Battle Log

• Battle Log
• Page 141

On Tuesday afternoon at Woodridge the afternoon was hard work at times but rewarding. It was filled with a period of great hostility.

The first conversation was with a young man who stopped, whilst his friend walked on and engaged through the law and the Gospel. He saw his sin, in the law and was pointed to the saviour. But sadly before it could be fleshed out he said he had to head off.

What followed was a very confusing few minutes. The next conversation was started with a man sitting at the bus stop and for the first five minutes it was a normal and simple conversation. He said he didn't think there was a God, with no specific reason and was shown the building builder analogy. He acknowledged it and was taken through the law and acknowledged his guilt but then tried to start playing it down.

He was challenged on this, being reminded that because he isn't the creator or owner of this world, he doesn't get to make the rules. It was at this moment out of nowhere he just snapped and started swearing and said he was going to call the Police for harrassment. He was left alone but please be praying that God would work in his heart. It was clear that the acknowledgement of guilt lead to this outburst but please be praying that God is gracious and enables him to come to know what Christ has done to save sinners.

Next a young couple was approached near the train station and the guy was being a bit silly and was challenged on a few points but he had to leave as his train came. The Girlfriend however was engaged briefly following that but ended up walking off to the bus stop.

The next lady approached basically just ignored the attempts at a conversation and looked the other way at the few attempts to engage and then the next young man swore at the team as the member walked over. Then when asked a quick question if he wanted to chat, he threw quite a barrage of attacks. Things weren't going well but God who is sovereign knew what was going on.

This was then followed by a re-engagement with the girlfriend from earlier. At first she too was being quite hostile, mocking, not engaging and throwing some insults in but persevering through the first little bit of the conversation what followed was a wonderful hour long discussion where Jay-Cee opened up, shared about her life and past in religion and how she had come to her current conclusions, all the while hearing in responses and explanations what Christianity is really about.

She was shown that there must be a personal God because forces don't create things. People using forces do. It was even pointed out that the reason she doesn't want a personal God is because a being creating this world means there are expectations upon us whilst we live in it. At this she made a comment about her goodness, "Well, if all I have to do is be good, I have been".

Jay-Cee was taken through God's law and shown that there will be no salvation by the law. Each and every human being is desperately guilty with no chance of forgiveness on the basis of their actions. She then was shown what God has done to save sinners, that it was Him who instigated our salvation. He chose in love to do all that was required for sinners to be forgiven. And she was challenged strongly to place her trust in Jesus for salvation from the wrath that is to come.

A final conversation of the afternoon was with Cassidy. She was a young post modern girl talking about your truth and my truth and how contradictory things can both be true at the same time. She even went to say that people should respect others truths. She was given this analogy, imagine is there was a blind man walking toward a cliff and when you go to tell him he says, "That's just true for you". In that scenario you would do everything in your power to convince him of the cliff that you can so clearly see, that he cannot.

It is the same way with eternity because Christians can see the wrath to come and the seriousness of the judgement they want to warn others who are walking toward that reality.

This lady was then graciously challenged on why she had rejected Christianity, being shown that it was a sinfulness that lead to a suppression of God's existence. She was shown via the law her sin and its very serious consequences and just before her train arrived was strongly warned, that pretending there is no judge will not remove guilty. In the end Cassidy took a tract and was encouraged to read it on the train home.

Please be praying for Jay-Cee that should would consider the Gospel she heard and give up her life of making up her own religion herself and trust in the God who can save. Please be praying for Cassidy that she would give up on relying on her rejection of God on the basis of love for sin and come to the Saviour who loves to make the foulest clean!

And may we also together rejoice that God, despite the circumstances is in absolutely sovereign control over all events in all time, so that even if we are mocked, reviled or disrespected that it all goes according to His plan!

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There were good conversations happening during our time on the streets of Warwick.

Last week there were two separate encounters that stood out. After handing out tracts, three ladies stopped. We shared the message of the Gospel, two were agreeing while the other lady stood away from us and was listening in for a little while, then she left.

One of the ladies has been looking on the internet and has picked up false teachings that is clearly going against God’s Word. She was trying to convince us that Sunday Church goers are worshipping a sun God. That was one of a number of things that are leading her away from the truth of God’s Word. We each responded to M lovingly as we defended the faith.

It is the enemy’s lies that wants to divide the church and to destroy the unity in the body of  believers. In God’s Sovereignty a Christian friend joined us and was able to help with some of the strange teachings this lady has fallen prey to.

