What can God do through you?

Have you ever stopped to ask yourself the question “Why would God want to use me?” To be honest with you, I was completely unable to think of any reason in my own case! It never ceases to amaze me What a privilege it is to be used by the Lord to witness, to pray for someone who is sick, with someone in a desperate situation or to lead someone to Christ. What an undeserved honour!

Amazingly, God chooses to accomplish His divine will through men and women like you and me. He does this in many ways and it is an exciting experience when you make yourself available to God to be a vessel for the Master’s use.

Another consideration in regards to this is His timing, which is perfect. There will occasions when He will use you to speak ‘a word in season’ to someone who is in difficulty, or is away from God, or to pray for a person who is sick. God can also prompt you to give, perhaps of your time or even financially to a ministry that is reaching the lost with the Gospel. Whenever you do what God has led you to do, will always of value.

Sometimes the way that He chooses to work through you may be unusual or it can even seem insignificant. I would even go so far as to say that sometimes we may even be unaware of how He is working through us.

“As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, The Lord needs it.” Luke 19: 29-31

Reading the scripture above must mean that the Lord organised for the man with the colt to be in a certain place, at a specific time, with the colt. In fact the timing of this must have been right down to the second. This man was available to be used by God so that the Lord was able to make His entry into Jerusalem. He isn’t mentioned at all by name, but his obedience and availability is remembered by Christians every year on Palm Sunday.

The question for you today is, what does God want to accomplish through you?

One thing is certain - that He has a plan for your life to give you a hope and a future. Also part of that plan will involve you being ready, willing and available for Him to call upon. No, not someone else, but you!

Key Point: It is often used as a cliché, but the saying is true. “It’s not about your ability but rather it is about your availability.”

These blogs are all about how we can win the lost to Christ in an ever-changing world. There are many things that you can get actively involved in that don’t involve preaching on the streets or doing radical evangelism. You may feel called to that type of witnessing, but there are many other ways that you can help that are proven to be effective. Here are just a few:

What can you do?

Pray: You can pray of course - for your own family, friends and for people that you know are in need in your community. If your church has an evangelistic ministry you could pray for them. They need it because they are on the front line. We are in a battle with an enemy that does not want to lose. We have to be intentional in prayer and do battle with the kingdom of darkness.

"From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force.” Matthew 11: 12

Witness: You can make yourself available to God to witness for Christ. If you ask the Lord to provide you with opportunities to witness, you will soon find yourself bumping into people who are ready to hear the message. As the saying goes, “When you pray coincidences happen. When you don’t pray, they don’t happen.” God will equip you and empower you do it. Step out in faith and say to God, “Here I am send me!” Sending you could mean speaking to neighbour next door. Oh, and the Holy Spirit will go with you. Wow!

Get involved in compassion ministries: This is a fantastic way of reaching people in need.  Acts of kindness break down all kinds of barriers. Feeding and helping the poor, helping the aged, working with the homeless, refugees, working with groups and individuals who have special needs, all open the door for the Gospel. These are ways to show the love of Jesus in your community. 

Give: You can give to evangelistic teams or organisations that “Go” with the message of salvation. That can be in your own country or overseas. As I write this we are in the process of finalising a missions trip to Russia where I will visit four cities sharing my testimony “A Fall From The Top” and much of the cost of this has so far been met by people with a heart to give. In my mind they are just as important as those people who actually preach and lead people to Christ. Without them the vision for mission wouldn’t happen.

What can God do through you?

The moment of realising who Jesus is

As we witness to people about the Gospel, we must remember that it is about the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It does not concern how much money we can get and any other benefits. Yes of course God can do that, but the reason people need salvation is to save them from a lost eternity in a place of torment created for Satan and not about things or benefits they can receive.

The jailer in Acts 17 didn’t fall on His knees in front of Paul and Silas and say,  “What must I do to get God to give me a new donkey?”He asked “Sirs, what must I do to be saved”?

There will be a moment when a person realises in their heart who Jesus is and why He died for them. That pivotal point comes only by revelation from God. When it happens, they will be changed forever.

