Tag: witness

Our Christmas Gift

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For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

Do you find it odd our entire world celebrates Jesus’ birth?

Our secular world who seeks to elevate themselves more often than not?

Sure, you could argue Jesus’ birth has morphed into Santa, presents, and reindeer.

But even Santa is based on Nicholas of Myra, a fourth century bishop who left gifts for poor children.

Maybe the world isn’t totally lost. Yet.

How can you help your friends and family see the baby Jesus instead this Christmas?

Through you. Your witness. Your focus.

Jesus is the reason for the season. Overused phrase, yes, but it’s so true.

When you think for just a moment how deeply God loves you…..

When you ponder why God sent Jesus to earth…..

When you stop and realize how desperately you need our Savior…

You’ll discover the true meaning of Christmas.

Jesus came to earth just for you.

God missed His relationship with you that much.

He missed you and desperately wants that relationship back.

He wants you to trust Him. To love Him. To realize how much you need Him.

Because His plans for you are so good. The very best.

And to communicate that love, God set Jesus’ birth in motion.

That’s how much He loves you. All of you.

Begin to replace the commercialism of Christmas with the celebration of Jesus.

God’s peace on earth will come to your corner.

Your “why” you celebrate will alter everything. Real peace and real joy for once.

Let’s replace all the trinkets nobody needs. The gifts people return. Events we feel compelled to attend.

Replace it all with an increased devotion to Jesus, thanking Him for His gift. Himself.

Rely on Him for your peace as you dwell on the love He has just for you.

Let your celebrations stem from this and all of the gifts, events, and chaos will become worship to God.

While the world has lost the focus of Christmas, let’s keep ours, shifting back our focus to God and His precious gift of Jesus for you and for me.

Photos by Tristan Maness, Max Beck, Matt Botsford, &  Alda González-Cuevas on Unsplash

Do Others Know?

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And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. 2 Corinthians 5:15

Do others know you are the Lord’s?

Is it obvious you follow Jesus?

Is it written on your face as you react to the world?

Is it displayed in your actions as you share Jesus’ gentle touch?

Your words as you bring others God’s voice of life to blanket their soul?

The temperature of the room when you walk in covered with the peace of God?

Or do you quietly live your faith with not one person realizing your alliance to God?

How do you walk the halls of your high school: blending in with the world or standing out for God?

How well do you mimic Jesus as He walked this earth?

Yes, He preached.

Yes, He healed.

Yes, He argued with church leaders while pointing out their errors.

But not every minute of every day.

He lived, moving among us with the heart of God.

He listened.

He hugged.

He made others feel important. Worthy. Valuable.

How about you?

Is it obvious you follow Jesus?

Are you bringing others to Jesus or are you caring not a whit about their future damnation?

Is God in the forefront of your mind?

Do you stand tall for His truth?

Might feel lonely, but there are more of us with you than you realize.

Plus, God is always standing right by your side.

There are those in our world who do dare to stand out.

Who wear their faith on their sleeve, asking others to consider God’s ways.

Charlie Kirk was one of those, and he paid the ultimate price.

Are you willing to be God’s witness, too?

Even if it causes your early death?

Satan will hate your witness.

What is your choice?

Let others know how much you love God.

Let others see His goodness.

Let your words bring others closer to Him.

And let your time on earth cause others to yearn for God exactly as you do.

Our time here is limited. Minutes when compared to eternity.

Will you live today for now or will you live today for then?

Will you live today for yourself or will you live today as God’s witness, knowing today might be your last?

Photos by Tim Wildsmith, Humble Lamb, Tim Wildsmith, & David Banning on Unsplash

Zipping Your Lips

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Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Philippians 2:14-15

What are God’s purposes for you on this earth? To glorify Him, and you cannot do that while complaining.

You’ll also live caught in the web of self-condemnation, probably in a bad mood most of the time when your speech is perverse.

Subsequently, your witness for God is tarnished.

Sends others off screaming in the other direction.

So how do we glorify God when we feel like complaining?

We praise him anyway.

We choose to push aside the complaining thoughts, praising God instead. Even if.

