National Women's Missionary Auxiliary

By Jackie Ricks

            How do you know when to speak up and when to keep quiet? How do you know which people to witness to? How do you know exactly what to say? Stay tuned to the “right channel” and the Holy Spirit will lead you to say and do what needs to be said and done with the proper recipients. It doesn’t matter if you’re part of an organized visitation or witnessing program with your church or simply taking opportunities as they come in daily life, you should be praying for the Holy Spirit to lead you to the right people and to help you say the right things at the right time.

            Timing is important. Just as an organized program would not want to go out on visits during a normal meal time or a children’s bath/bedtime, you wouldn’t want to catch a person during his work break or as he is rushing out the door. However, you do need to be aware of the Spirit’s leading. Once I had a perfect opportunity to open up a conversation about the gospel and I let the moment slip through my fingers. As my friend drove off, I realized I’d missed God’s nudge to discuss it. As it turns out, I moved away not long after that. I did finally write her a letter and witness in that, but I never heard back.

            Prayer is one of the most important parts of the witnessing process. Pray for God to lead you to the right individual, whether it’s someone you already know or perhaps even a complete stranger. Pray for the Holy Spirit to prepare the people in advance. Pray or God to steer the conversation in the right direction and then to nudge you to realize when it’s time to discuss theGospel. Pray for the proper words and timing. Pray for someone else to keep Satan busy while you are visiting with the person. Pray that God uses you however He needs to: plant the seed, water it, or perhaps get to see God give the increase. Just remember that it is always GOD who saves. We just happen to be blessed to get to be a small part of the process at times.

            I know that some people think you can ask anyone at any time if they know the Lord. However, in my experience, you need a relationship with the person first—at least a conversation that has naturally come around to the subject. When I was a teen, my dad had been getting to know a certain man in town who was lost. He felt as though he was getting close to being able to talk to him about his relationship with the Lord. Many had tried before and failed. However, we had an evangelist come to town for revival services. The first time that evangelist saw the man, he bluntly asked him if he knew the Lord and began badgering him about being saved before my dad could say anything. All the prep work my dad had done went down the drain. The lost man assumed dad had put the evangelist up to talking to him. Dad never got another chance with the man; in fact, the man avoided my father any time he saw him after that.

            We must be ready to witness when the Lord sends us someone, but the only way we can do that is if we stay tuned in to what God has planned. Praying for God’s guidance in where we find people, whom we see, when we speak, and what we say is very important.

SCRIPTURE: Luke 12:12; John 14:26; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 2:9-13; 1 Thessalonians 5:17

PRAYER: “Thank You, Lord, for giving us the Holy Spirit to help us. Please let me be more aware when He is trying to tell me something and help me to follow His leading. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

RESPONSE: Be continually in prayer for the Holy Spirit to lead you: in the right direction, to the exact person who needs to hear the gospel, at the correct time, and with the words that need to be said for the best understanding. But remember that God is the One who saves, not us.

by Judy Wallace

This was my conundrum as I prepared for this one.  I thought, and stewed, and prayed, and thought some more. Then the day before I sat down to write, I slid into my car after running errands, turned on The Message XM station, and started to drive.  The very next song played had the above title, “What Are You Waiting For?” I knew immediately that God had spoken to me with this question and I thought He might to you as well.

How would you answer this question when it comes to going and telling about Jesus? When it has to do with evangelism?  When it deals with sowing seeds of truth?  When it addresses building relationships etc? No matter your answer, it will be an excuse unless you are already following His direction to go and tell.

When I got home, I looked up the lyrics to the song. There was one phrase that really caught my attention. “What if we could be the light that no one could ignore? What are we waiting for?”

Be the light that no one could ignore.

BE means to show the characteristics of someone or something.

