How Normal Are Miracles?

"The genuine realist, if he is an unbeliever, will always find strength and ability to disbelieve in the miraculous, and if he is confronted with a miracle as an irrefutable fact he would rather disbelieve his own senses than admit the fact.  Faith does not ... spring from miracle, but the miracle from faith."  (Fyodor Dostoevsky)
"For nothing is impossible with God"  (Luke 1:37, NLT, italics added). 
"Is anything too hard for the LORD?"  (Genesis 18:14, NLT).
"O Sovereign LORD!  You made the heavens and the earth by your strong hand and powerful arm.  Nothing is too hard for you!"  (Jer. 32:17, NLT).
"Jesus looked at them intently and said, 'Humanly speaking, it is impossible.  But with God everything is possible'"  (Matt. 19:26, NLT).  "He replied, 'What is impossible for people is possible with God'"  (Luke 18:27, NLT). 
"I did tell you, but you do not believe.  The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me"   (John 10:25, NIV). 
"Even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father"  (John 10:38, NIV).

If miracles happened on a regular basis ("God found me a parking spot, what a miracle!"  "I passed the test!"), we would call them "regulars" or "ordinaries!" By definition, God is over, above, and beyond natural law, of which He is the Author and Governor.  Part of the problematic issue is the definition of miracles per se.  Miracles are not the suspension of natural law, but the overruling of it by the One who made the "laws of the universe" (cf. Job 38:33) as we perceive them. When you catch an apple fallen from a tree, you do not suspend gravity, but overrule it by catching it!

All events are governed and caused by God, who is the Causa prima, or First Cause (Uncaused cause), known by the Greek philosophers.  We call unusual events caused by God miracles.  Note:  God, is the only Legislator, and made the laws of nature, and is able to suspend them or overrule them to His preference and will--Jesus wasn't bound nor limited by them.

But miracles are more common than you think:  Just looking in the mirror can reveal one!  The transformation of a convert's life is the biggest and most dynamic testimony to miracles ever!  Life is a walking miracle, since, by the law of biogenesis, life only comes from life, because the metabolic motor, DNA, only is replicated by existing DNA; this begs the question of where the original DNA came from (God!).  DNA couldn't have arisen by chance or luck, (it's far too complex with many proteins, the most complicated substance known to man) no matter how much time you think there was for anything to happen (according to scientists the Big Bang took place some 13.7 billion years ago--not enough time!).  Furthermore, when you consider the miracle of Jesus turning water into wine, ponder that He does it all the time when water nourishes a vine, and the grapes are made into wine!  Doesn't the cow turn water into milk?  All of nature turns food and water into excrement and waste matter.

Jesus never did miracles for show or on-demand, nor did He ever do a "biggie" miracle, and He did them before skeptics as well with only his inner circle and friends present--they were not helter-skelter, without rhyme, reason, or justification,  but had a purpose or need to deal with.   His enemies didn't deny that He did them, but became jealous of His influence.   His miracles vouched for His claims and bore witness of the truth; His life not belying His testimony and witness either, which were substantiated in manifold manners.

None of the miracles were fantastic or for personal prestige, selfish gain, or even monetary gain.  They all served to glorify God and to be signs of His deity--most were done out of sympathy.  He proved He had all authority over disease, nature, death, demons, maladies, and disabilities.  He performed such a variety of miracles to demonstrate His powers that you must rule out deceit, and we are exhorted to believe "on the evidence of the miracles themselves" (cf. John 14:11, NIV).

The trouble with miracles is that it evokes skepticism and antagonism in some--faith in others is increased.  They are meant to nourish the weak in faith, but not to convince the skeptic or one who doesn't want to believe:  John 12:37 says that, though He had performed many miracles, they would not believe in Him (not could not).  It's sure interesting that His enemies and the Pharisees, in particular, didn't doubt that He performed signs or miracles, but said that, if they left Him alone, the whole world would follow and go after Him, according to John 11:48 (and leave them--their real fear!).

This is the thing with miracles:  If you remove them like Thomas Jefferson did in his personal Bible, The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth, you disembowel Christianity and neutralize the faith; other faiths can delete their miracles and their religion remains intact. If we were to remove them, Christ would've been merely a footnote in history and of only passing interest as an itinerant teacher.  His miracles were not for show, nor to impress, but to make a point.  The gospels record some 37 miracles (tally depends on what you call a miracle), but He did countless miracles in reality, not just the ones recorded, and the world couldn't contain the books that would be written.

