The Gift of Gab

I have been known to have people say to me that I have the gift of gab. So much so that I was cleaning out things in my attic last week (the clutter we have accumulated has been driving me nuts) and I ran across a box that has been stored for 6 years and never gone through. I opened it and came across my baby book. My mother passed away from cancer when I was 16 and now that our daughter is expecting her first child (our first grandchild) in September, I took it out to reminiscence.

My eyes immediately started to swell with tears as I saw my mother’s handwriting. As I thumbed through the pages for each year it became obvious to me that I have always been and always will be a talker with mad social skills! Page after page, toddler to preschooler, kindergarten to third grader, I was a social butterfly. My mom wrote on each of those years her observations about my gift of gab and she even wrote my teachers comments. Some good, some not so good.

Ever since I can remember my mouth has gotten me into trouble. God has taught me to live in the fruits of my spirit. When it involves talking, I still struggle to always speak in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and to  have self-control while doing it. I have come a long way and there are very rare occasions when I truly struggle with it. Usually it happens when I am witness to someone being mean and hateful to someone else. This is usually when it got me in trouble as a kid too. I always want to jump in, defend, point out the behavior, and right the wrong. In my heart, I have good intentions but God has taught me there is a better way to do it.

In 1 Thessalonians 2:8, the Apostle Paul tells the church that “So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not only the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear to us,”

Paul was a preachy person, before he was converted he yelled screamed, lashed out in anger, spoke down to people, even committed murder. But when God took hold of his life he was changed. His mindset was different. From this passage we know that God changed Paul’s heart and he not only preached the good news but he lived it out. He knew for him to be effective for reaching the lost and growing believers in their faith he had to follow Jesus’ example and model true piety in his own life. Did he still get mad and frustrated? Yes! Just read any of the Epistle texts and you can find evidence. But the difference was he shared himself with the people, he shared his very soul, and he did so walking in the fruits of his spirit.

On our Via de Cristo weekends we have a saying that I model my evangelism by, “make a friend, be a friend, and bring your friend to Christ”. It is the way I feel that Jesus did it, Paul did it, and I do it. I love people. God has given me that gift. I love to talk. God has given me that gift as well. And God reminds me all the time to always speak the truth whether others will like what I have to say, but to always do it in love. Reading Paul’s letters has taught me its OK to get mad and frustrated, it is OK for me to have feelings of anger, after all I am human. But the lessons God has taught me remind me to put that passion to work for the glory of Him and Him alone.

God Loves You And So Do I

Leslie

 

 

 

 

 

Telling the Story

1. I love to tell the story of unseen things above,
   Of Jesus and His glory, of Jesus and His love;
   I love to tell the story, because I know ’tis true,
   It satisfies my longings as nothing else would do.
   • Refrain:
     I love to tell the story,
     ’Twill be my theme in glory,
     To tell the old, old story
     Of Jesus and His love.
2. I love to tell the story, more wonderful it seems
   Than all the golden fancies of all our golden dreams;
   I love to tell the story, it did so much for me,
   And that is just the reason I tell it now to thee.
3. I love to tell the story, ’tis pleasant to repeat,
   What seems each time I tell it more wonderfully sweet;
   I love to tell the story, for some have never heard
   The message of salvation from God’s own holy Word.
4. I love to tell the story, for those who know it best
   Seem hungering and thirsting to hear it like the rest;
   And when in scenes of glory I sing the new, new song,
   ’Twill be the old, old story that I have loved so long.
   I have always liked this song, and this month it especially reminds me of the Bonhoeffer quote–all of us need to hear the gospel over and over, even those of us who have known it since childhood.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer on Witnessing

“God has willed that we should seek and find His living Word in the witness of a brother, in the mouth of man.  Therefore, the Christian needs another Christian who speaks God’s Word to him.  He needs him again and again when he becomes uncertain and discouraged, for by himself he cannot help himself without belying the truth.”

From ” Life Together”

Christ’s Ambassadors

(“As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.”  John 17:26

This is part of what is called the high priestly prayer of Jesus, and he is speaking to His father.  Jesus says that the disciples (and eventually the church and therefore each of us) have been entrusted with His mission, the same mission given to Him by God the Father.  That mission is to make God’s love known to men and reconcile them to Him.

The apostle Paul tells the Corinthian Christians:

“Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us.” 2 Corinthians 5: 20

What a responsibility!  When Jesus ascended into Heaven, He entrusted His mission to us.  An ambassador represents the person or country from whom he is sent.  So I have to ask myself every day, “How well does my life represent Jesus?”

Here’s how Andrew Murray(a South African writer, teacher and pastor) describes the situation in his book, “Like Christ”:

“Believer!  whoever you are, and where ever you dwell, the Lord, who knows you and your surroundings has need of you, and has chosen you to be his representative in the circle in which you move.  Fix your heart on this.  He has fixed His heart on you and saved you, in order that you should bear and exhibit to those who surround you the very image of His unseen glory.  Oh, think of the origin of your Heavenly mission in His everlasting love, as His had its origin in the love of the Father.  Your mission is, in very truth, just like His.”