When I think of the characteristic of Jesus Christ, I think of Philippians 2. In this passage, we see His humility and obedience. Paul begins with several rhetorical ‘ifs’. He is basically asking, “Aren’t you encouraged by belonging to Christ? Don’t you feel comforted by His love? Is there not any fellowship between you and the Holy Spirit? Is your heart not more tender and compassionate because you belong to Him?” He then states that if these things are true then they shouldn’t be doing things out of selfishness or conceit but instead put others first and look to the interest of others instead of their own.  Same goes for us and those things can’t be ignored so ‘what are you waiting for?’

LIGHT is the spiritual symbol of God’s presence and truth.

Jesus called Himself ‘The Light of the World.’ Then at another time He said, ”Ye are the light of the world.”  How are both possible? He answered that in John 8:12 when He said, “He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life.” Paul concurred in Ephesian 5:8 when he said, “But now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light.” We are the light because we are in Him and He is in us. That can’t be ignored by a very dark world so ‘what are you waiting for?’                                              

IGNORE means to pay no attention or refuse to notice. 

It is impossible to ignore kindness, compassion, joy, friendliness. It is impossible to ignore a smiling face and pleasant attitude. It is impossible to ignore helpfulness and a servant heart. All of these open the door to going and telling.

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

Does it strike fear in your heart when your church talks about going door-to-door to visit strangers to tell them about Jesus?  It certainly does in mine!  Growing up I remember my dad going on Thursday nights with other men to visit homes of people he did not know.  Times have certainly changed, haven’t they?  Some may still do visitation weekly like that but with the culture today most people won’t answer the door to someone they don’t know.

That doesn’t change our mission though, does it?  Jesus said, “Go and Tell.”  He didn’t give us specifics about how and when (certainly he didn’t say Thursday nights at 7:00 pm).  However, Jesus was very clear our mission is to tell others about God. 

In 1993, my husband, Ken, and I along with our three children moved to Algonquin, Illinois, as interstate missionaries.  The method of beginning used for our mission was a program called, “The phone’s for you.”  Ken and some volunteers from churches in that area made over 14,000 phone calls to invite people to receive further information about a new church that would soon be started.  That method would not work today either because we don’t answer the phone unless we know the person calling.  On opening Sunday in March of 1994, we had about 85 people in attendance, so I guess that program was successful at that time. 

I’ve thought many times about how church planters are greatly challenged in our day to introduce themselves to a new community in order to build the relationships needed to introduce Christ into their lives.  The very best method is still to build relationships with people.  To go into the community and be genuine and loving like Christ is how I’ve seen church planters be successful.  One method used in Illinois was that of handing out water bottles (with the church logo on the side) filled with ice and water at the festivals in the community.  No charge, just free water.  People were shown how we loved them before we ever introduced ourselves to them. 

When working in an office in the suburbs of Chicago, I worked with a lady who was not a believer.  After a few months of working closely together, she told me she had not met many “Christians” who were the same in the office as they would be in church.  She went on to give me a great compliment.  She said I believe you are the same all the time.  Wow, I was blown away but it gave me a perfect opportunity to share Jesus with her.  She did not immediately accept Christ that day, but I pray she did eventually believe and accept the gift of salvation that only comes through Christ.

1 Peter 3:15 says, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts; and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.”  That verse is basically saying that when people notice the difference in you from others around them, they will ask you about it.  Be ready to give your answer of what God has done for you in your life.  As you are “going” about your daily routine at school or at work, be genuine.  Be kind, be loving to everyone so that they give you the opportunity to “Tell” them about Jesus.

Prayer: Father, please help me as I’m going about my life to let Jesus shine through me, through my words and my actions.  Please help me to be bold to speak your name to all those around me, sharing what You have done for me at every opportunity.

By Cindy Allen

            As I think about the theme of Go and Tell, it kind of makes my chest get tight.  I am more of a “Come, and I Will Tell You” girl. Come to Sunday School, I teach that.  Come to Ladies Bible Study, I can lead a session.  Come to Kids Bible Club, I will be there too.  But Go and Tell…does that really mean me? 