Modern Science cannot forbid miracles, they are outside its turf and domain (history is nonrepeatable nor observable). David Hume described miracles as violations of natural law:  This is is a deification of the laws of nature, and the laws are merely descriptions of the ordinary course of events.  If there were no laws of nature, nothing would be predictable and we couldn't study nature.   We shouldn't seek miracles (unusual events caused by God), because they only give the appetite for more miracles!  We should praise the Lord for the ones we do witness on a daily basis!

People claim to have a problem with a certain miracle, such as the virgin birth, but their problem is with the whole concept of the supernatural and miracles in general; the issue is settled by philosophy and history and theology, not science--it ultimately rests on the veracity of the witnesses, and the reliability and credibility of the historical records.  Secularists, who premise their faith denying the supernatural, are ruling God out of the equation, upon denial of miracles, which happen by virtue of their being a supernatural God--a fact they willingly and knowingly suppress.

In the final analysis, as Dostoevsky said above, miracles come from faith, not faith from miracles!  Life is a miracle and the sunrise is one too, except that you experience it so often you don't consider the complexity and wonder involved.  Believers see miracles everywhere, skeptics see none due to the hardness of their hearts.  Everyday wonders are no fewer miracles and we ought not to take them for granted and lose our sense of awe with the miracles of nature; even the firmament shows His handiwork per Psalm 19.   Let me sum it up with a quote from songwriter William Cowper:  "God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform!"  (Therefore, Matt. 9:29, NIV, says:  "...According to your faith let it be done to you.")   Soli Deo Gloria!  

You Meant It For Evil

Joseph told his brothers that God meant their evil deeds for the overall good in Gen. 50:20.  Yes, God manipulates evil for the greater good of man and glory of God.  Why?  There's so much evil to work with, why not? God turns the wrath of man into praise per Psalm 76:10!  You may ask, "Why does God permit evil?" Friday wondered the same question in Robinson Crusoe:  If God were to wipe it out right now, who would be left that isn't besmirched or tainted with evil through and through?  God directs events, but some He only permits or allows to happen indirectly--but God is still in charge.

God is holy and cannot bear the sight of evil nor allow it in His presence; He cannot countenance any sin or iniquity (cf. Hab. 1:13).  Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil (cf. Isaiah 5:20).  God has a purpose for everything, even the wicked for the day of evil (cf. Prov. 16:4).  God will ultimately judge it and bring everyone to account for their deeds, whether good or evil (cf. Eccl. 12:14).   Point in fact:  God already did something about evil; He made you!

God is not the author of evil, but if good didn't exist, there would be no evil--it's not an independent force a la yin yang--and it only exists as a parasite on good, because it's a perversion and distortion of good (note:  it's not the opposite of good and couldn't exist but for there being good to counterfeit without God), and we wouldn't know what good was without there being evil; would a fish know what dry air is like?  We have tasted of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and innocent children are unaware of it until the age of accountability (cf. Deut. 1:39; Isa. 7:16). If God were good, but not just and almighty, evil would be able to take over and corrupt all, but God restrains it and will judge it; justice delayed is not justice denied.  If there were no hell, God would be neither good nor just nor almighty.  We live in the day of grace and the Day of the Lord and of Judgment will eventually come to pass.   The mature believer discerns good and evil and is able to avoid evil and even hates it (cf. Heb. 5:14).  The fear of God is, therefore, to hate evil according to Proverb 8:13.

The whole point of allowing evil is to bring glory to God in the end result:  evil makes good shine all the brighter; during a disaster, Good Samaritans show forth the love of Christ in relief efforts.  You may ask, "Where was God when 9/11 happened?"  I say, "Where wasn't He?"  Some people see evil and say "Why?" while others see the good and say, "Why not?"  God is everywhere, this is known as ubiquity or omnipresence.  God is both transcendent or separate and removed from creation, but also immanent or close by, in that He is fully everywhere, and not partially anywhere.  God created the time/space continuum and can use it and isn't defined nor confined by it.  God is, therefore, able to guide by providence whatsoever takes place--every event and every creature's activity under the sun.

We don't blame God for evil, because man willingly does it, and not by compulsion.  Evil originated with Satan's pride and fall from heaven, and our evil had its origin in the original sin of Adam, which is imputed to our account and we are born into: we are sinners by nature, by choice, by birth, in fact, we have our solidarity in Adam with no more inclination to good, but we are not compelled nor impelled to sin, but inclined and predisposed to evil or sin, but we are not inclined to good, which was lost in the fall.

