Accept it or not, your private sworn statement is one of the strongest and forcing tools God has given you in reaching nonbelievers with the gospel. Now, I am not talking about the common, garden-variety, churchy “braggamony.” we’ve all yawned and moaned as others rambled and preached their way thru a supposed testimony—which was about as fresh, appealing, and succulent as warm, month-old lettuce.

that sort of affidavit never attracted any one.

I’d like to help carry out the project of preparing your affidavit, that it’d become a good, potent missile launched continually from your lips into the ears of the unsaved. You would like to be listened to, so be engaging. It is a contradiction to chat about how exciting Christ actually is in an hardly interesting way. Work on your wording, your flow of thought your key terms. I advise that you think about your deliverance in 3 phases. You would like the instant of your new birth to be clear, so be categorical. Do not be at all obscure pertaining to how you turned into a Christian. Refer to the choice you made, the instant of time when you received the Lord. You would like your testimony to be used, so be practical. Don’t guarantee, “All your issues will end if you will change into a Christian,” for that isn’t true. Think as an unbeliever thinks as you are talking.

Restrain yourself from plucking the wings off non secular flies. Unproven stuff doesn’t attract their attention as much as practical fact. You need your affidavit to supply results, so be warm and real.

A smile breaks down more barriers than the hammer blows of cold, hard facts.

It’s hard to persuade someone else of the sheer joy and excitement of knowing Christ if you are wearing a jail-warden face. Once your missile hits the target, you may become completely discontented with your previous life as an earth-bound, secret-service saint.

One ancient and effective strategy of evangelism is the giving of your private affidavit. The skeptic may reject your doctrine or attack your church, but he can’t truthfully ignore the proven fact that your life has been modified. Trust me ; the steps that led straight to your conversion and the successive ramifications are much more appealing and suitable to the non-Christian than a pulpit exposition of John three or Romans five. If you haven’t discovered the value of telling others how God arranged your life, you have missed a urgent link in the chain of His blessing. On 6 separate occasions between Paul’s 3rd missionary journey and his trip to Rome, he stood before different audiences and presented Christ to them ( Acts 22-26 ). 6 times he addressed sceptics, a lot of them antagonistic and rude. Did you know the strategy Paul used each time? His private affidavit.

every time he spoke, he simply shared how his very own life had been changed by the invasion of Christ and the indwelling of His power.

Not once did he disagree or debate with them. No convincing methodology will ever take the place of your private sworn statement.

I challenge you to give significant consideration to thinking thru and then presenting the way God saved you—along with the thrilling results of His presence in your life. Tomorrow, I should share with you some specifics of a dynamic affidavit. Till then, you may want to consider 3 particular and crucial changes Christ has accomplished in your born-again life ; these can become part of your spoken sworn statement to sceptics. And, if you know your affidavit could use some written work and planning, schedule a time for it now—and write it on your calendar.

If that describes you, you are missing a golden moment. As I discussed yesterday, you can turn this time from ho-hum to hallelujah. If I may take the phrase in Ephesians 5:16, making the best of your time, to incorporate the silent moments in the offering, let me offer some practical proposals. Take a pencil together with the circular stub and write down a listing of the things for which you are most thankful.

And thank your heavenly Pop for them one at a time. Tape that list in an obvious place at home and have a look at it daily for a week. Turn to the Scripture that’ll be used in the sermon. Think only about that passage across the offering time. Ask the Almighty to talk to you like you were all alone in the worship service. Pick out 2 or three people whom you know ( perhaps some sitting with or near you ) and pray particularly for them.

Ask the Lord God to prompt them and lift their spirits that day. You may even follow that up by greeting them after the service and expressing interest in their lives. Tell them that God inspired you to hope for them. Locate in the hymnal the hymn the musician is playing if it is familiar to you.

permit yourself to picture the scene in the hymn and become excited with the message it communicates. Refuse each outside thought that knocks for entrance.

Fess up to Him the mud you have swept under your life’s rug. Thank Him for your role in life, your job, your family, your church, your non secular gifts, your deliverance, your trials, your destiny, your healthiness the Scriptures. May I dare add another? Pray for the person that will bring the message. Ask The Lord God to give him freedom, lucidity, arrogance, sensitiveness, understanding on his feet, freedom from distractions and petty concerns. It’s fantastic how much more the message means to you when you have had a part in its delivery. Hebrews 13:15 gives timely endorse along these lines : “let us repeatedly offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that offer gratitude to His name.”.

