It seems for the last few weeks my heart and mind has been routinely visiting the thought of evangelism. How can I be more effective in today’s times by using the gifts and talents that God has given me. I have had a very rewarding summer with family and friends. I have been blessed to attend a spiritual retreat hosted and taught by this spiritual website that I am a daily part of. Also, attending Wednesday Bible Studies at my local church with my family. As well as a summer camp meeting with morning and night services for almost a week. We even had the opportunity at both the retreat and camp to enjoy sharing meals in fellowship time. How blessed I have been. But, the question still lingers in my mind, ‘how can I improve my skill of blessing others with spiritual food?
The Holy Spirit has been so faithful yet gentle with me through my journey of thought. I have tried to respond likewise. I had a very interesting encouraging experience this week.
I don’t routinely buy the local weekly newspaper, but for some reason, I picked one up yesterday, The Chowan Herald, and before I went to bed last night, I saw the community section, with a bold title: “Cash For Scripture Puts Word in Heart”, and a picture of the gentleman the article was about. I would like to share some of the inserts from the article.
“Jim Leggett loves to share the Word of God. On many Saturday mornings he can be found in the parking lot outside McDonald’s in Edenton doing just that. Leggett offers a $40 Food Lion gift certificate to anyone who can recite two verses of Scripture from memory. Response has been slight so far, Leggett said, but he’s not giving up. I like to think of this as a spiritual stimulus, said Leggett. I believe the majority of Americans have a Bible in their homes, Leggett said, but I sometimes wonder how often they read it and make what it says a part of their daily lives. That’s what I’m trying to encourage them to do. By encouraging someone to recite Scripture, Leggett figures he helps that person keep God’s Word in their heart.” The article ends with this paragraph: “I intend to keep on doing it, Leggett said, despite the slow response so far. I think it’s the right thing to do.”
Thank you, Mr. Leggett, for your faithful persistent faith in action; and, The Chowan Herald for publishing this story. I, too, intend to keep on posting on thedailylily.org the Word of The Lord and staying faithful with my gifts and talents despite the slow response, and, I stand with Mr. Jim Leggett, I think it’s the right thing to do!
What about you?
thedailylily.com 
Amen Tammy,
I, too, will keep on writing. In my study of Mark this morning, Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was. According to Mark 12: 29 Application Bible it says, “The most important commandment is this. ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and my Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important; ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'” No other commandment is greater than these.”
Knowing this, how can we not keep on writing hoping that someone out there will grab on to the HOPE that is REAL, HOPE that we can count on as a promise from our LORD if we except Jesus as our Savior. HOPE that was role modeled by our Savior that NO amount of suffering can do you in, Jesus got the VICTORY, HE AROSE and we can too! Whether we suffer in our daily walk on earth or unto death, we have the VICTORY as Jesus did. What better LOVE do we have than to lead someone to JESUS who will set each individual free and give HOPE which is eternal and a PROMISE from GOD.
Read about Mr. Leggett… http://www.dailyadvance.com/node/122640
and, thank you Needles for posting. We need this. O how we need this. This reminds me of how we feel so often and how Elijah felt when he said, “I am the only one of the LORD who is left, …”
‘Faithful persisitence faith in action’ is a labor of love for others to have an opportunity to know Christ. We can all probably say where would we be today if someone had not shown ‘Faithful persisitence faith in action’ to us. Reading your blog, Needles, and the account of Mr Leggett does reaffirm that its ‘the right thing to do’. I thank the Lord we have the Daily Lily which provides us opportunity to read, and write.
Great story. Thank you, Needles, for bringing it to our attention and thank YOU, HOLY SPIRIT, for prompting Needles to purchase the “Daily Advance”. BTW, the name of the newspaper sort of reminds me of our blog. As we write on the “Daily Lily’ we do “advance” the cause of Christ. Mr. Leggett is an overcomer and a fine model for us in the Body of Christ.
And, as I read Needle’s blog a few minutes ago about Mr. Leggett and how she, too, will continue writing on thedailylily.org to help put forth the Word of God, something resonated in my mind. For this morning I was reading Moody Bible devotional and one of the editors, Paul Currie, wrote a short editorial about what the MOODY DEVOTIONAL that is his “privilege and honor to produce, from making editorial decisions to choosing fonts and colors. He goes on to say that this “job” is a highlight in his life, i.e. producing the lessons on the Word of God.
