Battle Log

• Battle Log
• Page 188

Over a thousand gospel tracts went out yesterday during our outreach in Brisbane city, and we spoke with about two dozen people. There were 4 of us on the team.

One long chat we had was with a man named Jacob who subscribed to the idea that our life is happening on an infinite number of worlds in a multiverse, and the one we are in is the one that will give us the longest life. He had no evidence for it, but just liked the idea.

He hopes that there is no afterlife, in essence so that there are no consequences later on for his actions done here. But he still thought if God judged him, he would be good enough for Heaven.

The gospel was explained to him and he really appreciated the conversation and said, "If nothing else, this has made me want to read the Bible."

Please also pray for a man named Sunni from Nepal. He said he has a brother-in-law in Korea who is a Christian who keeps reminding him about finding God, but he hasn't done anything about it yet. He came to grasp the gospel and was happy to take a gospel of John to start reading.

To God be all the glory!

---

After each outreach we go home rejoicing that the gospel went out and that each of the people who heard the gospel will never be the same again in eternity, whether they come to faith or not. It's never a waste!

Yesterday at Woodridge, we got to speak to a bunch of different people, including a man named Walter who said he wanted to have a fight with God on the day of judgement as to why God let some bad things happen in his life.

We explained that we can never charge God of doing anything wrong because if you think about it, everything we have is from him anyway. God gives and can take away as He sees fit. We didn't even make our own arm, in fact our whole body is from him. Even our very mouth that we might be using to accuse God of wrong, He made it!

We encouraged him to look at the book of Job, and in particular God's response to Job who wanted to have his day in court with God (Job 38-40). For example, God says in Job 38:4 - "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?"

The law and the gospel was explained to him, please pray that Walter humbles himself and realises that what he so desperately needs is to come to faith in Christ.

Also pray for others we spoke with throughout the afternoon including George, Micky, Tristan and April who in separate conversations were intently listening and were each happy to take a gospel of John home to start reading.

To God be the glory!

---

As we began our outreach in Brisbane city yesterday, we noticed plenty of people in Maroon or Blue for the State of Origin. By God's grace, we were able to have some extensive gospel conversations with some of them, and hand out plenty of gospel tracts.

One man we spoke with was named David. He said he has been heavily involved in secret societies in the past and it appealed to him because it supposedly explained everything beyond all religions. But we were able to explain to him how Christianity is completely to different every other religion.

For all other religions are attempting to reach their god or the good place by doing more good than bad, but the problem is, that is not how justice works. No good judge could let a criminal go free based on how many good deeds the person has done compared to their crimes. Christianity is different in that the only way we can get to Heaven is by having a perfect person take our punishment for us - which satisfies God's justice so He can then show us mercy.

For David though, he expressed how even though God may be true, He doesn't like that God would direct people to live a certain way. He likened God to a dictator, not realising that God has been so abundantly kind to us all, giving us life, food, rain and sunshine, different seasons, sunsets, an immune system, and so on. And being our maker, He obviously has the right to say to us how we should live. And yet even though we have all been rebelling against Him, how amazingly patient has He been in not wiping us out the moment we sin?

Please pray for David, we spoke with him for over an hour. Pray also that God would save many through the word that went out yesterday.

---

 Who did the Lord bring under the sound of His good news today at this bus stop? 2 examples:

- Jake had some unusual questions like"Why does the Bible state thieves should be stoned?" Stoning was  God's commanded punishment for certain crimes under Israel's law when it was a theocracy. Stealing incurred a fine and restitution, not stoning.  After answering some questions, Ryan was able to proceed with the law and gospel. At the conclusion, Jake said he had more important issues to consider. Ryan challenged him to make 'where he will spend eternity' his top priority - today. Pray Jake does consider his precarious position today.

- Hayley has a religious Mum but was not conversant with the Bible. She knew about the 10 commandments and after admitting her sin of lying said that God could not let her into His perfect heaven. After proceeding through the substitutionary work of Jesus, She was interested to know more. She said that she could read her mother's Bible. I suggested that she read John's gospel and ask God to show her who Jesus is.

There were gospels of John handed out plus tracts of course. As I was leaving, I saw 7 skate boarders. 6 of them  were being young guys and the 7th was listening intently as Ryan told him the good news.

Thanks for praying!

Glory be to God alone.

