Study from God’s Word… Acts, Chapters 24 - 26 … Passage for Reflection: Acts 26: 28 … NIV Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?”
My Journal for Today: The scenario I studied from Acts 24-26 today, has Paul imprisoned in Caesarea by the Sea for more than two years; and he’s given the opportunity to witness his testimony and the Gospel message to several of his captors of Roman authority. Today’s verse is documented by Dr. Luke from Paul’s witness to the Roman appointed King, Herod Agrippa II, who had come down to Caesarea from Jerusalem for Paul’s hearing.
And the lesson here is how much of our attention, time, and testimony should be taken by evangelistic witness to non-believers (i.e., the lost) in our sphere of opportunity or influence. And Dr. Smith, from today’s devotional entry, remembers the exhortation of Jesus, Himself, to His disciples, whom He was sending out to share the Gospel in the countryside surrounding Capernaum, where Jesus was residing and teaching at the time. In Matthew 10: 14 we read Jesus’ words, ”If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town.”
But here is Paul, in prison, and he has an audience with someone in civil authority, someone who is duty and time bound to listen to Paul’s witness; and Paul pulls out his best verbal guns to share Christ with the pagan king of Judea. And how he shares Christ with Agrippa is a great lesson for anyone who desires to share our faith with others. Paul simply gives the king his testimony, telling how Jesus entered and changed his life forever; and that is a lesson for any of us who desire to share Christ with others in our lives, especially those whom we love dearly and, in our perception, are lost.
We need to first have the opportunity and the invitation to share. As Jesus taught His missionary bent disciples, if someone is not willing – or able – listen to us share the Gospel, we need to move on, and use God’s providence of time, to develop or shape opportunities with others. But when the circumstances of life and our relationships with others give us the chance to share Christ with a lost one, as it was presented for Paul to share with Agrippa, we need to use our personal testimony of our Christ changed or transformed our life as the primary evangelistic approach. I have a story of how Christ changed my life when I was willing/able to receive Him into my life. You, as a Christian, have your story; and someone who’s lost needs to hear our story.
I used to think that I needed to trumpet a barrage of Scriptures at someone when I shared the Gospel with a lost person; but many people are “turned off” when they hear God’s word being spouted out at them, especially when they’ve given the listening license to someone to share their faith. But I’ve learned – by experience and example, like Paul’s story from today’s text – that it’s best to share my testimony in simple, brief, and clear word pictures, … my story of how Christ came into my life and changed me forever. Anyone with anti-Christian biases or negative stereotypes can argue with biblical references or pro-God arguments. However, NO ONE can argue with a testimony!
No one can argue the truth of me simply telling my story and my giving witness to the truth of how God changed me from an unbelieving agnostic to a believer in what Christ did for me on the cross. No one can argue with my story of how God broke my chains of sex addiction and gave me the power to resist those obsessive and destructive desires. And I also had to come to the realization that I’m not the one who will save the lost person with whom I’m sharing Christ. That’s God’s (i.e., the Holy Spirit’s) business. My charge is only to do all I can to have the opportunity to share my story with a lost soul; and then I simply leave it to God to take that person to the place where that dear lost soul can be humbled to receive the free gift of grace being offered by Christ.
So, we need to be convicted and directed by God’s Great Commission (which I hope you know from Matt. 28: 19-20) to devote our life opportunities to share the Gospel – from our own life experience – with those who will open the window of opportunity for Christ’s light to shine into their darkness by our testimony. And I hope and pray (below) that He will even give me such an opportunity today or into my future to do so. And here’s also me praying that God gives you that opportunity as well.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, as I do so often, I pray that You give me opportunities, maybe even today, for me, and anyone who reads here, to share our story of how You changed us forever. Amen
Showing posts with label opportunitistic evangelism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label opportunitistic evangelism. Show all posts
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Sunday, October 24, 2010
2010 – October 24 – Fishing with Patience
Study from God’s Word… Matt 4: 12-17 & Luke 4: 14-15 [Mark 1: 14-15]; Luke 4: 16-30; Luke 5: 1-10; Matt 4: 18-20 & Luke 5: 10-11 [Mark 1: 16-20]; Mark 1: 21-22 [Luke 4: 31-32]; Mark 1: 23-28; Mark 1: 29-31 [Matt 8: 16-17]; Mark 1: 35-38 [Luke 4: 42-43]; Matt 4: 21-25 [Mark 1: 39 & Luke 4: 44]; Mark 1: 40-45 [Matt 8: 1-4]; Mark 2: 1-5 [Matt 9: 1-2 & Luke 5: 17-20]; Mark 2: 6-12 [Matt 9: 3-8 & Luke 5: 21-26] … Passage for Reflection: Matthew 4: 21 – 22 … NIV 21Going on from there, He [Jesus] saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
My Journal for Today: Well, from my studies, led by Dr. LaGard Smith, from The Daily Bible in Chronological Order, I got a great example in the importance of biblical study in chronological order. Because when one reads today’s highlight text from Matt. 4: 21-22, a Bible student could conclude that these two fishermen, James and John, heard Jesus call to them and they promptly and impulsively turned away from family and their occupation and followed this itinerant rabbi, Jesus. But if one reads the Bible carefully and chronologically as I was led to do today, you get an entirely different picture of why these two simple fishermen were willing to leave their boats and their father and follow Jesus to become fishers of men.
