“Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.”
--John 4:35
If you are a follower of Christ… if you claim the Lord Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior… you are called to share your faith with others.
Yet, if you find sharing your faith difficult, I want to offer you a word of encouragement today: In spite of your weaknesses, in spite of your past mistakes or struggles, you can be an effective and successful witness for the Lord Jesus Christ. You can share your faith!
First, ask God to give you a passion for people. That’s where it all begins! Sharing your faith isn’t so much a program or technique as it is a passion of the heart. So ask God to give you a burden… a desire… a passion… to talk to your friends and family about Jesus.
Second, be authentic. Most people can identify with the ordinary, real experiences you’ve had in your life. So don’t be afraid to let people know how God is working in those ordinary, everyday experiences! Remember… people aren’t looking for perfection. They’re looking for someone who’s real.
Third, love people unconditionally. This is a hard one! But this is what Jesus did… and it’s what you and I are to do as well. No matter how people may mistreat or misuse you.
Finally, share Jesus now! This is why Jesus says in today’s verse, “Lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.” It’s the responsibility of every Christian to introduce as many people as possible to Jesus. Today! Right now!
It’s my prayer that you will get out of your comfort zone this week… and begin sharing your story of grace with those who need to hear it!
IS SHARING YOUR FAITH AN IMPERATIVE FOR YOU?
Today's Devotion
Our Attitude toward God’s Commands
Friday, September 06, 2019
by Dr. Paul Chappell
“Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.”
1 John 5:1–3
God is not just our loving friend who has promised to supply all of our needs. He is also the King who is high and lifted up, and He commands and demands our obedience to His instructions. The way that we view the commands of God speaks volumes about the condition of our hearts. If we love God as we should, then we do not find His rules to be onerous. R. A. Torrey said, “Cultivate prompt, exact, unquestioning, joyous obedience to every command that it is evident from its context applies to you. Be on the lookout for new orders from your King. Blessing lies in the direction of obedience to them. God’s commands are but signboards that mark the road to present success and blessedness and to eternal glory.”
If our love for God is not what it should be, then we will balk at obeying His commands. We will find them heavy burdens that we have to bear rather than wise fences placed to keep us from harm and danger. God has not set arbitrary rules, nor does He desire to keep us from enjoying life. Every command has a purpose and a reason, and is to be fully obeyed. But when we do not love God rightly, we also demonstrate a lack of belief in His love for us. This lack of love changes our view, both of Him and of His Word. The first step to joyful obedience is not found in our actions, but in our hearts.
Today's Growth Principle:
Our attitude toward what God has instructed us to do is molded by our love for Him—or lack thereof.
|
No comments:
Post a Comment