The Greatest Miracle Of All

"For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:6, NASB).  
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:  The old has gone, the new is here!" (2 Cor. 5:17, NIV). 
"Thou art the potter, I am the clay" (cf. Isaiah 64:8).

"Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would [not could] not believe in him," (cf. John 12:37, NIV, italics mine). 

Another word for miracle is a sign (as John calls them in his gospel), they are the same in German (Wunder), and miracles are indeed signs from the Almighty, with Whom nothing is impossible. The greatest proof or evidence of the resurrection, for instance, is the changed, even transformed and renewed, lives of the apostles, especially of Saul to Paul.  As Job said, "I will wait till my renewal comes," (cf. Job 14:14).  Miracles don't make faith though, but faith makes miracles. There is never a big enough miracle for someone who doesn't want to believe, but there is ample evidence for the willing.  Jesus refused to do any biggie miracle or miracle on demand to prove Himself but told the crowds that they would receive one sign:  the sign of Jonah. 

Miracles are events that cannot be independently explained apart from God's Finger at work and are not producible without divine intervention or interference. They are not producible by natural causes at the time of the event.  Paul didn't change himself--he was transformed.  That's the miracle of salvation--changed lives from the inside out, and not reformed, nor informed, but transformed.  We don't get merely enlightened or educated, but our spiritual eyes are opened to see God at work in His world.

God is still in the resurrection business and Jesus is still in the business of changing lives.  No one is too much of a challenge for God!  We come to Him as we are, but He makes us anew in His image.  We don't turn over a new leaf, make an AA pledge, or vow to clean up our act, but accept the grace of God at work in us.  The same miracle that happened to Paul can happen to anyone. What He's done for others, He can do for you! 

No one is too far gone or too much involved in sin to be saved, for Paul was the chief of sinners. John Bunyan wrote Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners to reiterate this point, and in a sense, we all follow Christ to the "Celestial City" and have to avoid "Mr. Worldly Wiseman" or false theologian and seek the truth of God that transforms and sets us free, as Jesus said, "The truth shall set you free (cf. John 8:32)."  The whole point of salvation is a changed life, and if there is none then salvation is suspect--everyone needs to be set free; we don't come to God with free wills, but wills that are ready to be set free!

In Scripture, we read of the blind man who said, "I was blind, but now I see!"  You cannot argue with one's testimony like that--he knows something for sure that cannot be denied or refuted. Thomas was radicalized when Jesus let him put his finger into His side and was told to believe, not to doubt.  Another example was the wayward woman at the well in Samaria whose eyes were opened when she met Jesus and saw herself for what she was, but much more the grace of God.  We all have a testimony or story to tell and the Bible says, "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so!" in Psalm 107:2.  Each of us is a miracle ready to happen as well as one that must be told--if you want to see a miracle, look in the mirror or remember from what you were saved!  All of us should be able to relate what God has done for us by grace and feel grateful enough to pass on the good news.

The greatest sign that Jesus gave was his resurrection to a stubborn generation, but it was given "many infallible proofs" according to Luke in Acts 1:3.  But we can expect Christ to arise in us personally and to take up residence in our hearts.  The resurrection of Christ is history, but the resurrection experience in our hearts is salvation!  The resurrection is either the biggest and cruelest hoax in history, or it's the most important event and the turning point, according to Josh MacDowell.  Has Christ risen in you?  Look in the mirror, check your fruit!  If we have experienced God through Christ we will feel compelled and constrained to pass it on!  That's how we can accomplish miracles ourselves: changing lives in Jesus' name by sharing the gospel!  We are free to come as we are, but we will not stay that way.

Even great sinners can be changed into great saints by faith, but they must realize it's God at work, and not of human achievement:  we receive, we don't achieve.  Salvation is wholly God's work in us and of divine accomplishment ("salvation is of the LORD," per Job 2:9), not human achievement.  Religion is just a do-it-yourself proposition and a way of pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps, but Christianity is all about Christ coming to the rescue to save us from ourselves because we are our own worst enemy!

We are consequently saved from God's wrath, sin, Satan, hell and judgment, condemnation, our old sin nature, the power of sin over us, and eventually, the presence of sin itself--this is all a miracle and not our own work or effort that we should boast. When I got saved I remember telephoning my Mom and telling her that she would like the new me; she only replied that she liked the old one--but I'm sure she sees the difference now!  It's simply God at work in me as a work in progress.

CAVEAT:  NEVER FORGET YOUR ROOTS AND FROM WHAT YOU WERE SAVED (CF. ISA. 51:1).  

In sum, the only proof we need is what happened to us and to others as a witness and cannot be denied--don't be forced to prove anything, but let them see the irrefutable proof themselves.  The gospel illustrated in shoe leather.  Soli Deo Gloria!

My Spiritual Pilgrimage Abridged

My Journey of Faith, by Karl W Broberg

This is a first-hand account of my spiritual pilgrimage without glorifying my sins.

I was baptized as an infant in a Lutheran church and the pastor was my sponsor, while friends of the family were my godparents--we corresponded for years (i.e., the pastor).  Some of my earliest memories are of listening to my grandmother telling Bible stories.  My parents made sure I was confirmed.  I can remember as a youth making a scrapbook of Jesus' life and the pastor showing it to the church, teaching vacation Bible school, and inquiring whether I should go into the ministry.  I also went to Summer camp and believed I knew the Lord because I was preoccupied with the book of Revelation and Billy Graham's book World Aflame

I recall no particular or sudden moment of surrender or spiritual awakening, but my faith was very important to me and I loved the Bible--I recall the habit of underlining favorite verses.

I made the leap of faith, realizing my sin and Christ dying for me, and then dedicated my life to Christ during a Billy Graham crusade at age 15 and subsequently got involved in a Seventh-Day Adventist Church Bible study.  Being counseled by my pastor, he told me to study Martin Luther's Commentary on Galatians.  I then wrote a paper debunking the study and defending the faith.

Later, at Augsburg College, I was exposed to "liberal theology" and "textual criticism," and found out I didn't know all the answers!  Being disoriented in my faith, I dropped out, did some soul searching, and tried to "find myself" as they said back then.

I enlisted in the Army and heard another Billy Graham crusade.  The missing link--I needed to repent (my church never mentioned this!)  I was under grave conviction and rededicated my life--it was then that I felt I "found Christ."  I called my mom and told her she would like the "new me," but she said she liked the "old me."  It seemed like I had done this before, but this time it was for real.  I guess I had to get to the end of my rope!

Back at the base, I hooked up with the Navigators and was mentored or "discipled," as they term it. "Once you've experienced it, you want to pass it on," and so I got the bug to witness.  Gradually I matured doctrinally, and I got interested in eternal security or "Once saved, always saved"--even writing Billy Graham to get his stand.

Upon discharge I became convinced of "believer baptism," and was officially "dunked"--the pastor knew me personally and didn't give me a hard time--it was then that I first took my stand for Jesus in church.

Later I became concerned about my beliefs and "keeping the main thing the main thing."  I didn't want to "major on the minors."  I had to learn grace toward those I disagreed with, without splitting hairs.  I've learned when not to be dogmatic--and never to be divisive or quarrelsome--we can disagree without being disagreeable or contentious!  As Augustine's dictum says, "In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity."