Getting “the rest of the story,” as Paul Harvey used to give us in his commentaries, is important; because in doing so we realize that the father in the boat was Jesus’ uncle, the father of Jesus’ first cousins, James and John, the so-called “Sons of Thunder,” who were sons of Zebedee, the husband of Salomé, who was likely Jesus’ aunt, the sister of His mother, Mary. So, getting at least part of the rest of the story, it’s not that James and John just left their dad and their occupation to follow a rabbi whom they didn’t really know that well. No, they had grown up knowing Jesus; and had likely experienced his incredible wisdom at a young age and probably had seen him perform miracles, like the great fish catching miracle, documented in Luke 5.
So, when Jesus called these fishermen to “come and be fishers of men,” … these men who were living in and around Capernaum, where Jesus had been living for some time, intimately knew the Man Who was calling them. They were probably close buddies; and they had very likely heard Jesus preach in the synagogue near Capernaum. So, when Jesus finally called these men out to follow Him closely as His disciples, they responded out of a deep faith which had been born out of relationship and experience.
And that brings up the application for today in our lives; because Jesus has called all of us to be fishers of men. We know of this calling as the “Great Commission” (and you’ve probably memorized – if not, you should – Matt. 28: 19-20). And we probably all have people in our lives that we’d like to call out, as Jesus did to these fishermen, to come and follow Jesus. But we’ve come to realize that it takes time - God’s time - to witness to some in our lives who reject the faith we’ve come to have in Jesus.
You know, in the business or hobby of fishing, those who fish will tell you that it takes a lot of patience to keep throwing the bait or the nets out to catch fish. Many times, when we’re fishing, and we’re faithfully, and with hope, casting out our bait over and over and over again … nothing bites. But then, after maybe hours of waiting, we throw out the bait, and bang, we’re blessed to feel a fish on the line; and we reel them in.
Jesus called His disciples to be “fishers of men;” and that’s what we are; and we need patience, just like I’m convinced Jesus had with James and John as well as Andrew and Peter, all of whom had likely been in close relationship with Jesus for YEARS before God, the Holy Spirit, used Jesus to reel them in to be fishers of men for God’s kingdom catch.
So, if you’ve got someone in your family or sphere of influence to whom you’ve been witnessing for years and praying for their salvation, … keep fishing from the relationship you have with that person. Have patience and keep casting out your testimony into the waters of your relationship; and know that when God’s timing is right, you – or maybe some other fisherman – will be able to reel in God’s catch. And HE will get the glory!!
My Prayer for Today: Lord, help me be patient as You use me to fish for Your kingdom and for Your glory. Amen
My Journal for Today: Well, from my studies, led by Dr. LaGard Smith, from The Daily Bible in Chronological Order, I got a great example in the importance of biblical study in chronological order. Because when one reads today’s highlight text from Matt. 4: 21-22, a Bible student could conclude that these two fishermen, James and John, heard Jesus call to them and they promptly and impulsively turned away from family and their occupation and followed this itinerant rabbi, Jesus. But if one reads the Bible carefully and chronologically as I was led to do today, you get an entirely different picture of why these two simple fishermen were willing to leave their boats and their father and follow Jesus to become fishers of men.
