In recent months I have come across a number of articles by people bemoaning the fact that "Food Banks" have become more prevalent since the start of the current government. I also notice that, in my local Waitrose store, there is a large box set aside for customers to make donations of food - tins, cereal packets and so on.
I have mixed feelings about these food parcels; on the one hand it is sad that people who have fallen on hard times have to rely on such handouts. On the other hand this represents an excellent opportunity for the Gospel to be spread.
I believe that a number of churches are involved in preparing and distributing this help; the question is - are they placing Gospel tracts and booklets inside these food parcels? If not, then they are missing out on the chance to reach people with the help that they really need.
It is good to help people in need of food and other necessities of life, but what about the Bread of Life being presented to them? If a church gives practical help in this way, the recipient should be so grateful for this that they would (we hope) be more amenable to read about their need of eternal salvation.
The kind of booklets to be included in this outreach could be one (or a combination) of the following:
1. A complete New Testament, say provided by the Gideons.
2. A Gospel of John. (The 4th book of the New Testament and an eye-witness account of the teachings and miracles of Jesus). I wrote an article recently about the effectiveness of such a booklet in evangelism.
3. A good selection of well written Gospel tracts.
4. A chick book, especially "This was your life" - which interested readers can access online. Simply google "This was your life" chick book.
It could be that the Lord has permitted this situation (the need for food banks) to come about so that churches can avail themselves of the opportunity to spread the word of the everlasting Gospel.
"Go into all the world and preach the Gospel..." Mark 16 v 15.
Friday, 20 March 2015
Wednesday, 11 March 2015
Where are they now?
News has come through of the death of Sam Simon, the creator of the cartoon characters known as "The Simpsons", and also the death of Terry Pratchett.
Mr Simon was not only known for his "artistic" talents but also for his atheism. He was a member of a group called "American Atheists" and was active in promoting this folly.
I have every sympathy for the fact that he died fairly young (at 59), and from cancer, but have no sympathy for his atheist views, nor for the fact that he chose to be so vocal in expressing this line of "thinking".
Moreover, I truly and sincerely hope that he came to his senses before he died. One advantage that terminally ill cancer patients have is that they know they are going to die, and have every opportunity to get right with God before doing so.
I well remember about 15 years ago sending an e-mail to a journalist who was suffering from throat cancer. In this missive I outlined the truths of the Gospel and warned him of the eternal consequences of dying without Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour. I don't know if he was an atheist but he certainly wasn't a Christian, and I was deeply concerned about his soul. He used to write articles in the Saturday magazine of The Times about his treatment, and how Christians were sending him tracts and scriptures "in order to bring me round before the big day".
To be fair to him, he did reply to my e mail in a respectful tone and even commended me for my honesty. In his words "the teaching that those who are not believers are heading for eternal damnation is refreshingly honest". In an age when people engage in pleasant platitudes instead of speaking truth it impressed him to come across one, such as myself, who was prepared to speak truth even if it caused offence.
I don't know if he did repent and accept Christ before he died, I truly hope he did; but coming back to Mr Simon I strongly suspect that he would have had some knowledge of the Gospel, especially living in a country like the US where Bibles, evangelists and Gospel tracts are everywhere (think: "Chick Books").
If Mr Simon did repent of his atheism and sincerely accepted Christ as Lord and Saviour, before he died, then God has forgiven him and, he is even now enjoying the presence of the Saviour who died for his sins. However, if he did not so repent then he now knows there is a God and that he will pay for his rebellion and unbelief for all eternity.
The same applies to Terry Pratchett the writer of fantasy books. He not only wrote fantasy books but dealt in fantasy as he was an atheist. I sincerely hope that he repented and accepted Christ before he died. Again, if he did not so repent then he is also facing an eternity of bitter regret. As the Bible says: "God is not mocked, whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" - Galatians 6 v 7.
Mr Simon was not only known for his "artistic" talents but also for his atheism. He was a member of a group called "American Atheists" and was active in promoting this folly.
