In a devotional titled “Flunking Witnessing,” John Fischer shares some valuable insights into a task that frightens many followers of Jesus. Please let me share some of what He says with you (note: if you are uncomfortable with the term “witnessing,” then feel free to substitute the words “sharing the gospel” or “evangelism” whenever you see “witnessing”).
“Why do we often find this so hard?…(Witnessing) is usually presented as if we were at a sales conference getting pumped to sell our product.. I don’t know about you, but I’m a very poor salesman. I’m the kind of guy whose sales pitch would be, “You don’t want to buy this, do you?” I don’t like interrupting people. I don’t like infringing on their space. I hate it when people do that to me, so why would I engage in it myself? Plus, I don’t like pretense. I don’t like being nice to someone just to make a deal. I wouldn’t want anyone to think they are a means to an end.
“That’s why I’ve been very encouraged to find out that true witnessing doesn’t involve any of these things. It doesn’t even involve having a memorized speech. Witnessing is really nothing more than befriending people and telling them your story at the right time (usually when they ask you).
“Witnessing is being so in love with God that you eventually end up talking about Him. Witnessing is being so overwhelmed by the undeserved nature of your salvation that you can’t contain your joy. Witnessing isn’t coercing anyone; it’s quite the opposite. It’s having someone coerce the gospel out of you, because they can’t stand not knowing what’s going on with you anymore.
“If you want to prepare for anything, think about your own story, how you can tell it, and how you can connect it to the events that are happening around you…But don’t worry about not being prepared. Probably some of the best witnesses around are people who would flunk a witnessing course, but make excellent friends.”
God loves you!
Mike
Monday, November 9, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
How Would Jesus Handle It?
"A North Carolina pastor plans to host a Halloween event at his church to burn heretical books. At the top of the list — the Bible. Pastor Marc Grizzard claims the King James version of the Bible is the only true word of God, and that all other versions are "satanic" and "perversions" of God's word. On Halloween night, Grizzard and the 14 members of the Amazing Grace Baptist Church will set fire to other versions of the scripture, as well as music and books by Christian authors. "We are burning books that we believe to be Satanic," Grizzard said. The list will include books written by "a lot of different authors who we consider heretics, such as Billy Graham, Rick Warren… the list goes on and on,” Pastor Grizzard said. Also on the pastor's list of heretical authors — Mother Teresa…" ("Pastor To Host Halloween Bible-Burning Event," foxnews.com, 10-22-09).
The purpose of this article is not to debate the pros and cons of various versions of the Bible. I'm not here to promote or criticize certain religious authors. I'm more concerned about the message this kind of thing sends about "Christianity" in general. I realize that faithful disciples of Jesus will never totally fit in to their surrounding culture, but can't some care be taken not to give any unnecessary ammunition to critics?
Pastor Grizzard and the members of Amazing Grace Baptist Church are certainly free to express their convictions on these matters in the particular way they have chosen. That is a privilege, at least for the time being, that we still have in this country. I doubt that anything I or anyone else could say would sway them from their course of action. But if given the opportunity, I would encourage them to think carefully about the kind of attention they are attracting. Is this how Jesus Christ would handle it?
By the way, the article does say that "…the book-burning is being promoted as
a social event with a barbecue dinner." And God must shed a tear…
God loves you!
Mike
The purpose of this article is not to debate the pros and cons of various versions of the Bible. I'm not here to promote or criticize certain religious authors. I'm more concerned about the message this kind of thing sends about "Christianity" in general. I realize that faithful disciples of Jesus will never totally fit in to their surrounding culture, but can't some care be taken not to give any unnecessary ammunition to critics?
Pastor Grizzard and the members of Amazing Grace Baptist Church are certainly free to express their convictions on these matters in the particular way they have chosen. That is a privilege, at least for the time being, that we still have in this country. I doubt that anything I or anyone else could say would sway them from their course of action. But if given the opportunity, I would encourage them to think carefully about the kind of attention they are attracting. Is this how Jesus Christ would handle it?
