YOUR WITNESS IN WORDS AND DEEDS

“Now someone may argue, ‘Some people have faith; others have good deeds.’ But I say, ‘How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.’”  (James 2:18 NLT)

The single most important factor in your ability to witness for Christ is your own personal faith.  A genuine faith is often shared successfully even when the sharing seems awkward.  Transparent Christian faith is so powerful in its appeal that it is self-commending.

A second vital factor in faith sharing is a passionate and deep caring for others.  Unless you genuinely care about whether or not your friend is brought closer to Christ, you probably will not be motivated to give your witness.  That passion emerges out of your relationship with God and with your friend…

Sometimes we are tempted to believe that deeds, not words, are the most important part of our witness for Christ.  But upon deeper reflection we realize how very important words are.  A record of only the deeds of Jesus would be a treasure, of course.  However, to add His words to the record of His deeds adds infinite richness to our understanding of Jesus.  The words of Jesus help interpret for us His deeds, and His deeds help give credibility to His words.  The same is true of the person who witnesses for Christ.

-- Harold K. Bates in “Witness for Christ”

#6420

I WAS BLIND BUT NOW I SEE

“Jesus spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the [blind] man’s eyes. ‘Go,’ He told him, ‘wash in the Pool of Siloam’ (this word means ‘Sent’). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.”  (John 9:6-7 NIV)

After Jesus healed the blind man, others in his town who didn’t understand wanted to debate all sorts of meaningless issues. When several Pharisees accused Jesus of being a sinner, the blind guy told his story. “Whether [Jesus] is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” (John 9:25)

Even though this newly healed man didn’t know enough to debate theology, he was an expert on one topic -- his own experience. He was blind and now he could see. Everywhere he went, this healed man could tell his story to anyone who would listen, and his changed life was proof of what had happened.

We can do the same. Start with these words: “Let me tell you my story.” Then just fill in the blanks. You might have been forgiven for many sins or saved from a life of addiction. Perhaps you were sick and God healed you, or you were searching for something meaningful in life and your search ended when you found Christ. You may have grown up in church and known about God since Elmo was your favorite furry friend, but you only personally experienced God’s goodness later in life. Even if you don’t feel like your story is powerful or dramatic, God can use it. 

-- Craig Groeschel in “The Christian Atheist: Believing in God but Living as if He Doesn’t Exist”

#6419

IT MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE

Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”  (John 10:10)

A man in our church [in London] told me recently about how he had come to Christ. He was going through difficulties in his business and had to go to the United States on a business trip. He was not feeling very happy as he rode in a taxi to the airport. On the dashboard of the taxi he noticed pictures of the taxi driver’s children. He could not see the face of the driver, but he asked him about his family. He felt great love coming from the man. As the conversation went on, the taxi driver said to him, “I sense that you are not happy. If you believe in Christ it makes all the difference.”

The businessman said to me, “Here was a man speaking with authority. I thought I was the one in authority. After all, I was paying.” The taxi driver said to him eventually, “Don't you think it's time you settled all this by accepting Christ?” They arrived at the airport. For the first time the taxi driver turned around and the businessman saw his face; it was full of kindness. The driver said to him, “Why don't we pray? If you want Christ in your life, ask Him.” They prayed together and the driver gave him a booklet about the Christian faith. The taxi driver was a modest, unassuming person who was there one moment and gone the next, but he had taken the opportunity to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. This changed the whole course of a man's life.

-- Nicky Gumbel in Alpha’s “Questions of Life: A Practical Introduction to the Christian Faith” 

#6418

WHAT KIND OF WITNESS ARE WE?

Jesus said to His disciples, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”  (John 13:34-35 NIV)

Sheldon Vanauken (1914–1996) wrote that the strongest argument for Christianity is Christians, when they are drawing life from God. The strongest argument against Christianity? Also Christians, when they become exclusive, self-righteous, and complacent.