---

South-East England (UK) Team

The Essex Team met in Romford today and we preached Christ crucified and risen from the dead.  The team was Andrew, Chuck and Jacob.  Many heard the Gospel and many Christians were also encouraged. SDG

Andrew Preaching

---

A young Samoan man, Tussi, who had recently moved here, but was not sure why he did so, had a long chat with Ryan and I joined in towards the end. He was a bit 'slow of understanding' because of a recent event in his life. He had a fair knowledge of salvation but had the common 'old nature' [false] idea that he would do his best and that would gain him entrance into heaven. Before his bus arrived he heard the message and we pray that God would complete the witness. We were able to correct a few of his erroneous views, e.g. someone had told him his past and his future via tarot cards. We pointed to the limited power of the false magicians who opposed Moses through whom God worked true miracles. Also that God's truth is unique and only He knows Tussi's future. How wonderful that he had arrived early so this long, cordial chat could take place!

Praise God for the work He does through his servants. What a privilege to serve the Almighty!

---

A quieter day than most in trying to converse with people but the Lord provided  an interesting variety including:

- Yana, a German lass here for another 2 weeks who revealed that she was a Universalist. Ryan took her through some apologetics and the law and gospel patiently reworking those points that needed to be clarified in her understanding. At the conclusion, she took a gospel of John to check out what she had heard. [It was also unusual in that it is mainly families or couples that come here and Yana was by herself.]

-high school students, Blake had a R.C. education and a view that all religions are the same. The lass, McKenzie, listened as the Bible's unique message of salvation through repentance from dead works, Heb. 6:1 and trusting in Christ and His finished work of atonement for the sins of His people, Mt. 1:21  so that God's justice is fully satisfied and the sinner can now ask God to grant him forgiveness of all his sins and receive remission. They left with John's gospel and a statement that they would download a Bible. 

No effort that is fuelled by God's grace is wasted in God's sovereign economy. Let us work while it is day and keep giving.God all the glory.

---

"You're just the person I was looking for."

Last night in Brisbane city the team had an exciting opportunity to preach the good news, that Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners.

Each time the team assembles, it is an opportunity to share with others the power of the gospel but it is also extremely valuable for personal humility - being reminded how much you, even as a Christian, need the salvation that Christ has offered.

One encouraging conversation was had right at the end of the night. Jack and Karl were walking through the mall and were asked, "Do you think you will go to Heaven when you die?" Jack looked at his friend, then responded, "You're just the person I was looking for". Over the course of the discussion Jack didn't argue with anything that was said. In fact the look on his face seemed to imply that he was taking this information very seriously. Karl his friend was a little bit sporadic but this eagerness was helpful. Over the course of the conversation, Jack's serious concern about this topic was reiterated. Karl even said, "You've been really worried about this for a while," a number of times!

In the end, Jack and Kyle openly acknowledged their sinfulness and deserved justice before a Holy God. They were not opposed to God's just punishment. When ultimately posed with the question, "Is the opportunity to live for yourself over this short life time, worth suffering God's wrath in Hell?" neither of them were able to state definitively either way. They left with a clear choice infront of them.

Please pray for Jack, Kyle and all those who were engaged in conversations, took tracts or stopped to listen to the preaching.

---

"I would love to have a Bible."

Today God's providence was on full display (again) during our outreach in Sunnybank. We had a team of 3 of us. Here is what happened. At one point, I was chatting to a school student sharing the gospel with him and gave him a New Testament at the end of the conversation.

Not long later, I chatted with three different school students and they were very receptive. I asked if they had a Bible at home, and I heard that one of them didn't, but I wasn't sure what the other two said. So I gave my last NT that I had in my pocket to the student that said he didn't have a Bible. At that exact moment, the student who I had given the NT in the earlier conversation came up to me and said that he didn't want the NT anymore and handed it back to me.

One of the three students then said that they all had to go as their parents were waiting, but one stayed behind and got my attention again and said, "Can I have one? I would love to have a Bible." Praise God I now had a NT in my hand again that I could give him. He grateful took it and then ran to catch up with his friends who were already quite a distance away.

The team found that a lot of people took gospel tracts today, and there were plenty of people happy to have a gospel conversation. God is always amazingly faithful, so we give Him all the glory!

---

Thanks for praying for today's outreach in Brisbane city. We can always be comforted knowing that God is drawing His people to Himself, and what a privilege we have in being able to play this small part in His Great Commission.

Some people to pray for:

- Naomi & Sarah, trainee nurses who come from religious homes, and thought they were 'great' people. One of the ladies didn't like the idea that God is three in one, but is going to check the passages that we pointed out to her about this. The idea of forgiveness through Christ alone did seem very novel to them, and they were hesitant to accept it.

- Alana went to a Christian high school but now says she just wants to live for herself. Her worldview was able to be challenged though.

- Henry used to go to church but hasn't been in years. After hearing the law and the gospel, he came to grasp the message of salvation by grace through faith alone. He saw his need of forgiveness. He also took a gospel of John to start reading.

To God be the glory!

---

« Prev | 1 | 2 ... 186 | 187 | 188 | 189 | 190 ... 282 | 283 | Next »

---