God Will Bring the Increase!

"So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow."

1 Corinthians 3:7

Some time ago, I had the opportunity to witness to a young couple down at the Redondo Beach Pier. They had recently moved to the area from Miami, Florida and were in their early twenties. I spoke with them for about 20 minutes and was able to witness the Law of God work on their conscience in a way only God's Law can. When I first met them, the young lady told me that she was 100% sure that she would go to heaven when she died. When I asked her why she believed that she told me it was because she was a good person and she treated people well. Just like when Jesus encountered the Rich Young Ruler (Luke 18:18-23), Jesus corrected his understanding of the word "good" and "loved him" by taking him through the Ten Commandments. Following his example, I asked them both if I could ask them a few of the Ten Commandments to see if they were in fact good people and they were happy to do so.

Less than five minutes later, they were both admitting their guilt and told me that if they died and God was a just God, then they would be heading to hell, and rightfully so. That is the power of God's Law. In a completely loving and friendly manner, God's Law allows a person to see themselves in the true light of God's holiness and their conscience bears witness (Rom 2:15) of their guilt before God. At this point, I was able to share the grace of God and the Gospel with them which now made sense in light of the fact that they understood their sin before a righteous God and that God's judgment would leave them headed for hell. Rather than the gospel being foolishness to them, it is seen as the power of God to salvation, because like a sick person in need of medicine, they see their illness and Jesus Christ as the cure.

At the end of our conversation, I asked them if there was any sin in their life that they loved so much that they would rather hold onto it and go to hell then to surrender to Jesus Christ and receive his mercy and forgiveness. The young man then told me he smoked weed and could not see himself giving it up. That was an honest admission. It was then that I was able to share my testimony with him and how God had changed my heart and allowed me to stop drinking and smoking marijuana after I became born again. I told him that if he humbled himself and submitted to Christ then God would change him from the inside out and what seemed like an impossible habit to get rid of today would be completely changed as he became a New Creation in Christ. At the end of our conversation I asked if I could leave them a free gift. They said yes and I gave them a DVD called Why Christianity? and some gospel tracts and thanked them for their time.

Exactly 1 week later, while down at the pier witnessing to others, God allowed me to run into them again down at the pier, just as I was getting ready to leave! What are the odds of that? I was excited to see them and ask them how their week was and if they had a chance to watch that video. As I spoke with them they told me their lives had been changed. They had watched the DVD I gave them shortly after talking with them and they had both repented and put their faith in Christ that night. They had also gone to church that Sunday near where they live in Wilmington and talked with the pastor after the service. PRAISE THE LORD!!! I was so thankful to the Lord for this testimony and that He allowed me to meet back up with them to see how they were doing a week later. So many times, I never get to see the people I witness to again but God used this situation to remind me that all I am called to do is plant seeds and to water seeds, He alone is responsible for the increase. He alone begins that good work in people and He alone carries it on to completion (Phil 1:6). "So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow." 1 Corinthians 3:7

As I read once before, "we must agree with Paul that we are debtors to all men (Romans 1:14), we must preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15) and obey Christ’s command to tell of this glorious gospel to the ends of the earth and reach every living person that we can for Christ (Matt 28:19-20). Though we will never be sufficient for all of these things, we can rest in the Sovereign hand of God that He can. So much joy abounds when we are faithful to preach the Gospel. There is never one time where I have regretted telling someone about the Lord. Christian, He has chosen to use us - all of us. Go! Share the Gospel, the World Desperately Needs it!