On a personal note…(2)
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
Proverbs 3:5,6
God has a plan for each of His children. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Each of us has been called to a life of good works. There are certain things God expects from all His children such as daily prayer and Bible reading, and witnessing for Christ.
Some think there are only a select group of Christians who have been entrusted with the task of personal evangelism, but the Bible is clear that no believer is exempted from that work.
In John, chapter 15, the Lord compared His relationship with believers to a Vine and branches. He said He was the Vine and believers are the branches on the Vine. Just as a branch is powerless to produce fruit apart from the vine, we are incapable of producing spiritual fruit apart from the Lord. He said, “I am the Vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.”
The fruit spoken of here is spiritual offspring. Every time you look to God for His help while explaining the Gospel to someone, you are fulfilling the command to abide in Christ. And the person who believes the message you present is your fruit.
Jesus said, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask of the Father in My Name, He may give to you” (John 15:16).
In other words, your purpose on earth is to win souls for Christ and to have the people you win to Christ also become involved in spreading the Gospel. The consequence of your obedience to this command is the promise of answered prayer.
Another promise made to those who are faithful sharing the Gospel is that they will have the very joy of Christ in their lives. He said, “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full” (John 15:11).
Will you respond to Christ’s call? He said, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). There is no such thing as following Christ without fishing for men.
It is only those who obey this command who are in a position to know God’s will. You have a choice to make. You can live your life for yourself and forfeit such things as answered prayer, peace, joy, and eternal rewards, or you can give your life to God and have all those things plus the assurance that you will know God’s will for your life. That means you’ll be directed by God day by day. You will be at the job he wants you at; you will marry the person God chooses for you, and you will have no question that God is directing your life.
Colossians 3:15 says, “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.” When a person is in God’s perfect will, he has a peace that fills his mind and soul. That obedient believer will be directed by God by means of that peace.
What do I mean?
Let me relate a story that happened a few years ago. A young woman was visiting her relatives in Canada and while there took the opportunity to reach a lot of people with the Gospel.
One day she talked to a young man who was a student at a local Bible college. He had been taught there that it was necessary to turn from sin and ask Christ in, to go to heaven. She showed him Bible verses to the contrary and he believed the Gospel.
That night she was making plans for the following day to speak to a minister. But as she was waiting for the phone call to confirm the appointment she began to feel depressed. She asked the Lord if she had done something wrong that she wasn’t even aware of. As soon as she asked, she felt that wasn’t what the Lord was trying to tell her. She then asked if she should not go talk to the minister the following day.
Immediately, the Lord, by means of her feelings, let her know that was correct. She cancelled the appointment, having no idea why. She simply obeyed.
The following day she was driving toward a neighborhood so she could reach some people with the Gospel there. But those depressing feelings returned and she immediately asked the Lord where He wanted her to go.
The thought came to her mind to go to the mall. She then headed directly to the mall and her peace was restored.
When she walked in the doors, she was greeted by a very excited young man. It was the Bible college student she had spoken to the day before. He was practically jumping up and down, exclaiming, “God does answer prayers!”
He then explained to her that after they had spoken the previous day, he had gone home and told his wife and also his best friend. They wanted to meet her and have her over for dinner so they all prayed she would show up at the mall at a certain time. And there she was.
God used those feelings to direct her to exactly where He wanted her.
Do you want to have God be this real in your life? He can and will be if you are willing to submit yourself in obedience to Him.
Jesus said, “He who has My commandments and keeps them he it is who loves Me; and he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him, and will disclose Myself to him” (John 14:21).
God will make Himself real in your life if you obey Him. Do you really think there is anything on earth to compare with this? Believe me, there isn’t. Don’t miss out on a life filled with excitement!
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