The Great Evangelist

This last weekend Inverness hosted The Highland Festival with Luis Palau and it was good to see the great evangelist at work. I don't mean Luis Palau I mean the Holy Spirit, Palau's style isn't refined, his sermon was messy but from the heart but it was really great to see people visibly coming under conviction of sin and God saving them. I do not see the wind but I could see the effects of the wind of the Spirit blowing. Many young people made responses how many of them are real God alone knows but we can leave it to God. Palau preached about heaven and hell, the cross and the judgement to come as well as giving an invitation. He clearly presented the gospel although from an arminian perspective. He continues to do great work at 74 years of age and has preached the gospel to over a billion people throughout the course of his life. I am thankful to God for his servant, it did make me wonder though where are the Calvinistic evangelists? Some of the greatest open air evangelists of the past were Calvinists but there doesn't seem to be any now adays. We should pray for God to raise up more evangelists and seek to be more evangelistic ourselves.

God Bless

Stephen <><

Shalom

Stephen

Earl and the Gospel

Joy and I have recently being enjoying the TV show my name is Earl, the show is based around the life of a man named Earl, surprisingly enough. Earl came to a crisis point through all the bad things that he has done and he repented, well no he didn't repent. Instead Earl is seeking to do good for all the bad that he has done. He has a list that he is working his way down, the problem is the list keeps growing. In trying to undo the wrong that he did in the past he finds himself in new situations where he causes hurt and needs to make restitution. Earl's problem is the human problem it would not matter if we had a thousand life times to put right our wrongs because all we would be doing would be adding to our list of wrongs. There is nothing we can do to pay for the wrong that we have done, not that trying to undo the wrong we have done is not commendable. Our problem is we cannot undo the sin itself, nor can we make restitution to God. David says in Psalm 51, against you only have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight. If we are to be put right we need to come to Him who we have offended and seek His forgiveness, that can only happen through trusting in the atoning work of His Son, whose name is Jesus. Still 'My name is Earl' is a funny show, sit back and enjoy.

God Bless


Stephen

Luther on preaching

I came across this excellent quote this morning from Martin Luther on the primary role of preaching the Word within the church:
" Now wherever you hear or see the word preached, believed, professed, and lived, do not doubt that the true ecclesia sancta catholica (Christian, holy people) must be there.... and if no other sign than this alone, it would still suffice to prove that a Christian holy people must exist there, For God's Word cannot be without God's people and, conversely, God's people cannot be without God's Word.
As quoted by Al Mohler in a Feed My Sheep, A Passionate Plea for Preaching. p.1 (looks like its going to be a fantastic read)
Shalom
Stephen <><