Dallas Willard (1925-2013) [in his book “The Spirit of the Disciplines”] wrote, "How many people are radically and permanently repelled from The Way by Christians who are unfeeling, stiff, unapproachable, boringly lifeless, obsessive, and dissatisfied? Yet such Christians are everywhere, and what they are missing is the wholesome liveliness springing from a balanced vitality with the freedom of God's loving rule…. Spirituality wrongly understood or pursued is a major source of human misery and rebellion against God."

-- John Ortberg in “The Life You've Always Wanted”

#6414

THE SPIRIT’S PROMPTINGS

“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper… He lives with you and will be in you.”   (John 14:16–17)

Trying to put language around the promptings of the Holy Spirit is no simple task. His movements are mysterious -- felt more than seen, sensed more than explained. They are intangible, yet unmistakably real. And they have been part of the Christian life from the moment Jesus ascended and sent His Spirit to dwell within the believers. That day changed everything.

Jesus had promised, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses…” (Acts 1:8)  Not a symbolic power. Not a motivational boost. But the very power of God taking up residence in human hearts.

It should tell us something about the weight of our calling that Christ didn’t leave us to navigate it alone. He knew the mission was bigger than our natural abilities. So He sent a permanent, supernatural Helper -- One who guides, convicts, strengthens, and speaks in ways that shape our steps.

But what is this power for? Acts 1:8 gives the answer plainly: We are empowered to be witnesses -- living, breathing reflections of Christ in every corner of the world. The Spirit’s promptings are not random nudges; they are divine invitations to join God in His work. 

-- SOUND BITES Ministry™

#6392

THE COMING OF THE SPIRIT

“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 ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8 NIV)

The coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost instilled in the church its mission and ministry. Our purpose is to be Christ’s witnesses -- beginning in our community and extending throughout all the world.

The continued growth of the church and proclamation of the gospel is dependent upon us. The gospel is no longer dependent upon Peter, James, John, Paul, and Silas, and all the early Christians. It is dependent upon each one of us in our life and witness. It is an awesome task and incredible responsibility, but remember we are not alone in this. The Spirit is always with us, and that’s what keeps us going.

Pentecost is about power, the coming of the Spirit to empower the church to fulfill its purpose and calling. 

-- Adapted  from James W. Moore and Bob J. Moore in “Lord, Give Me Patience!... And Give It to Me Right Now!”  

#6374

THE SOCIAL WITNESS OF CHARLES WESLEY’S HYMNS – Part 2 of 3

Here is the marvel of it: John and Charles Wesley did social action. They didn’t seem to pay a great deal of lip service to social reform, but they made it happen. Most church historians feel that the Wesleys were instinctively conservative politically, yet they brought about a social and economic reformation, the results of which continue in England and America to this day.   

Perhaps the text for their experience is Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.” I am not by any means suggesting that we abandon or mute our call for social and economic justice, but I believe that call must be derivative. My reasons are both theological and pragmatic. If we believe, as the gospel declares, that human beings are eternal creatures, then we who are the unique advocates of the eternal dare not let that fact become obscure or secondary. And as we emphasize the eternal, and keep Christ as our focus, I am altogether sure that we will make a more effective social, economic, and political witness than we are now doing. So much of what we currently say seems to lack authority, or to be only an echo of the secular voices around us. We will regain our uniqueness and our power to the degree that we remember who our Lord is – Jesus, the Christ – and what manner of creatures we human beings are – eternal. 

-- J. Ellsworth Kalas (1923-2015) in “Our First Song: Evangelism in the Hymns of Charles Wesley” 

#6355

GIVING TESTIMONY – Part 2 of 2

“Jesus said, ‘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 ends of the earth.’”  (Acts 1:8 NIV)

The women returned early in the morning of the first day of the week with the amazing word of an empty tomb and the astounding news, "He is risen!"  The actors playing the disciples remained true to their assigned parts, expressing disbelief and confidence that this news from the women was but an "idle tale."

