Imitate me!

It seems lately that I am really struggling for a focused Bible study time. There are so many interruptions, distractions, interests, and well lack of focus. I find myself praying, "God please let me meet you."

This morning I had to snort when the thing that God used to hit me was this truth.

You know how Paul says, "I urge you, then, be imitators of me" (1 Cor. 4:16). Well, somehow I have never heard or caught that this is embedded in a section where Paul is talking about how God was using him and the apostles as an "exhibition" or "spectacle" for the world, angels, and men. Paul then lists off that they were fools for Christ's sake. They were weak, disreputed, thirsty, poorly dressed, buffeted, homeless, laboring, reviled, persecuted, slandered, and viewed as refuse! (1 Cor. 4:10-13). Oh and I urge you then be imitators of me!

Oh my! Personally, I do not like that list. When I hear about being an imitator of Paul, I want to focus on writing and speaking the truth with a profound clarity. I don't want to focus on suffering and struggles. Yet, this is the list Paul gave when he said, "Be an imitator of me."

I don't know about you, but I know I sure fall short in my imitation of Paul much less Jesus. 

Paul reminds us that the kingdom does not consist of talk, but it comes in power. See, he did not persevere through these hardships alone. He had Christ in Him and the power of His Resurrection at work. This is what Paul wants us to imitate. No matter what comes our way to surrender ourselves to God and let His power manifest itself in us and through us.

The reality is life is hard. Relationships are a struggle even when we love someone. No one is exempt from suffering. We all suffer. But, how we suffer matters. This is the key distinction. Do I do it with grumbling and complaining or do I do so by the power of Christ in me?

I admit it I don't always get it right. Ugh. Paul says it is required of stewards in the mysteries of God to be found faithful (1 Cor. 4:1). So when you mess up, pick yourself back up. Acknowledge it, bring it to God, and ask Him to help you to walk in His power and not your own.This is how we can join in being the imitators of Christ just like Paul. 

Shalom y’all!

Witnessing in a Place of Prayer based on Acts 16:11-15).

Evangelism Story #4 based on Acts 16:11-15.

Sometimes, one of the last places we would anticipate witnessing will be in house of prayer or a known place of worship. But, sometimes these can be the places we might encounter some of the toughest resistance and attack.

This was true for Paul & Silas. First, I want you to notice that he has a new leader on his journey with him. Don't ya know this is because he sought to invest deeply in Silas. Oh boy! Was Silas about to learn some seriously hard lessons. Like, going to the house of prayer does not mean all things will be lovely and easy. Quite the contrary! 

Witnessing in a house of prayer based on Acts 16:11-15.

1. Go to places of prayer as you travel about.

2. Enjoy conversations with those present. In this case, it was only women that were present. They were not ignored because of their gender or told to go home. They were engaged in conversation because they were there to worship.

3. Trust God to open the hearts that need Him. So do not assume that because someone is in a house of prayer to worship that they have believed in Jesus as their Savior (for the forgiveness of sins). 

4. Once someone believes, support them to follow through of baptism to show that a decision to follow Jesus has occurred. Remember, baptism is an outward expression of an inward change.

5. Watch for faithfulness. You will be able to see that a heart change has occurred by the actions that are taken after as well as the impact on others around them.

Did you notice that we cannot assume belief based on a person's presence in a religious setting? We must remain faithful in sharing the goodness. God will reveal what needs to happen to the heart that is open for true worship.

How to share a testimony

Witnessing in the face of opposition based on Acts 13:3-12

Day 3 of Evangelism Stories:

So yesterday in church as Dr. Eckman taught, he mentioned a story I hadn't considered using, but it was so profound that I added it to my story set.

Today's story is based on Acts 13:3-12. It is quite short, but so profound. I am ashamed to say that in all the years that I have read through the Bible I have never noticed Sergius Paulus until yesterday. But, Oh how I love him now! 

This story models for us how to travel to far places to share the good news and what to do when confronted with opposition that hurts the faith of those seeking truth.

