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Gone Fishin’ October 2018 Newsletter


Hi everyone

I just remembered that I have been slack, and haven’t posted the last two months’ Gone Fishin’ newsletters.

Here’s Octobers’ one.

Enjoy!



Gone Fishin’ Monthly Newsletter – October 2018

‘The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and have done abominable inquity; there is none who does good’ (Ps 53:1)


Hi Everyone

We had another great day out last month. I think we are starting to get a reputation around the shops!

One of the most common objections I hear from people regarding Christianity, is that if there was a God, then where is the proof?

I admit that as a Christian, I find this extremely frustrating. Sometimes I feel like grabbing these people by the collar, and screaming something like “What’s wrong with you? Can’t you see the proof? Look around you, do you think this stuff created itself?!”.

But then I remember Psalm 53. The Psalmist labels people that deny God’s existence as fools. Not ‘silly’, or ‘mistaken’, but fools.
I never really understood why it was worded that way.

But when you combine it with the second part of the verse, it all makes sense:
 ‘they are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity; there is none who does good’.

There is only one reason the world say we Christians are idiots for believing in a higher being, and here it is:
If there was a God, they would have to be accountable to someone for their actions. That would mean giving up doing the wicked things they enjoy so much – lying, stealing, fornicating, blaspheming, coveting, etc.

And this makes our job as Christians easier. We shouldn’t be trying to think up creative ways to convince the unbeliever that God exists. That puts God on the witness stand, when His real place is on the judge’s throne. It is the sinner who is on trial, not God.
Instead we only need to show them all along what they already know. Sinners suppress the truth of the existence of God in unrighteousness, because they enjoy wallowing in the pig trough of their sin:

‘For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man–and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.’ (Rom 1:18-25)

Our job is to expose their wicked heart. We do this by showing them how they have fallen way short of God’s standards of righteousness, by reflecting their heart against the mirror of God’s law. Then, when they stand condemned with a stopped mouth, we give them the glorious hope of the beautiful, saving Gospel!


Colin had been conned
 
Last month at my house I spoke of a conversation I had with a man named Colin.
 
Last year when we were down at the shops, I surprised Colin with a Million-dollar Gospel tract. He had just gotten out of his car, and was finishing his cigarette.
I told him I was asking the million-dollar question, “What do you think happens when we die? Do you think there’s a heaven?”
He said that heaven was just a made-up concept that weak people used to give them hope. When people die, that’s the end. Nothing else happens.
 

After introducing myself and getting his name (this personalizes the conversation), I asked “Colin, do you believe in evolution?”

He replied, “Yes, I do”.
 
I asked him why he believed in the scientific impossibility that ‘nothing’ blew up and created ‘everything’. The only answer he could give was “because the alternative is stupid. I don’t believe in fairy tales”, and walked away.
 
I felt like chasing Colin, and pleading with him to listen to me. But I stopped myself, because in all honesty, he had already made his decision. His foolish heart had been darkened. He had denied the existence of the incorruptible God, in order to justify his sinful nature. He had placed himself as judge, jury, and executioner with regards to his eternity.
 
I prayed that Colin would read the Gospel tract I gave him, and God might choose to soften his stony heart.
 
See you at my house 10am this Saturday!
 
 
Blessings
 
Craig.
 
 
Witnessing Tip: Cut back the ‘Christianese’
 
 It’s great that you know what Supercessionism, or Antidisestablishmentarianism is, but you wouldn’t find a way to incorporate these into everyday language, would you?
 
But we can fall into the trap of using big Christian words that mean nothing to unbelievers. Words like “redemption”, or “justification”. We can, however, trade these words for analogies.
 
For example, instead of ‘redemption’, we can say: “You are guilty and deserve to be punished, but Christ took the punishment on our behalf – you did the crime, Jesus paid the fine for you. He purchased your freedom.”
 
Try it!

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