When we choose to continue trusting God as life tempts us to sour – that’s when our witness shines. That’s when God’s transformation of our very selves shines brighter.

It’s how the world sees the difference God makes in our lives.

So if we choose to complain every time things go south, we’re absolutely no different from the world.

They complain, too.

But if instead you choose praising God in the midst, choosing to trust him instead of your circumstances, you’ll show the world how good God is.

How trustworthy He remains. How much better off you are with Him by your side. How much you need Him as life often deals badly.

Your purpose on this earth is to glorify God, reflecting Him to others.

Draw them today, instead of leading them away.

Photos by Kristina Flour, Jelleke Vanooteghem, Richard Bell, & Naassom Azevedo on Unsplash

Plugged In

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For in Him we live and move and have our being. Acts 17:28a

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. John 14:26

How closely are you plugged into the Holy Spirit?

God within, who gently nudges you into His will?

When you’re plugged in, you listen to the nudge.

Actually you do more than listen; you act.

First things first.

How do you plug into God?

Reading the Bible regularly.

Praying for yourself and others, lifting your burdens to God.

Praising Him whether you feel like it or not.

Asking God to fill you up with Himself, not relying instead on your own strength.

In a nutshell: surrender.

When you surrender to God, you allow Him to use you how He sees fit.

You extend mercy to others.

You shower them with love and grace.

You become a rock on which to stand with truth.

You act unselfishly, thinking of others before your own comfort.

Recently I was a witness to the power of the Holy Spirit.

As I listened to His whisper, I simply knew beyond a shadow of a doubt what I should do.

And when I obeyed Him, the other person responded with great leaps and bounds towards love.

It was profound.

All because I listened to God.

I was available.

My choice of surrender was my only part.

My obedience opened the gates of heaven.

Yes, certainly God works all the time without us.

But He generously wants us to take part of sharing His love with others.

When God whispers, listen.

Because those gentle nudges might begin to change your corner of the big wide world.

Get ready, because it’s going to be so great!

Photos by Kelly Sikkema, Joel Muniz, & Jon Tyson on Unsplash

How Much Time?

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Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19

As life moves on, days roll into months and years.

Before you know it, life has passed you by.

Another day. I have another day, yes?

Maybe, maybe not.

God knows the hour of your departure from this world.

Only God.

Could be in ten years, could be in twenty-five, could be tonight.

Are you ready?

Ready to meet your Maker? The Creator of all things?

We only have one go. One life. One gift.

What about your family? Friends? Co-workers?

How much time do they have left?

Only God knows.

God asks to be His hands and feet while we live.

His witness to others here on earth.

Are you? What if your role is to help open their door?

Or that last invitation to God they finally accept?

Open your hands to help others.

Open your hearts to relationship with others.

Open your mouth to share God’s good news.

Not obnoxiously, but allow your life to be a witness. A witness for God’s love, peace, and salvation.

You might be that one person who will share with the other.

Making all the difference, another soul will enter heaven.

Life is short. We must do our part, sharing God’s hope and peace to our broken and desperate world.

As time ticks away, let your humble soul witness the goodness of God.

There is no time to lose. The time is now.

Get up and go forth into our world, sharing the witness of God.

His goodness, His faithfulness, His love.

What else matters? Nothing.

Photos by Andrik Langfield, insung yoon, Claudio Schwarz, & Jonathan Wells on Unsplash

Belief in the Truth

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Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long. Psalm 25:5

Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. Psalm 86:11

How often do you believe only what you think is the truth?

How do you know it’s true?

What if it’s only partial truth? Or actually a complete lie?

Here’s an example. The Israel/Palestinian conflict is generations old.

Long-held beliefs passed down within families.

Each side seems justified in their own minds.

But what is their focus? Peace or war?

How do they teach their children to live among their enemies? Love or hate?

Recently, Hamas surprised innocent Israelis, killing civilians, capturing others as hostages.

Most shockingly, babies were found murdered, some with heads and some without.

Many people were required to witness the carnage. It’s almost unbelievable this level of evil exists.

The witnesses were there for one reason: to testify what they saw.

It’s what Allied troops did when liberating concentration camps in WW2.

