AN OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD PLACE TO SHARE THE GOSPEL...SEDONA?!? Yeah…Sedona is quite a weird place… As you can see if you look at the pictures below, Sedona, Arizona is FULL of “real” UFO-sightings, aura readings, fortune telling, mystical crystals, and the occult. IT WAS SO MUCH FUN! Before you’re concerned about us, (and I hope you would be) let me tell you WHY I was so excited to go to Sedona... The reason is because there’s something more exciting, interesting, COMPLETELY opposite, entirely otherly, and totally perfect that blows all demonic stuff out of the water – the One who created water Himself. He is the reason we do everything that we do. We planted Gospel tracts EVERYWHERE! We were like little Gospel spies!! IT WAS SO AWESOME! What better place to share the truth of God’s Word than in the darkest of the darkest place we could think of in Arizona! I want to be clear that we take things that are against the nature of God VERY seriously. This is not to be taken as a joke, I say with all sobriety and weightiness that this is not a game, it is serious business. But, it’s a joy because we know that Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, has already won the battle. What am I talking about? From the beginning of time, God was sovereign. He always has been, He is now, and He always will continue to be. We are the rebels who broke His Law, the eternal character of God, and plunged the world into sin and rebellion. Did that strike God by surprise? No. God is perfectly holy and perfectly just in all that He does. He doesn’t “react” to us, because He’s God, He had divinely orchestrated everything from before the existence of time. Hold on for one moment. Can you imagine existence without time? I CAN’T! Here’s what I’m getting at… God has created us, divinely planning everything out for His glory. He sent Himself in the Person of Jesus Christ to save us, He dwells inside of us in the Person of the Holy Spirit, and He is ruling and reigning. Idols can’t even talk. I can’t say anything better than Scripture, so instead of going on and on with my own words, after I make my main point, I’m going to quote from the Word of God. God’s Word is more powerful than anything anyone could ever say. My bottom line is this: Sedona was fun to visit – FOR A DAY, but the darkness was overwhelming. People are worshipping idols left and right. It’s very dark. But the power of the Gospel is so much stronger, and it’s so encouraging to look back and see how God worked through the whole experience. Hab. 2:18-20, ““What profit is the idol when its maker has carved it, Or an image, a teacher of falsehood? For its maker trusts in his own handiwork When he fashions speechless idols. “Woe to him who says to a piece of wood, ‘Awake!’ To a mute stone, ‘Arise!’ And that is your teacher? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, And there is no breath at all inside it. “But the Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him.”” Ps. 115:1-8, “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, But to Your name give glory Because of Your lovingkindness, because of Your [a]truth. Why should the nations say, “Where, now, is their God?” But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases. Their idols are silver and gold, The work of man’s hands. They have mouths, but they cannot speak; They have eyes, but they cannot see; They have ears, but they cannot hear; They have noses, but they cannot smell; They have hands, but they cannot feel; They have feet, but they cannot walk; They cannot make a sound with their throat. Those who make them will become like them, Everyone who trusts in them.” Ps. 8:3-4, “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained; What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him?” Col. 1:17-18, “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.” Amen! Also... GUESS WHAT?!? WE’RE DONE WITH FIRST YEAR GREEK!! YAY! On to second year Greek before long! It has been awesome learning a biblical language. It’s like a new world. I’ve been to Israel, and that was life-changing, but actually learning one of the languages that Jesus may have spoke and trying to better understand what He taught is even more amazing! Our church is doing well too! They are getting involved in planning more evangelism, and they are thinking of being able to start up Sunday School next month! That will be really encouraging if that goes ahead! A bit of sad news… The mission’s conference up in Michigan has been cancelled. BUT, we will probably still take a trip up there and do some exciting evangelism with old friends of mine! We are still very excited, and, though we are very sad that we won’t be able to share our hearts through the conference, our time will be more freed up to share the Gospel and spend time with the body of Christ! I’m thrilled to see what God will do with the time, despite all my plans that may or may not come to pass. Check out these pictures! I have twice as many as usual!! Here’s some pics with my normal captions, and then I have some additional shots that you can play a game with called “Find the Gospel tract” ;) Each of the pictures without captions are photos that have Gospel tracts in them. It’s your job to find the tract in each one! Here’s a hint: most of them say “Instant Gratification” on them. The other two should be obvious. They all have great stories behind them, but that would take up sooo much room! Comment and ask about specific ones if you’re interested! Daniel and I with the Sedona mountains in the background. Sedona is about two hours south of the Grand Canyon.Creepy Roman Catholic church with HUGE Jesus statute. I put tracts behind the little nail plaques on the wall.Lots of places like this in Sedona; they got infested with tracts ;)Alien sightings... Totally normal...A cool bridge with a nice little river underneath.Find the tract!!!!No words could express how thankful I am for this man. <3
2 Comments
Debbie Frazey
9/26/2020 08:24:46 pm
What a great idea!
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Sarah Bruce
9/27/2020 08:43:17 am
Thanks so much! It was so fun!!
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AuthorsDaniel and Sarah Bruce are missionaries in training to Papua New Guinea. Daniel is from Australia and Sarah is from Detroit, MI. They reside in Phoenix, AZ, where they are members at Grace Bible Church in Tempe, AZ. Archives
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