I have every sympathy for the fact that he died fairly young (at 59), and from cancer, but have no sympathy for his atheist views, nor for the fact that he chose to be so vocal in expressing this line of "thinking".
Moreover, I truly and sincerely hope that he came to his senses before he died. One advantage that terminally ill cancer patients have is that they know they are going to die, and have every opportunity to get right with God before doing so.
I well remember about 15 years ago sending an e-mail to a journalist who was suffering from throat cancer. In this missive I outlined the truths of the Gospel and warned him of the eternal consequences of dying without Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour. I don't know if he was an atheist but he certainly wasn't a Christian, and I was deeply concerned about his soul. He used to write articles in the Saturday magazine of The Times about his treatment, and how Christians were sending him tracts and scriptures "in order to bring me round before the big day".
To be fair to him, he did reply to my e mail in a respectful tone and even commended me for my honesty. In his words "the teaching that those who are not believers are heading for eternal damnation is refreshingly honest". In an age when people engage in pleasant platitudes instead of speaking truth it impressed him to come across one, such as myself, who was prepared to speak truth even if it caused offence.
I don't know if he did repent and accept Christ before he died, I truly hope he did; but coming back to Mr Simon I strongly suspect that he would have had some knowledge of the Gospel, especially living in a country like the US where Bibles, evangelists and Gospel tracts are everywhere (think: "Chick Books").
If Mr Simon did repent of his atheism and sincerely accepted Christ as Lord and Saviour, before he died, then God has forgiven him and, he is even now enjoying the presence of the Saviour who died for his sins. However, if he did not so repent then he now knows there is a God and that he will pay for his rebellion and unbelief for all eternity.
The same applies to Terry Pratchett the writer of fantasy books. He not only wrote fantasy books but dealt in fantasy as he was an atheist. I sincerely hope that he repented and accepted Christ before he died. Again, if he did not so repent then he is also facing an eternity of bitter regret. As the Bible says: "God is not mocked, whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" - Galatians 6 v 7.
Wednesday, 4 March 2015
Israel - proof God exists and that the Bible is true.
I watched excerpts from the Israeli PM's speech before the US congress yesterday and was thrilled to hear him say "Even if Israel has to stand alone, Israel WILL stand".
Looking at the title of this article many will ask "How does a political speech prove that God exists and that the Bible is true?". That is a fair question and I will answer it.
In the Old Testament we read of the historic link between the land of Israel and the Jewish race. God gave the Jews this land but, sadly, through disobedience to His laws they were uprooted and taken into exile. However, God's love for the Jews never diminished and He promised, in the last 2 verses of Amos, that the Jews would return to their land "and never again be uprooted".
During the 1800s Jews migrated to the land we know as Israel and, in time, the trickle became a flood and, in 1948, Israel was created as an internationally recognised state. Immediately the Arab nations set out to destroy it but failed in their aim. (This, in itself, was a miracle when one considers that Israel had no proper army and many of the Jews couldn't even understand one another as they had come from all parts of Europe).
Over the last 7 decades Israel has endured constant attacks from terrorist groups and the Jews, as a people, have suffered huge persecution. However, despite all this, Israel continues to stand. It is the only democracy in the Middle-East and the most powerful country in the region.
All of this was only possible because there is a God who keeps his promises. Humanly speaking, when the Jews were uprooted and dispersed they should have eventually disappeared as a race but they have survived and their own country has survived.
This not only tells us that there is a God who keeps His promises but that the Bible is true. During the wilderness centuries when the Jews were without a homeland it looked impossible for this Biblical prediction to come true; and yet, against all odds, it did so.
Truly, there is a God, and truly, the Bible is His inspired, inerrant and infallible Word.
"... and I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the Lord thy God." Amos 9 v 15
Looking at the title of this article many will ask "How does a political speech prove that God exists and that the Bible is true?". That is a fair question and I will answer it.
In the Old Testament we read of the historic link between the land of Israel and the Jewish race. God gave the Jews this land but, sadly, through disobedience to His laws they were uprooted and taken into exile. However, God's love for the Jews never diminished and He promised, in the last 2 verses of Amos, that the Jews would return to their land "and never again be uprooted".
