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 Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2006 5:41 am
The World's Largest Backpacking Group Part VI
Joshua exercised his faith, gathered the world's largest backpacking group together and lined them up. Row after row after row. Over 500,000 of them. And his instructions probably went something like this:
“Okay, gang, we're crossing. I know. I know. I know. The Jordan River is still flooded. I realize that. But I also have faith that the God who calls us to cross will somehow provide a way. I mean, that's our theme, right? Let's join hands and walk together.”
So they began. Ryan's hand was sweaty, but he clung to his brother, Eric. And Eric clung to Joshua. And Joshua clung to Geoff. And Geoff clung to Mark. And Mark clung to Annette. And Annette clung to Liz. And on and on and on it went-all holding hands and walking toward that huge powerful body of roaring, terrifying 15- foot waves.
You know what happened, don't you? Their feet touched the water and God split the river! (If Eric would've been thinking, he could've grabbed the Sony camcorder and videoed the whole thing for us! But he was so shocked it was all he could do to keep putting one foot in front of the other while his mouth hung open.) Over 500,000 people walked across on dry land.
How did they do it? By holding hands and walking together. You see, God promises that there's nothing you'll face that will be too strong for you to handle-if you'll walk with your brothers and sisters in Christ. Isn't that what the Church is all about? Joining hands and walking together?
It's about patting someone on the shoulder and saying, “Good job!” Or looking a friend in the eye and saying, “Jamie, I sense that you're going through a tough time right now. Can I treat you to a Coke?” It's walking the second mile. Mailing a note of encouragement. Making a phone call. Giving a hug. Sending an e-mail.
Christ want the Church to be a place where you can rush in from the world, collapse into the arms of your brothers and sisters and say, “Whew! It feels good to be out of the storm.”
He wants your church to be your shelter; your place of refuge. We often get so caught up in who said what and misunderstandings that church and youth group become a place of avoidance instead of the place we rush to for support. Joshua was in the process of teaching his group an invaluable lesson: “If we walk together, there's no river too deep for us to cross. When we stop holding hands, become divided and take our focus off of God, we'll drown.”
Know It!
God wants to use you as a catalyst to promote spiritual wellness in your youth group and church. Will you let Him?
Read It!
Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-31; 1 Corinthians 13:4-7; 1 Corinthians 14:33.
Pray It!
Ask God if there's anyone in your youth group with whom you need to make amends.
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Posted: Wed Sep 13, 2006 5:50 am
The World's Largest Backpacking Group Part VII
As soon as the world's largest backpacking group had crossed the Jordan River, they realized they were up against the largest wall they'd ever experienced in their lives! But everyone remained calm. Josh had already gone over the game plan. He'd already rehearsed the instructions. They knew exactly what to do.
They reached behind their heads and untied their backpacks. Then-even though years earlier Yo-Mo had specifically said not to bring anything extra- everyone had. It just so happened that 40 years earlier, they were all members of the Egyptian High School marching band. So-even though they weren't supposed to-they all packed their band instruments!
They pulled out their horns, tubas, flutes and other music makers and lined up. After tuning up, they marched around the great wall playing “Oh When the Saints Go Marching In.”
And the people inside the city of Jericho stopped. “Oh, when the saints,” someone sang. “Go marching in,” someone hummed. “Oh, when the saints go marching in,” a soprano belted.
“Hey! I know that song.”
“Where's that music coming from?”
“Did our city council decide to pipe in special music for us?”
“That's so special!”
And the next day at the same time, the world's largest backpacking group marched around the wall again and played the same tune. And the next day. And the next. And the next. Until finally at the end of the week, the people inside the city of Jericho were sick and tired of the same old music.
“Hey, can't you play anything else besides 'The Saints'?” someone yelled.
“Yeah, we're SICK of that song!”
“How 'bout a C-scale or a minor chord or one of those augmented things--something!”
Know It!
When God gives you a specific song to sing, there will always be those who try to change your tune. Don't compromise! God gives specific visions, certain dreams, unique messages for one reason: He want those visions, those dreams, those messages . . . and those specific songs delivered. Don't succumb to the pressure of a crowd who wants to change your delivery.
