So often we Christians think the only place a person can get saved is at an altar in a church with the pastor leading the way. We have grown accustomed to inspiring sermons followed by an altar call for lost souls to come forward to receive salvation. The pastor then comes and leads that lost soul in a prayer of faith, and viola, the angels in Heaven break out in celebration because another soul has entered the kingdom. Sound familiar? It happens in churches (I would like to say all the time but I know better) sometimes; occasionally; not as often as it should, and all to often it ends up being an emotional response to a heart-stirring message, and without the necessary baptism and discipleship, that freshly renewed soul soon drifts back into their former lifestyle.
But is that the only place where a lost soul can receive Jesus as Lord? Nope, uh-uh, nyet, nah, NO! Our Lord is anywhere and everywhere - omnipresent. He knows everything and everyone - omniscient. And He is not limited by any power or force - omnipotent. So can He work in a factory? He sure can; and any other place He chooses - or better yet, anywhere and anytime anyone is ready to accept Him as Lord.
I recently had an opportunity to be His witness in a factory environment. While working beside a young man at our our workstation, in a noisy, smelly factory, doing a hard and dirty job the Holy Spirit was right there with us. It was as simple as asking him a few questions about what he did in his free time, and he began to tell me about what he did and what he believed. He told me about his dabbling in Buddhism which opened the door for me to tell him about the one and only true God. As we continued to talk he said that he had been raised in a mainstream protestant denomination and had been baptized, but had drifted away. To make a long story short, he decided right then and there to recommit his life to Jesus. I asked him if he owned a Bible, but he did not, so I offered to bring him a Bible the next day, and he accepted. When I gave him the Bible I told him to read the books of Luke, Acts and Romans, and write down every question he had so we could discuss them. I had already put bookmarks in the Bible so it would be easy for him to find. Now we are working together toward the goal of making him a disciple, and I believe a fresh baptism not just in water, but in the Holy Spirit as well.
Does God work in a factory? He sure does! And I know one young man that is excited to know that He can and does work anywhere. How about where you work? Have you allowed God to use you as His witness at work, or school, or wherever you happen to be? You just have to be ready when the Holy Spirit provides the opportunity. That's what the Great Commission is all about. Taking the faith we have with us wherever we go and being willing to live righteously and speak up when the time is right.
In John 4:35 Jesus said "Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!" And in Matthew 28:19 He said "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
So my challenge for you this week - Go! And be prepared wherever you are.
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