Rick and our friend were still talking with this lady when I noticed another Christian we have come to know on the streets so I said hello and was chatting with him. Then a man that we have witnessed to several times in the past was walking by,  my friend said goodbye as he could see there was an opportunity with this man. This man was from some weeks back. He was challenged to believe the good news of Jesus. R had told us he can not read so we had offered him help in setting up audio Bible.

So just as we were talking about this Rick and our friend had finished the conversation with the two ladies and joined us. Our friend that came to help us happens to live in the same street, so he offered R to pop in to get help with getting an audio bible resource for him. Wow!!  how wonderful is our Lord God to use our friend to help R get God’s Word. R was challenged again in the Gospel and encouraged to believe and follow Jesus as today is the day of Salvation. So our friend was very encouraged to be part of the outreach. It was a wonderful joy filled day.

This week was really windy, we decided not to set up the Bible table. So we handed out tracts and had the flip chart in our pocket ready for any conversations. Not long after I arrived our friend from last week joined me then Rick arrived. So there has been three of us in the past two weeks.

There were mixed responses as there are on most days an older lady was offended when I handed her “ The way to heaven” Gospel tract. I asked her what she believes will happen when we die then she became aggressive so I didn’t get to talk to her. Not long after another older lady was the complete opposite. She said to me “ I don’t know what happens because I haven’t been there to know”  instead she was open as I shared both the bad news then the good news of Jesus. She has been given a tract and has a Bible at home. Pray she will be given grace and saving faith in Jesus alone.

We had a long conversation with a man in which the three of us were able to help share the Gospel. with him. We eventually found out he could not read. We used the flip chart to take him through the law to bring the knowledge of sin and the good news of Jesus more clearly to him.

We listened to him as he was sharing with us so many times he came close to death and he kept pointing to someone looking after him. Also he has seen other things in his life that has been drawing him to thoughts of  this life and of death. After sharing the Gospel several times he was asked the question why would God let anyone into heaven. His answer was based on works,  so the three of us urged him to trust in what Jesus has done to save us and nothing we can do.

Prayerfully by God’s grace he will receive the free gift of salvation by believing upon Jesus alone to save him. We encouraged him and invited him to come see us for any help. He told us his daughter would help him to get audio bible. He has a tract and a little booklet “Who do you say I am”  his daughter will  hopefully read to him.  Thank you again for your prayers and to God be the Glory.

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On Monday at Capalaba another new team member made it along! It is worth noting that even though this is (in terms of team size) the smallest outreach, it is a really good training ground. Due to the bus stop environment with the short conversations and the need to approach someone to be able to talk, it trains one in reliance on God for efficiency and boldness. Maybe if you have a chance, you could join the team at Capalaba one Monday?

The first conversation of the afternoon was had with Angus-Lee and it was very exciting. All the way in the car drive over prayer to God for boldness was being had and not only did God answer that prayer He also encouraged the team with an afternoon filled with many exciting responses. Angus was the first.

He at an instant said that he was going to Heaven because he was a good guy. Then was shown God's goodness, why that means He must punish all sin and therefore we are in big trouble because each of us has a long and in depth history of sin. He saw the problem and acknowledged that he was in trouble.

Then the Gospel was explained to him and he seemed to take it on board. To check he had understood, so as not to leave him with a false Gospel by accident, he was asked what he must do to be saved and responded, "believe in Jesus". Although true, it seemed as though he didn't understand it and so the Gospel was articulated another time and a second checking question was used, "If you were to realise today that your sin deserves Hell, understanding that you have no ability to save yourself from that fate and therefore trusted in Jesus and what He has done to pay for that sin, then on your way home today you did one more sin and died five minutes later, would you go to Heaven or Hell?"

This question he paused at, he was not sure but he said tentatively, "Maybe Hell?" and he was asked, "Why do you think that?". And he responded, "Actually you're right, I would go to Heaven because I have trusted in Jesus to pay for my sin". What a joyful moment to witness, someone for the first time understanding the Gospel. Then Angus was posed with the question, "When are you going to trust in Jesus?" to which he responded, "Today".

Some follow up questions about counting the cost and encouragement were given and he was encouraged to go to a local Church. Please be praying for Angus that he would come to know God and will begin to walk in a new life with him.

Another conversation was with a man named Callum. He had spoken to the team before and heard the Gospel but had still rejected it. He said it was because there were so many "gods" in the world and he couldn't know which is right. A few simple explanations were given about how one can know and he agreed that it made sense. The challenge was put forward that the real reason for the arguments, was not because they were questions that had really plagued him and he had been searching for answers but were rather being used as an excuse to avoid thinking about it.

