Down Right Convicted

Last week at Gull Lake, we heard a message by Daniel Wallace (aka Ambush). The message was about how to share the gospel. I have to admit to you that because I was birthed in a bible believing church..I think I know how to share the gospel. I have all the verses Daniel presented memorized Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, Romans 5:8, and Ephesians 2:8-9. Got em down! Know em! As a result, I was less than enthusiastic about the subject matter.

Then God hit me like a ton of bricks..When was the last time you shared this gospel with someone outside of church, Sunday school, or ministry? Ouch!! I honestly can't remember the last time I did shared the gospel...Sure I live alongside plenty of people who don't know Jesus, try to be pleasant, help them when it is convenient for me, but never share the gospel with them!

Next he went into the reasons why we don't share..selfishness(worried about what they might think of ME), we don't really think the gospel is good news, or we just don't know how. Well, I know how to do it. Like I said, I have been versed in scripture, theology, and understanding and I know it is good news. I can clearly see that God has personally rescued me from a life of ugliness and given me His peace making me a new creation in Him. (Praise God for that!)

I realized for me it was all about selfishness. I don't want to be rejected. I don't really want to give my time to hang out with unsaved people when it is a sacrifice for me. I don't really want to show these unchurched, who are very different from me, that I love them..Most of the time I am much more interested in counting the ways that they are different from me than I am in pointing them to the reason I have left that different life behind. I am too "busy" to reach out to them, but not too busy to enjoy a nap or good book for an hour in the afternoon. Ouch!! The Plain Truth is hurting me deep..

Ambush said..You aren't just here to suck air and eat groceries! God has been clearly bringing to my mind this week times that He has called me to share and I have been down right disobedient. Clearly, I have been doing too much sucking air and eating groceries.

A boy who lives in our neighborhood was passing by on the sidewalk last week. I smile and am pleasant when he goes by, but keep him at a distant. I clearly heard God telling me invite him..You're getting a sandwich-invite him in-offer him one too. And I didn't. My disobedient and sinful heart must just grieve the heart of God. As a result it is definitely causing me some grief these days. More than anything, I want to be an example for Jesus while I am here. I want to surrender every area of my time, life, energy, resources, family to Him and His work. Nothing else matters. I am thankful for this conviction coming from the Holy Spirit even though it hurts to confront it. I pray that God continues to send conviction down and that my humble response to His prompting is authentic change in my life and obedience.