Read It!
Joshua 6; Psalm 112:6-9; Psalm 119:1-3; Psalm 119:101-106.
Pray It!
Seek God's strength to continue living the way He wants you to live, and discipline to deliver the message He has given you to share.
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Posted: Thu Sep 14, 2006 5:42 am
The World's Largest Backpacking Group Part VIII
Josh addressed his group: “We're gonna keep playing the same song, and since this is the seventh day, we'll play it seven times. Ha!”
So they adjusted their instruments and began marching. But this time, as sort of a grand finale . . . at the end of the seventh rendition, they threw their instruments loudly on the ground. They then stood tall with their shoulders back and screamed as loudly as they could: “JO!”
The people inside the city of Jericho stopped. Jo? Men who were coming out of the bank and placing money in their wallets, stopped. Jo?
Women who were pushing babies in strollers down sidewalks, stopped. Jo?
Adults who were coming out of grocery stores with bags in their arms, stopped. Jo?
Teachers who were lecturing and giving homework assignments, stopped. Jo?
And students who were listening and passing notes, stopped. Jo? Jo! Jo?
Finally, the entire city dumbfounded, stood to their feet and in unison cried out, “JO? JO WHO?”
And 500,000 on the other side screamed back: Jo Mama! Jo Mama is a wimp! Jo Mama wears combat boots. Jo Mama ! Jo Mama! Jo MAMA!
There was so much noise, the walls began to shake. The ground quivered, and only minutes later, the entire wall completely collapsed!
The world's largest backpacking group wasted no time. They rushed inside with B-52s, M-16s, B-B guns for small objects that moved quickly and Roman candles for special effect. The people of Jericho were in such a state of shock and confusion they were defeated and slaughtered on the spot!
Joshua grabbed the microphone at city square and announced the continuing plan of action. “Glory be to God!” he cried, “for giving us the strength to defeat a city six times our size. Now listen carefully to the following instructions. I want you to go into every condo, home and apartment and destroy everything except anything that's valuable.”
“Like what?” Todd asked. (It had been so long since any of them had even seen valuable stuff, they were a little confused. That's what wandering around in the desert for 40 years can do to you.)
“Jewelry,” Josh said. “Bring all the jewelry out here- along with any valuable metals-turquoise, gold, silver, copper. We'll melt it all down and use it to build the Temple once we get to the Promised Land. Bring the valuable stuff out to city square, destroy the rest-and NO ONE KEEP ANYTHING FOR HIMSELF!”
Know It!
Throughout history, God has equipped His people to overcome incredible odds. You may be struggling with something that appears six times your size, but if it's a battle God has called you to fight, He's in it with you and will provide everything you need.
Read It!
Psalm 20:5; Colossians 1:23; Hebrews 11; 1 Peter 1:9.
Pray It!
Ask God to give you His spiritual vision so that instead of seeing insurmountable odds through your eyes, you'll learn to see with His vision.
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Posted: Fri Sep 15, 2006 5:43 am
The World's Largest Backpacking Group Part IX
Joshua's instructions were crystal clear. He then gave the signal, and away they went. All of them. Following his orders. Obeying the instructions. Well . . . not exactly. There was this one guy. And there's always one in every crowd, isn't there?
His name was Acorn. (Well, almost. People probably called him that when they made fun of him. His real name was Achan. Not much better, huh?)
Acorn went into a condo, cleaned it out completely, and just happened to notice a bathrobe. (True story. I promise. Read it for yourself in the seventh chapter of Joshua.) And even though he remembered Josh specifically saying no one could keep anything, he thought to himself, Hey, it's just a bathrobe. It's not like it's valuable or anything. And besides . . . no one was watching. I'm so tired of these old gym shorts. I deserve a new bathrobe. So he took the garment, folded it, wrapped his tunic around it and went to the next home.