By the way, the article does say that "…the book-burning is being promoted as
a social event with a barbecue dinner." And God must shed a tear…
God loves you!
Mike
Vision
“Vision” is a hot topic in leadership circles. Men and women who desire to make a difference in the business world are often told that they must be visionaries – those who can look beyond the present, set concrete and measurable goals, and then motivate those around them to strive to reach for those goals. Businesses compete for visionary leaders who can lead their company to greater and greater success. Churches have adopted this popular business model as their blueprint for growth as well. Congregations also compete for driven, visionary leaders who have the potential to lead them to success in the spiritual marketplace. Is this wise?
Jim McGuiggan has some words of caution for the body of Christ in this area. He writes: “It’s critically important that the Church sees itself in God’s terms; not as the world sees it, not as it sees itself but as he sees it. It’s nature and mission is what he says it is and what we dream after that – our goals and programs and “vision” – must be in line with and completely identified with what we are in his sight. Too soon our own (often) fleshly desires (“growth,” “acceptability,” “feeling blessed,” “happy” and such) become our “vision” and who we truly are in Jesus is forgotten or yawned at” (“God’s Vision and Our Vision”; www.jimmcguiggan.com)
When you boil it all down, our “vision” really doesn’t matter. What matters is God’s vision for us individually and corporately. He sets the agenda; he provides the goals; he gives the motivation. We are called to follow His visionary leadership.
“A system of ministry leadership may be organizationally efficient, impressively accomplished, and statistically amazing, but if those who work within it are not being changed into the likeness of Christ and increasing their awareness of and participation in what really matters to him, it is spiritually lacking” (Carlus Gupton).
Truly visionary leaders will always point others away from themselves and toward God and His vision for their lives. Remember, it’s God’s will that is to be done and not our own.
God loves you!
Mike
Jim McGuiggan has some words of caution for the body of Christ in this area. He writes: “It’s critically important that the Church sees itself in God’s terms; not as the world sees it, not as it sees itself but as he sees it. It’s nature and mission is what he says it is and what we dream after that – our goals and programs and “vision” – must be in line with and completely identified with what we are in his sight. Too soon our own (often) fleshly desires (“growth,” “acceptability,” “feeling blessed,” “happy” and such) become our “vision” and who we truly are in Jesus is forgotten or yawned at” (“God’s Vision and Our Vision”; www.jimmcguiggan.com)
When you boil it all down, our “vision” really doesn’t matter. What matters is God’s vision for us individually and corporately. He sets the agenda; he provides the goals; he gives the motivation. We are called to follow His visionary leadership.
“A system of ministry leadership may be organizationally efficient, impressively accomplished, and statistically amazing, but if those who work within it are not being changed into the likeness of Christ and increasing their awareness of and participation in what really matters to him, it is spiritually lacking” (Carlus Gupton).
Truly visionary leaders will always point others away from themselves and toward God and His vision for their lives. Remember, it’s God’s will that is to be done and not our own.
God loves you!
Mike
Monday, October 19, 2009
Rebuild or Retreat
One of the newest additions to the U.S. Naval fleet launched out on its maiden voyage Tuesday morning. The U.S.S. New York, an amphibious transport dock ship, left Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding's yard in southern Louisiana for its official commissioning in New York in November. While new naval vessels are built and commissioned on a regular basis, this one is different. What sets the U.S.S. New York apart is that almost 8 tons of steel salvaged from the wreckage of the World Trade Center towers was used in its construction. The ship was named to honor the victims of the terrorist attacks of eight years ago (www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,565141,00.html).
Following the collapse of the World Trade Center towers, about all that remained was mangled and twisted piles of structural steel. Those piles of misshapen metal became a symbol of weakness and vulnerability for our nation. But now some of that same metal, re-forged and re-formed, becomes a symbol of strength and preparedness. Something useless became something useful. A painful reminder became a motivation for renewed effort.
It is possible that each of us may face times of devastation in our own lives – times with the potential to leave us standing among the twisted wreckage, staring at smoldering piles that once were our personal hopes and dreams. When such times come, we have a choice to make. We can allow the wreckage of life to become a monument that forever haunts us and reminds us of our defeats and failures or we can take remnants of the wreckage, re-forge them in the furnace of affliction, and use them to rebuild what Satan seeks to permanently destroy.