During the 1800s Jews migrated to the land we know as Israel and, in time, the trickle became a flood and, in 1948, Israel was created as an internationally recognised state. Immediately the Arab nations set out to destroy it but failed in their aim. (This, in itself, was a miracle when one considers that Israel had no proper army and many of the Jews couldn't even understand one another as they had come from all parts of Europe).
Over the last 7 decades Israel has endured constant attacks from terrorist groups and the Jews, as a people, have suffered huge persecution. However, despite all this, Israel continues to stand. It is the only democracy in the Middle-East and the most powerful country in the region.
All of this was only possible because there is a God who keeps his promises. Humanly speaking, when the Jews were uprooted and dispersed they should have eventually disappeared as a race but they have survived and their own country has survived.
This not only tells us that there is a God who keeps His promises but that the Bible is true. During the wilderness centuries when the Jews were without a homeland it looked impossible for this Biblical prediction to come true; and yet, against all odds, it did so.
Truly, there is a God, and truly, the Bible is His inspired, inerrant and infallible Word.
"... and I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the Lord thy God." Amos 9 v 15
Saturday, 28 February 2015
Atheists are playing with peoples' lives
For many years the Gideons have had permission to place Bibles in hotel rooms and student halls of residence at universities. Over that time many people have come to know Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour through reading these Bibles.
However, in recent years an increasing number of hotels and student rooms have banned these Bibles following pressure from narrow-minded and spiteful atheists who cannot abide the fact that the Bible is so readily available for people to read and enjoy. (If they were as tolerant as they make out then they would take the line that, although they don't believe the Bible, they have no objections to others doing so. If they came across God's Word in a hotel room they would simply ignore it).
Their actions have deprived people from the chance to read God's Word and come to know personal salvation through faith in Christ. Not content with not entering God's kingdom themselves they hinder others from doing so (see Matthew 23 v 13).
Moreover, there is another serious consequence of their misguided actions and it runs like this - a number people have stated that they became so depressed they wished to commit suicide, but what stopped them from taking their own lives was reading the Gideon Bible they found in their hotel room or student lodging. Their lives were literally saved by God's Word.
However, with the decrease in the availability of Bibles in such rooms there is likely to be an increase in the number of people who, sadly, end their lives because they believe there is no hope and no point in living. Consequently, by campaigning to ban Gideon Bibles, atheists are contributing to peoples' deaths - shame on them.
These poor creatures, who are so full of hostility and spite against the Bible, should reflect upon their wrongdoing and, if they are honest with themselves admit that their extreme intolerance is, quite literally, playing with peoples' lives.
I do truly hope that, having so reflected upon this, they will realise their own spiritual bankruptcy and turn to Christ for the salvation of their souls.
May the Lord be pleased to show these foolish people the error of their ways before it is too late.
Psalm 53 v 1 "The fool has said in his heart 'there is no God' "
However, in recent years an increasing number of hotels and student rooms have banned these Bibles following pressure from narrow-minded and spiteful atheists who cannot abide the fact that the Bible is so readily available for people to read and enjoy. (If they were as tolerant as they make out then they would take the line that, although they don't believe the Bible, they have no objections to others doing so. If they came across God's Word in a hotel room they would simply ignore it).
Their actions have deprived people from the chance to read God's Word and come to know personal salvation through faith in Christ. Not content with not entering God's kingdom themselves they hinder others from doing so (see Matthew 23 v 13).
Moreover, there is another serious consequence of their misguided actions and it runs like this - a number people have stated that they became so depressed they wished to commit suicide, but what stopped them from taking their own lives was reading the Gideon Bible they found in their hotel room or student lodging. Their lives were literally saved by God's Word.
However, with the decrease in the availability of Bibles in such rooms there is likely to be an increase in the number of people who, sadly, end their lives because they believe there is no hope and no point in living. Consequently, by campaigning to ban Gideon Bibles, atheists are contributing to peoples' deaths - shame on them.
