3.22.2013 THE EVERYBODY I KNOW CAMPAIGN

philip henry's comments on repenting of EVERY SIN still are
trying to become more than thoughts..
to become fruit..actions in my life.
recently i had occasion to go through a lot of old papers
...and there are many 'loose ends' there
...much, as i am now seeing, unfinished business in my life.
vague thoughts are forming to begin a season of
examining myself now, examining my past life
with the prayer that God would bring to consciousness
all that needs to be repented of,
relationships that need to be corrected,
any recompense or restoration of any nature
that needs to be made...
so that joyful reconciliation
or the peace that comes from full repentance/ forgiveness
if actual reconciliation is not possible.

on that foundation, another thought comes,
to share my relationship with God through Jesus Christ
with, literally, everyone i have known but not done this with
to this point.

then, on that foundation, to make it a set practice
to share this with everyone with whom i have the slightest
opportunity to share...
and make this the pattern of my daily life
as long as i'm still here.
(matthew 10.7...Jesus to His disciples...'as you go, proclaim..
'the kingdom of heaven is at hand'....calls me..oh Lord change me..)

i always had heard of my uncle steve
having the practice whenever on the job with a new person,
to take the first opportunity to share his faith in Christ.
it just never hit home that this is one way
of taking Jesus' command to preach the gospel
to every creature
seriously.

Lord, You know my sinful carelessness, and often my conscious avoidance
of obeying Your command.
help me Lord.
change my heart and make it,
rather than drawing back from another eternal being
to, by Your help, become a person with Your heart
and a stretched out love
that is full of Your compassion,
that carefully, prayerfully and boldly
seeks to confront every person
with their desperate and eternal need
and with Your provision for that need,
in Jesus' name i pray, amen.