*👀 peeks into the auditorium*
*sees subscribers armed with tomatoes 🍅*
Oya wait wait wait. I can explain.
*subscribers stare. they await an answer*
😂😂😂😂
Someone's probably wondering, "Whaaaaaaaaa?"
Well, my dear friend, I'm about to be stoned with tomatoes because the last time I wrote a letter here was four months ago – right after I promised to write a letter on the fourth of every month.
*newcomers gasp*
In my defense, I did write one in October. Someone will tell me it doesn't count because it was the lyrics to a song alone 😒.
Did I write a letter or did I not? Taaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
😂😂😂
At any rate, welcome to 2025 and to another Heartbeat Letter 🎉🎉🎉. I wish I could say you'd get these letters consistently, but honestly, I don't myself.
One thing I can promise though is that when I get a word from the Lord, I will write to you.
*enters preachi…*
Oh chim. I almost forgot.
How's fasting been for you? 😂
Fast o. Don't be like me who decided to start fasting four days after everyone else 😂.
Fast and pray for the journey is still longggggg. You will not die.
*now, enters preaching mode*
I know you've set goals for the year. And as the fervent believer you are, I'm sure that evangelism – preaching the gospel more – is on your list.
What I'm about to say is very obvious, but for it to sink in, I'll say it still:
Pray.
Pray as much and probably even more than you go out to preach. It's not just about the words you speak.
Remember the parable of the sower? [Matthew 13:1-23, Mark 4:1-20, Luke 8:4-15]
Some seeds fell in bad places and couldn't thrive or bear fruit.
But there was nothing wrong with the seeds!
The seeds, the word of God, that the farmer was spreading about had no issue but the places the word fell on were not good environments for it to thrive and bear fruits.
Maybe you haven't realized that the devil doesn't want people to get saved. He'll do everything he can to make sure that a) they don't hear the gospel or b) when they hear, it doesn't bear fruits in their heart.
Before you step out to share the gospel, step into your closet, lock the door, and PRAY. Read this verse -
2 Thessalonians 3:1 NLT
Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we ask you to pray for us. Pray that the Lord’s message will spread rapidly and be honored wherever it goes, just as when it came to you.
"AND BE HONOURED WHEREVER IT GOES." Another translation says, "that its glory be recognized everywhere." That as you speak, their eyes are open to see Jesus high and lifted up.
That as you speak, the gospel makes sense to them. That the word of God cuts through to them just as Peter's words did on the day of Pentecost.
Even if it's not physical evangelism, PRAY.
If you're doing something like the letters I write or using video content you'll post on social media – any method of preaching at all, PRAY.
Spend as much time praying (and even more) as you do making and editing the video. Spend as much time praying as you do writing the letter/article. Spend as much time praying as you do walking around talking to people on the street.
If there are people in your heart to reach out to, write their names down, and every day for the next month, spend time praying for them.
Pray that their hearts are responsive to the gospel and that after believing, they will love the Lord with all their heart and soul, and might.
In the name of Jesus, we're bringing many more souls to Christ. Amen!
Phewwww
Now, the second part of this letter is more evangelical. So when you're done reading, I want you to share this with as many of your friends as possible.
About two years ago, I texted a friend. I really can't remember if it was an ongoing conversation or if I was texting for the first time in a long while.
What I do remember is this question I asked,
"How's your walk with God going?"
She replied,
"When I'm able to stop masturbating, I'll give my life to Christ."
PAUSE
Turn with me to Luke chapter 5. Let's read the story of some disciples.
Jesus wanted to teach a large crowd so he stepped into the boat of a fisherman. After he was done, he asked the fisherman and his brother to go into the deep and let their nets down.
They had fished all night and caught nothing. But when they obeyed, they caught a great catch. Here's what the fisherman, Simon Peter said after noticing the miracle:
Luke 5:8 NLT
When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man.”
PAUSE
Notice the similarities.
When Peter realized who Jesus was, he asked Jesus to leave! Because of how sinful he was, he didn't want Jesus around.
When I talked to my friend, she wanted to be away from Jesus because of her sinfulness!
*turns to face you*
You know that you know that you want to come to Christ, but there's some sin, that's standing in the way of accepting Him.
Read what Jesus said to Peter and the other fishermen -
Luke 5:10 NLT
Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!”
Ouuuu. I love how Matthew wrote this -
Matthew 4:19 NLT
Jesus called out to them, “COME, FOLLOW ME, and I will show you how to fish for people!”
Peter wanted to RUN from the presence of Jesus. But He says, COME!
And in case you don't get what I'm trying to say, Jesus is telling you to COME! Yes you're sinful, yes you're battling with addictions but He says COME!
And the reason He can say this is because He's the only one who can make you clean. Have you heard about the blood of Jesus?
