INFLUENCE PEOPLE THROUGH SHARING FAITH STORIES- PART 2
What a great story we read a few weeks ago in John 4. Remember the Samaritan woman at the well whom Jesus went out of his way to meet? He knew of her five failed marriages and her live-in boyfriend, but he didn't condemn her. Instead Jesus offered her living water- just what she was thirsting for. "Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ? They came out of the town and made their way toward him." I love the impact that her simple story and question had on her townspeople. "Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, He told me everything I ever did."
You too have a story of salvation that can influence people. Are you sharing it with others? People can debate your beliefs, but they are unable to argue against your own story of what Christ has done for you. So share your story as often as possible. You don't have to become well versed in the Bible before sharing. The Samaritan woman certainly wasn't. Just share! What an amazing impact her sharing had on so many people. But don't stop there. Encourage them to read the words of Jesus, such as in the gospel of John. It was the words of Jesus that drew even more of those Samaritans to the Savior. They said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world." So invite your unsaved friends to read the gospel of John for themselves. Here again is the link to a great online version of the John's gospel- http://www.livingwater.org/booklet/index.html
1. Please watch the following mini-movie and pass it on if you think it would help people you're seeking to reach.
3. Read pages 40-50 of Lifelines and share one thing you liked from it.
Announcements & Reminders
So if someone challenges you and says, "Give me 5 solid reasons why faith in Christ is credible" you'll be ready to give them such by the time we're done with our next meeting- this Sunday, June 8th at 11:30. See you there!
Starting June 1st, we began reading through the book of Acts (Perhaps a more accurate title for it would be- "The Acts of the Holy Spirit though the apostles and other believers as they went out sharing their faith and building up the church." Okay, so it's a bit too long of a title, but you get the better idea of what the book is all about :) Keep in mind that the book of Acts is descriptive not prescriptive. In other words, it describes what happened right after Jesus went back into heaven. It describes amazing and even miraculous events, including Philip being teleported to a different place. Luke the doctor is not perscribing these miraculous experiences as the normal expectations for every believer. We are to go and make disciples, depending on His Holy Spirit whom we each received at salvation (Eph.1:13-14; 1 Cor.12:13), not to wait in Jerusalem seeking a miracle. Seeing lives transformed by the gospel are the miracles we seek. May the Lord use us to continue to spread His word and strengthen His saints.
Best of blessings!
1. Lifelines has really encouraged me. And while reading the book and looking at a lot of the questions, I have been feeling more equipped to talk about Jesus, even when challenges may come from others. You asked us to keep some people in mind that were not yet believers. My grandfather has been heavy on my heart and I plan to share my life, testimony, and how much I love him through a special gift this father's day. He is one person I will really miss, especially in heaven. A lot of great illustrations and stories have been provided. Although, what really impacted me is the story from Moody, about the little girl who asked her neighbor, "Why don't you love Jesus?" Even as believers I think we should be examining our love for Jesus by asking, "Are we loving Jesus with everything we are? Are we being obedient to His word, commands, and doing the best we can to live for Him." 1 John 5:2 says, "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments." Also, John 14:15 says, "If you love Me, keep my commands." Overall, whether it is a person who does not know Jesus or a person who does, it is a great question to ask, because "a man's spiritual health is exactly proportional to his love for God."
ReplyDeleteVery good Eddie! I so like that DL Moody story as well. Good application for us as well.
DeleteI have tried getting back on the blogging saddle, but I haven’t been able to ever since my wife gave birth to my newest son Giovanni Elias Carrillo on May 13, 2014. He weighed 6lbs 11oz, he has been a joy and delight to us. Although, it has been hard for my wife and I to try to get back to our normal routines (sleeping, devotions, date nights, exercising (I’m trying to train for marathon!), blogging, etc…). With all that said I pray and hope to start blogging on a regular basis again
ReplyDelete1. Thanks for the reminder about sharing our testimony so others hopefully come to personally know the Savior we boast about.
2. I plan to call you tomorrow with New Testament book order, Lord willing.
3. “It’s been said that every time an archeologist’s shovel is turned, another skeptic of the Bible is buried” (Dr. Dave Garratt – Lifelines).
I like this statement but I hesitate and try to make sure people don’t base their faith on archeology versus the Bible. Instead it should be the other way around by having people trust in the Word of God and seeing that archeology simply confirms the authenticity/reliability of the Bible. Especially, since some people’s faith may waver when they hear or discover that archeological evidence doesn’t match up with the Bible. If and when that happens it proves that their trust is in the wrong place (Archeology).
I was a skeptic to God’s Word before Christ by not believing that His Word was infallible/without error. However, once I encountered Christ as my personal Lord and Savior He began to show me differently. The Lord slowly showed me that His Word is infallible/reliable because it has been inspired by Him (2 Timothy 3:16). In addition, further studying of His Word with prophecies and archeological evidence that I would hear and discover continued to confirm His Word to be infallible. Therefore, I believe God’s Word is without error and inspired by Him because Christ graciously opened my eyes to this Truth (John 14:6)
Congrats again Jose re. your newborn son, Giovanni!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing such good insights.
signed,
less than a doctor, dave
My favorite part from pages 40-50 was the "who created God?" section. Just like the taste of green and the color of time, it is a question that does not apply because they are not in the same category. God is infinite just as the word says. People will drive themselves insane trying to answer these types of questions. Once they receive it in their heart then they will have a greater peace and more room for The Lord.This section reminds me also of the song You are God Alone.
