C28 Blog - C28 & NOTW Founder & CEO Aurelio F Barreto's Blog

Christmas: It's still legal

2009-11-06T09:32:00.000-08:00

As Christmas approaches, we wanted to share with you a great message for the Holidays. The Lord led us to design a special "Christmas Still Legal" shirt that boldly communicates one of many realities about Christmas, and that is that Christmas is still actually legal in most states :-) With so much anti "Christian" media propaganda being circulated these days, we can't forget our country was founded and established by Christian values. "...if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name..." 1 Peter 4:15-17

(message continued below)

As Cuban immigrants who fled from an oppressive communist regime, my family embraced the American values and freedoms of this country, and quickly became US citizens decades ago. We came to this country in the pursuit of the American dream and the ability to worship God freely.

I must tell you something, my mom startled me the other day when she said "Aurelio, I'm afraid the conditions in this country are starting to resemble a lot like when Castro took over Cuba. We lost our freedom of speech, our freedom to worship and our human rights as citizens. The 'State' took over and controlled everything" I was shook to my core when she told me this. I was amazed at how this could happen again. "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun." Ecclesiastes 1:9

With all of this said, please pray for this country and be grateful to God for our current freedoms. "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings." 1 Peter 5:7-9 Celebrate Christmas this year openly with others. You may very well be the closest "Jesus" to someone this Christmas. And remember to love God by loving others, in the name of Jesus :-)

Who are you?

2009-09-01T18:09:00.000-07:00

Do you ever feel like you have no identity, like you don’t fit in anywhere? Do you ever feel rejected or condemned? God says in the Bible that if you’ve put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ, He sees you as ‘holy and blameless’. As His child, you belong to Him and are awesome in His sight. So why don’t you feel that way? Could it be that you don’t choose to believe and trust the truth of God’s Word? When you practice your faith by choosing to believe the Bible instead of your feelings, you can experience true joy the way God wants you to.

As a follower of Jesus Christ, you DO have an identity and that is as a child of God. God chose you to be in Him before He had created the world. He knew you would be born and be called His very own! He did not just choose you and set you aside for a later time or another place, but He actually made you to be in Him, right NOW! “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace” Ephesians 1:4-7

Because you are in Jesus, you are part of His body. And how could Jesus look at His own hand for instance and say it isn’t good? You are pure in His sight because you are now a part of Him. When Jesus sees you, He sees you as clean and innocent not by anything you’ve done, but only by His death. He paid the penalty of your sins with His own life because He loves you so much.

The Lord is more ready to pardon you than you are to sin; more willing to forgive you than you are willing to forgive yourself. Ask Him to forgive you at any time and He will do it. Satan can accuse and attack you all he wants, but remember you are not of Satan you are in Jesus by your faith. As horrible as you may think you are, Jesus washed away your sins; that’s how valuable you are to God. And that’s how powerful His sacrifice was for you. You are His child!

So the next time you feel left out, unworthy or hopeless, choose to believe the truth of God’s Word and be confident that you are ‘holy and blameless’ in the sight of Jesus. And that makes you special to Him regardless how you feel about yourself. Have you confessed your sins and chosen Jesus Christ to be the Lord and Savior of your life? If you have already, then congratulations. If you haven’t, then just do it right NOW. God will forgive you and make you His very own because He loves you just the way you are. =]

I Killed Jesus, and Jesus saved me!

2009-06-29T17:06:00.000-07:00

From time to time we develop NOTW shirts that are extremely thought provoking and the newly developed "I Killed Jesus" is most certainly one of them. We are praying that many people will come to faith by the powerful scripture on this shirt and through your efforts in sharing the gospel."...Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst." 1 Timothy 1:15 I have personally worn this shirt and know firsthand how it quickly leads many to ask, "What does this mean?" Please let me share a normal dialogue below that you can expect, and how you can use it to share the gospel message of grace, truth and love of Jesus.

You killed Jesus???...What...???

Yes, it was my sin that sent Jesus to the cross.

What sin? Do you mean to tell me that you are a sinner?

Well yes... I am a sinner, God calls us to be perfect but who is? If you have ever lied, cheated, stolen or even had any bad thoughts in your head, the Bible considers that sin.

Wow...I never really thought of it that way. But why did our sin cause Jesus to be crucified?

Because God sent His son Jesus to this earth to pay the penalty for our sins. In the Bible, God says that the penalty for any sin is hell. I am sure you do not want to go to hell when you die, do you?

God forbid you died tonight, would you go to Heaven? How does a person get to Heaven???

I’ve done more good than bad. I think I am basically a good moral person.

Well... I hate to tell you the bad news, but you cannot earn your way into Heaven by your good works.

Well then, how does a man go to Heaven if we are all sinners and you cannot earn your way into Heaven??

Great question. The Bible says there is only one God, and one way to God and Heaven, and that it is through faith in God's son Jesus Christ.

Do you mean that by simply believing in my heart that Jesus can be my Lord and Savior, I can go to Heaven?

Yes, we are saved by our faith in Jesus. God loves you so much that He sent His one and only son Jesus Christ to save us from the due and just penalty for our sins... Hell.

So how do you get faith? What must a person do to go to Heaven?

You pray to God and ask Him to forgive your sins. You place your faith and trust in Jesus Christ, to be the Lord and Savior of your life. You ask God to make you the man or woman He wants you to be.

Moses and his Promise Land - Jesus and His Grace

2009-05-28T09:58:00.000-07:00

MOSES, A PILLAR OF FAITH Moses was a great man, a man who responded to God's call on his life and sacrificially served the nation of Israel. Moses could of lived a privileged life as an Egyptian leader, but instead chose to subject himself to a life of sacrificial hardships because he loved God and God loved Him. Moses spent the last 40 years of his life dedicated to leading the Jews to God's "Promise Land". God used Moses to free Israel from 400 years of Egyptian slavery and to take the Jews into God's "Promise Land". A land flowing with milk and honey (Deuteronomy 26:15). By all accounts you can most certainly say Moses was a great man of God (Deuteronomy 34:12). Even the apostle Paul spoke highly of Moses. "By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible." Hebrews 11:27

MOSES, PUNISHED FOR BREAKING FAITH & NOT BEING HOLY Once Moses and the Jews reach a place called "The Waters of Kadesh" in the desert of Zin, it is here that Moses faces one of his most challenging trials ever. God tells Moses to speak to the rock in order to get water to flow from the rock (Jews needed water). Instead of Moses obeying God exactly, Moses actually hits the rock in anger. Moses gets upset at the people of God and upset at God, and thus breaks his faith with God. Why? because the Jews who Moses was leading to the Promised Land had actually become expert grumblers over the years (grumblers like you and I). Year after year they complained at Moses, never realizing they were actually grumbling and complaining at God’s given circumstances. In this particular place in their journey after years of complaining to Moses, Moses loses his cool and says things he will regret. God then prevents Moses from ever entering the "Promise Land". "...because both of you broke faith with me in the presence of the Israelites at the waters of Meribah Kadesh in the Desert of Zin and because you did not uphold my holiness among the Israelites. Therefore, you will see the land only from a distance; you will not enter the land I am giving to the people of Israel." Deuteronomy 32:48-52 Because they failed to show self-control, not trusted God and disobeyed God, thousands of them perished before reaching the “Promise Land”. They did not drink of the spiritual water that came for the spiritual rock that was Jesus (1 Corinthians 10:1-6) In spite of God's just punishment of Moses for not being Holy before God and the people of God, Moses was allowed to see the Promise land, but only from afar.