Now I have a rewarding relationship with the Lord that manifests itself in many ways, including having inner peace; a purpose for living; being on the same page as other believers; understanding the Word; seeing the Light; knowing God's will;  and assurance of salvation.

In conclusion, I am not what I ought to be, but thank God, I am not what I used to be!  I don't believe in perfectionism--God isn't finished with me yet!  When I see lost sinner, I say, uttering the words of George Whitefield, "There but for the grace of God, go I." And I echo Paul, "I am what I am by the grace of God."

My assurance is simply this:  "God said it in His Word, I believe it in my heart, and that settles it in my mind."

My favorite verse is Job 23:10:  "The LORD knows the way that I take, when He has tried me I shall come forth as gold."

[Note that part of my problem was that I was never exposed to sound doctrine in a church that answered all my problems,  I knew something was awry, so I heard I should repent, raise my hand, come forward,  receive Christ, commit my life to Christ, be baptized, or this or that, ad infinitum. You can be born again without assurance of salvation (it's not an automatic fruit of salvation--no one's faith is perfect, but it must be sincere) or have doubts and insecurities--my journey took me a long way to where I am now understanding the assurance of salvation and the eternal security of the believer in Christ as doctrines that are distinguished, but not separated.]  Soli Deo Gloria!

My Spiritual Journey

This is a first-hand account of my religious and/or spiritual pilgrimage, pitfalls and all, without glorifying the past--and sparing the details.   It's an example of a  believer who got his own way and ultimately learned to submit to God's will the hard way of "been there and done that."

I was baptized in California as an infant in a Lutheran church and the pastor was a friend of the family--we were corresponding for years.   I was also confirmed in childhood.  I can remember as a youth making a scrapbook of Jesus' life and my pastor showing it to the church, teaching vacation Bible school, and inquiring of my pastor whether I should go into the ministry.  I even went to Bible camp and believed I  knew the Lord mainly because I was fascinated with the book of Revelation (reading Billy Graham's book World Aflame), and then shared insights with my mom.

I recall no particular moment of surrender or spiritual awakening, but my faith was very important to me and I loved the Bible (I recall beginning the habit of underlining favorite verses).  I was a person of the Book as far as I can recall, even buying a children's Bible on my own.  My grandmother became very close to me and told me Bible stories.

I  made the big decision to dedicate my life to Christ in a Billy Graham crusade I heard on TV around my 15th birthday, and then got involved in a Seventh-Day Adventist Church Bible study.  Counseling with my pastor,  he told me to read  Martin Luther's Commentary on Galatians.   I then proceeded to write a paper debunking the sect and defending the Lutheran faith.  I also found out I am not Sabbatarian.   I don't believe in "forsaking the assembly together of ourselves, as is the manner of some." But to affirm that  there are no "hard-and-fast rules" for the Sabbath Day."

I went to Augsburg College (a so-called Lutheran Christian college), and was exposed to "higher criticism"  and liberal theology, finding out I didn't know all the answers. With no more motive to study and being confused in my beliefs, I dropped out to do some soul searching and to find myself--wondering if my experience was to no avail.

Joining the Army and looking for love in all the wrong places, I heard a Billy Graham crusade again, only this time it was from South Korea; it was translated into Korean, so he had to go very slow and not being a good listener, it sunk in that I needed to repent, the missing link in my walk ("Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, and times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord," Acts 3:19; "And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem, Luke 24:47").   I was under grave conviction of my sin and rededicated my life to Christ.   I called my mom and told her she will like the new me; she said she liked the old me!   It seemed like I had made this decision before, but this time it stuck. I had to get to the end of my rope before admitting my need.

Going back I hooked up with the Navigators and was mentored.  Once you've experienced it,  you want to pass it on; so I got the bug to witness.  Witnessing to a  friend, he got saved; we became bosom buddies and hung around together the rest of my stint--I could not have made it through without his companionship and fellowship.   I credit the Navigators for teaching me devotions, witnessing, Bible study, and the discipline of committing Scripture to memory.  Then I taught Sunday School while in Okinawa and made many Christian friends.

I matured in my doctrinal viewpoints and the first doctrine I became interested in was eternal security--I even wrote Billy Graham to ask him his stand.   I perceived that repentance is a continual attitude and not just a one-time event and that God grants it by grace.  I frown upon "cheap grace," which justifies the sin, and not the sinner, as it were; giving a license to sin.  I had thought you could sin as much as you want as long as you confess it!  Repentance is an about-face, in military terms, and "If we regard iniquity in our heart, the LORD will not hear us."  We must get a new attitude, change our mind about our sin.  We can be very bad sinners, but never too bad to be saved ("Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow....").

I became convinced of believer baptism and was officially dunked in the church--Dr. Johnson knew me and didn't give me a hard time.   I then shared my faith for the first time publically in the church, and had a personal revival and couldn't restrain myself--I had the "can't-help-it's" ( and I couldn't stop reading the Bible).  I was accused of living "under the influence.    And it was so strange that my mom committed me to the mental ward of the hospital for observation (they couldn't find anything wrong with me and released me).  I was accused of going overboard on my religion.   But I was scarred as a result and never got over it.  Afterward, I wandered the state of Texas flat broke, and went down to Mexico, and then committed myself to the VA.

Finally, I decided to move to Minnesota to live with my grandmother.  I gave my spiritual ambitions a rest and took up electronics and got a job at Honeywell troubleshooting torpedoes--I  wanted to pursue this as a career path.

Then I joined the Army again, but had issues with depression and wanted out,  and was given a medical discharge.  Later, I had many personal problems and found a girl who listened to me and fell in love--we were married for ten years.   During those years I was in and out of the mental hospital, being committed by my best friend, and then by my wife several times.  Once I spent 18 months in treatment, but, praise God,  have not had a relapse in over 20 years--but I do take medications,  and am under psychiatric observation, to be safe, considering my track record.

I thought my hope had perished from the Lord, and  I was destined for mediocrity.   I found a church  where I  could continue to grow  (I learned that one must keep the main thing the main thing and that the purpose of the universal, as well as the local church, is to evangelize and fulfill the Great Commission), and this church had a place for me to serve; however, I wasn't that dogmatic anymore.

Later, after a lot of studies, I started to be concerned about my beliefs  (I became cognizant of the deity of Christ in a real way, and realized the Proverb "without a vision, the people perish"). I knew I had to exercise grace toward those I disagree with, and not be judgmental;   putting Augustine's dictum into practice:   "In essentials unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity."

Since then I've had a meaningful relationship and friendship with my mom, who is not ignorant of doctrine, either--neither of us believes ignorance is bliss, and know our way around the block, theologically speaking.  We talk every day and usually have mutually edifying and lengthy fellowship; we are on the same page so we can bounce ideas off each other.

I am not a success in the world's eyes and haven't achieved the American dream:  But I believe what Mother Teresa of Calcutta says, "The Lord calls us to faithfulness, not success."  God isn't interested in our achievements; He's interested in us and our obedience--Isaiah says, "All that we have done [God] has accomplished for us," and Paul says, "I venture not to speak, but of what Christ has accomplished through me"  (Rom. 15:18).

