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Giving Your Personal Testimony

Now that you have your own personal testimony, let's chat for a few seconds about how you present it.

Whaddya mean? I just give it, right?

Well . . . yes. But there are some other things worth mentioning that'll help you feel good about yourself when sharing it. You may be a bit nervous; and that's okay. You're normal. But you want to feel confident when sharing Christ, so here are a few security boosters.

Booster #1: The way you look. YOU may be the only picture of Jesus your friend has ever seen. So, naturally, you want to look your best (no broccoli between your teeth!). And when you look good, you feel good. The result? Confidence. This is really simple stuff . . . making sure your hair isn't shifting out to another galaxy, having good breath (Seriously! Bad breath can be a real turnoff!), and just looking like you're well put together.

Exception: You're in the locker room. The time is right. The friend you've been praying for suddenly seems interested in knowing more about Christ. You're in his world-go ahead and share your testimony. He'll relate. Don't jump up, run home and change clothes, come back and give your testimony. That's silly. Use common sense.

Booster #2: The way you think. Ask God to help you zero in on little clues your friends might be dropping that hint of their interest in knowing more about your relationship. Learn to be a quick thinker. Be alert! Listen for golden opportunities in class, the hallways, your school cafeteria, the practice field. Keep your spiritual eyes and ears open!

Booster #3: The way you talk. You'll remember a on September 22, I suggested using the word “share” instead of “tell.” Try not to use so much “churchy-sounding language” that your friend doesn't understand what you're saying. Make it a point to watch your general conversation as well. Don't tell questionable jokes to get a laugh. It's natural to want to be included by your non-Christian friends so you can eventually share Christ with them, but if you're being included at the expense of being like them instead of being different, your testimony will never be heard.

Know It!
Only God can provide the perfect timing, that golden opportunity, the exact right moment to share. If you try to force it or make it happen in your own power, you won't feel the confidence you need to be effective. The Holy Spirit will guide you. Learn to depend on Him to help you discern the right time to share your testimony. When the timing is God's timing, you'll be much more confident in sharing Him with others.

Read It!
Joshua 1:5-9; Joshua 1:18; Psalm 138:3; Proverbs 28:1.

Pray It!
Ask God to reveal any changes you need to make in your outward appearance or inward attitude before you start sharing your faith.

Is Cindy Pregnant?

After getting ourselves together I decide to call my husband at work and ask him to come home early. He asks what is wrong I told him it was serious but it wasn't life or death. Or was it???? I didn't want him to think someone died. I am suddenly faced with what they are going to do if she is pregnant. For a brief second I am visualizing a cute little baby who looks like my Rob. I get sort of a kick out of thinking of this baby that I would love as if it were my own heart, born from my son and his girlfriend. Then wham!!!! Reality hits again, he is only 17 and she is 16. They are both still babies. We very nervously sit down and talk about what to say to Cindy's parents. I told them they should go over there as they did her with me. She says flat out, "NO, I can't do that." I can see she is scared to death. So I suggested we wait until Rob's dad gets home and the four of us will talk.

I met my husband at the door when he came in and told him what has happened. He looks at me with the saddest face I have ever seen on him. He holds his head in his hands and says "Oh Lord, no." He goes into the bedroom to change clothes before coming out to the others. They asked how did Dad take it and I said he is upset for you both but he will be OK, and we are here for you both no matter what is said or done. He comes out with his eyes red and swollen.

My husband makes the call to Cindy's parents and ask them to come over right away. He explained we all need to talk, that is was serious but not life or death. Or was it? Her parents come in and the 6 of us sit and I tell them what Rob and Cindy told me. Cindy's father takes it real hard and gets up and walks in the other room and her mother just closes her eyes. By this time I am crying again, so is Rob and Cindy. In the quiet of the room I can sense such heartache and fear. What to do? First of all we have to know for sure if she is pregnant. Cindy said she took on of those home pregnancy tests and it was positive. Well, we decide we want her to see a doctor to know for sure before talking of any plans. Cindy's mom quickly gets up and goes into the kitchen and calls their doctor. She demands an appointment right away, this is an emergency. So in a moments notice off they go. Rob stands to go and Cindy's dad says he better stay here.

An hour or so goes by and Cindy calls Rob and tells him she is pregnant. She is crying out of control and he says its OK, cause he loves her and will marry her and they will have their baby, he looks over his shoulder saying, "Right Mom?" I said yes. Wow married? With a baby? Living here I supposed. Wow! Then I hear Rob yell, "What?, no way." Then he bangs the phone down. Rob's dad and I are practically on top of him waiting for what she said. He looks with the blankest stare at us and says, "Cindy's parents are making her have an abortion." He grabs his jacket and runs out the door to go to her house. This situation is life or death!!