But then the script called for three members of the congregation to stand up and give testimony, to bear witness in court as it were, to the truth of the resurrection. "I know He is alive," each one was to begin.  The first was Angie.  "I know that He is alive," she said, "because He is alive in me."  She then told how she was abused by her father, how she fell into despair and alcoholism, and became HIV-positive. But then she responded to the welcome of the church, then she started attending worship, then a Bible study, and bit by bit she rose from the grave of her life. Now she is a seminary student, studying to be a pastor. "I am now alive because Jesus Christ lives in me and through me," Angie said, her face aglow. "I am a temple of the Holy Spirit."

The two other witnesses stood in turn, each reciting the assigned part of the script: "I know that He is alive."  Then that portion of the play was done, and it was time to move on. But the testimony would not stop. Others in the sanctuary began to rise spontaneously. "I know that He is alive," they would say, "because He is alive in me." Homeless people, addicts now clean, the least and the lost, stood one by one. Nothing could stop them. "I know that He is alive," they shouted, all giving corroborating testimony to the witness of Jesus, adding their own word to the great witness of Easter, telling the truth about what they had seen, heard, and experienced.

-- Excerpted from “Testimony: Talking Ourselves into Being Christian” by Thomas G. Long

#6344

GIVING TESTIMONY – Part 1 of 2

“Jesus said, ‘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 ends of the earth.’”  (Acts 1:8 NIV)

From the beginning, putting the Christian faith into words out in the everyday arenas of life has been called testimony or witness. These are the strong and good words… Often when witness and testimony are employed in Christian circles, they refer only to autobiographical accounts of how somebody became a Christian …

Witness and testimony are big words, and we need to recover their full range of meaning. They are borrowed from the world of the law court, and in a court of law, something important is being contested, something or someone is "on trial." …

Jesus is the true and faithful witness, and Christians, as a part of God's people, are corroborating witnesses. Our testimony is, in effect, "What Jesus said and did is the truth about God and about human life, and we ourselves can attest in our own lives to the power of this truth."

A friend of mine, Heidi Neumark, served for several years as the pastor of a Lutheran church in the South Bronx, in perhaps the poorest of all poor neighborhoods in America. Her first Sunday as pastor, Heidi understood what kind of church she was serving when she found under the altar a box of rat poison next to the communion wafers. Members of her congregation include former addicts and undocumented aliens, the unemployed and the recently homeless. It is the kind of congregation Paul was talking about when he wrote, "Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise" (I Corinthians 1:26-27).

During Holy Week several years ago, this congregation decided to reenact in a passion play the whole sweep of Holy Week, from Palm Sunday to Easter.  They began by dramatizing Jesus' entry into the city, borrowing a live donkey and, led by an actor playing the part of Jesus, parading in a long procession around the block of the shabby storefronts and run-down apartments shouting, "Hosanna!"  When they got around the block and back to the door of the church, the Palm Sunday procession ran into a street demonstration protesting police brutality. It was fitting, really, as Jesus and the protesters, the congregation and the street crowds, the cries of "Hosanna!" and the cries of social outrage mingled together in a swirl of movement and noise. In fact, someone passing by on the street, seeing the confusion and fearing trouble, even called the police, whose arrival brought a bit of added color and drama. Somehow the processional managed to make it inside the church, where, as the play unfolded, Jesus was tried, condemned, and executed. But then women returned early in the morning of the first day of the week with the amazing word of an empty tomb and the astounding news, "He is risen!"  The actors playing the disciples remained true to their assigned parts, expressing disbelief and confidence that this news from the women was but an "idle tale."

-- Excerpted from “Testimony: Talking Ourselves into Being Christian” by Thomas G. Long

#6343

A FUN-LOVING JESUS?

“On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there,  and Jesus and His disciples had also been invited to the wedding.”  (John 2:1-2 NIV)

Why would Jesus, on His first journey, take His followers to a party? Didn't they have work to do? Didn't He have principles to teach?  Wasn't His time limited? How could a wedding fit with His purpose on earth? Why did Jesus go to the wedding?

