The Street Corner Commission
7/30/22
Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, He graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ. Ephesians 3:8 (Some versions say ‘unsearchable treasures available to them in Christ’)
Some of the treasures available to God’s people are love, wisdom, knowledge, redemption, forgiveness, truth, knowing God’s will, inheritance.
Each believer has the privilege and honor of sharing the treasures available to others in Christ.
Aside from knowing Jesus there is no greater accomplishment than to share Him with others and to see others that you have shared with, go and share with even more people!
Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted! Matthew 13:8
Today as we headed to the street corner we loaded up with ice packs, water, cola and Gatorade.
Usually on the street corner we get a slight breeze that takes away the sting of the heat but today there just wasn’t any breeze and it was like being in an oven. Thankfully we are in the shade of a building that helped to keep the sun from baking everyone that came to the corner.
During the prayer times a minister gave a lady some bug spray. This lady’s daughter had a bug on her last week. The minister had been praying fervently that the lady wouldn’t be insulted by the minister giving her the bug spray.
As many of you know when you intercede for someone else, God will sometimes allow you to go through the same type of situation that you can pray more effectively. So the minister had a leaky French drain system and because of this had bugs come in the house. (Just so everyone understands the minister with the leaky French drain is us, we have been digging it out in the heat yuk, bugs yuk). But thank you Jesus because of this the minister was able to give the lady the bug spray by sharing what with her about their own bug situation and the lady received the bug spray with a grateful heart instead of being insulted.
During the worship one minister went down the street to ask someone to join the service. He didn’t seem to be reaching the man he went to speak to until a man from the mission went down with him and encouraged the other man to come up.
The man from the mission was the man that we have been writing about for the last month. He received Christ about three years ago on the street corner and then we didn’t see him for about three years. Today he not only reached out to several people that were walking by, when overhearing that someone needed the size of shoes that he was wearing, he took off his shoes and handed them to the other man. He also has been sharing Jesus with everyone at the mission!
What an awesome thing that God has allowed us to see in him! Please join us in praying for him that God would continue to keep him firmly planted in his faith.
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. We pray that your week is filled with eyes of faith that can see the harvest coming!
Love,
Steve and Donna
7/23/22
“For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in dry wasteland.” Isaiah 43:19
“I – yes, I alone – will blot out your sins for My own sake and will never think of them again.” Isaiah 43:25
“And no one puts new wine into old wine skins. For the old skins would burst from the pressure, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine is stored in new wineskins so that both are preserved.” Matthew 9:17
So if the old way, which has been replaced, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new, which remains forever! 2 Corinthians 3:11
So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord-who is the Spirit-makes us more and more like Him as we are changed into His glorious image. 2 Corinthians 3:18
It is the most beautiful thing to watch as the veil is removed when someone has put their trust in Jesus and see them changed into His glorious image.
Today was another amazing day on the street corner. Two of the ministers were going to be gone this Saturday and so this week we prayed that God would provide. During the week someone called and wanted to come out and then someone else showed up to help, thank you Jesus for answered prayer.
Today there was a peace on the street corner that hasn’t been there in sometime. The one of the ministers that showed up to help mentioned that she couldn’t believe how peaceful it was and how everyone seemed to want to know Jesus better.
During the prayer times one lady shared that she believed if she died she would go to heaven because she is a good person. After the minister shared with her that the Bible states that we are all sinners and have fallen short of the glory of God and that putting our trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins is the only way to be made right with God, she asked Jesus to save her!
A man, who asked Jesus into his life just three weeks ago, had a lot of good questions. We are praying a hedge of protection around him as he starts that process of learning to live for Christ.
One minister pushed a man in a wheelchair up to the corner for the sermon. After spending some time listening to the man, it was evident that the man had some anger issues. But by the time he left the corner he seemed to have more peace than when he arrived. We are praying that he would come back next Saturday and ask God to help him have peace and forgiveness in his heart.
Thank you for everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. Please join us in praying for all the people, homeless or not, that aren’t able to get out of the heat this week.
Love,
Steve and Donna
You are the light of the world – like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. Matthew 5:14-16
Do everything without complaining and arguing so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Philippians 2:14-15
Because we believe in Jesus, we live differently than those that are asleep, the way we live tears down spiritual strongholds. In our day, the way we live as believers is a stark contrast from the way unbelievers live. The light shines brightest in the darkest night.
You might wonder how, does the way we live break down strongholds? Every time a believer puts God first by loving God and loving his neighbor as himself, we take back territory that the enemy has stolen. Whenever we do what is good, holy and right, no matter what the circumstance or cost, people of the world are confronted with truth that evil can’t tear down.
For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in His steps. He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone. He did not retaliate when He was insulted, nor threaten revenge when He suffered. He left His case in the hands of God, who always judge fairly. 1 Peter 2:21-23
Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life and if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. 1 Peter 3:15-16
Many times it will be our actions that create an interest in what we believe and in this way it is possible to take back ground from the enemy.
Today as we began worship on the street corner there was someone down on Pacific Ave. yelling. During the prayer times there were sirens going off for some time also.
One man that showed up today brought two people with him. This man had put his trust in Jesus about three years ago on the street corner. Today during the sermon he was holding up his Bible in agreement to what was being spoken. This was wonderful to see because after receiving Jesus as his Savior we hadn’t seen him for three years until last week. During the prayer times the man shared that he wanted to share Jesus with everyone around him! Amen!
During the sermon the Pastor shared with the street community that putting your trust in Jesus didn’t mean that everything was going to go perfect. He shared what a difficult time he had after placing his trust in Jesus but added that Jesus was with him in that difficult time instead of him just trying to struggle through it. The Pastor also shared that hard times do not mean that God is against you. God has His reasons for the things that He allows His children to go through.
One man that was listening asked a question and the Pastor said he would talk with him after the service. When the Pastor went to talk with the man, the man said with tears in his eyes that the sermon spoke to him because he wasn’t sure why things were going the way they were when he trusts in Jesus. After speaking with him for a while and praying with him, the man left with a better understanding that hard times do not mean God has abandoned someone and God will use everything we go through for our benefit and His glory.
During the prayer times, the two men that the person who was saved three years ago brought with him, asked Jesus to save them! Thank you Jesus!
At the end of the day a man who was there during the worship and sermon, stated that he didn’t believe in heaven and hell. He said that it didn’t affect his life in any way he just had to struggle through each day. The man shared that as a child he lived in Cambodia and had to flee to Thailand. When he got to Thailand he was separated from his mom and dad. He said that any religion was forbidden. Please join us in praying for this man. He has spiritual baggage, but didn’t we all come to faith in Jesus with baggage. Jesus can break through the apathy!
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May everything you do be a testimony to what Christ has done!
Love,
Steve and Donna
When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now He makes another promise: “Once again I will shake not only the earth, but the heavens also. This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain. Hebrews 12:26-28
The world is being shaken with wars, disease our country is being shaken with economic disasters our cities are being shaken with crime and homelessness mainly caused by drugs. As Christians we aren’t separated from this shaking the loss of loved ones, loss of jobs, loss of reputation.
God loves us more than we can understand but He allows us to go through the shaking for His glory. When as Christians we stand firm in His word, as we are being shaken, we demonstrate to those that don’t know Jesus that there is a secure anchor for a true hope. We should never pretend that we don’t go through the shaking, how will anyone recognize what a good God we have unless they see Him through us in our times of trouble?
So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong. Hebrews 12:12-13
Now may the God of peace – who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, and ratified an eternal covenant with His blood – may He equip you with all you need for doing His will. May He produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to Him. All glory to Him forever and ever! Amen. Hebrews 13:20-21
Today we were thankful that the Holy Spirit brought extra ministers to the street corner. It was a busy day spiritually.
It isn’t always easy to park a bright green bus at the gates of hell so that we might witness Jesus snatch someone from the fire.
Today as a minister opened up in prayer on the street corner, as soon as one lady heard the name Jesus she jumped out of her chair and ran away from the street corner. A few minutes later a man got out of his chair and went into the alley and started screaming and throwing rocks. He did this during the entire worship and sermon.
During the prayer times one man shared how the Bible he had received about three weeks ago, he had read all of the New Testament. He also shared that he had highlighted the Scriptures that seemed to speak to him. He went on to share with another minister that he felt like he was supposed to encourage others. The minister shared with him that God has a calling on his life and encouraged him to listen to God.
One man stated that the Bible couldn’t be trusted and said that the minister was judging him because the minister believed the Bible to be true. He became angry and wanted to argue about the stoning of Stephen, which he believed to be at the time of Moses. But knowing better than to argue with a demonic spirit, the ministers stated the truth, and left it at that.
One lady shared that she needed new housing. She said that people were bringing drugs into the building where she lived. The minister provided her with a list of places that help people with housing. We will continue to pray that God would provide for her.
One man who came to the corner towards the end of the day wanted some water. He was unwilling to get close to enough for the minister to hand him a bottle of water so the minister had to stretch to hand him the water. It almost seemed as if he was afraid that he might get some of the Holy Spirit on his clothing. As he left the corner he said that it is enough to ‘do good’ but he didn’t need any of our religious garbage. We will be praying that God gets ahold of him.
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. Please keep us in your prayers, there have been street preachers arrested in Seattle the last couple of weeks for reading out of the Bible and one was beaten up by a group of hateful people. And we will be praying for God’s strength and peace for all of you!
Love,
Steve and Donna
6/25/22
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.” John 6:28-29
If you try and hang onto your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for My sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? Matthew 16:25-26
Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow Me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed Him. Mark 1:17
You know the saying, ‘Four more 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! You know the saying, ‘One plants and another harvests.’ And it’s true.
John 4:35-37
He said to His disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest ask Him to send more workers into His fields. Matthew 9:38
The work God wants from us is to believe in Jesus. When we place our trust in Jesus, His love fills our life and we want less of the world and more of Him. Along with dying to our wants and desires and gaining new wants and desires that are pleasing to God, He teaches us to love others the way He loves us. And when we love others we will have a passion for them to know the Savior! Even though the only work God wants from us is to believe in Jesus when we die to ourselves and pick up our cross to follow Jesus, there is labor involved, but what a blessing when we work together.
Heading out today we weren’t sure what to expect, with the victory for the unborn yesterday.
The man that last week made the decision to come to church instead of doing meth was on his way again today. He had the person that was bringing him stop so he could pick up donuts to bring for everyone. But when they were almost at the street corner the man told the person driving to pull over, that something was telling him not to go. So the person driving pulled over and the man left. Please join us in praying that this man would recognize the voice of the Holy Spirit and be able to tell the difference from Satan, and that he would learn how to resist the devil so the devil would have to flee.
During the prayer times one minister spent the entire day with one person going over different Scriptures and helping this man to understand what they meant. By the end of the day this man asked Jesus to save him!
While serving pulled pork sandwiches a minister asked one lady because she didn’t want to stay for prayer, if she knew Jesus as her Savior. The lady replied that her mom was a Baptist and her dad was an Seventh Day Adventist. The minister told her that just because she went into a garage, it didn’t make her a car and that she needed to believe in Jesus. The lady said that she did. We are praying that she returns so we can spend some time helping her to know Jesus.
One man that showed up at the end of the day, when asked if there was anything he needed, said he needed everything to be done. After trying to find out more the man wasn’t willing to elaborate on what he meant. So knowing that Jesus can provide peace in every situation the minister asked him if he knew Jesus and he stated that, ‘he was a part of the evil Catholic kingdom.’ After sometime the minister asked to pray for him but he didn’t want any prayer. So the minister provided him with some clean clothing. After this the man seemed to calm down and seemed grateful for the help. We are praying that he would return and come to know that we care about him. We aren’t trying to get him to join a church or a group. We just want him to have the joy and peace that only a relationship with the Savior can bring, which he was lacking.
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. We thank God for you and we are thankful that we can all rejoice together in the harvest!
Love,
Steve and Donna
6/18/22
The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? Jeremiah 17:9
Our hearts will deceive us, but as we grow in Christ we start to understand that He will guide us in truth and reveal those things we need to repent of.
The street community is very transit. There can be many different reasons they move around but the most common thread is that there is problems with the place they are at.
What they don’t understand is that where ever they go, those problems will happen again.
The problems are not the area, the people around them or their ‘circumstances.’
They, like everyone else, take their issues with them wherever they go and end up reliving the same problems.
The only way for any of us to step out of that cycle is to take ownership of our part in these problems by seeking out God’s truth and apply it to our life.
If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 1 John 1:8-9
Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from Him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Ephesians 4:21-22
As we arrived at the street corner today, there was garbage all around. So instead of setting up right away, we picked up garbage. As we were picking up garbage a lady picked up a dead pigeon and was carrying it around with her as she was yelling.
During the entire day there was a young man down on Pacific Ave yelling and swinging an umbrella around. He would put the umbrella down for a minute and then move his pile of belongings from one area of the sidewalk to another.
We could tell that the demonic realm didn’t want us there today. Praise God! If God wasn’t working on that corner, Satan would leave us alone.
One young man shared with a minister that he had been getting ready to do meth when someone asked him to go to church. He said the person that asked him to go to church was like an angel of God coming to find him and he had to make a choice. This young man chose to go to church and in his words, have God save him.
After listening to the young man for a while the minister shared with him that if he had put his trust in Jesus, he didn’t need to be saved again. That God doesn’t let go of those who have placed their trust in Him. We will continue to pray that the Holy Spirit would give him the strength to keep making the choice to listen to God so that the devil would flee.
A man that had asked Jesus to save him last week and had a oozing wound on his foot, showed a minister his foot and it was healing. But even more important he paid attention to the sermon and then spent most of the day speaking with one of the ministers. We will continue to pray that Jesus would guide him and teach him how to live in the light.
One man who shared that he had applied to the New Life Program at the Mission. We are praying that he will be accepted and that he will follow through. A minister prayed that he would understand that it is about a new life, not a program. Another minister shared with him, because of knowing him for a long time and knowing his background, that no one is perfect. The minister asked him if he had ever said anything that hurt someone else. The man denied it for a few minutes but eventually confessed that he had. The minister reminded him that everyone has been on both sides of that coin and we need to extend grace to others.
A lady that threw away her drugs a couple months back shared that she was so thankful that she had quit doing drugs. She said (her words), that she was becoming a demon child when she was using drugs. Praise God that He is helping her to know that she is so much better off choosing to obey Jesus then listening to the lies of Satan.
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. Our prayer is that God would open the heavens and pour out His blessing on you!
Love,
Steve and Donna
6/11/22
With all the rain and cold this year we delayed putting in our garden. The old rhyme, ‘Rain, rain, go away, come again some other day,’ comes to mind.
It can be the same way as we grow closer to God. The Holy
Spirit can be leading us down a path that we feel is a sacrifice and we aren’t sure we are ready for it. We want to hang on to the familiar. But God in His wisdom knows that the sacrifices we make now will pale compared to His glorious plan.
A little rain now means a whole lot of beautiful plants later.
It is the same with the street community. They know they need a change to happen in their life but the thought of obeying God, instead of taking the easy way out can seem almost impossible.
If they could only understand all the peace and joy that come from putting Jesus first in their life, they wouldn’t hesitate.
For our earthy fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s disciple is always good for us, so that we might share in His holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening-it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained this way.
Hebrews 12:10-11
Today as we worshipped Jesus on the street corner, the pastor was on the bus praying before giving the message. As we worshipped and he prayed the bus started shaking. There wasn’t anyone around the outside of the bus. We believe that the Holy Spirit was moving through the streets of Tacoma!
During the prayer times one lady shared that she hadn’t seen her daughter in a very long time. Her daughter is in the military and moves around a lot. The more she shared with the minister, the more apparent it became that the daughter seemed to be avoiding the mother. We will continue to pray that God would bring restoration to that family.
A man that we had only met once before, and just briefly, was in a lot of pain. One of the ministers prayed for him before the worship and sermon and it seemed to help. During the prayer time he took off his shoe and had an oozing open wound on his foot. He wanted relief from the pain in his foot but it was apparent to the minister that what he needed more than healing of the body was a healing in his relationship with God. After sharing the Gospel with him, this man asked Jesus to save him!
One man shared that he had been evicted from the mission. He blamed the mission but also shared that he had been drinking. This man knows Jesus but he needs to understand that he needs to repent for his sins and stop blaming others when his own actions cause him problems. We will continue to pray for a heart of repentance for him.
A younger man sat down with one of the minsters and shared that he knew some Christians and they hadn’t treated him well. The minister let him share his story and listened for a long time. The younger man was grateful that the minister had just listened to his story. As the minister prayed with him, the young man’s face seemed to change and he couldn’t stop smiling. He then went over and asked for a Bible. We are praying that he would come back with an understanding that Christians aren’t perfect and we need to have grace and humility in our relationships.
At the end of the day a man came up who was visibly ill. As he was receiving some warm clothing, he stated that he needed a new life. The minister shared what Jesus did on the cross to provide us with a new life and he asked Jesus to save him! Before leaving he said he wanted to learn more and to really know Jesus. Amen!
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. We pray that God would pour out His grace and mercy on you!
Love,
Steve and Donna
5/28/22
A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in His might power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.
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. 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 6:10-13
Right now in our country and around the world the spiritual battle has become visible in many ways. As followers of Christ, we need to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.
We can choose to wear blinders and feel safe for a time, but our families, our homes, and our country will be destroyed.
Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.
Ephesians 6:14-18
To stand firm and combat the lies of the devil, we need to be actively studying God’s word, and in constant communication through prayer with God.
On the street corner we constantly remind those who have placed their trust in Jesus, to trust the Bible and not their feelings.
Today as we set up on the corner, it was raining lightly. We decided to put out the awning so people could listen to the worship and sermon without getting soaking wet. But the awning ended up getting stuck and it took some time to get it out and straight so people could get under it.
While setting up chairs, a minister could smell alcohol on a person from the street. The minister shared that drinking at church wasn’t what they should be doing.
The speaker seemed to work fine during worship but then it stopped working during the sermon, just some of the challenges of holding services on a street corner.
Even with needing to speak loudly so everyone could hear, the sermon had an impact on people.
One person started crying while the pastor was talking about making choices and the difference between listening to God or following the devil. This was the person that the minister had smelled alcohol on earlier. We are praying that he would continue to ask Jesus to help him be free the addiction.
During the prayer times a man that had just put his trust in Jesus a couple months ago shared that he had been working and doing well and then lost everything because of drinking. He said that he had finally just got his driver’s license and social security again and was looking to go back to work. His desire was to do what was good but he was struggling with alcohol. The minister shared with him that when he stumbled instead of beating himself up he needed to repent and ask Jesus to help him walk away from the addiction. The minister encouraged him to continue reading the Bible and coming to the street corner so that he could learn to trust that Jesus can and will set him free, free to live for Christ.
A lady who had recently graduated from the New Life program asked for some things for her son. She shared that her son isolated himself and is using heroin. She is a believer and goes to church but said there are times, especially when praying for her son, that she feels like God isn’t listening. The minister shared with her that we have to trust what the Bible says and not rely on our feelings which can be somewhat fickle. We will continue to pray for her and her son.
Towards the end of the day we just kept getting more and more people showing up and we always try and take time with each person, so it was a long day.
One person that showed up not long before we were ready to leave said he believed that he was forgiven and would be welcomed into heaven. But then he went on to say that he reads the Bible and the book of Mormon. The minister shared some of the falsehoods that the Mormons believe, but he didn’t really pay attention. Three other ministers also tried to reach him with the truth of the Bible and the falsehoods of Mormonism and then prayed some holy fire over him. Sadly, he left still in darkness. We are praying that the Holy Spirit would shine the light of truth into his very soul and bring him back and he would receive Jesus as his Savior, with the understanding that he cannot become a ‘god’.
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. Let’s encourage each other to stand firmly!
Love,
Steve and Donna
You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. So I advise you to buy gold from Me-gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from Me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see. I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference.
Revelation 3:15-19
These trials show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold-though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.
1 Peter 1:7
Throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God-truly righteous and holy.
Ephesians 4:22-24
Let us be glad and rejoice, and let us give honor to Him. For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb, and His bride has prepared herself. She has been given the finest of pure white linen to wear. For the fine linen represents the good deeds of God’s holy people.
Revelation 19:7-8
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
For we live by believing and not by seeing.
2 Corinthians 5:7
So we don’t look at the trouble we can see now rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.
2 Corinthians 4:18
I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know Me more than I want burnt offerings.
Hosea 6:6
Jesus desires intimacy with us. Jesus wants us to really know Him. Only then can we be purified by fire and be shown to have genuine faith. Only then can the Spirit renew our thoughts and attitudes so we can ‘put on’ our new nature created to be like God-truly righteous and holy. And only then can we live by faith and not by sight, fixing our eyes on what will last eternally.
As we do each week, we started the day off with prayer. The Spirit led us to pray in repentance for allowing the distractions of life to interfere with intimacy with Jesus. We always want to minister out of the overflow of living water and not from a stagnant pond.
After an amazing sermon on ‘truth’ (The sermon from today is on the website for those of you that enjoy listening to them) as we set up to serve coffee and pray with people, someone from the street community pointed to the sky because of a big eagle flying over. What a wonderful reminder that when we are walking with Jesus we can soar high on wings like eagles (Isaiah 40:31).
During a prayer time, one man shared that he had some things stolen again. We could tell that during the worship and sermon this man was struggling with anger. But even though he had been struggling during the message, he stated that he just needed to put his problems in God’s hands, which was part of the sermon. It is a wonderful thing to see God speak to someone through His word!
One lady wanted prayer for a different living situation. This lady is always polite but seems empty of life, but after the minister prayed with her, she seemed to be filled with God’s spirit. We will keep praying that the closeness she has with God today will continue.
At the end of the day when the coffee table was being taken down a young man walking by was asked if he would like some coffee. He stopped and was given some coffee. As the minister spoke with him awhile, it was clear that he wasn’t really interested in God but this young man was very respectful and stayed and listened. We know that God’s word does not go void and that there are no accidents in God’s kingdom. This young man was brought to the corner to hear the Gospel and maybe he didn’t respond to it today but we will be praying that the Spirit of God would minister to his heart and mind and bring him to faith in Jesus.
After this young man left, someone asked the minister if they wouldn’t like to have a time machine to go back in time. The minister shared that would be awesome but when we put our faith in Jesus it is like a time machine because He makes us new creations and we are born again and have a new beginning. The minister knew that this man had already put his trust in Jesus, and so went on to share that when we need a new beginning as believers, we need to come to Jesus in repentance and ask Him for the help we need to leave sin behind and walk in a renewed spirit. We are praying that this man really desires to have a refreshing that only repentance and faith can bring.
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. We pray that Jesus would illuminate any sin that could be keeping you from the refreshing springs of living water.
Love,
Steve and Donna
The Word gave life to everything that was created, and His life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light he was simply a witness to tell about the light. The One who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He came into the world He created, but the world didn’t recognize Him. John 1:4-10 For you are all children of the light and of the day we don’t belong to darkness and night. So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded. Night is the time when people sleep and drinkers get drunk. But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation. 1 Thessalonians 5:5-8
For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. Ephesians 5:9 For the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” Ephesians 5:14
In the world today there is a stark contrast between light and darkness. This gives believers the amazing opportunity to display that difference between living in light verses living in darkness. What a great opportunity to share Jesus!
Once again today, God held back the rain that was predicted all week and we were able to spend time with the street community in dry weather. It makes taking time with each person much easier because when they leave the corner they aren’t soaking wet.
One person who shows up most Saturdays, shared with some other people at the mission that he was going to street church. Three of the people he shared with showed up as well. This man loves God and has a heart for evangelism. We are praying that he would receive the freedom from alcohol that Jesus has for him.
A person, who came with the man above, loves God and has been volunteering at the mission. God’s light was shining out of him and we look forward to seeing what God does in his life.
One man that we have ministered too for about ten years, shared that he has colon cancer. We are praying for this man to be healed and that he would know, and the doctors would know, that this was a miracle from God.
As one minister tried to share the Gospel with a man, he said that he had read and study different religions but was drunk and didn’t want to talk about them at the moment. Sadly this man left the corner in darkness. We are praying that he recognizes the difference between the light of Jesus shining out of the believers and the darkness that is in the world and makes the choice to live for Jesus.
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May the light of Christ shine into the darkness and draw people to Jesus!
Love,
Steve and Donna
4/23/22
For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for Him and how you have shown your love to Him by caring for other believers, as you still do. Our great desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true. Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and endurance. Hebrews 6:10-12
Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed Me. I was thirsty, and you gave Me a drink, I was a stranger, and you invited Me into your home. I was naked, and you gave Me clothing, I was sick, and you cared for Me. I was in prison, and you visited Me.’ Then the righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see You hungry and feed You? Or thirsty and give You something to drink? Or a stranger and show You hospitality? Or naked and give You clothing? When did we ever see You sick or in prison and visit You?’ And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these My brothers and sisters, you were doing it to Me!’ Matthew 25:34-40
Jesus replied, “’You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all of your soul, and all of your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Matthew 22:37-39
With all the horrible tragedies going on all over the world, there is an outpouring of love and prayer from the Christians in this country for people around the world. This is what believers should do.
But it seems that for many believers in this country it is easier to care about someone or situations that are far away rather than their own backyard. There are many believers that don’t have that same love and prayers for the homeless or drug addicted that live in their own cities.
They might believe that because the addicts have brought this on themselves, they don’t deserve their love or prayers, or it maybe that they have had conflict with the homeless. But even if they have had conflict with the homeless, Jesus tells us to love our enemies and do ‘good’ to them.
If we don’t love those around us, the saved and unsaved, it is the quickest way to become spiritually dull and indifferent!
If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? Galatians 6:9-10
Let us not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Let us spur one another on to loving first those in the family of Christ and then to those that live around us.
Today as the preacher spoke about forgiveness someone stepped out of one of the buildings nearby and listened.
A small car driving by with the window down slowed down to a stop and the young man inside was listening until a line of cars were stopped behind him. We are praying that the seeds that were planted in these two people would grow into a fruitful harvest.
The street community seemed to be especially alert to the message about forgiveness. We are praying that the seeds of forgiveness would take root and God’s healing would come and they in turn would become fruitful.
During the prayer times one man shared that someone had taken everything he had. Sadly, this goes on in the street community often. The sermon helped this man to forgive and not let the seeds of bitterness grow.
A lady shared that it was her birthday. She asked for prayer for her paperwork for housing to go through. The minister prayed for her paperwork and also that she would have a greater revelation of Jesus Christ.
When a minister saw a man walking by, he called him over for a cup of coffee. The man shared that he believed in Jesus but he was really interested in history and had some questions. The minister shared with him that he would do well to go into a Christian school to learn some of the questions he had and pointed him to the church down a couple of blocks. We are praying that this man does go to schooling and not only has a greater understanding for himself but that he goes out and shares what he learns with others. (An update from Sunday, this man came to the church service on Sunday to find out more about classes!)
A minister went over and prayed for one man who was yelling, cursing and talking to himself. After the minister prayed for him, another minister was able to get the man some warm clothing, food, hygiene and a sleeping bag.
The man seemed to be completely coherent after the first minister had prayed with him. We will continue to pray that this man would stay coherent and be completely delivered from the spiritual darkness he is living in.
As one minister put it, “Evangelism isn’t an event, it is a process.”
The only way to avoid becoming spiritually dull and indifferent is to love not just the loveable but the unlovable as well.
Please join us in praying for a minister who fell last week and injured his back. Even though he was in pain he showed up to share Jesus with the lost!
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. You are not those who have become indifferent! There is no spiritual dullness in you!
Love,
Steve and Donna
4/16/22
We often hear believers say, ‘God will never give you more than you can handle.’ But in Scripture there is many times that people were given more than they could handle, and God had a purpose for it.
We think you ought to know, dear brother and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. And He did rescue us from mortal danger, and He will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in Him, and He will continue to rescue us.
2 Corinthians 1:8-10
God desires that our complete confidence be in Him, so it is possible at times, He will give us more than we can handle.
With all that is going on in our country and around the world, many Christians who once felt secure and confident are suddenly being shaken. We need to reminded and encourage each other that our confidence is not in what we can and cannot do, our confidence is in Jesus, who rose from the dead!
Today as the pastor had just started speaking, one man started yelling and walked away yelling. The ministers prayed quietly that he would come back, hear and receive the Gospel.
After the sermon we shared in a hot Resurrection lunch with the street community. A hot meal is always welcomed on such a cold day.
During the prayer times a man shared that he was thankful that he was able to get into the Salvation Army mission for ninety days. We are praying that this would help him to sober up and live for Jesus.
Another man said he was doing the things he needed to get into treatment. We are praying that he follows through and gets into the program. He is a believer in Christ but the alcohol keeps him from living his life fully committed to Jesus.
Most of the people that showed up on the street corner today needed warm dry clothing and we were able for each person due to all the generous believers who donate.
Just after getting the bus loaded back up for the day the man who walked off during the sermon came back asking for some hot food. There was just enough to give him a plate full. As the minister handed him some warm dry clothing, the minister prayed God’s blessing on him. And we will continue to pray that God would give this man more than he could handle and it would drive him to his knees at the Savior’s feet.
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. We are so very blessed by all that you do!
Love,
Steve and Donna
4/9/22
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father expect through Me. John 14:6
But the time is coming-indeed it’s here now-when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship Him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth. John 4:23-24
“Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the LORD! Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!” But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, “Teacher, rebuke Your followers for saying things like that!” He replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would bust into cheers! John 20:39-40
Today was the daffodil parade, so we weren’t able to park in our normal spot because the street was packed with cars. So we went up and around the corner to park.
As we started setting up we could hear the marching band playing and people cheering, cheering over daffodils. Wouldn’t it be amazing if the city was filled with believers, believers cheering in worship of what Jesus Christ has done? Where is the passion? Are the stones getting ready to cry out?
As we set up the chairs we were thankful for the answered prayer that it wasn’t raining but the wind was blowing hard and had a bite to it.
A young man who usually falls asleep during the sermon seemed to be listening and receiving what the pastor was speaking about being a prisoner of war, if someone wasn’t in right relationship with Jesus Christ.
After the worship and the sermon we started praying for people. One person stated that he believed in God and prayed everyday but not in the same way as what the Bible says. He said that everyone has a different truth. The minister shared with him that there is only one truth and that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. He told the minister that Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity said that there wasn’t just one truth. The minister told him that Jesus is truth and the Bible is the way to know Jesus. He didn’t like that answer and went stomping off. We will continue to pray that the Holy Spirit would convict him and draw him to Jesus, the way, the truth and the life.
A lady who has only been to the street corner a couple of times seemed to be more clear minded then the other times and so the minister shared the Gospel with her once again and the lady asked Jesus to save her!
Towards the end of the day a car slowly drove by and then turned around and came back and stopped. A minister went over to see if there was something they needed. After getting a couple bottles of water, the passenger asked the minister if he was someone that used to go into the jail to minister. The minister said he was. The minister shared later that it had been a couple of years since he had been there and it had been shut down because of covid. He was shocked that someone remembered him. Obviously the minister had a bigger impact on the people in the jail than he knew because that isn’t the first time that someone driving by has stopped because they recognized him.
Won’t heaven be amazing to see all the lives that were touched by things that we do in service to God that we might never see this side of heaven!
As we loaded up a truck pulled over and the man and lady hopped out to get some coffee. After praying for them, they were asked if there was anything else they needed. The lady shared that she wanted more prayer. She is in the process of moving from a house to an apartment. During the prayer the minister prayed that God hadn’t forgotten about her and her situation and even though she was downsizing, God had a plan for her life, for peace, joy and most of all His presence in a greater way. As they left the corner they seemed to have a greater sense of God’s peace.
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May our praises reach heaven with a holy hallelujah!
Love,
Steve and Donna
And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. But all this is only the first of birth pains, with more to come. Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are My followers. And many will turn away from Me and betray and hate each other. And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. Matthew 24:6-13
At that time Michael, the archangel who stands guard over your nation, will arise. Then there will be a time of anguish greater than any since nations first came into existence. But at that time every one of your people whose name is written in the book will be rescued. Many of those who bodies lie dead and buried will rise up, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting disgrace. Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever. But you, Daniel, keep this prophecy a secret seal up the book until the time of the end, when many will rush here and there, and knowledge will increase. Daniel 12:1-4
You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 2 Timothy 3:1-4
Christians hated and killed all over the world, wars, rumors of war, famines, earthquakes, sin rampant, people turning away from God, betraying and hating each other. People that love only themselves and money, scoff at God, boastful, proud, disobedient, ungrateful, unholy and unforgiving, slander others and have no self-control, cruel, hate what is good, betray friends, reckless, puffed up with pride, love pleasure rather than God.
As children of the light, we aren’t caught by surprise by all the evil that is going on. And it causes our hearts to break and cry out for justice. But we can’t retreat from the battle and hide in a basement lulled to sleep. We need to keep our lamps full of oil so that we can light a path to Jesus for a world that is chaos and show the difference between the light and the dark.
Today, during prayer before heading to the street, a minister shared how a young lady in his neighborhood who he had met before told him that she was a man not a lady. She wanted him to call her by her ‘new name’. When he told her she was born a lady and he wouldn’t refer to her as a man she manifested in the way of a tantrum, cursing God and him. Later his house was tagged. Please join us in praying for God to shine a light into that situation and that the difference between her behavior and his godly behavior would stick in the minds of the children he has been ministering to for years.
During the sermon the pastor talked about how God had made Adam, a man and had taken a rib from Adam to make Eve, a woman. He shared that each are made unique and different from one another. He also said that each human being understands this without being a biologist.
In the same way if someone holds up a rock, everyone can identify it as a rock without being a geologist. The pastor then shared that the light shined into the world but men loved the darkness (John 3:19).
After worship and the sermon we shared in a meal of hot chili hot and rolls and then we started praying with people. A minister shared the Gospel with an older man but he said he wasn’t ready to ask Jesus to be Lord of his life. It can seem bizarre to someone who loves the Savior to see others reject Him. But men love the darkness. We will continue to pray that God would reach this person.
One lady, who had thrown her drugs away a few weeks back, was so excited to share that she hadn’t started using them again. She was so happy that the demons weren’t speaking to her anymore!
When a minister asked one man about salvation the man stated that he was in town to set things right for the country. He didn’t seem to understand that he also needed a Savior.
A lady that we hadn’t met before kept laughing hysterically without any reason. We were able to provide some small items for her but whether she remembers she has them is another thing. We are praying that she comes back and has clarity.