Again, he cleaned it out completely, but his eyes fell on a small gold bar-maybe three inches long. And even though he could hear Joshua's words echoing in his mind, he couldn't help but think, It's so small. What's one gold bar? So he took the gold bar, stuck it in his pocket and went to a nearby apartment.
He did a great job cleaning it out, but as he did, he couldn't help but see a small silver coin-about the size of two quarters. And yes, he remembered the words of his leader, but different thoughts ran through Acorn's mind: It's just a silver coin. It's been 40 years since I've had an allowance. I deserve this little bit of money. I'm working hard, here! It's not like our group needs this small coin, he thought. And true, it really wouldn't be missed, because people were hauling huge sections of golden walls and massive pieces of solid silver, turquoise and other metals. One small coin really wouldn't be missed in the grand scheme of things.
So he took the silver coin and went back to his personal tent, dug a hole in the ground and placed the coins in the pocket of the bathrobe, folded the robe, buried it, placed his cot on top of the dirt and probably put his CD player on top of that.
It was smooth. No one nearby. Nothing would be missed.
Know It!
People can rationalize anything. Many dating couples rationalize that since they're in love-and will eventually marry each other anyway-having sex outside of marriage is permissible in their case. Other Christians rationalize pornographic fantasies thinking, Hey, it's just in my mind. It's not hurting anyone. If you want to rationalize drinking, taking drugs or even Satanism, you can find a “church” willing to endorse those very things. But remember-rationalizing with people is never the same as rationalizing with God. It just won't work. Ever.
Read It!
Psalm 119:43-48; Psalm 119:55-64; Psalm 119:128- 133; Psalm 119:165.
Pray It!
Ask the Lord to help you fall in love with His will even though you may not always understand it.
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Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 8:35 am
The World's Largest Backpacking Group Part X
That night, the world's largest backpacking group celebrated their victory. They had been eating manna (white stuff kind of like Wonder Bread that God had sent from heaven) and quail meat for 40 years. But this night they grilled hot dogs over a blazing campfire, roasted marshmallows and even made smores.
They were on cloud nine, and so was their leader. “God has been faithful,” Josh reminded them. “We're so close to the Promised Land, that we'll be there tomorrow night!” Everyone screamed and clapped and a few of guys in the back stuck their fingers in their mouth and whistled really loud.
“According to the map,” Josh said, “there's one more city that stands between us and the Promised Land. It's a peanut-sized city. We're talking teeny-tiny. In fact, we don't even need to send our entire army. I'll have our top fighters leave tomorrow morning to conquer it, and they'll be done in just a couple of hours. Then they'll come back and get us around noon, and we'll be in our dream land tomorrow evening in time for supper!”
Sounded great. Can you even imagine camping out for 40 years? Mosquito bites, eating the same thing day after day, sunburn, warm water to drink.
The next morning, the top fighters from the world's largest backpacking group left to conquer the city of Ai. But just before noon, a messenger came back to camp. He explained to Joshua that every man had been killed in battle.
“What?!?” Josh cried. “That can't be true! Ai is such a small city.”
The Bible tells us he was so distraught, he threw himself on the ground, tore his clothes and cried out to his Heavenly Father. I imagine his prayer went something like this:
“God, I don't understand! You've been so faithful until now. You've split the Jordan River, parted the Red Sea, given us water from rocks, turned a snake into a stick, led us with a pillar of light in the darkness, given us bread from heaven, quail meat and just gave us victory over a city six times our size!
“Now that we're this close to the Promised Land, You choose to walk away and leave us? How can this be? Why would You bring us this far just to tease us? I don't understand! Is this some kind of sick joke? Are You just gonna leave us out here to die?”
God listened to Joshua's prayer. And He also responded. In fact, His response was such a classic, that Josh memorized it, then wrote it down.
“I cannot honor a group of people who choose to compromise.”
Know It!
When God speaks, it's not simply to hear the sound of His own voice. When He speaks, He does so with reason, clarity and purpose. And He expects His children not only to hear His message but to heed it as well.
Read It!
Isaiah 64:5; Jeremiah 31:30; Luke 16:1; John 8:34.
Pray It!
Tell God you want to obey Him with all your heart.
