Battle Log
Sunday 7 September 2008
Posted 8 September 2008, 5:08 PM by Josh Mitchell. PermalinkThe Strachan Report (Edited):
Josh got up and preached hard and long. Early on, I think it was, His voice started to squeak a few times and looked as though it wouldn't hold out. But God enabled him to keep preaching for quite a while. The squeaking added to the enjoyment of the crowd, some were counting the number of squeaks - even Josh was counting and found it rather amusing himself.
I also preached for a while. This was my first time preaching at the Gold Coast. I read Romans 1:16-5:21 and then Acts 17:22-32 and (at Josh's request) Revelation 20 and also did some impromptu and call-outs.
I never realized before how much of a challenge it is for those doing open-air preaching to speak loud enough to get a decent volume level so that everyone can hear you. You really have to use a lot of effort to shout it out.
It was a good day, lots of people got to hear the Gospel preached.
While we were packing up, a middle aged guy, with a tattoo and wearing a black bandanna on his head (whom I had called out to while preaching), stood up himself to 'preach'. He recited one of the Psalms, apparently quite well. It was almost touching to see ... it made me wonder if he has some sort of Christian background ... maybe he even has a Christian relative or friend who has been praying for him. May God have mercy on him and save him for 'His name's sake' (Psalm 106:8)....so many lost people like him are without Christ and without hope...what a sad thing it is to reflect upon. May God give us such a love for people that we are genuinely concerned for people's soul's ... that with a real sense of urgency we share the gospel, which is the 'power of God for salvation to everyone who believes' (Romans 1:16).
After packing up, Josh and I handed out Gospel tracts and got to share the gospel with some who were still around. I shared the Gospel very thoroughly with an Asian guy who hadn't had a Christian background .. in the past he had a Seventh Day Adventist ex-girlfriend, and had some questions about a few things. After spending a decent amount of time interacting with him and sharing the gospel, I challenged him personally, urging him to repent and put his trust and hope in Jesus Christ. He looked really challenged, even stunned by the message. May God have mercy on him and change his heart so that he will live to worship his creator and give God all the glory in his life.
The Mitchell Report:
After I stepped down from preaching, and swapped with Dave Strachan on the camera, a Hindu lady stopped next to me. She had been present while I was preaching, to a crowd of young people, and apparently had gotten very agitated.
She even attempted to fool me. "You've got no right to say, other religions are false".
Excuse me? What your really saying is, when I find out something is a false, I must bow down before you, and deceitfully call it true? How dumb do you think Australian's are? Imagine you employ a plumber to come to your house, to make sure your plumbing is in good order. He discovers that your piping is about to explode and cause massive water damage. He comes up to you, and says, "Mate, I want my 120 bucks, your house is sweet as. There isn't a single problem with it!". Gleefully you hand over the money, relieved that you won't have to fork out eight thousand dollars to maintain the house. How will you feel next week, when the plumbing bursts, wrecks the house, and the plumber is unwilling to accept accountibility? Betrayed, angry..
We have hundreds of secular and religious people running all over the country, making truth claims about where we came from, how to live, and where we are going when we die. That might not be so bad, except that what they teach is illogical, irrational and sometimes just plain stupid. But hey, we could put up with that, so long as people are happy for now.. right?
Wrong! People are dying everyday in thier sins, (lying, stealing, blaspheming to name a few), and meeting the God of reality, who is bound by his just nature to send them to everlasting fire (penalty). The consequence of doing wrong deeds, and excusing guilty using secular thoughts, and religious teachings is terrifying. The bible says, ".. all liars shall have thier part in the lake that burns with fire and brimestone." Paul said, "knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men".
Christian's who know that God's word is true, have a responsibility to show people the truth. God's word commands them to do so (Matt 28:18-20). Worse still, if Christians were not do so, they are literally hating thier friends and neighbours, who do not know Jesus Christ!
If you knew that your mate, was going to recieve third degree burns all over his body, if he kept playing around with some explosive equipment, would you lovingly refuse to warn him/her? Of course not, that would be a horribly apathetic, even hateful way to live. You would be more like an enemy.
So to my hecklers, please, do not invest yourself with tyranical powers, and demand that people are not allowed to test all things, and hold fast to that which is true!
Afterwards, I spoke to a nice man, called Waddas (chinese/thailand), who works locally. We examined the Budhist philosophy against the Christian one together, and showed some critical differences. Please pray for Waddas, that God might grant him repentance, and faith in Jesus.
As Dave Strachan and I walked back the vehicle, we were able to hand out a lot of gospel comic tracts, to people who could read English, Chinese, or Arabic. May God get all the glory from the lives of those who read His word!
Please pray that God's word will go forth profitably in the Gold Coast Please also pray that God will increase our ability to engage, debate and preach, to the end we might have excellent conversations with people for God's glory. May God send more labourer's into His harvest!
View previous Gold Coast (QLD) report (31 August 2008)
Gold Coast Team (QLD)
Meets 7:15-10pm Friday nights at Surfers Paradise on Cavill Avenue.
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