By now, most reading this has probably seen Mel Gibson’s movie, The Passion Of The Christ.  How glorious it is to see God at work through this movie, bringing viewers to the graphic realization that the death of the world’s Savior was not a “cheap” sacrifice by any stretch of one’s imagination.  This movie will change the heart’s of many people, and is one of the best evangelistic tools ever to come out of Hollywood. 

Years ago, beginning around 1982, everytime I would see a box office smash hit movie using special effects that grabbed one’s attention (especially Steven Spielberg movies), something inside me would begin to stir, and I felt like someone in Hollywood with the ability to use modern day special effects is supposed to make a film titled: Second Coming.   In fact, I would be so stirred inside that I would pray time after time for God to speak to just the right person(s) to take on the project.  In “The Passion” we saw the suffering Messiah in such graphic detail that it was sickening, yet that was the very intent of the movie: to get us to realize just a little more clearly how great and painful of a sacrifice our Savior really made for us.   

In the film that has yet to be produced that has been my on-going prayer, titled: Second Coming … the whole world would see the return of this suffering Jesus we saw in “The Passion” coming on the clouds of glory as scriptures say it will happen, but now He would be the glorified Messiah in all His splendor and majesty and power.   Any skeptics that have been concerned that there would not be enough viewers to pay for the making of the film might now have second thoughts after seeing how much profit has been realized from “The Passion.”

As the storyline for “The Passion” was written nearly 2,000 years ago and marketed in the Bible since that time, so has the storyline been written for “Second Coming.”  Millions since then have read the script, so the coming of a Messiah to rescue Israel and His followers and establish His kingdom upon earth is not a script that most people have never heard of.  It would be a special affects movie that surpasses all others ever made.  And if done right, it would reveal a side of Jesus this world has yet to see.  So, Lord, “If it be thy will … speak to just the right person(s) to make “Second Coming.”  It’s still my prayer and will remain my prayer until I die.  Perhaps it’s a prayer God would impart to others as well. 

On the ministry home front, God continues to shed His grace upon Precious Testimonies.  It’s such a blessing to hear about lives being touched through this outreach, and all glory goes to God for it. 

A recent viewer writes :  “I have not been a Christian very long.  The Precious Testimonies website is absolutely wonderful.  So much hope comes from it. Sometimes my faith wanes, and reading how God has come through for others strengthens my faith that God will see me through my trials as well.”

Here is a the kind of response we like the most:  “I’ve given my life to Jesus Christ from reading your website.  Please pray for me.”  

On a different note, we continue to pray for Jim and Carla Barbarossa from Step-By-Step Ministries, as we encourage other’s to do as well.  God has imparted a vision to brother Jim that stirs the depths of my soul, because it dovetails with the call God imparted to us years ago:  “Exhort my people to write down their born again testimonies so I can use them to touch others, to help fulfill the Great Commission and to glorify My heavenly Father.”

In our Fall 2003 Ministry Update we shared how God used brother Jim in his local church to motivate people to write down their born again testimonies. Out of that act of obedience, a book titled: Real Life Stories came forth.  People of Jim’s church are now taking that book into their local community, and they are seeing souls saved and coming to their church simply because people in the church took the time to write down their born again testimonies and allow God to use them.  

Part of the call God has given Jim is going to other churches around the country, exhorting other’s to begin writing down their testimonies … first making them available in tract form, then when enough testimonies have been written, prayerfully considering making a book out of them as one big tract, and let the congregation take the books out into their local community and let God use them to reach lost souls.   (Step By Step Ministries will assist in getting a book published, if you desire their assistance.  Simply contact their ministry at the address given below.)

