“An Unusual Witnessing Tool”

“But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;”

1 Corinthians 1:27

I really and truly believe that God does have a sense of humor. I think He smiles when He sees the ways that His children use unusual events or objects (that He puts in our lives in the first place) to use as tools to witness. I have been amused myself to see how a simple event in our own lives a few years ago turned into an amazing witnessing tool. And here it is! Are you ready for it? Any guesses? WOOD! Yes, I said wood. Plain ole chopped up wood from a tree. The power company told us that our huge oak tree at the end of our driveway had to come down because it was interfering with the power lines. I have to say I wasn’t really happy about this because it had already been trimmed and cut to accommodate the wires when we first built the house. I loved this old oak that at one time was so beautiful and full. We had already lost the only other oak on the property when the house was built. So I really was not a happy camper, but when the power company says it has to come down, it has to come down.

“ Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.”

Colossians 4:3-4

They said that they would take the tree down but my husband told them that he wanted to

keep the wood for our fireplace. So a few days later they came with their equipment to take our oak down. The pieces were immense and very heavy. So needless to say, because of the weather and time restraints, the wood had been sitting there at the end of our driveway for a long time. Now, we live on a road that is not well traveled and very few vehicles go by. But it was amazing how many people came to our door asking about the wood. My husband would get into conversation with each person who inquired so after the first 3 or 4 people, we decided to put a stack of tracts by the front door. Well, let me tell you that we easily gave out between 20-25 tracts by means of our unusual witnessing tool, the wood. It had become almost a daily event at our house, and we would kind of chuckle every time someone came to the door. Some people had seen the wood from Rt. 1 and came searching to see how to get to our house.

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

Romans 8:28

Again, being honest, what most of us do is try to handle things and work out things on our own. We always make a mess out of that, don’t we? It rises even higher and we feel like there is no way out and Satan is quick to make you think the same thing. Then when things couldn’t get any worse, we

finally come to our senses and do what we should have done in the beginning. We cry out to the Lord for help. Now wouldn’t we have saved ourselves so much grief and wouldn’t our lives go so much more smoothly if we could only “get” that truth?

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Isaiah 55:8-9

I’m reminded of how many times in the Bible God used unusual things to get people’s attention. Remember the parting of the Red Sea? What did Moses use? That’s right! A piece of wood made into a rod. Remember the story of Samson? He used the jawbone of a donkey and killed a thousand Philistines. Amazing, right? How about David? All he had to kill the mighty Goliath was a simple sling and a smooth stone. How many times did God use an ordinary substance like oil to show His power and wonder?

If you have been at Fairwinds for any length of time, you know that the center of our existence has always been spreading the Gospel as much as we can, to as many people as we can, in any way that we can. Our main thrust and focus here at Fairwinds is for more souls to be reached and saved.

"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:”

I Peter 3:15

You know, God puts a lot of different opportunities and unusual circumstances in our lives almost every day to spread the Gospel. Are you taking advantage of them and using them as witnessing tools or just overlooking them as a nuisance or hindrance to your own plans? We ALL are responsible to spread the Gospel to every creature.

“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”

Mark 16:15

So the next time something unusual presents itself in your life, stop and think about it. Is this a way or opportunity that God has put in my life to use as a witnessing tool for Him? Am I willing to maybe come out of my comfort zone and spread the Gospel? Remember, we are not responsible for the outcome, only the presentation. God will take it from there. Are you willing to look for ways that God can use you? Start looking and paying attention to circumstances today that you may not normally look at as being a witnessing tool. Then use it for God’s glory. You never know what may happen!

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

Acts 1:8