Doctrinally speaking, I am a Calvinist who believes in the gifts of the Spirit--an oddity.  Sometimes we must agree to disagree, and not be disagreeable, contentious, divisive, or argumentative.   Even Paul and Barnabas disagreed and had to go their separate ways:  There are more important things than being right all the time--relationships--our faith is a relationship with a person, not a creed.  We must accept one another in love because we are "accepted in the Beloved" and always "speak the truth in love."

As far as doctrine goes, a good frame of reference for soteriology, the doctrine of salvation,  is important for witnessing and assurance of salvation.  Like they say,  "God said it in His Word, I believe it in my heart, that settles it in my mind."  I'm not what I ought to be, but thank God I'm not what I used to be! I now live an abundant life with a capital L and am seeking God's Kingdom first.

In summation, I am what I am by the grace of God, and am blooming where God has planted me.  My mission is to the vets, my ministry is my Bible study, and my avocation is blogging to the glory of God--I thank God for my church home!

My favorite Bible verses are as follows:

"Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep thy word" (Psa. 119: 67).
"He brought me out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps"   (Psa. 40: 2).  "Therefore, the LORD longs to have mercy on you, and He waits on high to have compassion on you" (Isa. 30:18).   "I know the plans that I have for you, says the LORD, plans to prosper you, and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (Jer. 29:11).  "If thy Word had not been my delight, I would have perished in the way"  (Psa. 119:92).
"The LORD has chastened me severely, but He has not given me over to death"  (Psa. 118:18).

Most importantly:  "The LORD knows the way that I take, when He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold" (Job 23:10).    Soli Deo Gloria!

Jesus And The Samaritan Woman

You may have heard of Good Samaritan laws, whereby the one who attempts to give reasonable aid to a person ill, injured, or in peril is exempt from legal liability--physicians cannot be sued for malpractice!  The point of this episode with the Samaritan woman is to learn to reach out beyond our comfort zones and sphere of influence when the Spirit leads, and to be ready for that opportunity when the door opens--and we should never think anyone is unredeemable or beyond hope or salvation.  The story unfolds as Jesus goes one-on-one with the woman of ill repute and shows that he is not prejudiced, though the disciples seem to be.

The Jews despised the Samaritans (it was a slur word used in a derogatory manner).  They were said to worship at the wrong place (Gerizim, not Zion) and only accepted the Torah's first five books, known as the Pentateuch.  They were seen as worse than Gentiles because they were half-breeds or hybrid Jews and had a religion of syncretism or mixture with foreign gods.  (Prejudice is not based on reason, but emotion, and especially not experience, and shows ignorance or not being up on what you're down on!)

However, Jesus knew they could be saved too and the Great Commission would include them (cf. Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 1:8; Mark 16:15).  Jesus wasn't ignorant of where she was coming from and didn't speak down to her but reached out to her, knowing where she was spiritual.  The woman was not only a Samaritan, but an outcast due to being divorced five times, and Jesus showed concern for her soul, not trying to pick her up or come on to her.  She noticed that they had something in common ("our father Jacob") and she tried to change the subject when it got personal, but then she noticed Jesus was prophesying.  This was the local meeting place and it was high noon, not the regular time for drawing water, and it looked suspicious from the get-go.

Jesus asked her for water but knew she was thirsty! But what she really needed was Him!   She demurs and hesitates because she didn't think Jews had any dealings with Samaritans--but this one was different and it piqued her interest.  True to himself Jesus was self-advancing or promoting and offered her living water, of which she was ignorant, and this was when Jesus broke the ice and got through to her: it's all about Him and her eyes are opened!

She was confounded, her friends and the disciples were too, who didn't know about the living water that was necessary for spiritual life.  You could say she was taken aback when her spiritual eyes were opened when she saw the light.  Jesus knew what manner of woman she was, yet He treated her with dignity and respect and was polite, not chauvinistic--unheard of in that day.

She changed the subject to worship after Jesus spoke of her husbands and showed signs of guilt and shame, but Jesus accepted her (it's vitally important that we accept the people we're witnessing to and see where they are coming from and relate to it).  The tone of the dialogue shifts to the spiritual and she wonders about where to worship (a legitimate query), but Jesus tells her it's not where but how one worships.

Finally, she shows discernment and is penitent, opens the door to her heart, and accepts Jesus for who He is (you must accept Him on His terms!).  She looked for validation and assurance and Jesus gave it to her.

Jesus makes the final point to the disciples:  the real food in life is doing God's will!   In other words, you will always have the stamina and ability to do God's will, so get with the program!   God's will is fulfilling and rewarding and the only safe place to be!  There is more to life than the mundane (going to the well) and the profane or secular, but the spiritual dimension.

By her witness, there was an evangelistic explosion in Sychar and many came to faith, as she was probably the first evangelist.  The converts wanted to see for themselves and this revival shows how important witnessing is and that God can multiply our efforts, though they may be only one person at first or at a time.

There are several lessons from this episode at Jacob's well:  don't be prejudiced; don't flaunt your faith, which turns people off before the door is opened by the Spirit; don't privatize or be ashamed of your faith either, no matter how small; we all can find a need and fill it and be useful for Jesus in our sphere of influence and circle of friends; we should know the good news and be ready to share it--be prepared like a Boy Scout; we need to relate and listen to people as well as preach and tell the good news; we must learn to personalize our witness to the situation and person and be able to adjust; finally, we need to get the "can't-help-its" or the urge to preach eagerly (cf. 2 Cor. 4:13; Acts 4:20).
Soli Deo Gloria! 

Secrets To A Convicting Testimony

"Has the LORD redeemed you?  Then speak out!  Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies"  (Psalm 107:2, NLT).
"Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story--those he redeemed from the hand of the foe"  (ibid., NIV).   
"Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble"  (ibid., ESV). 
 "You see, we don't go around preaching about ourselves.  We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus' sake"  (2 Cor. 4:5, NLT).   
"Come and listen, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what he did for me" (Ps. 66:16, NLT).
DISCLAIMER:  THIS POST DOES NOT MEAN I CLAIM TO BE THE EXPERT ON THE SUBJECT.  IT WAS PROMPTED MAINLY BY MY OWN EXPERIENCES AND LEARNING CURVE THROUGH THROUGHOUT MY SPIRITUAL JOURNEY'S SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS AND HEARING OTHERS.   I HOPE SOME OF THE WISDOM MAY COME IN HANDY AND CAN BE PASSED ON.

Giving one's conversion testimony can be done in the wrong way, even if you're sincere.  We are to take our testimony as serious business and even get counsel or advice on what to share, or as to what's relevant or works.  Sometimes our life is a testimony in itself and our actions speak louder than words:  One cowboy was asked why he didn't hitch his horse at the saloon anymore, but at the chapel; he replied simply that he heard the gospel and decided to change hitching posts--sometimes a short dramatic explanation of our metamorphosis is all that's necessary, just like the healed blind man in John 9:25, NIV, saying, "One thing I do know, I was blind but now I see."

