by Peter Ruck | Sep 30, 2018 | Blog
Great time “On the Move BBQ outreach, despite the the drizzling rain. The Echo band with thieir own brand of Christian music with words adapted to well known soul and mowtown music. It could be heard in the Street. Two ladies came out to dance from a shop. I felt prompted to share the Good News of Gospel and one of ladies responded receiving Jesus.
A man called John responded accepting Jesus as his saviour after listening to a conversation I was having together with Edmund from Elim and another man.
People were still arriving to enjoy those sizzling sausages and burgers and those smell and armoma of the onions waffing around town. Then Victoria had a real encounter accepting Jesus before I linked her to St Edmunds the local church.
We also prayed with a man called Ron for so many aliments he was touched emotionally as Gary and I prayed as the Holy Spirit clearly touched him as he felt God’s love for him.’
by Peter Ruck | Apr 13, 2018 | Blog
Joe Crow the gloove puppet came to the Common Impact Church in Dagenham for the Easter Hunt. He wanted us to share a story of the Good Shepherd with the children and parents.
We read Psalm 23 to the children “The Lord is my shepherd “ asking them who do they thought the Good Shepherd was? They began to reply Jesus, Jesus. It was opportunity to share how much Jesus loved little children like them and wanted to take of each one of them and their families.
We shared the parable of the lost sheep with Zach reading the scriptures. As Peter Ruck told the children that we had lost a sheep and that there was a lost sheep it the building that it needed to be found just like they were hunting for Easter eggs. The children called out little sheep were are you?
It is about a shepherd who leaves his flock of ninety-nine sheep in order to find the one which is lost. (Luke 15:3–7). The Shepherd (Peter) went to find the lost sheep. It’s nice way of telling how special ONE person is to Jesus.
Joe Crow came back and shared the Lord’s Prayer and gave all the children “Hand tracts” and some children were able to share and read the prayer.
by Peter Ruck | Apr 13, 2018 | Blog
Zeal take boxing ring into Church.
Peter Ruck in the ring
What a great night as people came for a ringside seat to hear the testimonies of Jimmy Tibbs who shared his amazing life story as a professional boxer and trainer. He shared how he got involved in gang land violence landing him in prison. How he became a “born again” christian. What struck me personally was how he cared for his old friend from the East End Frankie Sims wanting to share Jesus with him a great example of “Love thy neighbour as thyself” came to mind.
Jimmy Tibbs
Frankie Sims followed Jimmy in the ring next telling everyone his story a true and “frank account” people were really engaged with a man who has spent so many years in prison for armed robbery, drugs and conspiracy. What was so touching was the “honesty” as he told his story, Jimmy would continue to tell Frankie he needed Jesus in his life. Frankie told how he became a Christian in prison and his desire to own a Bible even he couldn’t read and write. He told how God did the impossible for him to have a Bible that would follow him around different prisons, The picture of him holding that Bible so proudly was an amazing moment. This was a special moment that touched many lives.
Frankie Sims with his Bible.
It was great night as many people attending who never normally come into church. I didn’t have to say to much as these two shared the Gospel in their testimony’s. We invited them all to stay on for teas and coffee and many spent time talking and asking questions with our team.
by Peter Ruck | Apr 11, 2018 | Blog
My story of my life
My name is Liviu Cristescu and was born in Romania
I am the second son from 7 children and was brought up in a very conservative christian home, and we were always taken to church, and we’ve been thought to love and fear God For God so loved us that He gave His only begotten Son, John 3:16, So growing up I was trying to love and serve the Lord, keep away from sin and obey my parents. But I had a very rebellious personality. I always argued and be disobedient, always had my point and always did it my way, no matter how much I will try not to. I was causing more problems and troubles then all other 6 brothers. As brought up in church, I made so many decisions to follow Jesus, and honestly wanted to be a better son and a better christian, but failed all the time. Growing up in my teenage, I felt so strong towards the outside world to the point I wanted to leave home and live like the world
The first opportunity came I took it and just 3 months after my 18th birthday, I left home with a friend and immigrate to Argentina with big dreams and expectations. I was just like the prodigal son from the Bible, Luke 15:11. I told my parents I want to make my life with my hands, I dont want to depend on them and I want to leave them. I took everything I could and I left home…..
In my first years, scared of unknown, learning to survive without my parents help, learning new culture and language, I did not forget God, but finding a church I became member and got involved in the choir and i served in any way I was able.
