Finding out what the true goal of our lives should be
Greetings in the name of Jesus:
I was reading just the other day in the book of John 4: about Jesus encounter with the woman at the well. It made me think about my personal witness with people. I've wondered from time to time in my life if I work doing the right things when dealing with people about Christ? I saw in this encounter some things that are very important to pass on. In our everyday lives we get many different chances to speak to people, and it is in that natural conversation that God gives us an opportunity to witness. In verse seven of this chapter Jesus spoke to this woman who absolutely knew nothing about God or the Spirit of God. We find in1 Corinthians 2:14 that a natural man cannot understand the things of the spirit, and so Jesus did not start his conversation with her on a spiritual level. Jesus spoke to her on a level that she could understand. They were at a well, and so he spoke to her about water. You and I may speak to somebody in the same manner by just having a friendly conversation," good morning"or a warm "how are you doing"would've been just as effective. I have often said in my own personal witnessing that I can't expect people to want to listen to what I say if they don't know who I am. It is extremely important that we make friends first, and that we show people that we actually care about them first. When we have established that about our character and our concern for them then we can swing conversation to the spiritual realm, but trying to do that beforehand is mostly useless. To the natural man it becomes only another sales pitch, and will be treated that way.
Most of the time when we first start witnessing it is easier to leave the person with something that they can read or look at for themselves. No matter what the processes eventually there must be conviction of their heart from the law of God. At some point Jesus himself will be revealed to them, and at that point they must be the ones to make a decision about Jesus. We cannot make that decision for them, and we cannot push them or prod them, or pressure them into a matter of the heart.
As Jesus talked to this woman at the well he said to her" who so ever drinks of this water shall thirst again, but whosoever drinks of the water that I give him he shall never thirst; for the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of springing up into everlasting life". As I set and pondered what Jesus had said to her I also realized that the real goal of our lives is to do the will of God's purpose in us. For a very long time I was tempted to believe that my measure of evangelistic success would be by the number of decisions for Christ that I obtained. And while we tend to rejoice over decisions when heaven reserves its rejoicing for repentance "as it says there is joy in the repentance of the angels of God over one sinner that repentance" Luke 15:10 I find it is fairly easy to get decisions for Jesus using some of the modern methods of well chosen words and psychological manipulation. I think God however rather see his success is having the opportunity to sow the seed of God's word into a heart of someone who listens. Because if you faithfully so, someone else will do the reaping. If you have the privilege of reaping, then someone else has faithfully sown the seed before you. One sows, another reaps, but it is God who gives the increase 1 Corinthians 3:6-7. For Jesus it was this very process of sowing, watering, and reaping that sustained him and nourished him even more so than food or physical comfort. I wonder many times if any of us really understand the true nature of what our purpose in Christ is? It is certainly something to discuss with others, and something for you to pray about for your own life... I know I will be from mine. May you richly bless God through your life in him.
THE UNWORTHY SERVANT
I was reading just the other day in the book of John 4: about Jesus encounter with the woman at the well. It made me think about my personal witness with people. I've wondered from time to time in my life if I work doing the right things when dealing with people about Christ? I saw in this encounter some things that are very important to pass on. In our everyday lives we get many different chances to speak to people, and it is in that natural conversation that God gives us an opportunity to witness. In verse seven of this chapter Jesus spoke to this woman who absolutely knew nothing about God or the Spirit of God. We find in1 Corinthians 2:14 that a natural man cannot understand the things of the spirit, and so Jesus did not start his conversation with her on a spiritual level. Jesus spoke to her on a level that she could understand. They were at a well, and so he spoke to her about water. You and I may speak to somebody in the same manner by just having a friendly conversation," good morning"or a warm "how are you doing"would've been just as effective. I have often said in my own personal witnessing that I can't expect people to want to listen to what I say if they don't know who I am. It is extremely important that we make friends first, and that we show people that we actually care about them first. When we have established that about our character and our concern for them then we can swing conversation to the spiritual realm, but trying to do that beforehand is mostly useless. To the natural man it becomes only another sales pitch, and will be treated that way.
Most of the time when we first start witnessing it is easier to leave the person with something that they can read or look at for themselves. No matter what the processes eventually there must be conviction of their heart from the law of God. At some point Jesus himself will be revealed to them, and at that point they must be the ones to make a decision about Jesus. We cannot make that decision for them, and we cannot push them or prod them, or pressure them into a matter of the heart.
As Jesus talked to this woman at the well he said to her" who so ever drinks of this water shall thirst again, but whosoever drinks of the water that I give him he shall never thirst; for the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of springing up into everlasting life". As I set and pondered what Jesus had said to her I also realized that the real goal of our lives is to do the will of God's purpose in us. For a very long time I was tempted to believe that my measure of evangelistic success would be by the number of decisions for Christ that I obtained. And while we tend to rejoice over decisions when heaven reserves its rejoicing for repentance "as it says there is joy in the repentance of the angels of God over one sinner that repentance" Luke 15:10 I find it is fairly easy to get decisions for Jesus using some of the modern methods of well chosen words and psychological manipulation. I think God however rather see his success is having the opportunity to sow the seed of God's word into a heart of someone who listens. Because if you faithfully so, someone else will do the reaping. If you have the privilege of reaping, then someone else has faithfully sown the seed before you. One sows, another reaps, but it is God who gives the increase 1 Corinthians 3:6-7. For Jesus it was this very process of sowing, watering, and reaping that sustained him and nourished him even more so than food or physical comfort. I wonder many times if any of us really understand the true nature of what our purpose in Christ is? It is certainly something to discuss with others, and something for you to pray about for your own life... I know I will be from mine. May you richly bless God through your life in him.
THE UNWORTHY SERVANT
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