I sure hope the last blog post resonated with you, even if just a little bit. Better yet, I hope it challenged you. A missionary (I'm not sure if I can name him or not for security purposes) in our class challenged us to share the Gospel with at least one person each week. So, I issue that same challenge to you. Pray for those opportunities. You will be astonished who God will place before you if you are willing to be His hands and feet.
Now, on to "Part Deux."
Sometimes sharing the Gospel with a perfect stranger is as difficult as "a camel passing through the eye of a needle", but for some, when comparing sharing with a stranger to sharing with a family member, it is like giving candy to kid. Family is the most difficult to share with, I believe, for a number of reasons. Personal example. Apparently, in Keith's high school days he had quite the reputation of being a wild one. Then we met up and got married and he settled down, or slowed down, for a little bit. After a while, old feathers started ruffling and he began to fly again. Then, once he met God, like for real this time, not just a "VBS raise my because everybody else is" kind of salvation, it was hard for people, family, even me, mostly to change their view of him and to accept anything he had to say about Jesus seriously. He tried to share but the skepticism was still present. Poor thing even went to Baptist seminary because he knew God had a call on his life to minister to others and people (family) still would not take him seriously. Why? Because they could not let go of who they knew him to be pre-Jesus. Shelli and Marli still have a hard time giving him authority on biblical matters because of who he used to be. ***Side note this if free. Let's remember that because Jesus and His Almighty has saved you and has wiped your slate clean, does not mean that these earthly beings can do the same as easily. This is part of the consequences of sin. You must wait on the acceptance and forgiveness. Sorry. You did the crime. You pay the time.
"But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house." Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief." Matthew 13:57
Sometimes it is so hard for us ourselves to let go of our pre-Jesus selves that others will never see the post-Jesus in us. I'm not saying that is the case with Keith, but it is true a lot of the time. Hang-ups are what I'm talking about. Some feel that even though they have been worth the King of King's death on a cross that they are still not worthy to tell of the wondrous story He gave them. Some are still hanging on to a bit of pride that they cannot get past telling that old drinking buddy what Jesus did for them by saving their marriage and family. Some can't get past the what they think others think of them. Some are like Moses and claim the "I can't talk right" excuse. Excuses are endless...afraid of public speaking, afraid of strangers, lack of knowledge of Scriptures..... It ain't rocket science. What are you afraid of? Are you afraid you are going to mess up the Gospel?
Let me tell you that you cannot mess it up. It is all the work of the Holy Spirit when salvation is involved. You could speak French with a wad of peanut butter in your mouth and a Spaniard would understand if the Holy Spirit is calling him to salvation! We are just God's tools. We have to get past us and understand it is nothing we do! It is all the work of the Holy Spirit! We give ourselves way to much credit on this salvation business.
Or maybe it is that you are one of the one's afraid of rejection? No one likes to get told no, right? Again. They are not denying YOU. They are denying Jesus Christ. Please humble yourself for a split second and realize that first, the Gospel is about sharing Jesus with a soul who will spend eternity in Hell if he does not accept Jesus as Lord and Savior and become His disciple. You are no where in that equation. You are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. (I assume. If not please contact me, I will come to you.)
"He must increase. I must decrease." John 3:30
All we are called to do is plant the seed. The harvest may be ours to see and reap, or it may not. We live in this Western culture where if we do the work, we want to see the results, AND get the credit for it. Well, God does not work that way. He allows us to be a part of HIS work and HE gets ALL the glory and credit. And because we love Him, we delight in seeing His work being accomplished. We delight in doing His work.
"I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart." Psalm 40:8
I have watched ones like Keith come out of his past and never hold back to share the Gospel with anyone and everyone. I have watched in awe those with the gift of evangelism like Judy, a dear friend of mine, who can witness the Gospel to someone probably better than Jesus himself could. I have watched children sharing and elderly sharing. Ms. Josie from Kenner is so sweet and if you ever meet her your chances of going to Heaven just tripled. Seeing someone sharing the Gospel is an awesome thing. But to actually be a part of it, well, it is even awesomer! Yeah, I know. So what on the grammar. For someone to really understand that she is totally loved no matter what she has done, or what has been done to her, and to see tears of pure joy trickle out of her eyes, and to hear her say, "Thank you for sharing with me." That's one of those earthly gifts that is priceless that I am pretty positive I may get to carry with me to Heaven.
No comments:
Post a Comment