God forbids irresponsible sexual behavior, in order to spare us the disastrous consequences. "You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe." Psalm139:16. God created man in his own image, human life is sacred and of inestimable worth to God who created it. "You made all the delicate, inner pares of my body, and knit them together in my mother's womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex." Psalm 139:13 "Thou shall not kill" Deut. 5:17 BUT...... Confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness 1John1:9

Being Different Makes a Difference Part II

Shane waited until Saturday afternoon to give Ryan a call. “How you doing, Ry?”

“Uhhh,” he moaned. “Can you come over? I wanna talk.”

“Sure, but it doesn't sound like you're I the best of shape right now. Are you sure this is a good time?”

“No, it's not a good time, but I want to talk to you anyway, man. Please, Shane. Just get here.”

Shane placed the receiver in its cradle and headed toward Ryan's. As he heard his screen door slam, he couldn't help but remember all the great times they'd had the past five years. He smiled as he recalled their first meeting on the baseball field in the Blue Tigers Little League. Ryan had his cap on backward-his symbol of doing things “his way.” They had collided during practice when both were going for a fly ball. Even though their white practice pants were covered with dirt and grass stains, the boys laughed hysterically. That day marked the beginning of a close friendship.

The following year, Ryan's family moved into a neighborhood in Shane's school district, and the two had become even closer. Though Ryan sometimes accepted his invitation to attend church, Shane was still praying that he'd become a Christian.

As he turned the corner to drive the last five blocks to Downing Street, he remembered how close Ryan had been to making a spiritual decision last summer when he had agreed to attend church camp. Though he was desperately interested in knowing God better, it was obvious something was still holding him back.

Now, as they were in the middle of their junior year, Shane worried that he was completely losing Ryan to the party scene. It had become a Friday night ritual for the rest of the team to get drunk after every game- whether they won or not. Ryan had fallen prey to the pressure.

As he shut the car door and climbed the porch steps, Shane wondered what he could say to his friend this time had he hadn't already said before.

Know It!
You may spend years sharing your faith to the same person. And he may continue to put you off and make excuses as to why he's not ready to accept Christ. Don't give up! Remember, Jesus didn't give up on you. It may be frustrating, but keep loving your friend, continue sharing your faith and never stop praying!

Read It!
Psalm 37:7; Psalm 40:1; Habakkuk 3:16; Romans 8:25.

Pray It!
Ask God for patience when you feel frustrated at the lack of spiritual progress from your non-Christian friends.

Being Different Makes a Difference Part IV

“Hey, Ryan . . . listen to me,” Shane began. “All the things you'll give up to follow the Lord are the very same things that are ruining your life. You really don't want to do them anyway. You said that yourself.”

When Ryan didn't respond, Shane continued. “It just makes sense to give your life to God. It's obvious you're miserable. You already said you need God's strength to say no to the things you don't want to do.”

“Yeah, I know,” Ryan agreed.

“But you're right in thinking about the cost,” Shane continued. “Following Jesus isn't always easy. It means saying no to some attractive things everyone else seems to be doing. And they'll probably give you a hard time about it, too. But, hey, look who God's given you for a friend!”

“Get off it!” Ryan smiled as he tossed a pillow at Shane's head. “Everything you're saying makes a lot of sense. I really want to do this. I need to do this. But I'm still scared.”

Shane smiled and breathed a prayer for help as he leaned forward and opened his New Testament.

* * *

Shane's life opened the door for Ryan's salvation. Within his lifestyle, he also had three important aspects of leading someone to Christ. Let's sneak a peek at Shane's secrets. Lifestyle evangelism for him meant:

• Friendship. By being a friend to Ryan, Shane had earned the right to be heard. He had taken the time to establish rapport. Their friendship spanned five years. They had shared baseball, basketball, camping and several other common interests. By simply being a friend to Ryan over the years, Shane had earned his respect and won his trust.

• Consistency. Shane was consistent. First of all, he was consistent in his friendship with Ryan. He continued to encourage him and kept the lines of communication open, even when Ryan drifted into other areas. He wasn't condemning, yet he clearly didn't condone Ryan's actions either.

Chances are your non-Christian friend already knows what's wrong in his life. Instead of focusing on those wrong things, continue to love him and make it clear you want him involved in your youth group. Invite him often and encourage his attendance. When he does come, make him feel loved and accepted by introducing him to your church friends and youth leader.

