Todays Good Word.....Your Testimony. What is a testimony and do you have one? In the midst of a generation screaming for answers, Christians are stuttering. Food for thought :Suppose you stay at home and tell my why you are a Christian; or what makes you a christian; or how do you know that you are a christian? Then Paul said: “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. I studied under Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors. (now this was before Paul was saved) ..I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today. I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison, as the high priest and all the Council can themselves testify. I even obtained letters from them to their associates in Damascus, and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished. (This is how Paul got saved) “About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’ “‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me. ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked....we know the rest (After Paul was saved)....Acts 22:1-10. This is a simple example of a three point testimony of Paul. 1. Who was Paul before he knew Christ. 2. How he got saved and 3. What was his life like after he got saved. Listen one has to understand that just by going into McDonalds does not make you a hamburger. In the same way just being born into a so called Christian/Catholic/protestant family does not make you a christian. I can take my children to church, baptize them; ensure that they attend catechism and Sunday school etc but, does that make them christians. No it does not. There has got to come a point in that childs life where he or she decides for themselves that they want to become a christian and a true follower of Jesus Christ and live out the bible. I can tell everyone that my children are christians; but unless they tell me dad I am a christian; thanks for teaching me, you can relax now, I believe and I understand and I have accepted Christ ...oh the joy to hear that. Yes, then I can confidently tell everyone that my kids are christians and believers. My friends if you say you are a christian you have to know when did you become a christian and how did that happen and what was life before you understood this and what is life now that you have understood and accepted Jesus Christ. A little child has no clue. Jesus was of age when he got baptized. First believe, understand and then get baptized and then be witinesses (in that order of sequence) not the other way around. No woder we are loosing our children and they are walking away from the faith. I used to go into prison and a lot and at times I used to feel very unworthy; a fight at home or children being disobedient, angry and bitter. Not a nice feeling to be going in to do ministry eh!. I am still some piece of art ;) but god is working on me; I am a still a work in progress ;). But here is the point. I found myself telling my prison congregration that this is how I feel and that I do not feel very much like a christian today. But you know what that is my feeling and not me faith. My faith tells me I believe, my faith tells me I have accepted Christ, my faith gives me the grace and the strength in spite of to come and be a blessing to you and be blessed. Faith is the engine and feelings are the bogies. So no matter what the baggage and cargo being pulled - so long as there is faith the engine will pull you to that destination. He who has began a good work in you will see it through. Some think that you have to have a powerful testimony and should have been a miserable sinner or drug addict ect and, then have a miraclous change happen over night to be able to testify. No not at all. A lot of so called christians sitting in the pews (I know they kind of believe and all) but they do not have a testimony or they are too ashamed that it is too simple to testify. Some dont even know and yet others are feeling guilty and not assured of their salvation. On every visit to the prison I always left the inmates with a challenge. Are you saved and do you want to be saved....bla, bla bla as I am led to speak. after which I tell them how I accepted Christ. I give them my three point testimony. I tell them that when they are on their beds tonight to talk to god. tell god I do not know what that dude was talking about tell god that you want to be assured of eternal life ask god to come into your lives be genuine and sincere and pray this from your heart. I assure them that if you can say Jesus from your heart and believe that the bible says your are saved. And finally I tell them if you do this, you too can have a testimony today. You can say today on such and such date in this institution I gave my life to Christ believe it and go and testify - Amen. see how simple that is. And he said: Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. My friends the Power of Your Testimony..Paul appealed to people’s hopes, fears and personal desires in his testimony. Learn how to address the basic hopes, fears and desires of every human heart in your testimony. Many are longing to find solutions to their problems. Ask the Lord to use your testimony to give witness to the great things He has done for you. Be His witnesses through the power of the Spirit. Listen you dont have to be in prison to do that. If you have never done that and not sure or too ashamed..listen, you can overcome that and have a testimony today. Say this prayer - from your heart . Lord Jesus, I ask You to forgive my sins and save me from eternal separation from God. By faith, I accept Your work and death on the cross as sufficient payment for my sins. Thank You for providing the way for me to know You and to have a relationship with my heavenly Father. Through faith in You, I have eternal life. Thank You also for hearing my prayers and loving me unconditionally. Please give me the strength, wisdom, and determination to walk in the center of Your will. In Jesus’ name, amen. If you have just prayed this prayer, congratulations! You have received Christ as your Savior and have made the best decision you will ever make—one that will change your life forever! I believe God loves and hears new believers prayers. So Whisper a prayer for me and stay blessed. Agape -mark.d https://youtube/watch?v=Pjab00qQG3k&list=PLB3BCFB37F6D24FB1
Posted on: Thu, 06 Nov 2014 12:10:21 +0000
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