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Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 7:28 am
The World's Largest Backpacking Group Part XI
As soon as Joshua heard those words, he knew someone had rationalized his instructions. Someone had taken something that didn't belong to him.
So he gathered his search party and told them to go into every person's tent, dig through everyone's belongings and find the stolen property.
They did. And they came up empty-handed. Acorn didn't even bat an eye. Why should he? No one had seen him, and he'd buried his stolen treasures underneath his cot. No one would ever think to just start digging a hole in the floor of his tent!
But Joshua wouldn't give up. (He never buckled under pressure, remember?) So the search party went back again. And again they came up empty-handed.
But Joshua still didn't quit. He sent his men back again. They came to Acorn's tent. Searched it inside and out. No one found a thing. They left.
Except for one man. He stopped in the doorway of the tent, spun around and folded his arms. His eyes darted from side to side. What is it? he thought. What's this eerie feeling I have? Ahh, I don't know. I'm just so tired of searching everything and coming up empty-handed.
He wandered back inside the tent and threw everything off the walls. Then he kicked the cot out the door and took the pillow and smashed it against his knees until the feathers flew out. Then, standing where the cot had been, he folded his arms again and began kicking the dirt underneath his feet while scanning the tent.
And you guessed it. As he stood and kicked, you know what he saw. The corner of a brightly-colored bathrobe. And as he leaned over to pick it up, a silver coin and a gold bar fell out of the pocket.
Acorn was brought to the center of the camp and burned alive.
Wow. What started as a fun story about an exciting youth group, has suddenly turned into a nightmare. All because one guy compromised.
You see, there are some things that change. The weather. The price of a hamburger. History. Fashion. And then there are things you change: your mind, your socks (hopefully), your feelings, your grades.
But there are some things that NEVER change. And those things are God's laws. They don't rotate, altar, shift or evolve. They're constant. Solid. Concrete. They will always be that way.
When we compromise God's standards, we're sinning. The world says, “It's not sin, it's just doing your own thing.” But when God says “no,” and you say “yes,” it's sin.
Know It!
There's no way to get around God's laws. When we choose to break them, there are always consequences.
Read It!
Psalm 51:4; Ecclesiastes 9:18; 2 Peter 2:4; 1 John 1:10.
Pray It!
Ask God for a growing desire to do His will and obey His commands.
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Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 5:48 am
The World's Largest Backpacking Group Part XII
We live in a gray world-in other words, right and wrong have fused together to create “whatever's right for the moment.” And for Acorn, it seemed “right at the moment” to take some gold, silver and a bathrobe.
It's wrong to steal. It's wrong to sin. It always has been and it always will be. Maybe for you the issue isn't stealing . . . maybe it's going too far with your date. Or maybe it's the language you use, or the movies you're watching, or _____________ (you fill in the blank). But the bottom line is, if you're rationalizing (making excuses for something that's really wrong and convincing yourself it's okay), then you're living in sin.
“So how much does it cost to live in sin?” Well, it costs a lot. The Bible says the cost is death. The cost was death when Acorn lived, the cost is death today, and the cost will still be death 1,000 years from now. That's not changing. And that's bad news. But here's the good news! The Bible also says that God will forgive for the asking.
As Christians, God calls us to live a step above the rest of the world. He wants you to be set apart. When everyone else does something the world endorses permissible, but it lowers your standards or hinders your relationship with Christ, you're compromising to keep pace with those around you. God calls you to keep step with Him.
Anything that compromises where you stand with God is wrong. You don't even need to spend time praying about. For Acorn, it was taking something that didn't belong to him. It would have been a waste of time for him to pray, “Lord, You know I'm broke and need a little extra money. Thanks for helping me find this gold and silver. And thanks that no one saw me take it. Now, don't let anyone find my treasures while I bury them, okay?”
That's stupid, you may be thinking. Who'd ever pray a prayer like that? Well, don't we do the same thing when we drive too fast? Lord, You know I don't want to be late for church, so I'm going to have to speed. Don't let me get stopped.
