It's a Partnership

   Many Christians I know are nervous about sharing their faith with others.  It can be a scarey proposition to be sure.  Many people might get hostile, mock you, patronize you, and in the case of the workplace, might try to get you fired.  Thankfully, most of us in this country only have to worry about these reactions.  Many of our brethren in other countries face imprisonment, torture or death. 

  But I wanted to encourage you with something that I was just reminded of recently.  When God sends us on the mission field, He doesn't send us alone, He leads the way.    It's a partnership!   Here are just 3 practical examples of how God may already be at work in the lives of those in your mission field:

  (1)  Maybe the person you feel lead to share with believes in the paranormal or reincarnation.  The Bible says that "He has also set eternity in the human heart..." (Ecclesiastes 3:11).  People have a deep sense of eternity.  If they don't know the Truth of God, they are often times lead to believe in other things that support that longing.  Some believe its spirits walking the earth or caught between dimensions.  Others might believe in repeated cycles of physical life on earth.  Whole religious systems are based on these beliefs. But God has planted the seed in all of our hearts regarding eternity.  He asks us to work alongside Him to help guide those in darkness to the true source of eternal life. 

 

  (2)  Maybe the person you're to witness to is riddled with guilt, thinks very negatively of him/herself and the world in general.  They may try to compensate for that by doing good deeds but still feel sad and judged.  The Bible says in Romans 2:15 "They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them."  I personally believe that is why so many try to escape that sub-conscience voice from within by drowning it in alcohol, drugs, doing good deeds, prescriptions, psychiatry, etc.  God is already speaking to their hearts.  If they harden their hearts and conscience long enough, He will give them over to their depraved minds.  But first He wants us (the Church) to reach out to them and show the true good - Jesus.

  (3)  Maybe the person you will share the gospel with is a big time environmentalist and nature lover.  They look at the beauty of nature and know that there is something more, something bigger than what they can see, but instead of seeking what that might be they put all of their energy into saving the planet.  Romans 1:20 says "For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse."  He is wooing their hearts to Himself via the beauty of creation.  He knows what will stir us, He created us.  Again, He invites us alongside to be the human missionaries to guide them to worship the creator, not the created.

  These are just 3 examples that come to mind as I blog. I'm sure there are many more.  I don't know about you, but when I think about sharing the truth of the Gospel with the knowledge that the Holy Spirit is doing the REAL work and I'm invited to be a partner with God, it sure takes the pressure off!  I'm with an expert.  I don't need to be that brilliant. Which is a good thing. :-)