The Irv Grip!

 PRAYING FOR SALEM!

Identify with the sins of the city - We can all identify with the roots of any sin in our city. We have been lax in travailing for Salem. We need to identify in personal and corporate repentance. Nehemiah identified with the sins in his city and prayed: “I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you” (Nehemiah 1:6-7)  But now we rise up united in Prayer!

 

Cover Salem with continuous praise and worship - God gives you His heart for Salem through worship and a positive attitude. Instead of complaining and reacting toward the sin in Salem, praise God for the good things. Satan is already an accuser, so praising God and declaring by faith the eternal purpose and dream of God over Salem brings in His presence and defeats the enemy.

 Ask God to give you HIS heart for Salem-

When you have God’s heart, you will pray with a love that seeks God’s plan for Salem.  You will love Salem as He loves Salem.  Your prayers will be much more effectual and fervent.   

Prayer for Salem

Dear Lord, change the atmosphere of our city through our prayers. Help us to guard Salem as watchmen.  Salem belongs to You Teach us to continually cover it with praise and worship day and night. We long to release Your fire in the night season. Give us insight into how to pray for Salem and how to take action in love as we wait on You. Teach us the secret of travailing prayer. Give us great faith for peace and revival for Salem. We will pray until Your deliverance comes. We choose to give ourselves no rest (Isaiah 62:6-7). We praise You for You are mighty and powerful, and You can do all things. We choose to remember Your name in the night. We praise You for what You are going to do in our city as we pray and reach out to the lost. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Let the sweet love of Jesus shine through you! Soul Saving Center Street Journal 2021

 

There's nothing like walking up to a group of young men who are engrossed in their conversation and looking like they want no parts of anything you have to say....so you introduce yourself and give them an invitation to church, they politely take it...and say "Thank You!"  But the icing on the cake is when you get to the last of the crew and the guy doing most of the talking is your cousin!  We hugged a big hug and said, "I love you Cuz!"  That alone made the other guys pay attention and show even more respect!...."Oh, she's his family!

It was a beautiful day to walk, pray and share the gospel.  No one refused the invitations....everyone was so accepting which just let me know that people need Jesus in their lives.  Their eyes tell the story. 

I encountered a young man who grew up in a very VERY strict church and he told me that when he became an adult he never wanted to see the inside of  a church ever again....(we had our conversation while he was rolling something, but that didn't matter)  He told me how he couldn't play sports, play with other kids, go to the movies and a list of other No No's.   He said he has 3 children and he has never taken them to church.  He told me he even used to play the piano but after feeling so condemned about everything, he stopped playing.  He wasn't blaming God for his upbringing....just that church.  The world must see Jesus first!  Feel His genuine Love flowing from us!   All of the other religious man-made rhetoric, is of the devil and I believe that God will judge this kind of thing...

In all my years of sharing the gospel on the streets, I have run into people who were backslidden, other religions or even atheists.  But this was the first time I've ever had a conversation with someone who was hurt so badly as a child by the church.  Our conversation was lengthy to say the least and he knew that my focus was Jesus and what He does in our lives once we accept Him as Lord and Savior.  

I walked away praying for him and praying that the seeds I planted all fell on good soil and produce good crops, In Jesus' Name.

Pray with me that Jesus invades the hearts of the men and women and teens that I talked to today.  And that Jesus brings them to repentance.  My prayer was that they feel His love through me as I shared Him with them.  I know Jesus did that!  I just know He did!

  

Give Me Salem Or I Die!

 

“One man with God is always in the majority.”

This weekend 3 people connected to my husband and myself passed away. I went for a walk to pray because I was sad about their passing. But ended up Witnessing to so many people I couldn't even listen to the music I had prepared to listen to as I walked. God put the words in my heart. "Get Right With God!"
Even one man who has rebuffed me for years and when he sees me he goes inside of his house....I walked by him sitting on his porch and I said, pointing at him, "Get Right With God!" He answered humbly, "Yes Ma'am"
I began to pray "Give Me Salem, for your Glory! Give me Salem or I die." Meaning just like John Knox I am earnestly petitioning God to move in this town as I proclaim that Jesus is the only way! It's the gospel that will set them free. The faces I shared the gospel with today were ripe for the harvest. God directed my walk, and some people knew it was God that set them up to meet me on the street..... Every church that lives out the Great Commission, I pray souls run to them all crying out, "What Must I Do To Be Saved!"

https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/give-me-scotland-or-i-die/

Choose Ye This Day Whom Ye Shall Serve!

