we got to the top of the hill we found out why God had redirected us; there was a young man that was sitting down rubbing his swollen feet. One of the ministers jumped off the bus and gave this young man a pair of socks. But what this young man really needed was prayer. His wife is four months pregnant and at the hospital trying to overcome an addiction. This young man said that they were hoping to get into a methadone program. After the minister prayed with the young man, he jumped back on the bus and the bus ran fine! Please pray with us for this young man and his family, the enemy has destroyed too many people and it’s time for us to fight (in prayer and holiness) for those unable to fight for themselves! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. We know that you are fighting with us! And thank you to all the military people and their families that have given us the freedom to preach Jesus Christ on the streets of this country! Please join us in praying for Pastor Steve Wolffe of Anderson Island Christian Fellowship, he is battling cancer and in need of healing.
Love,
Steve and Donna
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5/21/16
Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus: he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”
Luke 19:1-10
We never know who will immediately accept the Gospel. We don’t always know if maybe there was someone praying for a person for years or if they are the first in a family to come to Christ. What we do know is that God responds to prayer and in faith we pray before we go. And when we leave, we also pray in faith that the people we met that reject Christ, will come to know Him! Prayer is the tool that God gives us to reach the lost. Yes, we still need to go and to speak, but prayer is like giving fuel to an engine. We also know that even with God drawing someone close, He gives us free will. We have to make that choice, because Jesus doesn’t force anyone to follow Him. With all of this we need to have a love of people, a love that comes from us drawing near to Jesus. We also need to recognize that we are all eternal beings and we will all live somewhere for eternity. Without Jesus people will live eternally in hell. Hell, unlike some people believe, is not a place where the wicked hang out and get to enjoy their wicked deeds. No, it is a place of eternal condemnation where the worm never dies and the fire is never quenched. So, with that in mind may God grant us the ability to reach everybody that He has put in our path with His truth!
It was a wet day on the streets but wasn’t pouring down like some days. So during worship and the sermon we handed out umbrella’s to try and keep everyone dry. One lady showed up that was there last week. Last week she was yelling most of the time she was there. We didn’t expect that she would remember anything from last week. But she said that she had promised that she would come back and amazingly, she listened to the worship and the sermon without breaking out screaming. Praise God! We pray that she continues to come back and comes to know the love of Christ, the love that Jesus has for that one lost sheep He would leave the ninety-nine. One lady came and asked for a long sleeve shirt to hide ‘track’ marks. As she said this she started crying. She said she was tired of the life she was living, but she wasn’t yet ready to put her life in God’s hands. So we wait and pray and hope that she doesn’t have to fall any further before turning to Jesus. Being tired of our circumstances is a great starting point for Christ to come in and transform us! One young man seemed very confused about Jesus. The minister tried to help him understand a little better about Christ and what He has done. We pray that the Holy Spirit will be ministering understanding to help this young believer’s walk. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May Jesus give us a heart to reach the lost!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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5/14/16
God many times will use common people for His Glory. Many times it will take a person’s greatest failures to bring them to the end of themselves where they are useful to God and His purposes; Jacob sent from his family and home and his brother wanting to kill him (Genesis 28:2); Joseph was hated by his brothers and they sold him into slavery (Genesis 37:28); Moses fled for his life after killing an Egyptian and hid in the desert for forty years. (Exodus 2:11-15); Rahab the prostitute who hid Israel spies (Joshua 2:1); Paul who was throwing Christians into jail and approved of the stoning of Steven (Acts 7:59-8:1-3).
It is at this very junction in life that we meet many people on the street corner. Every worldly thing they have tried isn’t working and they are ready to turn their life over to Jesus. Some would think this a bad place to be, but from Scripture this is the very place that God can build someone into the person that He created them to be!
Today was full of surprises. As the worship music went out we could hear some yelling in the distance. As the sermon started a man walked up to the corner behind the pastor and started yelling. He kept this up for about ten minutes and then came down. He stayed for about two minutes and then left. But then we heard more demonic screaming. A lady down the street continued to scream for about ten minutes and then came up pointing and yelling at the cross and the ministers. It seemed she was going to try and take the amplifier but as one of the minister kept a hand on it, she couldn’t. Then she walked around talking to the demons inside her. The Pastor went over and told her that if she wanted true peace, the peace that only Jesus can give, she would have to fight for it. This lady’s soul was tortured. It was clear that she was struggling to stay and yet the demonic forces working in her didn’t want her to find peace. When she was offered a coat, she said that she wanted to die and that if she got sick even if she went to the hospital they wouldn’t help her because someone there told her that she brings the demons with her. (We don’t necessarily believe that the people at the hospital would say that, but that seemed to be her belief of what happened). Please pray for this lady with us that she would first turn her life over to Jesus and then learn that her life has value in God’s Kingdom. She is not beyond the reach of our Savior! One person who came today shared that he had to be there because he needed to hear the sermons. The minister shared with him that God has a calling on his life to be an evangelist and to take the Gospel to his tribe. Please pray with us that he will pick up his sword and fight the enemy of his soul, he no longer needs to believe the lie that he is worthless! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. Jesus is raising up His warriors that will not be discouraged when the enemy comes in like a wave, but will pick up their sword (the word of God) and fight and not only fight but take back ground and have victory over the enemy!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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4/30/16
But sir, “Gideon replied, if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all the wonders that are fathers told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian.” Judges 6:13
Why do you say, O Jacob, and complain, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God”? Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. Isaiah 40:27-28
“Don’t call me Naomi,” she told them. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The Lord has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.” Ruth 1:20-21
These are just a few of the Scriptures that show suffering in the Bible. Too often we want to avoid suffering but doctrine that saves someone from the suffering of the cross is a false doctrine.
“He committed no sin and no deceit was found in his mouth.” When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 1 Peter 2:22-23
Unlike Gideon, we should entrust everything to God, even our suffering knowing that God is changing us into the image of Christ.
Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, through there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. Habakkuk 3:17
How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Psalm 84:1
The material things of this world will perish. Teach us O Lord to keep our eyes on you and on the eternal things that are of so much more value.
As we pulled up to the corner the sun was shining down. That is such a blessing for us but mainly for the street community. When we got off the bus and started to set up for worship two people that we had never met before jumped right in and helped set up. After the worship and the sermon these same two people went to help put things away. It’s always wonderful to have extra help and it was almost like God sending a couple of angels out to the streets of Tacoma! One person that came for prayer shared that he was struggling with addiction. He had placed his trust in Jesus not very long ago but didn’t seem able to walk away from the drugs. This person was broken in spirit and rightly so, Jesus has a plan for his life and it could be that he is to take the Gospel to his tribe. Satan hates that he gave his life to Jesus and Satan will try to keep him from walking with Jesus by any means. Please join us in praying for this man that he would be delivered from the addiction. Another man came and shared that he had lost everything. He admitted that he has a drinking problem. We are praying for his deliverance also. This man has been kicked out of all the shelters in town because of his drinking. Both of these men have broken and contrite hearts and that is what God requires. And not only will Jesus deliver someone from sin but He will use that brokenness to help others. It can be difficult to see people suffer, but we trust that God uses our suffering to minister in ways we might never have the privilege of seeing but also to conform His children into His image. One person came and got some coffee but what he really wanted to do was to argue. When he couldn’t get anyone into an argument he tried shouting over the ministers. When that didn’t stop ministry he walked away. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission.
Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord. Psalm 31:24
Love,
Steve and Donna
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4/23/16
And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus sake. 2 Corinthians 4:3-5
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God. John 3:18-21
Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads then the weeds also appeared. Matthew 13:21-25
We know that wherever God’s word is preached and applied, that God has sown good seed. We also know that wherever there is good seed the enemy will try to sow weeds.
The day started out with one lady talking all through the time of worship. Not believing that this lady was trying to disrupt the time of worship but had some severe mental health issues, the ministers didn’t try to quiet her down. She eventually walked away. We prayed that God would bring her back and she would be able to hear the message. As soon as she left, four other people started talking and talked all the way through the sermon. Even though they were a few yards off they were talking over the message. As one of the ministers talked with one of the ladies that were talking through the sermon, the lady said that she was having relationship issues. The minister asked her if she was living in obedience to Christ. She said, “yes.” The minister asked her a very pointed question and the lady confessed that she wasn’t living in obedience to Christ. The minister shared with this lady that to love Jesus means living in obedience to Him. Please join us in praying for this lady that she will understand that she can’t continue to do as she wants without regard to what Christ has revealed. Some days we know that we are there to till the soil. And with many today we did just that, we shared Jesus and prayed that the good seed (God’s Word) will grow. One man walked up and told one of the ministers that he has brain cancer. The minister didn’t say anything about the cancer but instead pointed this man to the Kingdom of God and the gift of repentance. Prayer of healing is great, but even better is faith placed in Jesus Christ. The man with cancer made the most important choice of his life and chose Jesus! One younger man came and needed some sunscreen. He was amazed that God was able to provide. One of the ministers spent some time sharing Jesus with him, and he decided to believe in Jesus Christ! We thank God that He continues to redeem the lost and He allows us to be used for His Glory! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God keep us all strong to the end so that we will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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4/16/16
The angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bokim and said, “I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land that I swore to give to your forefathers. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you, and you shall not make covenant with the people of this land, but you shall break down their altars! Yet you have disobeyed me. Why have you done this! Now therefore I tell you that I will not drive them out before you; they will be thorns in your sides and their gods will be a snare to you.” Judges 2:1-3
The Samaritans were Israelites who had intermarried with the people groups that they didn’t drive out. The Samaritans followed some of the commands of the Law of Moses but they mixed in superstition.
When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” John 4:7-10
Jesus declared, “Believe me woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. John 4:21-22
Jesus wants us to know Him. The first step to knowing Jesus is putting our trust fully in Him and believing that He died for our sins. At this point the Holy Spirit comes into us and teaches us how to mature in our Christian life.
All too often we meet people everywhere but also on the streets, that claim the name of Jesus but have never put their trust in Him and don’t want anything to do with following Jesus. They prefer to make up their own 'god' and call it Jesus. They take bits of different religions and pick out what they feel that they like. They want nothing to do with repentance, forgiveness or love. They like the Samaritans don’t know God.
Some of the people we meet on the streets like the lady at the well, their lives have been destroyed by false beliefs. And they like her seem to be the most unlikely people for Jesus to save. But in the very same way when most of the people from the street community find saving faith in Jesus, they not only have a passion to know and follow Him, but also to tell others of His amazing grace!
Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” John 4:39
Our hearts cry as we prayed before heading out today was that the Holy Spirit would teach us how to reach people that believe that it is ok to make up their own ‘god’. We had a powerful time of worship and preaching and then went right into the sermon. One younger man shared that he thought the state should do more to take care of people. He said that they should pay the homeless $100.00 a day to pick up trash. We weren’t sure where he thought the state would get that kind of money or why he had this idea that he shouldn’t have to work like everyone else. Another young adult was listening and watching him with hatred in his eyes. This young adult told the person standing next to him (one of the ministers) that these people that come out and help are the problem. That they are just being used and people will say anything to get some free stuff. He didn’t realize that he was talking to one of the ministers. He went on to say that these people (he didn’t include himself even though he wanted some things also) shouldn’t get anything because the money could go to help someone like sick children. It can seem startling when you see someone with so much pride that he believed himself to be better than others even as he stared with hatred at this other young man. We know that it is but the grace of God ‘that there go I’, but some in the street community believe themselves much better than everyone else. This young adult went on to say he knew that he was sinning and he didn’t want any help from God. Jesus loves both of these young men, but He died to set them free from their sins, not to set them loose in their sin. Both of these young men seemed to believe that they ‘knew’ Jesus. They had put together a ‘god’ of their own making that suited their life style and knew nothing of Christ. Wrong belief destroys life. It doesn’t seem to matter where we are, the grocery store, the drs office we find many people with the same belief. One lady came up and needed some food and hygiene items. She didn’t want prayer but the minister told her that Jesus loved her and had more for her life. At this she started to cry. The minister told her that Jesus is there for her when she is ready. We pray that she makes the choice to surrender all to Jesus before it’s too late for her. We thank God that he has sent us to reach the ones that others have given up on. Please pray for us that the Holy Spirit would guide us in wisdom and love and open a door that no man can shut to reach the unreachable with His victory on the Cross! Please also pray for a dear friend of ours that has prostrate cancer. He was just diagnosed with e-coli and the cancer has spread. This man is full of the power of God to preach the Gospel and has a family that is built up in the faith. We are believing Jesus for a miracle for him! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God send you to the people where He has placed you, wherever that is!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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4/9/16
The Christian warfare is not just against the natural temptations of the flesh.
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Ephesians 6:13
As Christians, we have a vicious enemy. Satan and his demons will do anything to keep us from following Jesus and try to turn us back to sin. When we choose to follow Christ, we choose to be in this battle. But we still have to choose to fight. We can by our own choice live as defeated Christians. Claiming the name of Christ but living without any power.
But if we put on the full armor of God, Truth, Righteousness, Peace, Faith, Salvation, and the Word, and pray in the Spirit on all occasions completely depending on Jesus, even when the enemy has shot thousands of arrows, we will live in victory!
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devils schemes. Ephesians 6:10-11
Today we left early to head to the street corner. We knew that the daffodil parade was taking place and many of the streets would be blocked off. When we arrived someone was waiting for us. He didn’t make it to church the last Saturday we were out. So we were able to spend some time with him before the other ministers arrived. He told us some of the things that had taken place since we had seen him last. As he was sharing some of the things that were injustices done to him, he mentioned that he needed to forgive the people that had done these things. He said that one minister knew all about his past and that this minister had helped him understand that he needed to forgive! Amen! When the other ministers arrived we set up for worship and the sermon. After the first worship song one of the ministers did an opening prayer. One of the things that he prayed was that people would be as excited about Jesus as they were about the parade. It can be terribly sad to see people walk by unconcerned about their soul. Not just because we know where they are going but also because we know the price that Jesus paid for us all. One person that came up was quoting scripture. It just seemed to roll off his tongue. The minister spoke with him for some time encouraging him to repent and ask Jesus to help him walk away from the addiction that he knew was keeping him from God, but he would just start talking really fast quoting scripture. Please pray with us that he wouldn’t just think about what the minister said to him but would repent with a broken and contrite heart and turn back to God. Someone we hadn’t seen for a very long time showed up. It was wonderful to see her and she is doing great, but please join us in praying for her son. He has headed down a path that is wide and leads to destruction. The enemy has destroyed too many of our youth with addiction and we need to rise up and fight back. Satan can’t win when we stand in faith and in agreement that he can’t have our youth! Do we really not have enough time to spend in prayer for our city, our state, our country and our world? Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May we spend this week encouraging each other in the battle!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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3/26/16
Therefore, my bothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the Law of Moses. Take care that what the prophets have said does not happen to you: “’Look you scoffers, wonder and perish, for I am going to do something in your days that you would never believe, even if someone told you.’” Acts 13:38-41
For this is what the Lord has commanded us: “’I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’” When the Gentiles heard this they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed. Acts 13:47-48
For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. Romans 5:17-18
For us who believe in Jesus for the forgiveness of sins and the salvation of our souls, we live with the abundant provision of grace that leads to life eternal. That abundant provision is not for us to hide under a bed but to be a light for others. But for those who don’t know or reject the provision of Christ, their life leads to eternal damnation. So how can we who have this blessed gift not tell others about Jesus? We should never be offended when someone scoffs or rejects what we say; they aren’t rejecting us but Jesus Christ. And in the same way if they accept the message and are glad and honor the word of the Lord, it isn’t because of us, it is Jesus Christ that they are accepting. Either way we are blessed to do what Jesus has commanded us to do!
Today as we headed out our prayer was that during this holy weekend, Jesus would be honored by what we do and say especially when sharing His words of truth. One man that we hadn’t seen for a very long time came and asked for prayer for his girlfriend. We were blessed that when he was feeling alone and hopeless that he remember that Jesus would not only welcome him, but care for him in his time of need through us. A younger man that usually comes and leaves quickly after getting some coffee stayed on the corner almost until we left. This younger man received some clothes and then sat down with a bowl of chili on the stoop. One of the ministers walked over with some homemade cornbread. The minister spent some time talking with this young man and by the time he left he seemed to be at peace. We pray that he comes back and understands that yes, we really believe what we say and we really care for him. We pray also that he comes back and accepts the gift that Jesus has for him. Towards the end of our time out on the street a van pulled up and some people we hadn’t seen for a long time got out. They received some things off the bus and were happy to have them, but sadly they have so far rejected the words of life that Christ has for them. But we who hope in Jesus never despair because what is impossible for man is possible with God! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May our Lord Jesus Christ keep us strong to the end. Maranatha!
Prayer request, we received an e-mail saying that the homeless youth are being targeted and recruited by ISIS. Please keep the all of our youth in your prayers.
Love,
Steve and Donna
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3/19/16
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness that is by faith from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be know about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. Romans 1:16-20
Tomorrow is the first day of spring. As we watch the trees start to spread their leaves and the flowering trees bloom we are reminded of the harvest. God desires that all should come to a saving knowledge of Him. God has revealed Himself to all men by way of His creation. Sadly too many people claim to be without need of God in their life.
Today as we left we prayed that conviction would fall on the street community, conviction that people who don’t know Jesus as their Savior would repent and turn to Christ. As the sermon was given, one couple walked away. Conviction that leads to repentance is a gift from God. But could it be for this couple that the enemy lied to them and they thought they didn’t need to hear anything that might remind them they are sinful as we all are. If they could have stilled the voice of the enemy long enough to hear that God paid the price for our sins they might have found peace with God. But we have seen this many times, someone walks away, sometimes very angry at the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and yet they come back weeks later and receive the gift that only Jesus can give. We are praying this for that couple. One person came up to a minister after the sermon and confessed what he was doing and wanted to be set free. He believes in Jesus for his salvation but he hasn’t been delivered from addiction. The minister led him through a prayer of repentance and receiving God’s forgiveness and shared with him that now he needs to fill that void with God’s word and God’s people. The minister also shared that God can do what is impossible for man to do and he pointed to one of the ministers who has been delivered of drug addiction and is now serving God. Towards the end of the day three young adults came up and asked what we were doing. We shared that we held a church service and then help with some basic needs with whatever we have available. They each had some coffee and cookies and received some things off the bus but when asked about their spiritual condition they seemed to mock God. In a few years their time out on the street will wear on them. God will use the desolation of street life to destroy what self-sufficient pride they have. We pray that they don’t take that path and humble themselves before Jesus without the years of suffering.
They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served created things rather than the Creator-who is forever praised. Amen. Romans 1:25
Next week we will be taking out a resurrection lunch to the street. Please join us in praying that hearts and minds will receive the Good News of Jesus Christ. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May the coming week be a reflection of all that Jesus has done for us.
Love,
Steve and Donna
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3/12/16
Right belief is important for salvation.
If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you will be saved. Romans 10:9
Believing is more than acknowledging.
Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Issac on the alter? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. James 2:21
By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead. Hebrews 11:4
Cain lacked a sense of sin, need of atonement and he had wrong beliefs about God.
The Bible is perfect
As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him. Psalm 18:30
The Bible is true
For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. Psalm 33:4
These are very simple but basic truths that every Christian needs to know.
Our prayer as we headed out to the street corner today was that we would keep the message simple and clear. Please don’t misunderstand us, the street community is some of the smartest and most talented people there are. But for each Christian it is easy to wander far from the truth if we don’t take spending time in God’s word seriously. And if it is difficult to spend time in God’s word when we are warm, dry and well fed, just imagine what it is like if you are wet, tired and hungry. As we ended our worship time with How Great Thou art some people showed up and wanted to hand out sandwiches and water. They seemed interested in helping the homeless and we pray that God will lead them in opportunities to humbly share Christ. One person that showed up today looked like he had been beat up. During the sermon the pastor shared that the enemy is a deceiver and that we don’t have to believe his lies. We pray that this person will take to heart what he heard and know that God is for him, not against him. One very young lady showed up and needed a warm coat. We have only seen her a few times but we could see the physical toll that the street life was having on her young life. After receiving a warm coat she made the decision to follow Jesus! Please keep her in your prayers, the enemy tries hard to keep people in captivity. One person that we have been ministering to for a long time asked the minister for forgiveness again. This man has been tormented by the past. Each week we try and help him to know that God has forgiven him and that he needs to forgive himself. As many times as we have walked him through this we will continue to do so until the day that God through the Holy Spirit gives him peace. One young man came up the street and stood about three feet away. When invited over for a cup of coffee he came over. We were able to provide him with a few things that would keep him warm and dry. But during the prayer time, he received the most important gift there is, the salvation of Jesus Christ! Thank you Jesus that you allow us to share you! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. We pray that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ (Philippians 1:9-10).
Love,
Steve and Donna
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2/27/16
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret-it leads only to evil. Psalm 37:7-8
In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Ephesians 4:26-27
When we are anxious or angry we demonstrate a lack of trust in God. Not that God will always do what we believe to be best. His knowledge is far beyond ours. But there will be a day of judgement for the wicked. God is just.
See that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. Hebrews 12:15
I am making this covenant with you so that no one among you-no man, women, clan, or tribe-will turn away from the Lord our God to worship these gods of other nations, and so that no root among you bears bitter and poisonous fruit. Deuteronomy 29:18
When we allow bitterness in our lives we produce poisonous fruit. Anxiety, anger and bitterness all produce poisonous fruit.
How do we overcome the sin of anger and anxiety? The devil will tell us, it’s perfectly natural, go ahead and be angry, go ahead and worry, everyone does it. Too many people in this nation and others have bought into the lie of anger and anxiety.
But we always defeat Satan first with repentance and then we follow the example of Jesus in Matthew 4 (we use the truth of God’s word). This is the way we crush Satan’s lies. Our trust in Jesus should always be bigger than our fears.
As we pulled up to the corner today we noticed that there was trash everywhere. We recognize this as a sign that Satan has been there working through whom ever will allow him, to cause chaos. As we started to worship God, someone came up yelling profanities and saying she needed shoes. One minister asked her to be quiet until we were done with worship, and this person started yelling all the louder as she walked away. Once the sermon started a couple sitting very close to the preacher started talking and kept talking all the way through the sermon. When we started praying for people another person came up and started talking very loudly to one of the ministers. What she was saying didn’t make any sense, but the minister tried to bring the conversation back to Jesus. She wasn’t happy about that and as she walked away she picked up someone else’s backpack and umbrella. Three of the ministers went after her to retrieve the stolen items. And she continued to yell at them as all of the ministers prayed. She finally dropped the items and went up the street yelling. Between all these disruptions, the ministers were still able to pray with people. One person was so very excited to make it to church. He was there for the worship and the sermon and prayer. He said he was trying to follow Jesus. He said that people say that he is just a drunk and will always be a drunk. The minister told him that isn’t the way God sees him and that he doesn’t need to listen to those lies! He left very encouraged that God would help him in his fight against alcohol. Towards the end of the day, the first lady that showed up and wanted shoes came back. She apologized for yelling, but continued to be abusive to all the ministers. She asked for a pair of shoes and we were able to provide her with the right size, but she didn’t like the color. The enemy and the world have proclaimed her to be a victim and this is where she wanted to remain, not realizing that Jesus blood had been poured out to set her free. And she wasn’t willing to listen to this truth no matter how hard each minister tried to tell her. At the very end of the day, down the alley, one person started hitting another person because she thought he had taken some of her things. The man wasn’t hitting back, but she was striking him. One of the ministers went to intervene. The minister told her she needed to forgive as she led her away from the other person. This didn’t seem to help except to separate the two. We are praying that she knows that she needs to forgive because Jesus is willing to forgive her. We know that we don’t war against flesh and blood, but somedays we see the spiritual war being manifested in the physical. Two people today claimed to be Jesus, how very sad this is. But this is the people group that God has called us to. We could stay away but we are called to reach the ones that everyone else has given up on, so we go! Thank you to the amazing group of ministers that have decided that they will reach into the pit of hell to drag the captives out! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. Please pray with us that Jesus would touch the hearts and minds of those that don’t even know that they are in a battle and would give them the courage to reach out to Christ!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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2/20/16
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14
O Lord open my lips and my mouth will declare your praise. Psalm 51:15
I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the Lord. Psalm 104:33-34
Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me. Psalm 51:12
When our joy starts to fade we could be forgetting how valuable we are to God, that He paid such an incredible price for us. In repentance and trust we pray that God would give us a willing spirit to obey Him in every situation.
We knew that three ministers wouldn’t be able to make it out today. God knew that also and He also knew that we would be busier than we have been in sometime, so He sent someone that we hadn’t seen in a while to help! Praying before we went out, we prayed that God would send us the ones that other people have given up hope for. These are the very ones that Jesus has sent us to reach. As we pulled up to the corner there was already a small crowd. Through the sermon people were reminded to put on the full armor of God. During worship and the sermon, one young lady was making screeching noises. She has done this before and we have prayed for her. As we set up for coffee and prayer, this same young lady said she didn’t want to hear demons speaking to her anymore. This is a huge victory for her. During the sermon she found out that she didn’t have to continue to be defeated by Satan! Please pray with us that she would hear only the Holy Spirit speak and she would remember to rebuke the demonic voices. One younger man that was there saw one of the ministers praying for people. He couldn’t believe his eyes. He yelled at him, “What do you think you are doing?” This younger man yelled this about three times in a row. The minister shared that he put his faith in Jesus Christ and was now praying for people. The younger man said, “You’re not praying for me. We used to do bad things together.” The minister continued to pray for people and when this younger man received some things off the bus the minister prayed with him. What a witness this minister has been to the street community! His life of following Christ has encouraged so many! The younger man seemed to leave not quite understanding how this minister had been changed, even though he was told it was Jesus Christ. We pray that he comes to know Jesus in the same way that this minister has! After what seemed like a joyous day of encouraging people to follow Jesus the enemy tried to come against the day. One man pulled up on a bike and started yelling at two ministers about how he had rode around the world on his bike and someone gave him a billion dollars. As he was yelling the ministers were praying. In his rage he started getting louder so the pastor walked over and put his hand on his shoulder to ask him respectively to quiet down. At this the man started screaming and pushed the pastor back. The pastor went back over and put his hand on his shoulder again and asked him to quiet down or to leave. The man screamed that the pastor had to back away first, so the pastor backed away and the man went up the street screaming hateful threating words. After this person went further up the street the ministers gathered up in prayer to pray that this man’s heart would be softened and he would come back and meet with Jesus. Jesus Christ is the only hope for this man as Jesus is the only and best hope for us all! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May the joy of God’s salvation carry you through the week!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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2/13/16
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 2 Corinthians 4:7
Brothers think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things – and the things that are not – to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. 1 Corinthians 1:26-29
Nobody including believers enjoy looking foolish. Due to this some believers are trying to make the Christian faith conform to worldly wisdom. As a believer we should always present the Gospel with humility and respect, but we should still present it even when it seems foolish to those that are hearing it. The more we stand firm in our faith, the more our faith grows. If we don’t stand firm in our faith, we won’t stand at all (Isaiah 7:9).