The I paused in my reading and thought… what a marvelous profession to be an editor of publishing God’s Word and lessons on the Scripture, all day long. That would be such a wonderful “job”, so to speak. it was then that I believe the Lord spoke to my heart and said….”You do have that same privilege. You are a publisher, you do make decisions on what is to be published. You have all of that on thedailylily.org.!!!!! And I laughed with joy. So, I too, will continue writing and sharing and reading and learning on thedailylily.org for it is an honor and a privilege to be able to have a platform on which to share the Word of God with all the earth.
“I stand with Mr. Jim Leggett, I think it’s the right thing to do!
What about you?” My answer, me, too!
Needles thank you for sharing this awesome story about Mr. Leggett. What a inspiration! I agree with Mr. Leggett and Sara, I also think it is the right thing to do. I pray that God will bless Mr. Leggett as he journeys through his mission field. I also pray that the Lord blesses each writer on the Daily Lily as we journey through our mission field. May these efforts to reach others glorify the Kingdom of Heaven. Thank you Jesus for those who will consistantly make a stand for you….
Would love to hear some other creative ways that the church is presenting the gospel. It is a new day and a new way. We have a powerful story to tell. It is exciting to see how many platforms we have today to tell this story of wisdom, grace, love, hope and peace.
Needles, maybe you could give us the info about your local community Bible study for woman in Edenton beginning this month. I love how All are invited. Great way to find new friends, take new FB friend and enjoy fellowship each week while hearing God’s Word!
I have been thinking today that we need to be as skillful with God’s Word as a skilled surgeon. Think about this, “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Like 12:32 And, He is capable! “the silver is mine and the gold is mine,” declares the Lord Almighty. Hag 2:8 NIV. Hum, Mr. Leggett has lots of $40 to give out. What about us?
John 1:1-5 ” In the beginning the Word already exsisted. The Word was with God and the Word was God. 2 He existed in the beginning with God. 3 God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. 4 The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extingish it.”
Yes, the local Bible study for the community will be held on Thursday mornings, from 9AM til 11AM, at the St. Paul’s Episcopal church/fellowship hall, in Edenton, NC. The first meeting has not yet been scheduled, but a breakfast meeting will be held on Sept. 16. to start us off.
Hebrews 4: 12 tells us God’s word is a powerful instrument. “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.”
I can see why Sara says we need to be as skillful w/ it as a skillful surgeon. We can either bring correction, help, restoration and healing to someone (the life chickenfarmer is speaking of) or we can injure or kill them with the same words used incorrectly or at the wrong time.
This morning Sara made a strong plea to our hearts that, as we study the lesson in Ps.119 taught by Gary, that we must determine what to take from those scriptures and teachings to effect a change in our life-style. The plea was concerned with our rethinking and re-programming ourselves, our attitudes , renouncing our selfishness and thinking, not autonomously, as Gary pointed out, but in relationship to the lost and dying souls all around us; ( And this is my take on it.) the myriad of people we speak to, work with, who serve us in the shops, restaurants, the grocery store, the car wash!! What can we take to heart from the Scriptures and what can move our hearts to embolden ourselves to move, to speak, to act, to witness, to invite, to do SOMETHING, that when the Holy Spirit presents a situation, a scenario, an opportunity, we will not be stumps or bumps on a log but we will respond with some message of encouragement of the Lord.
A case in point, lest I have not been clear in what I am writing. One of my colleagues inquired and asked me what was thedailylily.org. I should have been instant in season and out of season. And it was really “in-season” as I had on an apron that read thedailylily.org. But I did not have the card ready so that when she asked, she had to write it down on a scrap of paper. I pray that I did NOT lose the moment but it will be only by the grace of God that I can repair that connection when I see her again. Sara asks, “where is the passion for souls?” I want that passion but only, as Gary says, when i seek FIRST AND ONLY the KINGDOM OF GOD. And then….all these other things will be added by a God of mercy.
I think each category of people that MG has mentioned in her above list is waiting for truth, including us. I love God’s word applied to medicate my woes, isms, and other maladies that need what I call wordzac. Give it exact and healing and freedom flows!
Paul, Silas and Timothy were apparently masters at Sara’s ‘wordzac’ and knew the difference between words and exact words from God.
“When the Message we preached came to you, it wasn’t just words. Something happened in you. The Holy Spirit put steel in your convictions.” 1 Thess. 1:5
In Gwen Shaw’s book I read this, (concerning evangelism, witnessing and sharing with the lost). “There is a short season for every nation, every tribe, every person. This is the time to sow the seed of life. If we miss it, another opportunity may not be given, again.”
Oh, yes the time IS short not only for those who are being called into the Kingdom but short for us. We just have this small, precious time called our human life-span on earth. After that, it WILL be too late.