Category Archives: Witnessing

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I’M NUMBER ONE

1 TIMOTHY 1:15

“It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.”  

Paul called himself the number one sinner. Why would anyone do that? That is not a title I want. But he was making a point. Jesus died for all sinners, even the worst sinner of all. Paul, obviously, was reflecting on his past actions before he came to Christ. He was a persecutor of the early church. He sanctioned murder of Christians. He was there when the first martyr, Stephen, fell. He was, in fact, eager to bring them all to justice.

So, how does this relate to us? We are just as bad. We may not have killed anyone or persecuted anyone, but our sins are just as wicked. Our sins, left unforgiven, will lead us directly to hell. There are no little sins. Sin is sin – period. We all vie for the title of number one sinner.

APPLICATION

If you are like most parents, you don’t want to see your little Johnny or Susie as a sinner. Sure, they misbehave at times, but to think they will spend eternity separated from a holy God breaks your heart. It is hard to accept. But it is the truth. Unless your little angel turns to Christ and surrenders their will to His, they will not see the glory of heaven.

Our number one job as parents is to do all we can to introduce them to Jesus. We must prepare the spiritual environment in our homes to allow them to know Him and accept Him. We can’t make them choose Christ, but we must do everything within our power to prepare the way. How are you doing with that?

And this responsibility doesn’t just apply to our household. We are commanded by God to share His good news to everyone. Are you sharing that? Will you share that today? Ask the Lord to send people into your life today with whom you can share the greatest story ever told. You won’t regret it. It will be the best part of your day.

O God, Savior of my soul, thank You for redeeming me. Thank You for not turning Your back on me when I came seeking You. I, like Paul, am the foremost of sinners.

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ENTRUSTED

1 TIMOTHY 1:11

“according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.”

Do we really understand what this verse says? This is huge! This is big time! God, THE God of the universe, the God who saves me through His Son Jesus, has faith in ME! That’s what it says. He has so much faith in me that He has entrusted me with His Gospel. He has placed His trust in me to carry out the delivery of His message to a lost world. Despite all of today’s technology, God still uses people.

“Entrusted” comes from the same Greek word as “faith.” It means to be convinced of something. This verb “entrusted” is in the passive voice, which you will remember means the object of the verb is acted upon by something else. In this case, God acts upon us by entrusting us with His Gospel. Wow! Faith is a two-way street. We have faith in God to save us, and He has faith in us to carry out His message.

APPLICATION

This can be a good verse to act out with your little Susie or Johnny. You can entrust them to do something. Give them a chore to do with the promise of payment in return. Make sure it is something they can actually do according to their age. When they have completed the chore, sit them down and give them their payment and explain what just happened.

You gave them a task (you entrusted it to them), and you fulfilled your promise (you paid them). In the same way, although with much more purpose, God entrusts them with His message. He “pays” them through His promise to save them. Make sure they understand that our salvation does not depend on works. Our works are simply our way of showing God how much we love Him and how grateful we are to Him for having faith in us to be a part of His plan.

Do you believe God has entrusted you with a purpose? He has, you know. He believes in you as much as you believe in Him. He wants to use you to accomplish great things in His name. But you have to be willing. You have to do it. He won’t make you, but He knows you can do it. Will you? 

Doing Your Will is my purpose, O Lord. I know when I am obedient You are pleased. You love me unconditionally, but You are well pleased when I serve You.

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LOVE YOUR ENEMIES

2 THESSALONIANS 3:15

“Yet do not regard him as an enemy but admonish him as a brother.”

I am sure you were reminded of Jesus’ admonition to us to love our enemies when you read this verse. It’s the first thing that popped into my head. In the previous verse Paul is telling the Thessalonians to disassociate with a brother who refuses to obey and follow. But here Paul is clarifying that verse. He wants to make sure they know they are to continue to love them. They just need to confront and hold him accountable.

We tend to just “write people off” when they have angered us. Remember, Paul is talking about brothers in Christ, not the unsaved. I have heard it said too many times that the church is the only army that shoots its own wounded. How sad! We need to lovingly chastise those in sin but never treat them as an enemy to us or the Gospel.