Getting “the rest of the story,” as Paul Harvey used to give us in his commentaries, is important; because in doing so we realize that the father in the boat was Jesus’ uncle, the father of Jesus’ first cousins, James and John, the so-called “Sons of Thunder,” who were sons of Zebedee, the husband of Salomé, who was likely Jesus’ aunt, the sister of His mother, Mary. So, getting at least part of the rest of the story, it’s not that James and John just left their dad and their occupation to follow a rabbi whom they didn’t really know that well. No, they had grown up knowing Jesus; and had likely experienced his incredible wisdom at a young age and probably had seen him perform miracles, like the great fish catching miracle, documented in Luke 5.
So, when Jesus called these fishermen to “come and be fishers of men,” … these men who were living in and around Capernaum, where Jesus had been living for some time, intimately knew the Man Who was calling them. They were probably close buddies; and they had very likely heard Jesus preach in the synagogue near Capernaum. So, when Jesus finally called these men out to follow Him closely as His disciples, they responded out of a deep faith which had been born out of relationship and experience.
And that brings up the application for today in our lives; because Jesus has called all of us to be fishers of men. We know of this calling as the “Great Commission” (and you’ve probably memorized – if not, you should – Matt. 28: 19-20). And we probably all have people in our lives that we’d like to call out, as Jesus did to these fishermen, to come and follow Jesus. But we’ve come to realize that it takes time - God’s time - to witness to some in our lives who reject the faith we’ve come to have in Jesus.
You know, in the business or hobby of fishing, those who fish will tell you that it takes a lot of patience to keep throwing the bait or the nets out to catch fish. Many times, when we’re fishing, and we’re faithfully, and with hope, casting out our bait over and over and over again … nothing bites. But then, after maybe hours of waiting, we throw out the bait, and bang, we’re blessed to feel a fish on the line; and we reel them in.
Jesus called His disciples to be “fishers of men;” and that’s what we are; and we need patience, just like I’m convinced Jesus had with James and John as well as Andrew and Peter, all of whom had likely been in close relationship with Jesus for YEARS before God, the Holy Spirit, used Jesus to reel them in to be fishers of men for God’s kingdom catch.
So, if you’ve got someone in your family or sphere of influence to whom you’ve been witnessing for years and praying for their salvation, … keep fishing from the relationship you have with that person. Have patience and keep casting out your testimony into the waters of your relationship; and know that when God’s timing is right, you – or maybe some other fisherman – will be able to reel in God’s catch. And HE will get the glory!!
My Prayer for Today: Lord, help me be patient as You use me to fish for Your kingdom and for Your glory. Amen
Saturday, November 21, 2009
2009 – Day 324.Nov 21 – Contentment Spreads
Passage for Study: Acts 16: 16 - 40 … Acts 16 linked for study …
2nd Scripture Reference: Philippians 1: 12 - 18 … Linked for study …
My Journal for Today: Have you ever been around a truly contented, self-assured individual, … one that exudes confidence and self-direction? Well if you have, you know that his/her confidence and self-assurance is catching. You feel at ease or maybe excited around such a person, don’t you? And when that person has a story to tell, you want to hear it, don’t you?
Well, that was the Apostle Paul, chained to a Roman prison guard, ready and willing to witness to his love for Christ and how Christ had given him purpose and direction and contentment. Paul would tell his story to anyone who’d listen, … even the prison guards to whom he was chained in Rome. And that message began to spread through ranks of the prison guards from each guard who was assigned to watch Paul. I an just imagine them telling their compatriots about the Jew who’s life was changed from hatred to love by another Jew who died on a cross and was raised to life from the dead. Some scholars feel that the message got out to several thousand who were assigned to be prison guards in Rome at the time.
Really that is the fulfillment of what we read in Acts 1: 8, isn’t it? In that passage we read that we become witnesses for Christ anywhere and anytime we’re willing to be His witnesses to the world. And Paul certainly was that as the Gospel message spread from one prisoner willing to tell his story to one guard … and then another and then another, each of whom became excited to tell that story about Paul and Christ to another, then another, and then another.
Swindoll today teaches that several things happen when one – like you or me – is available and willing to witness our faith. First he writes that the Gospel is always accelerated, never delayed When we share our story, God pours His gas of grace on the fires of our desire to share Him with others. God will enable the spreading of His Name if we’re willing to share it with others.