WHO MAKES US HOLY? If Moses being a great man of faith was punished by God for breaking his faith and for not being Holy, what do you think would happen to us today without a savior to makes us Holy? Would we also then only be able to see God’s grace from afar? Not at all, on the contrary, through Jesus believers can experience the “Promise Land” now. Why? because through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, we can enter and live within His grace every day, always! What the "Promise Land" was to Moses back then is what the grace of Jesus is for us today. "For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will" Ephesian 1:4-5 Do you truly appreciate how good we have it? Do you realize that God sees us as Holy and Blameless in His eyes, in spite of our countless sins against man and God. Can you only see Jesus from afar, or do you walk with Him in grace? Remember that when we chose Jesus, we chose grace!

OUR HOPE AND PEACE How often can we inadvertently let God down by our poor thoughts and poor choices, and yet never really pay for our mistakes. How often do we mess up and yet are still allowed into the "Promise Land" of His grace. As I reflect on the precious sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, I see God's grace overflowing in my life giving me everything that I need to be at peace with God. ”Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” Romans 5:1 Can you see God's overflowing grace in your life? Has God really treated you like you deserve, or are you like me, a person who God has been given more than he deserves?

OUR PROMISE LAND Today, you and I get to live in God's "Promise Land" through Jesus. While mercy abounded in the old testament for people of faith, grace was brought by Jesus in the new Testament. "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. John 1:17 In spite of the ten commandments and the requirements of the law of Moses, people back then got to see God through their obedience and faith in God. The consequences for being Holy back then, are still the same consequences today. Break one commandment, break one law and the penalty from our righteous and just God is still, Hell. And yet today God not only provides us with His mercy, but allows us to partake in the grace of Jesus because of our faith in Him. The grace of Jesus abounds through the sacrificial work of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ leading us into repentance as we realize our unworthiness. The more His grace, the more we realize our sin and the more we are grateful for His forgiveness and providential mercy. And lastly, while we can at times feel convicted leading us to repentance, we are never condemned. Wow, that is true love! "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:1-2

Praise Report

2009-05-26T09:49:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends in Jesus,

By God's grace and your prayers, you and I got to boldly preach the gospel again this week. Through God's Holy Spirit we shared the bad news of the gospel, as well as the good news of our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ! Over 1900 people listened, and 240 people received Christ!

a. Rancho Community Christian - Temecula, 180 attended, 30 decisions.

I challenged the students to only pray to receive Jesus Christ if they were serious about changing their lives and following the teachings of Jesus. To my surprise 30 of them decided to not just believe, but to also follow and obey Jesus! They agreed to not mock God!

b. Synergy Outreach Concert - Palm Desert, 200 attended, 40 decisions.

I shared how I suffered from depression until I got medication. I was then led to pray with a young believer who also suffers from depression. She was relieved just knowing that other believers can suffer from depression as well, and that there was no shame in medication.

c. Spirit West Coast - Delmar, spoke 2 times, 700 attended, 90 decisions.

I am always amazed at how when only given 15 minutes to share the gospel through God's Holy Spirit, people can respond to the call of Jesus. The power of God resides at the foot of the cross.

d. Calvary Chapel - Corona, spoke 3 times, 800 attended, 80 decisions.

We invited our C28 customers to attend all 3 services and over 800 people attended. In the first service a loyal C28 customer drove all the way from Moreno Valley, and to my joy she gave her life to Jesus!

Through your prayers I was able to boast about our Lord Jesus and of His wonderful grace. I spoke on Isaiah 65:1 "I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek me. To a nation that did not call on my name, I said, 'Here am I, here am I.' And through your prayers God made Himself known to those who did not seek Him.

Who is this King of Glory?

2009-03-27T11:33:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

This Easter, I don't want bunnies, I want Jesus. I don't want to merely know "about" God, I want to actually "know" God. Who is He, this King of glory, who by His resurrection from the cross saved a wretched soul like me? "Who is He, this King of glory? The LORD Almighty— He is the King of glory." Psalm 24:10 As a people and nation we are good at knowing "about" God, but poor in actually knowing God. Moses said to God, "If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people." The LORD replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." Exodus 33:13-14 I'm convicted as I write this because I realize it's easier to merely know about God, than to know Him personally. How often do I want His rest, and yet make little time to be in His presence. Did you know that to have His presence is to have His rest? Will you seek His rest by giving Him your presence through prayer, the reading His Word, worship and/or quiet times with Him alone?

ENTER HIS THRONE ROOM OF GRACE When we spend time with Him, we get to know Him. Spending time with Him through prayer and reading the Bible is more important and beneficial than doing things for Him. God invites us to spend time with Him and gives us access to Him by our faith in Jesus. "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Hebrews 4:16 Imagine that, not a throne of condemnation, not a throne of punishment, but an approachable throne of mercy and grace to help us in our times of need! If you need closeness with God right now and already know Jesus by faith, then enter His throne room with confidence, not scared like a stranger, but with confidence like a child of God. Wow...what a great God!

IT'S WHO YOU KNOW, NOT WHAT YOU KNOW OR WHAT YOU DO Will people remember you for the things you did for God? Or, will you be remembered for God's mercy displayed through the grace of Jesus Christ working in you and through you? Will they say you knew the Lord in an intimate way because you believed, trusted and obeyed God? Will they say that even though you made a lot of mistakes in life, you knew God’s grace and believed in Him? "Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." John 6:29 Do you spend time listening to God and therefore know God (know His small voice), or do you merely do things for God? Do you sometimes identify with Martha who knew Jesus as a friend, but did not know Jesus? "She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said...She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better..." Luke 10:39-42 Imagine if after all the distractions and busyness of life, when it's all said and done, God said, "Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'" Matthew 7:22-23 What a sobering verse for all of us who label ourselves "Christians".

GOD SEES THE LIGHT IN YOU Believer, you may be feeling condemned, beat down, exhausted, and even mourning over your countless sins. But know with certainty that the Lord Jesus sees the "light" in you, the light of His grace working in you that He placed in you. "God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness." Genesis 1:4 You may be convicted by mistakes in your life and feel apart from God; or you may be asking "what light working in me?" But stand firm knowing that God sees His light and that is what matters most (not what we see, but what He sees). Why? Because God is our judge! While we may feel unworthy in our standing with Christ, know that Jesus never loses hope in us because He sees the light that He has placed in us. God sees us as unstained children by our faith in His Son Jesus Christ. "…being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6 Once in His grip, we are always in His grip. Through our faith in Jesus, sinners like you and I are atoned for, made right, forgiven 100%. When we repent, turn to Him and believe in Him, we are saved forever! That is how powerful, perfect, righteous, and majestic His sacrifice on the cross was for our sins. We sinned but He paid our debt--that's His wonderful grace.

