Savor the Savior going Archive

Zechariah 4:6 (English Standard Version)

⁶Then he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.

God has definitely grown me over the past two years.  I love seeking the Lord in his Word and in prayer. His leading by the power of the Holy Spirit has stretched me as I yearn to grow to be like my Jesus.

Writing is one of my passions and I always want to keep writing. Savor the Savior has allowed me to post what the Lord has placed on my heart and share some of the evangelism experiences.

I really want to do more writing in the area of biblical application, devotional, bible study, and as the Lord leads. One goal I would like to set in my lifetime is to write one Christian book. The Lord is showing me in prayer and devotional times to dig deeper in prayer and personal bible devotions. Deeper interaction with the Lord leads to his guidance in growing to be more like Him.

I am thankful for Calvary Chapel movement in their passion for being led and empowered by the Holy Spirit. They have also a deep passion for deep study of the Bible(book by book, chapter by chapter, verse by verse, precept upon precept).

I love sharing with others my Christian faith and relationship with Jesus.  Starting a new blog will allow me to write in a different format than journal my evangelism interactions with people.(I will post these interactions on my facebook Tractman fan page .)

Some of the great past Christian preachers and writers have influenced me deeply to blog and eventually bring these ideas from the blogs into a book.(Maybe more than one if the Lord allows). Some of these past Christian writers/preachers are A.W. Tozer, Leonard Ravenhill, and David Wilkerson.  These three have had a deep prayer life and time in God’s Word. By these two factors men become Spirit-led men in proclaiming repentance and faith in the Lord.

Thank you to all for your readership, comments, encouragements, and prayers.

A new blog will be formed shortly. I will post here on Savor the Savior, Facebook  and email on the new blog.

Evangelism outreach during Christmas Break

Places where Gospel tracts and Gospel of Johns’ distributed: Knoxville, Atlanta, Memphis and Tulsa airports. Several restaurants in Joplin. Northpark Mall(Joplin, Missouri). Wal-Mart. Gas stations. Friends. Airplanes.  A chain bookstore in Joplin. Many other places in the Joplin area.

(The McDonald’s over the Will Rogers Turnpike in Oklahoma.) This place is above and across the highway in Oklahoma. If you live or been thru this area before, you know what I mean.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonald%27s_%28Will_Rogers_Turnpike%29

 

My primary purpose of Christmas break was to visit my parents, family,  and friends. Yet, I always look for an opportunity to get the Gospel in any place the Lord allows.

Angel Tree Party

It was amazing to see little faces light up with the sights of free food, sweets, Santa, and their gifts.  One young mother with two kids was blessed especially driving a long distance and the opportunity to see her husband.  My prayer is on this family. The Lord gave me the green light to bless this mother by helping her carry the child’s gift to the car and the HUGE, HUGE Gingerbread house she won in a drawing.  I gave her some info on the Calvary Chapel in her area if she wasn’t plugged into a church.  I recommend to anyone next year to get involved in any way possible for Angel Tree.(purchasing a gift, pray, or helping out at the evening event.)

Knoxville Christmas Parade 2010

t was very nice weather conditions for the 2010 Knoxville Christmas parade.  There were thousands of people for the festivities.  Thank you for the prayers.(I found a free parking space!)

Prior to the parade, people were lined up all down Gay Street. I went up and down the both sides of the street handing out as many Christmas themed tracts. When I ran out of the Christmas theme tracts(estimate 90). I distributed what I had in my satchel.(estimate 100).

I had a limited time to distribute. Once the parade starts, all focus goes towards the floats.  In these situations, you do not have time to go into deep conversations. It was cool, after I had stopped passing out tract, a group of young grade school kids were handing out Christmas tracts. Awesome to see the Lord send in reinforcements.

After the parade, I journeyed to Old City(bar district in downtown Knoxville).  I have found a corner(Jackson and Central streets) to do open-air preaching.  Across the street was an art show. People were outside smoking(Cannot smoke indoors in Tennessee). So there was a little bit of a stable congregation.

A homeless couple stand next to me and listened to the Scriptures being read.  I paused for a bit to catch my breath. The man told me to keep on preaching cause they liked what they heard. So I took the gospel tract I was using for a place holder and read it to them. The tract had about 80% Scripture with the rest explaining the verses and the sinner’s prayer. I started to read John 3:16 and they quoted it from memory along with me. He asked me to pray for him and his wife.  So I did.

Both of them had alcohol on their breath. I have read and listened to others about not evangelizing  to people with alcohol in their system. People say it is a waste of time because they are not cognitive to their surroundings.  Thankfully, I following the leading of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, cause I shared Jesus to them.  If Jesus and the disciple evangelize to those demonically possessed(people with the cognitive capabilities in bondage to demonic forces. ) and get deliverance and put their faith in Jesus, then the Lord can breakthrough the most drug addicted person to receive the Gospel.