Witnesses were necessary as people wouldn’t have believed it otherwise. How could they when one couldn’t imagine such evil?

And some don’t, still to this day, believe the holocaust existed.

They want to believe their own narrative instead.

Thinking about the recently murdered Israeli babies, there are protestors who deny this happened.

Say it’s propaganda.

They believe what they want instead

To keep the hate going.

What truth do you refuse to see in your own life?

What addiction, habit, or attitude do you regularly engage in that seeks to block you from seeing God’s truth?

What lies do you believe in your mind about your true identity in Christ?

What lie wraps you in fear, disabling your ability to see the truth?

Evil is real. Satan is real.

And both want to destroy you, the people you love, and any hope of peace in this world.

Oh God, let us see Your truth.

Let us humble ourselves under Your authority in our lives.

May we humbly see the errors of our ways, wanting instead for You to make known Your perfect way, which leads us in Your truth.

Photos by Timothy Eberly, Jeremy Yap, & Carlos Magno on Unsplash

Becoming God’s Witness

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I sought the Lord and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34:4

Why are you still participating with fear?

Why are you still choosing to partner without God?

God has overcome ALL things.

Fear. Anxiety. Bitterness.

Inferiority. Depression.

Everything.

God is above everything.

He created You in His image.

When Jesus came to die for our sins, we were given the opportunity for relationship with God Almighty.

Because God is above everything, He is above fear.

He is above anxiety.

He is above it all. Everything.

As God’s child, you are above everything, too, with God’s power running through your whole self.

The Bible reminds us the same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you.

Absolutely incredible.

Fear is nothing to God.

Anxiety, depression, and inferiority are mere bugs to step over.

Choose to focus on your identity in God.

As His child, you are no longer a slave to fear, anxiety, or anything not from above.

But you must choose.

When you do, your body will be healthier, because your mind will be at peace.

Fear wants to control you.

Satan wants to lie, convincing you God is not enough.

But He is. God.

He is absolutely enough and then some.

Psalm 34 reminds us He will deliver us from ALL of our fears when we seek Him.

Refuse those thoughts from the pit when they dare to enter your mind.

Send them packing, canceling their assignment with God’s truth.

Your body will be healthier.

Your mind will be peaceful.

And your smile will broadcast God’s strength to all who witness your beautiful face.

Allow Him to take over, changing your mind from fear to peace.

Allow His witness through you to guide others to His salvation.

Stand tall with God’s strength.

And become His witness.

Photos by M.T ElGassier, Guilherme Stecanella, & Marcos Paulo Prado on Unsplash

God-breathed

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The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life. Job 33:4

Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein. Isaiah 42:5

God breathed and life erupted.

His life filled what He breathed upon.

Creation.

The apostle’s baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Can you imagine anything better than the creation of life or the indwelling of God’s spirit within you?

When God breathes on something, life erupts. Multiplies. Becomes alive.

While at worship last week, I had a picture of God breathing on the ugly parts of life.

The sections of our hearts or lives that contain ugly, messy cobwebs.

With one word, God breathes and darkness disappears, clearing away the cobwebs.

Whoosh. God says, “I am breathing on all of your cobwebs. Cleaning them all away. Forever gone.”

What areas of your life do you desperately need God to breathe?

With His breath, you’ll replace death with life. Destruction with living. Selfishness with godliness.

Ask Him to breathe on your heart. Ask Him to clear away your cobwebs.

Cobwebs connecting to family members. Gone.

Cobwebs connecting to destructive habits. Gone.

Cobwebs connecting to ugly past sins, guilt, or shame. Gone.

Cobwebs convincing you God truly deems you unworthy of Him. Gone.

When you allow God to fill you with His breath, He will make all things new.

Breathe Him in and receive His healing. His power. His peace.

Breathe Him out and become His hands and feet. His witness. His proof.

All glory returns to God for creating us in His image, allowing us to experience the freedom, forgiveness, and purpose He has for us. Spread the word. To God be all glory.

Photos by Saad Chaudhry, Aaron Burden, & Hugo Fergusson on Unsplash

Running to the Father

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God created you.