A testimony is a first-hand, personalized account of your experience in the Lord--what happened, not just what formula you followed or plan of salvation you used.  You cannot refute such a personal claim.  It is vital to relate how your life changed and what is so different now if there is conversion (conversion means a change took place--the whole point in salvation:  a changed and exchanged life!).

We are all called to do the work of an evangelist and "preach the Word in season, and out of season" (cf. 2 Tim. 4:2).  We cannot expect them to always take our word for it but should rely on the convicting power of the Word, that will not come back void and will accomplish God's purpose (cf. Jer. 1:12, Isa. 55:11).  It is the Word that God promises to use as imperishable seeds implanted. We should address the situation at hand, give relevant info, and then make a beeline for the gospel, as this is the big opportunity and chance with an open door if we have gained their ear.  Background info is vital to help the inquirer relate to us and our situation, just as Paul always gave his personal history.

We all have a unique story to tell and the Bible says in Psalm 107:2, NIV: "Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story...."  Share with them how you came to see the light!  Just saying you accepted Christ as Lord and Savior and became a Christian is simplistic, a cliche, or even hackneyed, if not in context. and if you don't elaborate or expound.  What do you mean by that?  Not everyone understands the jargon of Christianity and will understand you--the purpose is to reach the lost who don't know the lingo, not the saved who do.

Usually, testimonies are going one-on-one and can be made to suit, tailor, or fit the person we're witnessing to--you should know your audience or recipients!  No testimony should ever be negligent to make mention of an open invitation to accept Christ, as the Holy Spirit is opening the door we take advantage of it--many a believer has to learn by lost opportunity and trial and error.  The purpose of a testimony is to show others how to get saved, not just announce that you're a Christian.

We must remember that we cannot argue people into the kingdom nor rationalize God because the Holy Spirit has to do a work on their hearts first of preparation; i.e., we talk to God about people, before we talk to people about God and ask Him to open the door that only He can do.  The key to witnessing is laid out in Romans 1:14-16 as being a debtor to God, being eager and ready to share, and not being ashamed.  We must remember that only we can tell our story--everyone has a unique testimony and can reach a certain segment with it.  We have our marching orders directly from God to preach the gospel, known as the Great Commission, and the church is meant to facilitate and equip us for this challenge and mission.  We are all ministers of reconciliation appointed the task of preaching the good news about Jesus (cf. 2 Cor. 5:18).

One caveat is not to come on too strong or to force the issue, but be tactful and sensitive to where they are spiritual--let God work on them and woo.  He alone tugs at the heart and opens it to grant the gift of faith. The keys to a complete testimony are to explain one's life before salvation and then how you came to faith in Jesus, and finally the results of conversion and what your present experience is now.  Sometimes one can make use of evangelistic tools or anything that will bring up the subject in a roundabout manner, such as sharing a blog post or even making an indirect approach by mentioning one of the sound barriers (the mention of God, Christ, sin, etc.) and fishing for an opening.

But the Lord's servant must never quarrel (cf. 2 Tim. 2:23f).  And bear in mind that neither he who plants, nor he who waters is anything, but God who gives the increase (cf. 1 Cor. 3:7).  One also plants seeds or sows and another reaps!  We don't rely on the wisdom of man or of our own brilliance or craftiness, but on the power of the Word to prepare the heart and make it wise unto salvation.

To be effective, we should heed Paul's obedience to the gospel:  "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received..."  (1 Cor. 15:3a, ESV). We don't want to just demonstrate that we can talk the talk and speak the language, but we want to bring conviction.   Paul was obedient to the heavenly calling as our exemplar and role model.   In short, a testimony is this:  What's the gospel according to you?  Soli Deo Gloria!  

Fools For Christ's Sake

 "See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise"  (Ephesians 5:15, KJV).  
"If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable [to be pitied]"  (1 Cor. 15:19, KJV).   
"We are fools for Christ's sake..." (1 Cor. 4:10, NKJV).
"If we are out of mind, it is for God; if we have a sound mind, it is for you"  (2 Cor. 5:13, HCSB).

This is a highly misconstrued proposition; namely, that we (should or have to) look like foolish bumpkins or buffoons for the sake of the gospel.  "Our dedication to Christ makes us look like fools..." (1 Cor. 4:10, NLT).  This is not to be interpreted that we are fools in reality, but our hope of eternal life and the subsequent turning our back on what the world has to offer, in exchange for a heavenly prize and the belief in the supernatural and eternal soul makes us looks foolish to the appraisal of man.  Hosea 9:7 says that the prophets are crazy and the inspired men are fools (cf. NLT). When we seem foolish, it is only to bring glory to God.

This doesn't give us a license to be unwise or not to be savvy of the world's ways and have good common sense and wisdom.  The fool in the biblical sense is really one who doubts God's existence in his heart, not one only who is naive or a simpleton.  We are not to flaunt our faith (neither are we to privatize it either, for that matter), or to wear our religion on our sleeves in showy religiosity.  People are not to look at us and frown that we Christians are a kooky lot and fit for the asylum because of bizarre behavior.  We are not to become offensive Christians or have a bad testimony due to ignorance and stupidity, but the offense is to be in the cross per se, not us, the messengers of the good news. Christ is the true offensive Rock that makes them stumble, not us!  We need no pseudo-offensiveness, which we create our own to make false barriers to the truth.

This implies that we are wise men who seek the Lord, and not fools who act or live foolishly!  Our faith is what's so offensive and foolish, not our walk or manner of living. Paul said that if we are sane it's for their sake, if we are insane, it's for Christ's sake.  Fellow believers should never seem insane or foolish to our estimate or impression.  I'll give you a for instance:  we seem like party-poopers or people who don't want to join in on the fun of eating, drinking, and merry-making like the others (but seek to live in light of eternity and seek to please our God).  It seems foolish. to have such faith and give up what the world has to offer for a heavenly reward.  The natural man lives for the here and now, while we set our eyes on the prize for which Christ calls us.

In summation, we don't want to create false barriers and stumbling blocks for the seeker of truth by appearing to be fools in our behavior instead of godly wise.  For example, we don't write signs all over vehicles warning our fellow man to repent, but let God open doors!  WE ARE NOT CALLED TO BE CORNY OR ODDBALLS!   Soli Deo Gloria!  

Jesus Freak

"Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach ... Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil"  (1 Tim. 3:2,7, ESV, emphasis added with italics). 
"How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation..."  (Isaiah 52:7, NLT).
"The best measure of a spiritual life," says Oswald Chambers, "is not the ecstasies, but the obedience." [Don't go by feelings, they are as variable as a weather vane in a whirlwind!]

By way of definition, I define a Jesus freak as one who has sold out lock, stock, and barrel and serves God with reckless abandon, loving God with his full heart, mind, and will.   Being a so-called "Jesus freak" (note that respectable people are usually not freaks by definition), and it isn't something you advertise, by wearing attire to that effect (don't tell me or announce it, show me and prove it--don't toot your own horn or brag, let another do it for you!): it's something you demonstrate by your daily witness and share with your testimony.