REST EASY You may already know Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior, and yet at times feel at war with God. Take heart--you are not alone. Please know it doesn't matter whether you feel like you are innocent or not, what matters is that your judge (God) sees your innocence through His Son Jesus. The truth is that through Jesus we have peace with God whether we feel like it or not. Jesus said at the cross "…"It is finished"..." John 19:30 meaning His job had been completed for those who would believe in Him. Jesus was the perfect man for the perfect sacrifice because He was God in the flesh--sinless. "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand..." Romans 5:1-2 All of us go through dry times in which we feel apart from God, but rest easy knowing our faith in Jesus gives us the "justified" and permanent standing that God requires. We can rest in the finished work of the Lord Jesus because our past, present and future sins have been paid for by His blood. Will you now take the time to look towards Him in prayer and receive His grace? If you need to repent from your sins before God, then do it right now. Cast your cares upon Him and ask Him to help you; He will do it! "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7

REJOICE, I SAY IT AGAIN REJOICE This Easter, will you turn from your self-sufficiency and look to the Lord Almighty, our King of Glory? Will you turn your face to God in all humility and allow the grace of Jesus to give you rest and peace? "The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace." Numbers 6:24-26 Turn your attention to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, the One who took our place on the cross for our sins, and rejoice in Him. If you already know Jesus by faith, take the time to reflect on the cost of your salvation and celebrate it with gladness and a grateful heart. Will you go out of your comfort zone and share the "Good News" of your salvation with others? Will you share the love and grace of the risen Lord Jesus with those who do not deserve it? If you do, God will be glorified in your life :-)

New It's Not About The Bunny Shirts

This shirt was designed to remind us of what Easter is all about, and that is Jesus Christ =].

C28 Interview on CBN

Please check out this cool CBN interview of our C28 Richmond and C28 Virginia Beach Franchise stores HERE.

New Brand - CanvasThreads

Please check out our new clothing brand 'CanvasThreads' where the shirts are designed and chosen by YOU--the public! Graphic artists can win $400 for their Christian shirt designs and the shirts are sold on www.canvasthreads.com.

About C28
C28 is a Christian store chain, featuring a large selection of bold Christian gifts, such as t-shirts, purity rings, music, and accessories.

What is Canvas?

2009-03-10T11:29:00.000-07:00

Dear C28 Friends,

As you may know, a few months ago we launched a new site and Christian t-shirt brand called 'CANVAS' for the purpose of giving graphic artists everywhere an opportunity to design shirts that glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. Although the CANVAS brand spun off C28, we have been led to give CANVAS its own identity as a brand.

Please enjoy the new look of the CANVAS site and if you haven't yet joined the CANVAS community we encourage you to do so!

Canvas - An international artist community where the shirt designs are designed by YOU and chosen by YOU!

Canvas is a community voting website that allows you to express yourself and glorify God through your art. The community votes on Christian t-shirt designs submitted by Canvas members. The winning designs are printed under the Canvas Label in limited runs, for purchase through C28.com, C28 stores, and other select Christian retailers.

About C28

C28 is a Christian store dedicated to sharing the gospel through apparel. The Christian clothes, Christian jewelry line, music, and accessories all support a positive Christian lifestyle.

Abortion Is Murder

2009-02-24T13:16:00.000-08:00

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Our "ABORTION IS MURDER" shirt is now available for guys and girls! NOTW will be donating $2 for every shirt sold to pro life ministries.

Did you know 6 million Jews were killed in the Holocaust, and that was horrible? Did you know 48 million babies have been killed by abortion and no one says much about it?

Please read the following story below, it will move your heart.

A picture began circulating in November. It should be "The Picture of the Year," or perhaps, "Picture of the Decade." It won't be. In fact, unless you obtained a copy of the U.S. paper which published it, you probably would never have seen it.

The picture is that of a 21-week-old unborn baby named Samuel Alexander Armas, who is being operated on by surgeon named Joseph Bruner. The baby was diagnosed with spina bifida and would not survive if removed from his mother's womb. Little Samuel's mother, Julie Armas, is an obstetrics nurse in Atlanta. She knew of Dr. Bruner's remarkable surgical procedure. Practicing at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, he performs these special operations while the baby is still in the womb.

During the procedure, the doctor removes the uterus via C-section and makes a small incision to operate on the baby. As Dr. Bruner completed the surgery on Samuel, the little guy reached his tiny, but fully developed hand through the incision and firmly grasped the surgeon's finger. Dr. Bruner was reported as saying that when his finger was grasped, it was the most emotional moment of his life, and that for an instant during the procedure he was just frozen, totally immobile.

The photograph captures this amazing event with perfect clarity. The editors titled the picture, "Hand of Hope." The text explaining the picture begins, "The tiny hand of 21-week-old fetus Samuel Alexander Armas emerges from the mother's uterus to grasp the finger of Dr. Joseph Bruner as if thanking the doctor for the gift of life."

Little Samuel's mother said they "wept for days" when they saw the picture. She said, "The photo reminds us pregnancy isn't about disability or an illness, it's about a little person" Samuel was born in perfect health, the operation 100 percent successful. Now see the actual picture, and it is awesome...incredible....and hey, pass it on! The world needs to see this one!

About C28

C28 is a Christian lifestyle retailer, offering bold and fashionable Christian merchandise, such as Christian t-shirts, Christian cross rings, Christian jewelry, and more.

C28 Concord is Now Open!

2009-02-13T13:39:00.000-08:00

Dear C28 Northern California Supporter,

We trust you are doing well in the Lord Jesus. While the past few months have been difficult, we praise the Lord for His help, your prayers and His grace allowing us to re-open our only remaining store in Northern California, C28 in Sun Valley Mall Concord!!!

We apologize for any inconveniences associated with the closings of C28 Oakridge & C28 Solano, but we trust you will continue to support us at the Sun Valley Mall in Concord. Please let everyone know about our re-opening. We are excited to serve and minister in Northern California once again.

We have included a 20% coupon below in appreciation of your support and loyalty. You are welcome to forward and/or print additional coupons for family and friends. We appreciate you keeping C28 in your prayers and if you need prayer, please visit us at C28 Concord. :-)

Click to PRINT In-Store Coupon

About C28

C28 is a Christian ministry store, offering a wide selection of Christian products, including clothing, accessories, music, and purity rings.

C28 Closes 2 Stores

2009-01-23T11:45:00.000-08:00

Dear C28 Northern California Supporter,

We trust your Christmas was blessed and pray that this New Year is prosperous for you in the Lord Jesus. We would like to thank you for your support of our three Northern California C28 stores. By God’s grace, nearly 1,000 people have come to faith in Jesus Christ in just a few years of operation and millions of people have been exposed to God's written Word through the apparel that was sold there.

With this said, it is with great sadness that we must inform you that two C28 stores are closing their doors. Due to the economic strain, the Solano Mall location in Fairfield and the Oakridge Mall location in San Jose will no longer be a part of the C28 chain of stores. You may not know this, but the Northern California C28 stores were franchise-owned and operated by a separate company (Christian Retailers LLC). I want to ask you to please pray for these franchise owners and former employees who sacrificially and gladly invested their resources for the purpose of reaching the lost in the greater Bay area. It was a difficult decision for them to make, and I am grateful to the Lord for these Godly men and women who invested their time and resources for kingdom purposes.

On a brighter note, we at C28 Corporate will be taking over the operations of the remaining C28 store located in Sun Valley Mall in Concord. Though temporarily closed, we look forward to re-opening Concord in early February with a fresh look and an excitement of what God will do there (please check our website for updates). Please pray for us as we work diligently to share the gospel and be good stewards with God’s business. We humbly ask for your support by praying for us, letting all your friends know about C28 and by shopping at C28 in Sun Valley Mall.