He acknowledge this was true and was once again point to the law and Gospel and left with the very serious challenge that, he could stand before His Creator this very day.

A final conversation was had with Hayley. At first she didn't seem that interested in talking but after a couple of questions happily engaged through a conversation. She had little understanding of Christianity but through the conversation came to understand the Gospel.

When at the closure of the conversation she was challenged to consider why she would reject Christ and she said, "It is because I don't know Him well". She was encouraged to open up the pages of the Bible and come face to face with the God of this universe in His word and was reminded one final time that she can know of the depths of His love because of how far He was willing to go to save sinners.

Please be praying for Callum that he would not reject Christ in an attempt for autonomy and that Hayley would seek to know who God is and as a result fall in love with Him and what He has done for her!

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This week in Brisbane City the team headed out and had many conversations. One exciting stand out was a man who returned to speak with Trinity.

In the previous conversations he had mentioned past frustrations from the Church and was against going to Church and reading the Bible but by the work of God, it seems that his past pain is being softened and he was willing to read God's word!

Also hear Andrew encourage you, as he was encouraged and was able to encourage some local Christians to be obedient to God, despite fear of man.

Hear how you can be encouraged to be bold and to be a good witness for Christ, even though you may fear that you don't have the words to speak.

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This Friday night at the Gold Coast was a wonderful evening of convesations. Many people stopped by and heard the Gospel from the mouths of the team.

Firstly you can hear Harry share about a young man that spoke to the team during schoolies week and has since trust in Christ alone for his salvation!

Next you can a surprising response Michael had in a conversation. As he spoke with some tourists, over the course of the conversation their hearts softened and at the end the pair asked for a Bible to read.

Lastly you can hear Matt share about a lengthy conversation with a man named Ken, who struggled to understand the Gospel. Plesse be praying for Ken that he would heed the warnings given and the Gospel that was preached and find forgiveness and life in Christ!

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West Country (UK) Team

Last week in England was Half term for most schools which fortunately gave me a week off, and while having a coffee and bacon bap in the city centre saw two Mormons sitting down for a break after speaking to people in the town. I prayed and managed to start up a conversation asking if the wanted a coffee! but then managed to engage for around 20 minutes about their doctrines and beliefs in what Joseph Smith taught, as supposed to what Gods word actually says, particularly about the deity of Jesus, the after life and judgment to come, our good works and their place in salvation and their belief in people having another chance to believe and respond to the good news after death!

I praised them for their hard work and dedication to their cause, but as per Galatians 1 v 8-9 made it clear to them that if they believed another gospel and had the wrong view of who Jesus was, then they would not be saved, and that our good works come after our salvation, and are not added to what Jesus had accomplished for believers on the cross when He said 'It is finished'.

They listened and took tracts and had a pleasant conversation, and later that day I saw a group of 11 teenagers from St.Austell in Cornwall that had come up shopping for the day. We another great conversations and were intrigued with the intelligence test questions to break the ice. We managed to talk about the afterlife, Heaven, Hell, the age someone may die and if any sin was worth holding onto for this short life, rather than repenting of to be given eternal life.They all took tracts and had some firm hand shakes so I pray some seeds were sown.

On Saturday 23rd, Harry, George and I met up in the city centre for outreach on a beautiful sunny day with no wind and lots of people around shopping to talk to.

George preached about the former ISIS fighter girl wanting to come back to England and related this to our eternities and how we need to be transferred to Gods kingdom from this current one by grace through faith in Jesus alone, and led to chats with people after who were listening intently.

I later preached on gambling and betting and the odds people play against in the hope of winning, and the odds people gamble with their life in trying to believe God does not exist, particularly as the Scientific odds of a protein coming about by chance were 1 in 10 with 164 zeros behind it, and a single ell evolving by chance are 1 in 10 with 360 million zeros behind it! I said that everyone knew God existed, or else where do we get our morality from? Judges talks about when there was no King in Israel in those days, and everyone doing what was right in their own eyes, and therefore when people try to believe God does not exist to allow them to dabble with sin and be the ruler of their own lives, yet people borrow from the Christian world view to KNOW anything is absolutely right or wrong, or else Hitler and the Holocaust and Abortion could be justified if there was no morality for society to live by.

When I left, Della, Laura and Robbie came and Della spoke to girl called Misha who seemed to make a profession of faith, and Laura spoke to a New Ager called Ralph, a Satanist called Terry and Carol an ex Catholic who took the Bible. Harry also preached when I left and as the pictures show was a beautiful day with lots of tracts handed out and conversations had.