Shane was also consistent in his walk with Christ. It would have been easy to accept the invitation to the party and simply not drink once he arrived. But Shane knew his influence would eventually be stronger if he didn't attend the party at all.

Know It!
Your lifestyle actually shouts a lot louder than our words. Are you being a consistent living example of Christ for those around you?

Read It!
Psalm 27:1-3; Psalm 27:11; Psalm 27:13-14; Psalm 28:11.

Pray It!
Ask Christ to shine clearly through your actions as well as be echoed in your words.

Don't Throw the Baby Out with the Bathwater!

If you're able to plug your new Christian friend into a Bible study and church, she's probably beginning to grow spiritually. But she's still a baby Christian. So it's understandable she'll fail. That's okay. That doesn't mean she's “lost” it or just can't cut being a Christian. It's normal to make mistakes. Remember when you first learned to ride a bicycle? You fell, scraped your knees, maybe even ran into your neighbor's mailbox-but you didn't quit. You kept on until you got the hang of it.

Please don't give up on your friend when she blows it. Encourage her. Remind her to ask for God's forgiveness, accept it, then get up and keep walking.

There may be some habits in her life that she needs to get rid of. It's not your job to point out all the bad stuff you see. That's God's job. You're not His “sin monitor.” Let Him deal with it in His perfect timing.

But as she begins to wrestle with some of these issues (possibly drinking, smoking, cussing, her sex life), you can help her learn to see and understand what God wants and expects. When she asks you (yes, wait until you're asked) if you think she should go out with Mark (who's a heavy drinker), you can share that as a new Christian it might be too big a temptation for her. And you can explain the importance of dating those who share her newfound faith and morality.

But if she goes out with him anyway and drinks and tells you about it later, don't throw out the baby with the bathwater. It's understandable you'll be frustrated. And it's understandable that you want her to “hurry and grow up” spiritually. But growth takes time.

Offer to pray with her. Seek God's forgiveness, then “toss out” the habit of going out with those who will tempt (just like you'd “toss out” old bathwater), and continue walking forward. Most important: Let your friend know you care about her spiritual growth! Don't abandon her. Stick close and introduce her to more Christian friends she can hang out with.

Know It!
Aren't you glad God didn't give up on you when you first came to know Him? Chances are you made a few mistakes, struggled to let go of some old habits and maybe even refused to break away from friends who were pulling you down. But because God stuck with you, showed you His patience and let other Christians into your life, you continued to walk with Him. Do the same for your friend.

Read It!
1 Corinthians 3:6; Colossians 1:10; Colossians 2:19; 2 Thessalonians 1:3.

Pray It!
Ask God to give you wisdom to know when to speak out and when to be silent.

God Is Depending on YOU!

There's an old tale about Jesus ascending to heaven after He'd resurrected Himself and met with the disciples and other believers. The tale states that Jesus entered heaven and was greeted by the angel Gabriel. “Well, You did it! You became the greatest gift of all. You gave your very life for sinners that they may be forgiven and have eternal life. Was it worth it?”

“Oh, yes,” Jesus said. “It was worth every drop of blood.”

“And now You've conquered death and have come here to prepare an eternal home for all those who will accept Your wonderful and free gift of salvation.”

“Yes,” Jesus replied. “That's correct. And oh, how I yearn for everyone to accept My gift and live with Me forever here in heaven.”

“So what's the plan, Jesus?” Gabriel asked.

“The plan?”

“Surely You have a plan! State-of-the-art technology? Huge marketing campaign? Maybe a few celebrities to endorse Your gift?”

“No, that's not the plan,” Jesus said.

“Oh. Well, what is the plan?” Gabriel asked.

“I only have a few followers . . . and I've entrusted the entire gospel to them.”

“You mean . . . that little band of Christians?” Gabriel asked.

“That's right,” Jesus said.

“But how will they ever spread Your wonderful gift from generation to generation? Shouldn't we come up with another plan?”

“There is no other plan, Gabriel. My Christians are all I have. And I trust them.”

Know It!
God is counting on you. He needs you. He wants to use you. Will you dare to be the one?

Read It!
1 Corinthians 1:17; 1 Corinthians 9:16; Ephesians 4:11; 2 Timothy 4:5.

Pray It!
Tell God that He can depend on you to do your part in spreading His wonderful news of salvation.

Bought, Branded, Bonded Part I

Don't even think about reading the next three devotions unless you're willing to stretch your mind, use your imagination and enter into a world from which you may never want to leave.

Yeah, it's bizarre, but you were warned. Ready to travel? Okay. Close your eyes. Go ahead. As in now. (Hey! Your eyes can't be shut if you're still reading!).