That is a switch, isn’t it? The standard offering time becomes a “sacrifice of praise” time. A point in time when God, personally, receives your offering of gratitude. A point when He picks the “fruit of your lips.” what’s most outstanding is the way in which the juice from that fruit heals the ache in your left hip pocket.

If I select not to chance, if I’m going the “safe” route and identify not to plug either deliverance by grace or a way of living of grace, what are the alternatives? 4 points come to my mind, all of which are favored nowadays.

I shared 2 points with you yesterday and will share 2 points today. Everything is either black or white, wrong or right.

And as a consequence, the leader maintains stern control of the proponents. Fellowship is reliant on whether there’s full agreement. We first check out where folks stand on the difficulties, and then we decide whether we intend to spend a lot time with them.

The final analysis is this : we wish to be right ( as we see it, naturally ) more than we would like to love our neighbours as ourselves. At that point our personal choices eclipse any proof of love. I’m of the firm conviction that where grace exists, so must varied areas of grey.

I’m able to cultivate a judgmental perspective toward those that may not agree or cooperate with my plan. It is maybe the most un-Christlike characteristic in evangelical circles today.

A quick peek back thru the time tunnel will prove advantageous. Jesus found Himself standing before the brain trust of legalism, the Pharisees. Listening to Him were also many that assumed in Him. He’d been presenting His message to the bunch ; it had been a message of deliverance, of forgiveness, of liberty. “As He spoke these things, many began to believe in Him. So Jesus was announcing to those Jews who had thought Him, ‘If you continue in My word, then you’re actually followers of Mine ; and you’ll know the truth, and the truth will make you free’ “( John 8:30–32 ).

He spoke of the liberating power of the truth. Free from the damnable impulses I could not stop when I was in bondage to sin. Free from the tyranny of others’ views, expectancies, demands. Free to permit others to be who they are—different from me. Free to live outside the constraints of human effort. In definite terms, Jesus Christ guaranteed his very own that His truth was ready to liberate them from each needless limitation : “So if the Child makes you free, you’ll be free indeed” ( John 8:36 ).

How well do I know God? Absence of understanding about God’s personality and what pleases Him obstructs listening.

Do I think that God wants to chat to me? A poor self-image is one reason we have lifeless hearing. Do I live with a feeling of guilt? When we suspect Devil’s lies about not measuring up to God’s standard, we experience fake guilt, and our listening skills reduce.

Have I been too busy to take time for God? The Lord expects us to hear Him and reply, even in our busyness. Do I think God speaks thru His Holy Spirit? When we have unbelief about God chatting to us personally, we won’t hear His voice.

Am I indignant with God? Over time, God-directed anger can close our heart to His words. Have I made a decision on how I need God to answer? When we have got a rebellious spirit, we close our ears to any solution but our own. How well do I receive feedback and correction? Our inclination is to reject the messenger without determining if she or he was sent by God. ( Luke 8:18a ) now would be an excellent time to obey.

A few of you who read these words today could employ a tiny additional hope, particularly if you end up in a waiting mode. You were once engaged in the action, doing top-priority work on the front lines.

Though you are well-educated, experienced, and reasonably presented in your own field, you are now waiting. You are wondering, and perhaps you are getting worried, this waiting period could be permanent. You cannot see any light at the end of the tunnel.

Discouragement crouches at the door, prepared to pounce on any thought or hope, so you sit considering why God has selected to pass you by. He may select not to bare His plan for weeks, perhaps months. Are you prepared for this? It may be years. I’ve found that one of Almighty God’s favourite techniques of preparing us for something great is to send us into the shadows to attend. Take heart from the words of Brit writer James Stalker who wrote, “Waiting is a typical instrument of auspicious discipline for those to whom outstanding work has been appointed.” Pause and let that sink in.

Waiting is one of Our Lord God’s preferred systems of preparing special folk for heavy projects. The Bible makes that principle plain from cover to cover.

As Psalm 27:14 announces, “Wait for the LORD ; be robust and let your heart take bravery ; yes, wait for the LORD.”. 

