Preaching the Gospel

One may ask me if you believe that people are going to come to God without preaching how on earth will the gospel spread to the world. Right question. Without preaching the gospel will not spread in this world. But today the gospel is being spread so widely both in effective and ineffective ways. What concerns me more is when the life of people sharing the gospel is contrary to their faith, then their preaching is seldom serving the purpose. Unfortunately, the percentage of this kind of folks is higher than those who sincerely live a godly life and preach the gospel in simple and powerful ways.

In my perception, God has his own ways of reaching to people's heart. Most of them come to Jesus to receive a benefit and then once that is fulfilled or their inner motives are unfulfilled they quit Him and His ways. Anyways, God knows His sheep as well as the goats. What I have observed in my years in the Lord is that if someone is really and wholeheartedly searching to know God, He knows how to guide them in knowing Him. For instance, all my life as far as I remember I had a quest for knowing the deeper meaning of life like: Who is God? What is life? What is the truth?

Years later, I found God (or rather God helped me find Him) and Jesus opened my eyes to see that He is the Life. He is the Truth and He is the way to God (the Father) (John 14:6). Each person who have a deeper thirst in knowing God, He is sure to make a way to know Him. Nobody came to me to preach the gospel, no one convinced me going to church. God has his ways of reaching a man's heart. I am not saying that one shouldn't be actively preaching God's Word. Yes, people of God are chosen to do that.

But as an ordinary child of God each one of us has a philosophy to express faith or preach the gospel in different ways. I am often reminded of what Smith Wigglesworth, a pioneer of Pentecostal Revival did in one instance. Rev. Smith was the most vibrant preacher of God. Once on a visit with his friend, he saw a group of men working on an over bridge construction. Smith walked towards them and his friend was sure that Rev. Smith would seize the opportunity and preach the gospel. However, Rev. Smith did not do so and this surprised his friend. When inquired why he did not tell them anything about Jesus, Rev. Smith replied "I have left behind the presence of God with them and I am sure this will make a difference".

Though Jesus actively preached the Kingdom of God to men, there are many instances which we see where He asked people not to tell what He did. I often wondered why? Jesus never wanted people to go behind miracles... but follow Him with an inner quest of knowing Him (the Way, the Truth and the Life).

Rev. Selwyn Hughes says that there is a deep inner thirst in each soul to know the truth about God and Life. In my opinion a soul that identifies this thirst and pursues the quest of knowing them, then God has His way of reaching that soul...

John 8:32 (NIV)
Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.