A Divine Plan
Ron Walters
It's the equivalence of carving Mt. Rushmore with a butter knife or fitting the Eiffel Tower by hand. No other man-made monument can compare in size, detail and sheer amazement to the Egyptian Pyramids. They were the centerpiece of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
For over 4000 years these monstrous rock piles have stood to celebrate the imagination of the dreamer as well as the aching back of the doer. The Great Pyramid stands 450 feet from the desert floor and covers 13 acres. It contains more than 2 million stone blocks that average 2 1/2 tons each. Within the Pyramid's confines are almost a quater-mile of passageways, elaborate chambers, and several trap doors. It's an architectural marvel, yet its massive complexity is built upon a very simple equation: design multiplied by substance plus energy plus time equals pyramid.
Sounds like evangelism, doesn't it. As with building a great pyramid, regeneration of the human heart is seldom, if ever, an instantaneous event. The words "Quick" and "Conversion" just don't go together. In fact, "Quickie Conversions" are usually signs of misunderstandings, deceptions, or both. The process of redemption is also design multiplied by substance plus energy plus time. How many questions had Nicodemus asked himself before he brought his list to Jesus? How many heartbreaks had the Samaritan woman felt before she gave her heart to the Savior? How many Christian testimonies had Saul silenced before he yielded to their message?
I've often thought that conversion is a journey of 1 to 100. Each step is linked together to form the pilgrimage. No motion is wasted. A wooed soul moves from 1 to 6 as He's invited to church for the first time. A Gospel track takes him from 11 to 14. Curiously he reads from God's word....19 to 27. A co-worker shares the love of Christ....30 to 36. A Christian concert....40 to 45. He's back in church with an open mind....58-70. He asks questions about your message....70 to 74. Someone walks him through the plan of Salvation....84 to 90. He observes Christlikeness in a friend....93 to 98. He prays a prayer of faith and repentance....99 to 100.
The Angels rejoice. Nothing has been wasted. But, who led him to Christ? Numerous people did. Who gets the credit? God does. Was there a design? Yes, even before the foundation of the world. Was there substance, energy, time? Yes, yes, yes. The story of God's indescribable gift was shown through numerous spirit-chosen methods, all at the perfect moment. And we all got to participate. In the end stood the awesome creation of God, a New Christian. One of the true wonders.
This divine construction plan uses every message you give, every song we sing, every testimony we share, every program we play. God uses it all to equip the saints and to build up the body. It can't get any better than that.
Blessings,
Ron Walters
Vice President of Church Relations
P.S. If you're looking for great preaching tools, don't forget Preaching Magazine. It's my favorite. Check it out at Preaching.com. Do your congregation a favor by subscribing.
Copyright 2007 by Ron Walters | | | | 
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 The stress of raising small children created a wall between Jeff andWende. Letting down his guard at the office, Jeff gave in totemptation and had an affair. Divorce seemed certain. Jeff andWende candidly talk about the years of work and prayer it takes to puttheir marriage back together.
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