By Jerry Kirkpatrick
I write this message in the hope that it will better those that read and the person that writes. Recently I been on a personal crusade, a fact finding mission if you will. I must say I was shocked and perplexed at my discoveries. Daily I commute from Vallejo to Palo Alto (a 74 mile trek), picking up commuters in Vallejo and dropping them off downtown San Francisco, then jumping back on the freeway, heading south for Palo Alto. Someone once wrote; “There is nothing wrong with public transportation, only the public”. I have validated and concluded this fact. But let’s get to the real deal. We hear so much about bringing home the lost and believe me many are lost in the world, especially when it comes to having a general understanding of GOD’s word.
I basically started thinking
of how I would strategize the “You Need Christ” approach.
Many failures later, I came to realize that people love to talk
(including myself), and the best way to communicate Christ, is asking/awaiting
the “Good Morning, how are you?” question.
Some have started right off the bat with criticisms about commuting or
family problems. Once these people
start the dialog, the stage is set..
Forget about your teachings in the church, this will come later.
I say this due to the fact that THEY might not have your teachings.
One demanding statement and ears are close and you will be the only one
talking. The question is how do you
plant the seed? Christians talking
to Christians don’t have this problem, but talking to non-Christians will take
some getting use to. Listening is
the key! In Deuteronomy 5:1 (And
Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and
judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep,
and do them).
The people had entered into a
covenant with God, and Moses commanded them to hear, learn, and follow his
statutes. Christians also have entered into a covenant with God (through Jesus
Christ) and should be responsive to what God expects. Moses’ threefold command
to the Israelites is excellent advice for all God’s followers. Hearing
is absorbing and accepting information about God. Learning is understanding its meaning and implications. Following is putting into action all we have learned and understood. All three parts
are essential to a growing relationship with God.
You see, getting them to listen takes some practice and proof! The practice is your learning of the word of GOD. The proof is the word of GOD itself. Men are the most difficult to bring to GOD. Women, on the other hand, are pretty flexible. Some might disagree here, but ask yourself this question; “Who has over and over again been more difficult (and supposedly in control) in this world then any other gender?” This is not male bashing, this is factual. I tend to deal with the Men and persuade the woman to my wife Betty. Being an advent student of Sister Ava McGrue, my wife has shown me how joyous she has become to the scriptures. Yet those in her class all show a profound respect for the scriptures, and each other. Some men (in my opinion), want to show how much they know, forgetting about how to show their love for each other and what they have learned on this subject, “LOVE.”
I sometimes find this is the reason why so many men/women of the church get in so much trouble (amongst other things) with the opposite sex. In the book of Jeremiah, God makes it clear why we sin—it’s a matter of the heart. Our hearts have been inclined toward sin from the time we were born, and done away with when saved. It is easy to fall into the routine of forgetting and forsaking God. But we can still choose whether or not to continue in sin. We can yield to a specific temptation, or we can ask God to help us resist temptation when it comes. (Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? ). Those who are lost fit this description, including those “I know I’m Christian” imposters who are so blind and arrogant they feel they can’t fall. So be very careful when dealing with the lost, for many even in the corporate church are lost.
Always
keep in mind Satan is prepared not to let you succeed in your quest.
A mean game of chess he can play when it comes to wicked strategies.
Have them to trust GOD’s word, not your own.
When you have listen to those who you have observed requiring
a spiritual awaking, plant the seed, request your assistant in teaching,
or provide the names of those who can FULLY provide sound and correct doctrine
and move on. The holy Spirit will do
the rest if it’s GOD’s will. Also,
don’t be so ashamed to agree with some of the things they might have gone
through, that you yourself have dealt with in your secular life and how with the
help of GOD you overcame it.
The main objective is
to win souls. Do not be
ashamed of what you are defined to do. Remember
and understand that no matter where you travel, work or play Christ is watching
and protecting those that are a part of his body.
Just remember who you are as stated in Matthew 5:16 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your
good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
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