Faith Sharing
Something amazing happened in my Evangelism Class last week.
On Tuesday, I sent the students into the community to bring a blessing to others. Before we went out, we spent 45 minutes in solitude -- opening our hearts and minds to God's promptings. (I called this "Ask the Lord Time."
After the season of listening prayer, we gathered back and shared what came to our minds.
The students shared several different pictures or leadings -- i.e. a homeless man, the polling place, outside a porn shop, a mechanic with greasy hands, an elderly man on a Wal Mart bench, the shadow of a steeple and a discouraged pastor.
Those impressions seemed a little strange -- but by the end of the afternoon, ALL of them came to be!
Our students blessed a homeless man and provided some food for him. A student blessed people coming and going from the polling place. A couple of our guys prayed with the owner of a porn shop. A class member led an elderly man to Christ on a Wal Mart bench. A group found a mechanic with greasy hands, and prayed with him after he shared the heavy burdens of his heart. In the shadown of a steeple, members of our class blessed a stressed waitress, and lifted up a discouraged pastor.
All in all -- it was a good day fishin'!
The best one, however, has to do with "Peaches and Shears" -- and I'll tell you that one next time!
On Tuesday, I sent the students into the community to bring a blessing to others. Before we went out, we spent 45 minutes in solitude -- opening our hearts and minds to God's promptings. (I called this "Ask the Lord Time."
After the season of listening prayer, we gathered back and shared what came to our minds.
The students shared several different pictures or leadings -- i.e. a homeless man, the polling place, outside a porn shop, a mechanic with greasy hands, an elderly man on a Wal Mart bench, the shadow of a steeple and a discouraged pastor.
Those impressions seemed a little strange -- but by the end of the afternoon, ALL of them came to be!
Our students blessed a homeless man and provided some food for him. A student blessed people coming and going from the polling place. A couple of our guys prayed with the owner of a porn shop. A class member led an elderly man to Christ on a Wal Mart bench. A group found a mechanic with greasy hands, and prayed with him after he shared the heavy burdens of his heart. In the shadown of a steeple, members of our class blessed a stressed waitress, and lifted up a discouraged pastor.
All in all -- it was a good day fishin'!
The best one, however, has to do with "Peaches and Shears" -- and I'll tell you that one next time!
The greatest insight gained from an encounter like this, is that God wants to reveal Himself. It is too often that we, as Christians, think that we have to feel our way through life. We hope that God will open the door so that we don't run head first into it. But, we by no means make a habit of seeking to hear from God--expecting Him to answer! What happened on that wonderful day was a clear manifestation of God. We sought Him and He showed Himself. But the thing is, He expects it to be like this. He expects us to ask, listen and hear. He wants us to hear Him. We should come to expect to hear from God and see His form in our daily life. I pray that I would be constantly quieting myself in order to see God.
ReplyDeleteAnother positive manifestation of this experience is watching the level of faith from those involved go through the roof. The Plymouth brethren did not go home the same people that left. We not only found new levels of friendship among each other, but found a stronger desire to spend time listening for God.
ReplyDeleteThanks Mark for the experience.
I thank GOD for using you Mark to challenge us in NC I was very blessed to be apart of GOD moving in that classroom and across that county those days we were down there. Even though there were only 25 people in that class, thwere must have been a 100 or so that experienced JESUS that day.Thanks for opening a whole new realm in my prayer life. Its been a long time since I sat,shut up,and listened. GOD bless you and your ministry Pastor Mark
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