Tag Archives: witnessing

December 11 – It’s My Right

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Romans 14-16

I believe our generation really could use a dose of Paul these days. We are always hearing about our “rights” as Americans, and about the anger that results if someone believes their rights have been denied them. We’ve become a nation of entitled people whose only concern is their personal rights.

How many government buildings no longer display the Ten Commandments or a nativity scene because some said they had a right not to see those things? What about the school that stopped displaying the American flag, or the one that no longer plays the National Anthem, because someone said they had a right not to honor this nation? We hear about a person’s “right” to health care, an education, a living wage, to make decisions about their bodies.

Off soapbox.

Paul talks about a person’s “right” to eat certain food. What about drinking alcohol, wear what they want to wear, love who they want to love? (14:13ff)

The NASB titles chapter 15, “Self-denial On Behalf Of Others.” And that’s what I think we need to hear today. Once again I am reminded that my right to do something doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t set that right aside if it will encourage someone to come to the Savior. My rights will never outweigh a person’s eternal soul. And I never want my rights to be a stumbling block to an unbeliever.

December 10 – Coming To An End

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Romans 11-13

Many Christians look to Jerusalem for signs of the times. It’s reported that God is moving in the hearts of Jews there so that many are coming to accept Jesus as their Messiah. There is great rejoicing in the Church, as there should be.

Some see that as a sign that the last Gentile is close to believing, and that “all Israel will be saved” (11:26) before Christ returns. And “all Israel” must mean the physical Jewish nation.

That confuses me, because Paul also just got done talking about the branches on the olive tree. When a branch is grafted in, it becomes a part of the tree. Even natural branches, when grafted, become part of the tree again. It’s one tree.

In 10:12 Paul tells us there is no difference between Jews and Greeks, that salvation is the same for both. In 2:11 he says God shows no partiality between Jews and Gentile.

I’m sitting here trying to get a handle on it, when I feel God say, What does it matter? If I choose to favor a people, I will. It has nothing to do with you, Connie. YOU follow me. YOU share the Gospel with people in your life. YOU do your part, and I’ll do mine… perfectly.

So I will not get into a debate over the part the physical nation of Israel plays in the big scheme of things. It doesn’t matter. What matters to me is that I am doing what God is asking of me. If it’s true that at some point a last Gentile will come to know Jesus before He returns, I’d love to be the person who introduces him or her to the Savior.

December 6 – Unimpressive, Contemptible, and Blessed

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2 Corinthians 10-13

Paul seems a little defensive. He must have been receiving some pretty harsh criticism from some of the Corinthian Christians. They said his letters were “weighty and strong,” but felt he was “unimpressive” in person. They went as far as saying his speech was “contemptible.”

Ouch.

Paul admitted that he was not a great public speaker. But he made no apologies for the message he proclaimed. That’s what I think God would have us see today.

We might not all look like Beth Moore, or preach like Billy Graham, or sing like Big Daddy Weave. But God loves to do great things through the least of us. And He does every time we submit ourselves to Him and take those steps of faith.

When we fumble over our testimony over coffee with an unsaved friend, God is glorified. When we quietly shovel snow for our neighbor, or take soup to a sick friend, or sit with someone who is mourning, God is glorified. When people recognize that what we do or say can’t possibly be by our own power, God is glorified.

Paul told his critics, “you might not like how I talk or how I look but that will not stop me from telling you the Truth.” You see, it was the message that was important, not the messenger.

We might not even like the way we look ourselves. We may have no confidence in our abilities. But let God have His way and see what amazing things He can do through us anyway. He will be glorified. And we will be blessed… and a blessing!

December 1 – Compulsion

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I Corinthians 9-11

Paul was a single-minded man. He had one aim, one purpose in life, and that was to tell everyone about Jesus. He even said, I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel.  (9:16)

Later he compared himself to a runner with the aim of winning the race, and a boxer whose blows don’t beat the air.

