In the last week here at the Cowperthwaite home, we have been praying and searching more than usual, and that is good. We need to remember that the best we can do as humans is still nothing compared to what God is able to do through us if we are willing to follow. With the absence of participants to our Bible study, we have decided to continue and just reach out further in our "fishing" for lost souls.
I printed up some cards to hand out personally to those we get to meet at the grocery store, Walmart, and just out and about. Often, we get a chance to talk to someone for just a minute or two and the conversation is abruptly halted due to any of a dozen reasons. Mostly, the cashier at the store has a job to do, and I feel that we need to continue, so what do you do? We printed up the invitations to our home Bible study on 1/6 sheets of paper. It is easy to carry in a shirt pocket and when someone seems interested in learning more about God, we can hand them our phone number, directions to the house, and a short invite to the study.
Along with inviting neighbors to come, we are also going to be encouraging those who are Christians in the area to come and help us reach out. We can get in the Word together and also encourage them to share the gospel with those that they reach. This could multiply exponentially, if that is how the Lord wants it. We must be willing and available to speak the truth of Jesus and salvation to everyone we meet. We cannot be ashamed, but bold and remember that those we meet are not just blank faces, but faces of those headed to hell for eternity without the Savior.
Just at Walmart yesterday, we saw someone who used to come to youth group here, that is not regularly in church, and not living like they should be. We also were able to contact a young lady that used to live with us and invite her and her new husband to the group. They are both saved, but are not in church often either. I don't honestly know where they stand, but you can bet I will know by the end of the evening. We invited them over for supper and Bible study, and they are coming!
So, as you may be able to tell, I am very excited to be able to be used in whatever way the Lord sees fit. There are behind-the-scenes issues with those we talked to lately that we may be able to help with. Those that come will also be encouraged to invite people, multiplying our ability to reach others. As one family, we only know so many people, but one more family coming can invite their friends and coworkers. We need not work one dimensionally, but continue to reach out until everyone we meet has heard the truth. That should be our goal, should it not?
So pray that those who come will be honest with God about where they need to be, what they need to do, and pray that we will be able to encourage them through the Word of God. I will post more about what happens tonight. Please continue in prayer that some of the neighbors that did not respond last week will come tonight. That will be our prayer also.
Mark
