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' "
Saturday, 28 February 2015
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
Monday, 19 January 2015
Why do people get saved?
No doubt Christian street evangelists must, from time to time, ask themselves why it is that people refuse the Gospel; after all, we see so many rejections such a question is inevitable. Of course, we know the answer - these poor creatures have been so blinded and enslaved by the devil they cannot see their need of Christ. A more pertinent question would be - "given that the natural state of man is one of spiritual blindness, how is that anyone gets saved?" The surprise should not be that people refuse the Gospel but that anyone comes to repentance and faith in Christ as Lord and Saviour.
However, people are getting saved; even as I write this, there is someone, somewhere, turning to Christ for salvation of their soul. Why is this? If the natural state of man is one of spiritual blindness why do people get saved? I will answer that in the following points:
1. Because truth has been revealed to them.
In Mathew 16 Jesus asked His disciples who they say that He is. When Peter stated that Jesus was the Son of God Jesus replied that that was revealed to him "by my Father in Heaven" (v 17). The clear implication was that, if this truth had not been revealed to Peter, then he would not have had the spiritual perception to believe it.
2. Because God has drawn them.
In John 6 v 44 Jesus said: "No one can come to me unless the Father, who sent me, draws him....." Without the drawing of God people will not believe. When, therefore, people do believe it is because they have been so drawn.
3. Because they are enabled to believe.
In John 6 v 65 Jesus taught that people cannot come to Him unless they have been "enabled" by the Father. Again, the lesson is that if people do come to Christ then they have been given the enabling to do so.
4. Because they are sheep who respond to the voice of the shepherd.
In John 10 v 27 we read that the sheep hear Christ's voice and they follow Him. The non-sheep do NOT hear the voice. They may hear the external call of the Gospel (eg. be offered a tract) but they won't respond unless they are sheep. This is further proved by v 26 where Jesus said to a group of people "you do not believe because you are not of my sheep"
5. Because they've been appointed to eternal life.
In Acts 13 v 48 we read that "those appointed to eternal life believed". The inference being that those not so appointed (the non-sheep) will not believe.
6. Because their hearts have been opened.
In Acts 16 v 14 we read that Lydia's heart was opened so that she would respond to the Gospel that Paul was preaching, and she got saved. The implication being that if her heart wasn't so opened it would have remained closed and hardened.
I have absolute confidence that, when I spread the Gospel, then God will be pleased to draw His people, in His own time and in His own way.
However, people are getting saved; even as I write this, there is someone, somewhere, turning to Christ for salvation of their soul. Why is this? If the natural state of man is one of spiritual blindness why do people get saved? I will answer that in the following points:
1. Because truth has been revealed to them.
In Mathew 16 Jesus asked His disciples who they say that He is. When Peter stated that Jesus was the Son of God Jesus replied that that was revealed to him "by my Father in Heaven" (v 17). The clear implication was that, if this truth had not been revealed to Peter, then he would not have had the spiritual perception to believe it.
2. Because God has drawn them.
In John 6 v 44 Jesus said: "No one can come to me unless the Father, who sent me, draws him....." Without the drawing of God people will not believe. When, therefore, people do believe it is because they have been so drawn.
3. Because they are enabled to believe.
In John 6 v 65 Jesus taught that people cannot come to Him unless they have been "enabled" by the Father. Again, the lesson is that if people do come to Christ then they have been given the enabling to do so.
4. Because they are sheep who respond to the voice of the shepherd.
In John 10 v 27 we read that the sheep hear Christ's voice and they follow Him. The non-sheep do NOT hear the voice. They may hear the external call of the Gospel (eg. be offered a tract) but they won't respond unless they are sheep. This is further proved by v 26 where Jesus said to a group of people "you do not believe because you are not of my sheep"
5. Because they've been appointed to eternal life.
In Acts 13 v 48 we read that "those appointed to eternal life believed". The inference being that those not so appointed (the non-sheep) will not believe.
6. Because their hearts have been opened.
In Acts 16 v 14 we read that Lydia's heart was opened so that she would respond to the Gospel that Paul was preaching, and she got saved. The implication being that if her heart wasn't so opened it would have remained closed and hardened.
I have absolute confidence that, when I spread the Gospel, then God will be pleased to draw His people, in His own time and in His own way.
Tuesday, 13 January 2015
Matthew 6 v 33 is true - I've proved it!
When it comes to proving that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God we can point to fulfilled prophecies and archeological discoveries. Indeed, no scientific fact has ever disproved the Bible despite what Dawkins and Hawking claim (professing themselves to be wise they became fools Romans - 1 v 22).
("Scientists" who make discoveries that they claim disproves the Bible are NOT true scientists at all but imposters doing the devil's work at his bidding).
However, there is another avenue we can go down when giving people evidence that the Bible is true, and that is personal experience.
In Matthew chapter 6 Jesus taught that we need not worry about our material needs as God is in control. He then goes on to say (in v 33) that if we seek first God's kingdom then He will ensure that our needs will be met. In my life I have proved this to be so. In February, 1981 I got married; we had very little of this world's goods and yet the Lord enabled us to buy our own place instead of renting. Over the years money has been extremely scarce, as I've never had a professional job with an income to match, but we have always put God first in our lives with the result that He has provided.
About 18 years ago the Lord led me to reduce my secular employment and spend more time doing street evangelism. Humanly speaking this was a daft idea, as we still had our sons living at home and little money coming in, BUT God provided for our needs to such an extent that we have a house that is more than adequate for our needs with no mortgage on it.
