Letter from Cody: Evangelism – June 2013

Two younger cooks helping to demonstrate

One of the biggest challenges that we face in the world today is that everyone thinks they are fine. People have told me countless times as we visit them or hand literature to them, “I’m good.” When everyone thinks that they are “good,” it is very difficult to share with them the only One who truly is good. (Matthew 19:17) This phenomenon should not surprise us, for we find this exact condition foretold by Jesus, “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing.” Revelation 3:17. As we face this Laodicean attitude all around us in the world, we also must ask ourselves, Do we think we are “good” when we are in desperate need of the help that only our Savior can give? “The sin that is most nearly hopeless and incurable is pride of opinion, self-conceit. This stands in the way of all growth. When a man has defects of character, yet fails of realizing this; when he is so imbued with self-sufficiency that he cannot see his fault, how can he be cleansed?” Testimonies, vol. 7, 199. While lamenting the self-sufficiency in others, could the most hopeless and incurable sin of our own pride of opinion be plaguing us? I believe this is a major reason we are still here. God desires to finish His work. Everything is set for the final scenes of the great controversy, but we are still too self-important. “I saw that none could share the ‘refreshing’ unless they obtain the victory over every besetment, over pride, selfishness, love of the world, and over every wrong word and action.” Early Writings, 71. These root sins stand in the way of God filling us with His power to finish His work. May we seek the Lord more earnestly that this most incurable sin may be eradicated from our lives that we may receive the power to finish the work.

A recent baptism from literature evangelism

As we recognize the complacency and pride of opinion that fill our world, it is crucial that we find ways to share the gospel in a self-satisfied world. One way in which we have sought to do this in our area is through health classes that also combine spiritual truths. We have just finished a Healthy Living Seminar, and we praise God for the opportunity to share with those interested in discovering how to take care of their “soul temple.” Each evening we held health lectures, cooking demonstrations, natural remedy nuggets, gardening tips and a spiritual thought during the taste-testing. People were eager to learn and many shared that they wanted to make needed changes in their lives to feel better and have clearer minds. Another tested and true way to reach people for the kingdom is bringing truth-filled literature to their doors. Recently we praised the Lord for how He worked with this simple method. Last year as the church was going door-to-door one Sabbath afternoon, we met many people with varied interests, but one of the brothers was more persistent. He kept knocking on doors even when the time was over because he wanted to find a solid contact, and the Lord blessed his perseverance. He began talking to a family and kept in touch with them, then invited them to an evangelistic seminar, then Bible studies and church, and now just recently the wife and mother was baptized. Truly the Lord blesses as we seek to do our part to reach the lost with the message of mercy. No matter how difficult it may seem, the Lord has His children! May we seek the Lord for a deeper humility before Him that we may have greater power to break through the world’s lethargy with the final message of hope for a lost world.

Serving the samples

Yours for a finished work,

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