My speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of
human wisdom… —1 Corinthians 2:4
“Belief in Jesus is a miracle produced only by the
effectiveness of redemption, not by impressive speech, nor by wooing and
persuading, but only by the sheer unaided power of God. The creative power of
redemption comes through the preaching of the gospel, but never because of the
personality of the preacher. … If it is only because of my preaching that
people desire to be better, they will never get close to Jesus Christ. “And I,
if I am lifted up…, will draw all peoples to Myself” (John 12:32).” OSWALD CHAMBERS
I have often marveled
at how God uses mere men and women to proclaim the Gospel to the world. But it
is not the messenger but the message that brings salvation. And not just any message. I think we often get the “cart before the
horse”. I never precede God … The Spirit
of God has preceded me. I am but a part
of the salvation process. Paul said
“Some plant and some water, but God brings the increase.” (1 Corinthians 3:6) A seed was planted in my
dad’s heart in 1951 on a hill in Korea.
A Chaplain gave him a bible with a reference to John 1:12 written on the
inside cover. “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his
name, he gave the right to become children of God—” It was not until 1969 did he pray to receive Jesus
as his savior and Lord. Don’t think more
of your role in sharing the Gospel, but then, don’t think less of it either. In His wisdom, God has chosen to use us for
the hearing of the Gospel.
(Romans 10:14-15)
“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can
they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear
without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are
sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good
news!”
Don’t believe for a minute that you have the power to save.
At the same moment, don’t think that you telling someone about Jesus when the
Spirit prompts you is not necessary. You
don’t know which stepping stone you are on the path someone takes to
salvation. But God does! CHARLEY
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