I know this is bad news for those of you who supported the C28 stores in Solano and Oakridge, but please know that you were a part of winning nearly 1,000 souls through those stores. Sometimes God closes some doors only to open others and we believe that with your support, C28 Concord will make it through this year. "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:...a time to plant and a time to uproot,..." Ecclesiastes 3:1-2

In closing, please know that everyone in our organization truly valued your support and prayers for the Northern California C28 stores during these most difficult economic times. We give thanks to God that C28 Concord will stay open to be a light for Him in the Bay area! And as a token of our gratitude, we’d like to bless you with a 20% off coupon to use at the Concord store upon its re-opening.

We appreciate you keeping us in your prayers. "The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face towards you and give you peace." Numbers 6:24-26

If you have any questions or comments about this please feel free to email us at info@c28.com.

Click to PRINT In-Store Coupon

NEWS: The NOTW family will miss our brother, Ron McClelland

2009-01-22T11:46:00.000-08:00

Dear C28 Faithful prayer warriors,

Our good friends and NOTW sponsored band, StorySide: B were on a Christian Music Cruise last week when the bass player, Ron McClelland, suddenly passed away. Here are a few words from the band:

Im sure a lot of you have many questions regarding to what it says about Ron on our myspace. Yesterday January 18th Ron passed away. He was on a cruise with his wife Rebeca and 88.1 The Promise out of Jacksonville FL. He was playing basketball and suddenly collapsed, and they were unable to revive him. We are all shocked and deeply saddened of our brothers passing. Please keep his family and wife Rebeca in your prayers. We will be setting up a donation fund to help offset the cost of the funeral and to help support Ron’s family. God Bless StorySide : B

Ron and Rebeca did not have life insurance. If you would like to help with funeral and expenses, go to any Bank Of America and ask for the: Account for Ron and Rebeca McClelland ending in #8678
or
Mail checks made out to:
Ron and Rebeca McClelland Fund
P.O. Box 551379
Jacksonville, FL 32255

Thank you and God Bless!

Please keep Rebecca, the band, the folks at 88.1 and the entire McClelland family in your prayers!

Loving God, Loving Others, Trusting Him.

2009-01-07T16:46:00.000-08:00

Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,

We at C28 and NOTW want to thank you for your continued support and prayers. The Lord worked through you to help us make ends meet in December and we are grateful. I will remember 2008 as a great year that brought me to my knees in prayerful humility. Thank you Jesus for showing me your abundant and undeserved grace in our business and family. I want to share with you a few thoughts below that I pray will bless your 2009. A brother in the Lord, Dr. Bob Hughes, wrote a wonderful book and study guide called "Love Focused" which has ministered to me during a most trying time in my life. Please feel free to use this link to order the book and study guide directly from them at http://www.lovefocused.com/order.html or by calling (800) 345-6665. The thoughts below are based on my own personal experience of going through the book "Love Focused" and focusing on Jesus' great commandment found in Matthew 22:37. Jesus said to love God first and love others as ourselves, so we can then ready ourselves to trust God's provisions and wonderful grace in our lives. I trust God can minister to you and to others. :-)

LOVING GOD, LOVING OTHERS, TRUSTING HIM.
Aurelio F. Barreto III, January 2009

GOD'S GREATEST COMMANDMENT God gives us peace and joy when our focus is truly loving God first and loving others second (instead of focusing on our perceived needs). When we obey this great commandment, God takes care of our needs for us. Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Matthew 22:37-40 As believers we are good about obeying the "Great Commission " of sharing the gospel and yet Jesus' "Great Commandment" is often overlooked. You see, God did not say "think about yourself, get that now, take care of this, worry about that...", but He did command us to love Him above all, and love others like ourselves. When we obey His "Greatest Commandment" fully, we can then trust Him to provide for our needs according to His abundant grace and perfect will! When we accept God's provisions for us with thanksgiving and praise, we are freed from the cares of this world.

CONTROL We can either love God and love others or we can pursue things which we have no control over. If we trust God with His given provisions for our lives, we can then love others and experience the peace and joy we seek. If we accept God's all sufficient grace, we can then thank God for how things are right now. Can you say 'God is enough and that is OK with me'? "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6 The one thing in life we have control over is our ability to love God, to love others and to trust God for His results and outcomes. If we focus and obey God's "Great Commandment" of loving Him and loving others we are then freed to trust God to provide for our needs. When we realize that we don't have control, then we're forced to trust God Who is in control. We can try to exercise control over things and be disappointed time and time again, or we can choose to trust God's goodness and perfect will for our lives. Do you trust Him fully, right now?

WARNING SIGNS! Harmful habits like fear, worry, jealousy, lust, unbelief, guilt, doubt, pride and greed (among other things) are the result of seeking to control and pursue selfish goals and desires. These destructive habits can actually serve as "warning signs" that we are not fully seeking and trusting God. When we admit that we are not in control of this world and realize that God is our creator and actual provider, we are then free to focus on loving God and loving others. This is the abundant life that Jesus came to give us.

GOD IS ENOUGH Resting in God is achieved by completely trusting Him to provide whatever outcomes He wants for us and then being at peace about it. Either God is enough for us or He is not. And if God is enough for us, then nothing is a threat. Whatever trial we are experiencing, as hard as it may be, our soul will be at peace. "Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:5-7 The key to these verses is knowing the Lord is near!

TRUSTING GOD Are there things in your life that you need to trust and wait on the Lord for right now? To trust in the Lord means to wait and to be patient and patience means long suffering. Can you trust and wait upon a known God to an unknown future? Can you thank the Lord for the way things are at this moment, however things may be? "Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." Romans 5:3-5

FORGIVING OTHERS When we look at the second part of God's greatest commandment: 'Love your neighbor as yourself', God clearly commands us to love our neighbor as ourselves. If we are required to love others as ourselves, we are also then required to forgive others first, right? "Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." Colossians 3:13 In any relationship forgiveness is required in order to truly love. How can we not forgive others that have wronged us when Jesus has already forgiven us? Was it not our sins that crucified Jesus?

FORGIVING OURSELVES There are two common traits that prevent believers from loving others. First, our pride can result in an unloving attitude towards others. Pride hinders us from loving others because our focus is on ourselves. Jesus came to earth not to serve Himself but to serve others. We should follow His example. Second, guilt and condemnation over our sins keep believers from experiencing the joy of our salvation and from loving others. "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1 If Jesus has already forgiven us 100% by His atoning sacrifice on the cross, can we then also forgive ourselves? When we consciously forgive ourselves like Jesus has forgiven us, we are then freed and empowered to fully love others without expectations, no matter how many times we have been wronged. "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 May the Lord richly bless you as you love Him, love others and trust His sovereign and perfect will!

We encourage you to pass this devotion and share it with others.

You can get "Love Focused" at http://www.lovefocused.com/order.html.

Remembering Carissa

2008-12-11T12:02:00.000-08:00

Dear C28 Faithful prayer warriors,

This message comes to you with great joy to let you know that our Make- A-Wish girl, Carissa Fluke, went home to be with the Lord. Carissa passed away in the presence of her entire family and youth pastor in her San Diego hospital room on Friday November 28th at about 1:00pm. Her youth pastor walked in the room, she looked at him, he sat down and her mom gave her a kiss on the forehead to let her know it was okay to go home. The angels sang and the Lord welcomed her into heaven. There is no more pain where she is and she is now watching over all of us.

