The gospel was publicly declared by Pastors John Sherwood and Peter Simpson in the Market Square at Aylesbury, the county town of Buckinghamshire, on May 1st. At one stage some homeless people, one of whom had clearly been drinking, tried to shout down the preaching or drown it out by playing amplified music.
Pastor Sherwood spoke with a man who believed in what he called ‘he law of attraction’, meaning that what you say or think is what you can have. Those who practice this concept believe that there is energy in their thoughts, and that because energy attracts energy, by positive thoughts one can attract to oneself, say, health and a favourable financial situation. This philosophy includes influences from the Hindu religion. The man referred to a book by a Joseph Murphy entitled, “The power of your subconscious mind”. These notions must of course be rejected by any Christian, because they make man the master of all his circumstances, and in an idolatrous manner they utterly exclude the providence of God in determining our circumstances. As the psalmist declared, “My times are in thy hand” (Psalm 31:15).
At one stage a girl aged about 10 was walking by and began reading out loud to herself one of the Bible texts on display. This was so encouraging to see, although she was then called away by a parent. May the Holy Spirit be pleased to apply what she read to her heart.
A young boy aged about 12 could be seen to be listening to the preaching for some time form across the road, and he later came over and asked for a leaflet. This was again an encouragement.
Pastor Simpson had a long conversation with a Muslim who claimed that, unlike the Bible, the Quran, has never been altered. Thos conversation was to be replicated the very next day in High Wycombe (the report of which please refer to to see how Pastor Simpson endeavoured to handle this approach which Muslims frequently employ).
One of the themes on which Pastor Simpson preached was the necessity of the new birth and of man’s great need for inward washing, if anyone is to see the kingdom of heaven, because all have unclean hearts, which only the Lord Jesus Christ can remove. May many who heard the gospel in Aylesbury realise they MUST be born again, as they come in repentance and faith to the Saviour.
