SHARING YOUR FAITH

SHARING YOUR FAITH IS NOT HARD Typically, a person wants to tell everyone about a gift he or she received. Yet many people treat salvation like it's some kind of secret. They know what a wonderful thing they have but they're reluctant to tell others. * Sharing is called many things. The Bible calls sharing your faith witnessing (Acts. 1:8); preaching the Good News (Mark 16:15); telling your friends what the Lord has done for you (Mark 5:19); letting your light shine (Matt. 5:15); showing others the goodness of God (1 Peter 2:9); and planting seeds My job was to plant the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God, not we, who made it grow (1 Cor. 3:6). * God's part of sharing. God doesn't expect us to convince, convict, or convert others. We couldn't even if we tried. Only God can do these things. The love of God through Christ convinces us (Rom. 8:38). The work of God through the Holy Spirit convicts us (John 16:8). The grace of God through our faith converts us (1 Cor. 3:7). * Your part of sharing. Sharing your faith should be the most natural thing in the world, because it's nothing more than telling someone else the story of what God has done for you. When you talk about Jesus with one other person, or tell people about Jesus in a letter or email, or give them a book about Jesus you are sharing your faith. * Don't worry. Many people are reluctant to share their faith because they worry about what other people will say or do. They think they may be ridiculed, or might offend someone. Don't worry about it. Sharing your faith isn't about the other person saying yes, no, or maybe. It's about God and His incredible gift to you. All He wants you to do is share the gift. He promises to do the rest. * Your ultimate purpose. You exist in order to glorify God. When you talk to others about God, you glorify Him - whether they respond or not. For everything comes from Him; everything exists by His power and is intended for His glory (Rom. 11:36). * God's ultimate plan. God is the holy, dynamic, personal, loving Creator of the universe. He made you to glorify Him and to enjoy Him, but He can't relate to you as long as your life is characterized by sin. So He made a way for you to come back to Him through Jesus. This is His ultimate plan: His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. And this gave Him great pleasure (Eph. 1:5). This is what God wants you to share with others.