One man, who hadn’t ever been at the corner before, after hearing about Jesus, asked Jesus to save him. Praise God!
A man, who has been to the corner before and always rejected putting his trust in Christ, said that he was worried about hell and the rapture. The minister shared with him that Jesus came to seek and save the lost and if he asked Jesus to save him he wouldn’t have to be afraid. He stated that if the rapture happens then he will make a choice. The minister shared with him that it could be too late then. This man then asked a minister what he thought of a Muhammad. The minister share that he isn’t alive and didn’t rise from the dead to save him from his sins only Jesus did. It seems clear from listening to this man talk that Jesus has been trying to shine His glorious light into his heart, but sadly, once again this man rejected Christ. Please join us in praying that he would see the light and listen to the Holy Spirit speaking to him.
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. Terrible times allow the light of Christ to shine through each one of us in greater ways!
Love,
Steve and Donna
3/19/22
Jeremiah said, “If I tell you the truth, you will kill me. And if I give you advice, you won’t listen to me anyway.” So Zedekiah secretly promised him, “As surely as the LORD our Creator lives, I will not kill you or hand you over to the men who want you dead.” Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “This is what the LORD God of Heavens Armies, the God of Israel, says: “If you surrender to the Babylonian officers, you and your family will live and the city will not be burned down. But if you refuse to surrender, you will not escape! This city will be hand over to the Babylonians and they will burn it to the ground.” Jeremiah 38:15-18
If Zedekiah had really believed in God, he would have followed the directions that God had given him through Jeremiah. What is a disciple of Jesus Christ? A disciple of Christ is someone who follows Jesus and is a witness to what Jesus has done.
Jesus said to the people who believed in Him, “You are truly My disciples if you remain faithful to My teachings. John 8:31
When you produce much fruit, you are My true disciples. This brings great glory to My Father. John 15:8
What I tell you now in the darkness, shout abroad when daybreak comes. What I whisper in your ear, shout from the housetops for all to hear! Matthew 10:27
Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Matthew 28:19-20
When one of you says, “I am a follower of Paul, and another says, “I follow Apollos,” aren’t you acting just like people of the world? After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It’s not important who does the planting or who does the watering. What’s important is that God make the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. 1 Corinthians 3:4-8
Now is not the time for Christians to run for cover as the world seems to be imploding around us. We are to run to the fight (spiritual fight), shout at daybreak and from the roof tops the truth of what Jesus has said. He promised that these times would come and He has called us to a time such as this!
As we pulled up to the street corner, one older man jumped on the bus to tell one of the ministers that what he had prayed for him the week before had worked. This man has been suffering with bitterness and he felt for maybe the first time in a long time that he had been freed from that!
During the sermon, the pastor had to stop about three times while sirens were blaring. We also heard what sounded like rapid gun fire several times during the day.
One lady who has been to the street corner off and on for the last six month had a clarity that we had never seen in her. The minister was able to share the Gospel with her one more time and she asked Jesus to save her!
A man from the mission asked if we were the same people who were across the street when the Nativity House was just up the hill. The minister told him we were and that was some years ago.
This man and his friend said that up at the Rescue Mission at 3:00am in the morning they were praising Jesus and then they were so blessed that they were able to attend a church service.
The man that had asked for prayer to have hope last week showed up for the service and he seemed to leave with hope and peace today.
A man that had never heard the Gospel before, after the minister shared it with him, left a new creation and the change on his face was visible. The Light was shining through him! Thank you Jesus!
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission.
We are in this spiritual battle together and Jesus is still in control!
Love,
Steve and Donna
3/12/22
We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind. Yet no one calls on Your name or pleads with You for mercy. Therefore, You have turned away from us and turned us over to our sins. And yet O LORD, You are our Father. We are the clay, and You are the potter. We all are formed by Your hand. Isaiah 64:6-8
Then the angel showed me Jeshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD. The Accuser, Satan, was there at the angel’s right hand, making accusations against Jeshua. And the LORD said to Satan, “I, the LORD, reject your accusations, Satan. Yes, the LORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebukes you. This man is like a burning stick that has been snatched from the fire. Jeshua’s clothing was filthy as he stood there before the angel. So the angel said to the others standing there, “Take off his filthy clothes.” And turning to Jeshua he said, “See, I have taken away your sins, and now I am giving you these fine new clothes.” Zechariah 3:1-4
So often, people that show up on the street corner have given up all hope. They have given into the lie that life for them can never be different. But they are so wrong. As Jesus does with each person that puts their trust in Him, He removes our filthy clothes and puts fine new clothes on us and life is never the same! But this change only happens by God’s Holy Spirit speaking to an individual.
Join us in praying for the homeless that the Holy Spirit would quicken their hearts to hear His voice.
Right after the worship and sermon today a person who struggles with anger walked over to a minister and asked for prayer. Someone has been getting into his camp and stealing his things and rather than get angry he just wanted to pray about it. Thank you Jesus for showing this man a better way to deal with his anger!
During the prayer times one man shared that he had broken his collar bone. He had fallen as he often does when he is drinking. There have been times in his life that he was seeking Jesus with all his heart and staying away from the alcohol, but being surrounded with ‘friends’ that drink made it easy for him to walk right back into it and forget all the healing that Jesus had done in his life. We will continue to pray that Jesus would pour out mercy on him again.
One man shared that he had just got a job at Subway. This man has worked off and on since we met him about five years ago but not having a permanent home makes it very difficult to stay in one job for very long. He also struggles with relationships and so when he does have housing he ends up losing it after a time. We are praying that he would take his hands off the wheel and let Jesus take over.
A man that struggles with drug addiction told a minister that he felt possessed. This man asked Jesus to save him about four years ago and we see growth in him but when he continues to open a door through drug addiction, he will continue to struggle.
Please join us in praying that Jesus would set him free of the drugs and he would walk out the new life that God has given him.
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. We are praying that Jesus would give us all eyes to see the new clothes that He has placed on us and we would walk in that holiness.
Love,
Steve and Donna
2/26/22
But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, “I believed in God, so I spoke.” We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to Himself together with you. All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory. That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.
2 Corinthians 4:13-16
So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. For we live by believing and not by seeing. Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please Him. For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body. 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 5:6-11
Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that 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 5:14-15
Christians are saved by faith but our faith leads us to tell others about Jesus. Our life and works will be judged for its eternal value.
Today was a different day on the street corner. There wasn’t as many people walking around as we normally see partly due to one of the huge camps being cleaned out and people finding other places to camp.
As we set up for coffee and prayer after the worship and sermon one younger man came and sat down for a few minutes. A couple of the ministers tried to talk with him but looked right through them as though they weren’t even there.
Another younger man walked by and was offered some coffee and as with the other young man, he just stared off into the distance as though there wasn’t anyone else around. Later in the day this same young man walked by again and a minister offered him some food but the same look of complete emptiness stared back at the minister.
After sharing sandwiches that one of the ministers had brought out and prayer with the people at the corner we decided to drive around and hand out the rest of the sandwiches.
One man after receiving a sandwich asked for prayer for hope. He said he had placed his faith in Jesus long ago. As the ministers talked and prayed for him, he seemed to realize that to stay hopeful he needed to be in fellowship with other believers. We are praying that he is in a church tomorrow.
As we drove down the street we saw the one of the younger men that had walked by earlier. We yelled over to him as we stopped at the stop sign and asked if he would like a sandwich. At that moment he seemed to snap out of the dense fog that he was in and came and got a sandwich. Sadly, as we handed the sandwich out to him a car started honking behind us and we didn’t have time to minister to him. We are trusting God, that the sandwich will be a seed planted for a harvest at another time.
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. We know that God has placed us in a field that is ripe for harvest and God will be glorified!
Love,
Steve and Donna
Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering that you are. 1 Peter 5:8-9
And don’t sin by letting anger control you. Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil. Ephesians 4:26-27
Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness instead, expose them. Ephesians 5:11
Many who became believers confessed their sinful practices. A number of them who had been practicing sorcery brought their incantation books and burned them at a public bonfire. The value of the books was several million dollars. So the message about the Lord spread widely and had a powerful effect. Acts 19:19-20
During worship today a lady who has placed her trust in Jesus and struggles with demonic influences, let out an ear shattering screech. The ministers prayed quietly to themselves and reclaimed that street corner for Jesus and for His power and holiness to come over each person.
During the sermon it seemed as if every five minutes a car would come by screeching its tires or revving its engine. But praise God, one man who usually doesn’t show up till the end of the day or if he shows up early, ends up leaving early, even with all the distractions, stayed for the worship and the sermon. He has placed his trust in Jesus but he needs to mature in Christ and staying for the sermon is part of that learning process.
As we were setting up for prayer and coffee, a minister saw a man hand the lady that screeched during the worship some drugs. The minister confronted them both and made very clear that if that every happened again that they would be asked to leave and they wouldn’t receive anything food or clothing from us. The lady told the man that she didn’t want to stop. The man that handed the lady the drugs left.
During the prayer times the minister shared with the lady that received the drugs that she was opening a door to the demonic in her life. The minister shared with this lady that many of the problems in her life were due to this door being open in her life. The lady said she wanted to be free of the demonic influence in her life and she walked over and threw the drugs in the trash! God is so good! Thank you Jesus! Please join us in praying for her that the Holy Spirit would strengthen her.
One man who loves Jesus but struggles with alcohol shared with a minister that he wasn’t going to forgive his dad. The minister explained to him that his unforgiveness was only hurting himself. The minister shared with him that he was leaving an open door for Satan to work in his life while he held on to unforgiveness. We are praying that this man would forgive his dad and start the healing process that only God can do. Until he does, he will continue to make excuses for the reason that he drinks. This man really seems ready for change in his life, please join us in praying that he would repent of his anger and forgive his dad and start to heal.
A lady showed up at the end of the day and she was pregnant but before any of the ministers could speak with her she had left. We are praying that God would lead her to a safe place and that she would hear the truth of God’s love.
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. We are praying that this is a new season of seeing glimpses of the book of Acts lived out!
Love,
Steve and Donna
2/12/22
Godliness makes a nation great, but sin is a disgrace to any people. Proverbs 14:34
You push away every thought of coming disaster, but your actions only bring the day of judgement closer. How terrible for you who sprawl on ivory beds and lounge on your couches, eating the meat of tender lambs from the flock and of choice calves fattened in the stall. You sing trivial songs to the sound of the harp and fancy yourselves to be great musicians like David. You drink wine by the bowlful and perfume yourselves with fragrant lotions. You care nothing about the ruin of your nation.
Amos 6:3-6
Your leaders are like wolves who tear apart their victims. They actually destroy people’s lives for money! Ezekiel 22:27
Even common people oppress the poor, rob the needy, and deprive foreigners of justice. I looked for some who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one. Ezekiel 22:29-30
And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, for its welfare will determine you welfare. Jeremiah 29:7
Where ever God has placed His children, we are called to pray for the prosperity of that place. In America we have too many leaders that don’t believe in Jesus and won’t work to prosper the country or the people in the country. There will be a day that these people have to answer for their actions but until then we need to lift up our nation and its leaders in prayer.
Allowing drugs to pour over the boarder makes the drugs easier to get and cheaper. Many of the people on the street start using drugs when they are young children and by the time we meet them on the street corner their lives and the lives of their relatives have been destroyed.
Today the sun was shining brightly and after setting up like we normally do everyone moved their chairs into the sunshine and we all gathered into a kind of circle to hear an amazing message on repentance.
During the prayer times one man opened up and shared that he was dealing with fear. After the prayer time this man looked like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders and a peace had come over his face.
A lady that has been struggling with her daughter’s health because of drug addiction wanted prayer for her daughter. After prayer she left the corner with a smile and she almost never smiles.
A man that had just come back from Yakima told a minister that even with the violence that goes on here, he felt safer in Tacoma than in Yakima. He said the gangs, because of the rise in drugs, seemed to have taken over parts of Yakima.
Please join us in praying for God’s mercy to be poured out on the homeless. There is so much violence right now on the streets and along with the drugs, getting God’s truth to them can be difficult.
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God fill you with peace and joy.
Love,
Steve and Donna
1/29/22
People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!
James 3:7-10
A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. Luke 6:45
Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowances for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. Ephesians 4:2-3
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness. James 3:17-18
As we started setting up the chairs for the worship and sermon, one man saw another man coming up the street and said, “Here comes the devil.” The man that said this is a believer and he has been trying to stay close to God. Right after he said that about the other man he realized that wasn’t what God would want him to say and he repented.
Before we started worship a very young lady came up that we hadn’t met before. With the same breathe she was praising God and then cursing God. When the worship music started she couldn’t be heard over the worship music and decided to leave. We are praying that she would come back and come to know the Savior.
During the worship music a man showed up that we hadn’t seen before and started talking to a lady and her daughter. The minister welcomed him to stay for the worship and sermon but he left. The minister could tell that when he started talking to the daughter, who is an addict, the mother became upset. We are praying that this man would come back and have a Holy Spirit conviction and would turn from evil.
With the weather being so cold this week, everyone really enjoyed the hot pulled pork barbequed sandwiches that we took out.
As one man asked for some warm clothing he was smiling and grateful for the provisions but when the minister started praying for him, he broken down crying. He stated he was tired of this life style. This man is a believer but the drugs have brought him nothing but evil. After praying with this man the minister shared that to him it might seem that things were bad but that to God, who doesn’t despise a broken and contrite heart, there was no better attitude to have than repenting and asking God to rescue him from the drugs. Please join us in praying for this man that God would deliver him from addiction.
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God make His face shine upon you and bless you!
Love,
Steve and Donna
But as He came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, He began to weep. How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes. Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side. They will crush you into the ground and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not accept your opportunity for salvation. Luke 19:41-44
Our hearts break over the lost. We know the way to peace and pray that they would turn to Jesus before the way of peace is hidden from their eyes.
Dear heavenly Father use our broken hearts to light a fire in any area of passivity and burn it to chaff. Lost souls need us to stand in the gap.
Today as we headed to the street corner, along with praying for the lost we prayed for God to send His people out in this nation to reach the lost.
During the worship the amplifier started cutting out and during the sermon it just finally quit working altogether.
Towards the end of the sermon some people showed up to hand out backpacks full of things for the homeless. While we don’t enjoy having the sermon interrupted, we knew that God was answering our prayer to send His people out!
We pray that they would continue to go out but know that the greatest famine is of God’s word being shared, not the lack of physical items.
One man kind of chuckled when asking for some warm clothing and shoes. He said that most places don’t have his size. After he received a size 15 shoes, 42 pants and a 4xl sweatshirt he couldn’t stop smiling and praising Jesus. He was stunned that God had provided for him.
A lady who we hadn’t met before was asked if Jesus would welcome her into heaven. She said that she hoped He would. The minister shared the Good News with her that Jesus paid the price for her sins and that she could ask Him to save her. She left the street corner with warm clothing, a Bible and knowing that her sins were forgiven!
When one man walked up one of the ministers went over and gave him a big hug. The minister knew him from about six years ago. This man had a wife and children. He became angry at God when his family fell apart and is now on the streets and doing drugs. The minister just allowed this man to ‘verbally throw up all over him.’ The man said that he no longer believed in God and some other things. We don’t know what happened to his family but we do know that many times whether do to our own sin or those around us, God allows bad things to take place. But we also know that He will help us through everything we go through and use it for good. Please join us in praying for this man who is so torn up inside and needs to have God touch and heal his heart. And may this be a good reminder to all of us in the family of God to encourage those around us that are struggling.
Toward the end of the day a lady came up wearing shorts. It was only about thirty-seven degrees out. Her hands were stained black by dirt she said it was because she picks up garbage. She said she believes in Jesus, that He takes care of her. After prayer she left having long pants and warm clothing. Please join us in praying that God would give her clarity and provide for her in ways she probably doesn’t know she needs.
One lady that showed up right before we loaded up to leave, when asked if she was going to heaven stated she was because she was a good person. After the minister explained to her what the Bible says and that only God is good she asked Jesus to save her!
What crazy busy wonderful day! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission! May God bless you with a fresh revelation of His love.
Love,
Steve and Donna
1/15/22
But if I say I’ll never mention the LORD or speak in His name, His word burns in my heart like a fire. It’s like a fire in my bones! I am worn out trying to hold it in! I can’t do it! Jeremiah 20:9
“There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus. But since they could see the man who had been healed standing right there among them, there was nothing the council could say. So they ordered Peter and John out of the council chamber and conferred among themselves. “What should we do with these men?” they asked each other. “We can’t deny that they have performed a miraculous sign, and everybody in Jerusalem knows about it. But to keep them from spreading their propaganda any further, we must warn them not to speak to anyone in Jesus name again.” So they called the apostles back in and commanded them never to speak or teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than Him? We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.” Acts 4:12-20
When we have been in the presence of God, the Holy Spirit will pour out and shine through us and there is nothing that can keep us from speaking about it!
But it seems that many Christians live in a kind of hopelessness that things are bad and only getting worse in the world and they just need to hang on until Jesus comes back.
While that is true, it gives us an even greater reason to rejoice in the opportunities to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.
It does cost, it cost our time. We have to be willing to stop what we thought we needed to do and accomplish and take time to listen to what someone for instance at a cash register is saying and look for the opening to share why we have hope. We need to be willing to say more than have a nice day. We have to be willing to interrupt the entire line of people behind us because the person behind the counter needs to hear about Jesus.