Some people think we are foolish for standing on a street corner to preach the Gospel. Many people show up wanting to feed the homeless. But not too many want to tell them about Jesus Christ. Maybe, some don’t know about Jesus. But maybe others want to follow Jesus but just not where He leads them. It’s ok if Jesus leads them to the homeless to give them food and water, but it’s not ok to preach the Good News of the Gospel. But when we have come to the decision that Jesus is real, the Holy Spirit leads us to tell others about the hope we have found. In fact, it is impossible not to preach Jesus Christ crucified and risen when we truly believe!
Today was a slow day, but we believe Jesus when he tells us about leaving the ninety-nine to go after the one lost sheep. As the Gospel was being preached a group of people pulled up in a motorhome. They asked if we knew where there would be a large group of homeless people. They were invited to join the service but declined. We believe that they missed out on what God had for them. If they don’t know Jesus as their Savior then they are the very people that are homeless, without an eternal home. Please pray with us that they come to know the Savior. One person that came today shared that his grandmother had just passed away. We prayed with him that God would comfort him and his family. An older gentleman shared that he believes that we are his family, and in Christ we are. One person that was saved a few years ago on the street and has been serving at the street corner ever since, prayed with a boldness and precision we haven’t seen before! What a blessing to see him grow in Jesus! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to this foolish (in the world’s eyes) group of believers that won’t stop telling others about Jesus until the whole world hears! May the peace of God that transcends all understanding guard your heart and minds against the wisdom of this age that tells us to be quiet!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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1/30/16
Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. You turn men back to dust, saying, “Return to dust, O sons of men.” For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night. You sweep men away in the sleep of death; they are like the new grass of the morning-though in the morning it springs up new, by evening it is dry and withered. We are consumed by your anger and terrified by your indignation. You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence. All our days pass away under your wrath; we finish our years with a moan. The length of our days is seventy years-or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away. Who knows the power of your anger? For your wrath is as great as the fear that is due you. Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Relent, O Lord! How long will it be? Have compassion on your servants. Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen trouble. May your deeds be shown to your servants, your splendor to their children. May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us-yes, establish the work of our hands. Psalm 90
Our desire is to become more Christ like every day and in every way. As the Holy Spirit teaches us to number our days aright, our desires are transformed and we are consumed with the desire of God. God desires that not one person would perish but come to His saving grace. If we choose what is best, the desires from above, God will establish the work of our hands. The work of our hands is to be so Christ like that in every situation people will see Christ in us and be drawn to Him (not to us).
Today the sun was shining brightly as we headed out to the street corner. Because the sun was shining the temperature had dropped down into the thirties and the wind was blowing causing the temperature to feel like it was down even lower. Through the worship, sermon, prayer times and cups of coffee the message of Jesus Christ and Him crucified was preached. We had a larger crowd than usual and most of them seem to desire to draw close to God. One person asked for a worship song called, “You are my Healer.” Amazingly, the worship leader was able to go right to the song and provide this gift of worship. But there were those that had no concern for their soul. There is nothing that can be sung or preached that will reach this group. The only way they are going to be reached is through prayer. This is one reason we spend much time on our knees. One young lady believed that her personality would get her to heaven. When the minister explained the Gospel to her she seemed to think her way was better. Please pray with us that she submits herself to Jesus Christ. One person came up and was in a t-shirt. He didn’t seem able to stand still for long and he was talking really fast. We are praying for his deliverance. One man came up and was so very happy that he made it in time for worship and the sermon. A couple came and said that they needed to be there. One younger man shared that he was struggling with alcohol. The minister encouraged him to keep praying and asking Jesus for deliverance, and we would be praying with him for his deliverance. There were about four people that came without any warm clothing. They were thanking Jesus as they left wrapped in warm coats, gloves and blankets. One person that came without a coat, left with not only a coat, but even more important, he left a child of Jesus Christ! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. We, along with you, have received grace to call people from all nations to the obedience that comes from faith. May God establish the work of our hands and the prayers of our heart.
Love,
Steve and Donna
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1/23/16
The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still standing. This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifice being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. Hebrews 9:8-9
By Jesus blood alone we have our consciences cleansed. If a person does not forgive themselves, that person is saying that the sacrifice of Jesus was not enough.
When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! Hebrews 9:11-14
Guilt condemns while conviction transforms. Guilt keeps us from coming to God with confidence.
We serve an amazing God! Today we were blessed before we went to the streets to see someone we hadn’t seen for some time. When we arrived at the street corner the rain was pouring down. We set up the cross and the speaker on the table with an umbrella covering it. And with most everyone there holding umbrellas we had church. The pastor spoke on Romans 3:23. The sermon seemed to help some in the street community understand God’s character and the human condition a little more as they try to navigate their salvation in Christ and their lives on the street. As long as the enemy or their own mind keeps them in condemnation there will be very little transformation in their lives. But if they and we allow God’s word to convict us, it brings us to repentance and change. One person came to day because he had inherited some land and he wanted to be able to share this with us. We haven’t seen this person and his daughter for about three years, but we were glad that he still felt that we would want to know and rejoice with him and his daughter. We are very happy for him and pray that he is still walking with God and pointed him to a church in the area where he and his daughter are now living. One person told the minister that he had been in Vietnam. As he spoke he started to cry, not believing that God could forgive him and not forgiving himself. The minister shared that he could repent of his sins and ask Jesus to be his Savior and that God would not only forgive his sins but remember them no more (Hebrews 8:12). This man walked away released from the past condemnation and into life as a new creation in Jesus Christ! Please pray with us that he will remember that it is the blood of Jesus Christ that has paid the price for his sins and that Satan will no longer have a foothold in his mind. Please pray for Ken’s son Dominic. The Doctors have told Ken that Dominic probably won’t grow anymore. Dominic is only in third grade. We are praying that they are wrong and Dominic grows as tall as his dad! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. Our Redeemer lives!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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1/16/16
“Hear, O my people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will testify against you: I am God, your God. I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices or your burnt offerings, which are ever before me. I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens, for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine. If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it. Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats? Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.” Psalm 50:7-15
God is addressing His people about sacrifices. The people seemed to perform their sacrifices with a false idea of who God is and what He requires.
As a believer in Christ we understand that our sacrifices and obedience are not good enough for God and that only through faith in Jesus Christ can we be saved from our sins.
But to the wicked, God says: “What right have you to recite my laws or take my covenant on your lips? You have my instruction and cast my words behind you. When you see a thief, you join with him; you throw in your lot with adulterers. You use your mouth for evil and harness your tongue to deceit. You speak continually against your brother and slander your own mother’s son. These things you have done and I kept silent; you thought I was altogether like you. But I will rebuke you and accuse you to your face. Consider this, you who forget God, or I will tear you to pieces, with none to rescue. Psalm 50:16-22
These were God’s people that were reciting His laws. They claimed God’s promises yet refused to obey Him. The people also offered sacrifices and yet seemed to forget the significance of why they were offering them.
We do the same when we do religious activities out of habit rather than the love of God, especially in evangelism. If we aren’t sharing the Gospel because of the love that God has given us, what kind of faith do we lead others to?
Faith in Jesus isn’t just an intellectual understanding of who He is. No, to believe in Jesus is to follow Him in love and obedience. If we claim Jesus as our Savior and yet live without any regard to His teaching, our faith is meaningless. To claim Him as Lord and Master of every aspect of our lives is faith in Christ. This is what needs to be taught when we evangelize.
As we headed out to the street corner today, we thanked God that He has provided us with a core group of people that are bold in preaching the Gospel of Christ. Two of the ministers showed up while still trying to recover from severe colds. One minister showed up whose hip has been in pain and he has to walk some distance to get to the corner. The enemy is trying hard to come against this ministry as well as others to cause discouragement. But we know who our God is and that He will be coming back as a King and Judge and we have a burning desire to make sure that we share the Gospel with the lost.
Today one person showed up that was struggling. He confessed getting drunk and getting kicked out of the mission. One minister led him through a prayer of confession and repentance. The minister shared that we need to surrender to God’s will and ask Him to make that change in us. This person then started talking to another minister and the other minister told him the same thing without knowing what the first minister had said. This happens quite a lot on the street corner. The Holy Spirit works through each person and directs their prayers and conversations to reinforce what is being said. One young man showed up on the corner and asked what we were doing. After getting a cup of coffee he said that he had just walked up the wrong street. After prayer with one of the ministers this young man put his faith in Jesus Christ! He might have thought that he was on the wrong street, but God had him right where He wanted him. We are praying that this young man doesn’t just know about Jesus but follows Him! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May we all share the Gospel with the authority that Jesus Christ bought for us at Calvary, not worrying about the foolishness that the world believes the Cross to be!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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1/9/16
I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don’t you know that the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah – how he appealed to God against Israel: “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your alters; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”? And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal. So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace. Romans 11:1-6
What then? What Israel sought so earnestly it did not obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened, as it is written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes so that they could not see and ears so that they could not hear, to this very day.” And David says: “May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them. May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.” Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. But if their transgression means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring! Romans 11:1-12
Paul states that Israel was not set aside forever.
If some of the branches have been broken off, and you though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. Romans 11:17-21
I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The deliver will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” Romans 11:25-27
So they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. Romans 11:31
Some in Israel thought that because their table was full or because they had been blessed physically, that everything was o.k. But as we have experienced in this country, physical abundance does not mean spiritual abundance. It’s much easier to depend on God when we have to depend of Him for everything. Spiritual laziness can come from physical abundance. In the same way we equate business with being spiritual. If I am running here and there and if some of them are ‘good’ reasons, but I’m not spending time in God’s word, prayer and in fellowship with the saints, then I’m going to be drifting away from Jesus.
Today as we pulled up on the street corner, one thing that stood out was all the garbage that was there and down the alley way. So before we did anything else we picked up the trash. As we worshipped the sun started to shine through the clouds. During the sermon everyone started to warm up some. One lady that showed up was very thankful for the warm items that she received, but she seemed to think ‘people’ weren’t helping her enough. One young man that was there wanted four packs to take back to the doorway. He was given two. He thought that somehow he was being shorted. The minister explained that there were other people waiting in line so he couldn’t take that many. He left unsatisfied and without prayer. We pray that God moves on his heart and mind and helps him to come to a saving knowledge of Christ. The poor in our country for the most part have it very good. Most have food to eat, can find dry clothing and have shelters that open up for nights that are freezing. Many have cell phones and lap top computers. But what they lack is faith in the Living God. They want their situation to change, but just providing for their physically needs will never change their situation. Its only when they commit to following Jesus does their lives change. This doesn’t mean that they will have housing or any more physically, but what it does mean is that they now have peace with God and purpose in God’s family. One person came up and said that he had fallen (started drinking). He was crying as he apologized and said that he was embarrassed to even be there. After one of the ministers spoke with him about confession, repentance and forgiveness, he asked another minister to speak to him. The other minister had a similar lifestyle and was able to speak into the guilt and shame this person was carrying. The other ministers were very blessed to watch this (young in the faith) person minister in such a mighty way, knowing that he had been in the same place not too long ago! One young man came up and explained all the reasons he wasn’t really following Jesus. By the time the young man left he had decided to put his faith in Jesus! For the last ten years we have been praying that the doors of the churches would open up and people would reach out to the lost wherever they might be. Today two times people showed up wanting to help the homeless. We believe our prayers are being answered. That just reaching out to someone in need can be the first step in presenting the Gospel. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God increase our faith!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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12/20/20
Don’t be misled-you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Galatians 6:7-8
Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned. Hebrews 6:7-8
We are not saved by the things we do, but our works and the way we live our lives are evidence of our faith. We need to encourage each other to work in the harvest and not to lose the zeal we have to see Jesus move on the hearts of unbelievers. Because at just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing, if we don’t give up.
Ministry to the disenfranchised, in some ways can be difficult. We see some that never seem to be changed by the love of Christ. But in others ways, we feel we are blessed among ministries, because we see Jesus transform a people group that many have given up hope for and even they themselves have many times given up hope. And that is the God we serve! And when Jesus transforms someone, it is a complete and secure transformation. There is no going back to who they use to be. And just at the right moment, when we least except it, Jesus touches another heart and that person has become new, and we receive the blessing of watching the Holy Spirit work in that person and they become a new creation!
This Saturday was we didn’t see as many people as we usually do. At the start of the sermon a car stopped and wanted to hand out packs they had put together. It was a nice thing for them to want to do but it seems sometimes the enemy wants so much to disrupt God’s truth from being spoken that he’ll bring ‘nice’ things to interrupt the service. They were asked to wait until after the service but they decided to leave. During the sermon one car stopped in the middle of the road to listen. Upon hearing Jesus is the Messiah, they left. After the sermon we served Christmas lunch and homemade cookies. Another group showed up and handed out bags with hygiene items in them. It is great to see so many people with hearts wanting to help. Our prayer is that these hearts are turned to the most urgent need that is out there; Jesus. So often the secular society will give material things to the homeless. But the real need, not just for the homeless, but for our nation is spiritual, the need to be transformed by the only true, living God, Jesus Christ. Without transformation people end up in the same situation again and again. One person who has a mistrust of people in general decided that he could place his trust in Jesus Christ as Savior! And then three people who were at church on Saturday showed up for church on Sunday! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May we not forget all the Lords benefits-who forgives all our sins and heals all our diseases, who redeems our life from the pit and crowns us with love and compassion (Psalm 103:3-4).
Love,
Steve and Donna
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12/12/15
During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek. We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. Hebrews 5:7-14
It wasn’t that these believers were unintelligent, but it seems they would rather listen to and talk about faith in Christ.
When we place our faith in Christ, when we trust what the Bible says, that faith becomes who we are. We will live what we believe, whether that belief is in Christ or not.
When our faith in Jesus is put into action in our daily lives, we continue to grow. The more we grow in Christ the more we desire to live a life devoted to Christ.
In the same way, the less we put our faith into action, the less we desire to live devoted to Christ. The less we live devoted to Christ the more the world creeps into our lives. The more the world creeps into our lives the less time we spend in our Bibles and in prayer. Even the time we spend in fellowship will become more about worldly things. As the world creeps into our lives we will also lose any witness we might have had.
The more we obey Christ, the more rest we have even while serving. The more we, by faith serve, the more we mature.
“Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you and even more. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.” Mark 4:24-25
Don’t just listen to good teaching about Jesus, put it into practice. As we put into practice what we have learned our capacity to understand grows.
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. James 1:22
But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it-he will be blessed in what he does. James 1:25
As we headed out today, we were a little more than tired from spending Thursday at the Hospital having tests done. But knowing that it would rain we brought the canopy. We knew that a couple of the ministers wouldn’t make it out but we thought with three we could probably set it up. But after arriving at the street corner we realized that the third minister wouldn’t be there either. As we started to unload the bus, the people from the street community stepped up and started helping. One person picked up the garbage all around the corner while another person pulled out the wheel stop. Another person took the cross and set it up. It was such a blessing to see each person putting into action what they have learned about Jesus the last few months! They know that faith isn’t something we just talk about, it is the way we live. After a short sermon on the birth, death and resurrection, we handed out coffee and warm clothing. Usually some of the street community will stay the entire time we are out, but today they all stayed. When it was time to pack everything up they stepped up again and loaded the bus back up. What a blessed day to see the street community not just listening to the word, but doing what it says! Thank you to everyone who prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God grow us all in our faith!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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11/28/15
Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue for evil and his lips from deceitful speech. He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. It is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. 1 Peter 3:13-17
When sharing Jesus, there are times that it could be easy to argue with someone about Jesus. We, who have put our trust/faith in Christ, have the witness of the Holy Spirit and a changed life to confirm that the Bible is truth. Some religions have tried to lower Jesus to just a prophet. Some try to raise other humans to the level of God. With both groups we do our very best to be a witness for Jesus but it comes down to the fact that God is the one that moves on the heart of a person to come to Him in faith. Resting in this, we can evangelize without arguing. The Bible is clear that God wants everyone to come to a saving faith in Jesus Christ. So whatever faith or non-belief that someone says they are following, we point them to Jesus. We know that only God can change a heart and we have seen Jesus do that so very often. We also know that pointing people to Christ, for the most part, is done on our knees.
What a cold day. As we headed out today it was nineteen degrees out. The street life is a very difficult life. Not just because of the cold weather. But as difficult as it is, God doesn’t want to improve their lives he wants to transform them! One person that showed up today wanted to say that the Old Testament was the same as in his ‘faith’. This is a distortion of the Old Testament. He seemed to want to lower Jesus from Deity to a prophet. Please pray for this person, that God would open his heart to the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6). One lady told the minister that it was ok for her to be like she was because she had a difficult life. The minister shared that Jesus is our example and He had a difficult life but didn’t sin. This lady believed that because she grew up going to church she knew all she needed to know. But the things that she said were a distortion of what the Bible says. We pray that God will turn her heart of stone to a heart open to the will of God. One young man that has been attending street church regularly needed clothes for work. This young man has been working for about three years. Please join us in praying that he would earn enough to stay off the streets. Even though he works and doesn’t earn enough to be off the streets he gives praise to Jesus. We are honored to provide him with work clothes! That is the peace that our God, Jesus Christ gives! It isn’t something we can conjure up, it’s what Jesus does for us at our new birth and we can’t help but give Him praise when the world would tell us to be discouraged or to lose hope because of what our eyes see. This young man has set apart Christ as Lord and understands the peace of God. And as one minister shared the Gospel with one younger man, Jesus reached out and pulled this younger man from the fames of hell! This younger man put his trust in Jesus Christ alone for his salvation! Amen! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. We pray that we would all be workmen approved who correctly handle the Word of Truth to the glory and praise of Jesus Christ our Savior!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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10/31/15
But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash. Matthew 7:26
From a recent poll 71% of Americans claim to Christian. Yet we see things going on that if the Christians would vote or rally together these things wouldn’t be taking place. We know that babies are being slaughtered for money. We know that the IRS has targeted people with conservative (Christian values) opinions. We know that a vet who faithfully defended our country so that we could openly worship Jesus, but he is not allowed to demonstrate that faith and pray at football games. We know that a clerk went to jail for not violating her faith. And the list seems to grow. This country was founded on Christian values. Some in our society want to eliminate those values and keep our brothers and sisters from professing their faith in public places. Where will we end up? That depends on us. Will we stand with our Christian brothers and sisters overseas who are being beheaded? Will we stand for our brothers and sisters in this country who are being persecuted? Or will we sit down and shut up so that we don’t cause ourselves any problems? That was the question of the churches in the thirties when Hitler rose to power. We have a choice to make; to serve our King openly and faithfully or to hide our heads in the sand. Jesus told us that a light is not to be put under a bowl and that as His followers we are that light. We are to share Jesus with everyone, not just people inside the building that already know him. If we make good choices today, America will remain the land of the free, home of the brave and where Jesus is openly worshipped!
Today we stood on the street corner and worshiped our Savior with the rain pouring down. We didn’t see too many people from the street community. But with the rain and the wind we know that some of them were just trying to pick up the wet muddy messes that they call their belongings. All night we prayed that God would watch over them and keep them warm and dry. One person that showed up was shaking badly from being cold and wet. We did our best to get some dry clothing on him, but we don’t have a changing room and so he put the dry clothing on top of his wet clothing. He seemed to warm up some. We are praying for his deliverance from addiction but most of all that he comes to know Jesus as his Savior. Everyone left today with dry clothing and prayer encouraging them to walk close with God. Even if there was only one person on the streets we would go. We thank God that we go with a group of fellow servants that are also dedicated to seeing the lost found and the physically poor, not spiritually poor, brother or sister encouraged in their faith in Jesus Christ! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May the Holy Spirit strengthen us all for the times we live in, not for our benefit but for our children, grandchildren and for the Glory of God!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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10/17/15
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 1 John 4:8-9
One of the most important things that separate followers of Jesus from others is love. Not love as in an emotion, but love as a choice that puts the needs of others ahead of our own.
If you love your enemies and treat them well you truly show that Jesus is Lord of your life.
You have heard it said ‘Love your neighbor and hate our enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? Matthew 5:43-46
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. Romans 13:8
Loving our enemies doesn’t mean that we don’t have a legitimate reason for hating them, but because God loves us and God created mankind in His image we are called to love them.
“You are more righteous than I,” “You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly.” 1 Samuel 24:17
If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. Proverbs 25:21
Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. 1 Thessalonians 5:15
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13
It seemed as we headed to the street corner today each minister had been working through either physical illnesses or spiritual battles all week. Some days the victory is seen in just showing up. But Jesus is so much bigger than are problems, great or small. And when we go in weakness, He is made strong. And today was no different. When we go empty and yet give all we have to offer, we leave filled. God’s economy! Jesus showed up through the worship, the sermon and the prayer times. We have said it many times that the street community survives by reading others. Today what they read in our actions was we not only love them, we love each other. Some of the people that show up for church each week have placed their faith in Jesus. This group of people comes each week to learn more about who Jesus is and also how to follow him. Teaching comes in many forms through the worship, the sermon, prayers times and through fellowship. But one of the best ways to teach is to demonstrate through the way we care for each other. One lady showed up today that we haven’t seen for about six months. She left before we had a chance to even say hello. We will be praying that she knows that she is welcome there and that God’s love is for her right where she is. There is no need to try and clean herself off and pick herself up. We pray that the lovingkindness of God brings her to the truth of Jesus Christ. Another lady showed up today that seems to think that everyone has much worse issues than herself. But by the overflow of her heart the mouth speaks and it shows us that she hasn’t experienced the mercy seat of Christ. It seems to be one thing to know that Jesus is who he says he is and another to surrender to the Holy Spirit. One young lady, when confronted with the truth of God’s love for her, broke down and started crying. The truth of how much Jesus loves us can pierce through the hard core of street life. We are praying that Jesus will save her. One man laughed when asked if he knew Jesus and replied, ‘not personally.’ He left transformed and not only knows Jesus personally but also knows how much God loves him that He sent His One and Only Son to die for him! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. Please keep Debbie in your prayers as she lost her very sweet husband recently. As much as we rejoice that he has gone to paradise, we are called to mourn with those that mourn, and that religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress. (James 1:17).
Love,
Steve and Donna
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I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. John 15:1-2
Now while he was in Jerusalem at Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name. John 2:23
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking eternal like that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of His approval. They replied, “We want to perform God’s works too. What should we do?” Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the One He has sent.” They answered, “Show us a miraculous sign if you want us to believe in you. What can you do? After all our ancestors ate manna while they journeyed through the wilderness! The Scriptures say; Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat.” Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, Moses didn’t give you bread from heaven, My Father did. And now He offers you the true bread from heaven. The true bread of God is the One who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” “Sir,” they said, “give us that bread every day.” Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But you haven’t in me even though you have seen me. However those the Father has given me will come to me and I will never reject them. For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those He has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. For it is My Father’s will that all who see His Son and believe in Him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.” Then the people began to murmur in disagreement because He had said, “I am the bread of life who came down from heaven.” They said, “Isn’t this Jesus the son of Joseph, We know His father and mother. How can he say, ‘I came down from heaven’?” But Jesus replied, ‘Stop complaining about what I said. For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up. As it is written in the Scriptures, ‘They will all be taught by God. Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. (Not that anyone has ever seen the Father, only I, who was sent from God, have seen him.) “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes has eternal life. Yes, I am the bread of life! Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, but they all died. Anyone who eats the bread from heaven however, will never die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh.” Then the people began arguing with each other about what he meant. “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” they asked. So Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you. But anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. I live because of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, anyone who eats this bread will not die as your ancestors did (even though they ate the manna) but will live forever.” He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum. Many of his disciples said, “This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?” Jesus was aware that his disciples were complaining, so he said to them, Does this offend you? John 6:26-61
One of the many things that the Scripture above describes is the superficial faith of those who saw the signs and were convinced that Jesus was the expected Prophet, but when they listened to Him preach they turned away and deserted Him.
In John 15:1-2 Jesus said that that the Father cuts off every branch in Him that bears no fruit. How can the branches be cut off if they are in Him? Could it be that they believed in Jesus but failed to put their wholehearted trust in Him?
When we place our trust in Jesus and start following him we discover that many of the things that the Bible teaches are difficult to hear. Even more difficult than hearing them are putting them into practice. God teaches us that we can’t do what he calls us to do without Him.