The answer? It's found in the second verse of John 2. “Jesus and His disciples had also been invited to the wedding.”  Why did they invite Him? I suppose they liked Him.

Big deal? I think so. I think it's significant that common folk in a little town enjoyed being with Jesus. I think it's noteworthy that the Almighty didn't act high and mighty. The Holy One wasn't holier-than-thou.

You just don't get the impression that His neighbors grew sick of His haughtiness and asked, “Well, who do you think made you God?”

His faith made Him likable, not detestable. Would that ours would do the same!

May I state an opinion that may raise an eyebrow? May I tell you why I think Jesus went to the wedding? I think He went to the wedding to -- now hold on, hear me out, let me say it before you heat the tar and pluck the feathers -- I think Jesus went to the wedding to have fun.

Maybe these thoughts catch you by surprise. They do me. It's been awhile since I pegged Jesus as a party-lover. But He was. His foes accused Him of eating too much, drinking too much, and hanging out with the wrong people! (See Mattew 11:19.) I must confess: It's been awhile since I've been accused of having too much fun. How about you?

We used to be good at it. What has happened to us? What happened to clean joy and loud laughter? Is it our neckties that choke us? Is it our diplomas that dignify us? Is it the pew that stiffens us?

Jesus took time for a party… shouldn't we?

 -- Max Lucado in “When God Whispers Your Name”

#6328

AND HE BROUGHT HIM TO JESUS

^“Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus.” (John 1:40-42a NIV)

We don't hear much more about Andrew except that he was always bringing people to Jesus (John 6:8, 12:22). But Simon Peter, his brother, went on to be one of the greatest influences in the history of Christianity. We cannot all be Simon Peters, but we can all do what Andrew did -- we can bring someone to Jesus.

Albert McMackin was a 24-year-old farmer who had come to faith in Christ. He was so full of enthusiasm that he filled a truck with people and took them to a meeting to hear about Jesus. There was a good-looking farmer's son whom he especially wanted to get to a meeting, but this young man was hard to persuade. He was busy falling in and out of love with different girls and did not seem to be attracted to Christianity. Eventually, Albert McMackin managed to persuade him to come by asking him to drive the truck. When they arrived, Albert's guest decided to go in. He was spellbound and began to have thoughts he had never known before. He went back again and again until one night he went forward and gave his life to Jesus Christ. That man, the driver of the truck, was Billy Graham. The year was 1934. [Throughout his ministry Billy Graham (1918-2018) led hundreds of thousands] to faith in Jesus Christ. We cannot all be like Billy Graham, but we can all be like Albert McMackin  -- we can all bring our friends to Jesus. 

-- Nicky Gumbel in Alpha’s “Questions of Life: A Practical Introduction to the Christian Faith”

#6304

WITNESSING FOR CHRIST

Jesus said, “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 ends of the earth.”

What do we mean by "witnessing"?  Spouting a lot of Bible verses to a non-Christian?  Not quite.  Witnessing involves all that we are and therefore do; it goes far beyond what we say at certain inspired moments.  So the question is not will we witness (speak), but how will we witness (live)?  Often students will ask, “Which is more important in witness -- the life that I live or the words that I say?” That’s like asking which wing of an airplane is more important, the right or the left?

When we're trusting Jesus Christ as Lord as well as Saviour, He enables us to live and speak as faithful witnesses.

-- Adapted from Paul E. Little 

#6205

THE WINSOME WITNESS

"In your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.  Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect." (1 Peter 3:15 NIV)

The word evangelism once conjured up for me mental images of Bible-thumping, fist-pounding, loud-voiced preachers. Now I think of evangelism simply as a plain, white candle. It's flame burns hot and strong, spreading light in the darkness. But as I grasp that candle, it feels cool to my touch and I have no difficulty holding it in my hand.