He created you perfectly for His purposes.

His purposes are higher than ours, so rest assured, your life is meant for good.

Your life is set up to bring God glory, while influencing others as only you can.

You are unique, designed with a purpose.

When God created you, He set out a perfect plan for your life.

When we choose apart from Him, we mar His plans for us.

But when we yield to Him, submitting our entire selves, we allow His perfect plan to unfold.

God sees you living under His influence, bringing others to Himself.

But it’s our choice.

Keep that in mind the next time you are tempted to live within yourself.

You might be the connection God had in mind for that person.

But you messed it up.

Yes, God can reach anyone through anything at anytime, but you matter.

Your witness matters.

You are in God’s plan as He brings others to Himself.

Will you help or stand in the way?

Photos by Jo Jo & Alexandru Tudorache on Unsplash

Walking in Wisdom

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Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise. Ephesians 5:15

Are you walking wisely through life?

Or are you subscribing to any whim you possess, acting as an unwise person?

God asks us to look carefully how we walk.

He wants us to represent Him as wise people.

When we react unwisely, or as in anger or spite, we unfortunately place God in a bad light.

Are you walking in the flesh, acting on every selfish whim?

Or are you seeking God, walking in a wise manner?

Choosing to walk wisely is difficult at best.

Our flesh cries out for selfish desires.

For literally unwise actions as we seek justice, not God’s desires.

Additionally, we tend to listen to lies from the pit when unwisely, we succumb to self-pity or other sins.

Walking wisely with God requires dedication.

Dedication to God Himself.

Focus as well.

Rejecting selfish thoughts or feelings.

Our flesh cries out for selfish desires.

We feel we must feed ourselves.

But God asks us to walk carefully as wise people.

Wise people seek God.

May we purpose ourselves to reject our selfish natures, aligning ourselves instead to God’s ways alone.

As we walk along God’s path, we will reflect His wisdom, bringing the world His truth.

Our world desperately needs God’s truth.

Keep that in mind as you become HIs witness to our world.

Reflect His wisdom.

If you don’t, you will reflect unwisdom, which may turn others far away from Him.

Your life is a witness.

Reflect Him.

Photos by Syaoran 7,  Alex Lopez, Joel Muniz, Ben White on Unsplash

The Witness of God

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But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. Acts 1:8

Are you living in the authority of one whom God has saved?

Are you remembering God’s promises, pointing your very existence to Him?

Are you seeking God’s face for the souls of your family?

Are you asking God to show you how you should serve Him today?

Our eternal salvation is for later.

When we’re standing at the judgement seat of God.

But Jesus saved us for today.

He saved us to be His witness.

He chose us to spread His good news.

He uses us to be His hands and feet to those we meet.

Yes, God died to save us from our sins.

For eternal life praising His name.

But He also saved us from ourselves for today.

Today and tomorrow.

For the world.

The world needs to see your salvation and what that looks like.

Reasons why they should follow you to God.

You are a witness of Almighty God.

Walk in His power.

Stand in His faithfulness.

And show the world just how amazing He is today.

Photos by Silvestri Matteo on Unsplash

Power of Your Witness

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Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what He has done for my soul. Psalm 66:16

Are you so sold out for the cause of Christ that you minimize yourself?

You subtract your needs before others?

Are you so concerned for the love of God to flow through you that you put others before yourself?

Consistently?

Or are you still focused on number one?

Yourself?

And when it’s convenient, you put others before yourself?

This life is but a blip.

A drop in all of eternity.

Yes, God created us to live on this earth.

Yes, God created pleasure.

But is that your focus?

Is meeting your needs of comfort number one to you?

God’s greatest need from us is not preaching.

Dare I say most humans in at least America have heard it time and time again.

It’s serving.

It’s pouring out God’s love and mercy on our neighbors.

It’s literally being the hands and feet of Jesus.

It’s our witness.

When others see how different we are because of God,

When others see how much we care about them first,

When are a witness of the living God,

Hearts become open to God changing them.

So I must ask you this:

How are you helping people’s hearts to open?

Or instead, are you helping hearts to stay closed?

