2019-12-20
Good Morning Dear Ones,
As I have been led by the Holy Spirit, I will persist in discussing prayer and witnessing, as I provide support Scripture to the book of Colossians. And yes, I continue to be stunned by how much He has given me to write from the immense storehouse of His wisdom. In praying before doing a task for the Lord, He prepares us and gives us the confidence to do it, even if we’ve never done this task before [EPH 3: 12]. For example, COL 3: 23-24, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as though you were working for the Lord and not for people. Remember that the Lord will give you as a reward what He has kept for His people. For Christ is the real Master you serve.” Since the Lord never lies, we can take Him at His word in this preparation He gives us. Someone like Paul being held in prison probably thought he had justification to gripe. However, his being there set the stage for others to learn to convey God’s teachings, going out to serve the Master, prepared by His grace given.
COL 4: 1-4, “Be persistent in prayer, and keep alert as you pray, giving thanks to God. At the same time pray also for us, so that God will give us a good opportunity to preach His message about the secret of Christ. For that is why I am now in prison. Pray, then, that I may speak as I should, in such a way as to make it clear.” That begins the assignment of a task that is important to all believers in Jesus Christ. In reading this passage, we are reminded of the open and two-way channel of prayer that God offers us. We never left alone to do a task for which God has not prepared for us to do. As I have written before, preaching to a church congregation is not the only way to convey God’s message. Sometimes, we do this by the example we set, sometimes by teaching a class, and sometimes directly and relationally to a seeker. The requirements are: 1) acting on prompting from the Holy Spirit; 2) remaining alert to the opportunities the Lord provides; 3) knowing His message most thoroughly by spending time as often as possible studying it (reading the Bible and thinking about how Biblical truths relate to our lives).
COL 4: 5-6 is more, vital preparation to do this task successfully. “Be wise in the way you act toward those who are not believers, making good use of every opportunity you have. Your speech should always be pleasant and interesting, and you should know how to give the right answer to everyone.” At this juncture a word about relational witnessing is appropriate. If possible, get to know the person or people to whom you will deliver God’s message first. If the person is Jewish, then learn about their believes and practices. The same is true if the person is a Muslim, or a Hindu, or whatever his/her/their customs are. If possible, take another person who has converted to belief in Christ from that faith with you. Once we know where our listeners are in their faith walks, then we are in a better way to know what their needs are and how Christ can best supply them. Sometimes, as it was in my case, it is necessary to answer the question: Why have faith, in the first place. Never lecture or force oneself on a person or people who aren’t interested or don’t have their own questions. It is the Lord who provides a seeker’s motivation, not something we say forcefully. Give sufficient time for the process to take place; don’t rush it. Pray for patience, if it is in short supply or for any other kind of help needed. Keep the conversation focused on the seeker’s needs, not on ourselves. Some helpful Scriptures to keep in mind are: JER 29: 11-13; 1 PET 3: 15-17 and 4: 6b; PS 40: 1-3, et al. I pray each of you will read these and the many others found in the Scriptures that reveal through repetition of these messages that the Lord finds them important.
PRAYER: O Lord, as we mature in our faith, it is clear that Your will is for us to learn your teaching, live by it, and effectively convey it to others who don’t yet know it. The building of faith by interacting with the community of believers is crucial to this process. You have forged spectacular friendships in our lives along the way, ones that build and solidify mutual faith, ones that strew our faith walks with great pleasure like perfumed flower petals. And yes, Lord, there are times when You allow losses, illnesses, trouble, or challenges to happen in our lives. Both You and our human friends support us during those difficult times. Real friends love us, no matter what happens. The examples we set in managing the bad times and sharing celebration of the good times can affect on-lookers for the good. This godly living can even affect others in places outside of our churches, workplaces, shared-interest groups, and school classrooms, for example. Wherever people gather, Lord, we know You are there too. You love your human creation with a love no human can perfectly mirror. You shower those who love You with blessings every day and desire that we remain alert to Your every action in our lives. We pledge to praise, honor, and notice what You do when You intervene in our life and those lives around us. We acknowledge Your supremacy and our loyalty, in the holy and strong name, of Jesus Christ. Amen.
NEXT WEEK: I’m commanded to write about sin’s impact on our lives and how laboring for the Lord and persisting in pray can help. We honor the Lord when we become “overcomers” in response to past sin. It is one of the reasons the Lord wants us to evaluate our lives for the sin that remains in them, confess it to Him, and stop whatever the sinful behavior or attitude is. This applies to obvious and subtle sinning on our part. That is how the Lord can examine our progress in coming closer to Him. This judgment (evaluation) is necessary and is done using the same standard for everyone. That makes it fair and equitable. PS 18: 32, “It is God Who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.” I call the messages that the Holy Spirit gives me to write “devotions.” This is to express the devotion I have toward our Lord. As I labor in His vineyard, He equips me for the task, gives me the freedom, opportunity, and courage to accept His assignments, and allows me to see some of the results of my work. He keeps me alert to His commands and to the need for the tasks I’m doing for Him. He has shown me the power of prayer and some of the many ways He communicates His will to us. The motivation for my ministry and those of others comes from Him. The same can be said for the self-discipline to be His student, servant, and to reverently love Him the way I do. Many others with faith know the same things in their lives, so there is nothing special about me apart from anyone else. Accepting Jesus Christ, as our Messiah, Lord, and Savior changes lives for the better and brings extraordinary blessings to them. Praise and thanks be to Him!
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn
JS 24: 15
© Lynn Johnson 2019. All Rights Reserved.
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