In the end, God doesn't owe man an explanation (He's too kind to be cruel, too wise to make a mistake, and too deep to explain Himself); we owe God an explanation!  God does as He pleases in all creation (cf. Psalm 135:6).  "But once he has made his decision, who can change his mind?  Whatever He wants to do, he does"  (Job 23:13, NLT).  No one can ask Him what He's doing and why (cf. Daniel 4:35; Job 9:32).  God says, "...Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish"  (Isaiah 46:10, NLT).

God rules He doesn't just reign like the do-nothing monarch of the UK.  "He rules over the nations, and dominion belongs to the LORD (cf. Psalm 22:28).  God is able to turn the heart of the king like water of a river (cf. Prov. 21:1).  Man can make his plots, but the Lord overrules and frustrates the evil of the nations:  "The LORD frustrates the plans of the nations and thwarts all their schemes"  (Ps. 33:10, NLT).

Indeed, note that "We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps"  (Prov. 16:9, NLT).  Man doesn't "get away" with evil, but will be held accountable at Judgment Day and he will reap his recompense.  Job was a man of integrity who shunned evil:  "And to man He said, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, And to depart from evil is understanding"  (Job 28:28, NKJV).  Man ponders as to why bad things happen to good people without wondering why good things happen to bad people!

In sum, we must claim the promise of Romans 8:28, KJV, that says, "And we know that all things work together for good [turning proximate evil into long-term blessings] to them that love God, to them that are the called according to His purpose."   Soli Deo Gloria! 

Getting Your Thinking Straightened Out

"Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established"  (Prov. 16:3, KJV).
"Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ [not a juxtaposition of thinking and obedience] (2 Cor 10:5, KJV).  
"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee"  (Isaiah 26:3, KJV). 
"And be renewed in the spirit of your mind"  (Eph. 4:23, KJV).  
"...But we have the mind of Christ"   (1 Cor. 2:16, KJV).
"And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually"  (Gen. 6:5, KJV).
"Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think..."  (Romans 12:2, NLT).  
"In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge"  (Colossians 2:3, NIV). 

|"The only system of thought that Christ will fit into, is the one where He is the starting point."  (Athanasius, Father of Orthodoxy)


Jesus is the One who searches out the thoughts and intentions of our minds (cf. Rev. 2:23, NLT), and only by letting the Spirit control our minds leads to peace (cf. Rom. 8:6b, NLT).  We are to let the Spirit renew our minds (cf. Eph. 4:23, NLT), because of the foolish base their thoughts on foolish assumptions, which is GIGO (cf. Eccl. 10:3a, NLT).  But we have the mind of Christ per 1 Cor. 2:16, and we have the power to be of one mind, united in thought and purpose (cf. 1 Cor. 1:10, NLT).  The believer's mind is not of confusion, for God is a God of order and not of confusion (cf. 1 Cor. 14: 33). If we demonstrate the mind of Christ the seeker will see that God is among us.

The Word has enlightened our minds and shown us the light, giving us wisdom in the eyes of our hearts (cf. Psalm 119:18; 1 Cor. 2:12-14).  We must strive to have all our thoughts fixed on Jesus (cf. Heb. 12:2), and when our minds have stayed on Him we have peace (cf. Isa. 26:3).  Our thoughts shall be established if our plans are of the Lord (cf. Prov. 16:3, KJV).  We must, nevertheless, "keep [our] heart with all diligence, for out of it flow the issues of life" (cf. Prov. 4:23). We, therefore, strive to have the meditations of our hearts and the words of our mouths [and thoughts of our minds] to be pleasing to God (cf. Psalm 19:14).

We must not lean unto our own understanding of things and events, but wholly lean on Christ to show the way and make us know His will (cf. Prov. 3:5). For we walk by faith, not by sight (cf. 2 Cor. 5:7).  We are in a constant battle to fight the onslaught of satanic thinking and we must know the word and power of God to fight with our weapon of choice, the Word of God (cf. 2 Cor. 10:4-5; Eph. 6:17).

Why worry about our minds?  We are to love God with all our minds too according to Matt. 22;37 and Mark 12:30.  It is important to be enlightened and know the scoop because zeal without knowledge is no good and vain (cf. Prov. 19:2).  The wise feed on truth, while the fool feeds on folly [trash]"  (cf. Proverbs 15:14).  God seeks to change the way we think by renewing our minds in His image (cf. Romans 12:2).

