Paul and Barnabas went traveling around:
- filled with the Holy Spirit
- fasting and praying
- preaching the Gospel
- healing folks
I'm a long way from there, but by God's grace, He is growing me into that lifestyle. Some time ago I sat next to a guy (Herb) on the bus, and he engaged me in conversation about the Bible. Several times since then, I've had the chance to have spiritual discussion (and share the Gospel) as we walked from the bus stop to our offices, which are in adjacent buildings. I don't see him as often because I ride a different bus route, but this morning I caught the bus that he was on. Would you believe it? He was reading a Bible on the bus! He told me as we were walking to our offices that he found a Men's Devotional NIV Bible at Halfprice books, and he's simply reading through it; he just finished Genesis! Hooray! We had a great conversation about Joseph being a picture of Christ, and I gave him a heads up about some symbols of Christ and our Christian experience in the book of Exodus. I pray that the Lord will draw his heart to Him and give him understanding!
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for the encouraging conversation this morning. I praise you for your goodness and love, and I thank you for involving me in the process. May I be more willing to cooperate with your redemptive and regenerative plan. I pray that you will fill Herb with your love, light, and life! Please open up the Scriptures to come alive inside him. Lord, may I be filled with your Holy Spirit today. I pray that you will teach me how to fast and pray. Please give me opportunities and boldness to preach the Gospel, and I pray that you will heal people through my obedience to you. Please grow your Church to be the hands and feet of Christ. I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Precious Savior. Amen.
Sounds to me like you're taking the opportunities given to you.
ReplyDeleteYou started your blog with what Paul and Barnabas did, and then stated you were far from it. But you laid the foundation in accomplishing the lives they lived for Christ:
1. filled with the Holy Spirit: Beyond salvation, this is simply submitting to the Holy Spirit; and recognizing how He is directing your steps. This isn't an easy thing, so the next step is the natural step.
2. fasting and praying: You cannot know how the Lord is directing your steps, or how He is wanting to use you without fasting and prayer. Prayer in itself is an awesome tool that the church has forgotten how to use. It is the "effective prayer of a righteous man that can accomplish much" (James 5:16). Fasting is one tool (and a strong one at that) that makes prayer effective! Because you put yourself in a position to be fully dependent on God.
When you're seeking Him, you fast until you hear from Him. The fasting and prayer step is the most forgotten step to take; but it is the glue that makes these 4 steps effective.
3. preaching the Gospel: This is what you do, regardless of whether you hear from Him or not. But you be obedient in sharing with others the testimony of your faith; and what the Lord is currently doing for you. It's interesting thought here, but usually when I'm seeking the Lord, and sharing with others my testimony; is when the Lord reveals Himself to me. Just because we're waiting to hear from Him, is not an excuse to quit serving others His agape!
4. healing folks: This is the second part of "preaching the gospel." Healing their spiritual need, meeting their physical need, and uplifting them with the encouragement, comfort, peace, joy, and mercy of Christ (Romans 12:15).
The cool thing about this is this involves taking the opportunities the Lord places in front of you; and growing to look for opportunities to take.