It’s time for believers to raise a holy commotion with the Gospel!
We don’t need to be loud, obnoxious or pushy, but honest, compassionate and bold.
Today as the sermon was ending, a younger man came running up the street and grabbed onto the ten foot cross that we place in front of the bus. He seemed to find a moment of peace as he held onto the cross. As the ministers started setting up the coffee table, one minister noticed that this young man was banishing an axe. The minister went over to him and explained that while he was there he needed to put the axe away. (Others from the street community were getting anxious) The young man said he needed to protect the corner and then said he needed to go find his coin. He had slipped back into the agitated state that he was in before he grabbed ahold of the cross and sadly he left that way. We will be praying that he comes back and lays all of his burdens at the foot of the cross and leaves them there.
During the prayer times one lady said she wanted to go on a vacation. The minister prayed that she would continue to seek out Jesus and that the peace that she thinks might come from a vacation, can come in a much greater way in the presence of God.
A man who has been dealing with cancer shared that he was in remission. Thank you Jesus! He was praising Jesus and thankful for the food and some shoes and continued to praise God the entire time he was there.
One younger man shared with the minister that he was dealing with anger. The minister was able to pray with him and break off any curses that had been coming against him. We will continue to pray that God would free him from the demonic influences of the street community.
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission! Now is not the time to be silent, now is the time to raise a holy commotion with the Gospel!
Love,
Steve and Donna
Then He told John’s disciples, “Go back to John and tell him what you have seen and heard-the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor. And tell him, ‘God blesses those who do not turn away because of Me.’” Luke 7:22-23
When Jesus showed up, many commentaries state that the Jewish people were expecting a political leader someone like King David who would restore Israel to its former glory. Even John was unsure of Jesus when things weren’t going the way he thought they should. And who could blame him after sitting in jail.
We should never limit our expectations of what God is doing by our own imagination of what we think He should be doing, we will end up missing so much!
When one of the ministers parked at the corner today, there were some men doing some survey work on the street. The minister shared with them that we were going to have a church service and they were welcome. They had to continue in their work but we are hoping that they were able to enjoy the worship and the sermon while they worked.
While providing for some physical needs, one older man asked for some boots. The minister told him that they were women’s boots and way too small for him because he had tried them on before. He demanded that the minister give him the boots and he was told no, so he walked over to the coffee table swearing, yelling and waving his arms around. A man that was getting some coffee tried to talk to him and calm him down but wasn’t getting through. But then something amazing happened and the man that was yelling went over and asked a minister for prayer. The minister could tell that the man that was yelling was truly broken over his own behavior. After praying with the minister, the other minister that had told him he couldn’t have the boots that were too small called him back over and was able to find him some boots that fit.
After providing a sleeping bag, warm gloves and clothing to a man that hadn’t been to the corner before, the minister asked if he knew whether he was going to go to heaven. The man dropped his head and stated firmly no. The minister started to tell him of the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ, but he walked off and didn’t want to hear it. We will continue to pray that God would bring him back and he would come to know that there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.
With the wet, cold weather we were thankful that we could provide so much warm dry clothing and sleeping bags. The physical items are needed by the homeless but we know that the greater need is for each one to know Jesus intimately and that is our prayer!
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
12/18/21
There is a lot of talk today about ‘just have faith’ or ‘just believe’. The problem is ‘what’ are you placing your belief or faith in?
Then a man named Jairus, a leader of the local synagogue, came and fell at Jesus feet, pleading with Him to come home with him. His only daughter, who was about twelve years old, was dying. As Jesus went with Him, He was surrounded by the crowds. A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding, and she could find no cure. Coming up behind Jesus, she touched the fringe of His robe. Immediately, the bleeding stopped. “Who touched Me?” Jesus asked. Everyone denied it, and Peter said, “”Master, this whole crowd is pressing up against You.” But Jesus said, “Someone deliberately touched Me, for I felt healing power go out from Me.” When the woman realized that she could not stay hidden, she began to tremble and fell to her knees in front of Him. The whole crowd heard her explain why she had touched Him and that she had been immediately healed. “Daughter”, He said to her, “your faith has made you well. Go in peace.” While He was still speaking to her, a messenger arrived from the home of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. He told him, “Your daughter is dead. There is no use troubling the Teacher now.” But when Jesus heard what had happened, He said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith, and she will be healed.” Luke 8:41-50
It can be very easy to misuse the phrase ‘just have faith’, or ‘just believe’ to mean that everything that you want, will happen. That is not Christian faith. A believer’s faith is that Jesus is good and has the best for us and our loved ones, even when it is what we might consider the worst.
In the street community it there are many different religions being spread. When we speak to people about Jesus we try to make it as clear as possible because like so many people everywhere the street community likes to take bits and pieces from different religions to make up their own.
Today during the sermon a car sped by blasting the horn the entire time it went by. As we looked over we could see that the person in the car was wearing a ski mask that covered the entire face except the eyes. The car then pulled into one of the businesses across from where we park. We thought maybe it was an employee that just didn’t like that fact that we were there. But a few minutes went by and then the car pulled out of the parking lot while two security guards ran after it. The car was swerving all over the road as it headed into Pacific Avenue.
Please join us in praying that God would protect the businesses downtown. The police showed up a little later. Please join us in praying for the police that care for so many people and are so shorthanded.
Things seemed to calm down by the time we were sharing a Christmas soup with the street community.
During the prayer times one man shared that he just needed some things to help out with his girlfriend. After talking with him for a while, the minister realized that what this man needed was to recommit his life to Christ. The man prayed and recommitted his life to Jesus and the minister gave him a Bible that was in updated language that would make it easier for him to understand.
While talking with a minister a man shared that he just took bits of what he wanted from all different religions. The minister shared different Scriptures with this man praying that they would cause conviction that would lead to repentance. Finally, the minister explained to this man that none of the other religions claim that their ‘god’ died for them. Only Jesus died for the sins of the world. Sadly this man left still confused. We will continue to pray that the Holy Spirit would bring him back and we can once again share the truth.
As the ministers were praying with people and serving coffee, someone in a SUV stopped suddenly in the road and yelled out the window, “Thank you Jesus that there are people out telling others about you”.
A man that we only see once in a great while showed up. He came to get some soup and warm clothing. But before leaving he recommitted his life to Jesus.
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God bless you with every spiritual gift that will bring glory to His Name!
Love,
Steve and Donna
There are many ideas about changing a drug addict’s behavior. Many people believe that they just need a place to live and others think that if they just show the addict love and teach them what is good that will change them.
Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put My Spirit in you so that you will follow My decrees and be careful to obey My regulations.
Ezekiel 36:25-27
Yes, I am the vine you are the branches. Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.
John 15:5
The power of the Lord was with them, and a large number of these Gentiles believed and turned to the Lord.
Acts 11:21
Confess you sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.
James 5:16
What the drug addicts need is a new tender responsive heart, like any unsaved person. They need prayer warriors to stand in the gap for them.
Right now the meth that many of the homeless use in Tacoma is being laced with fentanyl which makes the drug much more addictive if that is possible and much more deadly and has become much easier to get.
As we gather together with friends and family to celebrate the birth of our Savior, let’s remember to lift up those that are so bound up in addiction that they can’t see beyond the drug to reach out for Christ, and all the other people that don’t know or care that Jesus was born to save them from their sin.
Heading out to the street corner the rain was pouring down. But while we set up for the day it seemed that for a brief moment the rain was held back. When it started to pour again, the awning was put out.
The people that were there had to squeeze together as another person showed up.
One person started getting upset. He doesn’t like being too close to other people so after throwing his pack around a few times and jerking his chair back and forth, he ended up standing outside the awning. One of the ministers took an umbrella and held it over him, but he wasn’t grateful for that and stormed off. He didn’t go far and came back to get coffee and prayer. We will continue to pray that God would transform him into that new creation.
During the sermon one lady who shows up once in a while was down two blocks in the middle of the street screaming at the top of her lungs. She wasn’t dressed warm and she was drenched. Later she came up the street but trying to speak to her was impossible because she was completely controlled by whatever drug she was on. As much as we would have loved to help her with some warm clothes it wasn’t possible. Please join us in praying that she would be set free of the addiction and would put her trust in Jesus.
A man that we hadn't seen for a while shared during the prayer times that his niece had died. The minister knew about his niece dying because one of his friends had told the minister a few weeks ago. We will continue to pray God’s comfort for this man.
Thank you to all you prayer warriors out there and to everyone that donates to The Street Corner Commission. We pray that God would bless and encourage you that all you does make a difference.
Love,
Steve and Donna
11/27/21
Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from Him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.
Ephesians 4:21-22
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2
Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like Him.
Colossians 3:10
Put on your new nature, created to be like God-truly righteous and holy.
Ephesians 4:24
So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. Romans 8:6
It is very easy for someone who is homeless to allow the sinful nature to control them because of all the difficult situations they face constantly.
But the Bible warns us who have homes, clothing and food that it is just as easy for us to allow our sinful nature to corrupt our life.
Today we set up the awning and everyone huddled under it to stay out of the rain.
After worship and the sermon we shared a Thanksgiving lunch with the street community.
An older man that was visibly angry, told a minister that he just needed to tell Satan to get behind him.
As people were being served, one person walked up and the minister asked if he would like some soup. He yelled, “Yes of course” so loudly he could have been heard half a mile away. He went on to speak some very demonic things as he took his soup and walked away. It is so very sad to see someone controlled by an evil spirit.
Please join us in praying that God would deliver him.
One younger man was going to walk by but a minister called him over. After having some hot soup, one of the ministers started listening to his story. This younger man shared that he was searching out other religions, even though he was a Christian. He also shared some of the things that were going on with his family. After listening to him, the minister started to pray for him and as he prayed the young man repented from chasing after other religions. By the time he was ready to leave he was telling the other ministers that he needed to start going to church again! Amen. We will continue to pray that he would allow the Holy Spirit to control his mind.
A lady who likes to get some clothes and then takes off before the ministers can pray with her was surprised when one of the ministers started praying for her while getting some of the items that the lady needed.
During the prayer times one man shared that he had just got into the mission at night. He said he needed to control his anger so he didn’t get kicked out. He was thanking God that he had gotten into the mission, so the minster told him when he started feeling the anger rise up in him to replace the anger with a grateful heart for all God had done for him, like getting him into the mission.
Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are His dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered Himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes-these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.
Ephesians 5:1-4
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. Please pray that hearts would be broken over their separation from God and that the people that have put their trust in Christ would put away anything that would keep them from knowing Him better.
Love,
Steve and Donna
11/20/21
In late summer and fall we were able to go a few places we hadn’t been in a long time. We took a walk around the Nisqually reserve, a short hike at the experimental forest in Eatonville and a drive along the Columbia River. We were mesmerized by the beauty of God’s creation.
Since the beginning of time, people have been drawn to the beauty of what God created. As believers we can feel even closer to God because we glimpse aspects of His character in the amazing things He has created, from the tiniest insect to the tallest mountain and how it all fits perfectly together and even more amazing we are a part of that beautiful picture as we work together to glorify God.
Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through Him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see-such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through Him and for Him.
Colossians 1:16
And having chosen them, He called then to come to Him. And having called them, He gave them right standing with Himself. And having given them right standing, He gave them His glory.
Romans 8:30
With all the rain we have had lately, as we drove to the street corner we were thanking God that it was supposed to be dry so that the street community wouldn’t get drenched as they listened to God’s word.
During the prayer times one man went over to the coffee table and grabbed the box of wipes that we keep to clean the table. The minister told him he could have a few but we needed to be able to clean the table. The man started to fly into a rage but thankfully he seemed to get ahold of himself. This man does more harm to himself when he flies into a rage and gives himself over to be influenced by Satan. We will continue to pray that he would understand how much God loves him and has a better path for him to take then losing his temper.
One lady that shows up most Saturdays on the corner wanted some things off the bus. After the minister helped her get some of the things she needed, the minister shared with her that the fulfillment she was seeking in things that she didn’t really need but just wanted could only be found in seeking out Jesus. This lady has put her trust in Christ but until she has a clear revelation of a relationship with Jesus, she will continue to seek out fulfillment in other ways. We will preserve in prayer for the Holy Spirit to give her that desire.
One man who just happened to go up the street while we were there stopped to see about getting a few things off the bus and as he waited a minister prayed down holy fire on him. His countenance change after the prayer and he left without getting anything physical but seeming to know that what he had received was so much more important.
As we see the beauty of fall, we also see the beauty that God has placed in each person, especially those He has called His own.
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. We pray that you would know that you are beautifully created to bring glory to the King!
Love,
Steve and Donna
No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God - His plan that was previously hidden, even though He made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. But the rulers of this world have not understood it if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord. That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him.” But it was to us that God revealed these things by His Spirit. For His Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.
1 Corinthians 2:7-12
God has revealed the greatest mystery in human history to followers of Christ that Jesus lived, died and was resurrected.
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. As God’s partners, we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it. For God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you. Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.
2 Corinthians 5:21-6:2
God has placed us in a country of opportunity and a time of great need. So many people in this country don’t know their greatest need, Jesus they don’t understand that He is what life is about. Let’s encourage each other not to be distracted by the cares of the world and give up the greater for the lesser.
Thank you to everyone that was praying for one of the ministers who had covid. He is completely healed and was back on the street with us today!
Today was a difficult day. No, not because someone was carrying demons or just someone having a difficult time. Today was difficult because there weren’t many people there, not that we wouldn’t go for that one person because we would, but the people that did show up were people that have put their trust in Jesus and yet, there seems to be very little interest in the Savior.
During the prayer times one lady asked for a Bible which she was given. This is probably the fourth Bible she has been given this year. But it seems that she isn’t interested in actually reading it herself. We will continue to pray for the Holy Spirit to cause conviction that would lead her to that closer walk with God.
One man shared during the prayer times that he no longer wanted to be at the rescue mission because they don’t have the Christian TV station on and just play movies. This man has times where he seems to draw closer to God but he hasn’t grown in his walk with Jesus. We are praying that he would really want to know Jesus.
One of the ministers sat down with one younger man and read Scripture to him during the prayer times. Please join us in praying that this younger man would retain what was read to him and it would minister to his heart and draw him closer to Christ.
God has given His children the greatest and most important mission on this earth. The only mission that can bring fruit that will last into eternity. Don’t give up, we as children of God have the message of reconciliation with God, the only message that matters.
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May the Holy Spirit send you encouragement by opening your eyes to see all the ways that Jesus is working through you!
Love,
Steve and Donna
10/30/21
All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. Hebrews 11:13
Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated. They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground. All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God promised. For God had something better in mind for us, so they would not reach perfection without us. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting Him, He endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now He is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Hebrews 11:36-12:2
No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Philippians 3:13
Out on the street we are blessed to see many people put their trust in Christ. There are many more people we pray for that haven’t made that choice but we remain hopeful that there will be a day when they acknowledge that they will be brought to that place of faith in Jesus. So we keep our eyes on Jesus and continue to share the awesome Good News that believers have been entrusted with.
Please join us in praying for God’s healing for one of our ministers who has covid.
As we were preparing for Saturday, we kept watching the weather reports and knew that it was going to be cold and started loading up warm clothing on the bus.
The Thursday before we headed out, we had some wonderfully warm donations come in that we put on the bus!
Last night the temperature dropped into the twenties. We were thanking God that we were taking out a hot meal as we headed to the street corner.
As we started the worship music one minister showed up that we hadn’t seen in a long time with donations. And right after he showed up the man that started a ministry in Olympia stopped by to drop off donations. God cares so much about the needs of each person and He never forgets the homeless.
Each person that needed warm clothing or blankets was provided for and of course most importantly, we shared that Jesus loved them and had a plan and purpose for their life.
During the prayer times one man shared that he was reading his Bible and had put his trust in Jesus alone for his salvation. Even though we didn’t get to witnesses him asking Jesus to save him, we rejoiced with the angels to know that he has trusted Christ! He went on to talk about some of the verses in the Bible and really seemed to have a good understanding of what he was reading. Praise God!
One lady who we have been praying for a long time, needed some warm clothing. As the minister helped her with clothing, the minister kept turning the conversation back to Jesus and what He has done for us all. The lady continued to talk nonsense and bolted during the prayer time. We will keep praying for her.
Another lady who we have only met once before needed a first aid kit and warm clothing. She also was talking nonsense as the minister tried to share the Gospel with her but she stayed for prayer and we know that God’s word doesn’t go void.
A younger man showed up toward the end of the day. He was curious why we were there. When the minister told him, he went on to say that he had recently left the new life program at the mission. He said he didn’t want to go back because people would think that he just wanted to be inside with winter starting. The minister shared the story of the prodigal son with him and told him that Christians feel the same way about welcoming someone back who has stumbled. We are praying that he returns to the program and that the Holy Spirit would give him the strength he needs to finish.
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. We pray that God would strengthen each of you to run the race with endurance during these challenging times!
Love,
Steve and Donna
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice-the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves by the faith God has given us. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. In His grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them pray that God will bless them. Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Romans 12:1-18
After the worship and sermon a man from the street community wanted to read Romans 12:1-18 to the ministers. After reading this Scripture, he stated, “This is what this ministry does.” What a blessing!