1. Fast and pray with your believing community.

2. Trust your community to lay hands on you and send you. (This represents support, authority, and provision).

3. Make sure you are sent by the Holy Spirit.

4. Proclaim the Word of God upon arrival in the synagogue (the place where the religious go).

5. Travel in pairs like Paul and Barnabas and welcome others join you (Mark).

6. Travel sharing all over.

7. When requested, go to share with the one requesting you to share.

8. When confronted with evil opposition or false teaching that hinders the faith of others rebuke them in the Holy Spirit's leading. Confront it head on.

9. Speak a miracle into happening. I confess that this one is harder for me. It may be my lack of faith or upbringing. I know God can do the miraculous, but I might not pray something like strike him with blindness. I am more likely to pray LORD, give us a miracle like you did for Paul with the evil magician. Move in such a way that he is silenced and those watching are amazed. Move in such a way that they cannot help but believe. So, I will pray for bold belief to speak what I must so that the enemy is silenced and faith increases.

10. Watch as others believe and are amazed at the teaching of God's Word.

I am so glad I caught this little story. It really is profound as a model for us as we go and share the good news of Jesus.

It is fun to be in the Word, to be with Jesus so we can be transformed. 

Shalom y’all!

How to share a testimony based on Paul's Testimony before King Agrippa in Acts 26

I was recently asked by a leader in an oral context how to tell a personal testimony in an oral culture. I didn't want to just give the typical here are the three things you must do. It is important to me that I am using Scripture as the authority to teach the process.

Who better to start with than Paul as he stood before King Agrippa? 

So, I am looking up various stories in the Bible that model sharing a testimony. 

Here is what I discovered from Paul's encounter in Acts 26. Go check it out and see if I missed anything.

1. Get permission to speak. 

2. Find a way to bring honor to the one you speak to. This is not for manipulation, but for connection!

3. Share about the one thing in your past that has changed the most. Do not give ugly details. Simply the gist of it.

4. Share the hope you now have in Jesus.

5. Explain why you are now sharing with the one you seek to honor with your testimony.

6. Share why it is important to know Jesus and what one must do as a next step. 

   A. Open your eyes. 

   B. Move from darkness to light.             C. Receive forgiveness. 

   D. Repent and turn to God.             

   E. Produce the deeds in keeping with repentance.

7. Give praise to God for His help.

8. Speak boldly even when accused and rejected as you are called out of your mind.

9. Point out that you are speaking truth rationally. Make sure you do so!

10. Point out how you and the one you are sharing agree. 

11. Be persuasive so that a nerve is struck.

12. Express that you long for them to be like you in what you know and believe. 

Please know there is no set order and there may not be all of these elements, but it is a good pattern to follow because it is provided as an example in Scripture.

Witnessing with a Seeker

What does it mean to walk worthy of the manner of your calling? (Based on Ephesians 4)

What does it mean to walk worthy of the manner of your calling? 

Well, we do not have to work hard to think about it because Paul gives us quite a hefty list in Ephesians 4 that shows the does and don’ts. 

I love that Paul starts us off with knowing and understanding the character and nature of God! He doesn’t hit us with how we should behave until he has first shown us how God is toward us. The very first thing Paul makes sure to clarify is that we have One Father, One God, who is Father of ALL! We need to get this right. There is ONE Most High GOD that is Creator God! He alone provides us with the spirit of unity and peace. He graciously provides us with grace gifts that are intended to be used for building up the kingdom of God not ourselves! This means that the very words we speak about another and how God has chosen to give them a grace gift must build them up NOT TEAR THEM DOWN!!! Otherwise, we are dissing God! Hmmmm! That should truly cause a holy pause every time we speak. 

The LORD gives grace gifts in accordance with the measure given in Christ Jesus’ gift. How He chooses to bless a person with certain gifts is not up to them or to those around them. It is GOD given with the intent that it is used to attain unity! Let me repeat this one again. IT IS GIVEN SO IT WILL BE USED TO ATTAIN UNITY! 

