A Beautiful, Simple Way of Partnering with Jesus by Pastor Russ Fochler

A Beautiful, Simple Way of Partnering with Jesus  Pastor Russ Fochler Last Week Jesus Awakening provided 6 organized opportunities around the Bay Area to communicate the love and goodness of Jesus.  I'm so thankful to Chuck McCallum and the team of people who provided these opportunities.  I went out Thursday afternoon to U.C. Berkeley and Friday afternoon to Pleasanton.  For both venues I received the gift of being equipped by a remarkable man named Scott McNamara.  I needed to be taught a second time for it to really make sense and "sink in" for me.  Holy Spirit must have known that ; ) Scott McNamara Has a deep passion for others to receive the same life changing encounter and relationship with Jesus he has.  Like many of us, Scott started out with offering prayers for healing or giving prophetic words.  And he will still include these things as Holy Spirit leads him. Scott found these approaches were primarily "planting seeds".   However, Holy Spirit started to work in Scott's heart that the fields are ready for harvest now: "Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together.  John 4:35-16 ESV And, as Scott continued to seek out people in his native Ireland, Holy Spirit began to give him phrases and questions that would often lead to people inviting Jesus into their life.  As a result, Scott saw the power of the Gospel bringing a harvest every time he went out. Scott demonstrates this interactive approach. (Just 5.5 minutes long)

Here are 3 keys that really helped me:   1)  While many are ready for reaping or harvest right now, not everyone is.  So, we approach someone and ask them if we can ask them a question (about the graphic of Jesus knocking on the door of a heart -- and whether they ever pray).  If the person is not interested, we can assume they are not ready.  Then, we just thank them and move on to find the "apples" who are ready to be "picked" today.    2) While we're engaging people by asking questions and explaining simple analogies of the Gospel, our trust is in God's power to save through this simple message.   We don't need to push to make it happen. 3) When people do experience God and ask Jesus to be the Lord of their life and fill them with His Holy Spirit (see the image below), it's very important to get their contact info and follow-up with them.  This is where they will need our prayers, our encouragement, and our help with discipling. This Saturday night, I'll have some of the cards (shown below) available for those interested in trying this out yourselves. May we all get this truth into our beings: Father God is at work drawing the hearts of people to Jesus.  Our part is to seek for them -- and ask them.  For the ones who aren't ready yet, we'll be planting seeds of His love along the way. For our King Jesus and the preparation of His Bride. Pastor Russ Fochler More About Jesus at the Door