I asked Siri to give me a definition of the word, compulsion. Here’s what she said:

  1. The action of forcing or being forced to do something; constraint.
  2. An irrestible urge to behave in a certain way, especially against one’s conscious wishes.

It sounds like maybe if you asked Paul, being a preacher might not have been his first choice of careers. He just couldn’t help himself. He HAD to share the gospel.

In 11:1, Paul tells us to imitate him, like he imitated Christ. He said those words after talking about being a servant, about considering the faith of others above all things.

As I read these chapters in I Corinthians I am convicted. I’m not sure I have the same compulsion to share Jesus as Paul had. As Christians, shouldn’t we all have the same passion for seeing people come to the Lord? Shouldn’t we all be so focused on Jesus we just can’t help but share Him with everyone we meet?

November 26 – Say It Anyway

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Acts 17-18:18

Religion is a hot topic. People are generally passionate about what they believe. Their beliefs defend their behavior. And their beliefs are often considered personal.

The people of Thessalonica are some of many examples in the Bible of what happens when talk about religion steps on toes. They listened to Paul for several weeks, and some believed in Jesus as a result. But, as often happens, other Jews got mad. It was ok for Paul to talk about Jesus, as long as they didn’t have to admit what they had believed was not true.

So, the Thessalonians decided to form a mob, and attack Paul. When they couldn’t find Paul, they beat up Jason instead. That’s what  mobs do. And this mob fueled by jealousy wanted to hurt someone.

Then, when the Thessalonian Jews heard Paul was preaching in Berea, they followed him there to cause trouble. This was not a mob easily distracted.

Do you ever feel like people are out to get you because of your faith in Jesus? Someone seems always belittling you, or talking against you behind your back, or making fun of you in front of your peers, because “you think you’re better than everyone else”?  Take heart. You are not alone. It’s been that way for thousands of years.

We can learn from Paul who, although he left Thessalonica, he didn’t stop talking about Jesus. He went through some tough situations, but he kept sharing Christ.

Here is the thing. If you know Jesus, you know the Truth. And there is only one Truth. If you know what Jesus has said, you know all religions can’t be true. There is One way, truth, and life, and no one goes to the Father except through His Son Jesus.

If you are tempted to keep your mouth shut because of the backlash of sharing Christ, don’t do it. Keep talking. It’s eternally important that people accept Jesus. They may be passionate about their beliefs, but unless they believe that Jesus is the Messiah who died to pay for their sins, they are lost. That’s not an opinion. It’s the Truth.

Let’s not be bullied into silence. It’s not enough to know the Truth. We’ve got to be taking about it, sharing it, leading others to their Savior. When people tell us to tolerate other religions, to accept other beliefs, don’t do it. When we are told to stop saying Jesus is the only way, say it anyway.

 

 

November 20 – Not What He Expected

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Acts 11-12

I had one of those laugh-outloud moments again this morning as I read these chapters. Peter had just been miraculously freed from jail. An angel appeared in his cell where Peter slept, chained with two chains and lying between two soldiers. Guards were watching the prison, too.

But the angel told Peter to get up quickly. The chains fell off! Peter put on his shoes and coat and he followed the angel right past the guards. When they came to a gate, the gate opened all by itself. Peter was free! What an adrenaline rush.

Peter hurried to tell his friends what had happened to him. I can imagine his excitement. And we know how excitable Peter could be. He probably couldn’t wait to share the good news. I’m sure his heart was pounding in his chest.

So here’s what made me laugh out loud. A servant girl, Rhoda, answered what was probably Peter’s frantic knocking on the door. When she heard his voice and recognized it as belonging to the jailed apostle, she didn’t open the door. Instead she ran back to the other disciples to tell them Peter was there.

So here’s Peter, full of anticipation and excitement with the most amazing news to share. His hand was probably on the door knob, ready and eager to enter, when he realized he was alone. The door hadn’t  opened.

Not exactly the reception he’d imagined, I’m sure.

Of course, eventually they opened the door and let him in. He was able to share what had happened. But the moment was gone. Perhaps a little of the wind in his sails died a bit.