Photos by Hans Veth & Becca Tapert on Unsplash

Watching

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And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. Daniel 12:3

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Are you aware that others are watching you?

Watching you react in this life?

Watching you respond?

Are you aware?

As Christians, we are a witness for God.

We are a witness either for God or against Him.

When we, as Christians, respond with love for others, serving them and meeting their needs, we are the face of God.

When instead, we, as Christians respond with selfishness, wanting the best for ourselves, we are also a witness of God.

But when we respond with selfishness, we mar His face.

Placing God in a negative light.

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Where do you frequent on a weekly basis?

Do waiters look forward to your visit or try to avoid serving your table?

Ever asked them about their day?

God is love.

And as Christians, we are full of His love.

We should be spilling Him out everywhere we go.

When we leave a space, it should be better then when we entered.

Better because we have determined to be an honorable witness for Him.

He has given us this life.

He has also given us a charge to make disciples across the earth.

How many people have you come across on this earth today?

Create a desire in others for God through your witness.

With His help, create that desire.

Don’t destroy it instead.

Photos by Josh Hild, Swaminathan Jayaraman. Claudio Schwarz | @purzlbaum. Nick Cooper, & Emmanuel Maceda on Unsplash

Honor

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Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor. Proverbs 21:21

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Sometimes God allows something to occur we simply cannot figure out.

Something unbelievable, even in-explainable.

Take Job for instance.

He was an upstanding citizen.

He was a regular sinful man, but he was righteous before God.

Doing all the right things.

Yet, God allowed his suffering.

Nothing Job did to deserve it.

God said so.

I have a dear student whose mother just passed away.

Suddenly, without warning.

One minute laughing, the other minute silent.

She was a strong Christian.

Wife, mother of two, volunteered her life for others.

So why did God allow her sudden death?

I cannot possibly figure it out.

Like Job.

I cannot understand why God allowed Job to suffer.

Why God allows any of us to suffer.

But I do know this:  God uses every situation to bring us and others closer to Him.

If we allow it.

If we don’t instead allow our selfish ways to usurp God’s path, turning instead to anger or self-pity.

But if we allow Him to work through us, eventually healing every wound.

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Unfortunately, there is and will be so much unbelievable suffering in this world.

That is a given.

I think God needs some of His sheep to minister healing and peace to the pain of the world.

Not sure why He chooses some of us to have that job and not others…..

Frankly, it’s not for me to know.

God uses all situations, ugly or beautiful, for His purposes.

All we can do is trust Him in the process.

Trust Him to guide us.

And save us.

If God hand picks you to suffer terribly, allow yourself to grieve.

But bring God along for the ride.

His peace will cleanse your heart and mind.

Yes, your heart will never be the same.

But your witness will stand strong for others, giving hope and light in the utter darkness of the world.

Your light will pull others up from their knees.

Your peace will strengthen broken hearts.

Your faith will point others to the feet of Jesus.

Your living example of God’s redemptive power will break the chains of despair.

Chosen by God.

What an honor.

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Photos by Delphine Ducaruge, Gan Wien, & Robert Metz on Unsplash

Willing

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Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to your truth! Grand me purity of heart, so that I may honor you. Psalm 86:11

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Miracles regularly plop into my lap.

Small ones or big ones.

It’s true.

Am I looking for them?

Yes.

Am I praying for God’s hand in my every day life?

Yes.

Am I listening for His voice so I can spread heaven’s love?

Yes.

God can do anything.

Anything.

He doesn’t need us, because He is God.

But He likes to use us.

He wants to show Himself through our willing hearts.

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Is God working through your lips?

Is He using your hands?

Is your heart filled with His love so you can reach beyond yourself to speak into the heart of others?

If so, you’ll witness miracles too.

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Life is a miracle.

I admit, I fail regularly.

But I’m learning.

Learning to listen to God.

His wisdom will help you in good times and bad- and every moment in between.

Tune your ears to listen.

And then do what our Savior requires of you.

Become His witness.

Let Him use your hands and feet to bless others.

And you’ll witness countless miracles, too.

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Photos by frank mckenna , Jill Heyer & Lukas Budimaier on Unsplash