The conclusion of the matter at hand is that Satan plays mind games and is a deceiver that controls and influences our minds with corrupt worldviews that influence every academic discipline and facet of our lives:  from ethics to politics, to psychology, to history, and even philosophy and theology! We must be prepared to meet the challenge and call him out on his stratagems, not being ignorant of his schemes and tools to advance them (cf. 2 Cor. 1:11).  The only offense is the pattern taught in the Word, to learn to think the thoughts of God after Him, and interpret the world (cf. 1 Chronicles 12:32) according to His divine viewpoint.  To sum up, let me quote Prov. 27:19 (NLT):  "As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person." Soli Deo Gloria!

Why Read Scripture?

"The Spirit of the LORD speaks through me; his words are upon my tongue"  (2 Sam. 23:2, 
NLT).

"Then the LORD reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, 'I have put my words in your mouth'"  (Jeremiah 1:9, NIV).

"I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come.  I say, 'My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please'" (Isaiah 46:10, NIV).

"For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:21, NIV).  

 "The  LORD continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word"  (1 Sam. 3:21, NIV).  

"[Till] what he foretold came to pass, till the word of the LORD proved him true" (Psalm 105:19, NIV). 

"... Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses"  (1 Kings 8:56, NIV).


There are a few books that people refer to, and even quote, but have not even read cover to cover:  Das Kapital by Marx; The Communist Manifesto by Marx and Engels; On The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favored Races in the Struggle for Life, by Darwin; The Muslim Qu'ran, the Book of Mormon, Mein Kampf  by Hitler, and surprisingly, even the Bible!  Most people who don't believe the Bible have never read it, and if they have read some of it, they don't even know its main message or theme, which they don't understand, nor can they articulate.

The Bible is the best-selling book of all time and its authenticity is vouched for by more sources than any secular history of antiquity; in fact the resurrection is arguably, according to D. James Kennedy, the best-attested fact of the ancient world or antiquity, and more variously proved than any other of the time--Luke says there are "many infallible proofs" for it in Acts 1:3.  More than 150 million copies are printed each year and it has been attacked ever since the first century by foes who have even tried to wipe it out, but it has miraculously survived.

A point in fact: There is an abundant reason to check it out and see why so many are devoted to it.  It is the English language at its best, and the best of literature the world has ever known.  As a contrast to other so-called holy books, the Bible is the only one based on and in history and it's historicity has never been contravened.  The Bible has impeccable credentials, unlike any secular work, and there is abundant evidence for anyone willing to investigate--no one can disbelieve due to lack of evidence!   In fact, Gen. Lew Wallace intended to disprove it and ending up writing Ben Hur:  A Tale of the Christ, after coming to faith in Christ!  One famed Archaeologist, Sir William Ramsay, an atheist, and from Oxford University, set out to disprove the book of Acts and found himself declaring himself a believer instead!  Dr. Simon Greenleaf, a famed expert on law and evidence from Harvard, was a skeptic, who examined the evidence for the resurrection, and ended up writing The Testimony of the Evangelists in favor of Christianity instead!


They may say they don't believe it but have no legitimate or rational justification for their faith.  You don't have to prove the Bible, it can prove and defend itself:  if they ask you to do it, just say, "No, you prove it--all you have to do is read it sincerely with an open mind!"  If the Bible depended upon outside attestation, it would be no greater than the source of proof--Scripture relies on internal evidence!  Because it's self-attesting and self-authenticated!  If someone were able to prove it, the Bible would be no greater than their mind.  It assumes you believe it's the Word of God and is the only scripture claiming any authority that gives ample evidence from history and fulfilled prophecy.  No other of the twenty-six scriptures or holy books have any prophecy, except the Bible (not just a few lucky guesses, but over 2,000 fulfilled predictive prophecies), because only God can foretell the future.  The point is that you don't have to believe the Bible to become saved, but you will after salvation if the salvation is genuine.  Believing the Bible is the Word of God doesn't save!

They may say that you shouldn't take it literally, but Christians aren't literalists, in that they believe everything literally, even obviously figurative parts and figures of speech--to be saved one must simply place unqualified faith in Christ as Lord with the ownership of your soul and life, trusting in Him categorically.  Much more, it was written during the time of the events by eyewitnesses:  "We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty"  (2 Pet. 1:16, NIV).  In contrast, Buddhist literature was compiled 200 years after the fact!

