Post by doulos on Jul 29, 2005 2:40:22 GMT -5
Yesterday I went to go and witness at a local shopping mall. And as usual I felt pretty confident and prepared before I left, but not soon after I arrived at the mall I was trembling at the thought of talking to someone. It's weird, you'd think you'd stop being afraid of witnessing to people after a few hundred encounters, but there is still always some fear and trembling involved anytime you go out (well, at least for me there is).
Anyway, since I was a little more shaky than usual I decided to go inside the mall to walk around before I staked out the bus stop outside. After walking around for about half an hour I finally decided to just go and sit down at the bus stop. When I arrived, I discovered that there were a few more people than I expected, so I walked about 50 feet away to sit down where no one else was so that I could pray.
I sat down and started to pray, "God please use me". No sooner had I started praying, a young gentleman came out from behind a bus and began walking toward me. He came up to me and asked if this was the place where the busses picked people up, I told him that it was. Then, unbelievably, he just plops down right next to me! I couldn't believe it, despite my unwillingness and fear, God had given me a person to talk with. I guess you could say that the fish jumped right into the boat!
After he sat down I introduced myself, as did he. His name was John and he was 25. Not wanting to miss the opportunity for obedience God had placed in front of me, I quickly pulled out an "Are you Good Enough to go to Heaven" tract from my pocket and handed it to him. I asked him if he thought he was going to go to heaven if he died right now, and he said that he thought he would.
After explaining the law to him and God's perfect justice, he was still rather self-justifying, however he was very willing to talk with me. He had explained that he used to be a cocaine dealer, and eventually got caught up in using drugs as well. He told me that he had repented of his sins in the past and believed in God, but it was very evident to me that he had not ever heard the gospel before.
After talking a bit more about the law and judgment I told him that he owed a debt to God and then I asked him if he knew how that debt could be payed off. He said that he didn't know. Just then, as I started to explain the good news of Jesus Christ, his bus pulled up to the station and he had to go.
I wish that I could have talked to him a bit more about the gospel but I was awestruck by how God just put that guy right next to me on that day. All I can say is that it's providence!
Anyway, since I was a little more shaky than usual I decided to go inside the mall to walk around before I staked out the bus stop outside. After walking around for about half an hour I finally decided to just go and sit down at the bus stop. When I arrived, I discovered that there were a few more people than I expected, so I walked about 50 feet away to sit down where no one else was so that I could pray.
I sat down and started to pray, "God please use me". No sooner had I started praying, a young gentleman came out from behind a bus and began walking toward me. He came up to me and asked if this was the place where the busses picked people up, I told him that it was. Then, unbelievably, he just plops down right next to me! I couldn't believe it, despite my unwillingness and fear, God had given me a person to talk with. I guess you could say that the fish jumped right into the boat!
After he sat down I introduced myself, as did he. His name was John and he was 25. Not wanting to miss the opportunity for obedience God had placed in front of me, I quickly pulled out an "Are you Good Enough to go to Heaven" tract from my pocket and handed it to him. I asked him if he thought he was going to go to heaven if he died right now, and he said that he thought he would.
After explaining the law to him and God's perfect justice, he was still rather self-justifying, however he was very willing to talk with me. He had explained that he used to be a cocaine dealer, and eventually got caught up in using drugs as well. He told me that he had repented of his sins in the past and believed in God, but it was very evident to me that he had not ever heard the gospel before.
After talking a bit more about the law and judgment I told him that he owed a debt to God and then I asked him if he knew how that debt could be payed off. He said that he didn't know. Just then, as I started to explain the good news of Jesus Christ, his bus pulled up to the station and he had to go.
I wish that I could have talked to him a bit more about the gospel but I was awestruck by how God just put that guy right next to me on that day. All I can say is that it's providence!