APPLICATION

I hate to tell you, but your children are probably going to have some enemies. It’s really sad to think about that, but it will happen. As a parent, you need to make sure your children understand they are to love everyone as Christ does. But if someone chooses to make your child their enemy, they are to continue to love and pray for them.

And they are to especially love and pray for those who are of the faith. You have to model this so openly for your kids. They should never hear us badmouthing another believer. They should never hear us talking badly about a Pastor. We may not agree with everyone (as if that was even possible), but we should treat everyone as if Jesus was right there with us. Oh wait, He is.

Have you treated a fellow believer poorly? Have you broken off fellowship to make a point? You do not have the right to act that way. Jesus has paid the price for you and whomever you are at odds with. His death covered every sin on both sides of the argument. Will you today allow Him to love even the most unloving person in your life? He can and He will through you.

Father, You have promised to love through me. I know I can’t love those who hate me, but You can. Help me surrender to Your will and love as only You can love.

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DON’T BE A BURDEN


2 THESSALONIANS 3:8

“nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with labor and hardship we kept working night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you;” 

The only three times this word for “burden” is used in the New Testament, they are used by Paul. Once in 2 Corinthians 2:5, once in 1 Thessalonians 2:9 and then here in this verse. Paul did not in any way want to be a burden to those to whom he was shepherding. Whether it was what he was saying or doing, he wanted to spare them the obligation to care for him.

Unfortunately, too many believers today dump all their “stuff” on others. They guilt others into caring for them. I had an experience once when someone approached me to ask for money because they were “down on their luck right now.” When I told them I couldn’t help, they accused me of not being a Christian. Guilt!

APPLICATION

Teach your children to not be a burden. Teach them to carry their own weight. There is nothing wrong with asking for help. There is nothing wrong with receiving help. But we should never guilt someone into helping us. We should never cause someone else to feel obligated to take care of us. 

Your little Johnny or Susie may be one of those children who just oozes with mercy. Every time they see a person on the side of the road with one of those homemade signs asking for a handout, they beg you to give them some money. What a perfect teaching lesson. You must do what the Lord directs you to do but use that opportunity to teach this truth. Showing mercy is Christlike, but being an enabler is not.

If you have ever put your guilt on someone else to get them to give you something or care for you, repent. Then go and make that right. We need to follow Paul’s example of accepting a gift but not expecting or demanding it. Then the gift is truly a blessing rather than an entitlement.

Father, I thank You for friends and family who have come alongside me in the past. Help me pay it forward. But Lord, help me to be careful not to pass on any expectations to receive.

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QUICKLY NOW


2 THESSALONIANS 3:1

“Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you;” 

Have you ever been told to “hurry up”?  I have been a few times. I remember in one of my first jobs in my hometown of Pelham, GA I had a boss who did not like you to “dawdle about.” He insisted that you stay busy and do the job quickly and efficiently.  He didn’t want us wasting time.

I thought of that when I read this verse because the phrase “spread rapidly” comes from a word that means to run with speed. It was used to describe runners in a race. Paul is asking the Thessalonians to pray that the Gospel would spread that quickly, that it would win the race, that it would reach its end result without delay.

APPLICATION

I bet you have never had to tell your children to hurry up, have you? Only about a million times, right? Be careful hurrying your children too much. Let them be kids. Let them enjoy their childhood. But when it comes to the things of the Lord, don’t let them “dawdle”, as my boss used to say. The things of the Lord need to be taken seriously. Time is hastening. The Lord is going to return. We need to be ready and make sure our children are also.

What does that mean? I am not talking about being in an apocalyptic mood all the time. But I am saying that we should not waste time on things that are simply temporal and of this world. We need to teach our children that every day is important to the Lord. Every day gives us a new opportunity to share the Gospel with someone. Run the race.

Are you too busy chasing the wrong things that you forget to run the important race? You should stop right now, wherever you are, and evaluate your race. Are you running to win or just finish? God wants us to run well, not just run. He wants us to be quick about it. Don’t sit around waiting for someone else to spread the Gospel. Get out there. Run quickly.