The Bible feeds you, then makes you hungry, quenches your thirst, then makes you thirsty for more--you can never read it enough, because it's not the kind of book you read once and put aside back on your shelf, but devote your entire life to knowing and being familiar with, because God speaks to us in it.  As we read the Bible, it reads us, they say and this is true because it alone discerns the thoughts and intents of the heart and is able to penetrate the soul and spirit of man (cf. Heb. 4:12).  The Bible tells it like it is, both the revelation of God, the revelation of the nature of man, with no whitewashing or cover-ups, and even the revelation of our enemy and dilemma.  Paul tells Timothy to give himself wholly to the Scriptures in 1 Tim. 4:15 and this applies to all of us who name the name of Christ, not just the clergy.  The Bible is our lifeblood and food that satisfies.  The fool feeds on trash, according to Proverbs 15:14, while the wise feed on the Truth (Jesus called Scripture Truth in John 17:17).


The Bible has never been proven wrong historically, archaeologically, scientifically, morally, or even psychologically.  For example, over 25,000 digs have only verified the historicity of Scripture; though not a science textbook, it has no scientific absurdities nor inaccuracies (it referred to the laws of the universe that science is based on before science realized there were any--Job 38:33); the Bible mentions all 52 virtues (the Virtues Project lists these as traits respected in seven world traditions, but no other faith has them all), and though there are competing theories of psychology, Christianity is better psychology than psychology!  The Bible doesn't gloss over man's sin but is also the greatest source of wisdom known to man and doesn't need to be rewritten, but reread.

Unfortunately, when a secular historian makes a claim and the Bible doesn't agree, scholars agree with the secular historian first; however, legally, the burden of proof is on the skeptic to disprove the validity and historicity of the Bible, not vice versa.  Quoting D. James Kennedy:  Dr. William Albright says, "There can be no doubt that archaeology has confirmed the substantial historicity of the Old Testament tradition";  and Nelson Glueck has stated, "It may be stated categorically that no archaeological discovery has ever controverted a biblical reference."  Many archaeologists have tried to disprove the Bible and have failed, becoming believers instead--indeed Christ was right:  "the stones cry out" (cf. Luke 19:40)!  Lawyers have examined the evidence for the resurrection and have become believers.

Skeptics doubt the authenticity, reliability, integrity, fidelity, and veracity of Scripture, but the legal burden of proof is always on the one making the challenge to disprove the given claim. The skeptics mainly have blind faith, for they cannot prove their claims or don't even know why they don't believe, they just don't want to believe it and their doubts are irrational.  The point is that if the Bible has never been proven to be erroneous, why not trust it in spiritual matters too?

We don't just read the Bible to be wise, the power is in putting it into practice:  believe it to be saved; practice it to be holy, and apply it to be successful and fulfilled!  We don't just want to be experts or scholars in the Word without any real relationship with God coming from an application.  The Bible wasn't written to expand our knowledge about Scripture or about God, but to save us, increase our faith, and give us the knowledge of the Lord, as the byproduct as He speaks to us in His revealed Word.  It is one thing to know Scripture, and quite another to know the Author!

It has been said that it's an elixir for low spirits, balm for sore hearts, immunization for bad habits, a pick-me-up for dreary days, a stimulant for positive nerves, and a booster for high spirits.  There is no mood not duly represented in the Bible, even depression and discouragement and despair.  You can take every problem to the Bible and find solace and comfort. If you could only have one book to read, it would meet your every need--bring every question and problem to it for solving!  Just like G. K. Chesterton said, "We have found all the questions, now let's find the answers!"  (They're in the Bible!)   If you don't know the answer, get to know the Answerer!  All that God has revealed and that we need to know is written in the Word. We don't read it for purely academic reasons, to increase knowledge, but to change our lives!   In sum, the best habit you can learn is to develop a taste for Bible reading--discover it for yourself; don't just take someone's word for it!  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!  

The Telltale Sign Of Christianity

Since Christ so loved us, so we ought also to love the brethren (cf. 1 John 4:11) with that same kind of love--unconditional agape love.  The love of God has shed abroad in our hearts (cf. Rom. 5:5) and constrains us to model Christ's love to the world (cf. 2 Cor. 5:14).  No matter what good deed you do, if you have not love, it is useless (cf. 1 Cor. 13).   This means we must not privatize our faith nor become spiritual Lone Rangers nor lone wolves, thinking we can worship and serve in a solitary manner or in the cornfield--and this will please God.

