Just recently I had the honor of talking to two different people at length about their relationship with Jesus. Neither of them were very sure if they even had a relationship with Him. They were at least searching. And I hope that I was a help to them.
It weighs on my mind though. Sometimes I can't get away from it. I so want them to KNOW Him and the power that is within Him. I worry that maybe I wasn't thorough enough with explaining the gospel. On the other hand, I worry that maybe I talked too long and they lost interest. The bottom line is that....I worry about it!
And I know that isn't my job! My job is just to offer them the gospel as plainly as I know how and then leave the rest up to the Holy Spirit. And some will believe ....and some will not. Some will say Yes to God and some will say No.
These thoughts had been heavy on my heart all day today. I opened my Bible thinking I would start looking for my new verse to memorize the next two weeks and it came open to Acts 28: 23-24. "And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening. And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not."
Even the great Apostle Paul was not able to persuade everyone concerning Jesus. Still, I hope and pray that these two precious young ladies I talked with earlier this week will be ones who say YES and who believe on the Name of Jesus. Please pray for them.
Marilyn
***UPDATE***
Sorry if I was not clear about the verse I quoted above. It's not the one I will be memorizing.....just one that I came across while looking. My new verse will be Isaiah 65: 24.
8 comments:
I will pray for them.
We are not responsible or accountable for their decisions, but we are responsible to tell them. Scot says it's the most terrible feeling in the world to preach a message, and see the countenance on someones face, them not make a move, and then, him have to shake hands with them on their way out, and for him to let them go. It is a heavy burden to carry. You just keep planting, God will give the increase. You're a blessing!!!
Marilyn, I love how the Lord spoke so specifically to your heart. WOW!
I went through a terrible time of blaming myself for one relationship I was in where I had been witnessing to a friend. She was seeking. I was sharing. Didn't want to push too hard. A phone call from her husband one night informing me that she had taken her own life, sent me into a time of blame and 'I should have's' and 'what if's'.
A good friend finally helped me see that nothing I said or didn't say would have kept my friend's heart from responding to Christ - it's always the work of God alone. If not me, God would have used someone else had He chosen. The responsibility did not fall on me. If I remember correctly the first blog posts I ever wrote back in December of 2005 dealt with this and then my pen was silent and I didn't write again until 2008. Two years of silence. The dreams. The torment. Satan was having a field day with my thoughts.
Although my mind can still remember the pain, loosing my friend gave me renewed courage to be bolder in my witness.
Sometimes we plant seeds, sometimes we water and other times we harvest. We just need to be faithful in the 'field' God has placed us.
Sending love & prayers,
Joy
Bless you, Marilyn, this is the core of TRuth on salvation. None of us decided to follow Jesus by someone's word or anything but Holy Spirit in that person. I remember when I came to know this. Somehow I heard in church teachings that mere human beings can decide to be a Christian or a hell raiser.
Saul was knocked off his horse...he didn't dismount. He was literally blinded as he became Paul. Salvation is God's initiation.
Our prayers do make a difference and I don't even understand that, but I know from my own family that impossible ones have come fully to the Lord as we have prayed for years.
But the Bible tells us He chose and loved us before we came to Him. That truth takes the pride and boasting off of us thinking we can save people for God. He came to us; He initiated our own salvation.
Jesus did not win everyone He spoke to. I do not read that He chased down the rich young ruler who would not surrender all. I see my times like yours as being a servant with a silver platter and there is a gift of salvation on the tray. I pray to offer it in the most hospitable loving way. If they say, "No thank you," I wull be gracious in that response.
And then the other piece of this puzzle is many people come to themselves in Holy Spirit in a process. You may have been all God called you to be. Some of the scales may have lifted off their eyes. Some plugs may have come out of their spiritual ears. Who knows if in a week or a year that cirucumstances in their lives will bring your words to their remembrance and they will call out for Jesus. It's His, in His way and in His time...and our prayers matter.
You did not miss it. That much I know from coming to love and honor you here and on my blog. We love 'em, and we pray believing. Jesus will perfectly attend to it all in Holy Spirit.
I love your heart and your caring. How you must bless our Father.
Marilyn,
I loved the poster that you created to go with your post. And how God HIMSELF gave you comfort and direction in your scripture memorization. Tomorrow is the 1st! ;-)
I'm still searching for mine as well.
Love to you,
Yolanda
Dearest Marilyn,
Thank you for your sweet comment on my blog. You have such a BIG HEART FOR JESUS and that's so wonderful.
The Lord used you to plant the seeds and those seeds will be watered. I will pray.
Continue to be one who shares Christ with zeal and passion.
Bless you.
I so want to be a good witness for the Lord. Seems all too often I am not. Thankfully He forgives and helps us along our path with the next opportunity.
Thankfully it is not our job to convict. We only must plant seeds.
Leah
What a blessing! It's good to know I'm not the only one who worries.
God Bless You.
I just noticed you were over at my blog, Amazing Journey, Amazing Grace, and left your comment. Thanks so much.
It is way past my bedtime now, but I'll be back again to check out your blog.
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