Short and Scary!

How short is the time we have left? Who knows. Jesus said that only the Father knows and that His return will be like a thief in the night (when least expected). It could be this weekend, it could be ten years or more. All we can say for certain is that the time left is short. When we spend eternity in heaven our view of the small time we spent on earth, even if we live to be 100, will get smaller smaller and simply vanish away, yet the work we do here now for and with Jesus in evangelism is of endless significance. I was speaking to a pastor in town this week and he spoke of evangelism as “scary”. I agreed that it was indeed scary without the Holy Spirit but with Him by our side we have His love which drives out fear.

“Hit me in the chest” he said

First of all, thanks to all who prayed for the Friday night outreach. We, and others, are eternally grateful for that!

I have lost count of the number of evangelistic encounteres we had over this weekend but some have stood out in my memory as wonderful exmples of the grace of God. On Friday night at about 12.30am 2 intoxicated chaps asked what the “John 3:7 “ signs were about. A Christ centred discussion ensued and during the discussion the lesser intoxicated chap said that he was in a bad car crash a week ago and was amazed that he only had a broken rib. When I told him that Jesus is risen, he is here and he can heal his rib if he would like the other guy pushed him on his sore ribs and said “Yeah, you need a miracle..” or something to that effect, to which the boken ribbed chap recoiled in pain asking him to not do that. When I again asked he said he would like prayer for healing.

I then asked the risen King of Kings to touch him, open his heart to the gospel and heal his ribs. Immediately he confessed to feeling better and when I asked him to test his ribs he turned to his friend, arched his shoulders back and asked the friend to hit him in the chest. The friend obliged with a good thump. The healed chap beamed from ear to ear with amazement and testified to me and his friend that he was completely better!

Immediately the pal who thumped him and had been more intoxicated and originally more vocal and joking about our outreach confessed that he had deep needs in his life, that he was adopted and had some heavy famility situations. He wanted prayer and I obliged, soon after that they disappeared down Grafton Street but I know that they experienced an unforgettable encounter wth the King which they will never forget, hopefully in heaven with thankfulness as belivers and not in hell with regret as unrepentant sinners.

I bet there was some intersesting chat in the night club that night!

Then today, Saturday, I was invited to join my good friend Oliver Hurley (check out my video interview with him in the video vault section of my blog) to hold up the “Jesus” stickers (Lift Jesus higher!) outside McDonalds on Saturday afternoon. This we did nd again had much witnessing oppertunity the most memorable of which was Seamus (about 18 and from Portlaoise) who was aBible reader but not born again. After hearing both the bad news and the good news we prayed not just to receive Jesusbut also the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. At the end of this prayer he began joyfully laughing and speaking a heavenly language given to him by the Holy Spirit. God is good and the harvest is rich and the number of labourers is increasing but boy is it still few. God Bless. Ant

Want to learn how to share your faith?

Let Jesus teach you. How do I do that? Step out with a large John 3:7 sign with other believers and answer as the Spirit leads you when an unvbeliever approaches and asks: “What does this mean?”. Over the last 6 months as I have gone out on Friday nights at 11pm on Grafton Street I have learnt soooo much by simply doing. God is good. He has been with me, and the other believers of course, and has taught us directly how to witness. He sent them out in the gospels and in the Acts of the Apostles and he is still sending them out. If you want to come ring me on 087 9795454 or simply turn up at 11pm at the top of Grafton Street on Friday. Graduate from the university of Evangelism…on the street! God Bless. Anthony