Sometimes people who come to the Lord have the same experience as Peter had. They meet the Savior. They ask Him to forgive them and for the first time in their lives they know what real joy is. They are washed clean, a new person in Christ, set free from the chains of sin. And they want to tell those closest to them.

So with excitement and anticipation, they burst on the scene to share the details of their conversion, only to be met with blank stares and cold shoulders. Not the reception they’d imagined.

But learn from what Peter did. He kept knocking until his friends opened the door. And I think God would have us do the same. If God has blessed you, if you have witnessed His hand in a situation, or if you’ve come to know Him for the first time, and your friends and loved ones don’t share your excitement, don’t stop knocking.

Keep talking about the Lord, keep pointing them to the Savior. Because one day, like in Peter’s case, I believe that door will open and you’ll be able to share the most incredible news with the people you love.

November 19 – Growing The Church

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Acts 9-10

As I read these chapters today I thought, “Wow. Ananias was a brave man!” God told him to go heal Saul, the church-hater, the persecutor of Christians, the one who had come to Damascus to arrest anyone naming the name of Jesus. God told Ananias to go to Saul. And he did.

Was that an act of bravery? If it were me, I’m not sure I’d be feeling very brave approaching Saul. I’d be shaking in my boots (or maybe sandals).

No, I don’t think Ananias is so much an example of a brave man, as he is an example of an obedient man.

One thing I noticed, the thing that’s convicted me this morning, is that God didn’t send Saul to Ananias. And God didn’t tell Ananias to paint his house or hire a rock band to entice Saul to come to him. God told Ananias to get up off his couch and knock on Saul’s door in person.

Ok, God. I hear You. This is how You intend to grow Your Church, one obedient person at a time. Forgive us if we depend on our pastors to do the legwork, and the praise team to draw people into our services, or our programs to get people into our doors. So often in Your Word You tell US to GO. Jesus went to the people. Philip went to the Ethiopian eunuch, Peter went to Dorcas, then to Cornelius. I don’t hear any of them inviting people to come to church. Rather, I hear them inviting them to know Jesus. I hear You saying the same thing to me. May I help grow Your Church today, as I obey Your leading to GO.

November 16 – Transformers

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Acts 1-3

Is anyone else blown away by the change in Peter? He was an uneducated fisherman who had become a disciple of Jesus. He was a bit impulsive. What did he do when Jesus asked him to pray for Him? Peter fell asleep. More than once. And when things got sketchy, our hero denied even knowing Jesus… three times. That after swearing to Jesus he’d be faithful.

Uneducated. Impulsive. Weak. That’s the Peter we know and love.

So what happened? If you read these first chapters in Acts you’ll see a confident, articulate, controlled leader. The first sermon he ever preached saw 3,000 converts. That sermon, and his second recorded in chapter 3, are still speaking to hearts thousands of years later.

And, dear one, these things happened only weeks after Jesus’ death on the cross. Peter hadn’t gone to seminary, or watched You Tube videos on public speaking techniques. The change in Peter happened after the Holy Spirit filled him.

You and I have the same Holy Spirit in us, once we repent of sins and accept Jesus’ gift of forgiveness. That same Spirit that transformed Peter has the power to transform us, too.

If you have kids, you know what Transformers are. They are toys that can morph from one form to another. The child is in control. He manipulates a few parts, and you have a powerful robot to fight their battles. It’s a completely different toy. The transformed toy doesn’t look like the original toy at all.I thought of that when I read about Peter.

Because Peter was transformed when the Holy Spirit took control. And the transformation is astounding.

Do you have the attitude that God can’t use you? You’re too shy. Or uneducated. You don’t know what to say. Your past is too ugly. You can’t sing, and you would probably die before you had to stand in front of a Sunday School class full of eight-year-olds. That’s the old you.

If you know the Savior, the Holy Spirit is living within you. And if you adopt the attitude of, “I can’t” you are telling the Spirit that HE can’t. Do you really want to go there?