If local church leadership feels the reluctance is just too strong in motivating their local congregation to write their testimonies, then an alternative option is available.   They can obtain copies of:  Real Life Stories from Step-By-Step Ministries, place the name, address, and phone number of their local church in the back of the book (a special place to do this has been done in the second printing of the book), and people can allow God to use Real Life Stories in their respective communities as well to touch lost souls.  Obviously if new converts are looking for a local church to become a part of, it would be natural for them to visit the church given in the back of the book (your church).   To those who know brother Jim, he would rather local congregations write and publish their own book of testimonies, but until that happens, churches can use Real Life Stories from Step-By-Step Ministries to start the process flowing.   Jim can be contacted by calling:  219-762-7589.  His ministry address is:  Step By Step Ministries, 215 Saulk Trail, Valparaiso, Indiana 46385.  He also has two different websites:  www.step-by-step.org and www.theshofarman.com and his email address is stepbystep@step-by-step.org.

Folks, this isn’t just another “gimmick” to sell books to make money.  Brother Jim has the call of an Evangelist.  He has been given a mandate from God to help the local church reach out into their communities to reach lost souls.  What has brought Jim and I together years ago was the revelation and unction God has given him that one of the most natural and effective ways God has given Christians to witness to others is sharing how God has worked in their lives.  Whether it be one-on-one sharing, or through written form or recorded on video or audiotapes … God uses God-glorifying testimonies to impact the lives of others.  Testimonies are a God idea for sure. 

Dear one … If you have yet to take the time to put down in words your born again testimony, would you please pray about doing so.  Certainly the warfare is going to intensify the moment you decide to move forward with it, which is normal.  Your mind will most likely be flooded with all kinds of thoughts like:  “My testimony isn’t finished.  I’m waiting for some breakthrough.”  Or, “You are just on an ego trip – admit it.  You are trying to bring glory to yourself if you’re considering writing your testimony.  Hey – all that mess from the past needs to stay buried and never brought up again.”

Or - this is one of Satan’s most effective tactics:  Flood you with volumes and volumes of thoughts in trying to convince you that you need to write an entire book on all that God has done in your life, and you just don’t have the time, so someday when you get the time, you’ll start writing.   

To beat the devil at his game, determine to write one paragraph a day.  Then comes the second paragraph the next day, then the third and fourth.  Before you know it, you will find you have written your testimony.  The most difficult part is getting that first paragraph written but I’m confident you can do it, and will do it. 

Once you have it written, make a copy of it, and make it available to your pastor.  What brother Jim and his pastor did was put the testimonies people wrote into attractive, colorful pamphlet form, and put them in the foyer of their church for visitors to take home with them.  As boldness grew, people committed to that church began to take the testimonial pamphlets into the highways and byways of the community, and then out of that the book was birthed they titled:  Real Life Stories.

The Internet offers numerous websites looking for more born again testimonies (actually testimonies of all types) to publish.  Go to Google or Yahoo and type in: Christian Testimonies.  If you’ve never done so, you might be amazed the number of Christian websites available you can submit your testimony to.  Precious Testimonies is just one.  And if you’re not aware, you can go to our website where we offer many tips on HOW to go about writing your born again testimony so it can have maximized impact. 

In closing … again we want to thank all who lift up this ministry in prayer and us personally.  We are convinced your prayers are what keeps this ministry up and running -- for God to use it to reach out and minister to others.  We learned long ago that any ministry reaching out to reach lost souls will not stay functional (let alone fruitful) very long without prayer.  We wish this wasn’t the case, but warfare is a reality we have to deal with whether we like it or not, right?   God takes time to show us in His Word that Satan can hinder the work of God.  The apostle Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 2:18 these words:  “Therefore we wanted to come to you – even I, Paul, time and again – but Satan hindered us.”  Paul constantly asked for prayer, that doors would be open for him to share the Good News of the Gospel.  If the apostle Paul needed prayer, certainly Precious Testimonies does!   

Thank you, and may God richly bless you as you seek to be fully obedient to the call God has placed on your life.  If part of that call involves praying for Precious Testimonies on a regular basis … please feel free to let us know if you have needs we here at Precious Testimonies can pray for.  It truly is a privilege for us to do so!