Or possibly when you're watching something you shouldn't? Lord, don't let Mom and Dad come home till this is over.
You get the picture. No need to pray about anything you have to rationalize. Why? Because God has already made it clear that compromising His commands is wrong.
Know It!
If God walked into your bedroom and flipped over your cot, would you be embarrassed at what He'd find? Are there things in your life that you're trying to hide?
Read It!
Joshua 7; Joshua 8; Romans 6:23; John 1:12.
Pray It!
Ask God to point out anything you've been compromising in your relationship with Him and seek His forgiveness.
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Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 5:45 am
Victory Over Compromise
Instead of praying that God won't help you get caught cheating, or that someone won't know you lied, pray about these things instead:
• Wisdom to know the difference. Maybe you're not sure if this specific thing will compromise your relationship with God or not. Seek His wisdom. He's more than ready to give you solid direction when you ask.
• Discernment. Discernment is honed wisdom. It allows you to be more than just “generally wise.” Discernment helps you assess specific situations and know from the inside out whether or not it's right.
• Knowledge. If you are rationalizing something and it's not right in God's eyes, you want to know about it! So pray for that knowledge. That's why daily time spent with God in prayer and Bible reading are so important-it gives you a chance to ask God if there's anything in your life that's not right. Then it's His responsibility to help you know what it is. And when He brings it to your mind-when you have knowledge of it-seek His forgiveness and commit it to Him. So go ahead. Let Him look underneath your cot and inside your closet. Give Him your locker and your diary. Surrender your relationships and your heart. Commit to Him your will and your desires.
Know It!
God wants your happiness even more than you do! He doesn't place rules in your life to frustrate you or to rob you of a good time. He gives you boundaries to protect you and help you live life to the fullest in His glory.
Read It!
Proverbs 3:13-26; Isaiah 8:17; Isaiah 12:2; Isaiah 26:4.
Pray It!
Consider praying the following:
Lord, sometimes I move so fast, I forget to stop and think about if what I'm doing is really okay in Your sight. I hurry to keep up with my friends, . . . when I should be hurrying to keep myself saturated in Your Word.
I don't want to compromise, Father. My desire is to live a life that's pleasing to You. I need Your discernment, Your wisdom and Your strength. Help me to discipline myself daily to establishing those attributes in my life. Help me to work at them-practice them-until they become part of my lifestyle. I want to live with integrity, never compromising. Never rationalizing.
Help me to be like Joshua-standing strong with the pressure rises. I don't want to buckle when I feel the tension. But “as for me and my house . . . I WILL serve the Lord.” Amen.
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Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2006 5:48 am
Can You Spot The Mistake?
Though people mean well, what often comes out of our mouths is just a little . . . off. Check out the following misstatements.
• “My best friend is a chronological liar.”
• “He suffers from an insecuriority complex.”
• “Members of the Grovetown Woman's Club gave the speaker a standing ovulation.”
• “He really gets my dandruff up.”
• “He's so rich! He wears a Rolodex watch.”
• “All their meals include 8 percent tax and 17 percent gratitudes.”
• “Well, at least she's getting it out of her cistern.”
• “I have a photogenic memory.”
• “If you take this subject, you may be able to enroll in Harvard, Yale or Prison.”
• “The loaf of bread had no adjectives and no preservatives.”
• “We use vanilla envelopes for bulky letters.”
• “I was scared stiffless.”
• “I love academia nuts.”
• “When the temperature is below zero, it may feel even colder because of the windshield factor.”
• “My ancestors were pheasants who came over from France.”
Though it's fun to laugh at the mistakes of others, God wants you to focus more clearly on what they do right, rather than how many times they mess up. How often in the past two days have you laughed at someone? How often in the past two days have to made time to point out someone's good qualities?
A little encouragement and consistent affirmation go a long way in helping someone feel better about himself. You have the power to make or break someone's day just by how you treat him. People who are always waiting for someone to mess up, are usually people who are very insecure. By pointing out someone else's mistakes, it somehow makes them feel better about themselves.