That's the kind of witness I feel called to be. My faith can burn brightly, but at the same time I can remain calm and cool. I am to speak about Jesus, but that does not mean that I get into heated arguments. I am to tell others about Jesus, but not in verbal battles. I am to have an answer for everyone who asks the reason for my hope, but I am to give my answer with "gentleness and respect" as Peter says.

Pushing our beliefs on others seldom meets with success. The winsome witness is a person in whom the light of Jesus shines brightly through gentle words and acts of love. 

-- Tanya Ferdinandusz in “The Upper Room”

Lord Jesus, help me to be a light, honoring You in my heart so that my words reflect Your love. Make me ready -- not just with answers, but with compassion. Let my hope in You be visible, my tone be gracious, and my life be a testimony to Your goodness. Amen.

#6202

COME AND SEE

“The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, He said to him, ‘Follow Me.’ Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and told him, ‘We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote -- Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.’ ‘Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?’ Nathanael asked. ‘Come and see,’ said Philip.”  (John 1:43-46 NIV)

One thing I have observed in all my years of ministry is that the most effective and important aspects of evangelism usually takes place on an individual, personal level. Most people do not come to Christ as an immediate response to a sermon they hear in a crowded setting. They come to Christ because of the influence of an individual believer.

The church I pastor seeks to foster an evangelistic environment. And people are coming to Christ on a regular basis… And in the overwhelming majority of instances, they tell us they came to Christ primarily because of the testimony of a coworker, a neighbor, a relative, or a friend. Occasionally we hear people say they were converted in direct response to a message they heard in church or a sermon that was broadcast on the radio. But even in those cases, it is usually owing to the influence of an individual who encouraged the person to listen or brought him to church in the first place. There’s no question that the most effective means for bring people to Christ is one at a time, on an individual basis. 

-- John MacArthur (1939-2025) in “Twelve Ordinary Men: How the Master Shaped His Disciples for Greatness and What He Wants to Do with You” 

#6179

BELIEVING AND DOING

“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us.”  (2 Corinthians 5:20)

If you plan to reach the next generation for Christ, don’t ask them to believe what you believe, instead invite them to do what you do.

Beliefs are a dime a dozen. This generation has seen every variety of spiritual beliefs you could imagine (and many you couldn’t imagine).

They’re extremely turned off by people who don’t live what they claim to believe.

This generation doesn’t want to hear about what you believe. They want to see your beliefs in actions. And if you’re daring enough to live like Jesus, you’ll have a shot at reaching the next generation. If your version of Christianity is limited to what you’re against, you’ll not likely reach many. If, on the other hand, your faith is so alive you must feed the hungry, clothe the naked, heal the sick, and love the outcasts -- all in the name of Christ, the King -- you will attract interest.

As strange as it might sound, if you truly live a missional and Spirit-filled life, the young generation might join you and do what you do, then one day believe what you believe. 

-- Craig Groeschel 

THE WAY WE SPEAK MATTERS

“Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.”  (Colossians 4:5-6 NLT)

We can turn people on to the church or turn them out of the church by the way we speak.

Catherine Booth (1829 –1890) was co-founder of The Salvation Army, along with her husband William Booth. Because of her influence in the formation of The Salvation Army she was known as the 'Mother of The Salvation Army'. When she died, her body was carried to a great auditorium in London. For hours and hours, people by the hundreds streamed by her casket in an outstanding display of love, affection, and gratitude.  One man in that long line expressed what all were feeling that day:  "She spoke to me as no one ever had before.  She cared for me, and I could tell it by the way she talked to me.  I was an outcast, lonely and lost.  I will never forget her voice.   There was something so wonderful and so meaningful about the way she spoke to you.  You could feel the spirit and love of Christ in her words."

How is it with you?  Are people drawn to Christ and to the Christian faith by the way you speak? 

-- Adapted from James W. Moore in “When You're a Christian, the Whole World is from Missouri”

#6137 

THE SPIRIT AT PENTECOST – Part 2 of 2

Jesus said, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you.” (Acts 1:8a NIV)

Pentecost is about power, the coming of the Spirit to empower the church to fulfill its purpose and calling.