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.” Matthew16:16-17

At our local fellowship every month, we have a visit from David, a exceptionally gifted Bible teacher who is able to expound the word of God in such a way that I am always left stunned as he shares from the scriptures. It is a joy to witness one of the five fold ascension gifts of teaching in operation on a regular basis, as well as being able to become more rooted and established in the word of God.

In our session yesterday evening he explained that unless a person receives revelation by the Spirit of God they do not appreciate who Jesus really is.

As I sat there listening, I pondered on his words, that people can know about Jesus, read about Him and even sing about Him, all of which is good – but it is only when a person receives revelation by the Holy Spirit that they are able to move into a real relationship with Him and become a sinner saved by God’s grace.

I have written, taught and preached about this many times over the years, very often using the example above of Peter when the disciples were asked by Jesus, “Who do you say that I am”?

Another example of this was shared in our session when the example of the Centurion at the Cross when Jesus was crucified.

“The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.” Luke 23: 47

Reading that scripture must mean that as the centurion watched the events unfold, he must have realised at some point that there was more than just an ordinary man hanging on the cross. When we receive revelation from God it becomes a life changing event.

In my own case from the very moment I realised who Jesus was and most importantly what He had done for me, I asked Him into my heart, made Him Lord of my life and started to tell people about Him much to the embarrassment of my then un-saved wife. Nothing has changed since that time. I still have a passion and a desire to see people come to know Him in the way that I do now.

As we share the message through our testimonies (which must be Jesus- centered) or, by sharing scripture we need to remember that it the Holy Spirit who convicts hearts of sin, opens spiritually blind eyes and breaks down the barriers in peoples hearts.

Key Point: The Holy Spirit convicts hearts and reveals who Jesus really is.

He is able to penetrate the toughest of hearts and the most stubborn minds. He can change the lives of people who are far from God. This happens when the heart and mind of a person truly understands who Jesus really is. As an evangelist I have seen it happen many times and I never tire of it. I love it, and of course it the reason that I want people to know Him.

Therefore, as we witness for Jesus we must intentionally rely on the Holy Spirit to guide us. There are a few essential points that we need to remember:

We need to be prayed up before we witness: This is essential. We must ask God to provide us with opportunities to share and then take them when they arise. Also we must be ready to make opportunities for the Gospel.

Pray as you witness: We need to be quietly praying in our hearts and minds as we share. I often speak to the Holy Spirit in my mind in situations like this. Saying things like “Lord, give me the right words to say” or “Speak through me Lord”. If you are witnessing for Christ the Holy Spirit is right there with you.

Continue to pray for anyone that you have spoken to: Ask God to continue to speak to the person. He can do that in many ways. Sometimes it can take some time for the seed of the word to germinate in a person heart.

It is God who gives the increase, not us. We are vessels that He works through to accomplish His will. Wow!! That is just fantastic! The God of all creation working through you to save people from a lost eternity. Yes, and He wants to work through you and me!

What about the “S” word? Do I have to talk about sin when I witness?

 

If you share the gospel on a regular basis, inevitably the subject of sin should come up in your conversations. That is because Jesus died and took our sin upon himself at Calvary to make a way so that we can spend eternity with Him. It is a subject that we shouldn’t gloss over - and must be covered at some point.

How then do we talk about this vitally important subject in a way that is relevant, understandable and above all means that when you see a person that you have witnessed to before, they don’t want to avoid you like the plague?!

There are ways of explaining the truth that will not offend people which importantly don’t involve watering down the message to get the point across. I teach adults how to communicate effectively with people in a number of ways. Many I have learned from others more experienced than myself, but others by experience – including from making mistakes. These techniques work if you use them, when you include scripture, because that is what convicts hearts.

“For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.”(.) Romans 3:23

“But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:57

The simple fact is that we all need forgiveness. There is no way of getting around it, because we need to repent and turn away from our sin and thank Jesus, who died in our place, for the grace He shows us.

