Jesus Christ commands believers to preach the Gospel to all creatures by preaching repentance and remission of sin to every nation. This was not a call to speak to believers on Sunday morning, but to go to the highways and byways and beseech men and women to be reconciled to GOD. On March 9 I went with some friends to preach the Gospel to college students from many different universities at their annual spring break at South Padre Island, Texas. Our team initially consisted of Robert Parker, Gabriel Osseguerra, Tom Sadowski, Don Harmon, and me. We were blessed by a local Assembly of God Church to sleep on their floors which allowed us to live closer to the island and helped with expenses. These local believers were exceedingly gracious and kind. Theology differences are buried under the Love of Christ in all believers. We were joined by brothers from Texas, Dan, Aaron and Rudy. We also teamed with a group from Amararillo, Texas. David and his wife Tracy, and Big John and Toby, and Christina are a group of evangelists known as Repent Amarillo. There were others who boldly testified and shared their faith with an often ungodly crowd. I thank GOD for each of these believers who give of themselves for the advance of the Gospel and for the Love of Christ and because they desire men to be delivered from the kingdom of darkness and translated into the kingdom of Christ.
Most people often forget something or leave behind things when they travel or go on holiday. Many of the people partying at S. Padre island left their inhibitions, morality, and civility back at home or on campus. Texas is known as a Bible belt state but few thought to bring their bibles. Seriously, the behavior of the revelers on this island would shame any heathen nation and sadly brings great shame upon the name of Christ. Although this event is sponsored by America corporations like Budweiser, Trojan, Hawaiian Tropic, and the local communities. With all hotel rooms occupied it might look like a success if it were not for the drunkenness, rape, and alcohol related deaths. During our 9 day stay 3 young adults died, one fell from a balcony. One from alcohol poisoning and a 3rd was violently stabbed during a drunken brawl on the beach on Friday afternoon. How sad that what men call partying and taking a break is truly life and death. The Gospel was preached and sinners were called to repentance. Unfortunately there were 700 Baptist young adults who with the support of their local church offered free van rides to and from the local bars and free pancakes to the bar patrons. They were opposed to preaching and would often interrupt a conversation between a preacher and a lost soul on the beach. Though claiming to believe the Bible they don’t believe that the Gospel is the power of GOD unto salvation or they have another Gospel ( pancakes & van rides, ) but there is only one Gospel. May GOD have mercy upon them. They were zealous and passionate to see souls saved, but they would use any means to accomplish their end, even at the expense of the truth. The young men and women on spring break were the product of the Roman Catholic church and modern Christian churches which preach forgiveness for all without atonement for sin and a cheap grace salvation which is a system of accepting Jesus or giving of a heart to Jesus thereby reconciling GOD unto man and enabling man to continue in sin as long as he continues to accept GOD. Jesus Christ is fully GOD and fully man whether accepted or no. He is GOD over all blessed forever and does not need my heart or yours. What every man needs is His mercy in that by His grace His blood would make payment or atone for our sins. To come to the saving faith that His blood was accepted by GOD and that by the blood He shed on the cross, He reconciles men unto Himself; therefore knowing this truth GOD forbid that we would continue in sin to trample His blood to shame His name or to make the sacrifice of His soul of no affect upon our will and nature . Salvation is through repentance toward GOD and faith in Christ Jesus. Repentance is believing unto righteousness, not just a profession of faith, a confession of sin, and a worldly sorrow leading unto death. Salvation is regeneration from death to life, from darkness to light. Jesus said you must be born again. There were also some on the beach who refreshingly made no claim upon Christ. These also heard the Gospel. Upon leaving Spring Break we attended Grace Family Baptist Church where we heard a powerful message by Elder Voddie Bochman. His message was an exposition on Daniel Ch 2 and demonstrated the shallowness of The king of Babylon and his profession of faith in GOD. Awesome declaration of GOD’s power with absolutely no change in his heart. In fact in Ch 3 he is deep in idolatry and making golden idols. Traveling home we were able to meet and preach at University of North Florida along with Mike Stockwell, Chris Sipply, Shane Sands, and some others local to Jacksonville. After arriving home Rob Parker and I preached at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond Virginia. Saturday we joined with 100 Christians to preach and evangelize at the atheist reason rally in Washington DC. See calendar for next month. I hope to preach Glad Tidings to the lost at many universities