But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. 2 Corinthians 2:14
Today as we drove up to the street corner there was a small crowd. It seemed that the street community was hungry to hear from God and during the worship they were intent on giving praise and honor to Jesus. The worship carried on through the sermon and prayer. One lady shared that she was tired of the street life. She had been arguing with another lady. The minister shared that the only way to have peace is to first forgive others because we have been forgiven and then to pray for God to give us the strength to honor Him instead of using words to fight back when others attack us. When the minister was speaking to the other lady that the first lady had been fighting with, the minister told her the same thing. We are praying that they believe God and what he tells us is truth and that they will start living what they believe. One minister shared the Gospel with a man in his thirties and he asked Jesus to save him. Then another minister spent most of the day with the man in his thirties helping him to draw close to God. We thank God that he allows us to spend time with each person desiring to walk with God. Making disciples isn’t just about a confession of faith it’s about helping others learn who Jesus is and how God desires us to live out our faith. One younger man who has a twin sister that is dying of cancer asked Jesus to save him. We pray continually for people to come to Christ and we pray continually for those who have confessed Jesus as Savior to learn who God is and to live for Christ. We also pray for their family members and we will be praying that God would bring healing to this young man’s sister. One lady who has lived on the streets off and on for about ten years was recently evicted from her mother’s house by her brother. Please pray with us that the conflict resolves and she is able to return to her mother’s house. One very young lady was asked why she was on the streets. She very honestly answered because of drugs. Her face revealed that she was numb to what was going on around her and had lost all hope. The minister shared Jesus Christ with her and she asked Jesus to save her. Thank you Jesus! We are praying that the Holy Spirit would work quickly in her life and that she would have reconciliation with family and return home. But even if she doesn’t return to her home we know that Jesus can work in her life right where she is. She left born again and we pray that the street life won’t steal, kill and destroy the blessed hope that she now carries with her. Not that Jesus will ever leave or forsake those that belong to Him, but we have seen the destruction that Satan tries to do to destroy faith to those on the street. One young man shared with a minister that he just wanted to get off the street. After the man said he believes in Jesus the minister asked what he was doing to move forward with getting off the street. The young man stared at him with a blank expression. Then he said that he was hoping to get social security. The minister shared with him that to have housing he should be looking at finding a job. Some people may think that this young man is unusual, but like so many young people that are thrust into adulthood with no guidance whether by their own issues or family that wasn’t capable of caring for them, they don’t even know how to live. Please pray with us that God would help to guide us to teach them to put into practice life changing decisions that would bring glory to God. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. Please join us in praying that the Holy Spirit would work in power to reveal Jesus Christ to the Street Community for the Glory, Honor and Praise of God!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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10/10/15
In spite of this, you did not trust in the Lord your God, who went ahead of you on your journey, in fire by night and in a cloud by day, to search out places for you to camp and to show you the way you should go. Deuteronomy 1:32-33
They will lay siege to all the cities throughout your land until the high fortified walls in which you trust fall down. Deuteronomy 13:5
The Lord warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and seers: “Turn from your evil ways. Observe my commands and decrees, in accordance with the entire Law that I commanded your fathers to obey and that I delivered to you through my servants the prophets.” But they would not listen and were as stiff-necked as their fathers, who did not trust in the Lord their God. 2 Kings 17:13-14
But man, despite his riches, does not endure; he is like the beasts that perish. This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve of their sayings. Like sheep they are destined for the grave, and death will feed on them. The upright will rule over them in the morning; their forms will decay in the grave, far from their princely mansions. Psalms 49:12-14
But those who trust in idols, who say to images, ‘you are our gods;’ will be turned back in utter shame. Isaiah 42:17
People are looking for security. Some in this country put their trust in stocks and bonds, bank accounts, possessions, jobs etc. But with the tragedies that are going on in the world they have a sense that these things aren’t secure. So, many will turn to a Christ follower and want the security that they see in them. The security that we offer is our trust in Jesus Christ. There is no safe place apart from Him. There is no unsafe place in Him. Jesus doesn’t promise that this world will be a safe place for us as believers in Him. No, He promises that this world will be unsafe especially for His followers. And this is proven true every day, not just in the Middle East anymore but right here in our own country. The trust that we have in Him is that He will be with us in whatever we go through – even death can’t separate us from the love of Christ!
Judgement begins at the house of God.
However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. For it is time for judgement to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 1 Peter 4:16-17
Does this mean that the Christians that are being persecuted or even executed are worse than the ones sitting in comfort? Absolutely not! But in this nation, as abroad, some are being asked to step up to live and die for the glory of God. God could be calling some home so that they won’t have to endure the things that are taking place such as the evil in this country. Others are suffering for their faith and we don’t always get to know the reasons why but we do know that we are to trust God and accept suffering as a refining for His purpose. Could it be that God is testing us, waiting to see if we will sit in judgement of those that are suffering or jumping at a chance to help and care for those that suffer for His Name?
Why should I fear when evil days come, when wicked deceivers surround me-those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches? No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him. Psalms 49:5-7
But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. Psalms 13:5
The day on the streets seemed to reflect the weather. Like the sunshine that broke through the rain, most of the people that came today brought with them the hope that they were holding onto, the hope that goes beyond physical things and can be found in Jesus Christ alone. And like the rain that poured down, there were those that found any reason to be miserable. One person blamed the different places that serve food for making him sick. Not thinking that it might be the poison that he was putting in his body that made him ill. This person has been through rehab several times and several times it has failed. If only he could get ahold of Jesus Christ! We have been and will continue to pray that this man gives his life to Christ, not so he can be clean and sober, so he can be transformed by the redeeming work of Jesus! One person came up and was excited to share that he was now working on getting his G.E.D. We thank God for the work He is doing in this man’s life. One person explained to one of the ministers that anger was overtaking him. After listening for a while, the minister shared that this person needed to forgive the person that had hurt him. This young man didn’t believe the minister. This young man seems to have some understanding of God’s truth but lacked this very important teaching. So the first minister called over another minister to explain the same thing. The ministers shared with him that he being a believer of Jesus Christ had the power to send Satan packing if he would repent of the sin of anger, receive God’s forgiveness, forgive the person that hurt him and then replace the sin with the love that Jesus has shown him. This seemed to be an amazing revelation to this young man and he left today excited that he wouldn’t have to live with the anger and hatred that had been building in him! As we left the street corner the rain started falling so heavy the windshield wipers couldn’t keep up. Please join us in praying for warm coats for the coming days of rain and cold. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May the grace of God keep you in His perfect peace!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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9/26/15
As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call me good?” “No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.’” “Teacher,” he declared, “all these have kept since I was a boy.” Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” He said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. Mark 10:17-22
God’s love is something that the world doesn’t understand. Believers should love as Jesus does, not like the world. Jesus loved the rich young ruler; he loved him enough to tell him the truth to sell all he had and to follow Jesus. This young ruler’s first problem was that he didn’t recognize Jesus as God. The second was his love of money and all that comes with having it. Jesus knew that if this young man didn’t sell everything and follow Him, he would be serving two masters. In Luke 16:13 the Scripture clearly tells us that we can’t serve two masters. Jesus never made someone comfortable on their way to hell. If we really love like Jesus, we will be willing to be disliked by people. In love, we should be willing to tell people that they need Jesus for eternal life and they can’t believe whatever they want and go to heaven. In love, telling people the truth can be confrontational, not that we should argue but we are called to defend the truth of God’s Word (Philippians 1:16). Loving like Jesus we shouldn’t look to be rewarded but to please the One who first loved us (1 John 4:19). The world believes in love at first sight. Jesus teaches us that love doesn’t have to do with what is on the outside but what is on the inside. Jesus taught us that love is sacrificial. The world has for the most part a false image of what love is and it is no wonder when Satan comes as an angel of light. The world believes that love is something that should benefit ‘me’. If a ministry does ‘good’ things like the world does ‘good’ things it ends up with groups of people that have contempt for Jesus. The people doing ‘good’ things can become a little ‘g’ god to a person if they supply whatever it is that person wants physically. If we love like Jesus we will care for a person’s spiritual well-being along with their physical well-being. And their spiritual well-being can only be cared for if they find the One who created them.
What an awesome God we serve! We are always so very humbled that He allows us to tell others about Him. Today started off a little rough. One person started calling another person names and saying that he was kicked out of the mission because of this other person. The minister intervened and the man settled down and was able to listen to the sermon. After the sermon the man that was yelling went over and with tears in his eyes told the pastor that he felt God speaking to him. He shared a passage of Scripture with the pastor as he repented of yelling at the other person and confessed that he had gotten himself kicked out of the mission. Amen! One young man wanted prayer to end his addiction. He said he has a job and makes good money but his life isn’t going right because of his addiction. The minister prayed with him that God would give him the strength to walk away from the temptations and not just have his life back, but so he could follow hard after Jesus. One person that was at the street church last week, was there again today. Last week he seemed to want to cause chaos and had stumbled over the Rock. This week, he asked Jesus to be his Savior and the Rock became his firm foundation! As we said last week what is impossible with man is possible with God! One younger man shared that after listening to the sermon he felt that he needed to make some changes in his life but wasn’t sure what to do. The minister shared the Gospel with him and he made the most important decision of his life, to become a child of God! Satan hates that Jesus is at work on that street corner and once again an argument broke out. As one person shouted at another person, the pastor stood between them and finally one person left without it coming to blows. As that was happening one of the ministers was praying with another person that had just asked Jesus to be their Savior! Thank you Jesus! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. Please join us in praying for one of the minister’s son. Dominic is having vision problems and this is affecting his reading skills. We are praying that God brings a miraculous healing to the eye muscles.
Love,
Steve and Donna
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9/19/15
Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed. Luke 20:18
And he will be a sanctuary; but for both houses of Israel he will be a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall. And for the people of Jerusalem he will be a trap and a snare. Isaiah 8:14-15
While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on the feet of iron and clay and smashed them. The iron and clay, bronze, the silver and the gold were broken to pieces at the same time and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth. Daniel 2:34-35
In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever. Daniel 2:44
Jesus continues to be that stone that causes people to stumble. Many people claim that they are enlightened. They say that one person is as good as another, so why wouldn’t they be welcomed into heaven? These same people pull God down to their own level of thinking but they also lift themselves up in their own minds to the level of God by claiming to know truth. The Bible is clear that the only way to Heaven, the only way to God Almighty is through Jesus Christ (John 14:6). For those that humble themselves they will find Jesus.
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could do perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.” In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!” John 3:1-4
Nicodemus probably thought as many Jews did, that God was going to set up a political kingdom. Jesus was telling Nicodemus of spiritual things. But because Nicodemus already had his own ideas of what the Messiah was ‘suppose’ to do or be, he had a difficult time understanding what Jesus was about. Nicodemus stumbled on the Rock because of his own ideas about God. In the same way people today stumble on the Rock because of their own ideas of whom or what God is. In John 19:39 we find Nicodemus along with Joseph of Arimathea are willing to be associated with Jesus, willing to be associated with Jesus in is time of humiliation as the world thought of it, Jesus’ death on the cross. Risking his own life Nicodemus helped to bury Jesus. The stone that caused Nicodemus to stumble became a Rock on which to stand.
Wow, what a day. We had a lot of people show up today. Some we hadn’t seen for a couple of years and others that we only see off and on throughout the year. Today seemed to be a day that the street community came to rest. Even the ones that haven’t come to know Jesus as Savior, know that they find peace when they come to church on the street corner. One young man came and asked for prayer. He said that earlier that morning he had asked Jesus to be his Savior. The more the minister shared with him about who Jesus is and about the authority that he now has because of Jesus Christ, the more the young man wanted to know. Please pray with us that this young man separates himself from the people and things that are causing him to sin. One lady said that she was kicked out of the women’s shelter yesterday, so she had to spend the night in a doorway. It seemed that everyone was looking for warm coats, with the nights getting colder. Praise Jesus that everyone that asked, went away with a warm coat! One older lady showed up as we were getting ready to leave and asked for some water. The minister handed her some water and asked if she had living water. She said yes that Jesus is her Savior. One man seemed to want to disrupt the worship, sermon and prayers. As groups of bike riders came past he kept shouting at them. This man has stumbled on the Rock. He said that he believes some things about Jesus and some things about other religions. The minister tried to bring the conversation back around to Christ, but this person’s mind seems to have been overthrown by drugs. We know what is impossible with man is possible with God and we will be praying that God breaks through a heart of rebellion and reaches this man with His grace. One man, when asked if he knew he was going to heaven, as tears welled up in his eyes, said no that he was a sinner. The minister shared the Gospel with him and that God had a plan and a purpose for his life and that the angels were rejoicing in heaven over his decision (Luke 15:7). As he left, he walked away knowing that the Creator of the universe loved him and that he could now take a stand on the Rock! There are always so many amazing things that God does when we go in His Name, but there just isn’t room to tell everything. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May we all understand in these difficult days, that we stand firm on the Rock of our salvation!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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9/12/15
“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. Do you not say ‘Four months more and then the harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the reaper draws his wages; even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. John 4:34-36
The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again. And his disciples heard him say it. Mark 11:12-14
In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction. 2 Timothy 4:12
The follower of Christ should bear fruit in every season. There are times that it may seem inconvenient to tell someone about Jesus and His mercy, grace and love, but we are to freely give what we have freely received.
Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. Matthew 10:8
We are thankful that God has provided a way for us to know His will through Jesus Christ and the Bible. God doesn’t save us so that we can go into seclusion and just be with Him. When churches aren’t careful, they can become a place that is more of a country club. Jesus Christ himself, when risen from the dead commanded that we go and make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20). And from the Scriptures above Jesus makes it very clear that sharing the Gospel is very important to Him. We are not the ones that can transform anyone, that is God alone, but it is very humbling to know that through prayer and supplication the Creator of the universe works through us to bring about fruit.
The sun was shining brightly as we headed to the street corner today. We know soon the weather will change and the needs of the street community will change as well. But even though the seasons change, the preaching of the Gospel doesn’t fade in and out as the tide washing up on the shore. After the sermon, one young man who we hadn’t seen in about three weeks shared with one of the ministers how much the preaching of the Word encouraged him. He said when he isn’t at church on the street corner the rest of the week seems especially difficult for him. Please pray with us that he will soon be off the streets. God has been working in this young man’s heart and now we pray that Jesus will also find him a safe place to live. One older lady shared that she didn’t want prayer. She said that every time she prays things seem harder. The minister shared that sometimes God allows things to get difficult so that we will hand them over to Him. The minister shared that God wants us to rest in Him alone, not in the things of the world. One lady showed up today that seems to have demonic influences. The last time she showed up the minister was able to pray with her. Today she was shouting and making strange noises so the ministers lifted their hands and rebuked Satan. At this the lady seemed angry but wasn’t able to continue shouting. One minister prayed for her as she handed her a care package. The lady stormed off. One person from the street community yelled after her that she shouldn’t behave that way as others from the street community made similar comments. But the ministers shared with them that they love this lost person. The love, grace and mercy that came from Jesus and found them right where they were, is the same love, grace and mercy that they have to share with that lady and with others like her. We pray that she comes back and comes to know Jesus Christ and the salvation that only comes through Him! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May Jesus help us all to be fruitful in every place He puts us!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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8/29/15
On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.” Mark 11:15-17
These merchants were set up in the temple’s court of the gentiles. People that traveled from far off would have to exchange their money to the temple currency to pay the temple tax. The rates were often over inflated and the price paid for sacrificial animals was inflated also. But could it be that the worse crime was that all of this was done in the gentile courts and would have kept the gentiles from worshipping God?
One of the most difficult problems in having a church service on the street corner is the distractions. Today was no exception. The wind was blowing so hard that the little pieces of gravel would blow against our skin like being pelleted by a shot gun. There were police car sirens, firetruck sirens and of course there is usually one person that is being tormented by the demonic that tries to distract everyone during the time out there. But God is so very good and faithful and even during all this His Word does not go void. It is only by God’s power that we are able to share Jesus Christ with the street community!
Today was an amazing day! One of the ministers had three generations of family members joining him to go out to reach the lost! What an awesome God we serve! The youngest member of the family came out on his birthday and yet his concern was with praying for others and that God would fill his heart with more compassion for the homeless. Amen!
One lady from the street community that we have been praying for was struggling to be at church. She wasn’t wearing any shoes and her pants were about three sizes too big. She talked to herself through some of the worship. And then she sat for a time and listened to the sermon but then she bolted across the street yelling among other things, that nobody knows about God. When we were getting ready to leave, she came back and the minister was able to give her a pair of pants that fit, shoes for her feet and the most important thing she received was prayer. As the minister prayed for her, she gave her a hug. This lady seemed to hang on to the minister with every ounce of strength she had. This may have been the only peace this lady has had in a very long time. The minute the prayer time was over, the demonic was already trying to steal the small time of rest this lady had; as she walked away she was saying that she wasn’t any good at hugging. Please join us in praying for this lady that she comes to know the full peace of God through our Lord Jesus Christ. One person shared with one of the ministers how he has been struggling with alcoholism. He said after the last three weekends of hearing the preacher teach the Word of God, he was able to resist the alcohol because he wanted to be closer to God! He also shared that through the sermon he learned that God has more for him in life than just to survive, so he has started to reach out to others to bring them to church on the street corner. Amen! All glory to God! One of the ministers shared with someone how all of us saw the peace that had come over this person since he had given his life to Jesus. The minister encouraged this man that the Holy Spirit was doing a work in his life and to keep walking with Christ. This is a very difficult thing to do when someone is homeless, but as Jesus has shown us so often, it can be done! This Saturday was full of the wonderful truths in the Bible. The truth of what Jesus Christ can do for individuals and families in the midst of the troubles of this life by looking forward to our eternal home instead of focusing on the deceptions this life throws our way. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May Jesus open our eyes to see the truth of His love.
Love,
Steve and Donna
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8/22/15
Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. Colossians 2:16-17
At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.” He answered, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread – which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests. Or haven’t you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple desecrate the day and yet are innocent? I tell you that one greater than the temple is here. If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath. Matthew 12:1-8
The reality of the Sabbath day rest is found in Christ as a type of present rest into which a person enters when he also rests from his own work and trusts in Christ alone.
Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, “So I declared on oath in my anger, “They shall never enter my rest.” And yet his work has been finished since the creation of the world. For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “And on the seventh day God rested from all his work. And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.” It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience. Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long time later he spoke through David, as was said before: “Today if you hear his voice do not harden your hearts.” For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience. Hebrews 4:1-11
God wants us to enter that rest and peace now, but it doesn’t end at our physical death, it becomes an eternal rest in the place that Christ is preparing for us!
As we headed out to the streets today someone that we don’t get to see very often joined us. We were telling the lady that joined us about some of the people that Jesus has transformed. We shared that one person has come back to serve others at the street corner and God has given him a heart of service to others. So it was no surprise when we were setting up that this person offered his chair to this lady and went and sat on the sidewalk. One young man confessed that he had lost his temper with someone yesterday. He said he knew he needed to ask God to forgive him. So the minister asked him if he wanted to pray right then. This young man prayed and asked God to forgive him and the rest of the day he seemed to have a peace which he hasn’t had the last few weekends. Today there was a pretty large group of people and almost all of them were there to hear from God. One man started crying when asked if he had a relationship with Christ. This man thought that he could follow Jesus without being in fellowship with other believers. When the minister explained that the church was the bride of Christ and that he needed to be there to be encouraged but also to encourage others he started to cry again. We saw Jesus doing heart surgery on this man and we believe by faith that he will be in church Sunday. Before he left he said he already felt a peace come over him. We believe this peace was the rest and peace that God had given him in response to a humble heart wanting to be obedient to Jesus. The street community lives in a state of hopelessness. When we share Jesus with them they come to understand that there is hope and rest for everyone that puts their trust in Jesus alone. One person who heard the message preached combined it with faith and he placed his trust in Jesus for the salvation of his soul and the rest that comes with that decision! Amen! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God give you the zeal to share not only His Son but also the rest and peace that come from trusting in Him alone!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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8/15/15
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1
I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:11
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. Psalm 119:105
He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. Deuteronomy 8:3
Many people around the world lack physical food. Many people in this country have an abundance of food without nutritional value. These people can look physically healthy but on the inside they end up very sick from food that isn’t healthy. In the same way if we don’t spend time in God’s word every day, we will fill our thoughts with many things, but they will be things that don’t have nourishment. If we do this enough we will not just stop growing in our faith we can become spiritually ill. We need to daily combine our faith with God’s truth to mature.
Too often on the streets we meet people that say they believe in Jesus for their salvation but they don’t read the Bible. For some that is understandable because they can’t read. We know that through the Holy Spirit and the help of others the people that can’t read will be taught God’s word if they are seeking Him. But for the ones that can read and choose not to, we watch as they become malnourished. The first sign of someone choosing to ignore God’s word seems to be hopelessness. Nobody can read the truth in the Bible and not have hope in Jesus Christ and what He has done for us all.
Today as we drove up to the street corner we noticed some people that we knew and some that we hadn’t met before. One person that had been there last week came up and apologized for his behavior last week. We were blessed to know that even when he was sent away for being disruptive he knew he would be welcomed back. It can be heart breaking for us to send someone away that has nothing, but unless they are taught, they won’t know. To many times people will put up with bad behavior because they don’t want to be the ‘bad guy’ or because they think they might hurt someone’s ‘feelings’. Most of the people we meet need to have structure, even when they aren’t sure what that means. When you help them learn good behavior they can listen to what God has to say to them and the people around them can hear also. This doesn’t mean that we are trying to change the outside and in so doing change the inside, we are just helping them to focus for a short time that they can listen to the Word of God. God has to change the heart for a person to be transformed, born again. After the heart is changed, then the Holy Spirit works on the inside to help that new creation live for Jesus. Today unlike last week every person seemed to want to hear God’s word. People seemed to be desperate to have living water. And so the Word was preached! One very young man said he had only been on the streets for six weeks. Please pray with us that God will guide him to a safe place. One person showed up with his cute dog. This man said that he had a relationship with Christ, but he also said that his dog was his best friend. The minister prayed that he would come to know that Jesus is not only our Savior but He is our friend also and that this man would know that Jesus is a firm foundation in times of trouble. When asked if this man was reading his Bible, he came up with excuses of why he wasn’t. He had legitimate reasons, but if he was reading his Bible he would come to understand that is where our hope comes from, living water. One person said he didn’t have a Bible but wanted a King James Version, and he left with a look of surprise when he was handed a King James Bible. May the Holy Spirit guide his reading into a deeper revelation of Jesus Christ! One man that has a very gentle way about him is going to try and get into the New Life Program at the Rescue Mission. Please join us in praying that he gets in and gets ahold of what it means to follow Christ. It was a busy day but at the end of the day we were blessed by a testimony of someone that was saved about a year ago. He said he was helping a blind man and the blind man had trouble in the bathroom (he missed the urinal). So the man that has been learning to walk with Jesus said he didn’t mind cleaning up after the blind man because Jesus washed the disciple’s feet! Amen! He is also taking this blind man to church Sunday! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God’s Word fill you to overflowing so that the overflow pours into a life that is without hope, a life without Jesus.
Love,
Steve and Donna
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8/8/15
The days are coming, “declares the Sovereign Lord, “when I will send a famine through the land-not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord. Men will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the word of the Lord, but they will not find it. Amos 8:11-12
How, then can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news! Romans 10:14-15
Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. Romans 10:16
But Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone. Romans 9:31-32
Today many still stumble over that stone. They do good works for whatever reason, but sadly it isn’t always because of Christ, even for some Christians. And as many believers will tell you there is a famine in the land.
It’s always an interesting day on the streets and today was no exception. When we showed up only one person came walking up, but by the time we had set up for worship, there was a small crowd. Our main concern as most of the people that read this know, is sharing God’s Word. We do this through worship a sermon and prayer times. Yes, we take things to help the people physically, but the most important thing anyone can share is God’s truth. Each person has a choice to make; will they live for Jesus or Satan, heaven or hell. In fact, we believe that the Word of God is so important that we would go if we had nothing to hand out. Today after an anointed time of worship as the sermon began, a group pulled up in a truck with a trailer. These same people showed up a while back and parked across the street with the music so loud the worship, sermon and prayer times were interrupted. We have talked to this group before and they seem to be Christian? Today they pulled up across the street and started up a barbeque. They didn’t bother to come and see what we were doing. We were in the middle of a sermon, so we didn’t want to walk away and disrupt the preaching of the Word. But when one person saw them pull up they took off to go get some food. We understand that food can be a blessing to the street community, but we believe that the Word of God is more important. We believe that we need to give nourishment that will last into eternity. And we have worked hard to model the way to sit and listen to God’s truth. This has been a difficult task for the last ten years. Some people have never been in a church. Some won’t go into a church. Some have been in churches only to feel that they weren’t welcome. One of our greatest desires is not to build a ministry, but to build the kingdom. If we preach the Word along with modeling behavior, we believe that most of these people will feel the desire, led by the Holy Spirit, to join a church family in a building. But the street community can be easily distracted. So one person left and then another and another in the middle of the preaching of God’s Word. Our God is not a God of chaos. We don’t believe that he would send people to interrupt His truth. Not once but twice. We are praying that if they are Christians that the Holy Spirit will speak to them and help them understand not only is what they are doing is wrong but that God will lead them into His truth of preaching the truth of Jesus. Maybe this sounds a little harsh, but if you were sitting in the church building and someone came in and started handing out hot dogs and chips during the sermon, you might have a different take on this, especially if you were the one trying to reach people with the Gospel.
After the sermon, one of the people that didn’t take off, had a question about abortion. He asked, ‘what if the person was raped’. The minister told him that even when a person is raped, that conception is a baby. And killing a baby isn’t ok under any circumstances. The person asking the question then said that he listened to other preachers and thought that it was a matter of opinion. The minister then said, “what if a group of people decided that another group of people were subhuman?” “Would it be ok to hack them into pieces and sell their body parts?” The minister then asked the man if he believe that God loved a baby born out of wedlock any less than a baby born to a married couple? The minister then went on to tell this man that God loves all the people He created. The man said to the minister, “You really believe that the Bible is true.” The minister said, “Yes! Every single word”. The man, with a look of change in his eyes said, I believe it too!” This man asked Jesus to be his Savior! We never know how God will work to bring about His plan; we just want to be obedient to what He has called us. One of the ministers had us gather around someone that we have been ministering to for a long time and lay hands on him and pray. The minister led us in a powerful time of pray, through tears, for this man. We believe that God will pull this man out of hopelessness into His Kingdom to serve Him alone. Please pray with us for this person, God knows his name. What an amazing God we serve! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)
Love,
Steve and Donna
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7/25/15
Jesus answered, “I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him. Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time. Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. John 14:6-10
So many people want to believe in heaven but don’t want to believe there is only one way. It is interesting that someone will take some of the Scripture as truth, but the rest they ‘feel’ they can just toss out. Jesus made it very clear that he is the only way to God and to heaven. It seems the people that are most eager to toss out some of the Scripture while believing some of it are people that have never read the Bible. Maybe they have skimmed some of the pages, but they haven’t set out to gain understanding of truth. The problem with this is that if one part of Scripture can be wrong, then how could we trust any of it to be true? If we believe one word of Scripture we have to believe the entire Bible. Too many people have come to believe that what they want to be true is truth.