During the prayer times one younger lady who we don’t see very often needed some clothes. As much as the minister tried to direct this lady’s attention to what Jesus has done and the deeper need she had for Christ, the lady walked away as confused as she came. We will continue to pray that the Holy Spirit would descend on her in power and bring her to faith in Christ.
A man that we don’t see very often except when he is in need of clothing showed up. This man placed his trust in Jesus a few years ago and walked in faith for a year or so but it seems he has stumbled. We will continue to pray that God would pour out His mercy on him and he would find the straight and narrow path God has for him.
Towards the end of the day a car pulled up right in front of the bus. A man came up who we hadn’t seen in a long time. This man came out to minister with us about eight years ago and God placed in him a burden for the homeless. He wanted to share that he is now running a ministry in Olympia that takes an old aid car out to reach the homeless! Thank you Jesus!
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May the lost everywhere see in God’s people Romans 12!
Love,
Steve and Donna
10/16/21
So they arrived at the other side of the lake, in the region of the Gerasenes. When Jesus climbed out of the boat, a man possessed by an evil spirit came out from a cemetery to meet Him. This man lived among the burial caves and could no longer be restrained, even with a chain. Whenever he was put into chains and shackles-as he often was-he snapped the chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Day and night he wandered among the burial caves and in the hills, howling and cutting himself with sharp stones. When Jesus was still some distance away, the man saw Him, ran to meet Him, and bowed low before Him. With a shriek, he screamed, “Why are You interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In the name of God, I beg You, don’t torture me!” For Jesus had already said to the spirit, “Come out of the man, you evil spirit.” Then Jesus demanded, “What is your name?” And he replied, “My name is Legion, because there are many of us inside this man.” Then the evil spirits begged Him again and again not to send them to some distant place. There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby. “Send us into those pigs,” the spirits begged. “Let us enter them.” So Jesus gave them permission. The evil spirits came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd of 2000 pigs plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water. The herdsmen fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran. People rushed out to see what had happened. A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons. He was sitting there fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid. Then those who had seen what happened told the others about the demon-possessed man and the pigs. And the crowd began pleading with Jesus to go away and leave them alone. Mark 5:1-17
The people of this region were more concerned over their livelihood (money) then they were with a man that was created in the image of God. We know this still happens today.
But there are many people today in our country that know their Savior and are giving up their careers and source of income to stand with God and this should encourage all of us! There is a coach, a florist, a baker and the list goes on.
When we see so many dark clouds on the horizon, let’s keep our eyes on Jesus and lift up the saints that are standing against evil and remember that there might come a time that we might face the same choices.
Today at the street corner one lady was tormented. Sadly as two ministers lifted her up in prayer without even going near her, she ran off. This lady is created in the image of God and is created with a purpose for her life. We are praying that just like the demon possessed man in Mark, she would submit her life to Jesus and be set free.
One older man who is there most weekends was having a difficult time. He was waving his hands around and swearing under his breath. During the prayer time the minister shared with him that being angry doesn’t help him at all and that it is Satan lying to him. At this the older man remembered that he needed to put Satan behind him and not lose his temper because he knew that nothing good came out of his anger. Amen. We’ve seen God bring so much growth to this man we are praying that he remembers all God has done for him.
One younger man shared how he had just started working. He is staying at the mission and was so grateful that God had provided him with the opportunity to work. We are praying that God would guide him to a permanent living place but most important we are praying that he would continue to stay close to Jesus.
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God give us eyes to see the image He has placed in each and every person.
Love,
Steve and Donna
10/9/10
As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what He taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to You that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.” But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42
His disciple came and asked Him, “Why do You use parables when You talk to the people? He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. To those who listen to My teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. That is why I use these parables, For they look, but they don’t really see. They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand. Matthew 13:10-13
Today on the street corner one minister shared that this month is pastor appreciation month.
Each pastor is called to teach the congregation God’s truth and being called to do that they are gifted to be in the place that God has put them. They will also be judged more strictly because of teaching God’s truth (James 3:1).
Pastors spend many hours preparing to share the Bible, not just their mind but their heart as well. As well as all the other things that each pastor does through-out the week for the congregation.
On the street corner there are so many different distractions that come against the time of teaching from sirens, horns and like today someone screaming down the street.
(In a church building there may not be the physical distractions but what about the mental or emotional things that keeps us from hearing God’s truth.)
God has something to say to each individual through the pastor.
Let us all show our appreciation for our pastors by quieting our soul and really listening to what the Holy Spirit wants to speak to us through the pastor. Thank you to our amazing pastors!
As we set up on the street corner today one minister had the street community help to set up. Some of them do most Saturdays but today almost all of them pitched in to help. It was wonderful to see them take some ownership and it was evident that it had an impact on their taking to heart why we are there.
After the minister shared about quieting their souls to really hear what God was speaking to them, the street community seemed to listen attentively to what was preached.
There are always the exceptions and as one person started talking loudly during the sermon one of the ministers went over and stood by him so he would quiet down.
For those of you who were praying for Skippy since we had to call an ambulance for him the last Saturday we were out, thank you! He was back on the street corner serving coffee today. He still needs healing and for the doctors to find out what happened but he desires to serve whenever he can.
One man shared that he and his wife were going to be getting into housing next week. We pray that will happen and that they will stay clean and sober so they can keep their housing once they get it but more importantly they can continue to draw closer to God.
One younger man who listened closely to the sermon shared that he had just recently believed in Jesus. The minister was excited to hear this as the last time they saw him he believed that he could make up his own religion and it would all work out. We are praying that he would stay close to Jesus.
One lady who is staying in the mission shared how she had started a Bible study with some of the other women staying at the mission. Praise God!
A lady that joined us to minister on the street corner today is only able to come out about once or twice a year. Today she was surprised to see how the street community sat down, joined in worship, listened to the sermon and then she was able hear from them the things that God was teaching them. Thank you Jesus! Being there on each Saturday we don’t always recognize the growth that God has provided.
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission.
God give us the ability to quiet our soul and really listen to Your truth.
Love,
Steve and Donna
Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And He chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can boast in the presence of God. God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made Him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God He made us pure and holy, and He freed us from sin. Therefore, as the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the LORD.”1 Corinthians 1:26-31
Just a short letter today.
For those of you who know Skippy, today as he was serving coffee his left arm dropped and he couldn’t move it and he started feeling dizzy. So the firetruck showed up and then the aid car and took him to the hospital. We are praying that God would bring healing to him and that even in this difficult time, Skippy would be able to share Jesus with someone.
The Holy Spirit drew many people to hear the sermon today. People that the world might reject, have a hunger for God’s word.
Two of the people that were there for the sermon had never been at the corner before and they were excited to be with God’s people.
One person who asked Jesus to save him last week was there and the change in him is so amazing! Praise God!
We can’t wait to see some of the street community using the passion that God has placed in them to reach others for the kingdom!
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. Please keep Skippy in your prayers.
Love,
Steve and Donna
www.thestreetcornercommission.org
9/18/21
Jesus climbed into a boat and went back across the lake to His own town. Some people brought to Him a paralyzed man on a mat. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “be encouraged, My child! Your sins are forgiven.” Matthew 9:1-2
On the street corner there are many needs. Some of the physical needs we try and meet with food, clothing and hygiene items.
There are other needs like mental health and physical health that we rely on God to meet by way of prayer.
But the greatest need is for someone to meet Jesus. To know that their sins have been forgiven and we have the awesome privilege of sharing our Savior with them!
We had another amazing day sharing the love of Christ on the streets of Tacoma. It was suppose be raining the entire day but God held back the rain and we even saw the sun peeking through the clouds until the drive home when it started to rain again.
During the sermon two people that have some mental difficulties were talking loudly. A minister stepped in between them without saying a word and that was enough to help them to listen to what was being said. Faith comes by hearing.
One man showed up during the sermon and was very distraught. The minister prayed with him and he left but then came back. He said he believes in Jesus but it seemed he was having a difficult time mentally. We will continue to pray that the Holy Spirit would comfort him and bring him mental clarity.
During the prayer times one lady kept trying to hug one of the men from the street community but then she would start yelling at him the next minute. Finally a minister had to separate the two. The lady then just started laughing demonically. She wouldn’t let the minister pray for her but what she doesn’t understand is that everyone that comes to that corner is going to get prayer whether they know it or not.
Several people that had moved their tents away from under the bridge because of violence were sharing how even with moving many blocks away the violence seems to be growing where they are now. We will continue to pray for their safety.
A man that has shown up a couple of times before showed up at the end of the day. Once again he was acting and speaking in a hideously demonic way. The minister asked him if he was ready to be set free and he said he wanted that. After hearing the Gospel the man asked Jesus to save him and the difference in this man was so incredibly visible! Thank you Jesus that You forgive sin!
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. What an awesome God we serve!
Love,
Steve and Donna
9/11/21
You are the light of the world-like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives the light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. Matthew 5:14-16
Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow Me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” John 8:12
“Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light. But when it is bad, your body is filled with darkness. If you are filled with light with no dark corners, then your whole life will be radiant, as though a floodlight were filling you with light.” Luke 11:34-36
There are many times when we are out on the street corner there is such a great contrast between the light and the darkness.
Right before we headed to the street corner a younger man asked if we knew where he could take a shower. We pointed him to the Tacoma Rescue Mission and then asked if he needed any food. After handing him some food we told him that we heading to the street corner and how to get there. He said he really needed a shower. As we pulled away we saw him sit down to eat the food we had given him and more importantly he picked up the daily bread that was in the care package and was reading it. We are praying that he would put his trust in Jesus.
Today during the sermon the street community really seemed to be hanging on to every word that was spoken.
One lady during the prayer times shared that she was ill and came just for prayer. We will continue to pray for her healing and that God would bring her into that closer walk with Him.
One man shared that he had his clothes and sleeping bag stolen. Even with having lost everything but his tent he was thanking God for all God has done for him.
During the end of the day one man was invited over for some coffee. He got some coffee but stayed somewhat away from everyone. One minister notice that he looked like he had been sleeping in the mud he was so filthy. We are praying that he would come back and come to know the love and mercy of Christ.
At the same time the man that was filthy came up, two other men came up. After the minister shared the Gospel with one man he said, I’ll put my trust in Jesus next week, I promise. The minister shared with this man that at the end of the day when things seem to be going wrong and it seems as if life is collapsing around him to call out to Jesus to rescue him.
The other man that was with the first man after hearing the Gospel told the minister that all he wanted was wisdom and that wisdom came from the devil. The minister tried to point this man to the truth of the Bible but he started riding his bike away in anger and yelling. The minister prayed as he rode away that the Holy Spirit would bring conviction on this man that would lead to repentance. As the minister prayed the man yelled even louder.
The contrast of light and dark was extremely visible and we are praying that the light of Jesus Christ would draw these people back to the corner that are smoldering with the fire of hell and they would come to know the joy of knowing Jesus.
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May your light shine brightly for our Savior!
Love,
Steve and Donna
Yes, He humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to you and your ancestors. He did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alone rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. Deuteronomy 8:3
The Bible is God’s word. When we trust in Jesus one way we learn from Him is reading and studying the Bible.
Today during the sermon a couple men sat down and stayed for the sermon and we could see that they were in agreement with what was being said. After the sermon they got up and left before we could get a chance to meet them. When God’s word is going out it draws His children in, we just can’t help it! It is the bread by which we live.
During the prayer times one man was praising God for all that He had done to repair the relationship with his sister. God loves restoring relationships.
One lady shared how she is continuing to read her Bible and wanting to learn from what it says. Another man shared some of the Scriptures that had been taught on the last couple of weeks and how he had been reading and studying them on his own.
One lady who lost her husband about six months ago was disoriented. She has begun a relationship with a man that isn’t a believer and we are seeing the effects of this relationship in her life. We will continue to pray that Jesus would convict her.
One older man shared that he believed in spiritual things and he seemed to think that he believed in Jesus but he said didn’t believe most of what was written in the Bible. The minister tried to explain to him that if you pick and choose what you want out of the Bible and add to it, you are creating an idol. That isn’t the God of the Bible. That isn’t Jesus. He wanted to argue about this and left as lost as he came. We will keep praying that he would come back and take to heart the truth of God’s word.
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May the peace and joy of the Lord guard your heart.
Love,
Steve and Donna
8/21/21
After exploring the land for forty days, the men returned to Moses, Aaron, and the whole community of Israel at Kadesh in the wilderness of Paran. They reported to the whole community what they had seen and showed them the fruit they had taken from the land. This was their report to Moses: “We entered the land you sent us to explore, and it is indeed a bountiful country-a land flowing with milk and honey. Here is the kind of fruit it produces. But the people living there are powerful, and their towns are large and fortified. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak! The Amalekites live in the Negev, and the Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites live in the hill country. The Canaanites live along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and along the Jordan Valley.” But Caleb tried to quiet the people as they stood before Moses. “Let’s go at once to take the land,” he said. “We can certainly conquer it!” But the other men who had explored the land with him disagreed. "We can't go up against them! They are stronger than we are!” So they spread this bad report about the land among the Israelites: “The land we traveled through and explored will devour anyone who goes to live there. All the people we saw were huge. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers, and that’s what they thought, too!” Numbers 13:25-31
The community of the Israelites heard the bad report and allowed the bad report to discourage them from trusting God. There are many bad reports going on today. Will we be the ones to listen to the bad report or trust completely in Jesus? Do we say, “What can one person do?” or do we say, “This is what our God can do through one person!”
As we drove to the street corner today there didn’t seem to be too many people walking up and down the street. But as we pulled up to the corner there were people waiting for us.
One of the ministers who had been sick with covid was able to rejoin us today and we were thankful that he and his family had recovered.
During the prayer times one person shared how last weekend’s prayer had been answered. He was beaming as he shared what God was doing. Thank you Jesus!
Another man shared how disappointed he was with the mask policy that would go into effect on Monday and how he had just seen things getting somewhat normal. This man has just recently been able to get back working and was hoping to keep working but isn’t sure with everything that is going on if he will continue to have a job. But even with all this he said he is trusting God!
One man shared how he was looking for his lost dog. The minister shared how much God loves animals also and then went on to share the Gospel. After the minister shared the Gospel this man he made the most important choice of his life, to trust in Jesus!
A man that only shows up once in a while was there today. He shared with one of the ministers that some lady had what he thought was a Bible and started praying for him. He said he immediately felt like someone trying to push down on his head and crush it and then it felt like someone was trying to gouge out his eyes. He stated that it was demonic and that a lot of demonic things had been going on in the street community. The minister shared with this man that a believer in Jesus Christ has the authority to rebuke Satan and his demonic attacks. The man said that nobody could prove the Bible was true and he didn’t believe it. We will keep praying for this man that the Holy Spirit would cause conviction that would lead to repentance.
A lady that showed up to the street corner and partly joking said, “Where do I sign up?” Many ministries have people sign in. So the minister said, “Right over here.” But instead of her signing a piece of paper the Holy Spirit put His seal on her and she is now a child of God!
At the end of the day a man came up and stated that he loved Jesus. He also said that he was a Seventh day Adventist. He stated that he knew everything about the Bible. The minister asked him to at least read Romans 10:9-13 and to pray and ask God to give him insight on it. (Some of the Seventh day Adventist deny salvation by grace alone) We will be praying that he takes this Scripture to heart.
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. Praying God’s strength for you all for the times we are heading into.
Love,
Steve and Donna
LORD, look down from heaven look from Your holy, glorious home, and see us. Where is the passion and the might You used to show on our behalf? Where are Your mercy and compassion now? Surely You are still our Father! Even if Abraham and Jacob would disown us, LORD, You would still be our Father. You are our Redeemer from ages past. LORD, why have You allowed us to turn from Your path? Why have You given us stubborn hearts so we no longer fear You? Return and help us, for we are Your servants, the tribes that are Your special possession. Isaiah 63:15-17
As for me, I look to the LORD for help. I wait confidently for God to save me, and my God will certainly hear me. Do not gloat over me, my enemies! For though I fall, I will rise again. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light. I will be patient as the LORD punishes me, for I have sinned against Him. But after that, He will take up my case and give me justice for all I have suffered from my enemies. The LORD will bring me into the light, and I will see His righteousness. Micah 7:7-9
There are days on the street corner that it can seem as if God has lost His passion for the homeless. Days of chaos from sirens and people threatening other people. This isn’t just on the street corners but throughout the country that evil seems to have the upper hand in all that goes on.
When it seems that evil in the world is winning and things become hopeless, that is the very time that as believers we should surrender to God’s will in greater measure. God wants our life to be filled with Him, every moment.
God forgive our stubborn hearts, return and help us for we are Your servants. We will wait with confidence for You to hear us and bring us into the light. As darkness grows so do the opportunities for believers to shine brightly!
The last Saturday that we were out on the street there seemed to be an eerie calmness, like the eye of a storm. Well today the storm was back. As we set up for the worship and sermon sirens were blaring as fire and aid trucks headed down to the area under the overpass where there is a large tent city. The fire trucks and sirens continued throughout the worship and sermon.
The area down there has become more dangerous each week. Please join us in praying for the fire fighters and the people living in that area.
As we set up for coffee and prayer, one person shared that he was going into treatment on Monday. He had been living under the overpass but as it became increasingly worse he moved his tent up several blocks. We never want to see people in these awful situations but God used the danger to motivate this man to seek out treatment for his addiction. Please join us in praying for this man’s friend, whom we know also, he has been missing for a day. They usually stay close to each other.