Jesus didn't go around advertising or promoting the fact that He was the Son of God or even Son of David (a Messianic reference), but He didn't deny it either. Nicodemus, for example, recognized that God was with Him!  The prophet Daniel had the reputation of great integrity and piety in his faith, but he neither flaunted it nor privatized it.  We are never called to show off our faith or to look for trouble, but to look for open doors and in the process never to privatize our faith or hide it from the public either.  There comes a time to make a stand for Jesus and show our Christian colors, and there are times to keep it to yourself.  According to Isaiah 52:7 (quoted above),  even the feet are welcome of those who preach the gospel, and the key is that we are not to be offensive Christians, but only to bear the offense of the cross itself! I'm afraid they have a "zeal for God, but not according to knowledge" (cf. Romans 10:2).

If you are really a Jesus freak, you shouldn't have to tell someone, they should be able to discern it by your life's witness, whether you're a hypocrite or not.  It's not a good idea to put Christian lapels on and try to make airs that you're one of the few real Christians who aren't ashamed of Christ.  We must be sensitive to the One who opens doors no one can shut, and not strive to force them open by ourselves.  We don't shove our religion down people's throats or push our faith on others, whether they are willing to accept it or not.  The divine order is to pray to God about a person's salvation, before talking to that person and salvation about God!

Christians aren't called to be "freaks" in the common meaning of the term, but to have a sound mind and witness, and life that cannot be reprimanded or frowned upon.  One example I should bring up:  Putting Christian-promoting bumper stickers on your vehicle, when you have bad driving habits, bringing disrepute to Christ's name, which is really taking His name in vain. Now, all I'm saying is that we don't just tell our neighbor we're "Jesus freaks," but we become "Jesus freaks."  How would it sound if you went around saying, "Hi!  I'm a genius!"

Real Jesus freaks don't need to advertise--it's plain to be seen--there's evidence!  I hope by "freak" one doesn't mean eccentric or oddball, as this is never a good testimony (even though John the Baptist was), but just a fully-devoted, Spirit-filled follower of Christ!  If we really are, God will open the door and the Holy Spirit will anoint you, and it won't be you speaking, but God in you.  I've seen people trying to promote Christianity and have a glum or sullen countenance, and this is a poor advertisement for Christ and does more harm than good. "For the joy of the LORD is your strength" (cf. Neh. 8:10).

Scripture admonishes us not to practice our piety before men (cf. Matt. 6:1-2), to be seen by them and this means to let God open the door and trust Him for the opportunities and He'll make you a fisher of men!  There are certain "sound barriers" in witnessing, and we must be sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading, and be filled with the Spirit  (an example is the first mention of God, sin, salvation, faith, Christ, and finally the plan of salvation and the invitation as barriers to be broken down). Witnessing is to be natural, and not forced unto people when they're unwilling to hear the good news.

God absolutely must prepare a person's heart for the gospel to have any effect and it is only by His wooing that someone will come to Christ, not our persuasiveness or cleverness or gimmicks.  In short, we must earn the right to witness and it must not belie our testimony and conversation in life or lifestyle (we wait for God to open the door)--though there are exceptions to the rule, which only proves there is one.

In the strict sense of the word, all believers are freaks and this is not our home--our citizenship is in heaven (cf. Phil. 3:20)--for we are in the world, but not of it (cf. John 15:19).  The spiritual man is appraised by no natural man:  "The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment"  (1 Cor. 2:15, NIV).  The world is bound to even hate us (John 15:18, ESV, says, "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.").  The world will reject you: "In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted"  (2 Tim. 3:12, NIV).

However, as we willingly and openly confess Christ, we don't wear our religion on our sleeves and display a sort of offensive religiosity or superstition--we aren't Jesus freaks by virtue of claiming to be one, we must walk the walk as well--and the world's observing!
Soli Deo Gloria!   

To Advance The Gospel

 "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh, I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is the church"  (Col. 1:24, ESV)
"For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake"  (Phil. 1:29, ESV). 
"[T]hat I may know him and the power of his resurrection and may share his sufferings..." (Phil. 3:10, ESV).

Paul rejoiced "that what has happened to [him] has really served to advance the gospel" (Phil. 1:12, ESV).  If we have a meaning behind why we're suffering, we can endure it for Christ's sake.  It serves a larger purpose than ourselves, God is turning evil into good and all of our trials, tribulations, tests, and sufferings are but to bring glory to God as we are vessels of honor in His sight.  We must cling to the promise of Romans 8:28 that all things will work together for our good and God is too kind to be cruel, too wise to make a mistake, and too deep to explain Himself; even Job got no reason or explanation for his trial, only a revelation! Even when evil befalls us, God means it for good (cf. Gen. 50:20).  It's not a matter of "Why?" but "Who?"  It is a proven psychological fact that when people are given a "why" for their suffering, they can endure nearly any "how."  This is focused on our attitude, to rejoice in the Lord always! When we see the big picture of God's providence, we can have the right attitude.  Only we can choose our attitudes. 

If we know God, we will trust Him through thick and thin, and when the chips are down our faith will be all the stronger.  There is no kismet or blind fate of Islam, but we have a personal God who gives us a destiny.  We aren't called to be stoics of depressing fatalism though and sing "Que sera, sera," "What will be, will be..." as Doris Day sang, nor to gladly let the chips fall where they may, but seek God's preceptive will through Scripture, knowing that His decreed, hidden will is none of our business (cf. Deut. 29:29 says, "The secret things belong to the LORD our God...").  Stoics are called the philosophers of the "stiff upper lip," because they just believe we have to grin and bear it, no matter what and just accept our fate--resignation or accepting the status quo is not faith.  But Christianity is not determinism!

We have a destiny to participate in and God has plans for our good and to bless us in doing His work. (Jer. 29:11, ESV, says, "For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for wholeness and not for evil, plans to give you a future and a hope." God will fulfill His purpose for us (cf. Psalm 57:2; 138:8).  "He carries out his decree against me, and many such plans he still has in store," (cf. Job 23:14).   God doesn't have to explain Himself to us and we aren't His judge, but we have to explain ourselves to Him and He is our judge.  We are suffering to bear witness to the world, but we aren't saved through suffering; it's only an honor to suffer for His sake as we fill up the sufferings of Christ in the body. Actually, the blood of the saints was the seed of the church according to church father Tertullian, and martyr means witness--it was the suffering of the church that gave it such growth.

The problem of suffering is not answered definitively in Scripture; we must take God's Word that He means no harm, but our good and is wise enough to work it out.  But then again, no religion adequately answers this question, of why there's evil in the world.  Concerning Paul, who boasted of more suffering than any of the other apostles, and still thought himself unworthy, Jesus said, "For I will show him [Paul] how much he must suffer for the sake of my name" (Acts 9:16, ESV). We must not strive against God's will (kick against the goads) per Acts 26:14.   Paul reluctantly mentioned what he had endured for the sake of the gospel in 2 Cor. 11 and the suffering was really a feather in his cap, to his credit.  Even so, Paul was given a thorn in the flesh to keep him humble, because he had suffered so much for the sake of the Name.