When people reject the Bible as God's word they may produce all maner of arguments which, of course, are all wrong, but they cannot argue against a personal testimony. Militant athiests can rail against the Bible as much as they like but they will not be able to shake to confidence of God's people that the Bible is truly inspired, inerrant, infallible, invincible and indestructible.
Millions of Christians down through the ages can say with the Psalmist "The Lord has done great things for us; whereof we are glad" Psalm 126 v 3
PS. It seems that some of my detractors are accusing me of being on welfare benefits, this is NOT the case.
("Scientists" who make discoveries that they claim disproves the Bible are NOT true scientists at all but imposters doing the devil's work at his bidding).
However, there is another avenue we can go down when giving people evidence that the Bible is true, and that is personal experience.
In Matthew chapter 6 Jesus taught that we need not worry about our material needs as God is in control. He then goes on to say (in v 33) that if we seek first God's kingdom then He will ensure that our needs will be met. In my life I have proved this to be so. In February, 1981 I got married; we had very little of this world's goods and yet the Lord enabled us to buy our own place instead of renting. Over the years money has been extremely scarce, as I've never had a professional job with an income to match, but we have always put God first in our lives with the result that He has provided.
About 18 years ago the Lord led me to reduce my secular employment and spend more time doing street evangelism. Humanly speaking this was a daft idea, as we still had our sons living at home and little money coming in, BUT God provided for our needs to such an extent that we have a house that is more than adequate for our needs with no mortgage on it.
When people reject the Bible as God's word they may produce all maner of arguments which, of course, are all wrong, but they cannot argue against a personal testimony. Militant athiests can rail against the Bible as much as they like but they will not be able to shake to confidence of God's people that the Bible is truly inspired, inerrant, infallible, invincible and indestructible.
Millions of Christians down through the ages can say with the Psalmist "The Lord has done great things for us; whereof we are glad" Psalm 126 v 3
PS. It seems that some of my detractors are accusing me of being on welfare benefits, this is NOT the case.
Friday, 9 January 2015
Stephen Hawking 73rd birthday
I understand from the news that Prof Stephen Hawking was 73 yesterday.
On a personal level I wish him well, especially when one considers the awful physical disability that he has had to contend with. However, he is an extremely godless man and one who holds to unsound views regarding science and the origin of the world.
However, his most infamous statement was made a few years ago when he said that the afterlife "was a fairy story".
Why is it that otherwise intelligent people will make such wild assertions? The answer is three-fold:
1. They know there is an eternity to face but they suppress this knowledge.
The Bible teaches that God "has written eternity" in peoples' hearts. (Eccles. 3 v 11). Deep down everybody knows that there is a God and that we will have to face Him when we die. We all know that there is a Heaven and a Hell. I well remember a conversation I had a few years ago, in Canterbury, with a chap who said that he was hoping to go to "the nice place" when he died. However, rather than seek after God most people suppress this truth in their hearts, and one way they do is to make the kind of absurd declaration that Hawking did
2. They don't want to acknowledge that they are accountable.
If the ungodly accept that there is a God, and an eternity to face, then the next logical step is to acknowledge that they must give account to God. Once people recognise that they must give account to a God who sees everything, then they realise that their lives must change ie. they must repent of their sins and get right with God. As they are rebellious in their hearts they don't want to repent, hence they reject any notion of an afterlife.
3. The devil has blinded and enslaved them.
The ultimate reason Hawking and his ilk reject God, and the truth of eternity, is that the devil has blinded them - 2nd Cor 4 v 4. These poor creatures simply cannot help themselves; they are caught like insects in a spider's web. Instead of condemning Hawking I find myself being full of pity for him, I find myself wanting to pray that God would be pleased to open his eyes and draw him away from the devil's clutches.
Let us all pray that, in 2015, many people would be enlightened concerning the truth of eternity, and many souls saved.
On a personal level I wish him well, especially when one considers the awful physical disability that he has had to contend with. However, he is an extremely godless man and one who holds to unsound views regarding science and the origin of the world.
However, his most infamous statement was made a few years ago when he said that the afterlife "was a fairy story".
Why is it that otherwise intelligent people will make such wild assertions? The answer is three-fold:
1. They know there is an eternity to face but they suppress this knowledge.
The Bible teaches that God "has written eternity" in peoples' hearts. (Eccles. 3 v 11). Deep down everybody knows that there is a God and that we will have to face Him when we die. We all know that there is a Heaven and a Hell. I well remember a conversation I had a few years ago, in Canterbury, with a chap who said that he was hoping to go to "the nice place" when he died. However, rather than seek after God most people suppress this truth in their hearts, and one way they do is to make the kind of absurd declaration that Hawking did
2. They don't want to acknowledge that they are accountable.
If the ungodly accept that there is a God, and an eternity to face, then the next logical step is to acknowledge that they must give account to God. Once people recognise that they must give account to a God who sees everything, then they realise that their lives must change ie. they must repent of their sins and get right with God. As they are rebellious in their hearts they don't want to repent, hence they reject any notion of an afterlife.
3. The devil has blinded and enslaved them.
The ultimate reason Hawking and his ilk reject God, and the truth of eternity, is that the devil has blinded them - 2nd Cor 4 v 4. These poor creatures simply cannot help themselves; they are caught like insects in a spider's web. Instead of condemning Hawking I find myself being full of pity for him, I find myself wanting to pray that God would be pleased to open his eyes and draw him away from the devil's clutches.
Let us all pray that, in 2015, many people would be enlightened concerning the truth of eternity, and many souls saved.
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