As we continued to pray for people, a car pulled up about fifty feet away from where we were and a man came over to get some coffee. As this man headed back to his car a man on a bicycle pulled up alongside the car and started yelling at the girl in the car threating to kill her. As he continued to yell someone that was carrying a baseball bat ran over to help the man that was doing the yelling. As the ministers prayed for that situation, while still caring for the people on the corner the man yelling finally left.
So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord want you to do. Ephesians 5:15-17
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. We pray for all believers everywhere that we would surrender our will in greater measure to Jesus and He would shine through us all to bring about a holy revival.
Love,
Steve and Donna
The LORD said to Moses, “You are about to die and join your ancestors. After you are gone, these people will begin to worship foreign gods, the gods of the land where they are going. They will abandon Me and break My covenant that I have made with them. Then My anger will blaze forth against them. I will abandon them, hiding My face from them, and they will be devoured. Terrible trouble will come down on them, and on that day they will say, ‘These disasters have come down on us because God is no longer among us!’ At that time I will hide My face from them on account of all the evil they commit by worshipping other gods. “So write down the words of this song, and teach it to the people of Israel. Help them learn it, so it may serve as a witness for Me against them. For I will bring them into the land I swore to give their ancestors-a land flowing with milk and honey. There they will become prosperous, eat all the food they want, and become fat. But they will begin to worship other gods they will despise Me and break My covenant. And when great disasters come down on them, this song will stand as evidence against them, for it will never be forgotten by their descendants. I know the intentions of these people, even now before they have entered the land I swore to give them.” Deuteronomy 31:16-21
Then the LORD commissioned Joshua son of Nun with these words: “Be strong and courageous, for you must bring the people of Israel into the land I swore to give them. I will be with you.” Deuteronomy 31:23
Abundance comes in many ways. God was going to prosper the Israelites in a land flowing with milk and honey. God knew that this was going to harden the hearts of many of the Israelites (as it has many Americans) but He still told Joshua to lead them into the land.
For many people that have addictions there is an abundance of drugs coming into the country. The ease of getting drugs makes reaching this group of people even more difficult. The drugs give them the sense of fulfillment when in all truth it poisons their minds, bodies and soul.
But God has commissioned His children to reach everyone, not just those people we might believe deserve salvation. Joshua could have thought that the Israelites didn’t deserve to go into the land but it wasn’t his choice. No one is righteous, not one, we all need the mercy of Jesus Christ.
Please pray for us as we share Jesus Christ with the street community. God is so very good and faithful and wants to reach each and every one of these precious prisoners.
As we drove into Tacoma, the sky was overcast and the streets quiet. During the worship and sermon the city still seemed quiet compared to most days with only a few people down the street shouting.
During the prayer times one man became overwhelmed at how God was providing for his physical needs. Last week this man was being encouraged in his walk with Christ and we will continue to pray that the Holy Spirit would draw him into that deeper relationship.
One lady that we hadn’t met before asked for prayer for her family. We could tell that she was happy to be around other believers and knew that she could trust them to pray with her.
Another lady that we hadn’t met before wasn’t interested in Jesus and seemed to want to move away as quickly as possible from anyone that had anything to do with Him. We pray she will come back and find out how amazing our God is.
One younger man that we have tried to reach with the Gospel for about three years, asked Jesus to save him! Please join us in praying for this man that he would come to know and trust the Savior that he has submitted his will too!
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May God’s grace lead you into those difficult places that need to hear about the Savior!
Love,
Steve and Donna
Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. Ecclesiastics 3:11
And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life. 1 John 5:11-12
And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life. Matthew 25:46
God has planted eternity into the human heart. When sharing with someone who has never heard or really understood the Gospel, a good way to start is to tell them that they are an eternal being. They will live for eternity somewhere.
You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of Your presence and the pleasure of living with You forever. Psalm 16:11
We try to share with people that eternal life doesn’t begin at physical death it starts as soon as someone put their trust in Jesus Christ. God has place a desire in every person to know Him and the only way to fill that desire is to ask Jesus to fill us with Him. Many from the street community try and fill that desire with drugs. But until we fill that desire with God’s presence we won’t have have joy, peace and love, true fulfillment.
During the prayer times one lady shared that she wanted wealth. This lady put her trust in Jesus some years ago and yet it seems that it is taking her a long time to retain some of the simple truths. The minister shared with her that if she would seek after Jesus with all she is, He would provide for the things she needed, things that are so much more important and eternal then wealth. We are praying that the Holy Spirit would help her to understand these things.
Another lady that we hadn’t met before was listening intently to the sermon and during the prayer times made the most important choice of her life, to trust Jesus as her Savior! Thank you Jesus!
During the time that the minister was sharing the Gospel with the lady that had been listening intently to the sermon another lady started walking out into the street and yelling. A man from the street community walked out into the street to bring her back to the sidewalk but as soon as he did she walked back into the middle of the street talking to herself.
During a prayer time a minister was encouraging a man in his walk with Christ. As the minister did this another man that had never been there before kept interrupting and saying he was in a hurry. The minister finally told the man that was in a hurry that if he was in such a hurry he should probably just leave and do whatever it was that he needed to do. To the minister’s surprise, the man didn’t leave but stayed and after sharing the Gospel with this man he put his trust in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of his sins! Thank you Jesus! After asking Jesus to save him, he continued to stay until we loaded up the bus and left.
During the time that the minister was sharing the Gospel with the man in a hurry, the lady that kept walking into the street walked back into the street and started yelling at the top of her lungs. Another minister was able to get her out of the street for a short time. We are praying that she would come back and that the Holy Spirit would bring a conviction that would lead to repentance and freedom in Christ.
At the end of the day a younger man showed up. He shared that he came from a ‘spiritual background’. He said his mom was into astrology. The minister shared that they didn’t know much about astrology but that astrology and any other religion doesn’t transform a person’s life. The minister shared that only through Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit living inside can someone be truly fulfilled and have joy and peace. The minister shared that every human being has this space in them that they try to fill with everything else but it can only be filled with God’s Holy Spirit. The young man listen and seemed to receive what was being said but wasn’t ready to make the choice to surrender his life to Christ. He did say as he left that if he did decide to make that choice he would be back. Bring him back Jesus!
Busy, fruitful day! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May the joy of the Lord strengthen you!
Love,
Steve and Donna
7/17/21
It even challenged the Commander of heaven’s army by canceling the daily sacrifices offered to Him and by destroying His Temple. The army of heaven was restrained from responding to this rebellion. So the daily sacrifice was halted, and truth was overthrown. The horn succeeded in everything it did. Daniel 8:11-12
The ruler will make a treaty with the people for a period of one set of seven but after half-this time, he will put an end to the sacrifices and offerings. And as a climax to all his terrible deeds, he will set up a sacrilegious object that causes desecration, until the fate decreed for this defiler is finally poured out on him. Daniel 9:27
Next the devil took Him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. “I will give it all to You,” he said, “If You will kneel down and worship me.” Matthew 4:9
Don’t be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is revealed-the one who brings destruction. He will exalt himself and defy everything that people call god and every object of worship. He will even sit in the temple of God, claiming that he himself is God. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4
Satan desires to have people worship him. He knows that he can’t get God’s children to worship him so he tries to keep them from worshipping God.
It’s interesting that the ‘rulers’ from many different countries are trying to accomplish the same goal, keep Christians from gathering together to worship our Savior. But what Satan has intended for evil, God will use for good!
And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near. Hebrews 10:25
As we drove to the street corner today there is an area that people camp under an overpass. The police were there and had a huge area tape off. We aren’t sure what happened but please join us in praying for the safety of the street community.
After an amazing sermon we spent time praying with people.
One man that hadn’t been there before said that today he was sitting in his car and picked up his Bible and started readying for the first time in a very long time. He said he had moved from the east coast and had quit going to church and then he had stopped reading his Bible. He said that his life had been getting darker for the last year and he knew that he needed to get back to God. As he was reading someone told him that the church bus was just around the corner. It seemed to him to be the confirmation that he needed to turn his life back over to Jesus and stop running. Praise God! We will continue to pray that the Holy Spirit would minister to him while we are gone.
Another man that we hadn’t seen in a long time, was sharing how the virus had caused chaos in many of the places where he use to find help with food and clothing. The very evil that brought about this virus to try and bring trouble to people was the very thing that was bringing this man back to Jesus.
One younger man that we hadn’t met before stated that all people should go to heaven. The minister shared with this young man that the Bible states that ‘all have sinned’ and that it is only by believing in Jesus and the perfect sacrifice that He made on our behalf that we can have a relationship with Jesus and will be in heaven. This young man decided to make the best choice of his life and trust in the Savior! Please join us in praying for him that the Holy Spirit would guide and protect him while he starts to grow in the knowledge of God.
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission.
Thank you Jesus that we can gather together and worship our Savior!
Love,
Steve and Donna
7/10/21
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
We have a small strawberry patch in the backyard. When we have a few minutes we go out and pick strawberries. That’s what happens most years but this year has been different. After picking the strawberries this year we tossed them into cold water to wash them off and they turned to mush. What has been different this year is the heat.
It’s usually about seventy in the northwest in June so there is never any reason to rush out and pick fruit as soon as it starts to ripen.
We believe a harvest is coming but are we prepared to rush out and pick the fruit before it turns to mush?
We prepare for so many different things like work, vacations, and disasters. How much more should we be prepared for the harvest of eternal lasting fruit?
We should be able to tell a Jehovah Witness or a Catholic that are trying to earn their way to Jesus, in a loving way, (Romans 10:9-13). Or what about learning how to speak to a person who doesn’t believe in right or wrong and point them to the truth of God’s word?
There is a harvest coming whether we are prepared or not. God is going to use the evil that Satan intended for harm, for the glory of the Kingdom. Will we rejoice bringing in the sheaves? Or will we be caught in the cares of this world?
We realize most of the people that read this, are prepared for the harvest and already working diligently for the Kingdom, but let’s pray that the Holy Spirit would bring to our attention those opportunities that we might otherwise miss.
After having a wonderful time of worship we set up for the sermon. A lady, who was there and has been given over to the demonic, was being somewhat quiet during worship. But as soon as the sermon started she started trying to interrupt and be disruptive. But the ministers were praying and silencing the demonic from speaking.
During the prayer times one man shared how difficult it was to do God’s will while being homeless.
Another man shared with a minister during the prayer times that he had studied the three different words for love in the Bible. This man has sincerely been studying God’s word and following Jesus. He has been working and we are praying that he is able to find affordable housing soon.
A man that we hadn’t met before shared with a minister that he wanted a new life. In his voice there was a disgusted and hopeless sound. He said that he felt like jumping off the overpass bridge. The minister shared with him that there was good news for him and that he could have a new life if he would surrender his life to Jesus. This man asked Jesus to save him! After spending sometime sharing with this man some truths of God’s word, the man left and as he was leaving he stated that he could tell that something was different’ in him. Thank you Jesus for your mercy!
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. We are praying that the Holy Spirit would encourage us all to be more prepared for the coming harvest!
Love,
Steve and Donna
You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that! 2 Timothy 3:1-5
One day Jesus said to His disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and started out. As they sailed across, Jesus settled down for a nap. But soon a fierce storm came down on the lake. The boat was filling with water, and they were in real danger. The disciples went and woke Him up, shouting, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” When Jesus woke up, He rebuked the wind and the raging waves. Suddenly the storm stopped and all was calm. Then He asked them, “Where is your faith?” The disciples were terrified and amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “When He gives a command, even the wind and waves obey Him!” Luke 8:22-25
In the boat the disciples took their eyes off of Jesus and started looking at the circumstances around them.
And now O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, Your servants, great boldness in preaching Your word. Stretch out Your hand with healing power may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.” After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.
Acts 4:29-31
When Peter and John were confronted with the evil that was working in the leaders at that time, they didn’t focus on the leaders, they spent their energy focused on Jesus.
With the increase of demonic manifestations it could be easy to spend a lot of time in warfare against the darkness. And this needs to happen, but unless we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and the authority that the Creator of the universe has, we miss walking in the power that God has given us. Jesus came and told His disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Matthew 28:18-20
Another day filled with spiritual warfare. Right when we stepped off the bus a man who was under the influence of drugs and evil started sounding off. It wasn’t clear what he was saying most of the time but there were instances that were clearly demonic. One of the ministers started praying and bound the demonic speech. During worship this man seemed to settle down a bit but as soon as the sermon started he went off again.
And then the speaker started cutting out. Along with all this there were sirens going and a motorcycle blasting really foul music. One minister started praying at the back of the group and one started praying at the front of the group and again God’s peace settled over the area.
During the prayer times one man shared that he just came to receive prayer. He was going to have hernia surgery and was scared. We don’t see this man very often and even though we were glad he knew where to get prayer, we are praying that he would show up each weekend and learn to pray about everything so that the peace of God that transcends all understanding would guard his heart and mind in Christ Jesus.
One lady shared that she keeps coming to the street corner because she use to have a lot of confusion but now she doesn’t, thank you Jesus. We will keep praying that the Holy Spirit would continue to bring healing to her mind, body and soul.
As the ministers spent time talking with and praying for people, a car started thru the intersection. Another car that was at a red light came around the corner and went into the other cars lane. At this, the person in car that almost hit the other car started swerving all over and yelling curses at the person he almost hit almost like if he yelled hard and long enough nobody would know that he was in the wrong.
As one of the minister started praying, he felt God speaking that if the man in the car that was yelling was asked whether he was a Christian, he would probably say he was. And he might even be at church the next day. We are praying that if this is the case or not that the Holy Spirit would bring conviction upon this man.
At the very end of the day after everything was loaded back on the bus, a man showed up and asked if we were all done. He said he had been to the corner before. A minister asked him if he wanted a bottle of water and after handing it to him one of the ministers asked him if he knew Jesus. He stated that Jesus wouldn’t have anything to do with him. The minister asked if he felt unworthy of Jesus. At this the man became angry and stomped off saying no he didn’t want anything to do with God, as he waved his fist in the air.
We are praying that with every sip of that water that the Holy Spirit would come upon this man and bring a conviction that would lead to repentance!
A hot, sweaty day to be out sharing Jesus, but God has given us eyes of faith to see that this is going to be a season of mountain moving!
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission!
Please join us in praying for a Holy Spirit breakthrough for each person that comes up to that street corner.
Love, Steve and Donna
6/19/21
A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devils trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants. 2 Timothy 2:24-26
Illegal drugs open a door to demonic influences and the more drugs that pour into our cities the more demon possessed we see.
During the prayer times a man shared how bad it had gotten where he and his friend pitch their tent. It seems that a street up town had been cleared of the homeless and so they moved down to where this man is living. The garbage is piling up and this causes the rats to multiply. This man believes in Jesus as his Savior but is still struggling with addiction. We will continue to pray for the freedom that God is willing and able to pour out on him.
One man shared that he had been a part of a church but they were doing things that he didn’t think was right. The minister shared with this man that as believers we needed to follow Christ’s example and not allow what others were doing to keep us from doing what God would have us do. And so he needed to have forgiveness for those that he disagreed with and pray for them.
A man that we hadn’t seen for about a month was at the corner when we arrived. He was angry and was scratching all over constantly. During a prayer time a minister shared with this man that he needed to forgive the people that he believed had hurt him. He seemed to receive this. We will be praying that he truly forgives in his heart. We were able to provide him with clean clothes and we are praying that he would be able to get rid of the lice.
One man that we had never met before hung out towards the back of the group during the worship and sermon. As we started praying with people and helping with some of the physical things they needed, this man walked all over and around and acting really strange. It can be difficult to explain to someone that has never witnessed a demonic spirit acting and speaking through someone, what it is like. As one of the ministers tried to speak to him about Jesus he started using language that was stomach turning. The minister shared with this man that Satan came to kill, steal and destroy and Jesus came to give life and life abundantly. The minister also shared that Jesus would forgive him of his sins. At this the demon started sneering and the man left. Please join us in praying that this man would come back and be delivered from the demon. Jesus desires that none would perish!
If we weren’t interfering with Satan’s evil, he would probably stay away. Before leaving we gathered to pray and one minister went to check the time and noticed that the screen on the phone looked like it was flying through space it was so messed up. As we prayed and came against any of the schemes of the enemy, the phone went right back to normal. God is good, not that He fixed the phone but that He hears us when we pray!
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May Jesus, our Mighty Warrior lead you towards the battle!
Love,
Steve and Donna
www.thestreetcornercommission.org
6/12/21
Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father who is over all and in all living through all.
Ephesians 4:1-6
Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelist, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do His work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of His body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing full of love. Ephesians 4:11-16
With summer approaching in the northwest, seeds that were planted in the spring have started to grow. Most of them were planted at the same time after spending time cultivating the soil. But even though they were planted at the same time each seed grows differently.
The same is true for each one of us growing more and more like Christ. We all grow at different times.
Today on the street corner two of the people that we have ministered too for about the same amount of time are growing in their relationship with Jesus very differently. A lady, who has always been nice and polite, seems not really interested in allowing God’s truth to transform her. A man that we have ministered too for about the same amount of time has many times been rude and abusive. But this man has put into practice God’s truth. Today he shared that he had all of his things stolen. He was very upset, but even with being upset he shared that he needed to pray about the situation and forgive the people involved!
We continue to pray for both people that they would take hold of God’s truth and run with it.