These poor creatures, who are so full of hostility and spite against the Bible, should reflect upon their wrongdoing and, if they are honest with themselves admit that their extreme intolerance is, quite literally, playing with peoples' lives.
I do truly hope that, having so reflected upon this, they will realise their own spiritual bankruptcy and turn to Christ for the salvation of their souls.
May the Lord be pleased to show these foolish people the error of their ways before it is too late.
Psalm 53 v 1 "The fool has said in his heart 'there is no God' "
Friday, 20 February 2015
The wind blows where it wishes
In John chapter 3 the work of the Holy Spirit is likened to a wind. Consider what Jesus said in verse 8 viz. "The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit".
In this verse Jesus is likening the work of the Holy Spirit to a wind in 2 ways:
1. Just as you cannot see the wind but can see it's effects (eg the trees swaying), so we cannot see the Holy Spirit but we can see His work in people's lives when He transforms them by His power. The Bible states that when people come to know Christ then they are new creations (see 2nd Cor 5 v 17), this is because the Spirit of God has worked in them.
2. The wind blows where it wishes, as it wishes, in what direction it wishes and at what speed it wishes. This is just like the work of the Holy Spirit. Let's look at the following scenario - 2 people hear the Gospel; they hear that Jesus died for their sins and rose again (1st Cor 15 v 3-4), they hear the call to repentance that God gives to all mankind (Acts 17 v 30-31) and they hear that they need to put their trust in Christ as their personal Saviour by receiving Him (John 1 v 11-13). One of these people, we'll call him John, rejected what he heard and dismissed it from his mind. The other person, we'll call him Mark, was deeply affected by what he had heard and, over a period of time, he responded by repenting of his sins and accepting Christ as his personal Saviour. Why did John reject the Gospel and Mark accept it? The answer is simple - the wind blows where it wishes; the Holy Spirit blew into the mind, heart and life of Mark, but not John. In short, Mark became "born-again" of the Holy Spirit, but John was left "in his sins".
Let's look clearly at the implications of what Jesus was teaching here. When I go out on the streets and pass out tracts I am, in effect, preaching the Gospel in the sense that I'm giving people the free offer of the Gospel. However, because the natural state of people is spiritual blindness and deadness they WILL NOT respond by repenting and accepting Christ unless, and until, the Holy Spirit blows into their lives. If He deigns to do so then whey WILL get saved; however, if He doesn't do so then they will remain in their sins, and face the due penalty for their sin and rebellion when they pass into eternity.
This clear teaching of Christ should be a spur to us to continue the work of evangelism knowing that the Holy Spirit is powerful, and even the most hardened and abusive sinner can be saved if He so wishes to blow into their lives.
In this verse Jesus is likening the work of the Holy Spirit to a wind in 2 ways:
1. Just as you cannot see the wind but can see it's effects (eg the trees swaying), so we cannot see the Holy Spirit but we can see His work in people's lives when He transforms them by His power. The Bible states that when people come to know Christ then they are new creations (see 2nd Cor 5 v 17), this is because the Spirit of God has worked in them.
2. The wind blows where it wishes, as it wishes, in what direction it wishes and at what speed it wishes. This is just like the work of the Holy Spirit. Let's look at the following scenario - 2 people hear the Gospel; they hear that Jesus died for their sins and rose again (1st Cor 15 v 3-4), they hear the call to repentance that God gives to all mankind (Acts 17 v 30-31) and they hear that they need to put their trust in Christ as their personal Saviour by receiving Him (John 1 v 11-13). One of these people, we'll call him John, rejected what he heard and dismissed it from his mind. The other person, we'll call him Mark, was deeply affected by what he had heard and, over a period of time, he responded by repenting of his sins and accepting Christ as his personal Saviour. Why did John reject the Gospel and Mark accept it? The answer is simple - the wind blows where it wishes; the Holy Spirit blew into the mind, heart and life of Mark, but not John. In short, Mark became "born-again" of the Holy Spirit, but John was left "in his sins".