Secondly, when we’re witnessing God’s truth the edge of the message is sharpened, never dulled. The more you share Christ with others it becomes that two-edged sword which is spoken about in Heb. 4: 12. Speaking of Christ or about Christ is speaking about the Living Word, His truth; and speaking the “Gospel-truth” is speaking like the double-edged sword spoken of in that verse.
Finally, sharing Christ always strengthens others, never weakens them. When people hear of your story of transformation, wrought in your relationship with Christ, they identify with the need for that kind of change and they are uplifted, never put down. Sharing Christ with others is sharing light in the midst of darkness; and it draws people to the light like moths to the flame.
So, when you’re available and willing to share your witness, … your story, about Christ with another who will listen, it’s like you’ve cast a stone (a big one) into the pond of life; and you and I both know what will happen. Its plunging effects will cause a ripple which will cascade outward. And that’s what Paul’s message of hope in Christ had in that Roman prison. But what if Paul had remained silent, … unwilling to cast the stone in the pond of his prison, his guards would have gone on with their hum-drum life and many of them would have never felt the ripples of love being cascaded outward from God’s message of truth and hope. Think about that the next time you have a divine appointment and you’re available to share Christ with someone.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I’m convicted that I don’t throw the rock of Your message into the pond of my life as often as You give me opportunities. Help me to be emboldened and to share You more; and give me those divine appointments to do so. Amen
2nd Scripture Reference: Philippians 1: 12 - 18 … Linked for study …
My Journal for Today: Have you ever been around a truly contented, self-assured individual, … one that exudes confidence and self-direction? Well if you have, you know that his/her confidence and self-assurance is catching. You feel at ease or maybe excited around such a person, don’t you? And when that person has a story to tell, you want to hear it, don’t you?
Well, that was the Apostle Paul, chained to a Roman prison guard, ready and willing to witness to his love for Christ and how Christ had given him purpose and direction and contentment. Paul would tell his story to anyone who’d listen, … even the prison guards to whom he was chained in Rome. And that message began to spread through ranks of the prison guards from each guard who was assigned to watch Paul. I an just imagine them telling their compatriots about the Jew who’s life was changed from hatred to love by another Jew who died on a cross and was raised to life from the dead. Some scholars feel that the message got out to several thousand who were assigned to be prison guards in Rome at the time.
Really that is the fulfillment of what we read in Acts 1: 8, isn’t it? In that passage we read that we become witnesses for Christ anywhere and anytime we’re willing to be His witnesses to the world. And Paul certainly was that as the Gospel message spread from one prisoner willing to tell his story to one guard … and then another and then another, each of whom became excited to tell that story about Paul and Christ to another, then another, and then another.
Swindoll today teaches that several things happen when one – like you or me – is available and willing to witness our faith. First he writes that the Gospel is always accelerated, never delayed When we share our story, God pours His gas of grace on the fires of our desire to share Him with others. God will enable the spreading of His Name if we’re willing to share it with others.
Secondly, when we’re witnessing God’s truth the edge of the message is sharpened, never dulled. The more you share Christ with others it becomes that two-edged sword which is spoken about in Heb. 4: 12. Speaking of Christ or about Christ is speaking about the Living Word, His truth; and speaking the “Gospel-truth” is speaking like the double-edged sword spoken of in that verse.
Finally, sharing Christ always strengthens others, never weakens them. When people hear of your story of transformation, wrought in your relationship with Christ, they identify with the need for that kind of change and they are uplifted, never put down. Sharing Christ with others is sharing light in the midst of darkness; and it draws people to the light like moths to the flame.
So, when you’re available and willing to share your witness, … your story, about Christ with another who will listen, it’s like you’ve cast a stone (a big one) into the pond of life; and you and I both know what will happen. Its plunging effects will cause a ripple which will cascade outward. And that’s what Paul’s message of hope in Christ had in that Roman prison. But what if Paul had remained silent, … unwilling to cast the stone in the pond of his prison, his guards would have gone on with their hum-drum life and many of them would have never felt the ripples of love being cascaded outward from God’s message of truth and hope. Think about that the next time you have a divine appointment and you’re available to share Christ with someone.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I’m convicted that I don’t throw the rock of Your message into the pond of my life as often as You give me opportunities. Help me to be emboldened and to share You more; and give me those divine appointments to do so. Amen
Sunday, November 08, 2009
2009 – Day 311.Nov 08 – Spirit-led Opportunities
Passage for Study: Study of Acts 13: 13 - 52 … Acts 13 linked for study …
My Journal for Today: As Paul and Barnabas got to Pisidia in Antioch on the Sabbath, Paul was given the opportunity to teach in the Synagogue, as was the Jewish custom in the region for traveling teachers. So, after the Word of God was read, Paul got up and gave those Jews an extemporaneous sermon from Genesis to Christ, revealing the truth of Christ’s coming and His death and resurrection, as well as the hope mankind has in Christ as Messiah.