Over the years I have helped people to witness; it appears that the subject of sin is one area that people particularly struggle with. This can be because of fear of rejection or causing offence. As a result people dance around the subject, often failing to explain adequately that we all have sin in our lives. The undeniable fact is that people are lost without Jesus. They are heading to a place created for Satan and the fallen angels that follow Him. It’s a truth that cannot be swept under the carpet.

Here are some points we must remember:

Forgiveness revolves around love: When we talk about sin, we must communicate the fact that Jesus died for our sins because God loved us so much. Yes - forgiveness of sin is all about LOVE.

“God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

We must always include ourselves as sinners: We are sinners saved by grace. Praise Him! I always explain that I asked for forgiveness of my sin when I realised the truth. I would then go on to ask questions like “have you ever done things that you know were wrong, like lying, coveting, stealing, hating?” When the person admits the truth I always remark, “That means you are just like me.” I then go on to explain about why we need forgiveness, using myself as an example. Rather than the very direct approach of “You are a sinner”, “You are going to Hell”, “You are condemned”.

If someone has not received Jesus as Lord and asked for forgiveness, then those statements are true.  When you say something like “that makes you like me”, “I realised that I needed forgiveness”, “I realised that because of the things I had done in my life I was headed for a lost eternity”, they will realise that they are in the very same situation. You are telling them the truth using your life as an example.

Key Point: Use yourself as an example, explaining why you needed forgiveness - this will get people to think about their own sin.

Be honest with your answers to questions: If the conversation is going the right way, it is very likely that you will be asked questions like “Are you saying that I am sinner? I have done nothing that bad!”

You could be direct and confrontational and say “Yes”, but doing that (it) can sound very condemnatory. So I explain this way: “That is a question that is often asked. I will answer it honestly and explain why”, then I pause for a second or two, because at that point I have their full attention.

I continue with , “I can only answer your question based on the truth that I now know from scripture. One short passage in Romans 3:23 says that “we all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God - that means everyone and it is a fact that can’t be denied”.

I keep talking here and start using the word “You”. Communicators will confirm that the word “You” is one of the most powerful words in verbal and written communication today. Looking directly in the eyes of my listener, I say, “But I have got some really fantastic news for you. God made a way so that all of the wrong things we have ever done in our lives can be washed away. He did that by sending His Son Jesus Christ to die for us” I then continue with “He did that because ……………….”

The technique of using yourself as an example is very effective and will get the message across. The requirement is that you of course get talking to people about Jesus.

There will always be times that you will have to be direct and give straight answers to get through to a person heart. The key in both areas is being able to rely on the Holy Spirit. He is the one who will guide you if you are willing to listen to His promptings.

God has given you a vital ministry. What are you doing with it?

I have been thinking about the light bulb moment when a person having heard the Gospel message and decides to put their faith in Jesus Christ. What is at that actually happens at that moment in the persons mind and much more importantly, what is that happens in the person’s heart?

Firstly we have to remember that God has chosen to use us to share the gospel with those people who don’t know Him. He wants us to tell people about the relationship that he longs to restore with them, because He gave us the ministry of reconciliation. In simple terms witnessing for Christ is our responsibility. We must obey the command that Jesus gave us to go and tell people about Him.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith." Romans 1:16-17

The Gospel has a power like nothing else. The message of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is a life changer. As an evangelist I have seen the power of the Gospel at work on a one to one basis, in large groups and while sharing on the streets or speaking at dinners. Something incredible happens when the Gospel is shared and I never tire of seeing its impact on the lives of people.

The point to notice is that the Gospel becomes a life changer when a person decides to believe. It is clear from the scripture that “It is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes”. We know that some people can hear it but still decide and choose not to believe it.

What happens before that decision making moment, when a person hears scripture, a message or a testimony of salvation in Christ? What is it that opens a person’s heart, so that they decide that they want to obey the Gospel, repent of sins committed and put their faith in Jesus Christ?

Making a decision for Christ always involves the work of the Holy Spirit and His work is essential to conversion. He convicts hearts of sin through the Word of God and proclamation of the Gospel. In every instance of conversion in the New Testament, the Spirit and the Word are never separated. The word of God was spoken to every person who was converted to Christ.