There is a way that seems right to a man but in the end it leads to death. Proverbs 14:12
Serving Jesus through serving others is an amazing gift that God has given each believer. As we worshipped Jesus on the street today, a crowd gathered down the sidewalk at the main road. God has a way of carrying His word throughout the city. During the sermon the mic went out. It can be difficult to hear with the traffic on the street corner so the sermon ended somewhat quickly. During the prayer times one person shared that she was so very grateful for getting her paper work for housing. She gave praise to the ministers but the minister shared with her that it wasn’t the ministers that did this, all the praise goes to Jesus. The minister also shared that this person could pray herself and God would listen to her since she had committed her life to Jesus about a month ago. One person showed up in a car with other people. The minister spent almost the entire time we were out with this one person. The man recommitted his life to Jesus! One thing the minister shared with this person was he needed to separate himself from the people around him that were encouraging him to sin. When this person did leave, he left alone! Thank you Jesus that you know the words that speak to the heart! Another lady came to say thank you for answered prayer. She like the lady before her had been coming each Saturday asking for prayer for housing. The minister once again pointed her to Christ. We are praying that both of these ladies start seeking out that deeper walk with Jesus in their new homes. One of the minister left early today because of stomach problems, please join us in prayer for him that God would bring healing quickly. One person that was there today said he felt Jesus had helped him in times of trouble, but he didn’t believe that there was only one way to heaven. The ministers spent time with him sharing God’s truths about His Son. We believe that the only way for this person to accept the truth of who Jesus is and that He is the only way is by prayer. God needs to speak to this person very soul and until that happens he will be eternally lost. We pray that he comes back so we can watch what God can do! One lady came today hoping to get some clean clothing and she left with the very best gift there is; the gift of God’s one and only Son! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God bless you in the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.
Love,
Steve and Donna
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7/18/15
Then the Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.” Genesis 18:20
God revealed to Abraham that he planned to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for their wickedness. God told Abraham that if a mere ten innocent people were found in Sodom He would spare the city. But there weren’t even ten innocent people there.
Since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them. Romans 2:15
God has written his moral law into the hearts and consciences of the human race. Example: Any place you go in the world all cultures prohibit murder.
Since we know God’s moral law, we are all guilty of breaking His law.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23
The more a person or culture break God’s moral law, the more that person or culture becomes depraved. Calling a depraved action ‘evolved’ does not excuse the breaking of God’s moral law.
The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When he saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground. My lords, “he said, “please turn aside to your servant’s house. You can wash your feet and spend the night and then go on your way early in the morning.” Genesis 19:1-2
Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom-both young and old-surrounded the house. They called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them. Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him and said, “No, my friends. Don’t do this wicked thing. Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do what you like with them. But don’t do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof. “Get out of our way,” they replied. And they said, “This fellow came here as an alien, and now he wants to play the judge! We’ll treat you worse than them.” They kept bringing pressure on Lot and moved forward to break down the door. Genesis 19:4-9
Lot was sitting in the gateway which would have been a place of authority and status. Lot seemed comfortable living among a very sinful people. Not only did Lot become comfortable with the culture of sin, his warped sense of morality was to send his daughters out to the mob that was trying to abuse the angels. But the mob had become so depraved they refused Lot’s offer.
God in His great mercy almost forced Lot to leave with his family, but sadly the corrupt culture had a horrible effect on his two daughters.
Lot and his two daughters left Zoar and settled in the mountains, for he was afraid to stay in Zoar. He and his two daughters lived in a cave. One day the older daughter said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is no man around here to lie with us, as is the custom all over the earth. Let’s get our father to drink wine and then lie with him and preserve our family line through our father. Genesis 19:30-32
Anyone who tells someone that homosexuality is a victimless sin is wrong. When we sin it affects our soul and it also affects the people around us. When we go as far as to ‘legalize’ a sin, it has a terrible effect on our nation. Lots two daughters should be a tragic reminder to believers, we cannot bury are heads in the sand and hope things will work out. We are called to be salt. We need to speak out the truth in the Bible to help other believers walk in truth.
Lots daughters became two nations. Ammonite: son of my parent, Moabite: from father.
Just in case someone hasn’t read the Bible, it doesn’t work out well for these two nations founded on incest.
Even though we live in a country that has accepted a culture of sin, we should never become comfortable with sin. So in the days to come as our hearts break not for a country fallen, but for the people in it that will be led astray, especially the children, and things look with our natural eyes to be falling apart around our very feet, we need to live by faith not by sight and look for what God is doing. In times of great darkness, God shines through even brighter!
Wow. The temperature was hot today. Praise God that we had water to give out! But Thank you Jesus even more important we handed out living water. Eternal life giving water is what people need, even when they don’t know they need it. There was a lot of noise today that seemed to try and keep God’s truth from going out. But the ministers are getting pretty good at working around the noise. One minister told someone that was talking during a time of teaching to sit down that God had a word for him. He sat down and listened to most of the teaching. We are praying that God did speak to him during that time. One person when asked if he knew Jesus, said he was a Baptist. The minister said that wasn’t what I asked. This person had some knowledge of the Bible, but it was sad to see someone with some knowledge not walking with Jesus. We aren’t there to be impressed by people or to impress anyone ourselves. We just want them to know and trust the Savior. He walked away as lost as he came. We are praying that he comes back and drops the pride and wants to know Jesus. One person came today to get some sunglasses but he left knowing the love and mercy of Jesus Christ! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. We are praying that the love of Christ shines even brighter in you as the days grow darker.
Love,
Steve and Donna
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7/11/15
When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me!” For Jesus had commanded the evil spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places. Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “Legion,” he replied, because many demons had gone into him. And they begged him repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss. A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into them, and he gave them permission. When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned. When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were very afraid. Luke 8:27-35
This part of Scripture gives us an opportunity for hope. The demon possessed man never asked Jesus to help him. It seems that would have been impossible for him to do with the demons having so much control. What we don’t read in the Scripture is the man crying out for Jesus to save him, or any kind of heart cry for help. But Jesus threw out his tormenters! No one is beyond the compassion and deliverance of the Savior. And once delivered, the man begged to go with Jesus.
We are told in 2 Corinthians 5:7 to live by faith, not by sight. So often on the streets we see people that seem so beyond the reach of God. But the Scripture is very clear that we can’t even call out to God (any of us) unless He gives us the prompting to do so.
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6:44
So in our spirit we cry out for deliverance and salvation for those that don’t even know that they need a Savior. Today on the street we prayed for people that had needs that seemed so much bigger than what we could provide. One person that we have known for some time lost his housing and almost ended up going to prison. This person is very young for his age. We are praying that God will help him back into housing and keep him from doing things that he knows are wrong. One minister prayed with someone for reconciliation of his family. We are praying that Holy Spirit would strengthen him to keep him away from the things that cause destruction to him and his family. As the Gospel message was being preached, a man pulled up across the street and got out of his truck. He stood next to his truck the entire time and watched. We are praying that God opens his heart to the message of salvation. One person that has been such an encouragement to us shared that he presented the message of the cross to a family member. Since getting serious with Jesus, this man has had Holy fire zeal to be close to Jesus and to reach others! This person doesn’t have much, but he shared today that he gives everything he has because he loves Jesus but that he seems to always get more than he gives. We will be standing in agreement with him that his family member will respond to the Gospel! The gift of sharing the Gospel is the best that we can give! One lady showed up just as we were getting ready to leave. She seems to have more than several people living inside her mind. As the minister prayed that she would be delivered, it seemed as though the lady had several demons start speaking over the prayer all at the same time. After the prayer she said that she couldn’t hear anything that was prayed because of all the noise. The minister replied that her spirit heard the prayer none the less. We know that God’s word won’t go void and we will keep praying that this person is delivered from the demonic. And more importantly, she receives eternal life giving water! One of the ministers shared Jesus with a young man today and he asked Jesus to save him! Amen! Please pray for us that we proclaim the message of the cross boldly. May the Holy Spirit work in power through God’s people that we would all stand firmly in truth! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission.
Love,
Steve and Donna
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6/27/15
“This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord, “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts, I will be there God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, “ declares the Lord. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” Jeremiah 31:33-34
In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit was given for a specific purpose. All the prophets looked forward to the coming of Christ and the out pouring of the Holy Spirit. And now we get to live in that blessed time!
It was really warm today. For the ministers, it is a little uncomfortable but we know that we are only there for a short while. Some people we saw today were burnt and others were trying to stay in the shade. Even in the shade the weather was pretty miserable for those that have no place to call home. We took cold water and otter pops to help people cool down a little. Some days it can be difficult to drive off when someone is standing in the sun with no place to go. But even if we were able to house each person, unless they are born again, unless they are transformed by the Holy Spirit, they will continue on in trying to fulfill a need that only God can fill. One person went through detox and drug treatment. He is happy not to be dope sick, happy that he doesn’t have to get robbed and mistreated trying to acquire his drug, but he still seems empty. The Spirit of the Living God doesn’t dwell in him and we know it’s the only thing that can bring peace. Please pray with us for this person to get ahold of God. One person is such an encouragement to us. He has only been saved a short time and yet we watch as the Holy Spirit works in and through him to share his faith with others and we stand amazed! With the hot sun beating down we were reminded of how close we come to the very gates of hell to reach people. And thank you Jesus, one more person was pulled out of death and into life! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May the Holy Spirit work through you in power to reach a lost world!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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6/20/15
The harvest is past, the summer has ended, and we are not saved. Since my people are crushed, I am crushed; I mourn, and horror grips me. Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is there no healing for the wound of my people?
Jeremiah was pouring out the anguish of his soul over his people rejecting God. Do our hearts ache over the lost souls all around us? How often do we fall on our knees crying out for God to save those who reject the Gospel?
What a day! From the very start the enemy tried to cause disruption and chaos. Through the worship, sermon and prayers, God’s truth was sent forth. At the very beginning of the sermon the preacher stated that the reason we are there is to share God’s Word and that man doesn’t live on bread alone, but every word that comes from the mouth of God. One lady told a minister that she wasn’t a sinner. He asked if she agreed that she fell short of God’s design for her life. After a pause, she agreed. After this she asked Jesus to be her Savior! One person showed the ministers the bottle he had brought. He had hand-written Scripture on a paper and taped it to a bottle so he could hand it out and witness to people! Amen! We are praying that God gives him opportunities to share Christ. One lady was having several conversations with herself. She would also just start talking loudly over the ministers. As she was waiting for some coffee her clothing fell off. As disturbing as this was for everyone we prayed that she would be set free from her captivity. She is the one being hurt most of all by way she acts. One person was loudly complaining about people taking too long to receive things off the bus. The minister told him that he would get the same attention as everyone else but he had to wait his turn. We don’t just throw things at people or give them whatever is on the bus. This is not because we are stingy, it’s because when we take the time to care for their needs in very specific ways we build trust. They realize that we really care. After this man received the same warm care everyone else had, he received the most important thing we have, Jesus! One young man was searching. He wasn’t sure what he was searching for, but seemed to think it wasn’t Jesus. The minister shared with him that it wasn’t his idea to be born and what made him think that he would get to choose what happened after he died. The minister then shared that the only way we choose what happens after we die is to choose Jesus while we are still alive. The minister asked him if he had a Bible would he read it. The young man took some time thinking about it and then said, “Yes, he would read it.” Thank you Holy Spirit for encouraging the minister to be persistent with this young man. We are praying that God will speak to him through His Word. One person was upset over the church shooting victims. The minister prayed with him but also shared that those people were now in paradise and that is where we who believe in Christ will all be. But we have to put our trust in Jesus alone for our salvation. This person went away with a lot to think about; he, like many we minister to think they can believe different parts of any religion and be ok. We know God’s Word won’t go void and we pray that the words the minister spoke and prayed bring him to Jesus! One person came up as we were loading up to leave and wanted some things. We won’t let anyone go hungry if we have anything to give, but food wasn’t enough. She wanted clothes and was angry when we wouldn’t provide them. We explained we were loading up and let her know that we would be there next weekend and at what time. She went away swearing. We pray she comes back and finds rest for her soul. The last four months we have seen some of the people that seem to be the hardest to reach. For this we are thankful! That is who Jesus has sent us too! Thank you to everyone who prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission! May God give you the desires of His heart as you mourn in anguish for the lost!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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6/13/15
So now write it on a tablet for them, inscribe it on a scroll, that for the days to come it may be an everlasting witness. These are a rebellious people, deceitful children unwilling to listen to the Lord’s instruction. They say to the seer’s, “See no more visions!” and to the prophets, “Give us no more visions of what is right!” Tell us pleasant things, prophesy illusions. Leave this way, get off this path, and stop confronting us with the Holy One of Israel!”
Therefore, this is what the Holy One of Israel says: “Because you have rejected this message, relied on oppression and depended on deceit, this sin will become for you like a high wall, cracked and bulging, that collapses suddenly, in an instant. It will break in pieces like pottery, shattered so mercilessly that among its pieces not a fragment will be found for taking coals from a hearth or scooping water out of a cistern. This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it. You said, ‘No, we will flee on horses.’ Therefore your pursuers will be swift! A thousand will flee at the threat of one; at the threat of five you will all flee away, till you are left like a flagstaff on a mountaintop, like a banner on a hill. Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!
Isaiah 30:8-18
There are many times on the streets that someone will tell us to go away. They don’t want to hear about Jesus. There are other times, that someone won’t tell us to go away but they won’t listen to the Gospel. But there are those that do listen and want to know Jesus or want to draw closer to Him. So we go. Today we had both people. Those who just wanted something off the bus and those who just wanted to draw closer to Jesus. One person during the prayer started to cry. The minister was praying for this young lady’s protection. We will continue to pray that God keeps her safe. For one man, last night was the first night he had to sleep outside. He said he was stiff. We are praying that he is able to get back into housing soon. The minister shared with him that God hasn’t forgotten about him. Too often the street community has burnt so many bridges with family and friends that they think that Our heavenly Father is the same. Not that the family and friends shouldn’t have made the very difficult choice to not enable someone. But God always welcomes us back when we sincerely repent and turn back to him. Not only does he welcome us back but He restores family and friends many times also. One person flew into a rage when he didn’t get exactly what he wanted off the bus. We pray that we honored Jesus with the way we handled him. This person seems to believe that if someone is providing what he wants they care but if they don’t it’s because they are hateful. We pray that he comes back and turns his life over to Jesus; Jesus is the only answer to every problem this person encounters. God longs to be gracious to him. As it is for every person we meet! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God’s presence be with you in power!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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5/30/15
But they were disobedient and rebelled against you; they put your law behind their backs. They killed your prophets, who had admonished them in order to turn them back to you; they committed awful blasphemies. So you handed them over to their enemies, who oppressed them. But when they were oppressed they cried out to you. From heaven you heard them, and in your great compassion you gave them deliverers, who rescued them from the hand of their enemies. But as soon as they were at rest, they again did what was evil in your sight. Then you abandoned them to the hand of their enemies so that they ruled over them. And when they cried out to you again, you heard from heaven, and in your compassion you delivered them time after time. Nehemiah 9:26-28
For many years you were patient with them. By your Spirit you admonished them through your prophets. Yet they paid no attention, so you handed them over to the neighboring peoples. But in your great mercy you did not put an end to them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful God. Nehemiah 9:30-31
In all that has happened to us, you have been just; you have acted faithfully, while we did wrong. Our kings, our leaders, our priests and our fathers did not follow your law; they did not pay attention to your commands or the warnings you gave them. Even while they were in their kingdom, enjoying your great goodness to them in the spacious and fertile land you gave them they did not serve you or turn from their evil ways. But see, we are slaves today, slaves in the land you gave our forefathers so they could eat its fruit and other good things it produces. Because of our sins, its abundant harvest goes to the kings you have placed over us. They rule over our bodies and our cattle as they please. We are in great distress. Nehemiah 9:36-37
God has been so very good and merciful to America. There have been great times of revival. But there has been a continuing turning away from God. God is patient. He is patient so that people will turn back to Him in repentance. But each year it seems that our country runs in the opposite direction of Jesus and so many have become slaves. Some would say that there isn’t slavery anymore, but on the streets we see people slaves to drugs, alcohol and sex to name a few. And of course there are the people that are actual slaves used in the sex industry. Why would God allow this to happen? Could it be that Jesus is no longer the highest priority of each American? We are told through some educators and media that we don’t need God. We are told to be independent as long as it conforms to the liberal mind set which means that truth is whatever I believe it to be, not something that God has set in place with moral commandments. Some churches turn away from preaching the full Gospel message and instead preach inspiration so that the sinner can feel good on his way to hell. We are told that preaching the Bible is hate speech. And then we wonder why God would allow these things to take place.
I will turn my hand against you; I will thoroughly purge away your dross and remove all your impurities. Isaiah 1:25
There is still hope! We can pray for the justices to make choices based on God’s laws. We can pray for the person in our own state that is being persecuted because she believes that marriage is between one man and one woman. We can pray for the unborn. We can vote in God fearing leaders. Not ones that only say they believe in Jesus, but ones that live according to His Word. We can preach the whole Word of God, which to those that are being saved is Good News!
Or do we think that none of these things have affected us or the people we care about directly? Can we sit back and do nothing? Do we think that God will allow us who are called by His Name to be left out of the persecution and suffering when we don’t speak up for others? No. The Bible demonstrates that when God brings judgement on a nation, everyone is affected. Some like Daniel will shine bright in those times! If we would only remember that we are here for a short time and that time should demonstrate through each situation the Glory of the Savior!
It was a strange day on the streets. On the way down we stopped to help a couple we have known for a few years. The lady was so drunk that she wasn’t making any sense. We prayed for deliverance. It’s so difficult to watch someone fall deeper and deeper into a pit. We serve a God of miracles and we are praying that He delivers these two. Once we arrived at the street corner there were distractions coming from all around us. But even with all the distractions, one lady came from not a short distance away after hearing the worship. She said she believed that through the worship and the sermon God had answered her prayer. One person that had been having a very difficult time with the past seemed to be able to stay in the present and hold a conversation. We pray that he continues to stay in the present and that Jesus transforms his heart. One gentleman is such an encouragement to us. He is continuing to grow in his faith and share with others who Jesus is! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May we live each minute motivated by the love of Jesus!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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5/23/15
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness. 2 Timothy 2:15-19
It seems that the leading thought of this age is, ‘I can think whatever I want and it is equal with whatever you think.’ There are some people that believe in heaven, but don’t believe in hell. There are others that confess the name of Jesus but don’t believe in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. And there are others that say religion is the cause of all problems. When missionaries go to some other countries they have to teach that turning to Christ means forsaking all the others ‘gods’/idols. From time to time we find that we need to teach that also.
Today was one of those days. Our day began with someone that pulled out a Bible and was asking a question. This person was very confused about who Jesus is. But it turned out that it wasn’t a Bible that he had it was a new world order book (Jehovah witness book). It’s no wonder this young man was confused. He didn’t want anything to do with the truth of the Holy Scriptures. We will be praying for him that he comes to understand that the Bible isn’t made for picking out what you want to believe and throwing out the rest. The Bible either is all true or none of it is true. But it seems that too many people are willing to state that what anyone believes is as valuable as what another person believes. Both cannot be true. One person that we have been ministering too for about six years sat and read a book during the sermon. When it came time for prayer, he wanted God to help his children. He wants God to be a pop machine; he puts in his request and out it comes. God desires to be in relationship with him. Jesus died that he could be in right relationship with God. The minister prayed that he would have the clarity to take that relationship with Jesus seriously. One person was asked if he had backslidden. When someone recognizes they have backslidden, then they are ready to repent. He said he hadn’t backslidden. So the next question was, “are you going to church.” That was when he confessed that he was having a difficult time and has started to lose hope. He said he didn’t feel he was welcome in any church. The minister pointed him in the direction of a church and told him he would be welcome. The minister also told him that if he wasn’t in church he was in disobedience to Christ and that when we are in disobedience it is easy to become hopeless. The minister also shared that going to church wasn’t just for him; Christ needed him there to encourage and care for others. We will be praying that he makes it and takes others with him. One minister spent time talking with a young man. The minister tried to get to the root of disbelief. But the closer he got the more the young man pushed away. He didn’t seem ready to put away the idols in his life and turn his life over to Jesus. Today it was difficult to see so many reject Christ. If they only knew what peace, joy and love was waiting for them in Jesus alone. Wouldn’t they run to him? Thankfully it is Jesus who draws men unto himself. With prayer and supplication we cry out to God to save the lost, but it is in His faithful, grace and mercy filled hands. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. We pray that we all are useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.
Love,
Steve and Donna
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5/16/15
They forsook all the commands of the Lord their God and made for themselves two idols cast in the shape of calves, and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the starry hosts, and they worshiped Baal. They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire. They practiced divination and sorcery and sold themselves to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, provoking him to anger. So the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them from his presence. Only the tribe of Judah was left, and even Judah did not keep the commands of the Lord their God. They followed the practices Israel had introduced. Therefore the Lord rejected all the people of Israel; he afflicted them and gave them into the hands of plunderers, until he thrust them from his presence. 2 Kings 17:16-20
The Israelites persisted in all the sins of Jeroboam and did not turn away from them until the Lord removed them from his presence, as he had warned through all his servants the prophets. 2 Kings 17:22-23
Nevertheless, each national group made its own gods in the several towns where they settled, and set them up in the shrines the people of Samaria had made at the high places. 2 Kings 17:29
They worshiped the Lord, but they also appointed all sorts of their own people to officiate for them as priests in the shrines at the high places. They worshipped the Lord, but they also served their own gods in accordance with the customs of the nations from which they had been brought. 2 Kings 17:32-33
When the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites, he commanded them: “Do not worship any other gods or bow down to them, serve them or sacrifice to them. But the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt with mighty power and outstretched arm, is the one you must worship. To him you shall bow down and to him offer sacrifices. You must always be careful to keep the decrees and ordinances, the laws and commands he wrote for you. Do not worship other gods. Do not forget the covenant I have made with you, and do not worship others gods. Rather, worship the Lord your God; it is he who will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies. 2 Kings 17:35-39
The above verses in Scripture gives us a glimpse into the reasons for our country’s problems as we remember that we might not have the same names for the worship of these idols, but it’s the same demonic spirit. Yet even then, (1 Kings 19:18) as now, God has reserved a remnant that have not compromised the Word of Truth. And that is very encouraging!
Some Christians believe that to reach the lost we just need to be nice to people (friendship evangelism), others believe that if we give them free stuff they will come, and yet others believe that if we tell people that God will provide whatever it is they want (health, wealth ect.) they will be drawn to Jesus. Jesus was very clear about evangelism; God’s truth is the only way to bring people to Christ. This is done through prayer, supplication and the teaching of truth. God desires that we live in obedience to Him, not that we become perfect at salvation but that we grow in our walk with Jesus. Does the truth drive some people away? Yes, but it also helps those who desire to come, draw closer to Jesus. Making people ‘happy’ will never help their spiritual condition. We are called to worship God in spirit and truth.
We want anyone who is disenfranchised from Jesus to come into a right relationship with him. If we believe the Bible is truth, how can we let someone that is going to spend eternity in hell just walk by? Today was a blessed day! We prayed for God to send the workers into the fields and as we drove by the Jack-in-the-box, there were some teens ministering to someone, and then some of the ministers that we don’t get a chance to see very often were at the street corner when we pulled up. One of the ministers tried to reach a person that seemed to be lost in the past. This person allowed his anger and hurt to pull him away from the present. We will continue to pray that God brings clarity to him. One older gentleman seemed to stay at a distance wanting to find out what was going on. The Spirit draws people and we pray that the Holy Spirit will draw him closer next week that he might find the salvation of his soul! One young lady came and received a cup of coffee. She hasn’t been on the streets very long. We pray that she will come into a relationship with Jesus and that she won’t be on the streets for long. Another young lady came to get some clothing, wanting anything warm. Thank you Jesus for providing a sleeping bag and warm clothing for her. We will continue to pray that God will help her to walk in obedience. Not that God is standing over us waging His finger, but He knows that living in obedience to Him, benefits us and those around us. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May the peace of God that transcends all understanding guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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5/9/15
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7
Some people think by looking ‘right’ they will feel ‘right’. If only I had the right clothes, the best car or the most money, I would feel ‘ok’. Man tries to work from the outside in. We sadly see this too often in movie stars. They have every material thing including health and outward beauty, but because they live to serve themselves and not God, they have no peace.
God works from the inside out. Jesus changes the heart and when the heart has been changed, the outside follows.
Today on the streets we saw people that others would reject. Sometimes because of the way they look: The clothing not clean, the hair a little messy, maybe slightly smelly from digging through the garbage to find something to eat.
To us we see a work of God in progress, a masterpiece! One person, with the help of Jesus, working at forgiveness, the more he remembers to forgive others the way God has forgiven him the more clarity he has and less and less the enemy distorts his thinking. One is lady struggling to stay close to God, overcome an addiction and to raise a child into a young man of God. One older man is gaining a heart of service. He has come to know that as he serves others, he is serving his King whom he loves. One young man badly sun burnt, seeking out a specific scripture. He was thanking Jesus for providing a clean shirt.
Some people might not take a second glance at this small group of people. God has shown us what a treasure this small group of believers is. They have so many trials and temptations to overcome each day and yet they hold onto Jesus with every breath they take.