Father, forgive me for being seemingly unconcerned about the shortness of the time. Help me redeem each minute and count it worthy of service to You. I will commit to being more bold today in sharing the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

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EAT YOUR SPINACH

2 THESSALONIANS 2:17

“comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word.”

Were you ever a Popeye fan? I was growing up. I used to love to see Popeye eat his spinach and come back to win the fight. Olive Oil, his girlfriend, would fall in his arms, swooning over him. What guy doesn’t want that, right?  Unfortunately, I do not like spinach, so I guess I am out of luck, lol.

Seriously though, we are more than Popeye strong, if we take our “God spinach.” It is He who strengthens us. This word “strengthen” is only used 13 times in the New Testament. Four of those are in the letters to the Thessalonians. Paul is reminding them who strengthens them. He is reminding them that their faith is solely dependent upon Jesus, not some external source.

APPLICATION

How many times have you told your children to eat their vegetables so they will grow up to be big and strong? I bet that happens a lot. Some children love vegetables, while others look at a green bean like it is leprosy. It takes a lot of coaxing and bribing (I am not condoning that) to get them to eat those green things.  But you know they need them for good health.

Are you as concerned about them “ingesting” the Word daily? “Well, Carl, they have to decide that on their own.” Really? I know physical health is important, but so is their spiritual health. Remember, you are not just raising your children. You are raising your grandchildren’s parents. If you desire to see a legacy of faith continue into the next generation, you must be diligent to “feed” them what is truly important. God will take care of the strengthening part.

How is your spiritual health today? Are you eating your spiritual spinach? God will strengthen you as much as you allow Him. But you must ingest the proper ingredients. You must have a steady diet of His Word and spend time with Him. Then God can truly comfort and strengthen you in every good work and word.

God, feed me today. Give me the spiritual strength to defeat any enemy that comes my way. I know those victories all belong to You.

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I PICK YOU


2 THESSALONIANS 2:13

“But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.” 

Those are God’s words to us – “I chose you.” Now, I am not going to get in a discussion about predestination. I am just looking at this verse.  God chose you from the beginning for salvation. Don’t you love being picked by someone. I used to love being picked for a team. No one wants to be left out. The good news is (drumroll please) God chooses EVERYONE! His will is that all men be saved.

“Okay then, Carl, why do some people die and spend eternity in hell?” Because they chose THAT. That’s right! Even though God has chosen them for salvation, they turned their back on Him and decided to go their own way. This choice sealed their fate. It wasn’t God who sent them to hell. Nope! He has chosen them for salvation, which they rejected.

APPLICATION

Do you give your kids choices? I hope you do. They need to learn early how to make choices. Nothing is worse than to see an adult who can make a decision. Agreed? So, let your children make choices. But here is the hard part. You need to let them also accept the consequences. Every choice has a consequence. Some are good, and some are bad.

If you rescue your children from every consequence, they will never learn the power of choice. And you must teach them that. Remember that you are preparing them for eternity. While most of their choices aren’t eternal ones, they are learning from each one they make. They will never make a more important one than accepting God’s free gift of salvation.

I pray you know Him personally. I pray you have accepted His choice of you. If you haven’t, do that today. Don’t make the other choice of not accepting His choice of you. He wants you to come to Him. He wants you to spread this news to everyone you know. Do that today.

I accept Your choice of me, Lord. I want to be Yours. I am thankful You chose me from the beginning.

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IF YOU WANT TO BELIEVE THAT

2 THESSALONIANS 2:11

“For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false,” 

This verse really bothered me at first reading. If you take it out of context, it sounds like God WANTED them to be fooled into believing a lie. Nothing could be further from the truth. We know it is God’s Will that all would be saved. So, how could He also want them to be deceived. Remember, Scripture does not contradict Scripture.

What is happening here is free choice. “For this reason” means since they refused the love of the truth (salvation), God will allow this “deluding influence” to come, which they welcome. God will not force us to believe. We have to decide on our own that He is God and that His Son Jesus died for us. If we want to believe falsehood, He will let us. He has to let us choose.