ReplyDeleteVery good Socorro! See you Sunday!
DeleteLifelines is a great resource. We really need another edition to cover more common questions and answers (note “We” means “Dave” should put it together.) Seriously, this is a very practical book. Sometimes we can get so theoretical in our discussion about God and spiritual matters that people tune us out. I love the questions listed here because they reflect the responses given by many people. So often the objections to the gospel aren’t honest misunderstandings but an effort to ignore reality or avoid pain. Many excuses are driven by the sinful nature that wants to avoid accountability and change. Pages 40-50 include some deeper issues such as archaeology and the authority of the Bible (pp. 40-41) along with the more base motives of pleasure and selfishness (pp. 43-47). A couple that stand out to me are the false claim that the Bible wasn’t written until 200 years after Jesus was on earth. The answer about the 24,000 plus copies of parts of the New Testament, many right near the time when Jesus was on earth, is vital. This is backed up by many, many different sources. On a more basic level the claim that “I live for myself and pleasure” (p. 43) is refuted by Titus 3:3 and Galatians 6:7-8. Not everyone will listen but these are great, Biblical warnings to give people. Let him who has ears to hear, hear. It is helpful to have brief, clear answers handy for these types of statements.
ReplyDeleteAh Mike, you make me LOL with your first statements!
DeleteI am working hard on another resource.
I found the answer to the statement "My conscience doesn't bother me regarding the way I'm living" to be very interesting. It is unfortunate that this statement is something that I have heard from Christians as well. The example of the captain and the warning bell was a vivid picture of "silencing our conscious." I did have a question regarding this statement. The book usually phrases answers to the statements almost as though you could say them to the person directly. However, I wasn't sure if I should answer in such a manner with this answer. If a person's heart is calloused and they are basically admitting it to be so, then do we take a step back and pray for them before returning to this topic? Or, is it better to respond, "Your conscious has been silenced."? I suppose we could take that same phrase and put it as a question, such as, "What if your conscious has been silenced from not being heeded?" I would appreciate your thoughts on this, Dave!
ReplyDeletePerhaps, "If a person murdered your love one and yet his conscience didn't bother him, he would still be guilty wouldn't he? Our conscience is not our final judge, God is." But may I share some good news with you?" Then I would share the good news which starts with bad news. I would ask him if he had ever lied, etc and show him how guilty he is, whether he feels such or not. The actual good news is only for those that admit they are sinners needing a Savior. Hope this helps.
ReplyDeleteI thought the section “You only go around once in life, so I’m getting all I can” Was such a great point. If people grasped the understanding that their existence was meant for so much more than gaining possessions and living lives for themselves they would certainly live differently. I believe one of the enemy’s greatest tactics is presenting to us temporary pleasures of life in hopes that we would fall into his trap of never knowing true fulfillment and keeping our hearts from knowing and wanting God. I was reminded in the book of Hosea of my life without God; I lived only for me and indulged in temporary pleasures but God allowed me to dive deep into my life of selfishness and sin only to meet me in my darkest and broken moments.
ReplyDelete(Hosea 2:6, 11,14) “Therefore I will hedge up her way with thorns, and I will build a wall against her, so that she cannot find her paths… I will put an end to all her mirth, her feasts, her new moons, her Sabbaths, and all her appointed feast. Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her.“ In my darkest hour he filed me with hope and with time I understood there was greater purpose to my life than just the here and now.
“I don’t want to be committed to anything, I just want to be free”
ReplyDeleteThis is definitely something I have heard before. We are living in a culture, where we are greatly encouraged to branch-out, fight norms, be “free”. With this “freedom” we feel that we are making our own choices in what we do (sinful or otherwise). So many people do not realize that while you initially feel you are free to choose to sin, once that choice is made, that freedom is stripped from you by the enemy. You now serve something darker, entrapping. Is a drug addict exercising his “freedom” to take drugs in the beginning? - - - That definitely would appear to be the case…..but was that choice really “freedom”?
-He was fed a lie that drugs could bring him something he needed. Maybe happiness? Fulfillment? A get-away? Peace?
-Culture gave it legitimacy in his mind……altering yourself is fine, it’s okay. Acceptable.
-No one sets out to be an addict. You don’t have a free choice to become one.
These examples and so many others show that even in making his decision, the enemy was already using lies and coercion to help push him toward a path of bondage. Is that true freedom for him? Was it true freedom to choose a PATH of bondage, when the choice was not given to you if you want to BE in bondage? Sin neither yields good fruit, nor ever will. The push the enemy does is simply to entrap him. Like the book mentions….when you are now living for the desires of the flesh, how can that be free?
Very good Will. We are free to choose, but we are not free to choose the consequences.
Delete3. The "Who made God, and can God make a rock so big He can't lift it?" portion was very interesting to me because of the concept. I remember pondering (or attempting I mean) God's eternal and infinite nature. It was so very difficult understanding and fathoming God because I have a finite mind. As a result, I think this portion of Lifelines demonstrates how many people think of God in finite terms. We think that He has to make sense to us all the time, but He doesn't because He is above our way of thinking and understanding.
ReplyDeleteSo true Alex!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite was "I still want to do my own thing".We so often think that we are "smarter" than God. Like He doesn't know what we think, say, or do..."God loves us but hates the sin we so often love."
ReplyDeleteAnd it takes the God of love to open our eyes and set us free, doesn't it.
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