We all grew to fall in love with this precious little girl that had a smile that lit up the world. The outpouring of support and love for Carissa, her mom Lisa, and her entire family was nothing short of amazing.

We cannot thank you enough from the bottom of our hearts for loving this little girl, taking her into your home, your church, your small groups and praying for her. The Lord was glorified by our acts of faith and obedience in prayer. It was Carissa's time and we know that her presence here on this earth made a difference. Please continue to pray for her family as they will be missing Carissa for a lifetime, but look forward to spending eternity with her.

Carissa, we love you and celebrate you!

Lisa, Carissa's mom, wrote a little something for you in remembrance of Carissa below.

From LISA HARDINGE:

When I think of Carissa I will always remember her smile. I remember how at Christmas she would open one present and she was done. She had all she wanted. We would spend the rest of the day coaxing her into opening the rest. No matter how much she liked her presents, she would try to give them to everyone else. She would come home crying because someone had been mean to her at school and she couldn't wait to call them to apologize for whatever she had done. She couldn't lie. If I said her name she would break down in tears and confess immediately. This is only part of what made Carissa so special. I am truly honored to have been her mother.

I know that she has touched all of your lives as well. I can never explain how your letters and prayers touched our lives during the last part of Carissa's journey. Words are not enough. I am so happy that each of you got to share that special time. Thank you for your prayers and love. Know that they were answered. She is now healed. She is no longer in pain. She found the beautiful peace she longed for. She smiles down upon us all. She was so strong in spirit and body. I would like to share some of her thoughts from her journal with each of you:

"I had a good life because I had people that really loved and cared for me."
"I don't want to meet a celebrity while I'm bald because I don't want them to feel sorry for me."
"I wish everyone could get along and think of each other."

I hope I have the opportunity to touch as many people as she did in her short time here.

Forever Carissa's Mom,
Lisa Hardinge

Aurelio's Christmas Letter

2008-12-04T11:04:00.000-08:00

We trust you are doing well in the Lord. Our prayer this Christmas is for the peace and hope of Jesus to be with you and your family. I want to thank you and let you know how much we truly appreciate your support! I also pray that you would allow me to share with you what the Lord is doing through the ministry of C28. Through God's grace and your help, God's Word is reaching millions of people all over the world through printed shirts. We are grateful to God that in the past 7 years over 12,560 people have prayed to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior through God's Holy Spirit and the ministry of C28 & NOTW. Through God's will, we at C28 get to preach the gospel everyday, and pray with as many people as possible. It is amazing how God uses the low for His glory!

This year more than ever, please remember C28 in your Christmas shopping plans. Your support is greatly appreciated and vital to the ministry. Again, thank you and know that we are grateful to both the Lord Jesus and to you, and ask that you please pray for us through these challenging times.

With all that said, we praise God that we can celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ this Christmas. Not celebrating and placing our hopes on the things of this world that bring us temporary fulfillment, but placing our hope in our Savior for both daily living and eternity. Recent events have reminded us not to place our future hopes in the stock market, the economy, government and even man, but to seek our true hope and peace that only comes through God. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

When we rely upon worldly outcomes or place our trust in humans for our joy and peace, we are likely to be let down. We easily get bummed out when things don’t work out the way we want. God never said peace and joy would come from our expected outcomes. Instead, we can choose to accept and rejoice in whatever outcome God has for us. All we are expected to do is: love the Lord first, love others second and then trust and accept whatever God has chosen for us. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." Mark 12:30-31 We waste too much time and energy in trying to get our own ways. Again, God commands us to simply love Him, love others and accept His chosen outcomes for us. God knows what’s best for us and is in control of all things. The best thing to do is to trust an unknown future to a known God!

I know times are tough for everyone, yet I urge you to remember God’s promises of encouragement throughout His Holy Bible. “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” 2 Corinthians 4:8 I pray that you can meditate on God’s Word and then believe it, so He can provide you with His peace in your times of need. Ask Him to provide for you, ask Him to guide you, let Him know that you are tired of carrying your own burdens. Trust and wait upon the Lord and He will help you. Always know that God is full of mercy and grace. He created you and loves you no matter what you have ever done. God is your Father in heaven and He cares for you, always!

As believers, please also celebrate the fact that we are not at war with God. What I mean is, knowing that our standing with God is permanent and not based on our own performance means that we can have true peace. Why? Because Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins on the cross and our faith in Jesus, is credited to our account. Our faith in Jesus gives us the right to humbly approach God’s throne of grace in full repentance and thanksgiving; anytime, anywhere. “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith in to this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.” Romans 5:1-2 What a great gift that is. :-)

Because He lives in us, we are also not to be burdened with our guilt and worries that only serve to push us away from Him. Knowing these truths give us the fullness we need. “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.” John 17:13 God welcomes us back daily with open arms when we repent and our hearts are contrite. Will you surrender your heart to Jesus and ask Him in? Will you allow Him to take your fears and worries? Will you trust Him today regardless of your troubling circumstances? Talk to God right now in prayer, He wants to hear from you. “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8 Will you knock on His door of forgiveness and receive His fullness? Will you do this right now?

The times are so challenging, that I, my family, C28 staff and friends have found ourselves on our knees praying for God’s help and God is faithfully answering our prayers! “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4-7 The key to the above verse is knowing God is near and then believing it. God is all knowing and caring, He is always there! I will leave you with this verse and pray that you seek Him and praise Him with all your heart. “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:8-9

The Sin Of Grumbling

2008-11-05T17:03:00.000-08:00

We recently had a great devotional in our corporate office that I wish to share with everyone. The devotional covers various examples of "grumbling" in the Bible, and also cites great examples found in the Bible of why we, as faithful servants and believers of Christ, should not be grumbling.

THE SIN OF GRUMBLING

Definition of Grumbling: "to murmur or mutter in discontent; complain sullenly"

GRUMBLING IN THE RED SEA: "As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the LORD. They said to Moses, "Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn't we say to you in Egypt, 'Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians'? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!" Exodus 14:10-12

GRUMBLING ABOUT WATER: "When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah. ) So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, "What are we to drink? Then Moses cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the LORD made a decree and a law for them, and there he tested them." Exodus 15:23-25

GRUMBLING ABOUT WATER: "The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the LORD commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. "So they quarreled with Moses and said, "Give us water to drink." Moses replied, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the LORD to the test?” But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?" Then Moses cried out to the LORD, "What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me. The LORD answered Moses, "Walk on ahead of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink." So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the LORD saying, "Is the LORD among us or not?" Exodus 17:1-7

GRUMBLING ABOUT FOOD: "The whole Israelite community set out from Elim and came to the Desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had come out of Egypt. In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The Israelites said to them, "If only we had died by the LORD's hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.".......The LORD said to Moses, "I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, 'At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God.'" Exodus 16:1 - With them. Exodus 16:13-20

GRUMBLING ABOUT JESUS: "Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." "Sir," they said, "from now on give us this bread." Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." John 6:32-40

STOP GRUMBLING: "Stop grumbling among yourselves," Jesus answered…….. I am the bread of life. Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died." John 6:43-49

STOP GRUMBLING: "Then they despised the pleasant land; they did not believe his promise. They grumbled in their tents and did not obey the LORD. So he swore to them with uplifted hand that he would make them fall in the desert," Psalms 106:24-26

WHEN WE GRUMBLE ABOUT CIRCUMSTANCES AND OR EACH OTHER, WE GRUMBLE AT GOD: "You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near. Don't grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!" James 5:8-9

OUR JOB IS TO BELIEVE AND NOT TO GRUMBLE: "Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." John 8:28-29

I pray that the following devotional will make a positive impact on your life, and that the Word will bless you and those around you.