We can and should pray for friends, family and others to have a revelation of who God is and how He sent His only Son to die for them. Sometimes amazing things happen when we do this, as God moves upon a person’s heart. But the onus is really on us to talk to people about Jesus, communicating and engaging them with the word of truth.

I hardly ever quote from the Message version f the Bible, however its interpretation of the scripture regarding the ministry or reconciliation that has been given us by God, is very clear.

“God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We’re Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them. We’re speaking for Christ himself now.” 2 Corinthians 5: 20-21 Message Bible.

This made me ponder, “What am I doing with the task that God has given to me”? It is also a question that I must ask you. What are you doing in your role as an ambassador for Christ? Very likely you would agree that many of us could do more, step out of our comfort zones more often and take risks in sharing Jesus. Many of us need constant reminding to do this. When we do, the Holy Spirit goes right along with us. Incredibly He works through us.

The scripture speaks of God making His appeal for reconciliation through us. He has given both you and me that ministry and it is fact that we should not ignore.

Key Point: God had entrusted each of us with the ministry of reconciliation. 

We should let Jesus light shine through our lives and actions. This is vital because when the opportunity comes along to witness, we have credibility. In fact, we cannot make Gods appeal without actually saying something. At some point we have got to talk to people and tell them what Jesus did for us, through sharing our testimony, or sharing the Gospel in some way. 

This message is not intended to make people feel guilty, but rather its a reminder of what God says He wants us to do. Looking at scripture we will find clear commands from Jesus to tell people about Him. He always spoke with encouragement, pointing out our relationship with Him saying, “Do it because you love Me”.

When we share the Gospel the Holy Spirit is always there working through us and He has the power to open the hardest of hearts. We just have to believe this as we share it. Gods Word is alive and working! We are living proof of the fact. The Holy Spirit opened your heart, and mine at some point. Yes, our own light bulb moments.

Scripture that spoke about Jesus opened my heart. As you share, scripture will have the same impact on others. Make a concrete decision to believe God, believe the scriptures and share the message - then watch the power of the Gospel do its work.  

“For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” Hebrews 4: 12

Pray asking God in prayer to use you. If you mean it, He will do it.

Oh, and what was the scripture that opened my heart?

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”. John 3: 16

When we witness it helps to understand how non-Christians think

 

 

If you have been a Christian for years, or maybe you came to Christ at a young age then there is a possibility that you have forgotten the way that non-Christians think. The more time you spend with Jesus the more you become like Him. As a result of this, its natural that our thoughts start to change.

In some churches the members don’t socialise, interact or get involved with those who don’t believe, because they feel that they have nothing in common. They end up only socialising with people who share their beliefs. They become like hermits, shutting themselves off from the outside world.

However the Bible teaches that we are supposed to be out there, meeting with people and eagerly seeking for opportunities to share the good news. As I have often said – “If we don’t witness for Christ, who else will”?

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1: 18

People who are un-churched rarely look for God. By His grace He reveals Himself to some people in extraordinary ways and it changes the way that they live. But many people are just too preoccupied with their busy lives and miss Him because they don’t take time to think about what will happen when they die. Apparently we start to think about death more often from the age of about thirty five. Having worked in the life assurance industry I would agree with that. But most people only think of what they will leave behind, rather than considering where they will spend eternity.

To some, the message of the cross is either a story or it seems difficult to believe. It may simply appear foolishness to them as they are unable to understand it. When I first heard about Jesus dying on the cross it didn’t make any sense to me at all. Somebody had to explain it to me.

"He has blinded their eyes and deadened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn--and I would heal them." John 12: 30

My mother told me a story a few years ago about a young lady who went in to a jewellery shop to buy a crucifix. The shop sales assistant dutifully presented her with a tray full of different types and sizes. She seemed unable to make up her mind. After a minute or two she asked the sales assistant, “Do you have one with the little man on it”?

Society has changed considerably during my lifetime and there are many more people like that who know nothing of Jesus and the incredible sacrifice that He made at Calvary. As I often point out, when I see a crucifix with the Lord nailed to it, I say, “He is no longer on the cross, He is risen”.