We left today realizing what a gift God has given us, to let us share in the love He has for His children. Thank you to everyone who prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God uphold the prayers of his people according to each day’s needs, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God and that there is no other. (1 Kings 8:59-60)
Love,
Steve and Donna
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4/25/15
You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:43-48
It can be difficult for even a Christian to forgive someone like they have been forgiven by God. But we are told in Scripture that if we don’t forgive our heavenly Father won’t forgive us. (Matthew 6:15). So even in the most horrible circumstances we forgive because we have been forgiven.
In the same way we love because we are loved by Jesus.
Today on the streets started out with worship songs that speak Scripture. And the sermon spoke out the Scripture while weaving in how that pertained to those listening. Even as one large man came up cursing and threatening to kill the Pastor, the sermon continued into a message of how much God loved that man also. This only seemed to enrage the demon he was carrying and his body language and speech became more abusive. We prayed that the demonic spirit would leave him and that he would come to know the mercy and grace of God. He walked away screaming. We will continue to pray that he comes to know Jesus. We know because we have seen Jesus work in others that were like this that they can be born again and be transformed by the Name and power of Jesus. During days like this we try and remember how far from God we were before we believed Jesus for the salvation of our souls. One lady we met today was unable to hold a conversation. She seemed to go from one word to another without any relation to the first word. The minister tried to show her the love of Christ without words. There were some people there that seemed to have a spirit of entitlement. They wanted what they wanted but didn’t have time for Jesus. When you see someone that is starving and you try to give them food and yet they turn away, it can cause a heavy heart. Thank you Jesus that we don’t go in our strength but yours and you have shown us that no matter what the situation looks like to the physical realm, you are willing for that person that is lost to be found! One older gentleman told one of the ministers that he felt close to God but not to Jesus. The minister first asked if he was reading his Bible, he said he was. So the minister explained that Jesus is God so if he believed that he was close to God, he was close to Jesus. The older gentleman said he just felt something was missing. The minister then asked if he was going to church. The man said he wasn’t. The minister explained that the Church is the Bride of Christ and that it is very important to Jesus. He said that he knew he needed to be in church for fellowship. The minister told him that it was not just for fellowship but for accountability and to be in service to others. Jesus said if we love Him we will obey him. We are praying that this man finds a church home. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. Please pray for us to boldly preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ as we pray for you to be the salt of the world!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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4/18/15
The Lord then said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and your family, because I have found you righteous in this generation.” Genesis 7:1
When we picture Noah and his family going into the ark it is a picture of someone who puts his faith in Jesus Christ. Our faith in Christ saves us from the judgement of God. We are found righteous in Christ.
God made him who had no sin become sin for us so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21
Then God said to Noah; Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your son’s and their wives. Genesis 8:15-16
Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth.” Genesis 9:1
Once clothed with the righteousness of Christ we are to go and be fruitful.
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. John 15:16
What a beautiful day on the streets. The sun was shining and it was warm. We were blessed to see one minister that hasn’t been out in a couple of months and he brought his son! Even with the weather bringing comfort to some the day had the potential to be difficult. One person that showed up was saying that he wasn’t going to be there next weekend because he was going to go to jail. He continued to say something about doing something that he shouldn’t. He didn’t go into detail. After hearing the sermon and by the time he left he had calmed down and seemed to have forgiven whatever wrong that he thought had been done. God’s word has power and promise. One person that was there was so thankful to be able to make it to church. He told the minister that God works in mysterious ways. The message seemed to speak to his heart to encourage him in the struggles he was going through and remind him that there is hope in only Jesus Christ. One person had bad stomach cramps so the minister prayed for him. Later the minister asked how he was feeling and he said better. God is still on His throne and as the darkness grows His light shines all the brighter! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May this week be filled with fruitful exploits for the Lord!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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4/11/15
We often have past regrets, especially believers that have come to Christ later in life. ‘If only I had done this and not done that.’
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
This doesn’t mean that everything that happens is good, but that God is able to turn every circumstance (even the past regrets) for good for those that belong to Him.
If we trust God, even what happened in the past He will use to conform us to the likeness of His Son. But we can refuse God, He won’t interfere with our will.
Jesus replied, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the Kingdom of God. Luke 9:62
God wants all of us. When we continue to look back with regret, we are saying that we can’t trust God with everything.
But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. Genesis 19:26
Lot’s wife more than likely looked back because she didn’t want to leave a life that she had become accustom to. But in the same way when we look back wanting to change the unchangeable we become stuck or frozen. The more we look to God and keep our minds fixed on eternity the less the enemy will be able to tell us our past is ruling our lives.
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:6
We have a choice to make when we have past regrets; allow God to use them for His glory and to benefit those around us, or continue to sin against God and stay stuck in the unbelief that our past is bigger than God.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2
Today on the street one man gave his testimony of Jesus saving him to one of the ministers. This man understands that his past can spur him on to become more Christ like, or it can cause him to stumble back into sin. But he faces each day with the joy of knowing that God is helping him to become more like Christ and that God won’t abandon him. We were so blessed by his testimony of faith! We met one person today that we hadn’t met before. He seemed to be cautious and didn’t want anything but a cup of coffee. The streets can be a very difficult place and we’ve been told by many that some that seem to care just want something. So when someone is new we aren’t surprised that they might be a little suspicious. We pray that this person will come back and we will be able to share the most important thing we have to offer, Jesus! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God draw your eyes to the eternal treasure that is in knowing Jesus Christ.
Love,
Steve and Donna
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3/28/15
Too often we hear it said that God won’t give us more than we can handle. Yet we watch the suffering of Christians all over the world, even to the point of death. Is that more than you can handle? It’s more than I can handle. God never intended for us to be able to handle these sufferings.
We do not want you to be uniformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. 2 Corinthians 1:8-9
My soul is overwhelmed to the point of death. Matthew 26:38
This is what the Lord says: “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the Lord.” Jeremiah 17:5
But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. Jeremiah 17:7
Stop trusting in man who has but a breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he? Isaiah 2:22
Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God. Psalm 146:5
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9
I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13
Not a superhuman ability to accomplish anything we want, but the ability to face the challenges that come from obeying His will.
And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19
God often does give us more than we can handle so that we can understand that He is the one that gives us breathe and strength. On the streets we see people that are living in circumstances beyond what most would consider being what they could endure. We never know until we go through the valley what we can endure with Christ. And when we are willing to be ambassadors for Jesus we are telling God that we are willing to be put into any circumstance that will bring Him glory.
As we headed out today we knew that we would be a little short of ministers, but God has always provided. Please pray for Scott, who after a really bad cut, lost a lot of blood and then got an infection. So when we were on the way down we saw one of the ministers on the way and when we parked the bus someone we haven’t seen for some time showed up to help! Thank you Jesus! At the street corner we talked to one person that believed that someone other than Christ saved him. We tried to share with him that only Jesus Christ is the one that saves. We pray that he will return and with the power of the Holy Spirit, we will lead him to Jesus the true and only Savior! One person explained that last night in Seattle a lady told him about Jesus and gave him the Scripture John 3:16. He said he asked Jesus to be his Savior. He then explained that he had rode the bus to Tacoma and walked down the wrong street and found us. He received a sleeping bag, hygiene items, food, clothing and most important a Bible. He seemed to be in shock that God would provide for his needs so quickly. The minister shared with him that when we seek Jesus, God will provide for all of our needs (Philippians 4:19). Another person shared that he was tired of all the confusion in his life. He told the ministers that he just wanted to have things be different. One of the ministers told him the only way to really have things different was to surrender completely to Jesus. He made the best choice of his life and asked Jesus to save him! Amen! We know that the Holy Spirit will start working on that change. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God be your only confidence in every circumstance!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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3/21/15
When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals – one on his right the other on his left. Luke 23:33
One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him, “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:39-43
The two criminal were equally deserving of death, one was no better than the other. It is only the grace of God in the cross of Christ that can instantly transform a sinner into an attitude of saving faith. The repentant thief began to see the justice of his punishment, the sinless character of Christ, the Deity of Christ and Christ living beyond the grave.
A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean. “Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man, “I am willing,” he said, “Be clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured. Mark 1:40-42
A person’s value is on the inside. No one is too disabled, diseased or lost in their sin, as the criminal on the cross, for God to touch.
Before we left today to head to the streets we checked the weather. It was predicting thundershowers and lighting. And when we left it was raining hard. But by the time we set up on the street corner the sun had come out. Thank you Jesus! Not that we mind getting wet, but the people on the street don’t have a way of getting dry. Most of the people that showed up today were cold, wet and tired. It can be difficult to share with someone that their need is more spiritual than physical when they’ve been staying out in the weather. But we know that we are leaving them worse than when we came if we don’t feed them spiritually. Some of these people believe that they are beyond the reach of God. They believe that if God was going to reach out and touch their very soul that He would have done it by now. But we’ve seen it many times, when God is ready He will speak to someone’s heart and there will be change. So we spent the day tilling the soil and as any gardener knows it takes tilling, pulling weeds (if you live in our part of the county, removing rocks and big boulders) and planting good seed for the garden to bear fruit. And as the gardener waits for physical fruit, we wait for the spiritual seeds to grow and blossom. As we watched one person who we ministered too for a long time, minister to others, we praised God for the way He works! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God lead you to people that believe they are beyond the reach of Jesus! Please pray for the Pastor of Anderson Island Christian Fellowship. He is in pain and the Doctors aren’t sure what is wrong. Please pray for his family also.
Love,
Steve and Donna
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2/14/15
For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to hand you over to those you hate; to those you turned away from in disgust. They will deal with you in hatred and take away everything you have worked for. They will leave you naked and bare, and the shame of your prostitution will be exposed. Your lewdness and promiscuity have brought this upon you, because you lusted after the nations and defiled yourself with their idols. Ezekiel 23:28-30
In a desert land he found him, in a barren and howling waste. He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye, like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them on its pinions. The Lord alone led him; no foreign god was with him. He made him ride on the heights of the land and fed him with the fruit of the fields. He nourished him with honey from the rock, and with oil from the flinty crag, with cruds and milk from herd and flock and with fattened lambs and goats, with choice rams of Bashan and the finest kernels of wheat. You drank the foaming blood of the grape. Jeshurun (upright one) grew fat and kicked; filled with food, he became heavy and sleek. He abandoned the God who made him and rejected the Rock his Savior. They made him jealous with their foreign gods and angered him with their detestable idols. They sacrificed to demons, which are not God-gods they had not known, gods that recently appeared, gods your fathers did not fear. You deserted the Rock, who fathered you; you forgot the God who gave you birth. Deuteronomy 32:10-18
Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. 1 Corinthians 10:14
Do I mean then that a sacrifice offered to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, but the sacrifices of pagan’s are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons. 1 Corinthians 10:19-21
For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert. Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry.” We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did-and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. We should not test the Lord, as some of them did-and were killed by snakes. And do not grumble, as some of them did-and were killed by the destroying angel. These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! 1 Corinthians 10:1-12
The idol that has slipped unnoticed into many Churches is the desire to have a ‘normal’ life. Of course this idea of a normal life is an illusion. This type of idol worship is revealed many times by parents that want their children to have this ‘normal’ life. The prayer of a child sacrificing their life in service for Christ is never mentioned. Instead we hear of parents thanking God their children are ‘doing well’ in the world. Really? Is that all that matters? As parents are we more concerned with validating our ‘good’ parenting skills than we are crying out day and night for our children to be servants of the Most High God? Do we even really believe the Bible? Do we believe that there is a heaven and hell if all we care about is that ‘normal’ life? It’s time for the true Christ followers to speak the truth and cast the idols out of the Church, the very Bride of Christ. In the same way, many people believe that with the street community, if they could just have a place to live and some food on the table that would fix everything. They could have that ‘normal’ life. Silver and gold we offer not, but what we give is Jesus Christ crucified and what we offer to the street community is that they die to themselves and live for Christ.
As we drove in today it started to rain. But by the time we arrived downtown the sun was shining. As we pulled up, there were only a few people there. And as always we set up to worship. We are there because Jesus has called us to be there whether there is one person or a hundred. About half-way into the sermon about twenty people had come up. One person that we have been ministering to for about five years said that he had gotten housing and was off the street for which he was thankful, but he said what was really important to him was to know God. Amen! Another person said that he really wanted to be serving God in a similar way that we do, but that he had no money. The minister shared what Peter told the crippled man, “Silver and gold I have not, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” We are praying that this man understands that Jesus Christ is all he needs to help others. Two other people rededicated their lives to Christ. One person made the most important decision of her life, to give her life to Jesus! It is always a blessing to introduce a person to Jesus, but it is also a blessing to see your spiritual children walking with Jesus! Thank you Jesus! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May the grace and peace of Jesus Christ and God the Father blossom into lasting fruit.
Love,
Steve and Donna
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10/11/14
O Lord, I have heard the report of you, and was afraid. O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make yourself known! In wrath [earnestly] remember love, pity and mercy. Habakkuk 3:2
And His brightness was like the sunlight; rays streamed from His hand; and there [in the sun-like splendor] was the hiding place of His power. Before Him went the pestilence [as in Egypt], and burning plague followed His feet [as in Sennacherib’s army]. Habakkuk 3:4-5
I heard and my [whole inner self] trembled, my lips quivered at the sound. Rottenness inters into my bones and under me- down to my feet – I tremble. I will wait quietly for the day of trouble and distress, when there shall come up against [my] people him who is about to invade and oppress them. Though the fig tree does not blossom, and there be no fruit on the vines; and the fields yield no food; though the flock be cut off from the fold, and there be no cattle in the stalls; Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will exult in the [victorious] God of my salvation! The Lord God is my strength, my personal bravery and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds feet, and will make me to walk [not to stand still in terror, but to walk] and make [spiritual] progress upon my high places [of trouble, suffering or responsibility]! Habakkuk 3:16-19
Despite Habakkuk knowing God was going to send invaders, his emotions went from anxiety to peaceful expectation as he considered God’s sovereign oversight of all things. When we learn to trust that God is in control in all things we can live by faith and rejoice in His salvation always. Someone said the darker it gets the more the light shines bright. With the light of Christ shining through His followers, people will either be drawn closer or be driven away. The people that are drawn close will want to know why we aren’t shaken and we will have more opportunities to share Jesus!
What a day. We went out in expectation of God moving in power and we believe by faith that He did. Sadly it seemed that today that most of the people that were there didn’t want God to come and interrupt their lives. Two people were playing with a phone during the worship and message. One person stayed on the other side of the street until we opened the bus up. When we go every week with a burning passion to share Jesus and the transformation that only He can bring, it’s very difficult to see people uninterested in Christ. But knowing that it is God alone by His Holy Spirit that brings people into the Kingdom we don’t get discouraged. We know that our labor in the Lord is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58). One person said things weren’t going well for him and when asked if he was ready to become a follower of Christ he said he had to get to an appointment but wanted prayer for his mom. Another person when told the way of salvation said he just didn’t want to give up his (wonderful?) life style. One person who accepted Jesus about six months ago asked for prayer for her eyes, she said she is losing her eye sight. We will continue to pray that God would heal her eyes so she can continue to read her Bible and learn more about Jesus. One person who believes in Jesus said he hasn’t found a church. We told him about several that are in town. The minister shared that he needed to be in the church surrounded with other believers that are truly walking with God. Prayerfully, next week the minister will be able to share that the church is the bride of Christ. Someone who says they are a believer but doesn’t want to be a part of the body of Christ is in rebellion. When we have fellowship with Christ we have fellowship with believers. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Love,
Steve and Donna
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9/27/14
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Matthew 28:18-20
Go to the street corner and invite to the banquet anyone you find. Matthew 22:9
Jesus commanded us to share our faith and to make disciples. Our culture says; it’s ok to be a Christian but don’t be one outside of the church building. Some Christians have caved to this pressure. Some live like the ‘world’ when outside the church building. Others give free stuff away without speaking the gospel. It’s true, people should be able to recognize a Christian by the life they live but that was never meant to be the only way to share the Gospel.
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? Romans 10:14
Could it be that many claim the name of Jesus without having true conversion? In Luke 6:45 we read that out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. When some Christians speak does it leaving you wondering what Bible they are reading?
This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. 1 John 5:3
When we choose to listen to God he will provide for us. The Bible does not promise that because we live in obedience that things will always turn out the way we think they should. God gave the Apostles the strength to be martyrs and God will provide the strength for us to stand for righteousness. May we continue to pray for the strength of those that all over the world are standing in faith for the name of Jesus right now. Faith is one of the things that the angels marvel over.
Jesus continues to show up in power on the streets. Today we had two sermons preached and we went over the time we usually spend preaching. But every person there seemed to be not just hearing the words but receiving what was taught. Both sermons were about choices. God waits patiently for all to come but we have to choose to believe in Him, to follow Him and to obey Him. Two people repented of not seeking out God’s truth in His Word. One person said that there were demons chasing him. The minister first asked if he had ever confessed Christ as his Savior. The young man said he had. The minister then went on to share that because he belonged to Jesus, he had the power over demons. He shared that he first had to make sure he didn’t have any sins that God had revealed that needed to be repented of to close any open doors. He told him that he could then walk in freedom from the things that the enemy was sending his way. Praise God this young man walked away in victory! One man said he didn’t notice any difference in his life after asking Jesus to be Lord and Savior. The minister asked if he was reading his Bible and seeking God out. The man said no. The minister shared that God doesn’t usually just download the knowledge of Him. Most people don’t suddenly hear angels singing or trumpets blowing. God wants to have relationship. Relationship is a two way street. He left saying he would start reading his Bible. Thank you Jesus! Someone confessing Christ is one of the most amazing things that God shows us. But when we see people start to put away misconceptions of God and see that light come on is one the next best things. And two more people were welcomed into the Kingdom of God today! Amen! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God strengthen us to be a testimony to His love.
Love,
Steve and Donna
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9/20/14
God wants His children to seek Him, this is the first and greatest command (Matthew 22:37-38). Our culture tells us to seek fame, fortune and recognition.
You said, Woe is me now! For the Lord has added sorrow to my pain: I am weary with my groaning and sighing and I find no rest. Say this to him, The Lord speaks thus: Behold, what I have built I am breaking down, and that which I have planted I am plucking up, and this means the whole land. And do you seek great things for yourself? Seek them not; for behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh, says the Lord; but your fife I will give to you as a [snatched up] prize of war wherever you go.
Jeremiah 45:3-5
When Jesus comes back it will be a time of judgment for those who don’t follow him. But God is merciful not wanting any to perish. During this time of mercy what are we spending our energy doing? Do feel overwhelmed with all the evil or do we fall on our knees and pray about everything? Do we go on with each day expecting it to be the same as yesterday seeking our own fame, fortune and recognition? Each man’s eternal rewards are proportioned according to faithfulness, not by earthly recognition.
We spent time in prayer before we went out repenting of any sins that the Holy Spirit was revealing. By the time we headed to the street we felt God’s presence in a powerful way. The last song we sang unto God was I will follow Jesus. This was the theme throughout the day. The street community showed up looking for hope. It seemed everyone there worshipped and paid close attention to the message. They were searching for Jesus, but didn’t realize it. One man said he was down the street and around the block and came because he heard the music. Praise God! Prayerfully the people at the dope shop with hear the music and become radically transformed! The man that came from down the street and around the block was amazed that church was being held outside. We are thankful that we know others that hold church outside also. One of the ministers was led to stay in prayer when he wasn’t ministering. Someone asked if he was sleeping and when he was told he was praying this man seemed to take what the other minister was telling him more seriously. We never know how God is going to use our obedience to Him. One person that we’ve known for some time came up and said he was ready for a complete change in his life. He said maybe he would move. The ministers shared that he could run but not from himself or God. The ministers also shared that God was the only One that could completely transform him and he needed to follow Jesus. We are praying that he really takes hold of who God is and allows Him to work in his life. Another person that we have known for about nine years and has been confused about who Jesus is, made the choice to follow Jesus alone. Amen! The minister was able to help this person set aside all the others beliefs that he had bunched up into his own ideas. One of the ministers brought his young son out with him to minister. This young believer wanted to pick flowers to give to the street community. This child also prayed with along with the ministers. This young man is going to be a powerful man of God as he grows! One person wanted God to work in his life so he would stop gambling. One young lady showed up looking for her sister. She heard that her sister had been in the area. We are praying that she finds her sister. So many on the streets have no family or have driven their families away. Our hearts break for the family members that continue to search for their wayward relations. One lady hung her head down when asked if she knew if she would go to heaven. The minister shared the good news of the Gospel and the lady repented of her sins and asked Jesus to be her Savior! She walked away with her head up knowing that Jesus had paid for her sins and forgave her when she repented. She walked away a new creation in Christ. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God Richly Bless you!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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9/13/14
Your prophets have predicted to you falsehood and delusion and foolish things. And they have not exposed you iniquity and guilt, to advert your captivity [by causing you to repent]; but they have divined and declared you false and deceptive prophecies, worthless and misleading. Lamentations 2:14
Yet if you warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness or from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered yourself. Ezekiel 3:19
Now is the end upon you, and I will send My anger upon you, and will judge you according to your ways, and will bring upon you retribution for all your abominations. And My eye will not spare you, neither will I have pity; but I will bring recompense for your evil ways upon you, while your abominations are in the midst of you [calling down punishment from a righteous God]; and you shall know – recognize, understand and realize- that I am the Lord. Thus says the Lord God: Behold, an evil is come, [an evil so destructive and injurious, so sudden and violent that it stands alone, not as a succession but as] only one evil. An end is come! The end is come! The end [after sleeping so long] awakes against you. See it comes! Ezekiel 7:3-6
There are times that it seems that God has ignored all the evil, but there is a day of judgment coming for all who do not repent.
Are mission on the streets is to share God’s Word. We care for the needs of the homeless, but the same thing that the homeless need is the same thing that the rest of the world needs – Jesus! Today as we arrived at the street corner we found out that one person we have ministered too for nine years had died. We first met her if you could call it a meeting, when we first started going to the homeless camps. She didn’t like us being there and would throw things like encyclopedias at us or anything thing that seemed to be lying around. It was just the last year that she seemed to be willing to receive prayer and able to hear that God loved her without her flying into a rage. We praised God for healing her enough to get to that place. But that wasn’t enough. It is never good enough to see someone’s life improve if they haven’t had a conversion. A transformation of the heart that only asking Christ to be Savior and Lord will do. She heard this message from us every time we saw her. We pray with her last breath that she asked Jesus to save her, but we won’t know until we stand face to face with Jesus. There are times some think we are too hard on the street community. But we fully understand that their lives are much more fragile than most. But nobody is guaranteed tomorrow. We need to live our lives with this in the forefront of our thoughts always. One person we talked to today said that they had held a memorial for the person that had died. Someone told this man that they were worried for the soul of the person that had died. This man told this person not to worry, that she was in heaven. This is a sad sad state of mind that so many people are in. They think that everyone will go to heaven and it is clearly not so. We need to communicate that we will die in our sins if we do not repent. Thank you Jesus that one person did repent of her sins and asked Jesus to be Lord of her life! Please pray for us continue to be bold in sharing Christ with the street community as we pray for all of you to be bold in sharing Christ with the people God has placed around you. May God encourage us all to shine all the brighter in these dark days!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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8/30/14
Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.’ But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne, or by earth, for it is God’s footstool: or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let you ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’, and your ‘No’ be ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
Matthew 5:33-37
God doesn’t’ want us making careless promises, promises that we won’t keep. God wants His children to be truthful.
The men who have violated my covenant and have not fulfilled the terms of the covenant they made before me, I will treat like the calf they cut in two and then walked between its pieces. Jeremiah 34:18
Cutting a calf in two symbolized the judgment awaiting anyone who broke a covenant.
Above all, my brothers, do not swear – not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your “Yes” be yes and your “No” be no, or you will be condemned. James 5:12
Not only should believers keep promises, we should avoid half-truths, omissions of the truth and exaggerations of the truth.
In our culture it has become popular to break covenants like the marriage vow, to embellish stories like the news media, and then to justify the behavior with a feeling like ‘it felt right’ or with an excuse, ‘everyone is doing it.’
Believers should be trustworthy.
Whether it be good or evil, we will obey the voice of the Lord our God to Whom we send you [to inquire], that it may be well with us when we obey the voice of the Lord our God. And after ten days the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah. Then he called Johanan the son of Kareah and all the captians of the forces who were with him, and all the people from the least even to the greatest, And said to them, Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, to Whom you sent me to present your supplication before Him: If you remain in this land, then I will build you up and not pull you down, and I will plant you and not pull you up; for I will relent and comfort and ease Myself concerning the evil [in chastisement] I have done to you [and will substitute mercy and loving-kindness for judgment]. Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom you are fearful - with the profound and reverent dread inspired by deity; be not afraid of him says the Lord, for [he is a mere man, while the all-wise, all-powerful, and ever-present God] I, [the Lord] am with you to save you and to deliver you from his hand. And I will grant mercy to you, that he may have mercy on you and permit you to remain in your own land. But if you say, we will not dwell in this land, so that you disobey the voice of the Lord your God, Saying, No, but we will go to the land of Egypt, where we shall not see war, or heart the sound of the trumpet, or be hungry for bread, and we will dwell there, Then hear the word of the Lord, O remnant of Judah. Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: If you are fully determined to go to Egypt and go to dwell there temporarily, Then the sword which you fear shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine of which you are afraid will follow close after you to Egypt and in it, and there you shall die. So shall it be with all the men who set their faces to go to Egypt to sojourn there; they shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence; none of them shall remain or survive the evil that I will bring upon them. For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: As My anger and My wrath have been poured forth upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so shall My wrath be poured forth upon you when you enter Egypt. You shall be a detested thing, an astonishment and horror, a curse, a thing lightly esteemed and a taunt and a reproach. You shall see this place no more. The Lord has said to you, O remnant of Judah, Do not go to Egypt. Know for a certainty that I [Jeremiah] have warned and testified to you this day that you have dealt deceitfully against your own lives. For you sent me [Jeremiah] to the Lord your God, saying, Pray for us to the Lord our God, and whatever the Lord our God says, declare it to us and we will do it. And I have this day declared it to you, but you have not obeyed the voice of the Lord your God in anything that He sent me to tell you. Now therefore know for a certainty that you shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence in [Egypt] the place where you desire to go to sojourn. Jeremiah 42:1-22
They professed one thing and intended another; they promised to obey God only if it was what they wanted to do anyway. They mistakenly thought that they could deceive God and still please Him. God knows our hearts and minds. If God has us do something that we want to do, Amen. If God has us do something that is not what we want, we had better listen and woe to us if we don’t.