There are many so-called "each other" passages that command us to build relationships with each other as members of the same body.  For example, just as Christ accepted us, we ought also to accept one another (cf. Rom. 15:18).  This means putting aside personal opinions and prejudices and to keep the main thing the main thing.  Jesus did indeed say that they will know us by our love (cf. John 13:35), not our opinions.  We must prefer one another and honor one another, or give each their due respect as brothers in Christ--no one for whom Christ died is unworthy of our love.

It is a sure sign of love to rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn--showing empathy as Romans 12:15 commands.  Do we put up with each other's faults and idiosyncrasies, or do they bug us?  We don't have to respect all differences of opinion on the same level, but the person having that right to disagree, as long as he isn't being disagreeable.  We are never to be contentious, divisive, argumentative, nor judgmental either.

When you love someone you are willing to submit to them out of reverence to Christ:  Christ was subordinate to the Father, and wives ought to be to their husbands.  This means we don't play God and lord it over or domineer fellow believers or the church.  Greatness is not how many people serve you, but how many you serve, according to Rick Warren!  The only truly happy believers are those who've learned to serve one another, according to Albert Schweitzer.  

There are many "each other" commands like being loyal, faithful, harmonious, respectful, accountable, and devoted.  We are to pray for one another, admonish one another, submit to one another, forgive one another, teach one another, encourage one another, and serve one another! All the commands are basically a manifestation of brotherly love.  Patience is one of the main manifestations of love and is the fruit of the Spirit--this is one of the most useful of virtues!

You cannot be your own church (Jesus promised that, where two or three are gathered in His name, there He is in their midst in Matt. 18:20, because there is only one Rock (cf. 1 Cor. 10:4) and that is Jesus, we are not islands either, but we need each other no matter what our gift or gifts.  No believer can survive in isolation or disconnected from the body.  Jesus has no hands to help but ours, no voice to spread the Word but ours, no heart to love others through but ours, and no mind to share God's Word with but ours.  We are indeed members one of another and our gift is not solely for our personal benefit, but that of the church body.  The hand cannot say to the eye that it is not needed, and so we all need each other and can benefit each other.   We must recognize our need, not only for Christ but for the body!

We fulfill the law of Christ by bearing each other's burdens. John says in 1 John 4:12, NLT, that "if we love each other God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us."  Galatians 5:6, NIV, says, "the only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love."  We are to meet the spiritual and sometimes the physical needs of the body per Gal. 6:2, NLT, says to share our burdens, but carry our own load but Gal. 6:3, NLT, says:  "If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself.  You are not that important."

The church is more than an institution; Christ was an anti-establishment figure himself and upset the apple cart and threatened the turf of the Pharisees.  The church is meant to give us the conviction of believing, belonging, and becoming all God meant us to be.  It is not a club, for God demands commitment, service, and devotion.  Remember, it's a place for real people, not ideal people, and no perfect people need to apply!  It's not a hotel for saints, but a hospital for sinners!  We are to have a ministry to our fellow believers as well as a mission to the world of unbelievers, which can be realized in the church.  

The church is supposed to be an organism, not an organization (it is alive and active, not static or dead), and it's a family (members are actually closer to you than blood relatives if they're unsaved), and the church is the body of Christ through which the gifts of the Spirit are manifested and put into operation, the church is a place of corporate worship and fellowship, as well as a place to organize and mobilize the church to fulfill the Great Commission--getting the Word out.

We all need a sense of belonging and church is meant to fulfill that need so we don't seek it in worldly clubs or social groups to meet our needs, finally, the church is a place of growth and accountability (for discipleship) and where we hold each other accountable, so that we don't slip away from fellowship, but keeping in touch with God.  It's like getting a weekly spiritual checkup or getting a chance to give our self an exam or analysis--how can an isolated believer do this?  We don't literally compare ourselves with each other (cf. 2 Cor. 10:12; Gal. 6:4), but learn to interact with our gift in the body and become interdependent, since we are designed and built for harmony and unity per Eph. 4:3 (not uniformity) in the body as the expression of God's love to the world.