Key Point: People need to have the Gospel explained to them. The Lord wants to use you to do it. 

Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Acts 8: 30-31

People need to have the Gospel explained to them. The Lord wants to use us to do it. Firstly, though, we need to understand how the un-churched think. Here are some typical comments that non believers make:

• I tried reading the Bible once, but found it hard to understand.
• I really get very angry when I hear Christians saying that they know everything.
• I don’t believe that Christians have much fun because they live by a list of rules. 
• I was given a church leaflet in the street the other day. It was so badly produced though and had a lot of text and Bible verses on it. I can’t see how any of it relates to me.  
• I wouldn’t go to a church on my own, even if I wanted to. I’d feel like a fish out of water
• I don’t really know any Christians. Otherwise I would try to find out more and ask some real questions, though I worry about being preached at. 
• I really don’t understand what this religious stuff is all about.

We need to ask God to guide us in which ways to reach people.  There are some great witnessing initiatives that are very effective. However, there are some fundamental things that we should be doing every day in our mission to share the Gospel, whilst remembering how people think, because many will not be looking for God.  Somebody has to tell them about Jesus. It should be you!

Have look at the list below. How many of the suggestions do you use on a regular basis? What would happen if you used them all on a regular basis for the next year?  

To be an effective witness for Christ, remember to:

• Pray for specific people who don’t know the Lord as Saviour, asking God to give me ‘divine appointments’
• Read and study ways to witness
• Mix with other soul winners
• Always have tracts available to hand out when opportunities arise
• Know how to share your testimony in 2, 5 and 10 minute explanations
• Let people see Jesus in your life and actions
• Know how to present ‘the Roman road’, or share the Gospel in a simple way
• Step out of your comfort zone and witness
• Trust the Holy Spirit to lead and guide you
• Invite people to church or church events
• Invite people to meetings that are visitor-friendly, dinners, breakfasts, men’s and women’s events
• Ask a good friend to critique your testimony or Gospel presentation
• Pray, pray, pray, because praying and witnessing go hand in hand.

Something amazing has happened to me and I have got to tell you about it

Last Saturday evening I had the great pleasure of being with the international evangelist Tony Anthony, who is the award winning author of the book “Taming The Tiger”. Our church had invited him to share his amazing story of how God impacted his life. People committed their lives to Jesus that evening – the power of his testimony glorified God in a mighty way.

As Tony came to the end of his story he asked a question. It was one of those “Wow” questions. He simply asked the people listening to think of a moment or event in their lives that had made such an impact on them that they just had to speak to people about it every day. As I sat there I felt challenged by it, and I am an evangelist! I often say when I preach or train people in evangelism that it a good thing to be challenged, especially by the word of God. We just have to make the choice to respond or ignore it.

“For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard." Acts 4: 20 NIV

“As for us, there’s no question—we can’t keep quiet about what we’ve seen and heard.” Acts 4: 20 The Message

We tell people how much money we saved when we went shopping, on a holiday or the saving of our mobile phone that was almost left on the train. But many of us fail to share the news about the one who truly saves.

Having worked in sales and sales training for many years, one of the most important points to learn to be effective in selling any product or service was to state the benefits of it rather than its features. For example, when selling cars a feature would be that there is a range of colours to choose from, whereas a benefit would be that the car does 80 miles to the gallon. I changed my car recently and told anyone who would listen about the money I was saving on fuel costs!

We don’t need to procure the Gospel message, because it doesn’t need selling and it doesn’t need exaggerating, sweetening, altering or watering down. It’s the most life impacting message that anyone can ever hear!

Key Point: There are more benefits than we could ever count in this life and beyond because of what Jesus has done!

If you just consider three benefits that making Jesus Lord of your life has done for you.

·        Eternal life

·        The Holy Spirit dwelling in your heart

·        Heaven

When we consider just those benefits, the realisation of what they mean should compel us to share what Jesus has done for us. It is better than anything I can think of. People need to hear the Gospel and God has a plan to use you and me to tell them. Yes, imperfect me and imperfect you. That is just incredible.