This type of unity will build up the faith of others, build up the knowledge of God, bring about maturity that understands the stature and fullness of Christ not just among the believing community but with those watching us. 

Paul does not say it here, but I am hearing the beautiful sound of love he speaks of in 1 Corinthians 13 making a melody in the heart, mind, soul, and spirit. NOT A CLANGING GONG that hurts!!! We must remember that those around us are listening and watching us! Do they see love? Are they drawn into His presence by our words? 

Paul reminds us that we are a body as believers. This means that when one of us hurts we all hurt. If I destroy someone verbally or hinder their use of their gifts, then I am only hurting myself. Silencing someone from using their Christ given grace gifts given by HIS measure hurts the whole believing community. This terrifies me! I do not want to be the one that hinders growth in my own body! Do you? 

It also terrifies me because when we walk in darkness, we become calloused, and our hearts are no longer soft. Maybe this is why Paul reminds us to get rid of bitterness, anger, wrath, clamor, and slander. We are created in the likeness of Christ and He is the Light of the World (Genesis 1:27; John 8:12). 

If I am ignoring or hurting someone based on the grace gift given to them through Christ, then I am snuffing out the method God has chosen to shine the Light of the world! 

I love that Paul reminds us that we must put on soft hearts that are pliable, generous, pure, and full of truth. 

Have you ever thought of the fact that it is generosity that allows someone to use their grace gift? 

These character traits are not spoken to any one type of person not male, female, race, creed, educational status, etc. These are spoken to the body of Christ! 

Paul tells us that we must put on the blessing of a pliable heart that is generous, pure, kind, righteous, holy, honest, forgiving just to name a few of the character traits he reminds us to live by as we seek to live at peace as we serve. 

When Paul says, “walk in the manner worthy of your calling,” I am reminded clearly that I must seek to honor the gifts that I have been given and one of the best ways to do this is to use them to build others up. I also want to give them the opportunity to use their grace gifts to build others up as well! This is what brings honor! 

Beloved, we are created after the likeness of God. We are created in Him for His glory to build up the body of Christ. When we are living and serving properly the entire body of Christ will grow. Maturity is a calling to holy excellence! This is what it means to walk worthy of the manner of your calling.

Steward of God's Grace

I was struck by Paul's words in Ephesians 3:2-3, "Stewardship of God' grace." 

Paul was given a stewardship or ability to protect and dispense God's grace to the Gentiles. This could be referencing the gifts that God gave him or it could be referencing the revelation or knowledge of what God was doing. Or maybe both. 

The point is that he was the one being used of God to implement HIS strategy to reach all peoples.

Paul acknowledged that he was simply the messenger of God's truth.  

How are we like Paul in stewardshiping God's gifts? How are we like Paul in dispensing His good news? 

Peter reminds us in 1 Peter 4:10 that whatever gift we have received to serve others; we should be faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. 

When I was in my twenties, I took a spiritual gift inventory and discovered that shepherding, teaching, and discipleship were my top spiritual gifts. I topped out on the test. I didn't even know what that meant at the time. I had to have it explained to me. I still top out on these, but now other areas have grown. 

I am so thankful I was under leaders that encouraged me to grow and mature in my spiritual gifting. I am so thankful they encouraged me to be a good steward of the gifts God gave me and then showed me ways to use them. 

What I discovered through seeking to steward my God given gifts is that they are what bring me into His presence and cause me to live in awe, wonder, and joy the most. The stewardship of His grace gifts allows me to know His grace more and more.

Would you consider praying to be a good steward of God's grace?

Who do you send?

Who can tell all about my activities?  Who am I willing to send to go share about them? 

Who can I send to encourage another for me? Or go and give instructions that I trust? 

Who brings comfort to my soul? Who will give comfort to another if I say, "Will you go?"

Who prays in such a way that I would send them to go pray for another?

I love that Paul can list specific men by name for each of these questions.

This morning as I reflected through these questions many of you on this page are some of the faces that came to mind that I could send in my name. It is truly a beautiful trust. 

Thank you for being you.