We really never know how the Holy Spirit is working and what He may use to reach the soul of someone. Always have the name of Jesus on your lips and be ready to know how to share the gospel. Now may be their day of salvation. Read how the Holy Spirit took a casual statement that progressed through other events and then led to salvation of a young lady named Heather.
I can recall a startling remark that someone once said to me when I was not a Christian. At this point in my life, Jesus was little more to me than a mere story, and I did not think that the Bible was a book that people actually read anymore.
Nearly two years ago, I was at a birthday party and as one of the guests was leaving he turned to me and said, "Heather, keep your eyes focused on Jesus."
I was stunned and somewhat irritated by his bold statement, so I laughed it off and reached for another glass of wine. However, I could not stop thinking about the advice that had been given to me.
Shortly afterward, I was invited to attend an Easter play at church where I encountered another person who surprisingly actually shared the gospel with me.
Due to the truthful manner in which the gospel was presented, I desperately wanted to surrender my life to Jesus, but instead I burst into tears again and refused, citing my many reservations.
However, my objections were no match for this person who had been trained in evangelism. He knew exactly why I had them and how to overcome them! At 23, I finally realized the greatness of knowing and following Jesus Christ. I am forever grateful to those who made the effort to bring God's word to me, and then lead me, to the Lord.
From then on, if something in my life was not in accordance with Gods will, it began to change.
For example: drinking wine and going to certain parties quickly lost its appeal, as did engaging in gossiping with girlfriends. The wedding that my boyfriend and I were putting off due to a financial dilemma was solved one day when I attended a bridal show and won the Grand Prize of over $3,000.00! I was in an erroneous living situation with my now, husband, so God enabled me to move in with my sister until we were married.
Whenever my friends ridiculed and told me I would be back to my old ways in no time, I would grow closer to the Lord and meet new Christian friends. And when we began to tithe, my bonus checks just got bigger and bigger. God has also remedied my lack of understanding through prayer, Sunday School, and a strong desire to read the Bible.
It is disturbing to think about what my life and my husband's life may have been like without Jesus.
Looking back, I wondered why no one had shared God's Word with me earlier in life. I received plenty of gospel tracts when I waited tables in college. Sometimes I would even get a gospel tract instead of a tip! I even knew many Christians. Sadly, there just are not enough people who know how to actively share their faith with others.
Among the first non-negotiable truths about Christianity that I learned was that Christianity, by its very nature, is evangelistic. So, I enrolled in FAITH in attempt to serve God. I suspect that most people in our church want to be used by God as well, but this world demands a lot from us. With two busy careers, my husband and I knew it would be difficult to get to class each week. But we stepped out in faith, and the Lord provided and was faithful. What a privilege and what a huge honor it is to know exactly how to share God's grace with others! The Bible says, if we honestly seek God's will for our lives, He will bless our efforts.
Salvation is not the end of the journey to Jesus but the very beginning. Jesus says we are His disciples, and The Great Commission tells us to GO. Heather learned the secret … "Everyone Can!"
Editor's Note: Look for Bobby Welch's new book, You, The Warrior Leader, published by Broadman & Holman and available at LifeWay Christian Stores.