Mistakes and sin are two different things. Yes, God wants you to be bold in speaking out against sin. Jesus never hesitated to call sin, sin. But He never laughed at another person's expense. A sin is deliberately doing something against the known will of God. A mistake is forgetting the correct word to use. There's a huge difference.
Know It!
It's your choice. Would you rather be known as an encourager whom people love to be around? Or do you want the reputation of being the sarcastic person always looking for a laugh at someone else's expense? Let Jesus be your example.
Read It!
Philippians 2:1; Colossians 3:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:11; 1 Timothy 4:12.
Pray It!
Ask God to show you specific ways to encourage three different people this week.
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Posted: Thu Sep 21, 2006 5:48 am
Sometimes Love Takes its Time
Dr. Hans Richter, a famous musical conductor lived in the late 1800s and was a close friend of famous composer Richard Wagner. Mr. and Mrs. Wagner often dined with Dr. Richter and shared many memories. Toward the end of year in 1870, Mrs. Wagner complained to her husband that it had been a long time since they had seen Dr. Richter. She wondered why he hadn't been out and about. Why wasn't he doing anything important? Why hadn't they heard from him?
Her birthday fell on Christmas Eve, and she was surprised by her husband and Dr. Richter playing a musical selection for her that they had spent the last year composing. Dr. Richter and Mr. Wagner has been rehearsing her surprise for weeks when she was wondering why he supposedly wasn't doing anything at all.
Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus, probably wondered why Jesus wasn't doing more when their brother died. They had sent word to their Lord. Where was He? Why didn't He seem in a hurry to arrive and offer His help?
Sometimes love takes a little time. Often times what appears as a delay from God is an act full of love and designed with rich blessing. Mary and Martha didn't know that though Jesus arrived when they felt it was too late, He was actually right on time to perform the miracle of raising their dead brother to life. And sometimes when God waits to answer your prayer, He's actually waiting for His perfect timing to give you an even greater blessing that what you previously expected.
Well-known writer Robert Louis Stevenson was known as a kind man with a huge heart. A story is told about an experience he had while living in Samoa. One day when his cook was away, he told the other servant not to bother with lunch, just to bring a little bread and cheese instead. Stevenson didn't want to bother the servant or make him feel obligated to do what the cook usually did.
The servant took a little longer than Stevenson expected. The writer wondered what was holding him up but was pleasantly surprised when the servant entered his room carrying a tray with an incredible lunch of an omelet, salad and great coffee. When Stevenson asked him who prepared such a fine lunch, the servant replied it was him. Stevenson then complimented him on having great wisdom. Apparently, he had brought one of the writer's favorite meals to him.
But the servant responded, “No; not great is my wisdom. Great is my love!”
Know It!
Be willing to put aside your impatience and completely trust God for His best plans for your life.
Read It!
Isaiah 55: 10-11; Jeremiah 32:26-27; Habakkuk 2:3; John 11:1-12;
Pray It!
Pray for patience and understanding regarding God's timetable and your desires.
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Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2006 5:36 am
Are You a Sower?
As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Matthew 13:4-8
Are you a sower of the word of God? Do you use every opportunity to spread the love of Christ to those you interact with daily? You can spread the seed and let the Holy Spirit do the watering and fertilizing causing the seed to eventually grow. God says that his word does not return void. Do you speak words of truth to those you meet each day? You don't have to deliver a great evangelical speech, but you can tender those seeds with love and gentleness.
To be able to sow seeds of truth, you have to know the truth. How can you know the truth? By reading the word of God and hiding it in your heart. Look for opportunities to plant seeds. If a friend is hurting, talk to them about God's love. If someone is fearful, remind them that God's cares for them and only wants the best for them. Use the seeds God has given you to plant gardens of hope and healing among those you love and come into contact with daily. We are all sowers for the kingdom of heaven. Let's be sure our seeds fall onto fertile ground by helping to prepare the soil ahead of time to hear and receive the seeds of truth.