            As I have read the other blogs, I sense that this phrase strikes a chord with others too.  But yes, it is for all of us.  As Jackie pointed out, the great commission isn’t just for the pastor, or deacons, or missionaries.  It is for the Christians, and guess what?  I am one of them.

            I think one reason the Great Commission causes me to shutter is that I feel like I am the one doing it.  I have to step out of my comfort zone.  I have to face my friend or family member.  I might be rejected or ridiculed.  I might be asked a hard question. 

            However, if we read the Great Commission at the end of Matthew, we see something amazing.  It is bookended with Jesus.  In 28:18, Jesus says “all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.”  Matthew 28 ends with Jesus saying, “I am with you always, to the end of the age.”  In the middle of these two verses, he tells us to “go and make disciples.”  I do need to be going and telling but Jesus is with me every step of the way.  It is by his power I can talk to someone, I can mention his faithfulness, his salvation. 

            If you read Acts, you will see the power of Jesus, and the Holy Spirit on display.  After receiving the Holy Spirit, Peter preached a sermon and 3000 were saved.  Peter, remember him?  Peter who often opened his mouth when he should have just listened.  Peter who said he would die for Jesus, then denied him when the going got tough.  Peter who cut off a man’s ear.  THAT PETER harnessed the power of OUR JESUS and spoke before a huge crowd, and JESUS’ POWER caused lives to be changed.  If we feel fear, when we feel fear, we need to harness the power of Jesus.  It is readily available. 

            Just how do we harness this power?  Keep reading in Acts and you will find out.  Chapter 2 ends with a description of the early church.  Here are some key phrases I have underlined in my Bible. 

• They devoted themselves to teaching
• Everyone was filled with awe over what the apostles did
• Every day they devoted themselves to meeting in the temple
• They had joyful and sincere hearts
• They praised God

The 2^nd chapter ends with these words, “Every day the Lord added to their number, those who were being saved.”

That is what our world needs, our community, our neighborhood, our families.  They need to be saved, to be added to our number.  And that requires us to be busy about God’s work, just like the early church was.  These people tapped into the power source and changed the world. 

            If you listen to contemporary Christian music, you have probably heard Jeremy Camp sing “The Same Power”.  If you have not, you should find it and give it a listen.  “The same power that rose Jesus from the grave, lives in us.”  It is readily available; we just have to harness it.

PRAYER:  Dear Lord, thank you for saving my soul.  Not only did you rescue me from hell, but you daily pour into my life; giving wisdom, encouragement, and peace.  Lord help me to be bold and share my story with others.  As you place people in my path, help me to share my story and in doing so may you add precious souls to your kingdom.

SCRIPTURE:  Acts 2;  Acts 4

RESPONSE:  Go and Tell in Jesus’ power

by Robin Tyler

By Jackie Ricks

“The pastor mentioned an outreach program, but who’s he talking to? We don’t even have any other preachers in this church that I know of. Seriously, he ought to change his subject if he wants the members to pay attention. Jesus was talking to the apostles in Matthew 28:18-20. That wouldn’t include the ordinary church member, just pastors. Right?”

Have thoughts like this run through your mind before? Many people feel this way, even if they never actually think these specific thoughts. The general consensus too many times is that spreading the gospel is for preachers, missionaries, pastors, maybe even deacons, but certainly not the average person and definitely never women! However, Jesus gave the great commission of Matthew 28:18-20 to his apostles. Read more…

By Judy Wallace

“Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.” This wise saying, attributed to Benjamin Franklin, is one I have always taken to heart. Given an assignment, I always jumped right in and finished it early.  On the other hand, my entire family prefers Mark Twain’s version which says, “Never put off till tomorrow, what you can do day after tomorrow!”  The emphasis of this proverb is to avoid procrastination. Don’t delay in doing what needs to be done. Do it today! That’s what the Lord expects. Read more…