Let's look clearly at the implications of what Jesus was teaching here. When I go out on the streets and pass out tracts I am, in effect, preaching the Gospel in the sense that I'm giving people the free offer of the Gospel. However, because the natural state of people is spiritual blindness and deadness they WILL NOT respond by repenting and accepting Christ unless, and until, the Holy Spirit blows into their lives. If He deigns to do so then whey WILL get saved; however, if He doesn't do so then they will remain in their sins, and face the due penalty for their sin and rebellion when they pass into eternity.
This clear teaching of Christ should be a spur to us to continue the work of evangelism knowing that the Holy Spirit is powerful, and even the most hardened and abusive sinner can be saved if He so wishes to blow into their lives.
Monday, 9 February 2015
The power of "John's Gospel"
The Gospel of John is the 4th book in the New Testament and is an eye-witness account of the miracles and teaching of Christ. It is widely used in evangelism; the Open Air Mission evangelistic teams will often offer a John's Gospel after doing an open air talk and many of these are taken by seekers every week. Over the years I have been thrilled to hear of people who have got saved through the simple reading of this marvellous book as the Holy Spirit has opened their eyes - a few examples are below:
A Greek shepherd, looking after his sheep on the hillside fell asleep due to the warm weather. When he awoke a stranger stood looking at him who then gave him a John's Gospel in modern Greek. This stranger then walked away and left him to it. Through the reading of this portion of God's Word he got saved.
Two evangelists in Chatham were preaching the Gospel and passing out tracts; a lady came over with a serious tale of woe concerning all manner of personal problems. They gave her a John's Gospel. She sat up reading it until the early hours when she gave her life to Christ.
A few weeks ago in Ramsgate I got into conversation with a Christian man who told me that he got saved after his GP had given him a John's Gospel. Clearly, while it is right to help people medically, many need Dr Jesus to put them right.
A violent prisoner who was serving a sentence for murder found a tract in a cupboard; she sent off to the address on the back and received a John's Gospel. After reading it she got saved and, after her release, testified that God had taken away all the hate out of her heart.
A Brazilian drug dealer who was transformed by the power of God's Word used his "drug dealing bag"- not for carrying drugs - but carrying John's Gospels to give to other needy souls.
When Russian tanks rolled into Romania in 1945 a Christian couple, Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, didn't flee like most people. Instead, they stood at the roadside offering John's Gospels to the tank commanders. They also went to the local train station and met the troop trains passing out these Gospels to the soldiers before the KGB officers could intervene. Souls were saved through these endeavours.
Bearing all the above in mind, it is a great privilege to use Open Air Mission tracts - they have a coupon at the back inviting people to fill it in and send it to the office. They then receive a copy of John's Gospel and various other material to aid them in their search for God.
Let us re-double our efforts to pass out God's Word to people knowing that "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" - Romans 10 v 17.
A Greek shepherd, looking after his sheep on the hillside fell asleep due to the warm weather. When he awoke a stranger stood looking at him who then gave him a John's Gospel in modern Greek. This stranger then walked away and left him to it. Through the reading of this portion of God's Word he got saved.
Two evangelists in Chatham were preaching the Gospel and passing out tracts; a lady came over with a serious tale of woe concerning all manner of personal problems. They gave her a John's Gospel. She sat up reading it until the early hours when she gave her life to Christ.
A few weeks ago in Ramsgate I got into conversation with a Christian man who told me that he got saved after his GP had given him a John's Gospel. Clearly, while it is right to help people medically, many need Dr Jesus to put them right.
A violent prisoner who was serving a sentence for murder found a tract in a cupboard; she sent off to the address on the back and received a John's Gospel. After reading it she got saved and, after her release, testified that God had taken away all the hate out of her heart.
A Brazilian drug dealer who was transformed by the power of God's Word used his "drug dealing bag"- not for carrying drugs - but carrying John's Gospels to give to other needy souls.
When Russian tanks rolled into Romania in 1945 a Christian couple, Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, didn't flee like most people. Instead, they stood at the roadside offering John's Gospels to the tank commanders. They also went to the local train station and met the troop trains passing out these Gospels to the soldiers before the KGB officers could intervene. Souls were saved through these endeavours.