Okay. With your eyes closed . . . pretend you're a cow. A beautiful golden-brown cow with just the right amount of white sprinkled throughout your hide to make you attractive to all the other cows.

Are you hungry? Okay, let's mosey out to greener pastures. As we stroll through the thick, tall green you stop to swish your tail and show the flies who's boss. Ummm. The warmth of the yellow sun on a clear day feels incredible. You lift your nose to the sky, taking in the glistening glow of warmth about to become heat. Ahhh. How could life be any better?

Your four hooves leisurely lead you through the bright green pasture, rich in a grassy buffet of your favorite vegetation. Yep. This is the life, you think as you chew on your favorite meal.

You lovingly gaze at your friends next to you enjoying the same wonderful life. Suddenly, your thoughts are interrupted by the sound of horse hooves parading upon your territory. You turn your head to see the owner of the ranch dismounting his horse with a long, iron rod. Almost immediately, several ranch hands have joined him. They start a fire, and you turn back to your lunch.

Within no time, the fire has become steady, strong flames of heat. You hear one of the ranch hands say, “It's hot enough now. Grab the iron.”

You turn around just in time to see the owner of the ranch dip the iron rod in the blazing fire. What happens next is a blur.

The owner pulls the rod out of the fire, and you notice that what was once black iron is now a brightly glowing red. You've never seen anything become so hot that it changes colors. But in just seconds, you not only see it, you experience it.

The owner raises the glowing-red rod to you! You're too stunned to move. And in the millimeter of a second, he's pressing the iron to your back. What? Hey! You don't even have time to think. Or to process. All you can concentrate on is the sound of your own flesh being seared with the owner's rod.

You've been branded.

Everywhere you graze, anywhere you wander, everyone will see your owner's mark on your skin. From this point on, there will be no doubt as to whom you belong.

Know It!
Yes, it's a bizarre illustration, and you won't realize its full impact until you've finished reading the following pages. But get this: God wants there to be no doubt that you belong to Him.

Read It!
John 15:19; Romans 1:6; Romans 14:8; 1 John 3:9.

Pray It!
Ask God if you're allowing His reflection to shine clearly through your life. Are there any blockages that are standing in the way?

Bought, Branded, Bonded Part III

You timidly glance up to see Plow Man rushing the other bidder. He violently throws him in the dust and raises a knife to the stranger's throat.

Plow Man's a maniac! Oh, God, protect me! you desperately pray. The stranger-you can't figure it out, because you never saw him move-is suddenly on top of Plow Man holding the knife to his throat. You can't see the stranger's face, but the plow guy is sweating so much on the dusty road, the dirt is turning to mud on his face. The stranger stabs the ground. Then he stands and says, “Get this through your head. She's mine. There is no price too high for me to pay.”

Plow Man raises himself to his feet and pulls his knife from the ground. “You can have her,” he hisses, “but this isn't over. When you least expect it, I'll take her from you!” He spits at the stranger's feet and leaves.

The stranger turns around. You gasp. It's the guy with the gentle eyes and the warm smile. He pulls out a wad of bills-empties his wallet-and unchains your feet and hands. “Here,” he says, “wrap yourself in this.”

Flannel. Your favorite. Ahhh, it feels so soft against my filthy body.

He doesn't put you in the back of his wagon. He has a place ready for you up front-with him. On your way out of town, he stops at a tailor's. “Only the best,” he says. “Make her fine clothing out of your best material. Spare no expense.”

Days turn into weeks. And you can't believe your good fortune. You're a slave, but you're being treated like a queen. Your master has given you a king-sized bed in your own big room. He cares and provides for you more than you imagined. You're so grateful, you find yourself wanting to serve him. “What can I do for you, Master?” you ask. “Can I clean the barn? Can I plant seed?”

He smiles and takes you by the hand. “I'll show you how,” he says. While you're working alongside your master, you try to concentrate on your good fortune of meeting such a wonderful friend, but you're haunted by the words of Plow Man: “This isn't over! When you least expect it, I'll take her from you!”

A month later, your master calls you into his office. “You've done a fine job here,” he says-and his eyes glisten with pride for you. “But I bought you. You had no choice in the matter. I paid for you, and I brought you here as my own. I love you so much that I will not keep you against your will. You're free to go.”

Know It!
How would it feel to be saved from an evil person such as the Plow Man and then to be granted your freedom? Would you choose to go? Or would you choose to remain with the master who more than adequately provides for you?

Read It!
John 8:47; Romans 6:18; Galatians 5:1; 1 Peter 2:9.

Pray It!
Ask God to help you truly understand what it means to be “bought” and “set free.”