Luke 4:18-19 (English Standard Version)

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Street Evangelism is heavy spiritual warfare.  I am thankful for the prayers and I can tell when someone prays for me.  Prayer is a great weapon to disarm the enemy. Prayer reminds us the Lord goes before us, behind us and surrounds us. It is all the Lord in Evangelism. The Evangelist is just an instrument in Evangelism. I am thankful the Lord gives me opportunity to serve in Evangelism.

We can use all the help while in the trenches of spiritual warfare. Evangelism has many different branches.  Just ask the Lord for direction in helping those sharing Jesus to the Lost.  You can always start by praying.(Spiritual grenades which make the demonic forces temporarily disabled. )

To those in Knoxville, we saw how the Lord did great wonders with the Franklin Graham Crusade. Just don’t let it stop  with the Crusade.  We still have to follow the Great Commission until the Lord returns.

Tractman is new home for Savor the Savior blog

Savor the Savior will now be posted on Tractman Facebook Fan page instead of my personal profile.  Easier to manage. Helps focus the Tractman Evangelism as unto the Lord instead of the focus on  “Robert”. While I am Tractman, I realize my “superpowers” are from the Lord.  Tractman is the Lord’s ministry and He will do what he wants with Tractman ministries. Thank you to Greg Hilt(WIAM Radio manager.) and Brian Morris(CCK Asst. Pastor) for their assistance in naming and getting Tractman an identity!

Christmas and Evangelism on Market Square

It was a beautiful cold night on Market Square. The Christmas lights were lit, lots of people walking around, Salvation Army giving away free hot chocolate(Thank you!), vendors selling their wares, ice skating, and Christmas carols sung at various locations.

This was a wonderful night to distribute Gospel of John books and Gospel tracts.  Tonight, people were  more receptive to receive Gospel material than other evangelism nights. One Jr. High man took a Gospel tract. As I walked away, two of his little brothers came running to me wanting a gospel tract.

The following Bible verse  demonstrates  what occurred later on this evening.(Of course down on Market Square it happens frequently, but not to the degree it did tonight.)

2 Timothy 3:5 (English Standard Version)

^“having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.”

In Krutch Park, I about handed a lady a Gospel of John. She looked at it and then looked at me with pure disgust and hate. Here is her exact words to me in our brief conversation:

Lady: “God does not want you doing this $%@!  He wants you to feed the poor and take care of the sick”

She starts to walk off not before I tell her:

Me: “The Bible tells me otherwise.”

Lady stomps back in my direction and very snooty and very  loudly proclaims:

” I  am a pastor. I have a Master of Theology and I can speak Greek and Hebrew fluently.”(The first sentence out of her mouth told me she also speaks “sailor” fluently.)

I could have got into a verbal diatribe with her. I only ended the conversation with the Holy Spirit giving me the Word of God to speak directly to her. I don’t know why this was the verse he wanted me to give her. In my flesh I would have quoted 2 Timothy 3:5 to her, instead the Lord prompted me to tell her:

1 Corinthians 1:18 (English Standard Version)

“For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

She then stomped off in a big huff.

She saw what I was handing to her was the Gospel of John. Normally, it is a “Go to Hell” gospel tract which would get me a mean glare. Yet, it was the Bible that she did not want me handing out.

As far as proclaiming theological training, to me she did not possess the spirit of a true Christian pastor.  If she is a pastor of a Christian denominational church, it is disappointing but biblically prophetic  to know that there is a female wolf in the  Knoxville sheep pen .   I used the Shepard’s staff(Word of God) to drive her away from me so I could continue doing the Lord’s work.

Matthew 7:15-16 (English Standard Version)

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. ¹⁶You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?”

Downtown Knoxville has very liberal unbiblical so-called churches to deter people away from hearing the pure Word of God in a Biblically sound church. Yet, these churches are in existence because according to the book of 2 Timothy.

2 Timothy 4:3 (English Standard Version)

“For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions…”

 

NOTE: God makes pastors, not theological degrees. (See following verses.)

1 Corinthians 2:1-5 (English Standard Version)

“And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”

 

Colossians 2:1-4 (English Standard Version)

“For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ,  in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments.”

I would also say that being Christian is not just solely feeding the poor and helping the sick.  I cannot take full credit for the following response I could have given her: “We can feed the hungry, cloth the naked, and heal the sick. Then when they die these people will be the best fed, clothed and healthy as they go thru the gates of Hell.”