I had a great time , loved it, loved the fellowship and the people and I was really looking to love the Lord, but I still couldn’t break away from all those curiosities and desires and soon I found my self doing things that I wasn’t doing before and instead of at least keeping the good works and morals I had before, I was sliding rapidly on a down hill path. 6 months before my Argentinian citizenship has been granted I’ve seen my biggest dream shattered. Disappointed, unhappy with my self and frustrated by my christian performance I decided to leave God out of my life and one day I made a confession with my mouth that I turn away from God and if He would really care for me, will find me. So I decided to give freedom to my self and enjoy life like never before.
Not long after I fall in love with a prostitute, an escort girl, and lived with her for years planning for the future.
We were partying, drinking, smoking and hanging around with all kind of people. But this wasn’t to last forever and I come out of this relationship, wounded and disappointed. This pushed me into becoming an alcoholic. I tried other relationships I will go to brothels occasionally, I would try any thing just for fun, to see how it is, but nothing will really satisfied me. At some point I felt so lonely, miserable and depressed, I prayed and I asked God for some one who will love me, respect me and help me to return to Him. I asked my parents to pray for me. I was feeling so down, so unworthy of anything and so depressed
By this time I was on the continent in the Uk. Getting along with some old friends from Argentina and making new other friends, i start all over again but going in the same direction, from bad to worst, reaching lower levels still.
A new year started, it was 2006 February when I met a new girl that I married that same year and realised after several years that she is God’s answer to my prayer and God will use her to bring me back to Him.
She loved me, respected me , cared for me she was in love with me, exactly the way I prayed to God, but I was unfaithful to her, cheating on her. One day in my circle of people and friends I tried for the first time to snort cocaine, and that was it, that thing chained me, I become straight away addicted. For what start with a curiosity to try once drugs, it got me heavy into cocaine, cristal meth and other drugs. I start neglecting wife and the 2 children we had. At some point the family became a burden. I will burst in anger with them all very quickly. I was 5 to 6 days a week heavy on drugs, and very often 3 to 4 days in a row I would not sleep at all, not coming home and even when I will get home I will still pump crystal meth through my veins and watch porn till morning while the kids will sleep next to me, and then try to get to work. I was completely twisted and messed up.
In my 34 years I should have been dead so many times. It was just God’s mercy that kept me alive.
One day after 6 years of marriage my wife comes and tells me that It is over, she wants to divorce, she will move in a council flat and take the kids. It was as if a massive stone hit me on the head. I couldn’t understand it, why? I thought she doesn’t know anything, as I was lying her through my teeth, and always had an alibi where I was, why and with who just to cover up my miserable life. But there I was, I felt that there is no reason to live for. In all that mess that I was, family still ment a reason to live, but now I felt I am coming to a dead end. And there was nothing I could do to change the situation or her mind.
That was my turning point and I really believe that was my last chance, the wake up call.
I fell on my knees and I cried out to heaven once more, I was tired, fed up with my self, broken, desperate for a change, I needed a miracle, there was no room for another try, it was either a miracle to happen or be dead. So i bowed down on my knees I asked God to forgive me, to have mercy on me, to intervene, I asked Him for a miracle.
12/11/2012 was the day I gave my life to the Lord Jesus I surrendered all and I a became a new creation.
”Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
II Corinthians 5:17 NKJV
And in deed , the miracle happen, I was a new man, made free from all my past and all my sinful nature, from night to morning I was free from drug addiction, alcohol, pornography and all the rest of my previous junk life. For the next few days I had my eyes swollen of tears, the Lord was cleansing me and touching me like I never ever experienced God’s love before. For the next 6 months I will cry like a baby at the mention of the name of Jesus, a worship song will cause me to weep , but this tears were tears of joy, unspeakable joy. For the.first time in my life I felt alive, I felt that I found purpose. And that is how it continued for the next year.
He restored me, and also my family, my health, my businesses, one by one and today after over 5 years in this new life, I would never for anything in this world would go back, I can only wish this would have happen long before.
My dear friend, if you read this, let me say this to you: God is able, He is willing and HE WILL change your life completely if you call upon the name of the Lord
”For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Romans 10:13.
”For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord . “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
Jeremiah 29:11 NLT
Today the Lord is taking me places around the world to testify of His goodness and love and my deepest desire is to know Him more and serve Him for the rest of my life, preaching the good news, that there is power in the blood of Jesus.
There is nothing in this world that can give you the peace, the joy, and the pleasure to enjoy life like the Lord.
I dare you to give your life to Him that knows all about you and you will never look back
God bless you.
If you would like book Liviu or other members of the team to speak at your church or event in the future you can contact us:-info@zealoutreachministries.co.uk.