Is your heart fixed on the mission Jesus gave you? What will you do today to make Jesus better known and better loved? Are you ready to be His ambassador?

 

Evangelistic Acts

“..the word of God continued to increase and spread.”  Acts 12:24

If you’re looking for a primer on evangelism, turn to the book of Acts.  If there is one overarching theme of Acts, it is the verse above –the spread of Christianity.  Acts is also a book about people, individuals, who through their words and deeds made an impact for Christ.  I’m going to list a few of them here.

• Philip:  one of the first to preach the gospel outside of Jerusalem (Acts 8:4-40)
• Peter:  led by God to Cornelius, one of the first Gentiles to become a Christian(Acts 9:32-10:48)
• Barnabas:  went to Antioch as an encourager; traveled on to Troas (Acts 11:25-30)
• Apollos:  left Alexandria for Ephesus, preached in Athens and Corinth(Acts 18:24-28)
• Priscilla & Aquila:  taught the complete gospel story to Apollos (same reference as above)
• Paul:  went on missionary journeys along with Barnabas and John Mark (Acts 13: 1-14); Silas, Timothy and Luke (Acts 15:36-18:22); Erastus (Acts 18:23 and 19:1-21:4)

In all, Acts mentions over one hundred people who contributed to the growth of the church.  It’s inspiring and exciting reading!

Prayer for the Growth of the Church

This prayer comes from the book Prayers of the Reformers compiled by Clyde Manschreck.  It was written by John Calvin.

“Grant, almighty God, since thou dost try the faith of thy people by many tests that they may obtain strength from the unconquered fortitude of thy Holy Spirit.  May we constantly march under thy standard, even to the end, and never succumb to any temptation.  May we join intelligence with zeal in building up thy church.  As each of us is endowed with superior gifts so may he strive for the edification of his brethren with greater boldness, manliness and fervor, while he endeavors to add numbers to the cause.  And should the number diminish, yet may some seed always remain, until abundant produce shall flow forth from it, and such fruitfulness arise as shall cause thy name to be glorified throughout the world, in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

#1 on Luther’s Bucket List

“There is nothing I want more than to make His gospel known to the world and to convert many people.”

Martin Luther

 

 

 

What God Has Done

“The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him, but Jesus sent him away saying ‘Return to your home and declare how much God has done for you.’…”Luke 8:38-39

This was part of our Bible study on the book of Luke this week.  After Jesus healed a demon possessed man, he in effect, sent him back to his home to become a missionary.  He didn’t have any extensive instruction or education.  All he had to do was tell others what Jesus had done for him. It reminds me of another similar story in the book of John.  Jesus heals a man who has been blind since birth.  The man is brought to the Pharisees who try to manipulate him into saying that Jesus is a sinner. Exasperated he tells them,

“…One thing I do know;  that though I was blind, now I see.”  John 9:25

As witnesses, all we need to do is tell about our own life and how Jesus has changed it.  We don’t have to be eloquent or persuasive.  We don’t have to worry about the outcome;  that’s up to God.  We just have to state the  facts about God’s action in our life; and it can be as simple as this:  “I was blind and now I see”.

 

Don’t Hide the Light

“No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light.” Luke 8:16

We were studying this verse in our Bible Study class today.  The lamp, of course, is the word of God as we are told more specifically in Psalm 119:

“Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105

We’re also promised in Isaiah 55:11

“…it (my word) shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”

If God has promised that His Word will serve His purposes, why aren’t we shouting it from the rooftops!  Instead, too often, we keep it under wraps.  We’re afraid people will be offended;  afraid it might sound judgmental; concerned about being politically correct.  If we’re honest, we’re also afraid we might be asked to explain something we don’t completely understand.

Now I’m not saying we should beat people over the head with the Bible or browbeat them into conversion. I am saying we shouldn’t mind showing where we stand and why.  If the Bible guides us in our decisions (I’m hoping it does) we shouldn’t mind letting others know that.  If we read our Bible regularly, we shouldn’t care who sees it on our desk at work. We shouldn’t feel uncomfortable saying “have a blessed day” to a cashier in a store.  If a question about Christianity arises, we should be willing to speak up and to the best of our ability explain our beliefs. If we are following Jesus, our lives will be a reflection of His love and others will want to know more about what we believe and why.  I say all this knowing I am also often guilty of “flying under the radar” by avoiding what may be controversial

As my husband would say, that’s the end of my rant.  I’ll try to do better.  Maybe you will, too.  Let the light shine!

What’s On Your Bucket List?

I sometimes hear people say something’s on their “bucket list.”  In other words, it’s something they really want to see, do or accomplish before they die.  So what’s on yours?  Do you want to travel to Europe?  Write a book? Rise to the top of your profession?  Become a parent? Build a house? There’s nothing wrong with having goals such as these.

The apostle, Paul, however, had an even more important item on his bucket list.  Listen to how he describes it in Acts 20:24:

“But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”

So today I just want to challenge you (and myself) to compare our bucket lists to Paul’s.  What’s really important in the long run?  Does anything I may have or accomplish compare to the joy of telling one more soul about Jesus? Your life may be the only Bible some people ever read:  is it pointing to the One who wrote it?