APPLICATION

This is a hard application to make in our families, especially with our children. We cannot make them believe in God. We cannot make them love Jesus. We have to provide the environment for that to happen, but we can’t force feed faith. Every person who is born, including our own children, has to come to a personal point of faith.

So, how do you influence your child toward faith? By modeling it daily to them. There is no better way to lead your children to Jesus than by being Jesus to them. When they see you trusting and loving, they are drawn to that. When they see you studying and hungry for His Word, they will want that. You can’t force it, but you sure can impact it.

Is there someone in your life to whom you need to spend more time influencing for Christ? Be Jesus to them. Let your attitude and words exemplify the Holy One. Let them see you and see Him. Point them to Jesus every time you are with them.

I want to be the kind of person, Lord, who influences others for Jesus. I want to see my family and friends ALL come to Christ. Place me in the right place at the right time to see Your Will done.

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THE PURPOSE OF EASTER

2 THESSALONIANS 2:10

“and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.” 

Resurrection Sunday! Easter! Shouldn’t we celebrate the resurrection of Christ every day? I think so. His death atoned for all our sins, but His resurrection gave us victory over the grave and death. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!

Today’s verse fits nicely with the Easter message. Satan is constantly trying to deceive mankind. His wicked ways will lead us straight down the road to destruction. We will perish without receiving the love of God, the love of truth. We must receive it to be saved. That word “receive” is written in the middle voice, which means it is our decision to receive. No one can make us.

APPLICATION

Okay – here are some clear commands to follow to lead your children to Christ. 1) Satan will try to deceive them. 2) His ways are wicked. 3) His ways lead to destruction. 4) They must receive Jesus on their own. 5) God will save them if they do.

It’s really that simple. Any child can understand the simple truth of the Gospel. Don’t complicate it. Teach them to share this with their friend. You don’t have to have 100 verses memorized to be saved (not that memorization isn’t important). Your little Susie must come to the realization that her sins are wickedness and are only pleasing Satan. Then she must confess them, receive the love of the truth (Jesus) and God will save her.

Who can you share that with today? You see, you have people all around you who are dying spiritually right now. They will certainly perish without receiving the Lord. You are essentially watching them rot and decay before your eyes in their wickedness. Stop the decay! Share today’s truth with them and lead them to receive a resurrected life in Christ. Amen?

Lord, today give me someone I can share truth with. Let me be the one to introduce them to a way of escape. I will give You all the glory!

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KEEP IT TOGETHER

2 THESSALONIANS 2:2

“that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.” 

In verse 1 of chapter 2 of 2 Thessalonians Paul makes a request of the church there. This is it! Keep it together! Don’t get upset! Don’t let some spirit or message or letter get you all excited. Rumors were spreading that Jesus had already returned and they had missed Him. People were beginning to doubt the message Paul had given them concerning the return of the Lord. So, Paul was asking them to just calm down.

Have you ever planned to meet someone for an important meeting? What if you had that all planned and when you got there someone told you that you had just missed them? Would you be upset? You may have been planning this meeting for days, weeks or even months and now you missed it. It was a potential life changing meeting. That is what was happening right here in this verse.

APPLICATION

Has your child ever missed the bus or a ride home? Many children do that. In fact, it happens all the time. The next time that happens or you hear of it happening to one of their friends, pull out this verse. The Thessalonians thought they had missed their “ride home.” They were anticipating the return of Christ to carry them to heaven. Now they were “stuck” here on earth, looking like idiots for believing Paul.

The difference in your child missing a ride and us missing Jesus’ return is one is temporal and the other is eternal. If your child is a believer, there is NO WAY they can miss that ride. It’s a guaranteed trip. But if they aren’t a Christian, well… 

Do you have your ticket punched for the ride home? If you do, don’t worry or fret about when Christ is returning. He will, and when He does, He will carry all of us to Glory. Do you know some friends or family who are saved? If so, take the time today to share with them the saving knowledge of Christ so they too can be assured of that trip.

O God, give me the opportunity today to be a deliverer of that ticket to someone. Let me show them the way home to You.

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