The conclusion of the matter is that they will know we are Christians by our love (just like the song goes!), not our vehicle, home, job, hobby, career, calling, stock portfolio or 401(k), personality type, talent, asset, power, riches, fame, celebrity--or any type of prosperity or success, such as achieving the American dream!  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!   

How Faith Is Caught

"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation [offering it and making it available] for all people"  (Titus 2:11, ESV).  

Some Secular Humanists believe faith is caught much the way one catches a cold; i.e., by hanging around believers and becoming "infected." Richard Dawkins wrote The God Delusion to elucidate, expound, and articulate this premise, and he believed we must be cured of our so-called illness or "mind-virus" that only those naive enough fall prey to; which is just like Freud saying religion is either a neurosis, or even a psychosis that must be healed by therapy.

The Bible does say that walking with the wise makes you wise, but no one gets faith by osmosis or being in the right crowd (it doesn't just rub off on us!), and we certainly don't inherit it either; no one gets in automatically, as from heredity or lineage, but must go through a turnstile or individually, one by one! It isn't who you know that bears any weight with God!  God's open invitation to "[taste] and see that the LORD is good" (cf. Psalm 34:8) is valid for all who desire to know Him, and the proof of the pudding is in the eating! 

We aren't converting to a creed or adherents to a philosophy of life, but followers of a person we can have a relationship with and know individually--we are converted to Jesus!  Scripture says in Romans 10:17 (NIV) that "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ."  Preaching is God's methodology of choice and the Word is His seed that He plants into our souls and causes us to grow into faith.  Preaching isn't the method of the madness but opens doors and we are born through the power of the Word (1 Thess. 2:13, ESV, says,  "And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers"). God opened Lydia's heart to respond to the gospel (cf. Acts 16:14).  God quickens faith within us and awakens us by regeneration to believe in Him and repent of our sins.  God opens our hearts (cf. Acts 14:27).  

The problem why some don't believe is that they refuse to repent:  they love their life too much to want change or transformation; i.e., they love sin, especially their pet sins and think the price is too high to get saved from them--the price for not repenting is higher! People don't have an intellectual problem but a moral one--that they don't want to live their lives for God!   You must have penitent faith (or believing repentance, if you will) to respond to the gospel message--you cannot come on your own terms!

It is true that believers encourage each other and can enable or build each other up by edification or a prophetic word, but God doesn't save groups or churches en masse, but only one by one!  The Bible challenges the skeptic to search for God; for God is no man's debtor (Matt. 7:7 says, "seek and you shall find") and God is always willing to authenticate Himself:  "Taste and see that the LORD is good..." (cf. Psalm 34:8);  Peter says in 1 Pet. 2:3 (NLT):  ".... now that you have had a taste of the Lord's kindness [goodness]," meaning God never disappoints anyone and no one will ever be put to shame because of Him, but God will make him a vessel of honor, doing His work.

Faith isn't something you have, it's something you do and see--our testimony must not be jeopardized! James would testify that you can see his faith by his works, while Paul said the flip side: "I'll show you my works by my faith!"   Faith is knowledge in action; it's not believing despite the evidence, but obeying in spite of the consequences, they say. It's important to have good role models during the formative years and to plant seeds in the youth, even if they aren't saved yet because God guarantees fruit if we don't give up (cf. Prov. 22:6). Parents are in the unique position as role models and authority figures to stand in the place of God or, in loco Dei, in Latin, and they can influence the character and attitude of their children most during their innocent (cf. Deut. 1:39 mentions an age of accountability by inference) and formative or impressionable years.

But the Bible makes it plain that faith is not rubbed off or caught like a fever, but the Holy Spirit opens our hearts to hear the Word of God as it's preached and expounded.  Again, faith isn't inherited, but parents in the unique position of having more direct and indirect influence, and leaving lasting impressions they'll never forget, even in old age!  For example, a child may recall:  "I remember how Grandma used to always say grace before meals and say a good-night prayer to bless everyone in the family!"

Someday conviction will catch up with them and the Hound of Heaven will come knocking at their door to be let in for salvation and fellowship.  The key to remember is that children are experts at spotting insincerity, acting, pretense, and hypocrisy--you cannot pass on a dubious faith as a lasting legacy!  The problem with most children is that they have grown up to be just like Dad, and that is not good news in some cases!

Every family needs its own Great Awakening and spiritual rebirth, regardless of whether parents are believers--only planting seeds of the Word are guaranteed fruit, not worldly wisdom or common sense.  Just like Socrates suddenly awoke from his dogmatic slumber, you never can tell the potential in a person who gives his life to Christ--and we all have unrealized potential that God sees in us as vessels of honor.

