GOD SAVES – NOT YOU

GOD SAVES – NOT YOU

Don’t waste your breath on fools,

for they will despise the wisest advice. Proverbs 23:9

DO YOU HAVE ONE OF THOSE FRIENDS?

You know the one . . . you continue to tell them about Jesus . . . you continue to invite them to church, and not only do they not listen, and not only do they not come to church, but they sometimes laugh at you, they make fun of you! They say things like, I don’t want to hear any more about God, I don’t want your Jesus, and I will NEVER go to your church. But still, you continue to tell them because well . . . you love them! You love them and the thought of them not accepting Jesus as Savior, the thought of them not knowing Jesus as Lord and living this life without Jesus or spending eternity in hell is just more than you can accept. So, you tell them . . . and you tell them . . . and you tell them again.

WHEN IS ENOUGH, ENOUGH?

So, when is enough, enough? We’ve all had those friends, and many of us still do, and sometimes we find ourselves wondering, when is enough, enough? When do I just give up, when do I stop telling them – they’re not listening to me anyway. After all the Bible says in Proverbs 23:9 Don’t waste your breath on fools, for they will despise the wisest advice. Ok, don’t waste your breath on a fool, but who is a fool? Is my friend a fool? Well . . . the Bible also gives us many verses that describe a fool, including Psalm 53:1 that says Only fools say in their hearts, There is no God . . . So, if after all the times I’ve talked about God and spoken of Jesus, and my friend still does not believe, then obviously they are a fool . . . right? So . . . I should just stop telling them about Jesus, right? Well maybe, but what about all those verses in the Bible that talk about love – the Bible even says that God is Love, that we are supposed to love one another as He has loved us, and even that we are to share the gospel with the whole world. So . . . should I stop, should I continue, what is the answer?

5-STEP BIBLICAL APPROACH

When faced with this situation, here is a 5-step biblical approach that I find works best for me.

1. First, I pray according to 1 Corinthians 16:9 that God will open a great door of not only opportunity – but effective opportunity, because I know when god opens that door, that effective opportunity door my friend will then be ready to hear what I have to say.

2. Second, I pray for wisdom according to James 1:5 – I pray that I may know when to speak, how to speak, and the words to speak. I also pray that if I am not supposed to speak, I will know when to shut up.

3. Third, I ask the Holy Spirit to give me His power according to Acts 1:8 so that I may tell my friends, my family, and everyone about Jesus.

4. And fourth I remember that I am not God! According to 1 Corinthians 3:6-7 my responsibility is to plant the seeds of the gospel in the hearts of my friends, and water the seeds that others have planted, but it is God who makes the seed grow. It is only God who can change a heart and bring his people to himself. This is not my responsibility, and it is not yours – this responsibility belongs to God, and God alone, and

GOD WILL DO IT!