The time to make the choice is now, before difficult times come. In the heat of the moment, with tears of pain and grief clouding our vision, we may be tempted to give up. So we must determine now, with God’s help, to expose Satan for the terrorist he is and to refuse to allow him to defeat us. May we resolve to rebuild instead of retreat.
God loves you!
Mike
Following the collapse of the World Trade Center towers, about all that remained was mangled and twisted piles of structural steel. Those piles of misshapen metal became a symbol of weakness and vulnerability for our nation. But now some of that same metal, re-forged and re-formed, becomes a symbol of strength and preparedness. Something useless became something useful. A painful reminder became a motivation for renewed effort.
It is possible that each of us may face times of devastation in our own lives – times with the potential to leave us standing among the twisted wreckage, staring at smoldering piles that once were our personal hopes and dreams. When such times come, we have a choice to make. We can allow the wreckage of life to become a monument that forever haunts us and reminds us of our defeats and failures or we can take remnants of the wreckage, re-forge them in the furnace of affliction, and use them to rebuild what Satan seeks to permanently destroy.
The time to make the choice is now, before difficult times come. In the heat of the moment, with tears of pain and grief clouding our vision, we may be tempted to give up. So we must determine now, with God’s help, to expose Satan for the terrorist he is and to refuse to allow him to defeat us. May we resolve to rebuild instead of retreat.
God loves you!
Mike
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
The Secret To Long Life
It seems that the search for the proverbial “fountain of youth” has always been a human obsession. Modern society is no exception. Various ‘miracle’ treatments of all kinds are promoted as the latest discovery to slow the advance of time. But when you sort through all the hype, the keys to living a long life are really quite simple.
In a recent Yahoo! Health article, Dr. Maoshing Ni shared his insights on how to live to be 100 years old. First, he listed the bad habits that contribute to premature aging. That list included poor diet, lack of exercise, stress and worry, exhaustion, unhappiness, lack of love, toxic overload, and blockages \ congestion of the transportation highways within our bodies. Not surprisingly, the keys to living a long life are mostly a reversal of the bad habits. The 6 healthy habits that Dr. Ni mentions are: drink more water, eat like a centenarian, restore regular rest, take the stairs, manage your stress, and detoxify your surroundings (health.yahoo.com/experts/drmao/19787/how-to-live-to-100/).
Can I share a secret with you? And if I tell you, will you promise to share it? I know how you can live forever! There is no long list of key principles to memorize. Just remember one thing: Eternal life is a gift of grace received through faith in Jesus Christ, the son of God. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). “For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:40). “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13).
The only thing that stands between you and eternal life is a living faith in Jesus Christ. Nothing more. Nothing less.
God loves you!
Mike
In a recent Yahoo! Health article, Dr. Maoshing Ni shared his insights on how to live to be 100 years old. First, he listed the bad habits that contribute to premature aging. That list included poor diet, lack of exercise, stress and worry, exhaustion, unhappiness, lack of love, toxic overload, and blockages \ congestion of the transportation highways within our bodies. Not surprisingly, the keys to living a long life are mostly a reversal of the bad habits. The 6 healthy habits that Dr. Ni mentions are: drink more water, eat like a centenarian, restore regular rest, take the stairs, manage your stress, and detoxify your surroundings (health.yahoo.com/experts/drmao/19787/how-to-live-to-100/).
Can I share a secret with you? And if I tell you, will you promise to share it? I know how you can live forever! There is no long list of key principles to memorize. Just remember one thing: Eternal life is a gift of grace received through faith in Jesus Christ, the son of God. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). “For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:40). “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13).
The only thing that stands between you and eternal life is a living faith in Jesus Christ. Nothing more. Nothing less.
God loves you!
