When things don't go the way we want in life and we feel like we have had a spiritual 'setback' we can always study and rehearse verses about grace and go soul winning.
"As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry." - 2 Timothy 4:5 ESV
Some might think this is a program of some kind. No. It is a return our roots. It is us going back to realizing that this life is not about us and our expectations. This is a seek and save that which is lost age of history. At it's roots Christianity is reaching souls with grace and truth.
Others might say, 'I don't do this now. I never have. Why start now... especially now when I am depressed?'
Do you want to see the supernatural right before your eyes? Grab some tracks and grab a spiritually hungry young person (or old person) and go somewhere armed with the Gospel on your lips. You will see light and dark manifested right quick as you open your mouth.
Here is an old testament passage that illustrates the newness that can happen when we face down disappointment wit this kind of 'revenging disobedience with obedience'.
"The LORD said to Samuel, 'How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.'
And Samuel said, 'How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.'
And the LORD said, 'Take a heifer with you and say, 'I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.' And invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. And you shall anoint for me him whom I declare to you.'
Samuel did what the LORD commanded and came to Bethlehem.
The elders of the city came to meet him trembling and said, 'Do you come peaceably?' And he said, 'Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.'
And he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice...
Then Samuel said to Jesse, 'Are all your sons here?'
And he said, 'There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep.'
And Samuel said to Jesse, 'Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.' And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome.
And the LORD said, 'Arise, anoint him, for this is he.'" - 1 Samuel 16:1-5, 11-12 ESV
Samuel grabbed a lamb and went to sacrifice. We have a lamb that has already been slain. We grab a message and go. Maybe it is on slips of paper. Maybe it is something else we give out or a shirt we wear or a sign we hold but we go. We go looking for someone to anoint. We go on purpose to speak words of life.
It is amazing who those words will connect to when we go.
Or you can just stay home depressed that king Saul (representing the carnal man) didn't work out as planned.
"And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet." - Matthew 10:14 KJV
"Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed [himself], and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat." - 2 Samuel 12:20 KJV
'Put on a clean shirt, say a quick prayer and go soul-winning.' That's what I say. It is amazing how newness can be ushered in because someone who is hurting gets encouraged by the words of hope you are saying purely by faith.
I am convinced that God will arrange such appointments when we determine in our heart to function just this way. Let's face it... how many people are willing to do this?
--
No comments:
Post a Comment