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Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2006 10:49 am
Developing Your Personal Testimony Part I
Every Christian has a testimony! The issue right now is putting it together so you can share it with others. Let's work it like a puzzle. This will be the most important puzzle you'll ever put together in your whole life. The first four pieces deal more with how to deliver your testimony, and the last four pieces deal with developing your testimony.
Puzzle Piece #1: Strive to keep your testimony around three minutes. You don't want your testimony to turn into a 30-minute sermon. Keep it concise so your friend won't daydream himself into the ozone layer while you're droning on and on.
Puzzle Piece #2: Be expressive. After all, you're sharing the most important thing in your life. So be interesting. Talk with excitement. Use your past experiences. Listeners relate better to personal stories. This will arouse some interest.
Puzzle Piece #3: Share some Scripture. This is important so you can back up what you're saying. This means you may need to start reading your Bible more and memorize some key verses.
Puzzle Piece #4: Be sensitive with your language. Instead of saying, “Can I tell you about something exciting in my life?” try saying, “Can I share something exciting in my life?” There's a difference between telling and sharing. Using the word “telling” makes some people feel as though you're pointing your finger at them. But “sharing” sounds more friendly. And that's exactly what you want to create-a friendly situation. No one likes to feel stressed or trapped into listening.
The next three puzzle pieces deal specifically with the unique parts of your personal testimony. Without these pieces, you don't have a testimony.
Puzzle Piece #5: Your Life BEFORE You Met Christ. What was your lifestyle like? What did you think? Include attitude and habits. Examples: “I was selfish. I thought about using others to get ahead. I was only interested in what I could get out of life. I partied a lot, always searching for something better . . . anything that would make me feel good for the moment was an option.”
Know It!
Why is it so important to have a testimony? So you can lead others to Christ. Yes, you can share God's Word with them, but a life changed by God's word shouts volumes! Be willing to put a lot of time and effort in developing your testimony. Again, it's the most important puzzle you'll ever piece together!
Read It!
Romans 1:16; Acts 1:8; 2 Timothy 1:8; 2 Timothy 4:1-2.
Pray It!
Ask God to give you a burden for those who don't know Him and a boldness to share your testimony.
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Posted: Sun Sep 24, 2006 8:58 am
O Lord Send Someone Else
“But Moses said, ‘O Lord, please send someone else to do it.’” Exodus 4:13
On a warm summer night last year, just as I was finishing the day and sitting down to eat, my phone rang. The person calling was someone I had come to know and truly appreciate over the past few years. A man many years older, he had become a good friend and someone I greatly respected. He was calling to ask if I could come talk with his daughter. She was overcome with grief because of a tragedy which had struck her family. Her nine-year-old son had drowned in a swimming pool, but had been kept alive by life support machines. She had just received news that there was probably a great deal of brain damage and that her son would most likely never even wake up from his coma. She was wanting someone to come and explain why all this happened and why a loving God could allow this tragedy to take place. Unfortunately, I was the one they called.
With everything inside of me screaming, “O Lord, please send someone else to do it,” I accepted the invitation and began the 30 minute drive to their home. I prayed, a lot! I had completely no clue what to say or even where to begin. Even though I had counseled and walked with people through difficult times, this was easily the most challenged I had ever felt. When I arrived, I did so with no more idea of what to say as when I had got into my car.
What I said, or didn’t say isn’t really that important. God taught me a valuable lesson that night. First of all, He is in control and when given the opportunity can use us to do absolutely anything. Second, people don’t want answers near as much as they want someone to listen to their questions. After several hours of listening and just allowing God to speak through me, I left and returned home. The grief of the situation remained and I was hardly a genius in my explanations. But God used me and that felt good. I have a feeling that’s the same thing Moses felt after leading the people out of Egypt. I don’t know how it happened and most of it is a blur, but God used me. It’s interesting to notice that Ex. 4:13 should be viewed from Phil. 4:13 – “I can do all thing through Christ who gives me strength.” Praise God He will use you if you will just let Him.
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Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 5:36 am
Developing Your Personal Testimony Part II
You may not be able to develop your testimony overnight. It would be wise to stretch it out over a few days and let each puzzle piece simmer in your mind. If you have trouble remembering a specific part of your testimony (such as what you were like before you accepted Christ as your Savior), ask those closest to you for their input. Your parents, your youth leader and a close friend may be able to give valuable input.