Update on Carissa - Thank You for Your Prayers

2008-10-03T17:23:00.000-07:00

Last month we were informed by the Make-A-Wish Foundation that Carissa Fluke's last wish was to shop at C28. Since Carissa was too sick to get out of bed, we prayed and brought C28 to her hospital room! Carissa had not walked or smiled for weeks, yet as she saw the room full of free NOTW clothing, her smile was from ear to ear as she walked toward us! THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS.

Traci Scarce (C28 events coordinator), Kevin Moore (NOTW designer) and I had the privilege to minister to Carissa, her family and the hospital staff by going through countless scriptures on our NOTW clothing and thanking the Lord in prayer for her improvements.

Please pray for her mother who is supporting 4 of her 6 kids. Carissa's dad died in a car accident 2 years ago and it has been difficult for the single mom to support the family emotionally and financially.

CARISSA HAD NOT SMILED IN WEEKS

WE PRAYED AND READ GOD'S WORD

CARISSA LOVED HER NEW NOTW SHIRTS

KEVIN DESCRIBES THE NOTW SHIRT DESIGNS

CARISSA'S JOYFUL SMILE

CARISSA, TRACI, KEVIN, RUSS, AURELIO

CURRENT UPDATE (9/22/08):
We are so excited to let you know that Carissa MADE IT TO ST. JUDE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL! By the grace of God, she has survived to complete her first round of chemo and is receiving her mother’s white blood cells as we speak. The next process is the bone marrow transplant. Our God is so big. While sometimes we don’t understand what the plan is, the plan sometimes is just to watch Him work to increase our faith. We trust that you will continue to pray for precious Carissa, as one day she will be a LIVING testimony to what God can do!

Faith Is...

2008-09-30T08:18:00.000-07:00

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I know these are trying times for many of us, and yet all the more we need to look to God for guidance. In the midst of adversity and most difficult of times, God moves and showers us with His peace when we seek His face. God is in control and in charge. "When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other..." Ecclesiastes 7:14 I pray that you will wait upon the Lord. Remembering that faith is based on the knowledge, belief and trust of God's Holy word and His promises, instead of our trying circumstances.

I was blessed the other day when going through the "All of Grace" Audio CD by Charles Spurgeon. I was both humbled and yet comforted when meditating on the fullness of God's wonderful everlasting grace. I am afraid to say this, but the reality of God's ever present grace in my life led me to then think about my faith, or rather the lack of faith I display in my actions whenever I doubt, fear or worry. As I thought about my faith, I saw my sin of having "little faith", my disbelief in the things that I already know to be true. "You of little faith,"..."why did you doubt?" Matthew 14:31 Jesus spoke about our faith continually. "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Matthew 8:26 When we read further through scriptures regarding our "little faith", we also notice how Jesus encouraged us to fully trust Him. "...I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Matthew 17:20 Jesus gave us hope by saying He did not require us to have a "gigantic faith", but rather faith as little as a mustard seed. Do you have faith as small as a mustard seed?

Faith is defined as: "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1 With that said, how often do we deny the Lord Jesus by displaying no faith at all in our actions? We learn that faith is required to please God and it is the root of obedience. Faith is so important in the life of a believer that God even chose faith as the channel of our salvation! It is through faith we believe in Jesus and are saved; not through hope or love, but through faith alone in Jesus do we receive our salvation. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

Faith is made up of 3 virtues: knowledge, belief and trust.

KNOWLEDGE - Faith is not blind; it is based on the knowledge of biblical facts learned from God's Holy Word and through His Holy Spirit. God's Word leads us to an understanding and knowledge of the truth, which allows us to have faith. "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ." Romans 10:17 For example, we can board an airplane and not see the captain, but still have faith that the captain is in the cockpit and has the required knowledge, ability and desire to get us to our destination safely. If we can have faith in man, why is it so hard to have faith in God? Sometimes my disbelief has been so great in my mind that to display my actual faith required me to go against my fleshly thinking. If displaying our faith feels "foolish" in the eyes of this world, then I beg you, be a fool for God! God will never let you down.

BELIEF - Faith is believing that Christ is who He says He is and will do what He says He will do. Not only should we believe it, but we should expect it! Faith is to have peace about what we believe and expect, regardless of our feelings or difficult circumstances. When flying in an airplane, do you believe the same captain who got you off the ground is the same captain that will get you back on the ground safely, in spite of a bumpy flight? If faith in flying is reasonable and practical, then faith in God and His Word is reasonable and practical as well, right? "Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son." John 3:18 Do you believe in Jesus, His mighty works and His promises? Are you waiting upon the Lord? Or do you choose to believe the deceptive uncertainties and doubts in newspapers and even in your mind?

TRUST - Faith requires that our trust be based upon the knowledge of God's Word, believing that it is inerrant and trustworthy. We exercise our faith by living in expectation of the Bible’s promises! "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6 I can only get peace and rest when I totally surrender the questions and doubts in my mind over to God and trust in Him. To follow our feelings instead of trusting Him and His promises is foolish and only hurts us further. "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me." John 14:1 Faith is trusting in Jesus and having the assurance of the things hoped for. A child of God prays with certainty that God does answer prayer. God loves to be glorified through His answered prayers. Will you trust God even when your circumstances are frightening and perplexing?

Not that I have overcome my doubts and fears, but one practical way that God has helped me in my times of unbelief is to ask Him to help me overcome them through prayer. "...Everything is possible for him who believes." Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" Mark 9:23-24 Many times I must remind myself that when misleading and destructive thoughts occupy my mind I should have enough faith from past experiences to know that God is always in control. I don't have to know how, I don't have to know when, but I do know that God will! I need to believe that He will take care of me and trust that He will always provide for me even though my actions often do not warrant His unconditional love and faithfulness. Why? Because believers are His children and He always loves His children no matter what they have done!

Is your faith and standing with God based upon your good moral deeds, your resources, your accomplishments, your own security or human traditions? Or is your faith based upon Jesus? Is Jesus Christ your Lord and your Savior? "All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away." Isaiah 64:66 If you are not sure your faith is based upon the work of Jesus Christ alone and you want to receive Jesus Christ by faith, please sincerely pray: Lord Jesus, I need You. I know the penalty of my sins is hell, and You were crucified on the cross for my sins. Please forgive me for my sins. I need You in my life. Today, I make You my Lord and Savior. Take control of my life and make me the person You want me to be. In Jesus' name, amen. "And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Acts 2:21

If this letter has prompted you to give your life to Jesus Christ, congratulations, you are now God’s child! Giving your life to Jesus Christ means that you have totally surrendered your life to Him and are committed to following His teachings in the Bible. Once you have made this life-changing decision, you need to begin cultivating a personal relationship (not religion) with God through Jesus Christ. You do this by attending a weekly Bible teaching church, studying the Bible daily through a weekly Bible study with other Christians and most importantly, obeying the teachings in the Bible. We do these things because we want to know Jesus even more, and because Jesus paid the price for our sins on the cross and therefore we are grateful to God for His mercy and His grace! We find joy in His grace and our salvation!

