Good Morning! I hope everyone had a glorious Thanksgiving Holiday. We had a wonderful time. We are actually still celebrating. We plan on going back home this afternoon. I'm hoping I can start putting up my Christmas tree today.
I wanted to go ahead and share with you the other 3 things that God used to wake, shake, and BREAK me!!!
The third thing was a book called The Way of the Master by Ray Comfort. A couple from church gave it to Alan and I so we would be able to witness to others the way Christ did. (Matthew 19:16-30) He used the Law. "The law is perfect in converting the soul."Psalms 19:7
I started reading it and listening to the CD that came with it "Hell's Best Kept Secret" and I was blown away. At first it was WOW! This really makes sense! This is really going to help me witness to others. Then I continued to listen to it over and over and I was convicted of habitually not obeying God's Law. (Exodus 20) We have the link on our blog.... Check it out.
Fourthly.... Our Sunday School class had several lessons on evangelism. This really caused me to see that I did NOT witness for the Lord. ( which I always had a valid reason not to) Yes, I have had many "religious" discussions with others about the Bible, served on leadership teams, taught classes, but I had never really got down to the core and shared what God had done for me. If you are in the parking lot of Kroger and you are walking and talking on your cell phone and you step out in front of a car, but someone pulls you out of the way and saves you from being hit. What are you going to do? Well, I know what I would do. I would first tell the person that I was talking to on the phone that I almost died. Then I would tell them about the stranger who pulled me to safety. Why is it so easy for me to talk to people about events / happenings in my life, but I never shared with them when Jesus pulled me to safety, took the cell phone out of my hand and gave me a safety manual for my life. The answer is simple. I was still walking around the parking lot!!! Jesus had not pulled me to safety!!!! During the lessons on evangelism I was convicted on not sharing my faith with my family, friends, and co-workers. I never wanted anyone to go to Hell, but I was not burdened enough to say anything to them.
Lastly, we had a 7 day crusade at our church. (It was outside in a huge circus tent.) From the very first sermon all the things that were causing me to causally think over the past year came down on me like a ton of bricks. I actually would read the scripture that we were asked to read at home and I would battle back and forth with myself. "I'm saved..... I'm lost. I'm fine because I believe in Jesus. I asked him into my heart. I'm saved." I would keep reading and the battle would continue. I got to the point that I was asking Alan questions like.... "Would a saved person do _____?" He would just tell me to see what the Bible says about that. Ugh. I just wanted a yes or no!!! On Monday night of the crusade the pastor took us through a salvation test. Many people say you should never question your salvation. BUT the Bible says....." Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves." 2 Corinthians 13:5 The test just consisted of us looking at the book of 1 John. I encourage you to read it. On my way to work on Wednesday morning I began to pray and explain to God how I was feeling. I asked that the Holy Spirit would reveal to me truth. I was tired of this internal battle going on. I was examining my life and I saw myself the way God sees me.... an enemy. The Bible tells us in James 4 that if you are a friend to the world you are an enemy of God. I understood what it meant to be lost for the first time. So I just said out loud.... "Lord, am I saved?" and about a half second later I got my answer. "No." I began to cry out to God and I repented and confessed my sins and I begged him to save me. And He did. I have not been the same since. I have not experienced "mountain top" high since October 9, 2007. I'm so burdened for lost that I grieve for my family and friends and I share with them what God has done for me!! I pray that you will read God's word and seek truth. I pray God never takes this burden away.
I wanted to go ahead and share with you the other 3 things that God used to wake, shake, and BREAK me!!!
The third thing was a book called The Way of the Master by Ray Comfort. A couple from church gave it to Alan and I so we would be able to witness to others the way Christ did. (Matthew 19:16-30) He used the Law. "The law is perfect in converting the soul."Psalms 19:7
I started reading it and listening to the CD that came with it "Hell's Best Kept Secret" and I was blown away. At first it was WOW! This really makes sense! This is really going to help me witness to others. Then I continued to listen to it over and over and I was convicted of habitually not obeying God's Law. (Exodus 20) We have the link on our blog.... Check it out.
Fourthly.... Our Sunday School class had several lessons on evangelism. This really caused me to see that I did NOT witness for the Lord. ( which I always had a valid reason not to) Yes, I have had many "religious" discussions with others about the Bible, served on leadership teams, taught classes, but I had never really got down to the core and shared what God had done for me. If you are in the parking lot of Kroger and you are walking and talking on your cell phone and you step out in front of a car, but someone pulls you out of the way and saves you from being hit. What are you going to do? Well, I know what I would do. I would first tell the person that I was talking to on the phone that I almost died. Then I would tell them about the stranger who pulled me to safety. Why is it so easy for me to talk to people about events / happenings in my life, but I never shared with them when Jesus pulled me to safety, took the cell phone out of my hand and gave me a safety manual for my life. The answer is simple. I was still walking around the parking lot!!! Jesus had not pulled me to safety!!!! During the lessons on evangelism I was convicted on not sharing my faith with my family, friends, and co-workers. I never wanted anyone to go to Hell, but I was not burdened enough to say anything to them.
Lastly, we had a 7 day crusade at our church. (It was outside in a huge circus tent.) From the very first sermon all the things that were causing me to causally think over the past year came down on me like a ton of bricks. I actually would read the scripture that we were asked to read at home and I would battle back and forth with myself. "I'm saved..... I'm lost. I'm fine because I believe in Jesus. I asked him into my heart. I'm saved." I would keep reading and the battle would continue. I got to the point that I was asking Alan questions like.... "Would a saved person do _____?" He would just tell me to see what the Bible says about that. Ugh. I just wanted a yes or no!!! On Monday night of the crusade the pastor took us through a salvation test. Many people say you should never question your salvation. BUT the Bible says....." Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves." 2 Corinthians 13:5 The test just consisted of us looking at the book of 1 John. I encourage you to read it. On my way to work on Wednesday morning I began to pray and explain to God how I was feeling. I asked that the Holy Spirit would reveal to me truth. I was tired of this internal battle going on. I was examining my life and I saw myself the way God sees me.... an enemy. The Bible tells us in James 4 that if you are a friend to the world you are an enemy of God. I understood what it meant to be lost for the first time. So I just said out loud.... "Lord, am I saved?" and about a half second later I got my answer. "No." I began to cry out to God and I repented and confessed my sins and I begged him to save me. And He did. I have not been the same since. I have not experienced "mountain top" high since October 9, 2007. I'm so burdened for lost that I grieve for my family and friends and I share with them what God has done for me!! I pray that you will read God's word and seek truth. I pray God never takes this burden away.
Comments
Our church went through "The Way of the Master" a few months back. It's a great way to witness. Makes it less confrontational and easy to make the other person admit their shortcomings.
So, do you consider yourself to be a good person? haha. Just HAD to ask!
Thats a real good question! Nope, Im 100% bad, but because Im covered in the blood of Christ Im as white as snow. AMEN!!!
Amy<><