I just came in from preaching in the streets  Union Street in Salem to be exact.  And I can still feel the anointing all over me!

There were about 12 young men out there gambling, drunk, high and I walked up to them to invite them to church.  Some laughed and pretended they didn't hear  me...but it showed me as it always does,  the hold the devil has on people.  So I began to share Jesus with them and all I could hear the Spirit say "Choose Ye This Day Whom Ye Shall Serve!"  The Lord showed me some of them when they are alone at night, they are tormented about death.  I shared this with them and gave them the Gospel of Jesus Christ!  Hope and Life in Jesus!
A young man asked me a question about Jesus being the only way and why wasn't there any other religions that were right.....I told them Jesus is the only way, and all He's asking for you to do is believe on Him.  No changing, no works, no nothing.  I told them they couldn't change what they were doing if they wanted to!  If they could the would have.

I sang John 3:16 for them and by the time it was all over...no more laughing, ignoring, just the words of life that Jesus gave me hanging in the air.

I love preaching about Jesus in the Streets!!!
Happy Resurrection Sunday!

Soul Saving Center Hit the Streets tonight!!!

Yes!!!!  We were out there as a church family.....not all of us but we were out in the neighborhoods sharing the gospel, hugging people we haven't seen in so long!

I love it that so many of our church knew so many of the people tonight and there were beautiful "God-Connections" going on....People shared their story of how Jesus came into their lives and also His great power to save them!

As they reflect on encounters and the prayerwalks, praying over homes and people they got to plant the seeds of the gospel, the Soul Saving Center Street Journal will include more than just my account.  You just don't know how that makes me so happy!!!

I'm so overjoyed and thankful for them all....Frosty, Terry, Lydia, Irene, Maurice, Crystal, Jaden and Irene's granddaughter....(I can't remember her name! But she was out there!)

Thank you for sharing Jesus with our community.  And when we pray for Salem tomorrow in church, I know you all will have someone in particular on your mind.  I love you all so much!

"If Jesus didn't Love you, I wouldn't be out here....."

I found myself saying that over and over again to so many young people hanging out tonight.

It's been quite a while since I have written in the Soul Saving Center Street Journal....but something drove me to the streets tonight.

We just finished Hinds Feet in High Places and the book ended with the character returning to her valley where there was so much darkness and sadness and evil but she was different and she knew she was to tell them about the way out...even if they didn't believe her or listen....she had to tell them.....I sat there reflecting on the end of that book and I felt myself anxious to hit the streets....

What really fueled the fire was some who were there had family members who had recently experienced violence or something traumatic in their families....and it happened in Salem....
 We prayed together and after praying I found it hard to sit still....I left right after making my way to the specific streets that were mentioned tonight.  There were so many people hanging out all along the way....so I parked the car and walked up to groups of people, people in cars.....hanging out, high, making exchanges but they all took a flyer inviting them to church.

Each group got a different approach from me.  The Lord is teaching me to listen to His voice as to how to break the ice....but the words "I wouldn't be out here if Jesus didn't love you" was something that God wanted me to let them all know....and you know what so many said in response?  "I believe that!"
 Don't think because you see rough tough looking people hanging out that they don't feel the emptiness inside them....that's why they are doing so much to elevate the happiness they crave.  Looking for God in all the wrong places.

I met a young woman who had come into my center for help a few days ago and as I spoke to her about her life and what it would look like with Jesus as Lord in her life she remembered me....I didn't remember her but when she reminded me, I told her this was a "God-Connection"  and she said "Probably!"  She didn't want me to see her  in her present state as she was very upset and saying a lot of "Things" very loudly when I walked up to her.  We are staying in touch!

A car I approached had very dark windows....I knocked on the window and asked if I could give them a flyer....once the window was down they both knew me and told me who they were.  They come from families who are Believers....We chatted about the knowledge they have of God and how they should be out here with me!  They said, "Yea, I know."   They can't hide forever....they've got to choose....heaven or hell.

I came home greatly anticipating going out again....the Harvest is White and so ready for the gospel...
Of course I heard the enemy talking smack about people not wanting to hear me....but that's whats so cool about listening to the Holy Spirit....He gave me ice breakers that require me to follow up because I proposed some art classes just for the girls and they were receptive.  I talked to some kids about singing and while talking to some guys tonight, I believe the Lord was there ahead of me dealing with them.
There's nothing like writing about these times....I'll be writing more....If Jesus doesn't come back, I've got more time to tell people about Him.