I believe God wants us to be His Transformers. He wants to change us, to use us, to morph us into vessels through which He can reach the world. He transformed Peter in a dramatic way.

And He’s transforming lives still today. Has He transformed you?

October 28 – In Praise of a Dishonest Steward

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Luke 16-17:10

The first part of chapter 16 is subtitled, “The Unrighteous Steward” in my NASB. At first glance it might appear that God is congratulating the dishonest man for his ingenuity, then telling us to be more like him. (8-9) Is God really saying it’s ok to cheat people if our intentions are good?

I read several commentaries this morning trying to get a handle on this parable, and the interpretations are widely varied. So I’ve sat here for a few minutes considering all the opinions, and asking God to show me what He wants me to know today. This is my take-away:

God has entrusted His people with the riches of His glory. He gave us His only Son, gave us access to the Throne Room, and has opened the doors of Paradise to us. He has given us Himself. The riches we hold cannot even be counted.

But we, like the dishonest steward, have squandered God’s riches. We continue to sin. We don’t always obey Him or share Him with unsaved friends and loved ones. We don’t always represent Him well in the workplace or at the ballgame. We take our salvation for granted, even though we know what it cost Jesus to give it to us.

I think God would have us consider the fact that, whenever we squander an opportunity to use the riches of His glory, we have lost that opportunity forever. We will never get yesterday back.

The steward in the parable didn’t continue to squander the master’s riches. In fact, he made opportunities to serve his master. The steward didn’t wait for the people to come to him. He sought them out.

And that’s my take-away. I stand here before you a dishonest steward. I have to admit that there have been way too many times I have not protected or used that which God has entrusted to me.

I stand before God and ask Him to forgive me, to show me opportunities to serve Him. I don’t want to sit in my recliner today when there are people I know and love who need to see Him in me. Maybe I need to have lunch with one of them this afternoon, or pick up the phone to reconnect with another.

I hold in my heart the riches of God’s glory. Am I going to waste it, or use it for His sake? I can beat myself up about lost opportunities, or I can forget what is behind and press on toward the goal of being a good steward of God’s riches.

I know that there is more to this parable than what I’ve shared today. There are more lessons to learn from these verses. But that dishonest steward has convicted me today. If he can get on the ball and work for his master, I have so many more reasons to get out there and work for mine.

 

October 17 – Shaking The Dust Off

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Matthew 14; Mark 6; Luke 9:1-17

Jesus’ twelve disciples were given power to heal diseases as He sent them out to tell people about Him. “Spread the Gospel,” He told them. “Heal their sick. But if they refuse to listen, don’t waste your time. Leave that place and go where hearts are ready to hear.”

I have a friend who changes the subject every time I want to talk about the Lord, or any time I give thanks to God. She has attended a few church services with me over the years. But generally speaking, she is closed to listening to anything about my love of Jesus.

Does this Scripture say I should just walk away from this friendship? Shake the dust from my feet and move on because she is not listening? I don’t think so.

There might be a fine line between sharing the Gospel with a lost world, and being obnoxious and pushing people further away. I don’t think this Scripture gives us an excuse to remain silent. I think it tells us to follow God’s lead, and be ready to speak to people whose hearts are ready to hear.

I don’t push my friend to talk to me when I feel the barriers go up. In a sense I guess I do shake the dust off those conversations. But I also look for the next opportunity to share the Lord with her. And I pray that God will continue to soften her heart and prepare her to listen sometime soon.

Because I don’t think that God, who is not willing that anyone die without Him, gave up on those cities that weren’t listening to His disciples at that time. And I don’t think He wants me to give up on my friend.

Father, I pray for your children today. May you give us a sensitivity to know when to speak and when to remain silent. Prepare the hearts of our friends and loved ones to receive You as their Savior. And may we be obedient to share the Gospel when You nudge us to do so. Help us not to waste words before it’s time. But make us eager to jump right in when You give us the opportunity. May souls find their Savior today when hearts are ready and we are faithful.