I explained it extensively in a previous letter and I'll leave a link to it after this. The blood that Jesus shed when he hung on that cross is the reason you and I can be cleansed and forgiven.
When he was hoisted on that cross and nails were driven through his wrists, God placed on Him the punishment for every sin of every person in the world.
– listen closely –
– and I beg you, read the letter I talked about –
“That sin that's keeping you bound and running away from God, Jesus already paid the punishment for it.”
Now when you come to Jesus, he washes you clean and makes you righteous. Read this carefully -
Ephesians 1:7 AMP
In Him we have redemption [that is, our deliverance and salvation] through His blood, [which paid the penalty for our sin and resulted in] the forgiveness and complete pardon of our sin, in accordance with the riches of His grace.
The blood of Jesus resulted in the forgiveness of YOUR sin.
The reason God can call you to come even though you're sinful, is because He is the One who makes you clean.
There's another example in the Bible but this time I won't summarize. I want you to read the full story.
John 8:1-2 NLT
Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them.
John 8:3-5 NLT
As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd. “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”
John 8:6-8 NLT
They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.
John 8:9 NLT
When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman.
John 8:10-11 NLT
Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”
Can you read it again?
“Neither do I…”
Just as I told my friend, I'm telling you, Jesus will never condemn you. Stop running from his presence because of things you can't overcome.
Stop running and come to Jesus. His blood cleanses you from all unrighteousness. And when you come to Him, He doesn't just wash your sins away, He gives you strength to go and sin no more.
Arghhh. There's a verse in the book of Ezekiel. It was a promise made by God that is now fulfilled in Christ. Read with me, 3, 2, 1, GO
Ezekiel 36:26-27 NLT
And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.
Take a deep breath and read it again.
Ezekiel 36:26-27 NLT
And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.
When you come to Jesus, not only does he wash your sins away, he takes away the stony heart that makes you sin and puts his own Spirit inside of you.
And I sense that someone's finding this hard to believe because there are Christian people around you who are still deep in sin, terrible in behavior, and show no sign of changing.
Well, that's because God will never force you to do his regulations. When you believe in Christ and God puts His Spirit in you, that's empowerment!
An empowerment to DO the will of God!
He didn't turn you into a robot. He put in you a new heart. A heart that can respond to his instruction! And He gave you POWER!
In the past, you tried to stop those habits, tried to stop those addictions, and couldn't. BUT IN CHRIST, YOU HAVE THE POWER!!!
Some don't know this. So after they tried to stop it, they gave up and accepted it as their way of life.
But it doesn't have to be that way because God's verdict to you is Go And Sin No More!
Not Go and continue sinning,
Not Go and try to sin no more,
But, GO AND SIN NO MORE!
God has taken away your stony heart and given you a heart of flesh. He has put His Spirit in you and caused you to obey his commandments.
All because you believed in Jesus.
Say this with me,
Jesus! I believe in you. I believe in your blood.
I know that I'm full of sin and struggling with many sinful habits. But I also know that your blood cleanses me from all my sins.
I believe that right now, I am forgiven, washed by your blood and made righteous in your sight.
You've taken away the sinful heart, and given me a heart of flesh. I believe that you've put your spirit within me, and you're causing me to follow your regulations.
Thank you Jesus! Glory to God!
Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
I think I've missed writing letters 😂.
Alright people! Two things we're gonna do now.
First, I want you to share this letter. Share it to your friends, to your roommates, to your coursemates, to that person that keeps sending you new month greetings even though you don't want it… Loro kan sha, share it everywhere.
We'll shout more about Jesus this year, shoutn't we?
And before the second thing, there's a word to believers who are comfortably living in sin. God says to correct yourself.
Yes. You know this is to you. There's a wide category but this one's singled out -
You're dealing with lust but because you only think thoughts but never do anything physically, you've become comfortable thinking evil thoughts.
Correct it.
Those comfortable with lying, comfortable with deceiving. Correct it.
COLOSSIANS 3: 5-17
Second, if you read this letter and decided to stop running and come to Jesus, I want you to text the person who sent you the letter.
*subscribers be like whaaaa 😂*
It's for accountability, so you can have someone to help you in your walk with God. To my subscribers and those who will share, pwetty pwease with a cherry on top, help others grow in their walk with God.
If you've got a group or community that has helped you grow (*coughs in B.L.A.S.T*) share it with those that might text you. Thank you so so much 💚.
And yessssssssssssssssss, here's the letter I said you should read. Especially to those hearing about all I shared for the first time, it'll be very beneficial to you.
Our Substitute
Welcome to The Heart… Oh, I almost forgot - this isn't the welcome address. This letter doubles as the email people receive when they subscribe. But anyways,
Finally brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified (Acts 20:32).
I've missed saying this,
Till infinity, let your heart beat for Jesus 🌹
Yes!!! In Christ I have power ❤️🔥❤️🔥