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GLEANINGS FROM THE WORD Experiencing an extraordinary God in ordinary life Issue #491 May 15, 2002 Whose responsibility is it? This morning, I feel called to be a little more "in your face" than most mornings. No nature or life analogies just straight up truth. I often get email asking "Whose responsibility is it to tell others about Jesus?" The short answer is of course, we all are. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20 NIV The follow up question is often "What if I do it wrong, or they won’t listen to me." The good news is that while we are responsible for the effort to share Jesus with others, only Holy Spirit can bring forth results. What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe--as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. 1 Corinthians 3:5-9 NIV It’s up to God to provide the results; we simply lay the groundwork. Some of us will be prayer warriors praying for the lost. Some will be sharing through caring for the needs of others. Some will share Him through lives well lived. Some give generously to send missionaries into the field. Still others from the pulpit or with one on one evangelism. Methods will vary as our gifts and personalities vary. Some will be cultivators and break up the soil of hardened hearts. Others will plant seeds of truth and nurture them. Still others will be involved in getting the harvest ready. You may be called to fill any or all of those roles. Regardless though of our gifts, we must always be open to the prompting of Holy Spirit to step out and tell someone about Jesus. But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 1 Peter 3:15 NIV Who is Holy Spirit telling you to share your love of Jesus with today? Hallelu Yah
Kevin
Do you know this Jesus? The one whose message of love, hope and forgiveness is to be shared with all the people of the world? Email me and I’ll share some Bible verses that explain why a personal relationship with Jesus is so important and a prayer that will make it possible. Or simply begin the relationship by saying a prayer along the lines of: Dear God: I have made many mistakes in my life and done things I am not proud of. I need your love and forgiveness. I believe that you came into this world and gave your life on a cross to pay for my sins and that you defeated death and rose again. Please forgive me, and be the Lord of my life. I give my life to you Lord. Amen If you pray this prayer let me know and I will direct you to some free non-denominational resources that will help you grow in that newfound relationship. Did you know that at Gleanings, we have a dedicated team of prayer warriors and all prayer concerns are kept strictly confidential? Your comments, your questions and your joys are shared with the prayer team, to keep me accountable as the head of the ministry and to encourage them as they see God at work in your life. As with prayer all these things are kept confidential within the Gleanings team. To share your prayer concerns and praise reports email us at corbin_writer@shaw.ca If you enjoy this issue of Gleanings From The Word, email it, in its entirety, to a friend. For information on use of Gleanings in your church newsletter or other situations please visit the permissions page To subscribe or unsubscribe, visit http://hundred-acre-woods.com/magic-list/lists/ or email me at corbin_writer@shaw.ca Archived issues of Gleanings From The Word can be found on our web site http://gleanings.jesusanswers.com To share your thoughts on this issue of Gleanings, or to share prayer concerns email us at corbin_writer@shaw.ca or write us at Gleanings From The Word 114 Oak St Sherwood Park, AB Canada T8A 0V8 © 2002 K.F. "Kevin" Corbin Gleanings From The Word Ministries International All Rights Reserved
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