What Are We Doing for the Lord?  Part 1

Even though I wasn't at GYC, I watched it live-streamed.  I now feel differently about what my objective in life should be.   The Lord is calling for laborers!  And what am I doing about it? Am I, are we, fulfilling the Great Commission which says, "Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."? Matthew 28: 19-20. I have often looked at this passage, and have thought, 'Well, I don't really feel like sacrificing that much.  Aren't there other people that can do it?'  But the Lord is calling me and you.   
   It seems like we as individual churches, think, 'Well, we do need more souls in our churches, but we feel too scared to go on some outreach, because we're scared that we'll say the wrong thing.'  It seems like we as the church rely on an evangelist coming in, and kinda doing the work for us. Don't get me wrong, this is good. But we as the church should be trained to go out door to door in our communities, and ask if they want to receive Bible studies.  And then others of us, can study with each one.  Or at the very least, we can go door to door and personally invite them to an evangelistic series, and those who are willing, you can pray with them!  Or you can simply give out tracts door to door.
   But before we do this, we need to be converted ourselves in our own hearts, and pray earnestly for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our lives and to give us the right words to say to the people we are witnessing to, and to bring conviction to the people's hearts.  In the Desire of Nations on p. 671,"The preaching of the word will be of no avail without the continual presence and aid of the Holy Spirit. This is the only effectual teacher of divine truth. Only when the truth is accompanied to the heart by the Spirit will it quicken the conscience or transform the life.  One might be able to present the letter of the word of God, he might be familiar with all its commands and promises; but unless the Holy Spirit sets home the truth, no souls will fall on the Rock and be broken. {DA p. 671:4 and p. 672}
   So we may have all the right words to say, and know how to present it just right, and have received our degree in evangelism, but without the Power of the Holy Spirit, it will avail to absolutely nothing!  So it's not so much about how much we know about evangelism, as it is about us having a close walk with our Savior and being filled with the Holy Spirit, which will give us the right words to say!
  I'll write more about the Holy Spirit and witnessing in my next post. :)