Affliction is inevitable:  David says in Psalm 34:19, NLT, "The righteous person faces many troubles, but the LORD comes to the rescue each time."  "Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God," (cf. Acts 14:22).  In summation, it is to be noted that only in our faith is there meaning behind suffering--Eastern thought of karma just says you get what you deserve in life or the next time around, but doesn't offer a higher understanding. Karma is negated by the undeserved sufferings of our Lord, of Joseph, and of Job; note also Psalm 103:10, "He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve."  Mercy is not getting what you deserve, and grace is getting what you don't deserve--only Christianity fully embraces in these doctrines.

In sum, "adversity, discipline, suffering, and trials inevitably happen to all Christians," but Christ was honest enough to warn us and doesn't expect anything of us that He didn't experience and didn't exempt Himself from suffering (He learned obedience through suffering, cf. Heb. 5:8)--in fact, our crosses pale in comparison!  Remember: no cross, no crown!  Soli Deo Gloria!  

Not An Option!

 "And Peter said to them, 'Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit"  (Acts 2:38, ESV).

NOTE:  I AM NOT IMPLYING THAT SALVATION IS A REQUIREMENT FOR SALVATION BUT IF ONE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY AND DOESN'T DO IT, IT IS A SIN OF OMISSION.  

Jesus was baptized with the baptism of John to inaugurate His public ministry, and when asked why:  "To fulfill all righteousness!" We are to follow in His steps.   John's baptism belonged to the Old Testament and was one of preparation for the kingdom of God.  Jesus 'ministry commenced at this time of ordination and He officially became the Christ, being anointed.   Christ was relating to us, as well as condescending, as an example.  We are subsequently commanded to follow suit and do as commanded: to be baptized ourselves as a public testimony of our salvation.

By the way, Jesus never gave suggestions or good advice, but commands or mandates; we are commanded to be baptized in the Great Commission, and it is not an option or a suggestion!  Jesus never mandated anything He didn't do!  The symbolism alone is enough to make one desire baptism, to be a witness to the community of believers that you are not ashamed to own your Lord and follow in His steps.  We should yearn to relate to Christ and be like Him.

In baptism, we declare our allegiance to Christ and are saying that He is Lord of all!  That is, we are no longer secret disciples, but can openly confess His name as it is written in Romans 10:10 that with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

One main draw of baptism in the early church was to put a slap on the face of the emperor, who fancied himself a god, but they were saying their new loyalty oath as, "Jesus alone is Lord!"  They were committing treason by refusing to say the Roman loyalty oath:  "Caesar is Lord."  This opened the door to persecution from Rome.

We must understand that the mere act of baptism doesn't save (Some believe it's the instrumental means of salvation is baptism, while others believe it is faith), but baptism is only an outward sign of an inward reality:  "Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ"  (1 Pet. 3:21, ESV).  It's like saying that your house saved you from the tornado because it took the brunt of the damage. Or you could say, "This verse saved me!" meaning it woke you up spiritually.

Actually, there is only one Savior to be reckoned:  "... [You] know no God but me, and besides me, there is no savior'"  (Hos. 13:4, ESV).  God alone is the Savior and will not give His glory to anyone else:  That's why we say, "Soli Deo Gloria!" which, being is interpreted as, "To God alone be the glory!"  Baptism, as an ordinance commanded by Christ, therefore, is symbolism using water to represent spiritual realities.

We should desire to share our faith and to make a public testimony real to our family of believers in order to feel part of the fellowship. We share in Christ's righteousness or "all righteousness."  Baptism is a wonderful opportunity to make our faith known and show that we are not ashamed of Jesus.  We don't merely do it legalistically because we "have to," but we should have a change of heart that makes us "want to" do it in following our Lord's good example.  It isn't one more hurdle to jump through for our salvation to be deemed legit!

Jesus needed no baptism and John demurred, but did it as our Exemplar to show us the way and give us an open door to testify publicly.  So hearing the testimony of others, how they came to know the Lord, gives us encouragement and helps us to see how people get saved in various ways, that there is no one-size-fits-all methodology.  Faith is the only commonality, and that faith must be tested, as this first step is also a test of our obedience to the Lord (if we love Him we will obey Him!).  Soli Deo Gloria!

A Man For All Seasons

We need another Sir Thomas More, who stood up against King Henry VIII when he sought divorce and was known as the man for all seasons.  Paul said that he became all things to all people that he might save some.  We don't all have the kind of versatility these two had, but God can use us with the blessings and talents He has bestowed on us. We are mere stewards and will be held accountable.  In witnessing, for instance, some people are called to witness to a far different makeup of people than the average Joe.

Some people can only be reached by the like of us, and God has put them in our path and sphere of influence for a reason.  We don't witness, so much as to be witnesses; our lives speak volumes and often actions speak louder than words.  Augustine said to witness and if necessary use words.   People read us like a book and if they know we're saved, they are relentless.  We cannot be all things to all people and must find our niche in the crowds we hang around with.  Paul was good with the intellectual types of Mars Hill, Philip, the evangelist, was at home with the more common folk.  Peter was the apostle to the Jews, while Paul to the Gentiles, and for good reason--we are all wired differently and are meant to be a message to a certain element of society.

We must never say that God wants us to witness to the power elite of the universities, and to be remiss of our duty to the common man, just like a person with the gift of teaching cannot say that he can't help out because he doesn't have the gift of helps--we have a primary gift and way God uses us, but we need to be ready and prepared to be used any way that is necessary for the moment.  It isn't any one believer's job to save the world, but he must certainly find out his gift and how God blesses his endeavors.  Soli Deo Gloria! 

Jesus Incognito

"[To] reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles.." (Galatians 1:16, NIV, emphasis added).
"Whatever you did, for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me"  (Matthew 25:40, NIV, emphasis mine).
Jesus interposed His Father's will over His:  "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house [about my Father's business]?" (Cf. Luke 2:49, NIV).
"... A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household"  (Mark 6:4, ESV).

According to English legend, King Arthur would sneak among the common people, without his regalia, just to find out what they really thought and to get on the same page with empathy--Jesus did far more than that in humbling Himself to the point of death on a cross (cf. Philippians 2:7ff).  We are to have this same mind in us, as was in Christ (cf. v. 5)!  We should be aware of the fact that Jesus is loose and at large in our midst invisibly via the Holy Spirit residing in believers:

Jesus "came unto His own and His own received Him not," according to John 1:11; He was a man on a mission to seek and to save that which was lost (cf. Luke 19:10)--the lost sheep of the house of Israel, who had gone astray--He saw them as sheep without a shepherd. He didn't promote or advertise the fact that He was the Son of David or the Messiah, but He never denied it either.  He was known to use figures of speech when preaching, so as to confuse the religious leaders, especially the party of the Pharisees.

They had to ask Him bluntly:  "Are You the Messiah, or are we to look for another?"  He didn't always beat around the bush, but spoke plainly, and not in parables to keep the secrets of the kingdom known only to the sheep, but many were not willing to accept Him for who He was.  They called Him the son of Joseph, the prophet from Galilee, the carpenter, or as a snide remark: Mary's son, the Nazarene, even just the carpenter, or the teacher (rabbi).

Only once did He openly proclaim His rightful place as Messiah, and that was during the triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, as we call it now.  It had been written that Israel would not see their messiah until they shouted, "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD."  The Pharisees were getting nervous about His popularity and were worried that if He were left alone, that the whole world would go after Him.  They were worried about Job One, which was protecting their turf and influence over the people as their teachers and guides, but they did it out of jealousy and a jaundiced eye, which even Pilate saw at Jesus trial before him.