The Book of Acts is the story of this power in the lives of the disciples and the new church. Peter is an example of the power of the Spirit in a life. He was the one who denied Jesus in the crisis moment of his life. But following Pentecost, we meet a new Peter, one who preaches boldly and performs miracles in the name of Jesus. When told to quit preaching and teaching in Jesus’ name, Peter responded with great courage and fearlessness: “I must obey God rather than man” (Acts 5:29 paraphrased). He had received the gift of power… The purpose of the church is to equip us with the power to face the struggles of life.

That Greek word for spirit, pneuma (meaning “air” or “breath”), is the root word from which we get pneumatic tires -- tires filled with air. The significant thing for me is that this reminds us that things filled with air consistently bounce up when thrown down, or, if in water, float, not able to be kept under, but always rising to the surface. This is also true of [people] filled with the Holy Spirit, the pneuma. They cannot be held down, they have the power to continually and consistently bounce up and rise again. Pentecost is the gift of power, the power to be a witness and the power to face the struggles of life. 

-- James W. Moore and Bob J. Moore in “Lord, Give Me Patience!... And Give It to Me Right Now!” 

#6131

A SPIRIT OF UNITY

“[Christ] is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”  (Colossians 1:17 NIV)

During World War II, Hitler commanded all religious groups to unite so that he could control them. Among the Brethren assemblies, half complied and half refused. Those who went along with the order had a much easier time. Those who did not, faced harsh persecution. In almost every family of those who resisted, someone died in a concentration camp.  

When the war was over, feelings of bitterness ran deep between the groups and there was much tension. Finally they decided that the situation had to be healed. Leaders from each group met at a quiet retreat. For several days, each person spent time in prayer, examining his own heart in the light of Christ's commands. Then they came together.  Francis Schaeffer, who told of the incident, asked a friend who was there, "What did you do then?" "We were just one," he replied. As they confessed their hostility and bitterness to God and yielded to His control, the Holy Spirit created a spirit of unity among them. Love filled their hearts and dissolved their hatred.

When love prevails among believers, especially in times of strong disagreement, it presents to the world an indisputable mark of a true follower of Jesus Christ. 

-- From “Our Daily Bread,” October 4, 1992

#6128

TELLING YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS

“As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed begged to go with Him. But Jesus said, ‘No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful He has been.’ So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to proclaim the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them.”  (Mark 5:18-20 NLT)

The healed man was called simply to say what he knew from his own experience. The man immediately did what he was told and influenced ten cities. Now that’s witnessing!

You don’t have to be highly trained to be effective, but you do have to be saved and excited about it. Sadly, the farther people progress from their initial commitment to Christ, the less they communicate the joy of salvation to those who know little about it. As they grow spiritually, they tend to spend more time in a Christian environment and less time among those who do not know the Lord. This isolation may be conducive to their own spiritual “sanctity,” but it does nothing for their calling to be witnesses.

A wise believer learns how to maintain a balance between being “rooted and grounded” in the fellowship of the Lord and His people, and “branching out” to those who need to know. The Lord may send us away from our fellowship experiences, as He did the healed man, in order to send us out to the “towns” within our sphere of influence. Yet, strangely enough, the more matured a believer becomes the more reluctant they may be to do it. That’s why we need to keep learning from those in our midst whose enthusiasm is contagious and whose love for the Lord and people is palpable. 

-- Stuart Briscoe in “Daily Study Bible for Men” 

#6077

 

THE THINGS WE DO AND SAY

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”  (Ephesians 4:29-32 NIV)

It's one thing for the world to reject Jesus because the people in secular society consider the Gospel to be ridiculous.  It is quite another thing for the world to reject the Gospel because Christians are an embarrassment to God.  The Bible warns us against conducting ourselves so that people end up rejecting Jesus, not because of who He is but because of the stupid things we do and say. 

-- Tony Campolo in “Following Jesus Without Embarrassing God” 

#6063