If you gave your life to Jesus through this letter please share your story with me at aurelio@c28.com and I will send you a free Holy Bible to start your relationship with Christ. I would suggest reading the Gospel of John in the Holy Bible so you can begin to better understand what Jesus has done for you, the benefits of having a relationship with Him and the assurance of your salvation. If you are still undecided and or have more questions, please visit www.c28.com and click on the ‘Need Jesus’ section. Lastly, please keep praying for C28 and the ministry of C28; we truly need your continued support!

Urgent Prayer Request - Please Lift Up Carissa!

2008-08-26T17:10:00.000-07:00

C28 has been contacted by the Make-A-Wish Foundation who grants wishes to kids with life-threatening illnesses.

Carissa is a 15 year old girl in Southern California who was recently diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. Carissa’s wish was to shop at C28. She was scheduled to shop our Escondido location but has taken a turn for the worse. She is now hospitalized and is not responding well to the chemo treatment. In addition, her lungs have an infection which is not responding well to antibiotics.

Please pray for healing, comfort and peace for this precious 15 year old. Please pray for her family too as this has begun to take a toll on their life financially.

We are in the process of doing what we can to grant Carissa’s wish even if she can’t make it to our store. We would appreciate it if you could join us in prayer for her and her family.

200 Souls Saved!

2008-08-22T16:32:00.000-07:00

I want to thank you for your prayers!!! The 14th "C28 OUTREACH MINISTRY" concert was totally Holy Spirit driven! Over 2,000 people were exposed to the gospel through our Northridge C28 store ministry and 200 people came forward to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior!!! The local church volunteers were awesome as they invited 114 people who received Christ to their churches for discipleship. Here are a few stories!

a. A man told us he was going to get drunk in order to kill himself that night. Instead he dropped by to hear the concert and accepted Jesus Christ! It is amazing to witness the Lord's grace so clearly.

b.A husband and wife were about to divorce. Instead, they made a commitment to stay together in Christ, and accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

c. A lesbian couple came forward repenting of their sins and giving their lives over to Jesus Christ. God's grace was so abundant! Praise the Lord!

As you can tell these were only 3 stories out of hundreds of people who came to faith that night. Everyone had a reason; everyone needed our Lord and Savior! Please accept my heart-felt thanks for your prayers. Those of you who donated to this event and made it possible, please know the Lord is pleased with your gift. To further donate please see http://www.c28outreach.com

I was challenged that night when asked, "Aurelio, how many of these C28 Outreach concerts would you do a year if you knew Jesus was coming in 12 months?" I was totally convicted by this man's question. You see, we currently have two free C28 outreaches per year and each outreach cost about $40k-$50K. If you do the math, the simple question becomes "Is a man’s soul worth more than $200?" If you could donate and join the work of the Lord and His Holy Spirit in a tangible way and provide eternal life for $200, would you do it more often?"

By God's will and His grace over 11,800 have prayed the sinner’s prayer through the ministry of C28, and we praise Jesus!!! May our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ encourage you and keep you near Him as you seek His face.

May Was a Great Month!

2008-06-04T17:10:00.000-07:00

Thank you for joining me through your prayers in a most productive month! By God's will and your prayers we preached to 2,200 people! Challenging believers to share the gospel, and leading 190 people through the sinner’s prayer! Over 2,200 DVD testimonial tracks were distributed, empowering believers to share the gospel with others. God's Holy Spirit uses His message of grace on the DVD to change lives for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

In addition, our C28 Northern California partner Bill White shared his testimony and over 35 kids came to Christ!!! Bill's new Concord C28 manager Giuseppe Ciccone also shared his testimony and led 12 kids to Christ! Our new Virginia C28 store was able to lead 16 to Christ in the first 3 weeks of being open! Our C28 store evangelists led another 70 people throughout the company in May, bringing the total known salvations through God's C28 business to 11,000!!! Do you know how many times you have to preach the gospel to have that many people come to faith? Millions of times! With God and by God all things are possible.

"WAY WORLD OUTREACH" -SAN BERNARDINO

I want to share a great experience the Lord gave me, when I spoke to a full house of 600+ at the "Way World Outreach" church in San Bernardino. It started with an extremely powerful "urban" style Holy Spirit filled worship that had everyone out of their seats praising the Lord Jesus! The joy of the Lord was so evident in this congregation! As I spoke, the audience shouted countless "Amens" and "Preach it Brother". I cannot tell you what joy it was to preach the gospel to such a receptive and encouraging group. By God's grace, over 120 people prayed the sinner’s prayer!!! I will not forget that outreach night! Thank you Jesus!

SPIRIT WEST COAST - DEL MAR

Spoke on "Christianity in the Marketplace" to 40 pastors. Preached the gospel

to 200 kids, and 3 received Christ. God goes out of his way for just one!

ROC CHURCH - VIRGINIA

Spoke to 1,200 people on how money cannot buy happiness. Emphasized how joy only comes from rejoicing in a personal relationship with Jesus and 50 people came forward!!!

GROVE AVENUE BAPTIST - VIRGINIA

Challenged 200 gospel hardened "Churched" teenagers, to not be "lukewarm",

and then 7 of them prayed the sinner’s prayer!

The most memorable testimony for me was a 17 year old wealthy kid, who had come clean from heroin in the past 3 months, after a two year addiction! God's Holy Spirit convicted her to repentance, and to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior! What is clear in my mind is that God does not look for people with great ability, but God looks for people with availability! Again, if you prayed for us, you are part of our team, and rest assured you will have people in heaven thanking you!!! Praise HIM!!!

Sin and Grace

2008-05-20T12:16:00.000-07:00

MARVELOUS HUMBLING GRACE

I have been praying about a particular subject. The subject has been about the sin in my life and the daily everlasting grace of Jesus."...But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 5:20-21 Have you ever fully acknowledged the depths of your sin, only then to allow yourself to experience the unconditional grace of Jesus, so powerfully that it humbles you and brings you to your knees in repentance and in gratitude?

COUNTLESS SINS

After 10 years of walking with the Lord, God has never stopped showing me the depths of my many sins. From smaller sins like stretching the truth, to larger sins like pride, greed, jealousy, lust, worry, fear and doubt; God reminds me of why Jesus died on the cross and rose from the grave. "For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that He may have mercy on them all." Romans 11:32 God has placed the "LAW" into our conscious, convicting us through His Holy Spirit, and leading us to surrender before His throne of grace in repentance, so we can then truly appreciate His grace!

THRONE OF GRACE

Because of my faith in God, I can repent of my sins through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus. I can approach His throne of grace with full confidence, knowing that I am in good hands and that He will help me no matter what, even though I do not deserve it! "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Hebrews 4:16

NOT BASED ON MY PERFORMANCE

After years of striving to improve and yet stumbling often, I can praise Jesus boldly because there is no condemnation for those who believe in Him. "So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me.... What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!... Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,..." Romans 7:21-8:2 I am thankful that my status with God is not based on my performance, but based on my faith and trust in Jesus!

HIS GRACE WAS 100%

If I have learned anything from the power of sin and the power of His grace, it is that His grace is greater than all of my sins and this is to His glory! "I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!" Galatians 2:21 Have you ever thought of how God’s sovereign grace undermines our pride! When was the last time you really thanked Jesus for His grace in your life? Can you thank Him now?

