Lesson 7- The Tools For Witnessing

[Laurie Mosher]

   Good Morn'ing!
The sun is shining, temperature is 18C(66F), God is in His heaven, and all is right with God's saints! Amen?

This week our Lesson Study is about the availability of "Tools for Witnessing"! What material do we have at our 'disposal' to effectively witness?

  And HOW do we appreciate these tools?
WHAT variety  of methods do we use in our witness?
And HOW do we best utilize our "personal gifts"?

 In Sunday's Lesson our topic is PERSONAL EVANGELISM.
 And we have the example of Philip "witnessing" to the Ethiopian.

  Is this method relevant for us today?
Does 'God' tell us to  personally witness to everyone we meet?
 How effective is "standing on a soapbox on a streetcorner" and preaching to the masses?

  Or does God expect us to do something different?

  Does God live in YOU? in ME? And if He does live in us, shouldn't God shine through us to everyone we meet?

  What IS the gospel?

COL384 The gospel at work "is Christ in the life- a living active principle...what is needed is the love of Christ in the heart."

  What is the most effective way to witness?

 

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Keep "the" faith!
 Bro. Laurie

[Richard Myers]

Before the seed can be planted the hard ground needs to be broken up. How is the hard heart to be broken so that the seed of truth can take root in the heart?

Richard

[Laurie Mosher]

  I'm reminded of the Bible text in Romans 2:4 (last part). Do you not "know that the goodness of God leads us to repentance"?
 Only thru ALLOWING God to work in our hearts, can any of us be made willing to accept His leading in our lives.

Monday "Personal testimony"

Notice the 3 essential elements of a testimony:
1) Your life BEFORE you became a Christian
2) How you BECAME a Christian.
3) What Jesus means to you NOW.

 The time may come ( has for some already) to witness before rulers and kings. HOW will you/I respond?

  Depending on the circumstances and people, we need to be "wise as serpents and harmless as doves". Bible study or first-hand witnessing -but not both at the same time are effective tools. The job determines the tool. In witnessing the situation determines the method, and applying the right tool at the right time depends on the control of the Holy Spirit.

Do you/I have a testimony to tell others?

 How effective and convincing is our testimony?

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Keep "the" faith!
 Bro. Laurie

[Laurie Mosher]

Tuesday "HEALTH EVANGELISM"

  Now here is a topic that alot of us can identify with! For those of us who work in health instituions, we can readily witness first hand those who require instruction in healthful living.

  Name several ways that we can utilize health principles, and in particular to those who have received bad health habits as a result of wrong lifestyle, and diet.

  Does one have to have "special training" in order to "educate" the world?

  How can "your" church integrate health ministries with evangelistic efforts?

  And as a health professional, how can you/I engage in medical evangelism in the church or town?

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Keep "the" faith!
 Bro. Laurie

[Laurie Mosher]

Just a further note on Healthy and Generous lives. Ev.525-526 "The great object of (health) reform...is to secure the highest development of body, mind and soul."

Wednesday "LIFESTYLE EVANGELISM"

  Perhaps this topic is the most important "tool" of all. For if "we" do not practice what we preach, how effective is anything we say going to be?

  And when we look at the areas created within the church through the example of Dorcas, would you not all agree that this is a wonderful vocation to be occupied in?
ADRA, DORCAS, Food Banks- All exemplify what /who "we are.

  Matthew 7:7 "Ask and it shall be given you; seek and you shall find; knock and (the door) shall be opened unto you."

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Keep "the" faith!
 Bro. Laurie

[Laurie Mosher]

Thursday  "Public Evangelism"

  Speaking of  health evangelism, lifestyle evangelism, and public witnessing, this week has been unbelieveable. I can't remember when I have been so busy. The hospital where I am employed is "swamped" with sick folk, accidents are at an all time high, and everyone is "burnt out". HOWEVER,
we are getting our "second wind", and ready to help as able.

 Our greatest witness should not be  from eloquent sermons, or powerful Bible studies from which we prove our doctrines. The Teacher's Lesson points out "how we treat
others in our home, the people next door, at work, in the market place, WHEREVER, will be our witness for Christ, more than anything else we say or do, either for good or bad.

IF that is not a sobering thought, it ought to be."

  I am reminded of how important the meanings of Names are.

For instance my surname "MOSHER" has a motto attached to it based on James 1:27
"Pure religion and undefiled is this, To visit the orphans and widows in their affliction AND to keep himself unspotted fromn the world."

 Definitely a tall order, and one that "we" are supposed to represent.
 Remember the 12 sons of Jacob? Their names represented something special also, didn't they?

  In public evangelism, there needs to be an interest FIRST, with preparation done.
 When I work in my garden, the soil has to be prepared BEFORE the seeds are planted. Likewise when an Evagelistic program comes to town, preparation should be done BEFORE ,so Bible study can bring forth a harvest.

  The question is asked.
"What effect has your "silent witness" had on others?

 Do they see the lovely character of Christ revealed in your actions?

  As someone said, "when our lives honor Christ, even silence is eloquent."

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Keep "the" faith!
 Bro. Laurie

[Laurie Mosher]

 SUMMARY:

 This week we have studied 5 tools of evangelism for witnessing- personal, health,lifestyle, and public evangelism, as well as personal testimony.

 From the book Desire of Ages, we read these words "As witnesses for Cghrits, we are to tell WHAT WE KNOW, what we ourselves HAVE SEEN, AND HEARD, AND FELT. If we have been following Jesus step by step, we shall have something right to the point to tell concerning the way in which he has led us. We can tell HOW we have tested His promise, and found the promise true. We can bear witness to what we have known of the grace of Christ. This is the witness for which our Lord calls, and for want of which the world is perishing."p.340

 Friends ! What tools has God made available to you for witnessing? Have you carefully examined what you have and prayed about HOW you can use them to promote the gospel?

I invite you to do that!

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Keep "the" faith!
 Bro. Laurie

[Rungi]

Testing.

Thanks

[Clive Nevell]

Test Reply
Clive

[Clive Nevell]

Thanks to Rungi who has got me back online, hope to stay there now.
Clive