Outreach in Edinburgh
It was a beautiful calm sunny morning and a great opportunity to do evangelism down in Edinburgh below Edinburgh Castle (Princess St. Gardens). God gave me several good opportunities to share the Gospel.
The first was with a young man (late 20's) waiting for his train back to his home just north of London. He's going through a tough time. I shared with him that God often reaches out to us during tough times. If that was the only conversation I had this morning, it would have been worth going down there.
The next conversation was with a Frenchman who has lived in Edinburgh for 20 years and is now in his mid 60's. He was a bad man (by his own description) in France as he owned a disco for 20 years. He said he worked with pimps, drug dealers, prostitutes.... He's changed his ways after being hit by a car while cycling on the pavement (sidewalk) a few years back. It was a turning point in his life towards believing in God. I sat on a bench with him with an open Bible and asked him how he has gotten rid of his sins. I went through the Gospel with him and more than once he said, "Ok, so how does someone get rid of their sin?" Please pray that God will open His eyes to the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus. His name is the same as the main character in, "Pilgrims Progress." I encouraged him to read the book and see how C___________ was set free."
After that I had an engaging conversation with a train driver (I was down by Waverley Train Station) who was on break. He is from Perth and I told him about a good church there. He's an atheist, but his wife attends the Church of Scotland. We had a good discussion focused on the need for churches to agree with God's Word. His wife is likely unsaved. He views himself as a good person because he lives his life after the Bible though he doesn't believe in God. I tried to stress the very obvious need for true religion to agree with God's Word. He's not a believer but he knows what God's word says about marriage and sexuality. He also knows the that Church of Scotland as a denomination has rejected that.
I sat on a bench with a man who had been homeless for 10 years. He's from Birmingham. I spoke to him of the Gospel. His mental state is not good and I hope something penetrated his brain. He's 55 but looks 75.
I also spoke with two brothers who served in Afghanistan. They are both drunkards and alcoholics. I had witnessed to Andy before. I could not believe it when they told me they were 35 years old. You would not think they were any younger than mid 50's. Sin has destroyed their bodies. Please pray for their salvation. I prayed with them and asked God to open their eyes and set them free.
I spoke to another alcholid who was smoking. He was 49 but looked at least mid 50's. He said he likes his life, his alcohol and his drink. He said, "Why does God have a right to tell us what to do? (He claims to be atheist.)" I said, "Because he wants to keep you from being enslaved to the things that are destroying you."
I know the names of several of these people I witnessed to. They are not numbers. They are individuals who if they never accept God's gift of salvation will perish in the fires of Hell. Please pray with me for the power of God to break through in their lives. Drunkards is in the list of "such were some of you, but ye are washed, ye are sanctified, ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." - 1 Corinthians 6:11 (Please pray that God would unleash the power of His Gospel in Scotland.)