Praise the Lord for another week of blessings.

Well it was off to northeast Indiana and I must say that I was taken back while driving through Gary, Indiana.  The whole city was desolate and crumbling.  Homes, commercial buildings, schools, city government buildings and the roads were shocking.  How can this be in the USA?  What else could have this resulted from except misappropriation and corruption!  Think of the people still here in their hometown and what about the youth?  Please pray that God would send lots people like the ones that I wrote about last week in Indianapolis at the urban café.

Later I settled in Schererville / Merrillville, Indiana.   I had the good pleasure of meeting Brother Rick who is the son in-law of the pastor at Community Baptist Church.  Through whom I met Pastor Bob Mitchell just prior to the 6:00 pm service.  What a reception, not only did they provide for me a place to stay but they insisted I park up front in full view of everyone passing by!  Wow, a church that’s more concerned about reverence for God rather than being relevant to the post modern world.  What a way to begin the week!

On Monday I finished my post mid afternoon and then about 4pm I secured the prop upright in the bed of the truck and set out to get stuck in traffic.  No, that was not a typo.  Think about it from my vantage point or driver’s seat: Hey people can’t help but to look and in traffic maybe read some of what is written right?  But, what if one of them can’t read?  To me that could be viewed as discriminatory. So why not read it to them and the amplified version for the hearing impaired.  Amen?  Well you may relax because I forgot to take the microphone with me.  So I had to change the plan just a little, instead of speaking to a captive audience I decided to pull over, turn the hazard
lights on and sit on the side of the freeway until the traffic cleared.  Remember it’s about numbers.

One Way Truth & Life One Death Resurrection & Hope JESUS!

Next, off to a couple of the local Walmart parking lots.  I decided to use the prop set upright in the back of the truck.  This was very effective, so much that I stayed out past 10:30pm.

On Tuesday evening I set out for traffic again except this time I did not forget the microphone.  I set a small amplifier in the sliding rear window and trusted the Lord to give me courage and the Words to speak.  God gave me the courage to speak about the only true and lasting hope there is for a lost and dying world. That is reconciliation between God and man through the finished work of Jesus Christ on the Cross!
Amen.

On Wednesday evening I attended service at my host church.  Again I was received in the Love of Christ. Not long after the service started Pastor Bob said, “David come up front”.  I wasn’t sitting near the back, which meant come and speak!  Then he asked me to share a little about how this ministry came about and what it was.  Then he said that I had 5 minutes!  Well anyone who knows me would probably say that would be a miracle in itself (ha ha). So, I shared with them a little about the ministry but more importantly
encouraged them to get up and go sharing Jesus Christ!

How about this Business - Not Ashamed of Jesus Christ!

Thursday at Panera, I met Brother Angelo and we spent the better of three hours together.  Then off to share Jesus, on the way across town someone in the other lane motioned for me to roll down the window.  When I did the man said can we buy you dinner?   So I followed this dear couple and we had a great time of fellowship in the Lord.  Afterwards another great evening sharing Jesus.

Friday , I hooked up the ministry trailer for a big evening on the town “Disciple Style”.  I
mentioned meeting brother Angelo last evening, well he had given me a few contacts so I made a couple of calls and not long after; Brothers Ken, George and Angelo where on the scene.  Over the next few hours we set up at four different locations and had a great time witnessing, encouraging and praying for many.  Wow, this is how I had hoped it would be in every town.  These men belonged to different local churches but all of them are passionate about evangelism.  I will long hold on to the memory of this night.  Thanks, Ken George and Angelo!

Saturday evening and night was incredible.  I set the paradise prop up and went to
town.  Talk about causing rubber necking and traffic jams!  Displaying the Cross and Promise of Eternal Life through Jesus Christ drew many believers and spectators.  Sharing testimonies, camera flashes one after another, rejoicing in the Lord and simply being unashamed of Jesus Christ!  Opposition yelled out and was gone (no power).  Praise God!  What a way to close out street ministry here in Merrillville / Schererville.

Wow, Check out the images in the windows!

Sunday morning per invitation from Ken, I went to speak at Victory Christian Church in Portage, Indiana.  Wow, the praise and worship was off the hook!  When it came time to speak there was no apprehension at all.  And no time limit either!  Sharing some of what God has done and is doing in my life, then a little bit of preaching, challenging and encouraging the brethren.  Think about this;   The Jesus we say we believe in, we quote
verses like; “greater is He that is in us, than he that is in the world” and we sing; “all to the my blessed Savior I surrender all”.   The Challenge then; let us in word and deed
live out this hope we have in full view of the World.  That we may be hear our Master saying, “Father, these are those who were Not Ashamed of Me in the World”.         Praise God!   Amen.

This week the Lord made me to abound in numerous ways; He provided a beautiful and safe place to lay my head, He has given me courage, He has increased my faith, He has provided for all my needs and He has provided for the unexpected which no one but He and I knew about. (Now, I fight back tears in remembrance of all the dear brethren God used this past week to do so).   So you may know, the last several days have been in the upper 80’s and 90’s.  The air conditioning in my truck has not been working and has been a bit of a challenge as I have a degree of heat intolerance due to MS.  Leaving northern Indiana with fond memories and full of joy, I drove through South Chicago, then right through the heart of Downtown Chicago in heavy traffic and then finally on to interstate 90.  After 4.5 hours driving in mid to upper ninety degree weather I arrived in Madison Wisconsin (looking somewhat like a salted pretzel).  I stopped to get a sandwich and a drink.  When I reached into my pocket I felt a bit of cash which I had completely forgotten about.  This had been handed to me, as a gift from Victory Christian Church earlier in the evening.  When I got to the table I counted more than
Seven hundred dollars!  Wow, Praise God!!  Thank You:  Victory Christian Church!  (A/C repair!)

As I wrote above, “This week the Lord made me to abound in numerous ways; He provided a beautiful and safe place to lay my head, He has given me courage, He has increased my faith, He has provided for all my needs”:  Thank you, Angelo, George
and Ken you all have been an encouragement to me in many ways and I will not
soon forget the Honor it was to serve the Lord together.  Thanks to every brother and sister I met this week in northwest Indiana because the Joy of this week has made some of the past disappointments fade away!

A new week has begun and I close this writing to say again; Thanks to everyone who has been a blessing to me at home and abroad!  I’m very sure that through God, each and every one of you has better prepared me to continue:

The Journey 50 States One True Story JESUS!

Agape, David Banton

Brother Tony NY, I'm thinking this might work for you uh?