“Go and preach the Gospel to all creation.” Mark 16: 15

We must remember that Jesus wasn’t just talking to the disciples when He gave the commandment to go and preach the Gospel. He was talking to you and me as well.

It is important to understand that when we do in fact “Go” we never actually “Go” alone. We have the Holy Spirit who will always accompany us whenever and wherever we share Jesus.

We must pray for opportunities to share the message with people, asking God for the boldness you need to share it and then expect something to happen. It is essential that people see the love of Jesus in what we say and do most of all.

Some simple suggestions:

• Read the word of God and let it fill your heart and mind. You simply can’t get enough of it. It will change you, guide you and equip you for the task.
• Mix with people who are soul winners and people who witness for Christ on a regular basis. It is better caught than taught as my old boss used to say. What they do and say will rub off on you. If you were a footballer and you had the chance to train with Lionel Messi of Barcelona, there is no doubt that you would become a better footballer. Being with him, watching him and playing in game in his team would rub off onto you. The example is the same for any activity.
• Learn how to witness by getting some evangelism training from a person or organisation that is a winner of souls for Christ. There is plenty of information available on the internet.

Let’s “Go” and witness for Christ!

Are you a typical Christian Stereotype?

Do you find that when you share your faith in Jesus Christ that some people already have an image in their minds of what Christians are really like? Do they have a ‘Christian Stereotype’ fixed in their minds?

It is true that some Christians can come across as:

·        Intolerant of other religions

·        Judgemental of others

·        Anti gay

·        Dogmatic and intolerant of others’ opinions

·        Hypocrites

There are a number of Scriptures that I could use regarding this subject, but here are just two.

“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.” John 3:17-18

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.” Matthew 7:1-5

How do we communicate with people of other religions, gay people, and people who are totally anti religion without coming across as a ‘Christian Stereotype’? It is a challenge –when we share Jesus we need to demonstrate His love first and foremost. It is absolutely essential that we do not come across as judgemental or with a condemnatory attitude.

A very good friend of mine has described me as ‘dogmatic’ on occasion because I hold firmly to my beliefs. We cannot compromise the message of the Gospel in any way, even if we know that it may not be received well. It is vital that we show the love of God in our exchanges with people.

Last night I was asked a challenging question. It was this: “I like to think that my father is in heaven waiting for me; I know that he wasn’t a Christian, but he was a good man. Do you believe that he is heaven?”

I asked a couple of questions and discovered that the man had some knowledge of church as he went to Sunday school as a child. Also he had been ill for a period before he died, so I explained that many people call on the Lord in situations like that, which gave me an opportunity to explain about the parable of the Vineyard owner in Matthew 20: 2-16, who hired labourers at different times of the day, but paid them all the same wages irrespective of how long they had worked.

Key Point: Take people back to scripture because that is what opens the hardest of hearts

We need to take people to scripture where possible because that is what opens their hearts to the truth. It is a living and powerful Word and I have seen it change the hardest of hearts.

“For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

When asked if there are many roads to God, I always explain that it would be nice to believe that but then go through scriptures that clearly show that “many roads” are not the case. Using scriptures like John 14: 6 to explain that the only way to God is through His Son Jesus Christ, and that all other roads lead to the wrong destination.

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Matthew 7: 13-14

I was asked once if I hated homosexuals because I was a Christian. My reply was that I didn’t hate anyone in anyway at all and said that God is the same way. He loves people more than anyone ever could. In fact He loves them so much that He sent His only begotten Son to die for them. What greater demonstration of love could anyone show? The truth of the matter is that God doesn’t hate the sinner; rather He hates the sin itself.

Let’s remind ourselves that we need to live out our lives so that the people who watch us do not see us as hypocrites. Our Christian walk speaks volumes about us, long before we have the chance to start quoting scripture!

Also try not to get into the “you are wrong” type of exchanges. Instead, let people know that you appreciate what they have to say. Then, in love, tell them the truth. The Holy Spirit will be with you.

Tell the truth in love…it’s the only way.