GRIEVING THE HOLY SPIRIT

While the grace of Jesus is greater than all of our sins, I am also reminded this does not give me a license to sin. Why? Because when we sin, we grieve the Holy Spirit who dwells in our hearts. "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." Ephesians 4:30 The danger of continually sinning is that we get to a point in which we no longer hear the voice of God. And don't we want to hear God? If God has compassion for us in our times of need, can we also then have compassion for Him as well? God actually gives us the opportunity to bless Him when we stop sinning and when we wait upon Him to help us in our times of need.

SUBSTITUTE CALLED SIN

If we choose to do wrong because we have a particular need or desire within us that we want filled, we are then choosing a substitute for a fix called sin. Why do we choose to sin when God can provide us with a way out? If we ask Him to replace our desire to sin with His Word and His Holy Spirit’s power, He is faithful and will always help us. When we wait upon the Lord and trust Him to replace our sinful desires, we can then witness, experience and see God provide for our needs. And as a result we really get to know Him! "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." 1 Corinthians 10:13

RESIST AND WAIT UPON THE LORD

The next time you need to get your way (sin), resist the enemy and ask God to help you as you wait upon Him! There is nothing better than to witness and experience God's hand of grace answering your prayers in your time of need. And if you have just messed up again, simply go to God's throne of grace, and He will meet you there with open arms of mercy and grace. Why? Because as believers, we are His children forever!

BELIEVERS ARE BLESSED

So, when was the last time you truly thanked Jesus for His sacrifice on the cross? "Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered." Psalms 32:1 When did you last savor His grace in your life? Can you openly thank Him right now, in front of others? Will you praise Him right now?

About C28

C28 is a Christian retail store, offering a positive alternative to secular fashion. The Christian tee shirts, Christian Jewelry, music, and accessories all reflect a bold Christian lifestyle.

C28 Store Now Open in Richmond, VA!

2008-05-09T09:04:00.001-07:00

We have great news! Through God's grace and your support, God has led us to open our 12th store in Richmond! The store opened Thursday, May 8th.

The Lord has guided Paul Tiller, Keith Griffith and Josh Tiller to open their first C28 franchise store in the Short Pump Town Center located at 11800 W. Broad Street. And by faith, these men are committed to carrying out the mission of C28 stores, "To glorify God by sharing the life changing gospel message of grace, truth and love found only in Jesus Christ.“

It is our prayer that thousands would come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior through the new C28 store! We ask that you please join us to pray for these men, the store employees and for the store’s success.

You can help reach new people for Christ in the Richmond area today! You can help by shopping at the new C28 and by telling your family, friends and unsaved acquaintances to visit the store.

"...And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"...Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ." Romans 10:14-17

For more information, please visit the C28 Store locations page.

In Christ,

Aurelio F. Barreto, C28 Founder & CEO

About C28

C28 offers a huge selection of Christian jewelry, Christian clothing, and accessories. C28 stands for Colossians 2:8, and is Not of this World and all about Christ.

Youth for Christ Event

2008-05-06T12:16:00.000-07:00

Thank you so much for your prayers!!! By God's grace I spoke at a "Youth For Christ" event in El Centro, California. Over 350 kids attended, and well over 70 responded to Christ!

A teenaged boy approached me frozen and gripped in hopelessness. He told me he was already a believer, but had thoughts of suicide. We prayed together for a total surrender to God's will and to not believe the lies of Satan. Please pray for Ernesto.

Pain & hopelessness is common to both believers and non believers. Hope only comes when we completely surrender to Jesus, daily. What can anyone do without Jesus?

In His Grace,

Aurelio F. Barreto III
C28/NOTW Founder & CEO

About C28 Stores

C28 is a Christian retail store selling Christian clothes and accessories. By the grace of God, thousands have given their lives to Christ in C28 stores.

Update from the Founder + Salvation Stories!

2008-05-05T08:37:00.000-07:00

I want to thank you for your valuable prayers in the past month! The Lord kept me busy with California Baptist University Business students, Valley Christian School, Gospel Music Awards and Truett McConnell Christian College in Georgia. Over 1,000 people were challenged to either make a choice for Jesus, or challenged to preach the gospel like there is no tomorrow. By God's grace there were over 70 salvations!!! To our God be all the glory!

While flying home last night from Truett McConnell Christian College a lady sat by me on the plane and noticed my "Not Of This World" shoes and jacket. She asked what that meant. I explained what NOTW meant and shared the gospel with her. I told her the bad news about sin and hell, and the good news about Jesus and salvation. I asked her "God forbid we crashed right now and died, will you go to heaven or hell? She told me "I hope I have done good". I then told her good people go to hell as easy as bad people. That you can't earn your way into heaven; that salvation comes through faith in Jesus. I then told her that God loved her dearly and wants to see her in Heaven someday, and that through believing in Jesus she would be saved. This lady began to weep huge tears. I then read her some scriptures and we prayed together! She now believes! Please pray for her!

Then just today, you will not believe what happened. Peggy and I are changing banks and the new bankers came to visit us in my office at work. By God's leading and will, I was able to share the gospel with the three of them, and the two women received Jesus in my office! The gentleman with them said he needed more time to think about such a decision. Please pray for him. Peggy, my assistant Annabelle and I were blown away with God's wonderful grace! They came for our business and received Jesus! Please pray for these ladies, our two new sisters in the Lord!!!

About C28

C28 is a Christian retail clothing store, offering a positive alternative to mainstream mall clothing stores.

The Power of Your Prayers

2008-03-31T08:05:00.000-07:00

I was recently blessed to be the speaker at a men’s outreach breakfast at the Calvary Chapel in Camarillo, CA. They had anticipated 125 men to be in attendance and over 200 showed up! The CCC men did a great job of inviting their friends!

Rob Van Ouwerkerk, who invited me to speak at CCC, led the worship with a powerful and awesome Spirit filled time of praise to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

When I presented the invitation to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, 40-50 men raised their hand and prayed the sinner’s prayer!! After the service, an older gentleman came up to me with an encouragement from the Lord.

The man told me he has been walking with the Lord for years, "… what I saw today was supernatural. During your prayer, and right before you asked the men to raise their hands, I opened my eyes and I clearly saw angels throughout the room. I quickly closed my eyes, but then opened them up again as each man raised their hand. I was blown away by what I saw again, I saw an angel behind every man that raised his hand to accept Jesus Christ! I have never in my life seen angels before!”

I share this with you because this has only happened twice in my life. Once was 10 years ago just after I had given my life to the Lord. I was involved in a terrible auto accident and I saw an angel smiling at me and protecting me. Saturday was very similar, it was 100% Holy Spirit Filled! Your prayers were so effective!

With all this said, praise God, be encouraged and believe! "O unbelieving generation,“Jesus replied, "How long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you?..."Everything is possible for him who believes." Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" Mark 9:19-24

As I shared this experience with my pastor (Milton Vincent), he reminded me of the spiritual warfare that clearly exists in our lives. He said, "Just as there were angels protecting each new convert, picture the frightful sight of seeing demons seeking to destroy our souls. Praise God He protects us and keeps us from the horror & sight of such a war".

"Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Ephesians 6:11-12

I totally appreciate and value your prayers! They are effective! If you want to join our C28 Outreach Prayer Support Group, please check my speaking engagement schedule under the ‘Founder’ section of the C28 website.

About C28 Stores

C28 is a Christian retail store, providing an alternative to secular mall stores. C28's Christian shirts, jewelry, and accessories all proclaim a bold message: we are Not of This World and all about Jesus.