Rather than considering yourself essential, remember frequently it is the Lord’s work to be done the Lord’s way. I initially heard that principle from Francis Schaeffer while attending one of his lectures. There he stood in knickers and a turtleneck sweater, delivering this very message to a group of young, idealistic listeners—many of us fighting to find our way. I heard him say this again : “The Lord’s work must be done the Lord’s way.

If you are in a rush, you can make it work your way.

It might have all of the marks of promotion, but it will not be the Lord’s way. It could be time for you to be let down off your wall in a basket to learn that in your life.

John Pollock, in his excellent book The Apostle, states, “The irony was appreciated by him the mighty Paul, who had originally approached Damascus with all of the panoply of the high clergyman’s representative, should make his last exit in a fish basket, helped by the extraordinarily folk he had come to hurt.”. Solely to set the record straight, our lives aren’t caught “in the slipped clutch of circumstance.” Our heads aren’t to be “bloodied, but unbowed.” You and I are neither the “masters of our fate” nor are we the “captains of our souls.”* We are going to be completely, ceaselessly, and totally conditional upon the mercy of Almighty God, if we would like to do the Lord’s work the Lord’s way.

My question is : Are you learning that? If not, today would be a good day to start. 

How pleased he’s to see your religion shine as you help folk. Your “service” may be a nice grin, an inspiring word, or a listening ear. In different eventualities, God may ask you to sacrifice your time or give freely of your resources. The love God gives you for others will prompt you to make some time for them and not count the price.

As you pour yourself into loving them, you may discover a feeling of accomplishment and joy. Serving in Jesus’ name also suggests that you are acting in submission to His authority – to explain, doing things in His way and time. To live out your religion is to rely on the Lord God’s power.
Only by yielding to His control can your work yield real non secular fruit. Folks will know your religion is real when your actions exalt God and not yourself. As envoys of Christ, we must serve with excellence so that God receives the glory He merits. Watch for God’s signals and be in a position to act with a zeal to live out your religion.

Was not it a waste of great talent for God to put Paul on hold? Not in any way.

Was not Tarsus a peculiar assignment? Not if He wanted him to be ready to write the letter to the Romans. Not if he’d have any lasting effect on the backsliding followers at Corinth.

Not if He wanted Paul to coach Timothy for a life of strategic ministry in Ephesus. Those projects ( and many others ) requested a depth of personality, forged thru the lessons that taught him dependence—both on God and on others. Instead of racing into the spotlight, we want to accept our role in the shadows. If you are great, trust me, the word will get out.

If you are mandatory for the plan, God will put you in the right spot at the accurate time. Let Him pull the curtains and switch on the stage lights. He’ll lay hold of an Ananias or Barnabas, who’ll come and find you at your most exposed point and lift you over the wall.

Or He may select you to be one of the unnamed, lesser-known people who make the difference for somebody else. This would be a fun time for you to fight going thru life making an attempt to live according to your own understanding—thinking if you can just climb up 1 or 2 more rungs on the ladder, you will be there.

Your folks will be ( what’s that word we like to use? ). “comfortable.” You know what your folks desires more than additional cash in the bank or a more inspiring address or a Television in each room? They need you to be right with the Lord. They need your mild touch, recognizing that he is the Lord of your house, not you. 

Paul knew that staying together was the way to their survival. The enticement was robust to desert ship and let each person fend for himself. But Paul warned that permitting the men to flee meant certain death. Our inclination in dire straits is to chop and run.

It’s less complicated right now to walk out of a uneasy wedding than to face it and work toward restoration. Man’s nature wants to retreat to a place where every one of us can be all alone, lock the door, and pull the blinds. Unfortunately some turn to alcohol, drugs, or worse, to a revolver.

If that in any way describes you, you want the support of family, pals, and particularly God’s folk. It’s better to lower the dinghy and jump in all alone. Instead, I advise you to stay with others on board ship. Don’t jump and attempt to make it on your own. Stay in contact with people who love you the most, who will be with you irrespective of what. You want the presence of God’s people surrounding you when the bottom dropped out of your life.

Regardless of what you suspect, it’s in doubt you can make it on your own. In our case, we had some good friends of the ministry praying and a unified board inspiring us. You and I are designed by God to make it together.