Bearing all the above in mind, it is a great privilege to use Open Air Mission tracts - they have a coupon at the back inviting people to fill it in and send it to the office. They then receive a copy of John's Gospel and various other material to aid them in their search for God.
Let us re-double our efforts to pass out God's Word to people knowing that "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" - Romans 10 v 17.
Monday, 2 February 2015
Do atheists have a 1 in 400 million chance of being right?
To expand the title of this article I ask: Do atheists have a 1 in 400 million chance of being right when they say the Bible is not true, and that "fulfilled prophecies" are pure chance?
Of course, the answer is that atheists are 100% wrong in their rejection of God and His infallible word - The Bible; there is no chance they are right, not even 1 in 400 million. However, I quote this statistic because I've been reading an excellent book by Pastor John MacArthur entitled "Why believe the Bible?".
In this book mention is made of a mathematician, Peter W Stoner, who studied the 7 prophecies on Tyre in Ezekiel 26 v 3-16. These prophecies state the following:
1. That Nebuchadnezzar would take the city.
2. Other nations would help fulfil the prophecies.
3. Tyre would be flattened like the top of a rock.
4. The city would become a place where fishermen spread their nets.
5. Tyre's stones and timbers would be laid in the sea.
6. Other cities would have great fear because of Tyre's fall.
7. The old city of Tyre would never be rebuilt.
Mr Stoner set his students the task of working out the probability of all 7 prophecies being right and they came up with a figure of 1 in 400 million.
ALL 7 prophecies came to pass exactly as the Bible predicted. Therefore, unless you believe that these happened by blind chance then you MUST believe the Bible in order to be consistent with the principle of fair play and objective analysis.
However, despite the clear evidence I've presented above atheists will probably refuse to accept that the Bible is God's word, for one very simple reason - "a man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still".
As I've stated many times in this blog, these poor creatures have been blinded and enslaved by the devil. It will take a sovereign work of God's Holy Spirit to enlighten them.
In the meantime, my own confidence in the Bible as infallible and inerrant continues to be unshaken - it IS the Word of God and it IS absolutely trustworthy. Therefore, I stake my eternal destiny on its teachings.
"ALL scripture is given by inspiration of God......." 2nd Timothy 3 v 16
Of course, the answer is that atheists are 100% wrong in their rejection of God and His infallible word - The Bible; there is no chance they are right, not even 1 in 400 million. However, I quote this statistic because I've been reading an excellent book by Pastor John MacArthur entitled "Why believe the Bible?".
In this book mention is made of a mathematician, Peter W Stoner, who studied the 7 prophecies on Tyre in Ezekiel 26 v 3-16. These prophecies state the following:
1. That Nebuchadnezzar would take the city.
2. Other nations would help fulfil the prophecies.
3. Tyre would be flattened like the top of a rock.
4. The city would become a place where fishermen spread their nets.
5. Tyre's stones and timbers would be laid in the sea.
6. Other cities would have great fear because of Tyre's fall.
7. The old city of Tyre would never be rebuilt.
Mr Stoner set his students the task of working out the probability of all 7 prophecies being right and they came up with a figure of 1 in 400 million.
ALL 7 prophecies came to pass exactly as the Bible predicted. Therefore, unless you believe that these happened by blind chance then you MUST believe the Bible in order to be consistent with the principle of fair play and objective analysis.
However, despite the clear evidence I've presented above atheists will probably refuse to accept that the Bible is God's word, for one very simple reason - "a man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still".
As I've stated many times in this blog, these poor creatures have been blinded and enslaved by the devil. It will take a sovereign work of God's Holy Spirit to enlighten them.
In the meantime, my own confidence in the Bible as infallible and inerrant continues to be unshaken - it IS the Word of God and it IS absolutely trustworthy. Therefore, I stake my eternal destiny on its teachings.
"ALL scripture is given by inspiration of God......." 2nd Timothy 3 v 16
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