Puzzle Piece #6: How You Came to Know Christ. Be specific with this. Don't say something like, “Then I met Christ, and everything changed for the better.” How did you meet Him? Share where and when, too.
Some people honestly can't remember a specific time when they became a Christian. That's okay. Don't start thinking you'll be banned from heaven just because you can't come up with a certain date. But it's important that you know this: No one is simply born a Christian. We all have to make a decision to follow Christ and actually ask Him to forgive our sins and take control of our lives. You may remember a general time in your life rather than a specific day and year when this happened. Share that.
You also want to emphasize that your relationship with Christ is a free gift. Make sure your friend understands that he can't earn it. You may want to create an illustration of giving a present to him. It's not really his until he accepts it.
Examples of how one could come to know Christ: “I was at a Christian concert, and the singer challenged us to let God take control of our lives. I knew I was sure tired of being in charge and going nowhere. So, when he asked us to stand up if we wanted to make that decision, I stood. It was then that I prayed and accepted God's gift of forgiveness.”
Or . . . “Our youth group had a winter retreat. I was really searching for some answers. Besides feeling lonely, I just lacked a purpose for living. Life didn't make much sense to me. On Saturday night our youth leader said he was going to pray out loud, and if any of us wanted to accept Christ as our Savior, we could repeat the prayer silently. So I did. That's how I met Christ. Now He lives inside me and is changing my life for the better!”
Or . . . “I'd tried everything I could think of to fill the void in my life. Nothing worked. One morning at church, I finally decided to listen to the pastor's sermon instead of sleeping through it. Everything he said made sense! I finally understood that Jesus really is the answer. That's when I gave Him my life!”
Know It!
Though you may initially feel unsure about sharing your testimony, God will bless your efforts.
Read It!
Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26; 2 Timothy 1:6-8; 2 Timothy 2:1- 2.
Pray It!
Ask God to bring someone specific to your mind with whom you can share the gospel.
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Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 5:44 am
Developing Your Personal Testimony Part III
Grab a notebook and designate it your prayer journal. List the names of people you know who aren't Christians and begin praying for them. Also, designate this notebook as the place you'll write and hone your testimony.
Puzzle Piece #7: Your Life AFTER You Met Christ. Share the specific changes that have happened as a result of making Jesus Lord of your life. Share what Christ means to you now. Talk about the excitement you experience from your relationship with Him.
Be careful to avoid giving the impression that your life is now free from problems, because realistically, everyone will continue to face hardship. Share the difference: Now you have Someone to face the hard times with you and provide the wisdom and strength to handle them.
Examples of specific changes: “Now I have a reason to live. Everything is in perspective. He's given me a genuine concern for other people. I really want to help others. I'm not always thinking about myself-I'm learning how to meet the needs of those around me.
“Every day is a new day. It blows my mind that He loves me even though He knows I'm still a jerk a lot of times. Life is kind of like an adventure now. I mean, I'm walking hand-in-hand with the Master of the universe!”
Puzzle Piece #8: Share Scriptures. The following Scripture passages provide more information on how you became a Christian. You might want to use some of these in your testimony; if not, keep them handy to answer any questions your friend might have. These are also great verses to memorize!
• John 3:16
• Romans 3:23
• Romans 5:8
• John 1:12
Know It!
Now that you have the pieces to putting the puzzle of your testimony together, it's time to get started. Grab your notebook and make three sections: 1. My Life BEFORE I Met Christ. 2. How I came to know Christ. 3. My life AFTER I met Christ. Now begin writing! After you've put the pieces together, read your testimony out loud and time yourself to see if it's too long or too short. When you've honed it to approximately three minutes, ask your parents, your minister or Christian friend if you can practice on them.
Read It!
There's no time like right now to familiarize yourself with the above Scriptures that you'll want to use when sharing your faith.
Pray It!
Ask God to help you feel confident and secure about your testimony.
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