Mike
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Pondering Our Priorities
“Tickets for one Broadway play had to be purchased months in advance. One couple even planned their entire vacation around the availability of tickets. But, to their surprise, they discovered an empty seat next to them when they arrived for the show. It was the only vacant seat in the theater. “This is amazing,” the man said to a woman seated across from the empty seat. “We had to buy our tickets eight months in advance, and we get here and find an empty seat.” The woman replied, “Well, that seat belongs to me, too. It was my husband’s seat,” she continued with a shrug. “He died.” The man said, “I’m terribly sorry. But couldn’t you have invited a friend to come with you?” She thought about it a second before answering. “No, I couldn’t do that; they are all at his funeral!” Now that is a woman who has clear priorities!” (Don Humphrey, Hearts On Fire, pp. 6-7).
This humorous (and fictional!) story highlights a common human struggle – that of choosing and maintaining our priorities in life. There is much in our world that shouts for our attention. Nearly everything is presented as an urgent matter. How, then, do we discern what is truly important?
The Bible has something to say about our priorities as a child of God. Jesus had a message for some who were anxious about meeting even the basic needs of life. We are not talking about luxuries here. In context, Jesus is talking about food and clothing. Surely such necessities ought to rank as a top priority in our lives. But, according to Jesus, there is an even greater priority. “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). God’s program is to have first place in our lives!
Does that mean we can safely ignore other important commitments, such as our families, jobs, etc.? Of course not. But all other priorities should be subservient to our over-arching priority – seeking the kingdom and righteousness of God.
God loves you!
Mike
This humorous (and fictional!) story highlights a common human struggle – that of choosing and maintaining our priorities in life. There is much in our world that shouts for our attention. Nearly everything is presented as an urgent matter. How, then, do we discern what is truly important?
The Bible has something to say about our priorities as a child of God. Jesus had a message for some who were anxious about meeting even the basic needs of life. We are not talking about luxuries here. In context, Jesus is talking about food and clothing. Surely such necessities ought to rank as a top priority in our lives. But, according to Jesus, there is an even greater priority. “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). God’s program is to have first place in our lives!
Does that mean we can safely ignore other important commitments, such as our families, jobs, etc.? Of course not. But all other priorities should be subservient to our over-arching priority – seeking the kingdom and righteousness of God.
God loves you!
Mike
Monday, September 28, 2009
Playing Favorites
“One day the famous orator Henry Ward Beecher had to be absent from the Plymouth church where he usually preached. His brother was invited to speak for him. The auditorium was crowded, but when it became evident that the eloquent Henry Ward Beecher was not going to appear, many started to leave the building. The brother of Beecher was not disturbed. He stood up before the murmuring crowd, called for silence and said, “All who came this morning to worship Henry W. Beecher may leave now. The rest will remain to worship God.” No one left after that” (David Lusk, The Beacon, Pensacola, FL.).
It is so easy to let our assembly times be driven by personalities rather than praise. The church of God in Corinth battled this very problem. “For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you. Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:11-12). The apostle Paul would have none of their “preacher-itis” (even if they favored him, by the way!). With strong words, he calls them to re-focus. “Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one would say you were baptized in my name” (1 Corinthians 1:13-15).
If we are not vigilant, we can develop the same problem as Corinth. Our gatherings should be an opportunity for joy instead of judgmentalism. Lord, please help us never to be divisive over personalities, abilities, or status. Help us never to “play favorites.” May we take to heart the exhortation of James: “My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism…But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors” (James 2:1,9).
God loves you!
Mike
It is so easy to let our assembly times be driven by personalities rather than praise. The church of God in Corinth battled this very problem. “For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you. Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:11-12). The apostle Paul would have none of their “preacher-itis” (even if they favored him, by the way!). With strong words, he calls them to re-focus. “Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one would say you were baptized in my name” (1 Corinthians 1:13-15).
If we are not vigilant, we can develop the same problem as Corinth. Our gatherings should be an opportunity for joy instead of judgmentalism. Lord, please help us never to be divisive over personalities, abilities, or status. Help us never to “play favorites.” May we take to heart the exhortation of James: “My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism…But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors” (James 2:1,9).
God loves you!
Mike
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