Lifestyle Evangelism 101

Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.
MATTHEW 9:37-38

In Matthew 9 verses 37 and 38, Jesus, speaking to His disciples, instructed them to pray to the Lord of the harvest that He would send workers into the harvest, because the harvest was great but the workers were few.

It is still true today. We need to pray to God our father, the lord of the harvest, that He would send workers into the harvest. Who are these workers? Well, it is those of us who are willing to be used.

 Often, when we are making decisions about our careers, or where we live, and so many other significant decisions, little consideration seems to be given to how those plans fit into God’s plan for impacting the world. Money, benefits, and pension plans are given far more consideration than the leading and direction of God. We need to be careful not to let our responsibility to provide for our family distract us from the greater issue of being where God wants us to be. After all, God is more aware of our needs and responsibilities than we are.

 The question is not, “do I evangelize?’, but rather, ” how and where do I evangelize?”. Should I be a preacher or police officer? Should I be a teacher or sanitation worker? Should I be a business person or a missionary? Regardless of where I serve, I am called to the work of the harvest, and that is the work that God is calling me to. We need to pray for God’s direction as to where we best fit into His plan.

Why should we pray?

We should pray because, the job is large and the workers are few.

We need to pray because, there are too many preachers in the pulpit who shouldn’t be there and too many people who should be in the pulpit who aren’t.

We need to pray because, our greatest efforts will fail, but God’s simplest plan will succeed beyond our wildest expectations.

We need to pray because, as we pray, we will hopefully be convicted of our laziness and get off our blessed assurance and do something.

We need to pray because, we need to be awakened again to the truth of the gospel, and as a result break forth into thanksgiving, adoration and praise to God for what He has done for us. I wonder what that would do for the church!

We need to pray, that we would see how hurting our world is, and then be moved with compassion to help meet the need.

And we need to pray because, like our Father in heaven, we care!