Desk of Dennis PillerFearlessly Courageous3 14 2023Click for Audio Version
SHARING OUR FAITH – How do I do that?
One of the best ways to share your faith is to live a godly life. Non-Christians often consider Christians hypocritical because we say one thing but do another. That is so often true, but it doesn't have to be that way for you! Show those close to you that you care—spend time with them, help meet their needs and offer to listen when they have problems. You might not be able to answer all their questions, but they can’t deny the reality of what Christ has done in your life. You don’t have to know a lot of bible verses or attend bible school. Just tell them what God has been doing in your life. If you find this is hard to do, perhaps God is speaking to you about your own need to walkmore closely with Him every day so he can enlarge your heart to give.
Let's connect with some famous quotes:
• “Our faith becomes stronger as we express it; a growing faith is a sharing faith.” — Billy Graham• “God forbid that I should travel with anybody a quarter of an hour without speaking of Christ to them.” George Whitefield• “The greatest way we can show love to another person is by sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with them.”• “When a man is filled with the Word of God you cannot keep him still, If a man has got the Word, he must speak or die.” Dwight L. Moody• “To call a man evangelical who is not evangelistic is an utter contradiction.” G. Campbell MorganPhilemon 1:6 and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effectual for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ. (effectual suggests the accomplishment of a desired result)
The word “sharing” means fellowship. The sharing here has to do with the whole range of our faith.
By fellowship with other believers, Philemon communicates his faith so that they become edified in the faith. By sharing the gospel, he advances the cause of Christ. He is being obedient!
1 Cor 16:9, “For a great and effective door has opened to me,and there are many adversaries.”Paul demonstrates in this statement that he views opposition to the gospel as part of the evidence that it is being effective. He expects it! His instinct, his discernment… is not to run but to double down on his ministry when things begin to get heated.
WHAT WAS THE OPPOSITION THEN?• In Paul's day the adversaries were from the Temple of Diana (sexual temptation), Jewish synagogues, the authority of Rome, imprisonment, the amphitheater, and the occult all opposed the apostle. There were adversaries to the gospel, not so different for us today really…but none of them panicked him. Paul began to preach in the synagogue immediately upon his arrival in Ephesus.What are some barriers today to sharing the gospel?• Barrier #1: Lack of intimacy with God. …• Barrier #2: “It's not my responsibility.” We often think we do not have the “gift” of evangelism, so we are off the hook. …• Barrier #3: The Christian bubble. • Barrier #4: I'm too busy. …• Barrier #5: Fear of man. …• Barrier #6: Knowledge addiction.I contend that for most of us, the longer we’re in church and the higher we go up the Christian ladder, the more likely it is that we can get stuck in the Christian bubble and not even realize it. Beginning with me, we need to recognize some of the signs that we’ve insulated ourselves from a world we’re called to reach:1. Most of our prayers are about Christians, not nonbelievers.2. We can’t name five nonbelievers with whom we have a genuine relationship.3. We try our best to avoid any interaction with the world. I realize that’s almost impossible to do, and I grant there are good reasons not to put ourselves under ungodly influences—but some of us work so hard to escape nonbelievers that we offer no threat to the Enemy.4. We don’t proactively pray by name for nonbelievers to know Christ. A generic, “Lord, save people who don’t know you” is hardly evidence of a godly burden for unbelievers.5. The only people we invite to church are other believers. 6. We almost fear spending much time with nonbelievers. I somewhat understand this concern, especially for new believers or undisciplined believers who fear falling into previous sin patterns. On the other hand, the answer is not to shun the world; it’s to step into the lost world, arm-in-arm with other believers so we don’t do evangelism alone.
I’ve already stated that I’m the first one who must check my life regarding the Christian bubble. Would you say a quick prayer for me to trust God’s Spirit to empower me and guide me solidly into a world that needs Jesus?My mom told me as a boy that when I was down and hurt to go and give myself away. She would take me to a nursing home or a widow down the street to help mow her lawn or wash their car. I pray the Lord would give me a heart like Charles Whitefield: ““God forbid that I should travel with anybody a quarter of an hour without speaking of Christ to them.”
Mathew West The Truth be Toldhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWxI6HRcEz0