In a couple of weeks we are hoping to plan a trip to Exeter again God willing, and pray Gods word was preached faithfully and He would be pleased to save those that were listening that would respond to the gospel that was proclaimed!

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Christchurch (NZ) Team

2 outreaches over the weekend in Christchurch (NZ).

I had to come out early to the city on Saturday morning as I had a wedding to attend in the afternoon.  I suspected this would mean the beginning of the outreach would be a bit slow, so I started with some street walking, politely greeting people and offering them tracts as a conversation starter.

After a few rejections a guy took a tract and he was open to talk.  But once he realised I was a Christian he quickly gave the tract back!  But he wanted to talk about some of the struggles in his life and share what he believed, so I allowed him to, doing my best to listen and understand what he was saying.  After some time, I gently moved the conversation to the reality of death, God, conscience and judgment - and by this stage he was more open to me and this adjustment in the conversation, but he had an appointment to go to and had to move on.  I offered him a more in depth gospel tract than the one he gave back earlier - and to my pleasant surprise, he took it!  May this conversation be a step the Lord uses to eventually lead him to repentance & faith in Christ.  Are you ready to continue that conversation?

I then proceed to Cathedral Square, set up my flip chart, and started handing out tracts while enjoying some time in prayer.

The morning was fruitful with conversations, including a discussion with a young couple - one of whom was a homosexual - both of whom heard of the hope of forgiveness of sin and eternal life - in Christ.  I also had a wonderful opportunity to briefly follow up with one of the hecklers of Andy's preaching from the previous day.

On Sunday, the rain came.  But it was a surprisingly fruitful time of witnessing.  None of the market stalls were out (I guess due to the weather) so Cathedral Square was open for people, and I had many opportunities for preaching, conversations, and tract distribution.

My preaching drew out a heckler early on, who aggressively challenged me on many points rapid fire.  He would challenge me with a question, and as I tried to answer it, he would move on to another question.  I spent a lot of time listening, trying to understand, trying to respond, and then straight back to listening.  I had to keep my patience in check!  I did manage to get some points across: how we know God exists, and that there was hope for eternal life.  At a point in the exchange it started raining again, and we had to go under a tree for cover.  Eventually the heckler decided he had had enough and turned to go.  To my surprise, when I offered a tract he gladly received it - this encouraged me that the time spent was not in vain.  Are you ready to continue this conversation?

I went back to preaching in the rain.  And I knew there were people listening.  In particular, one couple who had found some shelter in the distance.  After finishing, I walked over to them and one of them gladly took some tracts - I was encouraged.

I finished the outreach with a conversation with 4 German tourists, who became engaged when I offered them the "Intelligence Test" tract.  I went through 3 of the questions with them, and showed them how they got all 3 wrong.  It amused them and paved the way to swing to the more serious question of getting "what happens after death" wrong.  I was able to clearly explain the law and the gospel with them, and finished up with a checking question to confirm they had understood.  They wanted to know why I was doing this in the rain.  If you knew of the holiness of God, the reality of righteous judgment, and hell, and the amazing God news of mercy, grace, forgiveness, and the hope of eternal life found in Jesus - wouldn't you want to get out and share?

Come and join me, where the harvest is ripe.  Laborers required, apply with in!

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Bribie Island (QLD) Team

  Despite the strong winds, the team decided to go ahead with the Bribie Island Outreach.  A number of people took tracts and several conversations were had.  With the wind howling and the tracts flying, Michael found a relatively sheltered spot to set up his flipchart.

  Norgan, Jasmine, Shirley, and Charise went through the Good Person Test.  They were originally joking and laughing, but by the time they reached the law, they were sufficiently serious and understood their guilt.  They presented some very good and thoughtful questions.  They left with answers and a fuller understanding of the Gospel.  They each took an Ultimate Questions booklet.  Please pray for them.

   One of the young ladies on our team gave a Gospel tract to an elderly lady and was called back later to be informed of her severe “indoctrination” by her parents through the teaching of Christianity.  When she was asked what she believed, she hurriedly decided it was time to leave.  In the course of the conversation, however, the woman heard the entire gospel presented. 

  Also, a gentleman from the fish and chip shop took and read a Gospel tract, and then proceeded to share it with all of his fellow staff, which was very encouraging.

  Overall, the weather was not conducive to many people, but please pray for fruit in the lives of those who were there and heard the Gospel.  Pray for those also who refused tracts, that God would soften their heart and move them to repentance and faith.  We can definitely see the opposition to the Gospel.  Pray that Christ would grow His church, and that He would thrust forth labourers with willing hearts to do His work.