It all boils down to conviction of the Holy Spirit: "And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts"  (2 Pet. 1:19, NIV).  In the final analysis, it's not always how big your faith is, but how thorough your repentance.  Soli Deo Gloria!

My Utmost For His Highest Or Work Ethic

"And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, in the law and in the commandment, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart.  So he prospered'  (2 Chron. 31:21, NKJV). 
"... [F]or they have wholly followed the LORD" (Numbers 32:12, KJV).
"...[F]or the people had a mind to work" (Nehemiah 4:6, NKJV).
"...I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease...?'" (Neh. 6:3, NKJV).  
"The best use of a life is to invest it in something that will outlast it."  (William James, Psychologist, and Humanist) 

If anything is worth doing, it's worth doing right!  Scripture admonishes us to do our work heartily as unto the Lord and not as people-pleasers (cf. Col. 3:23).  We don't brown-nose our way into God's graces and ingratiate God; we are willing servants, or bond-servants, and do everything in the name of the Lord (i.e., for His glory and according to His will).  Paul says in 1 Cor. 10:31 that whatsoever we do, it should be to the glory of God.

Work is our basic calling in life and it is not a curse, but a blessing and virtue to show us the nature of God at work through us, using us as vessels of honor.  We should enjoy our work for this reason, that it's a gift of God to give fulfillment--but don't let your identity be tied to your job, because jobs don't last, only purposes do!  We can never gain the approbation of God, but are forever in debt (i.e., we cannot pay Him back, because grace is something we don't deserve, cannot earn, and can never repay).  

John 3:27, NLT, says that "God appoints each man's work"--we all have a calling to fulfill and some of us are called into special ministries, but He anoints us for the task at hand.  Work is worship (anytime we offer ourselves to God's service!), and all work is dignified if done in the right spirit.  It's not what you do, according to Mother Teresa, but how much love you put into it!

We all have different gifts and the same Spirit decides which one (cf. 1 Cor. 12:11), not us, and it's for the benefit of the body at large, but we all should have the same Spirit anointing us as we are united in the Lord to do His work--primarily to complete the Great Commission.  God isn't looking for halfhearted followers or lukewarm believers, nor even timid workers who are afraid to "get down and dirty with mankind" or to do the dirty work of serving (remember Jesus and the order of the towel in the Upper Room!).

It was said of Joshua and Caleb that they wholly followed the Lord!  "The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him..." (2 Chronicles 16:9, NLT).  Caleb says upon entering Canaan:  "... For my part, I wholeheartedly followed the LORD my God..." (cf. Joshua 14:9, NLT).  We need Christians with spunk and gusto, who will hustle for the Lord with all their might!  It was also said of Pete Rose, who was called "Mr. Hustle!"

It is important to realize the gravity of serving the Lord, and we must take it seriously and not do a halfhearted job:  "Cursed are those who refuse to do the LORD's work..." (Jer. 48:10, NLT); "Cursed is he who does the work of the LORD, with slackness..." (Jer. 48:10, ESV).  God hates laziness and we must endeavor to always do our best and not slack off or grow lax in the faith, enduring to the end of the race set before us.  He who is given much; much will be expected of him:  "... Everyone to whom much was given, of him, much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more" (Luke 12:48, ESV).

We are never to play the let's compare game and commend ourselves with ourselves, for we all have different responsibilities and no one is in a position to judge us except our Lord (2 Cor. 10:12, ESV, says, "... But they are only comparing themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement.  How ignorant!"

They say that attitude determines altitude and we all have the freedom and ability to choose our attitude toward our work:  either enjoy what you are doing or learn how to in the Spirit; not everyone has the liberty to engage in what they enjoy naturally, but we can find meaning in menial work as Bro. Lawrence, the seventeenth-century, Carmelite monk, endeavored to do and wrote The Practice of the Presence of God to prove this reality and possibility.

To conclude with a verse and word to the wise:  "I replied, 'But my work seems so useless!  I have spent my strength for nothing and to no purpose. Yet I leave it all in the LORD's hand; I will trust God for my reward''  (Isaiah 49:4, NLT);   What's more, note:  FAITHFUL SERVANTS NEVER RETIRE FROM THE LORD'S WORK.
Soli Deo Gloria!