And the word got out; because the next week on the Sabbath practically the whole town showed up, including Gentiles, to hear what Paul would preach. But that was too much for the Jews, who, jealous of the Gentiles being involved, stirred up discord; and ultimately ran Paul and Barney out of town. But the seeds of the Good News had been planted; and many were saved, including many Gentiles.
Paul took advantage of an opportunity when God’s Spirit presented it. He boldly jumped in, without fear, and shared the Gospel message. And that’s what we must be ready to do. You probably know the scripture which Swindoll quotes at the end of his message today, which is John 12: 32, with Jesus speaking, … “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” And right now, as I’m writing this, the exhortation of 1st Peter 3: 15 comes to my mind, which states, “… always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; … “
What today’s passage illustrates, and what Swindoll is teaching in his devotional, is the principle of providential opportunity. When God lays out the opportunities, we must grab them and use them for His glory. That’s also the lesson Jesus taught in His Sermon on the mount. In Matt. 5: 16 [I hope you know it], … Jesus said that we are to “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Our question becomes, are we being opportunistic and boldly sharing our story as well as the hope mankind has in Christ anytime God so presents divine appointments for us to do so. I’m afraid that all too often I have been guilty of letting fear of failure or my imagination of the opinions of others stand in my way of sharing my testimony or my Savior when God opened windows of opportunity. Too many times, I have backed off, even when God has obviously put someone in my path and given me the opening to share my story or the truth of Christ with them. May God forgive me for not grabbing hold and being bold when He would have been glorified by me shining His light with others? May I do better in the future?!
My Prayer for Today: Lord, give me opportunities to share You with others; and then embolden me with Your Spirit to shine Your light. Amen
My Journal for Today: As Paul and Barnabas got to Pisidia in Antioch on the Sabbath, Paul was given the opportunity to teach in the Synagogue, as was the Jewish custom in the region for traveling teachers. So, after the Word of God was read, Paul got up and gave those Jews an extemporaneous sermon from Genesis to Christ, revealing the truth of Christ’s coming and His death and resurrection, as well as the hope mankind has in Christ as Messiah.
And the word got out; because the next week on the Sabbath practically the whole town showed up, including Gentiles, to hear what Paul would preach. But that was too much for the Jews, who, jealous of the Gentiles being involved, stirred up discord; and ultimately ran Paul and Barney out of town. But the seeds of the Good News had been planted; and many were saved, including many Gentiles.
Paul took advantage of an opportunity when God’s Spirit presented it. He boldly jumped in, without fear, and shared the Gospel message. And that’s what we must be ready to do. You probably know the scripture which Swindoll quotes at the end of his message today, which is John 12: 32, with Jesus speaking, … “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” And right now, as I’m writing this, the exhortation of 1st Peter 3: 15 comes to my mind, which states, “… always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; … “
What today’s passage illustrates, and what Swindoll is teaching in his devotional, is the principle of providential opportunity. When God lays out the opportunities, we must grab them and use them for His glory. That’s also the lesson Jesus taught in His Sermon on the mount. In Matt. 5: 16 [I hope you know it], … Jesus said that we are to “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Our question becomes, are we being opportunistic and boldly sharing our story as well as the hope mankind has in Christ anytime God so presents divine appointments for us to do so. I’m afraid that all too often I have been guilty of letting fear of failure or my imagination of the opinions of others stand in my way of sharing my testimony or my Savior when God opened windows of opportunity. Too many times, I have backed off, even when God has obviously put someone in my path and given me the opening to share my story or the truth of Christ with them. May God forgive me for not grabbing hold and being bold when He would have been glorified by me shining His light with others? May I do better in the future?!
My Prayer for Today: Lord, give me opportunities to share You with others; and then embolden me with Your Spirit to shine Your light. Amen
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