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!

Witnessing with a Seeker based on the Story of Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch

Day 2 of how to do Evangelism Stories:

Just as each of us are created uniquely, our spiritual journey will be just as varied and unique. The reason, the approach, and timing will be specialized based on our need.

In today's story, we will discover that sometimes the Spirit of God will tell us to go do something that requires us to take a journey in order for someone to hear the story of Jesus.It was a 47 mile journey from Jerusalem to Gaza. It would have taken at least a day to get to him by foot if he was stopped, but remember the Ethiopian Eunuch was traveling so Philip was also trying to listen and see who the Spirit of God was wanting him to share with on the road. When someone is truly seeking, God will send someone to go and share the truth in a way they can understand.

As we go through these stories we should observe the outcomes for both the disciplemaker and the one being discipled.

I have titled this story, how to witness to a seeker.

1.  Listen to what the Spirit of the LORD speaks to you.

2.  Rise up and do it!

3. Pay attention to what is happening in the surroundings and in what the people are doing.

4.  Ask questions for clarification.

5.  Help the person to understand the Scriptures.

6. Listen to the person's questions.

7.  Answer the questions and share the good news of Jesus.

8. Take your time with them.

9.  Be spontaneous when necessary.

10.  Help the person follow through with baptism.

11.  Know the person who understands will leave rejoicing.

12.  Go to where the Spirit takes you.

13.  Continue preaching the good news of Jesus where ever you go.

There are certain elements that will always be the same like telling the person about Jesus. While the way, the how, and the why will be varied from person to person.

Witnessing when there is opposition

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?

The Favor of God

Every night when I help Papa into bed, I whisper in his ear this prayer, "The LORD bless you and keep you. May His face shine upon you and give you peace." I love this blessing because it is praying for the favor of God for him. 

Every night he says, "Thank you for taking care of me and taking care of us. I love you." Sometimes, he tells me he is glad he is here. 

Once again, I find that God blesses me with how I bless others and I bask in His favor. 

I have been thinking about the favor of God alot since we moved Papa, Mema, and Aunt Jane in. I look back at all that has happened in the last year and all I can do is be in awe of the favor of God. None of it makes sense in what we have been able to accomplish and do. It is beyond us, but we know God showed His favor upon us.

Divine favor implies that the impossible has been made possible. There are so many examples of these divine moments in Scripture. A few of my favorites are found in the stories of these women. Shiphrah and Puah in saving children. Deborah giving wise counsel. Rahab in saving her family. Ruth in providing for Naomi. Naomi in giving her a family. The Widow with a jar of oil in paying her debt. The widow of Zarephath in providing food during a drought. Mary, the mother of Jesus, in giving her strength for the journey. The bleeding woman in receiving healing. The widow with a dead son in restoring him back to her. Honestly, I could make a really long list and I didn't even touch on the men. 

For whatever reason, there are these moments when one of God's children is given divine favor for the moment. Suddenly, they walk into the blessing of God's face shining on them and making a way so that satisfaction and strength enable them to thrive in the situation.

I feel that Isaiah 58:11 describes it well for me. 

"The LORD will guide you always. He will satisfy your needs in a sunscorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well watered garden like a spring whose water never fails."

I will be honest. There are days when I think, "God there is no way I can get done what will need to be done. But then as I am in the midst of our life just doing what God allows for the moment, I know the good pleasure of my frame and mind being able to do it despite me. 

But not only that I know the blessing of His good pleasure smiling, but I know the satisfaction and strength of thriving. I can't explain it, but it is so real. I find myself basking in soul satisfaction that He has made it possible for me to water the garden of humans He has given me. I feel His strength of unmerited grace pouring out on me. It is crazy amazing. I feel His shield of grace surrounding us as I am in awe as His favor rests upon us and in us. 

The favor of God is humbling me so much so that when I woke up yesterday morning I saw the word FAVOR spelled out in my mind's eye just as my mind alerted to a new day. I could not help but smile because I felt the LORD'S face shining upon me before I even got out of bed. I prayed His blessing over my family the night before and I awoke with it over me. How like our God! 

Shalom y'all.

Savor

The word SAVOR has blessed me alot recently. To savor something is to pause and just allow your senses to take it in. 

When Greg and I go on our walks I never seem to go fast enough. I love certain things so I stop. He no longer seems surprised when I walk into a random yard to touch or smell something. 

This tree is one of my favorite things to savor. I love the texture of the bark. It draws me in and I just want to touch its crinkled bark. I want to smell it and yes even hug it. Just looking at this picture makes me happy. 

Savoring something is as powerful as the gift of gratitude and thankfulness. It brings healing to the mind and body. It awakens us to the beauty around us and if we know the LORD, the awe will bring us to a position of worship.

Savoring someone or something is at the heart of 1 Thessalonians 5:18.

"Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus."

What if the whole reason God challenged us to live with a thankful heart full of gratitude that took time to savor the moment was because HE knew this would bring healing? 

What if God invites us to savor because it stops our grumbling and complaining? 

Honestly, I don't have to say, "What if!"  I know in my knower! 

When I savor, I see beauty. I feel connected in community and I express worship through thankfulness.

It is so easy to grumble and complain in our mind and with our words, but the better way is to take time to savor the moment or person. 

What do you have to be thankful for? 

How can you show gratitude? 

How can you pause and just enjoy the moment or the person? 

How can you speak life into the moment or the person?  

How can you celebrate your senses and experience things around you through them? 

Today, will you consider taking time to savor something or someone. Fully embrace the gift of your senses and just enjoy the pleasures God has already given you. 

Oh and this tree just happens to be on Cinnamon Street and I love to say this word. Go ahead and say it aloud a few times. It is beautiful that way it rolls off the tongue. Cinnamon! Cinnamon!

Now look at how the bark almost looks like cinnamon sticks. God is so good to us! 

Shalom y’all.