PG4Him
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Essay Moderator
Posts: 3,570
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Post by PG4Him on Feb 4, 2021 10:14:07 GMT -5
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Post by John on Feb 4, 2021 18:17:30 GMT -5
Thank you. I will be sure to watch that.
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Post by Tabitha3319 on Feb 4, 2021 18:44:27 GMT -5
It took years of intellectual discourse qnd friendship but thats a small sacrifice if it means saving somebody's soul.
That is my takeaway from this message. We must be willing to give our lives like Jesus did. That's what it's all about.
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Post by Tabitha3319 on Feb 4, 2021 18:52:00 GMT -5
When I watched this video, I knew there were certain things I had to do differently. I have to love people and play the long game. And I have to use my relationships wisely.
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Post by John on Feb 4, 2021 19:59:02 GMT -5
I enjoyed the message, but I think that what I took from it was different from what some others might have taken from it. What got his attention was not just that someone cared about him. He did quote that comment about "people want to know how much you care before they care how much you know," but that did not get him saved. That woman who spoke to him first cared, but because she was not prepared, he tore down everything she said to him. What seemed to have gotten his attention was the guy who knew his Bible and was able to share truth with him. It was about commitment and preparedness as much as caring. It appeared to me that what won him over was mutual respect for someone else who cared as much about his God as he cared about his god. To me, my main concern is not that the person cares, as much as they know what they are talking about. It is like when you go to a surgeon. Do you want the one who cares the most about you or the one who is the most competent? I will take the best doctor every time.
The other things I took from this was that sometimes it will take a period of time to win someone over. In this case, it took a great deal of time and investigating Christianity verses Islam. The persistence paid off. Then there is the issue of dedication, and how you will find few Christians who are as dedicated to serving Jesus as many in cult religions are to their god. That is an area where we can do better.
Thank you for posting this. It was a very thought provoking message, and was very encouraging.
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Post by watchful on Feb 5, 2021 6:32:55 GMT -5
The ploughmen and the reapers rejoice together when a soul is saved. Reapers reap what others have worked hard for. It sometimes can take a lot of ploughing to prepare the soil before the seed can even be planted and germinate. Then, one plants and another waters, but God gives the increase. How wonderful is the Lord and magnificent in wisdom!
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PG4Him
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Posts: 3,570
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Post by PG4Him on Feb 5, 2021 9:04:58 GMT -5
Each individual is different. What works on one person may not work on another. God knows how to attract a person's interest, which sometimes happens through unexpected means. We must be creative in our approaches.
When you listen to a lot of these types of testimonies, you'll see a pattern. Something will happen to grab the person's attention in the flesh. It may sneak in through history, science, philosophy, or some other open door. As long as the person is willing to ponder on it, Jesus will creep closer until He's at their bedside. THEN a supernatural thing will happen. Many of these people report having arguments with Christians at the start of the journey -- and often, like Nabeel, they "won" the first few rounds. A battle won in the flesh can really be a war lost in spirit. We walk by faith and not by sight.
I've had atheists get angry and cuss at me the moment they realized they were losing. When you see what's really happening, the verbal abuse is actually amusing. Like helping a wounded animal that claws you because it's scared. Then while they're standing there calling you the b word, you have the pleasure of saying "come here dear, let's hug it out" which at that point is putting hot coals on their head, and they get unhinged. Whether or not they repent that day, they had an encounter they can't deny, and you get in some good evangelism practice.
There was one guy who went with me for 24 hours straight on a YouTube comment. Our discussion finally fizzled out. I thought it was over. But little did I know that I was living rent free in his head. A week or so later, his name popped up in my notifications because he'd returned to get the last word. I have feeling that man will be a Christian before long.
Knowledge in the flesh won't get a person saved, but you have to keep a person engaged to make them listen, which often means going toe to toe on some intellectual topic. The apostles reasoned in the synagogues daily to show people that faith in Christ was defendable, and many souls were won in those synagogues.
As for friendship, when a person begins to look for Jesus, they start asking questions to whatever Christian is closest to them. It's just what they do. They'll ask a friend about Christian theology before they'll pick up a Bible. This is especially nerve-wracking if they have to admit they were wrong in the last hundred arguments. Imagine thinking you won several arguments over many years, then backtracking to admit otherwise. Genuine friendship is the glue that will make them pick up the phone.
The process often takes many years. And yes, we must offer them something better than their current worldview. We must offer them truth, beauty, genuine love, and a vision of heaven they can believe. David wore down Nabeel because David had the truth. Not just truth by faith, but tangible, apprehendable truth. The clear antithesis between true and false is what swayed Nabeel. Then David's friendship gave him a safe place to admit it.
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Post by watchful on Feb 5, 2021 15:17:13 GMT -5
Back when I didn't know the Lord I was witnessed to by two people, first one, then a few years later, another....and at the same time the Lord used circumstances of my life to prepare my heart as well, until finally He drew me to a church one Sunday where they happened to be having a "crusade" and the preaching sealed the deal, nearly 35 years ago now. I'm encouraged thinking on this because it just goes to show the value of our simple witnessing and how the Lord uses our witness....we don't have to be the one who reaps, the Lord often uses more than one part of His Body, as well as other circumstances, to bring a soul to Christ. I'm reminded of where the bible says in the mouths of two or three witnesses let every word be established. Once I spent three years ploughing for someone's soul until finally the Lord sent someone else to reap him into the kingdom one day. He had a family member who was Christian as well, and I know that she witnessed to him too. So don't anyone be discouraged thinking your witness isn't making any difference...God uses it in ways that we can't see and it takes as long as it takes.
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