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Thursday afternoon was a wonderful time of outreach. Many conversations were had, a nice breeze was blowing through keeping the area cool. All around it was a great afternoon.

An exciting conversation early in the afternoon was with Coulson an Asian man. He at first declared that it was his goodness that would get him into Heaven. Through the mirror of the law he saw that he was guilty and did not possess the righteousness to get to Heaven. Then he was asked, "How can you be forgiven, so that God may let you in?" and he didn't know. The Gospel was explained using a few analogies and then the checking question was asked, "What must you do to get right with God?" and he said, "Trust in Jesus".

At this moment his bus arrived and he was left with the question, "When will you do that?"

Later a conversation was had with Breanna. She thought there probably was a God and hadn't thought much further than that. She was shown God's law which revealed her sin and in response she not only looked worried but said she knew she was in big trouble. She was asked what she though the solution was but didn't know. As the Gospel was being explained her bus arrived and she didn't get to hear it all. Thankfully she took a tract.

Please pray that Breanna will read the tract and desire to know what God has done to save her! Please also pray that she will trust in Jesus alone for her forgiveness.

Another conversation was had with Jenny who at first said she didn't think much about God or the after life but then went on to explain that she was a Buddhist. There was a little language barrier so it was a struggle at times to understand what was being said. She was pointed to the Buddhist laws as to why she would never be able to achieve forgiveness in Buddhism. At first went through the laws out loud, three of which are, "Don't lie", "Don't Steal", "Don't be sexually immoral" she said she'd never done any of them.

Then it was raised with her one by one she realised that she had and then instead she started to try and justify the times she had done the wrong thing. As her bus arrived she seemed to see the problem but wasn't ready to admit that she was guilty, nor that Buddhism couldn't offer her a solution. Thankfully she took a tract and said she would read it.

Please be praying for the people who were spoken to by the team this afternoon. Please be praying that God would be using the Gospel to lead them to Himself! Please also be praying that God would lead others who didn't hear the Gospel in person to read their tracts and that they too would come to know God!

UPDATE: Following the conversation with Breanna on Thursday afternoon, the team was on the Gold Coast for the Friday night outreach. As the team headed back to the car right at the end of the evening, much to our surprise, Breanna walked out of a Nightclub in front of us.

The team paused and took the moment to chat. Breanna quickly heard the Gospel, the solution to sin. That Jesus can take the penalty we deserve so that we can be forgiven and be in right relationship with God.

It was also pointed out that God doesn't make mistakes, the very fact that God would align it so that we could see her twice in two days, it was clear that God was trying to get her attention!

Please be praying that Breanna would come to trust in Christ alone for her salvation and maybe even that the team would get to see her again and encourage her once more!

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Wednesday afternoon in Brisbane city was an afternoon with encouraging conversations but also a great reminder. Often whilst evangelising we can end up in "apologetics mode", when we are too busy trying to "prove" Christianity is right that we forget, that apologetics don't save people. It is also important to note that until someone actually understands the Gospel, they will be arguing to convince themselves that they are good without God and therefore don't need the Bible's rules.

This was the case during two conversations on Wednesday. The main aim was forgotten and much time was wasted in engaging with someone about the importance of Christianity when in fact, they actually had no idea what Jesus taught. This happens occasionally and it was always a good reminder as to why the Gospel is the most important part of any Gospel conversation.

These conversations happened with Sarah and Luke. Thankfully God is sovereign and can use conversations with purely apologetics to bring someone to a desire to speak to a Christian or to read a Bible in their own time. Therefore, please be praying that these two will consider the many places their current ideas about the world are faulty and therefore come to seek what God has to say. Also, you could take the moment to praise God for using faulty, fallible people to save others and glorify Himself!

A tough conversation was had with a young man. He worked in a local store. Most of the things he believed about God and the afterlife relied on things he had seen or experienced whilst on drugs. This wasn't a good starting point. He didn't care about God and wasn't interested in God's law, instead he loved sin. He happily acknowledged, later in the conversation that his love for the things God hates was the real reason for his rejection of God but he wasn't moved.

He was taken through God's law and at each moment tried to use some sort of argument to change the topic, to take away the sting or the reality of what He had done but at each moment as it was bought back to the law, the guilt was displayed. It reached a point when realised the problem he was in, that the law had revealed his sin and he knew he was guilty. At this moment, he left, in an attempt to flee from the reality of sin. Sadly, he never got to hear the Gospel because he loved his sin, despite knowing it was wrong.

Please be praying for this man that he would not be able to numb or sear his conscience but would be drawn by his guilt to the only one who can take it away!

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