The day started off a little difficult. The bus didn’t start. After working on it and praying, it started. Thank you Jesus! We knew that today a few of the ministers wouldn’t be out, but by the time we went out there were five of us. One of the ministers prayed that the rain would stop while we were out, not wanting the street community to get soaking wet. When we arrived at the street corner nobody was there waiting and we thought that it was going to be a slow day. By the time we unloaded the cross and picked up garbage there was a crowd. And the crowd was noisy and someone down the street was screaming and headed our way. One man took off his shirt and started pounding his chest. After the third worship song the pastor asked if the minister could play the last song again and told the crowd to be quiet and listen to the words. As the minister finished the song he went right into a sermon on God’s love. And the rain stopped. Almost everyone remained quiet. And even as the pastor shared God’s love almost everyone remained amazingly quiet. Even the man pounding his chest stopped. God turned the day around and it became peaceful and joyful. One person that had been talking loudly came and apologized to some of the ministers. But the cherry on top was a person from the street community who was recently baptized, helped with serving coffee! What an awesome blessing to see someone who God has transformed serve others in the name of Jesus Christ. At the end of our day out, two people repented of their sins and asked Jesus to be Lord and Savior of their life! Thank you Jesus! As we drove away the rain started up again. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God remind us to not only pray for the harvest but to be the ones that share in a hopeless society why we have hope! Maranatha!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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8/23/14
With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12
Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness, and being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:4-11
Everything we do on the streets is to lift Christ up. Jesus said that if he be lifted up he would draw all men unto him. Our prayer is that Jesus uses our hands and feet to his glory – not ours. There are times when someone will remember that we handed them a pair of socks while telling them about Jesus. That is ok. But when they remember the name of Jesus, even if they don’t remember us, that is a blessing! We pray and hope that everyone we meet comes to know Christ.
Today as we unloaded the cross a friend of one of the ministers came over and cried out that she didn’t want to go to hell. This minister has been praying for the friend for a long time and praise Jesus today his prayer was answered! Last night she had a bad experience with a drug and feels like she had a small glimpse of what hell was like. We believe that God in his mercy was helping her to make an eternal choice. Today she became that new creation in Christ! Thank God for all the people that don’t desire to get recognition in their service for Jesus. There are so many saints like the one mentioned above that have spent years humbly kneeled down in prayer for different people and issues. Precious saints, that until they stand face to face with their Savior will never know how their time spent crying out to God was making the difference in someone’s life. Thank God that we are honored to know and serve alongside so many of them. The rest of the day on the street was encouraging people to walk in obedience to Jesus. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. We pray that each day you grow more in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior.
Love,
Steve and Donna
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8/16/14
This is what the Lord says – your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs in the way you should go. If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea. Isaiah 48:17-18
Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear dull with deafness that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, so that He will not hear. Isaiah 59:1-2
Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; burst into song, O mountains! For the Lord comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones. But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me.” Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me. Isaiah 49:13-16
When we go through a difficult time, often we believe that God has forgotten about us. More often it is us that have forgotten to keep our minds set on God. When we keep our minds set on Christ, we will have spiritual peace.
Today on the streets, we were reminding people to keep their thoughts on Jesus Christ. One person stated that he was struggling with drug addiction and that he wanted to be free. He knew that he had to flee from some of his ‘friends’ if he was going to be successful. The minister also prayed that he would remember not to just flee, but to flee into the arms of Jesus. Another man was struggling with his thoughts. The minister shared that in Philippians 4:7 the scripture talks about the peace of God that transcends all understanding, but it’s in Philippians 4:8 that it shows how to achieve that; by keeping our minds on whatever is noble, right, pure lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy (everything that is Jesus). One person was telling one of the ministers about his things being stolen again and how he tries to do good things for others. The minister asked him how he could expect anything different down here. The minister shared that he believed this man to be one of the toughest men he knows and that God has delivered him out of harm’s way so many times because he has something for his life and it’s not just to have him suffer. The minister told him that Jesus wants to be in relationship with him and yes, good things will take place when that happens but the best thing is being in Christ’s presence. Prayerfully, this will minister to this man and he will want Jesus to fully and completely take over his life. One man came up just wanting prayer. He recommitted his life to Christ and wants to be obedient to Him. Amen! And another man decided that today was going to be the day that he made the most important choice in his life, to repent of his sins and ask Jesus to be Lord and Savior. Praise God! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. We are so very thankful for all the wonderful saints that God has placed in our lives.
Love,
Steve and Donna
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8/9/14
Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever. He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum. On hearing this many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him.” From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. John 6:53-66
It is interesting when the scripture says that the disciples were grumbling. The very people that were following Christ were the ones grumbling. We see this today in people who say they are Christian and yet aren’t fully committed to Jesus. They love going to Church when the worship band is ‘good’. They desire ‘fellowship’ with other believers as long as they can do or talk about worldly things. They only want enough of Jesus that they can have the blessings. Not the true spiritual blessing of being in God’s presence, just the fun stuff like seeing miracles. Don’t talk to them of the sacrifice and suffering of believers like the aid worker and Doctor who have a deadly disease because they had the heart of God working in them to help others. Don’t talk to them of the Christians in the Middle East that are being slaughtered because of their faith in Christ. God is calling us to come out and separate ourselves from these people. It is time for us to band together and fight the enemy. Not by strength or by power but by my Spirit says the Lord. Jesus also said that if we are lukewarm he will spit us out. To live a spirit filled life, we have to eat and drink of Jesus. We need to read our Bibles, pray for those that are suffering and persecuted, go to Church and be in fellowship with others that are sold out for Christ and seeking out the lost to share the love of Christ with. When that happens, we will see the mighty arm of God move and revival come. True repentance and transformation into the likeness of Jesus.
Today was a warm day on the streets but we had a wonderful breeze blowing down the alley. The breeze does create a little bit of a challenge as far as worship. The wind wants to turn the page at inopportune times. But the presence of God was felt as we worshiped and the small interruptions didn’t seem to matter. The sermon was on choosing which dog you would feed, or what things in your life are you going to give more time to? If you devote yourself to worldly things, you will have your mind on worldly things. If you devote yourself to the things of God, you will have your mind set on the things of God. Through the worship and the message several people wanted prayer that God would help them keep their priorities set on Jesus. We saw more people than usual today and many of them came just wanting prayer. One person wanted God to change his life, the minister shared that God gives us choices and if he wanted change he would have to be obedient to God. He knew this to be true. We are praying that God will help him with his desire to follow Jesus. One person down wanting someone to pray and thank Jesus with. This person thanked God for being with her during a very dark time in her life. Thank you Jesus! Another person didn’t want to make the decision for Christ. He seemed to think it such a small matter that he would think about some other time. Since according to the Bible, none of us are promised tomorrow, we pray that God would give him another chance to make that choice and that God would impress on him that it is the most important choice he will ever make. And praise Jesus! One person did make that choice today! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God use us all in faithful service to see His will done!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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7/26/14
Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap. Ecclesiastes 11:4
If we wait for the perfect conditions to come to Christ it will never happen. If we wait for the perfect conditions to share Christ it will never happen.
Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them.” Ecclesiastes 12:1
A life centered around God is fulfilling and when troubles come you will have Jesus to help you through them, whatever happens. But coming into a relationship with Christ doesn’t mean that all of a sudden all of your problems will go away. God doesn’t rush in and save you from every problem. God is not a fictional movie super hero. God rushes in and brings a peace that transcends all understanding in the midst of troubles. And it is usually in trouble that we learn the most from Jesus because we stay closest to Him during those times.
Satan comes as an angel of light and so he deceives people by offering a clever imitation of the real thing.
Jesus Christ is the only one that gives eternal life.
“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Everything is meaningless!”
Without God’s purpose for our life, we will wander from one experience to another looking for meaning and fulfillment that won’t take place until we fully surrender to God’s perfect will.
Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world and yet lose or forfeit his very self? Luke 9:23-25
And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ. In him we were also chosen having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. Ephesians 1:9-12
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe,. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. Ephesians 1:17-23
As we headed to the city, the weather was perfect, sunny skies, not too warm or windy. The minute we stepped off the bus one of the ministers started to pray for someone who was angry because once again his things had been taken. As worship started another man was asking for prayer. During worship there was a crowd of people just off the corner of the street. They wanted to be there and have some coffee, food and maybe some clean clothes off the bus, but they wanted nothing at all to do with Jesus. The battle had begun. For us, it is a battle fought in the spirit by prayer. We could see the glimmer of sharpened swords flying into the fray. We could hear the sound of arrows swishing through the air. The enemy didn’t want us there to share that salvation is found in no one but Jesus Christ. He also didn’t want us encouraging some that he was very close to destroying. We had made it through the worship and part way into the sermon, hoping that God would sweep in and bring transformation, when we heard a blood chilling scream. The person seemed to scream in a tortured voice for about two minutes. And we continued to pray. We prayed that God would rush in and stop the enemy from continuing to hurt this person. We prayed that God would bring this person to us that we might share that he/she didn’t have to live a life full of pain and suffering any longer, that Jesus Christ would set him/her free. The person never came around the corner and with such a large group today we weren’t able to take time to find him/her. One person when asked if they had any concern for their soul at all, said no. What a tragedy. Another person that came to the street corner said he was done. He didn’t have the energy to keep living. The minister prayed with him and asked Jesus to carry his burdens for him. The minister also encouraged him to make sure he was reading his Bible and spending time with the Father. God wants all of us who put our faith in Him to rest in Him and find our rest in His word, in prayer and in holy fellowship. The rest and energy we get from Jesus also causes a passion to live with His purposes in our lives. Another man that is bent over as if he were much older and smelled of urine said the same thing. It had become too difficult for him and he wanted to give up. The minister was able to encourage him and also provide him with some clean clothes and food. This man gave his life to Christ about a year ago. He had gotten off the drugs and off the streets but then we saw him about six months ago back in the same situation. The difference is he now belongs to Jesus and God wants him to be fully committed to Him and Him alone. When that happens oh what a day! The glazed look of suffering will turn to a look of love, joy and hope! There were a few younger women there that some of the men were treating with no respect of themselves or the women or God. The pastor walked over to ask them to show the young women some respect. They said, ‘It’s just men being men.’ The enemy has lied to them that this type of behavior is ok. Please join us in praying for the street community. Jesus wants to deliver and transform lives, people that would live for Him and only Him. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May the God of peace strengthen you as you rest in Him!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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7/19/14
The Lord warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and seers. “Turn from your evil ways. Observe my commands and decrees, in accordance with the entire Law that I commanded your fathers to obey and that I delivered to you through my servants the prophets.” But they would not listen and were as stiff-necked as their fathers, who did not trust in the Lord their God. They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their fathers and the warnings he had given them. They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless. They imitated the nations around them although the Lord had ordered them, “Do not do as they do,” and they did the things the Lord had forbidden them to do. They forsook all the commands of the Lord their God and made for themselves two idols cast in the shape of calves, and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the starry hosts, and they worshiped Baal. They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire. They practiced divination and sorcery and sold themselves to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, provoking him to anger. 2 Kings 17:13-17
Molten images – two calves; [bull market]?
Worshipped the starry host; [worshipping the creation, not the Creator]?
Sons and daughters passed through the fire; [abortion]?
Divination and enchantments; [occult practices]?
The Lord rejected all the descendants of Israel, and afflicted them and delivered them into the hand of spoilers, until he had cast them out of his sight. 2 Kings 17:20
The wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honored among men. Psalms 12:8
Will God or has he already completely rejected us as a nation? Or will we fall prostrate before the Holy One of Israel and repent?
If you fear the Lord and serve and obey him and do not rebel against his commands, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the Lord your God - good! 1 Samuel 12:14
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance. Psalm 33:12
As we started unloading the bus today a strong wind picked up. During a powerful time of worship, the wind almost blew over the music stand. There was a joy and peace on the streets today even with the normal distractions of people talking and the added distraction of the wind causing the mic to squeak. Two of the ministers prayed with someone and as this person walked away he looked lost. This person has been as if in a prison cell all of his own making and when he felt the love of God by way of the prayers invade that cell and set him free, he wasn’t sure what to do now that he was free. We are praying that he continues to live in the love that God has for him! One person shared how God had provided for her. She had torn a big hole in her suit case that held everything she owned and she convinced someone to lock it up for her in their storage place. This person told her that by the first of August she had to come and get it or it would be discarded. Later that day, someone came up and gave her the money to purchase another suitcase. The lady that gave her the money told her that God had inspired her to do this. The lady from the street community was thanking God for taking care of her needs and also for learning to trust Him! Sadly, two people walked away from having a relationship with Jesus. We are praying that God would move on their hearts and create an urgency to come into right relationship with Christ. God desires that none should perish! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. Thank you Jesus for providing a way for us all!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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7/12/14
Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothing and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
Then the King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25:34-40
The street community seemed to be somewhat quiet, as if in thought today. We brought out the cooler with cold water and it was much appreciated. But the most important thing we bring with us is God’s truth. Today along with the sermon, the street community were taught about praying. They seemed to listen and only one person walked away. One person shared that it was too hot to sleep last night under the over pass. One older gentleman wanted prayer for housing. One person desired to have more understanding when reading the Bible. This man has been coming to the corner for a couple of years and told the pastor at the beginning of this summer that he wanted this year to be different. Last Sunday he was baptized! We are praying that he takes hold of what God has willed for his life. One young lady didn’t want to take a new pair of sandals with white straps. Her feet were not only dirty but also cracked and bleeding from walking on the hot pavement with bare feet. After some persuasion she decided she would take the sandals and try and clean her feet. We are praying that her feet heal and that God brings spiritual and emotional healing to her life. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May we each have at least one person this week that we can offer a glass of cold water to in the name of Christ!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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6/28/14
Saul waited seven days, according to the set time Samuel had appointed. But Samuel had not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from Saul. So Saul said, bring me a burnt offering and peace offering (which he was forbidden to do). And just as he finished sacrificing the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came! Saul went out to meet and greet him. Samuel said, “What have you done?” Saul said, “Because I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines were assembled at Michmash.” 1 Samuel 13:8-11
Fear caused Saul to sin. Saul was fearful because he didn’t trust God. Whenever we put our trust in anything but God, every choice we make will be adversely affected.
Trust in Jesus is a choice. We have to make up our mind to trust God and believe His truth. This is a daily choice.
People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” Mark 10:14
Jesus didn’t mean that we should be childish or immature, but we should trust God with a child’s simplicity.
On the streets, one of the most difficult things to accomplish is to build trust. The street community learns to survive by not trusting anyone. Trust in the ministers is not the most important thing in sharing Christ. The abundance of our spiritual private life (time spent with Jesus) is important when sharing the Gospel; from that time spent with Jesus we will be able to teach the street community to put their trust in Christ.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do and he will show you what path to take. Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in God is not a trust that He will answer every prayer the way we want. That is a false hope and is making God into a genie in a lamp. Trust in God is trusting that He is good and that the ultimate victory is His!
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? Psalm 27:1
Heading out to the streets today we were praying that God would clear the spiritual fog out of hearts and minds so the street community would be able to see, hear, and know the truth of Jesus Christ. When we started to head down the street, the road was blocked. We turned down several different roads and all were blocked. We prayed that God would make a way and open a road for us. As the prayer finished we drove down another alley and we were able to cross over into the place that we always park. Isn’t God amazing! The streets all around were closed and covered with colored powder. (Not sure what was taking place)Roads and buildings and police cars were covered with a colored powder and so were large groups of people. Not only was the place where we park clear the entire block was free of the colored powder. Again this week, sadly, another person was ready to end his life. He was tired and hopeless. This man has turned his life over to Jesus, but Jesus has better things for him then to continue living a fruitless life. We believe that God is allowing him to go through this very difficult part of his life so he will decide that Jesus has to be his very breath, his life and nothing else will fill that void. We will continue to pray that he will walk in what God has willed for him and turn away from anything that might pull him away from Jesus. One person that came today knows that God is calling him into ministry. But this man is choosing to run from that call. That didn’t work out so well for Jonah. Prayerfully, this man will soon be walking in his calling. One lady we met today was demonically possessed. She was shouting out vulgar commits about herself. The minister prayed with her and bound Satan from speaking to her. The minister told her that Jesus loved her and died for her and that Jesus doesn’t see her the way she sees herself. The minister led her through the sinner’s prayer of repentance and forgiveness of sins by the blood of Jesus Christ. Then minister explained that she was a new creation in Christ. At this point she said she didn’t want to be a new creation that she was perfect and then started yelling profanities again. May God have mercy on her. We will be praying that God speaks through the noise of the demonic and pulls her to himself with cords of human-kindness. As we continued to pray for people a beautiful downpour flooded the streets. We watched as the water turned from mud to a green color. It was raining so heavy there was a small river running down the side of the street. God seemed to be clearing the spiritual fog out of the city. As the rain stopped one man accepted the gift of God through repentance and faith! What an awesome God we serve! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May we learn to trust God more with each day!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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6/21/14
And she made a vow, saying, O Lord Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant’s misery and remember me and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head. 1 Samuel 1:11
So in the course of time Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.” 1 Samuel 1:20
After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three year old bull, an ephah of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. 1 Samuel 1:24
I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord. And he worshipped the Lord there. 1 Samuel 1:27-28
Hannah gave back to God what meant the most to her, her son. In giving her son to serve in the house of the Lord, she was dedicating her entire life (her wants and desires) to God.
What gifts do we give to God? Do we give our very best? When in worship are we worshipping God with surrender? When serving others to we give not just money but time and energy to see God’s will accomplished in the lives of others? When we have free time do we grab our Bibles with excitement, do we go to our prayer closets hoping for more time to be there?
Today the prayer before heading to the streets was about deliverance. Sadly we have seen the enemy take ground back in the lives of some of the people on the streets. As we worshipped, God’s spirit was ushered in by the praises of His people and the disrupting spirits fled. One person that came up the street today had gotten off at the wrong bus stop. The minister saw him walking up the hill and asked him to come over and sit for a while seeing that he was out of breath. The minister offered the man some water. The man shared that what he needed was to be delivered of unclean spirits. The ministers gathered around him and prayed for that deliverance and also that this man was anointed to go and preach the Gospel. The man said that God had given him this divine appointment and he went away praising Jesus and saying hallelujah! One lady came asking for directions and prayer. She and her boyfriend were driving and saw the bus and stopped to ask for directions but when she saw people getting prayed for she decided that was what she really needed. A man came down the street that we hadn’t seen for a few years. He wanted prayer that he would listen and obey God. Amen! That is a prayer that God desires to answer. Thank you Jesus, that you allow us to share your love and truth with so many precious people. One young man said that he believed that Jesus paid the price for his sins on the cross; sadly, he didn’t repent of his sins and didn’t seem to be completely sincere or sold out for Christ. We would like for this young man to become part of the family of Christ and we will keep praying that he does. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God’s passionate love guide you to the lost!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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6/14/14
Be strong and courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Joshua 1:7-8
How should a Christian measure success? Should we keep count of how many people we’ve introduced to Christ? Should we count how big a congregation is?
He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8
The only way to be successful in our Christian walk is obedience. Not only will we be closer to God, our life will be filled with God’s purposes and desires. When we are filled with God’s desires everything we do becomes a passionate pursuit to see His will accomplished and every minute of our life will have meaning.
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. Psalms 1:1-3
Last spring when we were preparing to move we decided to plant a garden like we have done for the last twenty years. Some people thought that we were nuts for planting a garden that the fruit would be enjoyed by the family purchasing the home. But we have always enjoyed the planting, watering and weeding (not so much the weeding) a garden almost as much as the fruit. We enjoy watching a seed planted in stinky dirt (manure) die and grow into some amazing plant that then produces food. On the streets today was a day of planting seeds and weeding. Without this important work there would be no fruit. One young man was hurting and mad at God. The most he felt he could pray was that God would help him. A relationship with Christ starts with our recognition that we are in need of God. One man needed to be reminded that he was forgiven. He has asked God to forgive him of something that happened in his youth for the last three years. We pray that when the accuser attacks he will have the strength to pray and listen to God and to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. This is the only way he will win the battle. And even if he doesn’t win the battles he has the ultimate victory in Jesus! One person came to let us know about someone that we have prayed with and cared about for a long time. This person was worried about this other person because he didn’t recognize him that last time he saw him. We will be praying that God delivers him and so many others on the street. The way we see each person out there is as if they were our son or daughter or brother or sister or mother or father. Please join us in praying that God’s truth would break through the lies and that they would see clearly to walk out of the prison cell of addiction. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May you be strong and courageous standing firmly in the power of Jesus Christ.
Love,
Steve and Donna
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5/31/14
In those days Israel had no King; everyone did as he saw fit. Judges 17:6
Wow! Things haven’t changed much in over two thousand years.
During the time of history written in the Scripture above Israel had walked away from God’s covenant with them. Each person was doing whatever felt ‘good’ for their immediate situation. They weren’t thinking about God’s way or about eternity. Each person chose to do what they wanted including their worship of God. God has a moral guide for us to follow in His Word. When we don’t follow what God has set in place, we are no longer worshipping God but an idol of our own making. Too often we allow our feelings of happiness or sadness to be our guide as to our closeness with God. But God’s Word tells us that the fruit of the Spirit produced in our lives is the indicator of how closely our walk with God is.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2
True worship of God involves putting aside our own desires to follow Jesus daily, living to honor and obey Him.
What a strange day. We watched the truth of God’s word manifest itself in the street community today. The day started out with very few people and remained that way all day. The people we ministered to just want a god that would be ok with everything they wanted to do. We know that these people are unsatisfied with the way their lives have turned out. Most weeks, when they are being honest with themselves more than even us, they will confess that they desire to have change, just not always willing to accept God’s way. But there are days like today that they say that they are just fine with the way things are and that they do have that relationship with a god. Sadly, that is a little ‘g’ god not the Creator of heaven and earth the one true God. The battle started the minute we arrived on the corner and the angry disruptive spirit stayed. But knowing that God’s Word won’t go void we continued to sing, preach and pray the truth. The evil spirits may be able to lie to the mind, but it can’t hide the truth of our love for the street community. When we continue to care for their needs when they have no respect for themselves or anyone around them, the love we show because of Christ will trump any lies of the enemy. One lady who had seemed to be drawing close to Jesus last week, seemed to have lost the ground that been reclaimed in her life. Please keep her in prayer, God knows her name and He knows what will deliver her out of the bondage that she is in. There were a few people who seemed to receive the truth that Jesus has for their life. But the battle rages on and we will pound the dents out of our shields and continue to go as long as Christ tells us to go. Please pray for the lost on the streets of Tacoma with us. God has burdened us with a heart for the lost and we pray daily that Jesus would deliver them and they would no longer desire to worship an idol and Jesus would bring them into His sheep fold. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God give His people the strength to lock arm in arm with other believers that we would strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees and call on the name of the Lord and that the gates of hell won’t prevail! Maranatha!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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5/24/14
Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Joshua 1:7-8
How should a Christian measure success? Should we keep count of how many people we’ve introduced to Christ? Should we count how big a congregation is? The only way to be successful in our Christian walk is obedience. Not only will we be closer to God, our life will be filled with God’s purposes and desires. The quicker we are to be obedient, the more everything we do becomes a passionate pursuit to see His will accomplished and every minute of our life will have meaning.
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. Psalm 1:1-3
This Saturday almost every person in the street community desired to draw closer to God. Yes, one person had a mocking spirit and tried to interrupt the message but with prayer the Holy Spirit quieted her. This young lady had tattooed her face and had piercing all over her face. When one of the ministers tried to share with her about Jesus she started using very obscene language; she went on to receive prayer from another minister. We hope through the worship, sermon and both ministers speaking with her a few seeds were planted. God’s word won’t go void. It was plain to everyone that this young lady wanted to drive everyone away from her. It would be easy for some to be offended at her language, but what we saw was a lost soul crying out for a Savior. God willing she will be back next Saturday and a few more seeds will be planted. One minister spent some time with someone that just wanted clarity of mind. This is something that we have been praying for this person for a long time but the big difference is today she was asking for it! We see God’s hand helping this person come closer to Him. One gentleman said he had committed his life to Jesus when he was younger, but felt he had drifted away. The minister prayed with this man and he recommitted his life to Jesus! We will be praying that he walks in faithful obedience to Christ. And two people repented of their sins and put their faith in Jesus Christ alone for their salvation! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God’s grace strengthen us all as the end of the age draws near! Maranatha!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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5/17/14
Get out of our way, “they replied. And they said, “This man came here as an alien, and now he wants to play the judge.” We’ll treat you worse than them.” They kept bringing pressure on Lot and moved forward to break down the door.
Genesis 19:9
One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people were and watched them at their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. Glancing this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. The next day he went and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, “Why are you hitting your fellow Hebrew? “The man said, “Who made you ruler and judge over us?” Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought “What I did must have become known.” Exodus 2:11-14
Both Lot and Moses lives had been corrupted by the culture so that when they went to intervene they failed. In the same way if our lives don’t line up with Christ’s teachings we won’t be effective in sharing the Gospel.
Today we had a large crowd. Some seemed to worship and listen to the sermon. But there was a mocking spirit moving through a part of the crowd. The reason this is so difficult to see is because this evil spirit makes it much more difficult for some to hear the good news. But when each person was spoken and prayed with the mocking spirit had to flee. It seemed some people desperately desired to be healed of drug addiction and alcoholism, but that was all they wanted. They wanted just enough of Jesus to receive a blessing, but not for Christ to become their only reason for living. God doesn’t play games and he is very clear about His plan of salvation – all or nothing. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May rivers of living water flow out into those around you!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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5/10/14
Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will lift you up. James 4:8-10
True repentance is more than talk. It is sincere sorrow over our sins and it changes our behavior.
Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. Revelation 2:4-5
Prove by the way you live that you have turned from your sins. Luke 3:8 NLT
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
1 John 1:8
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
Some people believe that they repented of their sins when they became a Christian and they no longer need to repent. They believe that everything is about grace. All of the above Scriptures are spoken to people who have placed their trust in God. God will continue to bring us into a closer relationship with him if we will do our part of repentance and trust.
When we arrived at the street corner today, the sun was warming the morning sky. One person that was there when we arrived said that he was tired because with it raining last night he got wet and then he was cold. We are praying that he will be able to stay dry tonight. Through hard work, talent and skillful maneuvering of electronics the worship sounded like there was an orchestra playing on the street corner! We are so blessed that God has surrounded with so many gifted people. The theme of worship was carried over into the sermon. Everyone seemed to be involved in what was being sung and spoken. Satan didn’t like that so he sent people over to start yelling on their way down the street. For all of his effort we continued on with no interruptions. During the prayer one lady shared that she just wanted to let us know that she had picked up an application for housing. About a month ago she believed Jesus for her salvation and is now walking with the Holy Spirit living in her. We know that it is God guiding her life to make wise choices. We are praying that the application is filled out and that she will be off the streets soon. One person, that while dealing with cancer and homelessness, usually has had a smile on his face since coming to know Jesus, came up looking worn out. When asked how he was doing, he shared that his son had died. Please pray with us for this precious saint. Please pray that God would hold him so close that he would feel Christ’s physical arms wrapped around him. Two young men that we met today both have walked out of God’s plume line for their lives. We believe that God will direct them back into paths of righteousness for His names sake. (Psalm 23). We trust that all things work together for the good of those that love Christ. (Romans 8:28). Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God give each of you a passion and boldness to walk out the calling that God has on your life.
Love,
Steve and Donna
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4/26/14
Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives tales; rather train yourselves to be godly. 1 Timothy 4:7
A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher. Luke 6:40
God wants us to know Him, to know what we believe about Him and to live what we believe. To do this we need to study His Word – not just skip to the verses that we find comfort in. Then we must apply what we learn to our lives.
Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. John 13:14-15
Jesus set the example that we should be willing to perform the most menial of services for one another.
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. John 13:34
Thank you Jesus for another day to share you! Today as we started to unload, one person wanted to talk with the pastor. A minister told him he would have to wait until the worship and sermon were finished. This person flew into a rage. By the third worship song, this person came over and apologized for getting angry. The Holy Spirit by way of the worship drew this man into repentance. Praise Jesus! We usually have a small crowd that sits on the stoop within hearing range but somewhat out of the weather. About midway through the sermon, most of the group drew close in to hear every detail of God’s Word. Amen! And the prayer times became times of discipleship. What a wonderful day. God didn’t stop there; one person repented of his sins and believed on Jesus Christ as his Savior! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God strike a burning passion in your heart to follow Jesus wherever He leads!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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4/19/14
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross. Philippians 2:6-8
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus. Philippians 2:5
Our sinful nature wars against our spirit that desires to walk humbly before God. Not only does our sinful nature crave the praises of man over God, it put others on a pedestal of praise that belongs to Christ alone. The enemy encourages us to put people on a pedestal that can and will be knocked down. He then can say, “See, that person isn’t following Christ.” One truth we learn from the honesty of the Bible is that the ‘great’ men of God had great flaws, just like or even worse than some of us today. We need to be honest with ourselves in the sight of God and with others and about others.
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. Proverbs 1:2
He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. Psalm 25:9
When walking humble with God we will see others as better than ourselves, not superior or more talented, but as worthy of preferential treatment.
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Philippians 3:2
You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the sprit he caused to live in us envies intensely? But he gives us more grace: That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:4-6
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. James 4:10
Therefore whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven (Trusting and unpretentious). Matthew 18:4
Fellowship is always such a blessing. Some days we feel like staying on the bus in fellowship, not talking about anything but Jesus Christ. Especially on days like today when it starts to pour as we head to the streets. But isn’t that the temptation that comes against all congregations: The temptation that the fellowship is so wonderful that we don’t need to do anything else. That is part of what God desires but He also desires that we proclaim the Gospel. The worship today was anointed with the power of God and we heard the angels singing along (even in the rain). The sermon was short, with the thought that we can go home and get warm and dry, but the street community doesn’t have that option. With the sermon being shortened, it was to the point. That Jesus died on the cross for our sins and rose on the third day and is coming back. He came the first time in weakness but the second coming will be with a sword. One young man listening seemed to have a mocking spirit, but the pastor looked right at him and said, “Nothing on the bus is going to save you. Only Jesus Christ and trust in Him will save you.” This young man gave his life to Jesus! Amen! The Word of God will sometimes cut right to the heart so that the heart will be softened and the choice for Christ will be made. One older gentleman said his mom died a couple of weeks ago and he wasn’t sure if she had gone to heaven. The minister asked if he knew Jesus. He wasn’t sure. He repented of his sins and asked Jesus to be Lord and Savior! We are always amazed at what God does when we say yes to Him. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. Please pray for lightweight rain proof jackets. May God give you joy and peace during this most Holy of celebrations, the Resurrection of Christ Jesus!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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4/12/14
Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people came to the decision to put Jesus to death. They bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate the governor. Matthew 27:1-2
Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law. “But we have no right to execute anyone, the Jews objected. John 18:31
The Jews insisted, “We have a law and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God. When Pilate heard this he was even more afraid, and he went back inside the palace. “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” Jesus answered, “you would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.” John 19:7-11
Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. John 19:16
Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty. A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 19:28-30
Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. John 19:38
At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there. John 19:41-42
The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment. Luke 23:55
On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: The son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.
Luke 24:1-7
What, then shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all – how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died-more than that who was raised to life – is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Romans 8:31-34
God blessed us with sunshine, but the wind cut through the warmth of the sun. But even the wind couldn’t cut through God’s spirit moving with power on the streets of Tacoma. As happens so often, we go to share God’s truth with others and we come away being fed ourselves. Isn’t God amazing! Today through worship, God’s word and prayer the people on the street corner had a choice to make; to live by dying to self or to live for self and to die spiritually. One of the ministers was talking with someone who had just received Christ a month ago and she started crying. She was moved by how God had worked in this person’s life so quickly. Yes, this person still has growing to do, as we all do, but to see someone so changed when the circumstances surrounding their life is still the same is to be able to see the hand of God move both spiritually and physically. One person from the street community stated that she didn’t desire eternal life. She felt like this life was hell and she didn’t want to experience that for all eternity. The minister shared that eternal life with Jesus wouldn’t be like this life and that Jesus could give her a peace that transcends all understanding right here and now. She said she believed that Jesus died for her and that God raised him on the third day and asked him to be Lord of her life! Amen! Thank you Jesus! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God enrich you in every way – all you’re speaking and in all your knowledge in Christ Jesus. ! Maranatha!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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3/29/14
Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all you heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40
In the best way we can, we are to live a life devoted to God and to our neighbor. Too often when we talk to someone on the street they just want their ‘good’ life back. They aren’t at a point where surrendering all to Jesus is the only option for them. They don’t mind inviting Jesus into their life as long as God takes a back seat to them enjoying life. The very culture that prompts us to want the ‘good’ life teaches us that it doesn’t matter how we come to that ‘good’ life. The Bible teaches us the only way to have a fulfilled life is to live for Christ. With the Holy Spirit guiding, we can live in honesty with passion to serve our King. God has created us and in doing so has placed in each person a desire to know Him. Nothing will ever fill this desire except Jesus. Even good causes come and go but knowing God is eternal.
Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. John 17:3
What a wet day! The rain poured down. We thought that we wouldn’t see too many people come out today with it raining so hard. But before we started there were more than a few people willing to stand in the rain to listen to God’s word. Being slightly shorthanded today everyone there stepped up and helped set up the table with coffee. God seemed to surround us with peace and hearts desiring to come close to Him. One person that came today wanted us to know why he had missed the last couple of weekends. He was right when he thought we would be concerned about him. Another person came to listen to the sermon and for prayer. And thank you Jesus one more person repented of his sins and entered into the grace of the Savior! As we were getting loaded up a group of people came up wanting stuff and when we told them it was too late we were getting loaded up they started swearing and threatening us. We prayed that God would touch their hearts with His mercy and grace for their lives. We know that he can and does do that. The one person that saw what was happening just happened to be someone that would have been yelling the same profanities just last year. This man came to Christ this month. Praise God that He is merciful and His ways are higher than ours!
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:11-12
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. You are the light of the world! We thank God for each one of you in our prayers!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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3/22/14
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27
And just as we have borne the image of the [man] of dust, so shall we and so let us also bear the image of the [Man] of heaven. But I tell you this brethren, flesh and blood cannot (become partakers of eternal salvation and) inherit or share in the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable-that which is decaying-inherit or share in the imperishable (the immortal). 1 Corinthians 15:49-50
And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes]from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18
And He died for all, so that all those who live might live no longer to and for themselves, but to and for Him Who died and was raised again for their sake. 2 Corinthians 5:15
So then it is written, Let him who boasts and proudly rejoices and glories, boast and proudly rejoice and glory in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:31
I am the vine you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5 ESV
As a believer in Christ our identity is to be found in Christ. We are called to abide in Him. So often in our culture it becomes easy to have an identity other than in Christ. Especially if we feel that what we are doing is working for God. Our identity then becomes who we are in the ‘ministry/church’. This was never God’s intention. God has called us to have our identity in Jesus and to be transformed into His very own image. And when we abide in Christ alone we will bear much fruit.
Some days on the streets the spiritual realm is opened for our eyes to see the transactions going on in the spirit. Today it looked as if there were sharks swimming in and around the corner. One lady that we have ministered too for over five years finally said that she believed that Jesus was real! This was such an enormous spiritual step for her we could see the angles singing over her. But even as she was saying this, some of those sharks were behind her talking about how they were going to harm her. Join us in praying that God will protect her and keep her from being distracted from the ground that she has (through the hand of God) taken back from the enemy. One man was in extreme pain, he is scheduled for cancer surgery next month. We pray that God strengthens him and eases the pain. There were more than a few others dealing with physical pain also. It wears on our hearts to see so many precious people hurting. Some will self-medicate. We pray that God keeps them from any form of self-medication. As we pray for healing we pray that God comforts them so that they will be able to comfort others with the comfort Jesus has given them. And as they abide in Christ may they bear much fruit! Thank you Jesus for the salvation of one more soul! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May your week be filled abiding in Christ Jesus!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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3/15/14
In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. Hebrews 5:12-14
Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him. Luke 8:18
(Truth that is understood and used will multiply; truth that is not understood will be lost.)
Do not merely listen to the word to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it-he will be blessed in what he does. James 1:22-25
(The perfect law is the moral and ethical teaching of Christianity.)
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-his good pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2
(Faith expresses itself in obedience.)
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. 1 Corinthians 4:20
(The power of God revealed in the humble, moral life dedicated to Christ.)
But now I write to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of [Christian] brother, if he is known to be guilty of immorality or greed, or is an idolater-that is, whose soul is devoted to any object that usurps the place of God-or [is] a person with a foul tongue (railing, abusing, reviling, slandering] or is a drunkard, or a swindler or a robber. [No] you must not so much as eat with such a person. What [business] of mine is it and what right have I to judge outsiders? Is it not those inside [the church] upon whom you are to pass disciplinary judgment –passing censuring sentence on them [as the facts require]? God alone sits in judgment on those who are outside. Drive out that wicked one from among you-expel him from your church. 1 Corinthians 5:11-13 Amplified Bible
The message we take to the streets tends to be more of an evangelistic nature. The percentages differ from week to week, but anywhere from 10% to 50% of the people we see are new each week. We never know if we will have another chance to speak to them about their relationship with Jesus. Because of the dangerous lifestyle we want to make sure that we proclaim Christ to each person we meet. We also believe that to many the street corner is their church. To that group of people we work hard to disciple them with the few hours God has provided us. Some would say that it can’t work, that you must be crazy to think you can disciple the street community without taking them off of the streets. To this we would say, ‘You haven’t seen the power of God.’ We have seen people that have come to Christ and their lives have changed even with their surroundings staying the same. Yes it would be easier if we could pull every person that has said yes to Christ, off the streets and disciple that person away from the temptations that so easily corrupt but with God all things are possible!
As one of the ministers prayed today, he felt the Holy Spirit tell him that the person he was praying for was called to be a preacher. This man had received Christ about four months ago. As the minister spoke to this man tears welled up in his eyes, probably feeling the heart of God’s compassion for this man. The man also started softly crying and said that he couldn’t speak well. As all the ministers were surrounding him to pray, each one smiled at this recognizing that Moses had the same words come from him. We believe that this man will be walking in God’s calling on his life very shortly! One young man after hearing the worship and the sermon received prayer; the few times that he had been to the corner before he would run away at the mention of prayer. Praise Jesus! God is working to soften his heart. One young man came up and wanted to talk about the rescue mission. He didn’t have good things to say, so the minister helped him to see that for every step of a person’s walk they have different needs. He showed him how the new life program is an asset to the person at a certain time in their walk with God. The young man went away agreeing with the minister, but somewhat perplexed that he couldn’t get the minister to talk bad about other places of ministry. We pray that God speaks to this young man and helps him to see the bigger picture of how Christ works through so many people and places. And four people repented of their sins and asked Jesus to be Lord of their lives! Thank you Jesus! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God open a door for effective work to be done in each and every street corner, a door that no man can shut!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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3/8/14
Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone – an image made by man’s design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead. Acts 17:29-31
Not just another rainy day on the streets of Tacoma. God is calling the lost to repent of their disobedience and to call on the name of Jesus alone to save them. What an exciting time to be in service to Jesus. One young man, who just came to Christ a few months ago, brought someone with him. He was very excited to show the friend how he was spending his Saturday mornings. One person shared with one of the ministers how he had been saved. How Jesus had brought him out of the darkness into God’s light. He wanted to tell everyone what God had done for him! Amen! Several people when asked if they were reading their Bibles said they weren’t. We pray that God convicts them and grabs hold of them in such a way that their desire becomes to know God above anything else. Two people took hold of the saving grace of Jesus Christ! Praise Jesus! May God call all of us to the street corner to stand and tell the people the full message of this new life. (Acts 5:20) Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission.
Love,
Steve and Donna
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2/22/14
Now brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of the first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4
But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned. Galatians 1:8
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. John 1:29
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. 1 Peter 2:24
(The healing Peter is talking about is the healing of our relationship with God)
This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome. 1 John 5:3
(We are enabled by the Holy Spirit to obey)
So Jesus said to those Jews who had believed in Him, If you abide in My Word-hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them-you are truly My disciples. John 8:31 Amplified Bible
Then if you know the truth, and the truth will set you free. John 8:32
(Free from a life consumed with sin.)
Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash. Matthew 7:21-27
It is not just feelings, emotions, good works or even miracles that matters; it is doing the will of the Father. To do God’s will is to know God and to be known by God.
But the man who loves God is known by God. 1 Corinthians 8:3
Jesus wants to have that relationship with each person. Loving God and obeying his commands can only be done through the power of the Holy Spirit in us. We can never make ourselves ‘good enough’ for God. We believe in Jesus by faith. With the working of the Holy Spirit we then start walking out what we believe. We are not in the faith when we have no desire to know who Jesus is.
The last couple of weeks, God has been reminding us to spend more time with him. More time reading his word, more time sitting still with him and more time in prayer. We believe that God has given us a very fruitful last couple of years and is now challenging us to come closer to him. We also believe that we are to take seriously the salvation of each person that he puts in our path.
Today the spiritual warfare started as soon as we stepped off the bus. One minister prayerfully asked one man why he was there. This man usually comes and disrupts the worship, sermon and prayers times. We have been praying for him for some time that he would be delivered of the demons and the drugs. We believe God has given us one more year to see some fruit (Luke 13:6-8). God inhabited the praises of his people as we went into worship today and the street community seemed to calm down. Then during the sermon the warfare began again. One lady started yelling, “Don’t tell me I’m going to hell”. The pastor hadn’t spoken of hell, but God’s word spoken out convicts. One of the ministers told her she didn’t know what the pastor was speaking because she kept yelling and that she needed to be quiet and listen. After the sermon the minister explained to her that it wasn’t just the preaching that was convicting her, it was the Holy Spirit teaching. The minister went on to tell her if she would listen to the Holy Spirit she would know when she was doing things that God would not want her to do. She seemed to be calmed to know that God wanted to speak to her. We pray that she retains what she learned. One minister spoke to a man that kept asking for forgiveness for stealing something twenty years ago. The minister told him he only needed to ask God once to forgive him. And sadly, once again someone walked away from putting their faith in Jesus Christ. He said he had health issues and wasn’t worried about dying. He also said that he wasn’t good enough to have a relationship with Christ; that is true, none of us are. It is by grace through faith that we believe that Jesus paid the price we couldn’t afford that washes us clean and fills us with the Holy Spirit. We pray that God brings him to the place that he will put his faith in Jesus. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May we, who believe in Jesus, walk in the power of the truth of who God is! Amen!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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2/15/14
Command and teach these things. Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. 1 Timothy 4:11
Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, which some have professed and in so doing have wandered from the faith. Grace be with you.
1 Timothy 6:20
Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. James 1:21
Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom. James 2:12
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. James 3:9-10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. 2 Corinthians 5:10
Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character. Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God - I say this to your shame. 1 Corinthians 15:33-34
For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Romans 1:21
They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshipped and served created things rather than the Creator – who is forever praised. Amen Romans 1:25
Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. Romans 1:28
Although they knew God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them. Romans 1:32
God desires to have a relationship with us. To do this requires that we know who he is and learn what he says about himself. Too often people call themselves ‘Christian’ but refuse to follow what Jesus has taught about himself. We cannot say we are in a relationship with Christ and disregard his word, prayer and fellowship with other people that are following Christ. If we do, we are deceiving ourselves.
What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” 2 Corinthians 6:16
You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. Romans 8:9
Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation – but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. Romans 8:12-14
For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin. Romans 6:6
But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. Romans 6:22
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Matthew 7:13-14
Since we have these promises dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. 2 Corinthians 7:1
As soon as we arrived at the street corner today, someone jumped out of a truck and wanted something off the bus. When told he would have to wait, he started singing a Christian song and then started praying. Then he again asked for something off the bus, but when he was told again that he would have to wait he started yelling profanities. A person who was waiting for us at the other corner started yelling profanities back at the first person, thinking that he was ‘helping us’. Prayerfully the minister explained to him that God didn’t want him to behave like that. God wanted him to forgive the other person and that the other person was lost. One young man kneeled down during worship. God was ministering to his heart. After the sermon an older gentleman started asking the pastor questions. He was desiring to come close to God, but wasn’t sure how to do that or why his close friends were trying to keep him from God. One of the ministers led him through the salvation prayer, he wasn’t sure if he had asked Christ to be Lord of his life before. And after the prayer the pastor and minister help this man to understand that God has power over Satan. And receiving Christ, he now has the authority to tell Satan to go away. We pray that as he left with a little more knowledge of God and the Bible that God helps him to understand who Jesus is. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God’s peace that transcends all understanding guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.
Love,
Steve and Donna
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2/8/14
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
Too often it seems that verse is used to encourage someone that God wouldn’t let them suffer and if they are suffering that God will make the suffering end quickly.
Sometimes the ‘good’ in Romans 8:28 is that good which conforms us to the likeness of his Son.
Sometimes the ‘good’ is for the benefit of other believers.
You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good, to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. Genesis 50:20
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. 2 Corinthians 1:3-5
So then, those who suffer according to Gods will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good. 1 Peter 4:19
What an amazing day on the streets of Tacoma. God was moving in a powerful way through each minister by breaking the spirit of apathy and creating in us a passion to come closer to Christ. When we got to the street corner, one person came up and started telling the ministers of someone that was yelling at him about his worship music. He confessed that he yelled back and knew that was wrong and asked God to forgive him. Right after that, before even the worship started another person started to confess his sins and said that he had repented. Thank you Jesus that you allow us to see the fruit of ministry! It was so cold out that we weren’t even sure if it was going to be possible for the worship leader to play guitar. Thank you Jesus, he made a way! After a powerful sermon, one man came up and said that everything he owned had been stolen. He said that he had forgiven the people that did it and that just a month ago he wouldn’t have been able to do that. God, through the saints that provide for the ministry, provided for everything he needed to get through the night. Thank you Jesus that when we seek first the Kingdom of God that you provide for our needs. One man was so excited to show the ministers his new haircut. He said that God had made him new on the inside and he wanted to reflect that on the outside. So in his child like faith he cut his hair. We praise you Lord for that childlike faith! One man was in visible pain as he walked with a cane. The cold makes any pain in the body feel worse. He walked away from making a choice for Jesus and in doing so made a choice to continue in the pain and hopelessness of this world. Please join us in praying for him that God would soften his heart and bring him to Jesus. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God the Father continue to conform all of us into the likeness of his Son!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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1/25/14
Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. Psalm 62:5
God saved us, sinners. He gave us a new life with purpose and hope. How can we not share the love that God poured into us with others? When we see someone that is without hope, we know that if we can send him to Christ, Jesus will heal the real reason of hopelessness. Not something we can see, but that relationship with our Creator. God, who created us, deposited in us a need, deep seated within each one to have that relationship with him.
The Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love. Psalm 147:11
The hope we have is more than a hope that things will get better.
If for only this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. 1 Corinthians 15:19
No, the hope we have withstands throughout all eternity and understands that when things are at their worst, God can and does use us for his purposes and glory.
To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:27
We don’t always get to see the results of that, in fact God in his manifold wisdom and mercy keeps us from seeing most of what he does through us that believe and follow him.
Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 6:17-20
What a cold but beautifully sunny day. Today there seemed to be so many in the street community that have lost hope. One minister walked over to where one young lady was sitting and started to share the Gospel with her. She seemed to remember a time long ago almost as if in a dream where she knew Jesus. The man sitting next to her gave her a very menacing look. He didn’t want her to be reminded that if she did know God that she still belonged to him. He wanted her to stay enslaved to whatever drug that he was providing. We pray that the addiction is broken and that she is able to fall into her heavenly Father’s arms. One young man came to get some clean clothing; he said his camp was raided and they threw out everything he had. He walked away having made the most important decision there is; to have Jesus as his Lord and Savior! One lady came up looking very worn down by life. She just wanted something warm to put on. She left not only warm but more importantly a child of God! Thank you Jesus! And thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God’s unfailing love motivate us to live a life worthy of his sacrifice.
Love,
Steve and Donna
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1/18/14
O Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in our wrath. For your arrows have pierced me, and your hand has come down upon me. Because of your wrath there is no health in my body; my bones have no soundness because of my sin. My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear. My wounds fester and are loathsome because of my sinful folly. I am bowed down and brought very low; all day long I go about mourning. My back is filled with searing pain; there is no health in my body. I am feeble and utterly crushed; I groan in anguish of heart. All my longings lie open before you. My heart pounds, my strength fails me; even the light has gone from my eyes. My friends and companions avoid me because of my wounds; my neighbors stay far away. Those who seek my life set their traps, those who would harm me talk of my ruin; all day long they plat deception. I am like a deaf man, who cannot hear, like a mute, who cannot open his mouth; I have become like a man who does not hear, whose mouth can offer no reply. I wait for you, O Lord; you will answer, O Lord my God. For I said, “Do not let them gloat or exalt themselves over me when my foot slips. For I am about to fall, and my pain is ever with me. I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin. Many are those who are my vigorous enemies; those who hate me without reason are numerous. Those who repay my good with evil slander me when I pursue what is good. O Lord, do not forsake me; be not far from me, O my God. Come quickly to help me, O Lord my Savior. Psalm 38
On the days that the sun is shining brightly like today, the atmosphere of depression and hopelessness usually lifts slightly. But today we didn’t find that. It seemed that the Psalm above was being lived out before our eyes. After worship and the sermon, one man came up and said, “thank you for being here. I was going to end my life today. But I now know that Jesus loves me because he sent you to speak to me!” Amen! We pray that God breaks the chain of hopelessness and addiction in this man’s life. One young lady said she believed in a god, just not a personal Savior. The minister asked if she was at peace with the way her life was turning out. She said no, but she wasn’t ready to change. Her hands were swollen and cracked, the effects of heroin. Please Jesus help her to see your truth, that you are the way the truth and the life! May we show the hope and peace that comes from Christ alone! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God use each one of us to bring the hope of Christ to one other person.
Love,
Steve and Donna
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1/11/14
Since you trusted in your deeds and riches, you too will be taken captive, and Chemosh will go into exile, together with priests and officials. Jeremiah 48:7
A curse on him who is lax in doing the Lord’s work! A curse on him who keeps his sword from bloodshed! Jeremiah 48:10
The visions of your prophets were false and worthless; they did not expose your sin to ward off your captivity. The oracles they gave you were false and misleading. Lamentations 2:14
As God’s chosen people we need to teach God’s precepts to generations that have not heard. When we teach God’s word, (the sword) it cuts to the heart. The word of God convicts us which leads us to repentance. In repentance we find salvation and rest.
Arise, cry in the night, as the watches of the night begin; pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord. Lift up your hands to him for the lives of your children, who faint from hunger at the head of every street. Lamentations 2:19
Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray, He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devils work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning because he has been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother. 1 John 3:7-10
John is not saying that we become perfect when we are born again, what he is saying that we will not live a life characterized by sin.
Our country seems to be on a road to destruction: destruction from a Holy God. We have taken God out of our schools even though most colleges were started by Christians. We have taken God out of politics even though our country was founded by persecuted Christians fleeing from other countries. We set up abortions clinics and say that this is an issue of women’s rights when in truth it is an issue of human life. We set up head shops, claiming this is medicine when in fact it is a gateway drug. No, not everyone that smokes weed will become a heroin addict, but every heroin addict started on a gateway drug. Not only that we put a green cross on the head shops, using what is holy for unholy purposes. We know that this is not our home, but our hearts break for all the children that will never have the chance to know Jesus because we no longer teach our children the difference between good and evil.
Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you, and you will be my sons and daughter, says the Lord Almighty. 2 Corinthians 6:17-18
What a stormy day! The wind was blowing sideways and the rain would pour down in buckets. One or the other isn’t too difficult for the street community; most have become skillful in protecting themselves from the elements. But both the rain and wind together make keeping dry and warm very difficult. But more than keeping dry and warm the street community is hungry for the word of God. It is knowing and following God’s precepts that gives peace. One man that showed up looked like he had jumped in a river with his clothes on. After wrapping him in a blanket he was eager to listen to the sermon on Matthew 22:9. One young man came and shared how God is working in his life to reunite his family. Another person came praising God. He wanted to tell everyone of how God has changed his life. Today we saw only about a fourth of the people that we usually see. We pray that where ever they were they were staying dry that they were studying their Bibles. Thank you Jesus for our team of ministers, the ones that made it today and the ones that didn’t! There has never been a day that weather or a football is more important than serving our Savior. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God guide you in your times of study into that closer walk with Him!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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12/28/13
Yet you have not called upon me O Jacob, you have not wearied yourselves for me, O Israel. You have not brought me sheep for burnt offerings, nor honored me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with grain offerings nor wearied you with demands for incense. You have not bought any fragrant calamus for me, or lavished on me the fat of your sacrifices. But you have burdened me with your sins and wearied me with your offenses. “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more. Isaiah 43:22-24
Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off. Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. Ezekiel 37:11-13
“Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence. Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.” Hosea 6:1-3
God is so good to us: even when we haven’t given him our best. There are times when we don’t spend time praying or reading his word and yet he blots out our transgressions, gives us hope and appears like the spring rains that water the earth.
Today on the streets there was a quiet peace brought in by a spirit of gratitude. So many people were thankful that God’s presence was with them and that was all they needed. So often as believers we ask God ‘why is this or that happening.’ And then to see people without the basic necessities of life, people that don’t have food, dry clothing or shelter just wanting to thank God for his presence, it gives us a clear understanding of where our heart is. One lady asked for prayer to give the reigns over to God. She wanted to become like a child in the hands of Jesus. Another lady wanted to pray with the minister to thank Jesus for giving her joy by his presence. She said during Christmas she was very depressed, but she turned it over to God and he had strengthened her and she knew that all she needed was Jesus to be close. One young man told the minister that he had come to realize that the most important thing in this world wasn’t material. He handed his coat to someone that seemed colder than he was. He only had a t-shirt under his coat. The person that was cold handed back his coat. It is very humbling to know that we can learn so much from people that have so little. The power of God is shown mightily when his presence is in the poor. But who really is poor: Those who have materials things but don’t know Jesus or those who are poor in material things but are rich in Jesus Christ? One lady came today looking for a warm blanket and walked away a child of God! Thank you Jesus! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God help us all to draw closer to him!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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12/21/13
The greatest gift that can be given by one person to another is to share Jesus Christ.
For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23
For it is by grace you have been saved through faith – and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
Out of the wondrous manifold wisdom of God, He gave the gift of Himself: The gift of unimaginable worth. How can we keep from shouting this on the rooftop of every church? Glory to God in the highest!
Today as every Saturday we went to the streets to share the gift of Jesus Christ. We also took presents for men and women that are homeless. We were also able to provide presents for the children of the street community. There were many thankful praises offered up to our Lord and Savior. But there was still an overwhelming sadness in the atmosphere. As one minister shared, at Christmas more Christians are out sharing their love of Jesus with others. Sometimes it’s through evangelism or in giving to different charities. With the love of Christ being spread throughout the city, Satan’s power is limited. And so the false ‘joy’ of some who walk as enemies of Christ is limited. We pray that during the absence of this false sense of peace that comes from drugs or other destructive methods, the voice of God would break through and they would come to know true peace and joy in Christ Jesus. One lady that came wanted some warm clothing for someone that just came from the hospital. She didn’t want anything for herself but finally took a present with her. When asked if she wanted to have that relationship with Jesus, she said she wasn’t ready. She seemed surprised that when she said no that she was still cared for. We pray that she comes back and makes the choice to live for Christ. One young man when asked if he knew Jesus said he went to church. Sadly too many people will stand before God and say the same thing. He like the other lady walked away without Jesus. But we will be praying that God opens his eyes to see and his ears to hear! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. The harvest is ripe and it has been an exciting year of bringing in the sheaves!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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12/14/13
Can we receive salvation without repentance?
Can a problem be solved if we deny that there is a problem?
The first step in turning to God is to admit your sin. Repentance involves turning from sin to righteousness. In Luke 13:3 Jesus points out that all are sinners who must repent. Repent or perish.
Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each one according to his ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live! Ezekiel 18:30-32
From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is near. Matthew 4:17
Jesus answered, “Do you think that those Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you no! But unless you repent you will all perish.” Luke 13:3
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9
It seems that there is some who desire the grace of God but believe that everything is about grace and there is no need for repentance.
Not only did God desire repentance in the Old Testament but He clearly spoke repentance in the New Testament.
Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. 2 Corinthians 7:10
In the scripture above Paul tells us that repentance leads to salvation. Repentance means literally a change of mind.
Repentance is recognition that we are enemies of God and have no way in and of ourselves to correct our situation: the realization that we are in need of a Savior.
We went forth this Saturday in the power of God to destroy strongholds and release prisoners from their captivity. The enemy hates when God’s children walk in unity to serve. We had a group of ten people join us today. One man about two blocks down the street was yelling during worship and the sermon. Even with sirens blaring and semi-trucks driving by the enemy wasn’t able to throw us off from the purpose that God had for us. One man that was intoxicated came over to the group and at first was saying things like, ‘praise God.’ Then the praises became curses because he wasn’t getting the attention that he (the demon inside him) wanted. So he carried on for the entire sermon and even after we were set up and praying for people. God used what the enemy intended for harm to benefit someone from the street community. Watching what the intoxicated man was doing and watching the way we cared for him even when we had every right to send him away, the man watching gave life to God. This man is one we have been praying for the last couple of months. He is the one we had pulled over and prayed with on the side of the road and then saw him a couple times later with the same soiled pants on. He told the minister that he couldn’t have a relationship with Jesus because he was too messed up. The minister shared that was the good news of the Gospel, we can’t make ourselves good enough to have or deserve that relationship with Christ! Praise Jesus! Two other people also received the gift of Jesus Christ today! Three people released from the sentence of life in hell! What an awesome God we serve! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God lighten your burdens and pour His peace that transcends all understanding into your week!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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11/30/13
This is what the Lord says: “Let not the wise man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this; that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord.
Jeremiah 9:23-24
He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
To be a Christian, is to be someone that believes that Jesus is the Son of God and that he lived a sinless life and die on a cross for the sins of the world and now sits at the right hand of God the Father. When we really believe something, we will walk that truth out. For instance, if I believe that I cannot breathe under water, I won’t dive into the water and try to breathe. I will hold my breath. And if I believe that Jesus is truth, I will want to know him. Too many times on the streets, people will say they know Jesus but talking to them for a few minutes it’s easy to discern that maybe they heard of him at one time but they have made up their own idea of what it means to know Jesus. Not that we have or expect others to have a vast knowledge of who Jesus is. But there are some basic things that we should believe. God loves us and sent his Son for us. Jesus is our Savior; he paid for our sins on the cross so we could be reconciled to God the Father. And when we confess with our mouth that Jesus is our Lord and believe in our heart that God raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9), he wants us to follow his teachings. On our own we can’t possible do this, but when the Holy Spirit dwells in us he gives us not only the ability to transform our lives but the desire to be transformed.
This Saturday was a difficult day for most of the street community. The ‘holidays’ come and go and most will say ‘it’s just another day.’ As we share each year, this time of the year is the hardest to be separated from family. Most of the year some will drown their pain in drugs, but there isn’t a drug strong enough to take away the pain of this time of the year. Our desire is to help them understand that God our Father, the creator of the universe is standing with arms open wide waiting to hold them close and help them with the burdens they carry. If only the world would hear and welcome the message of Jesus, our world would change for the glory and honor of God. Today, one lady who doesn’t usually sit still for more than a few minutes seemed to pay close attention to the worship and the sermon. We often have the sense that people need to know that we are the same people on the street as we are when we are any other place. Do we really care? Do we really believe in a God that can forgive our sins? We pray that God is speaking to her and that it won’t be long before she asks for the bread of life. One lady was worried about her tent that had a hole. She said the temperature is going to drop down into the twenties. We provided her with a warm blanket and prayed that she would stay close to Jesus and that he would provide for her. This Saturday we brought turkey soup and pumpkin pie to nourish the bodies but the most important thing we share is Jesus. Nourishment for the heart, soul and mind! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May we all spend less time devoted to other things and more time spent with our Savior!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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11/23/13
They have harps and lyres at their banquets, tambourines and flutes and wine, but they have no regard for the deeds of the Lord, no respect for the work of his hands. Isaiah 5:12
Woe to those who draw sin along with cords of deceit, and wickedness as with cart ropes, to those who say, “Let God hurry, let him hasten his work so we may see it.” Isaiah 5:18-19
As a country, we have lost our ability to feel guilt or shame.
We sin and then we try to hide the sin. When it’s apparent that it can’t be hid we make excuses and then blame others. And the final stage is we get together with others and celebrate our sin. We no longer feel guilt or shame because in ‘our eyes’ we are better than ‘other people’.
Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of the sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. Romans 8:5-8
Those who live according to the Spirit are not to be stuck in the emotional feeling of condemnation. Jesus paid the penalty that we couldn’t afford. But we are not to live apart from our emotions either. To feel guilt or shame helps us to stay close to God. We want to please God because we love him, so something that would displease God we keep from doing. Our emotions can guide us to follow God’s word if we are diligent in studying it. This is not to say that when we sin we need to let our emotions rule our life. We are clearly told to confess our sins in 1 John 1:9 and to seek God’s forgiveness. And he is faithful and just and will forgive us. But sadly, instead of feeling shame, because we desire to ‘feel’ good no matter what the cost is, we seek out others that will tell us we aren’t that ‘bad’. They will say things like, ‘just look at what ‘those’ people are doing.’ Those people would be anyone that they believe are worse sinners. Our country has come to a place where everyone feels very comfortable blaming others. We use excuses like, ‘that person must have been abused as a child’ or that person is suffering from distress that was brought on by ____, you can fill in the blank. It’s never mentioned that people have a responsibility to God and to others (Matthew 22:37-39).
We go from hiding our sins, making excuses, blaming others, to completely giving ourselves over to the sin and celebrating them. Not understanding that not only do we live in bondage to these sins our children and grandchildren will live with the bondage we brought into our lives. This should be a warning for our country.
Weep and wail, you shepherds; roll in the dust, you leaders of the flock. For your time to be slaughtered has come; you will fall and be shattered like fine pottery. The shepherds will have nowhere to flee, the leaders of the flock no place to escape. Hear the cry of the shepherds, the wailing of the leaders of the flock, for the Lord is destroying their pasture. The peaceful meadows will be laid waste because of the fierce anger of the Lord. Like a lion he will leave his lair and their land will become desolate because of the sword of the oppressor and because of the Lord’s fierce anger.
Jesus calls us who live by the Spirit the salt of the earth.
You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. Matthew 5:13
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9
Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.
Revelation 2:4-5
Today on the streets there was a rebellious entitlement spirit, but there was an even greater desire by some to draw close to God. We want to show our love for God by caring for people in need. There is never a question in our minds as to whether we are going to help someone that is hurting. But we also know that some people on the streets survive by accumulating ‘stuff’ to trade for their habits. This spirit is not one we will feed. Sometimes it can be difficult to discern what is going on. So if we aren’t sure we will always fall on the side of generosity. But we believe that we are in sin if we give to someone that isn’t in need except of selling what they get to pay for toxic habits. We love God and we love the street community to much to do that. So the line was drawn spiritually in the sand. One minister was trying to communicate with someone that didn’t speak English very well. But God enabled them to communicate enough to hear that he felt he was full of sin and couldn’t ask God to save him. The minister helped him to understand that we can’t be good enough to be worthy of God’s grace. Praise Jesus another victory for the kingdom. The temperature was in the thirties but it felt even colder. Even with the biting cold, half of the street community wouldn’t accept gloves, hats or coats if they already had them. They wanted people that were worse off to have something. We can see God with a great big smile on his face saying, ‘that is my child, I’m so proud of him!’ Some Saturdays are more about discipleship than evangelism. One man wanted to get rid of the demons that were tormenting him. He knew Jesus as his Savior, so the minister helped him to understand that he had the spiritual authority to stop the attacks. One person that received Christ last week had gotten a job and wanted to be able to stay away from drinking and close to God. The minister shared with him that he should get together with other believers that would encourage him to walk out his faith. One lady was from Germany and wanted to get home. She spoke with broken English but once again God stepped in and the minister and she were able to understand one another. She may not make it back to her home in Germany, but she now knows that she has an eternal home to go to! Thank you Jesus for two new children of God! Please pray with us for the street community. Thanksgiving and Christmas are a very difficult time for most, not only do they miss family, some are weighed down with the ever present guilt of hurts that have happened to them and that they have caused. We have such a great and mighty Savior and if they would surrender to him they would no longer need to carry that heavy weight! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. This Thanksgiving we thank Jesus that you are a part of our lives!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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11/16/13
You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:26
In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. Ephesians 3:12
Righteousness is gained by faith, not by deeds and is available to anyone who will receive it freely from God through Christ. Romans 10:8
For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Romans 10:10
Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. Romans 10:17
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 3:9
It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken. With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak. 2 Corinthians 4:13
Faith in Christ is what we believe and what we share on the streets. Today on the streets the enemy was trying hard to get noticed. A few people would start yelling at each other down the street and then by the time they stopped a few people down the alley would start yelling. But glory to God the distractions didn’t interrupt the anointed worship or the heart felt sermon. During the sermon the invitation was given for anyone who wanted to have that relationship with Jesus and three people made that choice for Christ! One lady told one of the ministers that she wasn’t good enough to have a relationship with Jesus. The minister explained that Jesus died for sinners. She made the decision to believe by faith that Jesus paid the price none of us could afford. One young man said that someone had told him he did something really bad and that he had made a deal with the devil. He said that this person told him that he had sold his soul to Satan. The minister shared that the power of Jesus could break that deal. This young man asked Jesus to forgive him and believed by faith that Jesus died for his sins. Amen! One lady who has a history of speaking and behaving very demonically, seemed not to be able to speak as the minister told her that she was loved. As she was getting ready to leave she said she loved to kill people. The minister just continued to care for her knowing that it wasn’t her speaking but the demon in her not wanting her to hear that she was loved. Even with all the demonic distractions going on a total of five people came to Christ! Praise Jesus! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God bless you along with Abraham, the man of faith. (Galatians 3:9)
Love,
Steve and Donna
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11/9/13
For the fool speaks folly, his mind is busy with evil: He practices ungodliness and spreads error concerning the Lord; the hungry he leaves empty and from the thirsty he withholds water. Isaiah 32:6
Now stop your mocking, or your chains will become heavier; the Lord, the Lord Almighty, has told me of the destruction decreed against the whole land. Isaiah 28:22
“Woe to the obstinate children,” declares the Lord, “to those who carry out plans that are not mine, forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit, heaping sin upon sin.
Isaiah 30:1
These are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to listen to the Lord’s instruction. They say to the seers, “See no more visions!” and to the prophets, “Give us no more visions of what is right! Tell us pleasant things, prophesy illusions. Leave this way, get off this path, and stop confronting us with the Holy One of Israel!” Isaiah 30:9-11
On the streets, all too often we are confronted with a few people that call themselves ‘believers of Jesus Christ.’ When asked what they believe about Jesus, this particular group of people will say things like, “God is love. Don’t tell us about holiness, obedience, or repentance.” In Isaiah’s time it was the same. Things have not changed very much in the last two thousand years. Yes, salvation is all about Grace. But when someone has received salvation by grace, they ‘desire’ to know and follow Jesus. The only way to follow Jesus is obedience.
“If you love me, you will obey what I command.” John 14:15
Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.” John 14:23-24
Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation-but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. Romans 8:12-13
So, because we love the street community and because God loves the street community, we will continue to call them to repentance. A life lived to the fullest in Christ!
This Saturday our prayer was that God would enable His servants to preach the Gospel with power. As we worshiped the Holy Spirit filled the street corner. In the sermon the very heart of God was coming through to reach the street community. Satan seemed to be having a fit. During the prayer times people would start spitting and hacking, not from the cold weather but when Jesus, repentance and forgiveness was spoken. One person said she knew Christ. After spending some time talking with her, the minister did believe she knew Jesus. The minister said, “So you’ve taken a little detour.” He shared that she needed to get away from the people she was with and that God would welcome her back when she repented. One person when asked if he knew Jesus said he knew Jesus in his own way. This usually is code for I want to do what I want and don’t need God. This person seemed to be somewhat of a leader of a small group in the street community. This person tried saying the Bible wasn’t the word of God and a few other things that weren’t of God. The minister kept pointing him back to the word of God and told him that God is very clear about people that lead His children astray. One of the ministers asked someone that he has known for a long time if he was tired of fooling around and ready to come to Christ. The person hung his head down. We are praying that God will become real to him. One person said his house had burnt down and he was looking for a place to stay. When asked if he knew that he was going to heaven, he said that he was afraid that he might not. The minister shared that if he put his faith in Jesus Christ and the atonement for his sins on the cross that he wouldn’t have to be fearful anymore. The man made the choice to place his faith in Christ! He then started to confess his sins. This shows that the Holy Spirit was working in him to show him freedom and deliverance from the yoke he had been carrying. Praise God! We are so humbled that God would use us to bring His message of salvation to the street. Thank you Jesus that you brought a total of six people to repentance and faith in you! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May you have the abundance and fullness of God’s love guiding your life!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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10/26/13
Matthew 23:25
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Philippians 2:2
For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil. James 3:16
Not so with you instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. Matthew 20:26-28
Repent, then, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord. Acts 3:19
Each Saturday that we go to the streets, we are there to bring God’s word. Some think that physical food is what the street community need. God’s word says that our physical needs will be met if we seek first the Kingdom of God. We serve others by sharing the truth with them. This Saturday as we pulled up, we saw that the two tents that had been set up in the parking lot grew to four or five. Some might think that this is a blessing to the street community. It is not. When we first started going we went into what was referred to as the ‘jungle’. It has this name because of the things that went on in it, terrible things. Satan was allowed to run freely destroying people. As we set up for worship, one person was yelling and trying to do ‘kungfu’ moves in the middle of the street. He continued with his yelling during worship and the sermon. During the sermon another man joined in the yelling. Half of the people that showed up were angry that it was cold and they were outside. The other half were grateful that someone cared enough to provide some warm clothing, blankets and hot coffee. One of the people yelling thought that we should help provide him and others with a tent city. He said that he was up in Seattle and their tent city was great. That seems doubtful since he ended up back in Tacoma. But there are times that reason just isn’t going to work with someone that is angry. This man is the perfect example of selfish ambition. He doesn’t care how many people are led into sin or are hurt from a place like the jungle as long as he gets what he wants. Sadly, when the enemy is working through someone like this not only do they not hear the words of life Jesus has for them, they keep others from hearing them also. After ministering to him for some time, he received prayer. The anger came from fear. He’s afraid of dying and going to hell. He doesn’t want to repent of his sin; he is making up his own God with a little bit of this and a little bit of that so that he can keep on doing his ‘thing’ and not worry about answering to a Holy God. During the prayer he was brought to tears. We pray that God did that heart surgery and this man decided it was smarter to put his trust in Jesus than in his own ideas. Most of the people that were angry today seemed to have their own idea of what God should be. They believed that God would provide them with everything they wanted to be comfortable in their sin and had hostility to God. God’s plan is so much better. He provides a way out of sin and into His perfect presence. Not that we won’t ever sin, but we don’t make excuses for sin and we don’t encourage others to sin. Jesus has a purpose for our life. Praise God that he doesn’t just save us eternally; he sets us on a path that is a testimony to his loving-kindness and faithfulness. One man came today to receive a backpack, but Jesus had other plans for his life. He made the choice to make Jesus Lord and Savior of his life! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. Thank you for taking part in the harvest! May God bless you for all you do!
Love,
Steve and Donna
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10/19/13
Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciple’s feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. John 13:3-5
When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” He asked them. You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. John 13:12-17
His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ Matthew 25:21
With a servant’s heart, we go out on Saturdays to take the Gospel to the streets. Our first priority is the Word of God, our second is to care for the immediate needs that the people living on the streets have. Serving Christ, through serving others brings joy and revelation from the Holy Spirit.
Today almost everyone had a grateful heart that their needs were being taken care of. The cold weather makes life on the streets much more difficult. One person was upset that someone had stolen his few things he had to keep warm. After a couple seconds of complaining, the minister told him that he needed to forgive those that had taken his things. The minister said that God wouldn’t forgive us if we didn’t forgive others. This man appearance changed suddenly as a light bulb went off. He knew that what the minister said was truth, and he walked away with peace. This is the peace of knowing that he didn’t have to carry that anger, and that God is in control. Telling someone who has next to nothing and sleeps in a doorway to stay dry that he has to forgive is not an easy thing to do and isn’t something that we talk about lightly. But knowing the peace that someone can have when they walk in obedience to Christ gives us motivation to share with even the angriest person. One man was at the corner before we arrived. He was eager to share what God has been doing in his life since he decided to follow Jesus. This man received Christ about 1 year ago, and is now listening to the Holy Spirit. He described it as a wind that he couldn’t grab with his hands but he felt directing him. Amen! One person was in terrible pain. The pain caused when he can’t get the drug that he uses. He told the minister that he wasn’t worth being saved. The minister reminded him that he was there the day he received Christ and that the ministers and God love him and haven’t given up on him. He couldn’t believe that we would care for him when he didn’t have the energy to care about himself. The minister shared that it is the love that God has given us that allows us to love others without conditions. We continue to pray that God breaks the chains that this man has brought on himself. And with a servants heart we provided for the needs of a large number of people. But the most important thing we can share is Jesus and praise God, three people received forgiveness of their sins and the grace that Jesus bought with his precious blood! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May you experience the happiness that comes from God when you choose to serve others in the fullness of the Saviors love.
Love,
Steve and Donna
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10/12/13
What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ – the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.
Philippians 3:8-9
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world-the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does-comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. 1 John 2:15-17
Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance, and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Peter 1:2-8
As God transforms us into His likeness, we stop living like the ‘world’ not because it’s wrong, but because the things of the world don’t compare to the surpassing knowledge of Christ. This is not just head knowledge but experiencing the work of the Holy Spirit in us.
Today we fully expected to be drenched but to our surprise the weather held out and we even saw a little bit of sun. But seeing the sun through the clouds couldn’t compare to the work God was doing on the streets. With winter in the forefront of the thoughts of the street community, the ones that know Christ needed to be reminded that Jesus is for them and he will never leave nor forsake them. One young lady smiled and said everything was good. But the sadness of her life on the streets came through that smile. We pray that she recognizes and walks through the doors that God opens for her. One man who we have known for a long time was looking forward to a ‘new drug’ to help him out of his addiction. We continue to pray as with the young lady that God is the one he reaches for in his time of need. God is the only one that can completely deliver and heal. One young lady was very close to receiving Christ, but fear came over her and she backed away. We are praying that the spirit of fear is bound and that God works in her heart so she would know the pure love of God casts out all fear. (1 John 4:18). Praise God, two people today made the choice to follow Jesus! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May you grow in the knowledge and love of Christ Jesus.
Love,
Steve and Donna
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9/28/13
After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Luke 10:1-2
The Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep. I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. Luke 15:3-7
If out of every church just ten percent would share the Gospel we would have a changed world. We continue to pray that the beautiful bride of Christ starts doing the work that Jesus commanded us to do.
There are days like today when the rain is pouring so hard that there is a river running down the street and when the wind picks up the water blows under the tightly pulled down hoods, that some people (believers) would ask us what in the world are you doing going out in that weather. And we would reply, “There was a man today that had just been released from prison. His wife left him and his daughter had been put in protective custody. He didn’t even have a coat on. He told one minister that he planned on putting a gun his mouth. He didn’t believe that there was any reason to keep living. The minister shared with him that God had a plan for his life. And that if he would allow Jesus into his life, Jesus would take all that pain and use it to help others. The minister also shared that God could restore his relationship with his daughter. This man received Christ as his Lord and Savior today. Please pray with us that God holds him close and helps him through this time and does take his pain and use it for the glory of the Kingdom. In Luke 19:10 the word ‘save’ means ‘sozo’ which means to save, restore, deliver, heal, make whole. This is the reason that we go even in the pouring rain. And this should be the reason that everyone that has a relationship with Christ should go. God has a specified amount of limited time for each one of us on this earth and what are we doing with the time he has given us?
One lady started crying as she was receiving a bag to put the few items in that she was given. She couldn’t believe that someone would steal from a homeless person. Sadly, we have heard this from more than a few people. To us it isn’t a surprise and it hard for us to understand how someone on the streets for so long hasn’t seen this happen to others. But Satan is good at what he does, convincing some of the people on the street that nothing like that will happen to them. One minister told a young man that God had not forgotten him. He looked surprised and said that was what he needed to hear. We pray that he turns back to God. Another young man wanted to have that relationship with Christ but didn’t know how. The minister prayed with him and the young man asked God to forgive his sins and to help him to the best of his ability live his life for Jesus. By the love of Christ two people brought into the Kingdom today; two people that will have eternal life; two people that will no longer be working and living for evil, that is why we go. Thank you Jesus that you work through us to bring your children to you! Last week the website was down so we didn’t get to share that two people last week also asked Christ to be Lord and Master of their life. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God’s love compel you to reach out to the lost.
Love,
Steve and Donna
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