I found it neat as the Lord revealed to me how tonight was the first night of the official lighting of the trees in downtown Knoxville by letting me distribute several copies of  the Gospel of John. The front cover of the Gospel of John had two words, “The Light.” The true light of Christmas is none other than Jesus Christ!

John 8:12 (English Standard Version)

“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Fisher of Men

Matthew 4:19 (English Standard Version)

¹⁹“And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

As I am finishing up the last bit of C.H. Spurgeon’s book, “The Soul Winner”, I have been blessed and encouraged on how nothing really ever changes in evangelism. There are people without Jesus and bound on the Highway to Hell.

One quote which from Spurgeon rang clear and true for me.

” The fisherman is a daring man…So the true minister of Christ, who fishes for souls, will never mind a little risk.  He will be bound to do or say many a thing that is very unpopular;  and some Christian people may even judge his utterances to be too severe.  He must do and say that which is for the good of souls. It is not his to entertain a question as to what others will think of his doctrine, or of him;  but in the name of the Almighty God he must feel, ‘If the sea roar and the fulness(sic) of thereof, still at my Master;s command I will let down the net'” (The Soul Winner, pg. 234-5).

When you remain close to the Lord and His Word by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit in Evangelism, the Lord will be glorified. Church people may be critical of your methods. If you are remaining biblical in your evangelism doctrine and methodology, don’t worry about how others respond. D.L. Moody was once approached by a woman giving him negative feedback on his evangelism style, to Moody’s reply was “You do evangelism your way, and I will do evangelism my way.”  We must be God pleasers  and not people pleasers.

I love how Jesus uses fishing references to going to people to catch them for the Lord. If  a man of God uses different bait to catch men than me, God be the glory. If God enables one man to open-air preach and another man distribute Bibles or gospel tracts,  God be the glory.  When Jesus choose the twelve to be fishers of men, not every man was alike.  Some of the fish we catch prefer live bait(person to person) and other fish will be attracted to plastic worms(gospel tracts). Spurgeon says in “The Soul Winner” to “Do something.” Something is better than nothing.

Even in our human imperfections and mistakes, God can still use  those situations to still bring many to salvation.  You do not have to be an expert. Remember, it is Jesus making us fishers of men. It is not in our personal abilities, although God may use those abilities.  We must remember we are under the leading of the  Master Fisher of Men, Jesus.

UT Football Homecoming meets the Gospel

This morning, a group of us were dropped off down by the Neyland stadium to handout Christian literature.  Each of us probably passed out over 1,00o gospel tracts per Evangelism member. I was also able to pass out about 15-20 Gospel of John. Of course we were rebuffed by some people.(Typical of every evangelism encounter.) However, we were thanked and we were encouraged in the Lord by  several Christians attending the game. The encouragement always is a Holy Spirit energy boost to combat those that reject or throw the tracts on the ground.

It was also encouraging to have the Fellowship of Christian Athlete’s handing out football cards with the Christian message and a link to a Christian website.  While they were not part of our group and vice versa, they are apart of us in the body of Christ.

Mark 9:38-40 (New Living Translation)

Using the Name of Jesus

³⁸ John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he wasn’t in our group.”

³⁹ “Don’t stop him!” Jesus said. “No one who performs a miracle in my name will soon be able to speak evil of me. ⁴⁰ Anyone who is not against us is for us.

While techniques vary with different Christians, it provides a  way to minister to the different personalities that all of us come into contact. As long as the other groups are in agreement in the essentials of the Christian faith, we can lay aside the non-essentials. Just like there are different branches of the military, there are different branches of the Christian faith.

Now it is time for me to prepare to go out and share Jesus with those celebrating the UT victory over Old Miss(52-14).

P.S.: It was encouraging and awesome to hear on the radio many of the football players giving thanks to the Lord for the abilities God gave them.  We should all be thankful to the Lord for the life he has given us and to verbally glorifying him for what he has done and will do in our lives.

Thank You Lord for some warm weather

Thank you, Lord for the warm weather today. I was able to meet a few people tonight and hand them a gospel tract. I pray they will put their faith in the Lord. If they are saved, they grow deeper in their walk with the Lord.

Halloween Weekend Evangelism

Jude 1:22-23 (New Living Translation)

²² And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. ²³ Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.

This weekend the college kids were out at the bars, this time in Halloween attire. I had some gospel tracts from A.C.T.S. tracts geared toward the Halloween theme. When I ran out of them I pulled what I had available in my satchel.

I pray for those taking and rejecting the tracts. Hopefully the next day they will pull the tract out of their pockets or purses. Many of the tracts get thrown on the ground or in the trash. Some actually keep the tracts.

Thank you Lord for giving me the opportunity to venture out in the public and share Jesus with the lost.