JUSTICE...WHEN IT SUITS US!

If you are an Irish soccer fan you'd appreciate the humour of this graphic spotted in Monaghan at the beginning of the world cup. The Irish soccer team suffered a great injustice when a deliberate handball by Monsiuer Henry led to a deciding goal that dumped us out of the qualifications for South Africa. The whole episode makes me think of how we cry out for justice...when it suits us. But when it comes to ourselves its mercy we want and not justice. This mercy can only be provided by God because the justice was satisfied by the death of innocent Jesus for guilty you (and me). THE GOSPEL IS THAT SIMPLE...NEVER FORGET IT NOR BE DISTRACTED FROM THE SIMPLICITY OF THIS MESSAGE. Stand up for Him and He'll stand up for you. Believe it! Have a great day. Anthony

MAKE YOUR OWN GOSPEL TRACT

I sometimes pass out gospel tracts but there is one I wrote a few years ago that I give out more often than the others. Today I had a few in my top pocket and as I engaged a few people, shopkeeper, waiter etc. I reached into my pocket and told them It was something I wrote about Jesus that they would like. My friend John in Limerick hand wrote a letter which starts: "Dear Friend..." and goes on to explain the gospel and his testimony. It is very personal and powerful I believe when such a text is handed out to a person by its author. If you know Jesus personally you have a story to tell and a message to give. God will show you what to write. Once written simply photocopy it and hand out as the Lord leads you. You and the receiver will both be blessed. Our dear departed friend Reginal Fry continually typed up different gospel tracts and folded an A4 sheet twice to complete the tract. If he met you he would pull out a selection of these from one of his many pockets, the others containing little toy cars and the like for kids, and select an appropriate tract for you. Moise Rosen, the recently promoted founder of Jews for Jesus, wrote many different illustrated and witty topical gospel tracts, some of which i collected at Penn Station New York as a pre-believer in 1984. God Bless the Tract writers. Why not join them!

SHAME TO EXCITEMENT!

Shame is a powerful de-motivator and I believe that many believers are ashamed...not of Jesus...but of "christianity" as it is often practiced. Walk into your average pub at night, tap a glass and ask for people's attention and then when the noisy pub goes quiet ask them to set the alarm clock early on Sunday and come to your church...dream on! Even if you had the courage to do this I wouldn't hold my breath for a soul to respond. Yet our evangelism efforts are little different. Our focus is to tease them onto our turf where they will be hopelessly outnumbered and perhaps they will then cave in, repent and be saved. It happens for some this way but what about the masses? We need to go to where the sinners are...Like Jesus did!
When I go out on the streets of Dublin or elsewhere in Ireland i so often feel empty and inadequate..but... thank God I can and do ask Him to fill me afresh with His wonderful Holy Spirit. God knows how you find it difficult to get out there and share your faith. My advice is: Get intimate with God. Withdraw from company and society's noise and talk to Him in the private place and He will provide what you need to Go in the presence of the Holy Spirit. Believe me that is VERY Exciting.

INSTANTLY QUALIFIED!

The Gerasene Demoniac (Luke 8) would have never been given a leadership role in the modern church! This heavily demonized man whom Jesus set free in an instant would have had to prove himself over an indefinite period of time...before he was even let out of the back room! But what did Jesus do with him..scandal of all scandals!...Jesus entrusted the evangelistic leadership of a whole town to him, and that without delay!

The Truth is that if you are truly born again and set free by Jesus YOU ARE QUALIFIED to be HIs minister...so what are you waiting for? The approval of Men? Dream on for that will never come...and be careful if it does! Simply GO remembering the first 2 letters of G-O-D compared to the first three letters of S-A-T-A-N!!

How do I Street Preach?

Street preaching in Dublin, as in other places in this part of the world, is not difficult...It's impossible! That is why I need the unction of the Holy Spirit! Thankfully He graciously gives this as soon as I say the first word publicly! Every street preacher is different and preaches with diffferent emphesis. For me I only want to preach the cross and the fact that Jesus was seperated from the Father because He took on my sin, and yours. For me the message must be direct and personal. I often point at individuals as I preach because it is for them that I am willing to make a complete wally of myself when standing on a stool in the busiest public street at the busiest time. I am acutely aware that time is limited while eternity is at stake. I am also aware that dead religion has stolen the truth of God's power as revealed at the cross.
If you have never street preached why not do t some day with some saints and simply share your testimony (an overcoming story as far as God is concerned!). If you are afraid it does not even compare to the terror the enemy feels that you might actually lift the name of Jesus high one day on his turf! I promise you one thing for certain...you will not regret it and God will be glorified. The one who is whispering now in your ear saying "I could never do that" is a liar! Bless you. Ant

SPIRITUAL BUNGEE JUMPING

Sharing our faith in a public place to a stranger can seem like spiritual bungee jumping, terrifying, but then thrilling! Ask anyone who has done it and they'll agree. I suspect that our soulish desire to avoid rejection at any cost might have something to do with it. In itself that's understandable because we are in a society where the Gospel is seen as an outdated abusive controlling message for misinformed flat Earthers who hate fun...hardly "Good News". The truth is refreshingly different and has the answer to mankind's deepest longings and greatest need..one of acceptance by their loving creator (Father) based not on their "good works" but on Jesus' record! But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. Remember the joy when you first met Jesus...get back to that! Now you have something to give without fear. I am not ashamed of the Gospel, not ashamed of the One I love! Ant

Wonderful Holy Spirit can witness through you

They couldn't take their eyes off them—Peter and John standing there so confident, so sure of themselves! Their fascination deepened when they realized these two were laymen with no training in Scripture or formal education. They recognized them as companions of Jesus, but with the man right before them, seeing him standing there so upright—so healed!—what could they say against that? (Acts 4:13-14 The Message). If you are a true child of God and companion of Jesus you can look 2 ways. Look to yourself and Evangelism is SCARY. Even more scary if you dont think it's scary when you are loking at yourself and your own NATURAL abilities. The religious world is full of well trained intelligent theologians with natural abilities...with full heads and empty hearts. Lovers of an idolitrous Jesus they have invented in theoir own image..not the Jesus who is the living WOrd and confronted the Pharisees. The second way is to look to Jesus and Him alone is you wish to FIsh (for men). "Oh I could never witness to a stranger about Jesus"...too right you couldn't nor would your flesh want to...but..Jesus living in you, by the power of the Wonderful Holy Spirit can witness through you...Yes YOU! Hallelujah. So Step 2 in Evangelism is SUBMIT TO GOD