A younger man that we have ministered too for about five years had a desire to draw close to God today. There are times that we have seen him make baby steps in faith but today seemed to be a leap. We will be praying that he would listen to the Holy Spirit and draw closer to Jesus.
One lady that usually is carrying a demonic spirit with her showed up today. She wasn’t able to listen to the sermon without getting up and crossing the street to listen but she didn’t leave. For her this is growth. She left before the ministers could spend time praying with her but we will continue to pray that the Holy Spirit would bring her back and cause a conviction in her that would lead to repentance and faith in Christ.
It can be difficult when seeds are planted not to see what is happening beneath the soil but God is at work even when we don’t see the work that is being done!
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May your seeds grow into a beautiful, bountiful harvest!
Love,
Steve and Donna
5/29/21
Son of man, your people talk about you in their houses and whisper about you at the doors. They say to each other, ‘Come on, let’s go hear the prophet tell us what the LORD is saying!’ So My people come pretending to be sincere and sit before you. They listen to your words, but they have no intention of doing what you say. Their mouths are full of lustful words, and their hearts seek only after money. You are very entertaining to them, like someone who sings love songs with a beautiful voice or plays fine music on an instrument. They hear what you say, but they don’t act on it! Ezekiel 33:30-32
For Herod respected John and knowing that he was a good and holy man, he protected him. Herod was greatly disturbed whenever he talked with John, but even so, he liked to listen to him. Mark 6:20
But all they gave Him was lip service they lied to Him with their tongues. Their hearts were not loyal to Him. They did not keep His covenant. Psalm 78:36-37
This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says When you hear what I say, you will not understand. When you see what I do, you will not comprehend. For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes-so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to Me and let Me heal them. Matthew 13:14-15
Let us be diligent as watchmen in those ministries and communities that we are in that the Holy Spirit would open ears to hear, eyes to see, and hearts to understand that the people around us would turn to Jesus and let Him heal them.
Today was a beautiful sunny day in Tacoma. After the worship and sermon we set up to share chili with the street community.
One man, who has just recently returned to work, brought bread to go with the chili. He shared last week that he wanted to provide bread and he followed through. We saw this as evidence that this man is putting into action what he is learning about God. Thank you Jesus! Please join us in praying that his living and working situation would become more stable and he would continue to grow in Christ.
A lady, who has been coming to the street corner for about ten years, shared during a prayer time that she has been spending more time reading the Bible we gave her. We are praying that she would put into practice what she is learning as she draws closer to God.
While getting some clothing from the bus, an older man shared that he just wanted to be gone from this earth. He said that was the only thing that he wanted. But when he said it, he used more colorful language. This man prayed and asked Jesus to save him about three years ago so we are trusting God that this would be his rock bottom and he would want Jesus to take complete control of his life. Please join us in praying for his safety until that day comes and that Satan would not be able to tempt him in any way.
During a prayer time a younger man shared that his ex-girlfriend had been talking trash about him. He claimed that he didn’t do the things she said but if he had been high it’s likely that he just doesn’t remember. The minister share with this man that what he needed to do was draw closer to Jesus and pray for his ex-girlfriend to draw close to God. And that she might see the difference in him and stop talking bad about him but, even if she didn’t stop talking bad about him, he needed to spend more of his time getting closer to Jesus and that what his girlfriend was saying would become less important to him. We will continue to pray that he would show up at the corner more often so he would learn how to apply the truth of God’s word to his life.
This was an amazing week of watching God work. We had been getting really low on men’s smaller jean sizes so we prayed. When we went to the Goodwill we were able to pick up some jeans which they don’t always have the smaller sizes. The next day we received a phone call from a friend that ministers in young life. He shared that they had a garage sale and all the clothes that were donated, they were giving to us. When we went through the donations there were all these smaller men’s jeans in them along with other clothing items that were such a blessing! And then as we were getting ready to head to the street corner Saturday morning after spending time in prayer, a couple ladies gave us some clothes that they had went and bought for someone, but that person had left the area before they could get the clothes to him. And then one of the ministers that met us at the street corner brought a bag of clothing! God is so good to us! Thank you Jesus!
We pray that you would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. He is willing and able to provide!
Love,
Steve and Donna
5/22/21
Or suppose I were to pour out My fury by sending an epidemic into the land, and the disease killed people and animals alike. As surely as I live, says the Sovereign LORD, even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were there, they wouldn’t be able to save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved by their righteousness. Now this is what he Sovereign LORD says: How terrible it will be when all four of these dreadful punishments fall upon Jerusalem-war, famine, wild animals, and disease-destroying all her people and animals. Yet there will be survivors, and they will come here to join you as exiles in Babylon. You will see with your own eyes how wicked they are, and then you will feel better about what I have done to Jerusalem. When you meet them and see their behavior, you will understand that these things are not being done to Israel without cause. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!” Then this message came to me from the LORD: “Son of man, how does a grapevine compare to a tree? Is a vines wood useful as the wood of a tree? Can its wood be used for making things, like pegs to hang pots and pans? No, it can only be used for fuel, and even as fuel, it burns too quickly. Vines are useless both before and after being put into the fire!
Ezekiel 14:19-15-5
God sent His message through Ezekiel that people would repent of turning away from God and relying on idols. God was putting Israel and Judea through a refining fire that should have brought about repentance.
Most often it is in the fire through repentance and dependence on God that we become useful for God’s kingdom work. Because it is in the fire that our faith is show to be genuine and brings us a greater revelation of God’s mercy and grace that He has so generously given His children.
So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold-though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when you faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. 1 Peter 1:6-9
I will bring that group through the fire and make them pure, just as gold and silver are refined and purified by fire. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, “These are My people,” and they will say, “The LORD is our God.” Zechariah 13:9
During a wonderful sermon on who we are in Christ, a man came up with a box full of pill holders to hand out. This man said he works down there and sees us down there every weekend and thought we could hand these out! What a blessing!
During the prayer times one man shared that he got into a fight with his sister. He said he needed to make sure that he stayed away from her. We are praying God’s restoration would come to their relationship.
Another man shared that he was kicked out of the rescue mission. So he wouldn’t be able to go back and eat there for a couple of weeks. The minister asked this man if he had been drinking at the time. The man said yes and had gotten into a fight and didn’t even remember it. The ministers gathered around this man and prayed for his deliverance. Not long after the ministers had prayed the man asked for a Bible. He said he needed to get back in the Word and needed to start trusting God again. Amen!
One of the ministers was telling one man that there would be hot chili served next week, the man who was just getting back to work asked if he could bring bread to go with it. He said he had some bread from the bakery up the street and it was delicious and wanted to be able to help. Amen!
One younger man came up at the end of the day and just wanted prayer. He shared that he had gone from group home to group home when he was younger and then got involved with meth. He said that he had stopped for a time but was now back at it. He just wanted prayer to be set free so he could be close to God again. We will continue to pray for God to give him the strength to resist temptation.
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. Please join us in praying that the refining fire that the street community goes through brings them to repentance and that their faith would be shown to be genuine.
Love,
Steve and Donna
5/15/21
May the LORD bless you and protect you. May the LORD smile on you and be gracious to you. May the LORD show you His favor and give you His peace. Numbers 6:24-26
If you do not serve the LORD your God with joy and enthusiasm for the abundant benefits you have received, you will serve your enemies whom the LORD will send against you. You will be left hungry, thirsty, naked, and lacking in everything. The LORD will put an iron yoke on your neck, oppressing you harshly until He has destroyed you. Deuteronomy 28:47-48
The LORD said to Moses, “You are about to die and join your ancestors. After you are gone, these people will begin to worship foreign gods, the gods of the land where they are going. They will abandon Me and break My covenant that I have made with them. Then My anger will blaze forth against them. I will abandon them, hiding My face from them and they will be devoured. Terrible trouble will come down on them, and on that day they will say, ‘These disasters have come down on us because God is no longer among us!’” Deuteronomy 31:16-17
You expect to fight the Babylonians, but the men of this city are already as good as dead, for I have determined to destroy them in My terrible anger. I have abandoned them because of all their wickedness. Jeremiah 33:5
Godliness makes a nation great, but sin is a disgrace to any people. Proverbs 14:34
Where does that leave our nation? God doesn’t show favoritism, but in every nation the person who fears Him and does righteousness is acceptable to Him. Acts 10:34
Even though many of the leaders in this nation seem to do more evil each year, there are pockets of believers that are standing on the truth of the Gospel. Tacoma is one of those places where many of the believers are leaving behind the comfort of just sitting in a pew and are reaching out to people in the community! Praise Jesus! God has placed us in this nation for such a time as this.
On the street corner today during the prayer times one person shared that he had just gotten out of the hospital. He has gall bladder problems and the doctors want to send him to Seattle to have surgery. He also has a leg that makes it difficult for him to get around. After the minister laid hands on his leg and prayed he was walking a lot better.
One man that has been showing up on the corner most Saturdays shared that he desired to go back to work and have some stability in his life. He shared last week that he was homeless again after having a place to live for some time. This man is should be such an encouragement to others because he trusts God for his every need and knows that God loves him and is with him!
At the end of the day a lady showed up that was under demonic influence. After trying to help her get some clean clothes she walked off while the minister was praying for her deliverance. Please join us in praying that she would come back and receive deliverance and healing from the Savior.
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May you see God’s blessing in His mission field.
Love,
Steve and Donna
The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words. I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The LORD is my inheritance therefore I will hope in Him!” The LORD is good to those who depend on Him, to those who search for Him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the LORD. And it is good for people to submit at an early age to the yoke of His discipline: Let them sit alone in silence beneath the LORD’s demands. Let them lie face down in the dust, for there may be hope at last. Let them turn the other cheek to those who strike them and accept the insults of their enemies. For no one is abandoned by the LORD forever. Though He brings grief, He also shows compassion because of the greatness of His unfailing love. Lamentations 3:20-32
Who can command things to happen without the LORD’s permission? Does not the Most High send both calamity and good? Then why should we, mere humans, complain when we are punished for our sins? Instead let us examine our ways. Let us turn back to the LORD. Lamentations 3:37-40
Homelessness and suffering are not unique to our time. Much of the homeless and suffering is caused by our own sins, but not all. We should always examine ourselves and repent of known sin but especially in times of suffering we should make sure that we are lining up with what God desires.
But we also need to remember God’s faithful love never ends and He is our inheritance so whatever happens He is with us and He keeps us!
As worship was ending on the street today one person wanted to keep singing. This man has been clean for ten days and knows that it is God that is helping him through his difficult time and wanted to continue to praise him! Amen! This man is entering a faith based clean and sober treatment this coming week and we will continue to pray that as he draws close to Jesus the temptation of drugs will lose its appeal.
After the sermon one man shared how encouraged he was and that he really missed the sermon when he wasn’t there the last time we were out.
One younger man asked for prayer from one of the ministers. This may not seem like much but this younger man usually accepts prayer somewhat hesitantly. Please join us in praying that he would continue to draw closer to God and to trust that God’s people love him.
One man who has had housing for about six months was back on the street. This man is almost always at the corner and desires to seek God. He has never blamed the people he lives with for him being out on the street but reading through the lines it seems that maybe they aren’t seeking to live for Jesus. We will continue to pray that they would put Jesus first in their life and that from that healing would come to their relationships.
One younger man showed up towards the end of the day needing a change of clothes. He seemed to know a little Scripture but stated that since Jesus died He couldn’t be God. This younger man didn’t seem to want to have a discussion about Scripture, but just wanted to deny its truth. Please join us in praying that he would come back and the Holy Spirit would cause a conviction that would lead to repentance.
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission.
Praying that the spring that wells up into eternal life would flow through the city of Tacoma and then into the world!
Love,
Steve and Donna
4/24/21
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 25:10
Jubilee was a year of restoration, new beginnings and debts were forgiven.
The Sprit 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 that 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. Then He began to speak to them. “The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!” Luke 4:18-21
Jesus said to the people who believed in Him, “You are truly My disciples if you remain faithful to My teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. John 8:31-32
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is a part of the family forever. So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. John 8:34-36
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
We live in the era of Jesus Christ, the era of freedom from the power of sin, the era of jubilee. There are many sins that the people of this nation, as with other nations walk in, but two that plague the street community is addiction and victimhood. If only they knew the power of God that can free them, they would no longer be victims but victorious in Christ!
For the LORD delights in His people He crowns the humble with victory. Psalm 149:4
No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. Romans 8:37
Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 1 Corinthians 15:54
Today was a day of victory. To some the victories we witnessed may not seem like much or they might have missed them all together but in the spiritual realm they were huge!
As we set up for worship and the sermon it was raining and so we put out the awning on the bus. It isn’t a very big area so everyone has to sit closely together. One older man has a difficult time being too close to other people and so he got up and stood in the rain. While standing there for a few minutes he started to fly into a rage. One of the ministers grabbed an umbrella and a chair for this older man and this he calmed right down. During the prayer times the ministers shared how proud they were that he had calmed down so quickly. Jesus has done an amazing work in this man’s life and we will continue to pray for him to draw closer to God.
One person when asked how things had been going for him since the last time the minister had seen him, said with a surprised look on his face that he had to be honest and that he had peace. He went on to share that maybe it was because he had started helping other people. The minister shared with this young man that the reason he had peace was because he had given his life to Jesus the last time he had been there in February. We are praying that he starts showing up more often so that he can learn more about the Savior who he put his faith in and that it is the truth of knowing that God will never leave him nor forsake him that has given him peace.
One younger man was having a difficult day. He didn’t want to wait to get more coffee until others had gotten coffee and just seemed to want to antagonize some of the other people in the street community. After one of the ministers spent some time with him, as the minister put it, pouring clean water into him, he seemed to be much calmer and wanted to share with another minister that he was struggling. This young man usually doesn’t open up about what’s going on in his life and we see this as a step in his drawing closer to Jesus.
One man who showed up the ministers had been praying he would come back. He has a demonic spirit that he carries and he has come by the street corner before but usually he stops for a few minutes, long enough to yell or say something incoherent and then walks off yelling and speaking of very demonic things. Today he stayed and had some coffee and then he waited to get some things off the bus. As he was receiving a few physical things the ministers were pouring clean water into him. Even though he asked if he could be through with the whole ‘Jesus stuff’ we believe that the Holy Spirit was causing a conviction that will bring repentance and faith. Please join us in praying that Jesus would pull this man out of the fires of hell!
With spiritual eyes we can see the awesome victories in these people’s lives.
One person when asked if he would be welcomed into heaven, shared that he had done some terrible things and he was trying to make up for them but he didn’t think God would allow him into heaven. The minister asked if he would like to hear some Good News and he said he would. The minister shared the Gospel with him and he asked Jesus to save him! Amen! Thank you Jesus!
If only every corner had God’s people sharing the Good News of victory in Jesus Christ!
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. We are praying that this is a year of jubilee for you and for this nation!
Love,
Steve and Donna
4/17/21
Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back on to the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important. Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct. Galatians 6:1-4
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. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone-especially to those in the family of faith. Galatians 6:7-10
Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. Luke 6:37
No two people are alike and so there will always be tension in some areas of relationships. We can’t change other people’s behavior. Only the Holy Spirit can do that. Our focus needs to be on living to please the Spirit.
Last week and this week we spent time helping those who have placed their trust in Jesus Christ to trust Him even in problems in with different people.
One person shared that he was having trouble with his sister. Being twins they were close for many years but the last couple years have been a struggle for them both. The minister shared with this man that he couldn’t make his sister act like he thought a sister should act but that he needed to treat her well and do what he could on his part even if this meant staying away from her for some time. We will continue to pray for healing in their relationship.
Another man said he didn’t think he was saved because he wasn’t getting treated by other people the way he thought he should. He said that he was doing good things for people but nothing good was happening to him. Knowing that this man had asked Jesus to save him, the minister went on to remind him why he was saved. It was because Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the world and that he had placed his trust in Him. This man came from a Buddhist religion and sometimes thinks if he just did enough ‘good’ he could earn good things. The minister went on to share with him that we can’t trust our ‘feelings,’ we need to trust what the Bible says. And we have a responsibility to seek out Jesus in His word, in church and in fellowship with other people that love Jesus. We are praying that he would spend more time in God’s word.
One lady shared that she was no longer friends with another lady. She said that this other lady said she owed her money. The minister reminded this lady that just because they were having a disagreement didn’t mean that they were no longer friends. The minister then reminded this lady that just a month ago she was saying the same thing about someone else that she had a disagreement with and they are now friends again.
Homelessness, drug addiction and mental illness are such difficult issues on their own and when different situations arise it is easy for the fragile friendships to be broken.
Please join us in praying strategically for the street community that the ones that have placed their trust in Jesus would have empathy and grace for those around them and they would come to realize that they can be part of the problem or they can live to please the Spirit and reap a harvest of blessing.
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. May the grace and peace of Jesus Christ surround your week.
Love,
Steve and Donna
I baptize you with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am – so much greater than I’m not worthy even to be His slave and carry His sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 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 3:11-12
The farmer’s workers went to him and said, ‘Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds! Where did they come from?’ ‘An enemy has done this!’ the farmer exclaimed. ‘Should we pull out the weeds?’ they asked. ‘No,’ he replied, ‘Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.’ Matthew 13:27-29
Peter told them, “You know it is against our laws for a Jewish man to enter a Gentile home like this or to associate with you. But God has shown me that I should no longer think of anyone as impure or unclean.” Acts 10:28
Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. 2 Timothy 4:2
Jesus has called His followers to share His message of forgiveness of sin and right standing with God. We are not called to have a preconceived idea of who is a wheat or tare. And so on the street corner we share the Gospel even when someone mockingly laughs or yells at us. We have ministered to people that have displayed this kind of behavior for years and then surrendered to God and become transformed.