Jesus had foretold many times of His crucifixion and resurrection, but the disciples were dense and were clueless as to His real identity until they actually witnessed it on Easter morning.  Peter had confessed Him to be the Son of the living God, but this was more of a theoretical interpretation than actual application, though they had worshiped Him on occasion, their basic attitude was, "What manner of man is this?"  He gave signs, according to John's record, that He was God in the flesh, and His miracles were not helter-skelter, nor for personal gain, selfish motive, nor showy.  To prove His identity beyond doubt, there was no biggie miracle that couldn't be denied, and even King Herod thought he'd get a show from Him like He was a clown or magician--but Jesus never did miracles on demand.

The Christian is likewise called to be Christ incognito:  We are His mind to think Christlike thoughts; His heart to love others through; His voice to speak His message of love; His hands through which He can help others.  As St. Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa) has said, "He has no hands but our hands, and no feet but our feet" to help others.  Note that some Christians are known to take this to the extreme and get a messianic complex, which can border on mental illness or delusion. People often pray for Jesus to help them and don't realize that He uses believers to answer prayers and to fill in for Him incognito.

When you've done it for the least of these His brethren, you've done it for Christ; for He said, "I was in prison and you visited Me, I was hungry and you fed me."  We don't want to go to the other extreme and deny that Christ is at work through our brothers and sisters in the Lord, either.  On the one hand people will want to know the gospel according to us, and on the other hand, we don't want to deny that the Lord Himself is at work through His children as vessels of honor: Just as Isaiah 26:12 (NIV) says:  "... [All] that we have accomplished you have done for us." The King James Version renders it:  "[For] thou hast wrought all our works in us."

The point is that not only are we Christ incognito, but we are to serve Christ as if He were incognito and undercover and at large!    We are being renewed in the image of Christ, who is the replica, icon, or express image of God Himself.  Christ is God with skin on, you might say, and we can put the gospel in shoe leather by living it out and making it real to others:  Only when you love the gospel, long to make it known, and desire to live it out, do you actually believe it--it's not a matter of pure acquiescence, intellectual assent, or agreement.  Those who have bowed to Christ are the ones He can use for vessels of honor and complete His mission, whose marching orders are given in the Great Commission--our raison d'etre or reason for being!

Our testimony must be for real, and not a masquerade, sham, nor facade; that is, we cannot be nominal Christians or believers in name only who have a bogus profession and no reality to back it up--there is a contrast between the reality of faith and the profession of faith and viva la difference! We represent Christ in our daily walk and people observe us and judge Him by our testimony and witness.  We are Christ's ambassadors who have authority to speak in His name! "... We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God"  (2 Cor. 5:20, ESV).   When they see Christ in us, it has an impact on the unbeliever, because Christ becomes real to them lived out through us as a testimony that cannot be denied.

We can make Christ real by living up to our testimony and that means walking the walk, not just talking the talk.  When they realize we are Christians they will watch our every step and judge our testimony to see if they are more righteous than us.  But be glad that we have God's stamp of approval and He promises to use us for His glory as vessels of honor and "He leads us in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake."  Remember the words of Paul in Colossians 1:27 saying, "Christ in you, the hope of glory." Finally, Paul says in 2 Cor. 13:5 (ESV, emphasis mine) a word of caution: "Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith.  Test yourselves,.  Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?--unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

As believers, we know that Christ said He'd never leave us nor forsake us and that He'd be with us always, even to the end of the age (cf. Matt. 28:20).  There is the promise that wherever two or three are gathered together in His name, that Christ is present incognito (cf. Matt. 18:20)!  Our spiritual eyes are opened and we see Jesus as present in Spirit.  The eyes of our heart are opened and we are to keep our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (cf. Hebrews 12:2).   "But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels..."  (Heb. 2:9, ESV, emphasis mine).
Soli Deo Gloria!

Showing Your Colors

Ponder the correlation between suffering and glory, realizing one unique trait of Christianity--meaning in suffering (no cross, no crown):

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us"  (Romans 8:28, ESV).

"I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation [suffering] and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus..." (Revelation 1:9, ESV).

"... [And] saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God"  (Acts 14:22, ESV).

"More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance"  (Romans 5:3, ESV).

"... [And] a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed"  (1 Peter 5:1, ESV).

"And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you"  (1 Peter 5:10, ESV).

There will come a moment of truth for every believer before he is really seasoned and confirmed in the faith--when he makes his stand for Jesus.  This is not just confessing Him as Lord, but sticking up for what He stands for and risking something in the process--becoming a "confessor."  Jesus did say that we should consider the cost of discipleship and He didn't promise us a bed of roses.  In fact, He did all He could to discourage halfhearted admirers, of which there were many; however, these are not those he sought--we are not sidekicks or buddies of Christ, but worshipers and followers (a rare commodity).

The Christian way goes against the grain and is counter-cultural since we claim to know the only way to eternal life.  We would be egotistical if it was just us claiming this; however, Christ, Himself, made the claim of being the exclusive way to the Father--and He tolerates no rivals. This doesn't mean we are intolerant, which is the only vice modern man sees and they categorize believers as being.

We are called to bear a cross as believers and this doesn't mean as a fashion statement, but to be willing to suffer all and even give the ultimate sacrifice of our lives.  To be willing to go to our cross for Christ's sake, we must be absolutely convinced in our own minds:  "I know whom I have believed, and am convinced ..." (cf. 2 Tim. 1:12).  However, don't have a martyr's complex, thinking that the more you suffer, the better believe you are--and do not seek persecution or even be offensive as a person, because the offense should be in the cross.

We don't have to take the loyalty oath that first-century believers did to Caesar confessing, "Caesar is lord," but in everyday life, we are always being tested as to our devotion to Christ, and Satan is tempting us not to make Him first place in our priorities.  One reason we are to welcome suffering as friends is that it is all Father-filtered, which means God-approved, and it is guaranteed to work out for our best in the end (cf. Rom. 8:28).  God turns curses into blessings (cf. Gen. 50:20).  As they say, "Behind every cloud, there's a silver lining."

People don't turn their backs on Christ suddenly, but slowly, as they drift away and gradually lose their first love and devotion to Christ. Paul longed to participate in the "fellowship of His sufferings" (cf. Phil. 3:10).  The early disciple was glad that they were "considered worthy" of suffering for Christ's sake, to glorify Him.

How does this happen?  We run into everyday situations and conflicts that give us the opportunity to defend a Christian worldview or to preach the gospel, and we are not to be ashamed to own our Lord.  Actually, the more you stick up for Christ, the stronger your faith becomes.  As Paul said to the Philippians 1:29 (NKJV):  "For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him but also to suffer for His sake."   

There is a downside to letting people know you're a believer:  They watch your every move and listen to what you say to look for hypocrisy.  They seem to think that if you don't live up to your faith, that this nullifies it and God isn't real.  It only proves your faith isn't real, not that God isn't real. They hate hypocrites and won't go to church because they think it's full of them, yet they go to the golf club and play with hypocrites all the time and don't give it a second thought.  You will want to keep your reputation and the pressure is high as you live under a microscope of observation.  But there is no alternative because there are no secret agent believers who refuse to stand up for Jesus.

