To everyone who knows God here
Awwwww, what a lovely post..
Always pleased when people encourage happy, smiley faces when thinking about God...thats the way it should be, If God wanted us all to be sombre he would have made us all church treasurers! (only jokin!)
I think the motivation for evangelising is instrumental in how we approach it. I would prefer to wear a plackard saying Jesus loves me. Once a person gets a revelation of how much God loves them, it makes it so much easier to tell others about Him. And I have to say that you can't please everyone all the time. One of my friends who isn't saved always tells me that I am so ******* optimistic, but she always enjoys my company, and I can laugh at myself, because I don't take myself too seriously...only Jesus.
I thought the only motivation was pure love.
I've never been into the plackard thing, infact I just wouldnt wear one. I think a smile says it all really, initially & opens up conversation then goes from there. Also, I think even my friends non-christian & christian would prob cart me off if they saw me with a plackard but if they see me smiling it would just be the norm.
I also think there is a Big difference between 'always being 'Bleeping' Optimistic 'and being a positive person esp when being an example of what God is really like. Thank God we're all different Eh?
I
The bible say;
" Preach the word , be instant in season and out season......" and i found this to be anywhere, to me last week it was a boy at the park when i took my son to play, and another young man who joined my team for campaigning, So i am begining to enjoy the "be instant in season and out season" as it brings the excitement of not knowing where it will be or whom it will be that i will be preaching/witnessing to furthermore it keeps me and my christianity on my toes, so to speak!
Someone also said....'Go out & preach &.use words if you have to!!!! (or something along those lines)
Yes I agree....anywhere, everywhere cos it's obviously where your meant to be!
Keep smiling (obviously not like a cheshire cat or people think your up to something!! lol!) : )
Acts 14:3 So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to do miraculous signs and wonders.
I believe that where Gods presence and His Word is spoken miraculous signs and wonders will be witnessed.
I myself have seen people witnessing in the streets but i dont see much of what the Scripture says will follow, is that cos we are missing a significant truth about preaching the Gospel. I also hear preachers preach within the church and here I dont see much of what God says will follow either, Is it because man is doing it in his own strength or is it that man is not allowing the Holy Spirit to be present. Where ever Jesus is miracles followed, and I dont believe that this Scripture is only for the days of Acts it is for now.
So whats going wrong.
Hi Elysia. Yes I fully understand and believe that God is not a performer further that He is not a genie in a bottle, and I am sorry that you got that idea from what I had written. I believe what Scripture says and if you look at
Acts 14:3 says 'the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to do miraculous signs and wonders'.
I think that the key word is confirmed. This is something the Father did throughout the New Testament He confirmed His Word.
God has not changed He will continue to confirm His Word and He will do it through signs and miracles.
I do not limit God, I believe what was written in Acts and what happened following the preaching of the Gospel, and I am fully expectant that God wil do what He says this is not testing Him, this is not dangerous, this is believing in His Word.
Dave
Did they really have plackards around their necks. hee hee? ...Thought not!
I reckon they probably looked miserable because it is very daunting being exposed out on the streets where you are opening yourself up to ridicule and, perhaps, abuse and violence.
Some people do it because they feel they have to. In my previous church, there was a lady who was absolutely sure she was called to preach. I watched her preaching in the hight street, outside Morrison's.
Everyone pretty much ignored her apart from some leacherous youngsters who made regular sexually crude remarks much to their amusement and that of some passers-bye. When she then got a bit 'holy ghost' angry, she launched into a very loud and aggressive tirade against sexual immorality, homosexuality and such like. Then the atmosphere changed. As soon as anyone starts yelling at you in the street it gets the hackles up, religious or not. And this is what happened.
Afterwards, I was talking to her about it. She really believed that she had to be abused by people in order to know that she was preaching the word. It was all too much for her husband and children, whom she would leave at home whilst she went off and preached.
Hmmmm....?
Mark,
There was a plackard around the person in the middle and it was literally a board around the neck on a strap of some descript, something stating "Jesus loves you" in red paint on a white board.
End of day it might not work for some but it might be for her and for them a precursor a declaration of faith. Many years ago infact 6 to be exact I felt called by God to give out lolly pops to people coming out the clubs with bible verses on. I then had a word from God that we would be giving 1000s out at the church so to say the Church ignored it and I felt dismayed afterwards. Few years later street pastors was setup in that Church and I believe the Church as a whole is now literally giving out more than lollypops.
So my point is at the time it might seem right and it might not be reaping a reward to God from the outset but it can be a precursor to something bigger and better, for the Church, for the Invidiual and of course God.
My pennies.
Dave
PS Oh and I did smile when I gave the lollypops out, one side had John 3:16, the other side on the lollypop label had "Faith isn't seeing then believing, its believing then seeing".
Actually i used to give out tracks in train stations and door by door , but i found out most of the time people are in a rush and could hardly give me time to telll them what is in the tract. Then i switched to telly with people calling in prayers and question. Now i'm just in the " preach the word, be instant in season and out of season '' and also " have an answer to any one that asks you of your faith". So i now allow the fragrance of His knowledge by me to perfume wherever i go and when he leads that "lost sheep" blearing for 'home' my way i instantly pick on the opportunity. To God's glory 2 people gave their lives to The Lord and got reconciled to the Lord just recently.
Hi Dave, Is that not a little steriotypical. We are often guilty of silently steriotyping people they may be smiling, beaming inside and just have not been gifted with a outward happy disposition. They are out there in the harvest field sewing and reaping, that says lots. Lets thank the good Lord for people like them who don't just talk the talk but walk the walk. God Bless them all!
I went by what I saw, I went by what I heard.
My post wasn't so much on them but on the aspect of smiling inside out...that was all :)
I was out last night night fairly late and met some people doing street evangelism work.
I was struck with what I call a bit of disappointment, infact I would describe my initial gut feeling as sad. They stood there not looking happy or approachable. I approached them and said its good to see you out, they asked if I was saved etc. as I was half expecting. I could not see a glow or any happiness and thinking out the box as an outsider looking in, then I would have just seen 3 people looking dismayed by knowing God with a board around the neck saying "I love Jesus" yet a lack of life beyond the plackard.
My question based on the above is to all of you who know God and have experienced him. Where are you at the moment with him?
Do you smile from the inside out or not, when thinking about Him. Call it a self evaluation, a you and God Audit.
You don't have to respond here, just bear it in mind and get it stuck under the rib cage.
PS Oh and to any of you who do street work, please smile! ;)