Sadly, we have talked to people over the years that have left similar ministries to the street corner ministry, believing that they weren’t seeing any fruit.
We are called to proclaim the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and live by faith, not by sight.
Today was one of those days that we have to trust that the rocky soil that was tilled will become a magnificent harvest. As we started setting up for worship one young girl still in braces showed up. She reeked of meth it’s a smell like cat urine but stronger. She was talking about things that we won’t share, so the lady minister went over and shared with her that they would talk after the service and that she didn’t need to share those things with the men there. After the service the minister spent a long time praying with and her and trying to get her to accept some phone numbers from different agencies but she had a reason that none of them could help her. We are praying that she would come back and that she would be delivered from the addiction. It was clear that she hadn’t been on the street long but she wasn’t ready to allow Jesus to transform her. Heartbreaking.
One older man that we have ministered too for over twelve years showed up drunk. All four ministers spent time praying with him. We believe that he is at a good place to reach out to God for help.
During a prayer time an older lady that we hadn’t met before started sharing all the problems that were going on in her life. She talked for about half an hour, but kept going in circles about ‘what ifs.’ The minister let her talk and then tried to help this lady see that she needed to keep her gaze on Jesus. That she could truly lay all her burdens on Him and have peace. After the minister spent time in prayer with her, she went back to talking in circles. We will continue to pray for her that she would trust Jesus to help her in everything.
During the time that all the ministers were praying with people one lady started threatening to punch another lady. One of the ministers interrupted the fight and was prayerfully able to calm the lady down that was threatening the other lady. The minister shared with the lady that was threatening the other lady that she didn’t need to try to fix every wrong spoken against her and that she needed to keep her eyes on God and focus on how she was reacting to others behaviors rather than the other person’s behavior. She took the advice and calmed down and the minister spent time praying with her.
Spiritually and emotionally difficult day but we continue to trust Jesus with the harvest!
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. Don’t get discouraged, the harvest is coming!
Love,
Steve and Donna
www.thestreetcornercommission.org
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to Himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to Him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them, And He gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 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 5:17-20
The difference between knowing something and really believing it will always show in our actions. The life of someone who might call themselves ‘Christian’ but don’t really believe, live a self-directed life usually resulting in frustration. The life of someone who believes has put aside their will to yield to the will of Christ, resulting in peace with God’s plan.
Our work in the harvest matters, it is one place that will show the difference between just knowing and actually believing. There are many different fields the workplace, street corners, God pods, your home and yes, even your own family. Your work in the harvest not only displays for all to see what you really believe and who you belong to, it can be the difference between eternal life in Jesus, and death eternally separated from Jesus.
Today we had the pleasure of sharing hot soup and rolls with the street community.
During one prayer time a man who has been going through chemo for cancer told the minister that he kept finding people to buy him cannabis. He went on to say that the ‘experts’ told him that it would destroy the cancer cells. The minister shared with this man that the cannabis might help him feel better but was doubtful that it destroyed cancer. We know this man is going through cancer treatment because we have spoken to the hospital where he goes to have his treatment. But at this time it seemed that he just wanted someone to buy him some weed and that we weren’t going to do knowing his history of drug abuse. We will continue to pray that God would ease the pain caused by the cancer and the chemo and bring physical and spiritual healing to this man. One lady shared with a minister that she was trying to convince her friend to move back onto the street. This friend has a small trailer to stay in but has been having some problems with the owner. The minister shared with the lady that it might be best for her friend to work out her problems instead of running from them. We will continue to pray for God’s will and intervention in the friend’s situation.
While one of the ministers was serving coffee a car drove by slowly and then drove around the block and came back and parked in front of the bus. The man came up to the minister serving coffee and explained that the minister had spoken words of encouragement over ten years ago that had caused him to become a minister himself! He stopped to thank the minister serving coffee even though the minister serving coffee didn’t recognize the man. Amen!
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission.
Praying that you all have a blessed week!
Love, Steve and Donna
www.thestreetcornercommission.org
3/20/21
“If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didn’t wander away! In the same way it is not My heavenly Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish.” Matthew 18:12-14
Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure. Ephesians 1:4
Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose the things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And He chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God. 1 Corinthians 1:26-29
God pursues a relationship with all people. An how amazing that our Savior, Creator of the heavens and earth, gets great pleasure from His relationship with us!
Today as the sermon started a lady in the car parked in front of the bus started yelling at the man in the car. The door was open and she was really loud. As the ministers prayed she calmed down and quit yelling. After the sermon another lady said that she had been struggling with demonic things going on all around her and decided that she just needed to be at the street corner. She shared that the sermon was just what she needed to hear and was filled with joy after listening. Thank you Jesus!
During a prayer time one man shared that he wasn’t thinking right and couldn’t get the confusion out of his mind. He said that just nine months ago he had a wife, home and even a dog and he had lost it all. The minister prayed Jeremiah 28:11 with him and that he needed to put his focus on Jesus and that God could restore the years that the locus had destroyed. We are praying that he comes back and starts to surrender his will to the will of the Father.
One younger man stated that he is a Christian. But after spending a few minutes talking with him the ministers understood that he had put together his own belief system. He believed that he wouldn’t go to hell because only ‘really terrible’ people would be sent there. He believed that he might make it to a lower heaven because he wasn’t as good as some people. As many times as the minister explained that none of that was in the Bible or truth, he would go on to some other claim that he thought God should do. Isn’t that the problem with living outside the will of God, we think we know better than God? This younger man left as confused as he came but we know that God’s word doesn’t go void. We will pray that those seeds grow and it will bear fruit in this young man’s life.
During the entire time of prayer and helping with the physical needs of some people the lady that had been yelling was would walk up and start spitting and then walk away all the time talking to herself. She left before the ministers could spend time with her but we will be praying that Jesus would intervene in her life and she would come back and find the Savior!
Two men that were there today feel like they have a calling on their life to reach others with the Good News of Jesus Christ. Please join us in praying that God would pour out His Spirit into their life and embolden them to proclaim His truth boldly!
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission.
We just launched the new website that we have been working on for the last couple of months.
The other one was shut down due to the platform being outdated. So if you visit the website it will look different. It isn’t completely finished yet. Prayerfully it will glorify Jesus!
May Jesus pour out His Spirit in your life and give you strength and joy, for we were created for a time such as this!
Love, Steve and Donna
www.thestreetcornercommission.org
3/13/21
And yet, O LORD, You are our Father. We are the clay, and You are the potter. We are all formed by Your hand. Isaiah 64:8
Being conformed to the image of Christ is not an easy process. Suffering is something that God will use to mold us into His Son’s image. Today before heading to the street corner we were joined by a prayer warrior that we hadn’t seen in some time! As we set up for the day on the street corner, some of the people were mourning the loss of a friend and brother in Christ. We reminded them that the person who went on to be with Jesus was out of the pain and suffering in this world but also that he left a legacy for others that they could use for encouragement in their walk with Jesus. One younger man who was mourning the loss of his friend also had his wife leave him. We are praying that this younger man felt the love and comfort of Christ flowing through the ministers for him in his time of need. We will continue to pray that all of this would draw him closer to Jesus instead of pulling him back into old and destructive habits. As one of the ministers was encouraging a person in their walk with Jesus another younger man started to get angry. This younger man is usually very quiet and stays to himself. As he became really angry, another minister prayerfully walked over and put his arm around this younger man. The demonic spirit fled and this young man immediately calmed down!
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Sing for joy, O heavens! Rejoice, O earth! Burst into song, O mountains! For the LORD has comforted His people and will have compassion on them in their suffering. Isaiah 49:13
Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. Please join us in praying against the spirit of suicide that has come against the youth of this nation.
Your promise revives me it comforts me in all my troubles. Psalm 119:50
Love,
Steve and Donna
www.thestreetcornercommission.org
2/27/21
Listen! The LORD’s arm is not too weak to save you. It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins He has turned away and will not listen anymore. Isaiah 59:1-2
So there is no justice among us, and we know nothing about right living. We look for light but find only darkness. We look for bright skies but walk in gloom. Isaiah 59:9
For our sins are piled up before God and testify against us. Yes, we know we have rebelled and have denied the LORD. We have turned our backs on our God. We know how unfair and oppressive we have been, carefully planning our deceitful lies. Our courts oppose the righteous, and justice is nowhere to be found. Truth stumbles in the streets, and honesty has been outlawed. Yes, truth is gone, and anyone who renounces evil is attacked. The LORD looked and was displeased to find there was no justice. Isaiah 59:12-15
If Isaiah was alive today he could have written these same scriptures about the world, except that Jesus has come and His light has broken through the darkness for those who trust Him.
I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in Me will no longer remain in the dark. John 12:46
After a sermon shared in part about a person from a country with no freedom to speak or worship Jesus and how critical this person was of Christians in this country and their lack of seriousness of the Gospel. But only a year later this person had to apologize for criticizing other Christians because he became worse than the people he was criticizing. He said he didn’t realize how difficult it is to live the Christian life under freedom.
It can be very easy to be pulled away from walking with Jesus. But when we repent Jesus is there to forgive our sins.
After the sermon a group from another church brought out delicious pulled pork sandwiches, chips, muffins and water. But even more important than the food they spent time with different people from the street blessing them and encouraging them to walk with Christ.
One person from the street community shared that he had been drinking. He was ashamed to be there and be intoxicated. The minister told him it was the best place for him to be. The man was living with hatred of himself. The minister helped this man pray and repent and ask God to help him with the physical pain that leads him to drink. The minister shared that God could heal him completely or give him the strength to endure the pain without drinking.
One older man, who we have been ministering to for years, was so happy to share that he didn’t get angry while waiting to get something off the bus because of the food being served. He said he needed to keep putting his trust in Jesus to help him with the anger. Amen!
One younger man shared that he had been on the street for a couple of years off and on. He felt his life didn’t have direction or purpose. The minister shared the Gospel with this young man and he gave his life to Christ!
An older man told a minister that he had put his trust in Jesus a long time ago but didn’t believe he would go to heaven. He was carrying guilt and shame over his sins. The minister shared that he needed to repent and prayed with him in repentance. The minister then shared the story of the prodigal son and how the father was waiting with open arms when his son came back. The man was filled with wonder at God’s mercy and said it was almost to amazing to believe. The minister reminded him that when he sinned again because he still had a sinful nature, he needed to repent and ask God to help him leave that sin behind.
Another younger man knew he didn’t have a relationship with Jesus. He said he had a friend who encouraged him to put his trust in Jesus but he told his friend he wasn’t ready. He said he hadn’t talked to his friend in a long time and how he missed their talks. The minister shared that it wasn’t an accident that he was there and that God had a purpose for his life. This young man made the choice to put his trust in Jesus! This young man said he had family that was praying for him but he had burnt too many bridges and they wouldn’t trust him. The minister shared that now he is a new creation in Christ and the old has gone, it could take time but his family would eventually start to see the change in him and know that it was Jesus changing his life. That isn’t a promise of being reunited with his family but God is in the business of reconciliation.
What an awesome day spent with God’s people sharing the love of Christ! Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. We pray that God would give you the opportunity to share Jesus with at least one person this week!
Love, Steve and Donna
2/20/21
So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners’ purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.
James 4:7-8
Get out! Get out and leave your captivity, where everything you touch is unclean. Get out of there and purify yourselves, you who carry home the sacred objects of the LORD.
Isaiah 52:11
“Ever since the days of your ancestors you have scorned My decrees and failed to obey them. Now return to Me and I will return to you,” says the LORD of Heavens Armies. Malachi 3:7
Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the LORD. Don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you. 2 Corinthians 6:17
But God’s truth stands firm like a foundation stone with this inscription: “The LORD knows those who are His, and all who belong to the LORD must turn away from evil.’ 2 Timothy 2:19
So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time He will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you. Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are. 1 Peter 5:6-9
A final word: Be strong in the Lord and His mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 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 6:10-12
Believers have a real enemy. It’s not a political, social or philosophical enemy. We are at war with evil personalities. There is an intelligent being behind all the evil in the world and unless we fight defensively by having a firm grasp of the Gospel and praying strategically, we will lose ground. But because of our God and King, Jesus, we can not only stand firm but we can advance the Kingdom for the glory of God!
What a beautiful sunny day! After worship and the sermon we spent time caring for the street community through prayer and providing warm clothing. One lady that showed up decided to throw her cup of coffee out in the street. One minister asked her to pick it up. She did and went and threw it away without becoming angry. She, like some that show up on Saturdays, deal with demonic influences. After getting some of the items she needed and was very thankful for, she bolted before the minister could pray with her. She thinks that she pulled a fast one but what she doesn’t understand is that we continue to pray for her whether she stays or not and in fact we continue to pray for her throughout the week. We are looking forward to the day that she stops trying to bury the mercy of God! One older man asked for a sweatshirt that was for a very small lady. The minister told him that there was one that would fit him better. This man started to fly into a rage but before he completely lost control the minister told him that the devil was trying to make him angry and he needed to rebuke the devil and thank Jesus for all the things that He has done for him. It was awesome to watch this man calm down. One man that was new to Tacoma showed up in time to hear the sermon and was thankful to hear God’s truth right there on the street. He is homeless but looking forward to being on the street corner on Saturdays. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. We pray that Jesus would guide and guard your minds and hearts throughout the week!
Love, Steve and Donna
Jan 30, 2021
For there is only one God and one 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. 1Timothy 2:5-6
Jesus gave
His life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us
from this evil world in which we live. All glory to God forever and ever!
Amen. Galatians 1:4-5
For the
grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed
to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil
world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward
with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior,
Jesus Christ, will be revealed.
He gave His life to free us from every kind of
sin, to cleanse us, and to make us His very own people, totally committed to
doing good deeds. Titus 2:11-14
With the
darkness growing exponentially it’s easy to become discouraged and to think
that the dark will overwhelm the light. But as believers we need to encourage
each other to live with wisdom, righteousness and devotion to God while keeping
our gaze fixed on the wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior
will be revealed and continue to do good.
And they
sang a new song with these words: “You are worthy to take the scroll and its
seals and open it. For You were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people
for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. Revelation 5:9
Today after
a wonderful time in worship and an encouraging sermon on seeking God to help us
out of a pit that we might be in, we shared a hot soup with the street
community. After the sermon one man shared how encouraged he was by the sermon
because his friend was passed out in his tent and had urinated all over
himself. This man was trying to help his friend get washed up, but his friend
just wanted to sleep. We are praying for this man’s friend that Jesus would
deliver him from addiction. During the prayer times one man asked the minister
if the virus would ever be over. The minister shared that there was no way of
knowing but they needed to keep their eyes on Jesus and understand that He was
greater than the darkness. After the prayer time the man left with a renewed
desire to know Jesus in a greater way. One lady asked for peace during the
prayer times. She didn’t go into detail but with everything is going on in the
country and in Tacoma she was having difficulty with anxiety. After the prayer
time she left looking like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. One man
who has been coming just to hear the sermons for about two months made the
decision to put his trust in Christ! Thank you to everyone that prays for and
donates to The Street Corner Commission. The darkness will never overcome the
light of Jesus Christ!
Love,
Steve and
Donna
Jan 23, 2021
In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. Ephesians 2:12
Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life. Proverbs 13:12
Without Jesus people live without hope. They may, for a time put their hope in different ‘idols’, but they all eventually fail.
Come back to the place of safety, all you prisoners who still have hope! I promise this very day that I will repay two blessing for each of your troubles. Zechariah 9:12
When a prisoner of addiction places their hope in Jesus Christ as their Savior, they may not immediately stop using drugs or alcohol, but the hope that Jesus brings to a transformed heart gives an addict the strength to stop. And Jesus does bless them!
Remember Your promise to me it is my only hope. Psalm 119:49
May all who fear You find in me a cause for joy, for I have put my hope in Your word. Psalm 119:74
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 someone came to the bus so excited to let us know that he use to come to the bus about two years ago. He has now gone through the new life program and has been clean for about two years. He wanted to share how the love and hope of Jesus Christ that he learned about on the street corner helped to change his life. And now he wants to share that hope with others. Thank you Jesus! We remembered this person and what he was like when he would come to the bus. Many times he would seem demonically influenced. But now we see the light of Jesus Christ shining in his eyes. This was a wonderful start to the day especially when one lady showed up that can be very angry and difficult to love. But after hearing this man’s testimony it was much easier to love her and tell her once again about the loving Savior. Hope was the topic of many prayer times today. The ministers continued to point each person back to the source of all hope, Jesus Christ. One lady shared how she and her husband have moved from a tent to a trailer on her son’s property. As they seek Jesus, God continues to bring unexpected blessings their way. One man shared that even with being homeless Jesus restored his relationship with his wife and then restored her faith in Jesus as he brought her to church on the street corner. Thank you to everyone that prays for and donates to The Street Corner Commission. Please continue to pray for the street community, it was a very cold night to be in a doorway, sleeping bag or even a tent.
May God bless you!
Love, Steve & Donna