The world will approve your faith and won't object to anything unless it is pushed on them--they call evangelizing a way of forcing your viewpoints.  They don't object to anything as long as you "privatize" it!  But we are called to preach the gospel and be salt and light in the world, not to stand by and let the devil have his way.  We need a thick skin and to be certain of our faith (and assurance of salvation is not an automatic fruit), to be able to withstand the fiery darts of the evil one (with assured faith and the helmet of salvation). Tertullian of Carthage, second-century church father, said that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.

As Esther said, she was born "for such a time as this" (cf. Esther 4:14, NKJV).  We are not to wear our religion on our sleeve, as it were, as an excuse, but to live righteous and holy lives that God can use as a witness to a dark world blinded by Satan.  In other words, we don't go out of our way to "advertise" that we are Christians, like carrying banners but to let Christ open the door no one can close in His timing.

We must absolutely aim to give God the glory and not to seek fame or take the credit ourselves, because He is the Potter and we are the clay and He is using us as vessels of honor for His own plan and purpose   But one thing I can tell you from experience, is that you shouldn't doubt the wisdom of God, that He can make the most unpleasant events turn out for the good and we will praise Him in the end.  It is only because He is trusting us with this trial and it is an honor to be tested.

We need to anticipate being used by God, and be prepared to defend the faith, contend for the faith, according to our faith.  We all have a shot at greatness and God only holds us responsible for what He gives us:  "to much is given, much is required."  As John Milton said in Paradise Regained, "Who best can suffer, best can do."  Jesus suffered more than anyone and our crosses pale in comparison; He isn't asking us to do anything He didn't do.

We should live in light of eternity and the final declaration of Christ saying, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."  God doesn't care about our bucket list, but in us completing His will before we check out, as it is written: "For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption"  (Acts 13:36, ESV).   Soli Deo Gloria!

To Be Seen By Men

Some believers actively and openly practice their piety, even praying in public to demonstrate that they are so close to God (cf. Matt. 6:1).  Personal prayer is meant to be private and in your prayer closet, wherever that is.  Religiosity is one reason to be rejected from military service--you can't have overly religious or superstitious soldiers on the battlefront.

If a brother is caught in the error of his way, you who are spiritual restore such a one, so that he may come to the knowledge of the truth (Gal. 6:1; 2 Tim. 2:24).  We cannot be independent spiritual Lone Rangers who only listen to their inner voice and not to the what the body of Christ is saying. It is a matter of humility to submit to the authority of your brother and take advice and counsel.  If you don't listen to anyone what makes you think you'd listen to Jesus--He will not save those He cannot command (through His body the church).  We are not to be mystics either, just listening to what we feel God is telling us and ignoring others.

Our conscience is held captive to our brother's and we cannot just do what is right in our own eyes like Israel did ("In those days Israel did not have a king and everyone did what was right in his own eyes," says Judges 21:25).   We must not be accused of doing our own thing or doing things our way. "All we like sheep have gone astray, and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:6a, ESV).  Things are not always they look to us.

It is not unusual to have an intense hunger for the Word as a baby believer, but to make it look like all Christians do is sit around and read the Bible is a bad witness.  If you do that, do it alone and not to be seen in public.  The aim is not to fall into the condemnation of the devil and to have a witness that doesn't offend, not be an offensive Christian (Christ should be the offense--not you).  We don't say public prayers either, just to be seen by men and demonstrate our piety or religiosity.

Corporate and private prayer are different and we need to put them in their place.  Let's not be ashamed of Christ in public, but witnessing for Him has a greater impact than just being religious., like crossing yourself as Catholics do.  Many people are completely turned off by religion and its religiosity and we don't want to create barriers, but build bridges and not make pseudo-issues.  Soli Deo Gloria!

Talking The Talk

Yet "... it is written:  'I believed; therefore I have spoken.'  With that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak"  (2 Cor. 4:13).
"For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard," (Acts 4:20, KJV). 

In the seventeenth century, it was every gentleman's hobby to converse in "God-talk" or be clued in on theology and in the know, as it were. But this is no guarantee that one knows the Lord, simply because he is acquainted with Scripture!  Even the devil quotes it for his own purposes.

It seems like some reticent Christians who think "talk is cheap" (Rom. 10:17 says faith comes by hearing by the way!) and they attack believers who voice their opinions, saying that if you don't "walk the walk, you shouldn't talk the talk."  Satan will muster all his forces to shut us up!  However, we are commanded to speak out to the best of our ability.  These cliches are unbiblical and have no basis in truth--can you give me a Bible verse to back them up?   If we had to wait till we were perfect to talk we would have an excuse to keep quiet all our lives because we are always working in progress and no one can say that he has "arrived." 

However, we don't want to be hypocritical in our talk and talk a talk that contradicts us.  When one is filled with the Spirit he wants to talk about spiritual matters and share Christ with others, whether he is "perfect" or not.  "As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard" (Acts 4:20).  In other words, they got the "can't-help-its" as they say.

Fellowship is not just for a few elite believers who have their act together, but for all of the body and no one can say that he doesn't need some "body part."  In my experience, one merely doesn't have the ability to speak of spiritual things and share Christ without the guidance of the Holy Spirit;  it is not mere energy of the flesh, but the power of the Spirit--(cf. Zech. 4:6 says:  "... Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit," says the LORD of Hosts").

It is the religious people who think they are better than others by virtue of their performance and are a cut above other believers, that don't think God can speak through the least of these of Christ's brethren.  The devil is the one who wants to muzzle the ox that treads out the grain and can't stand it when someone speaks for Christ or witness and says he is "unworthy."  But no one is worthy and it is because of grace alone that we have the privilege of speaking on Christ's behalf as His ambassadors of reconciliation.

Now, my interpretation of this matter is that if you don't witness, you shouldn't pass yourself off as an expert on the subject (however, I'd still like to hear your opinion of what you do know or think you know!); and if you don't pray don't teach about it, but it is always fitting and proper to boast in the Lord and of what He has done through you ("I venture not to speak, but of what Christ has accomplished through me," says Rom. 15:18).

You don't earn the right to witness, you just see an open door and take advantage of the opportunity whenever the Spirit leads--we are commanded to witness via the Great Commission.  Fellowship is a birthright of all believers, not just a select few.   All believers have the right to witness and should never be ashamed that they are Christians or of the gospel (cf. Rom. 1:16 which says:  "I am not ashamed of the gospel...").

It is vital that we practice what we preach, but the devil will do everything to muzzle us and keep us from speaking for Christ.  It is a shame that some who profess a faith in Christ deny Him by their works and life testimony.   (Cf.  Titus 1:16:  "They profess to know God, but by their works they deny Him.")   In conclusion:  God will not stand for hypocrisy and we have to be careful not to condemn ourselves by our speech because Jesus did say that it is by our own words that we will be judged--but do not get discouraged that you aren't good enough, because no one is.   Soli Deo Gloria!