WHY DO I SHARE MY FAITH? ~ The original graphic below and that
question came together within hours of one another, a coincidence?
Really? Or could it be the work of the Holy Spirit? I like the latter.
Recently on YouTube a pastor I do not know, but who initially appeared to be on track, for the first minute, was in a video we found. Then he began to tell us, "The Lord told me . . ." and, "Last night God told me. . . ." I stopped watching and said to Dory and Lana, "I believe he is a false prophet." And they asked why I feel so strongly about pastors, or anyone, who declares that God has spoken to them - except in prayer or in the Bible?
My answer was that in the Old Testament God did speak to the people through prophets. "Thus saith the Lord" occurs time in 413 verses in the KJV translation - all in the Old Testament, none in the New Testament. Why?
In the New Testament, Jesus Christ and His apostles performed miracles of raising the dead and healing the sick.
Jesus raised the dead: Jairus’ daughter (Luke 8:40–56). - Lazarus of Bethany (John 11). In Matthew 27:50–53 the Bible tells us that many saints, people of faith, were raised from the dead en masse at the time of the death of Christ and went into the city.
In John 20:30-31 we read, "And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name."
Apostles: In Acts 9:36–43, Tabitha, whose Greek name was Dorcas, was a believer. The apostle Peter raised her from from the dead, returned her to life.
In Acts 20:7–12, Eutychus, a young man who lived, died, and lived again in Troas - was raised from the dead by the apostle Paul.
The purpose of those miracles was to authenticate the divine nature of Jesus Christ, Son of God. Acts 2:22 declares, “Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know.”
The same was true of the apostles: "The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by signs and wonders and miracles." (2 Corinthians 12:12).
That raises the question: "How does God speak to us today?"
And my answer will always be: "Through prayer and in the Bible." Based upon that we should all be spending a lot of time in both prayer and studying the Bible. Notice that I did not say, "Reading the Bible" - but instead I say, "Studying the Bible."
"Come on, Bill, what is the difference?" Glad you asked. You read a novel, you read magazines, newspapers, etc. - and most of it is "in one ear and out the other" for most folks. But in studying the Bible, alone or in a Bible study, we read a verse or passage, then ask ourselves or the group, "What is God telling us here? What in that verse/passage is God's message for us today?
Deuteronomy 11:18-20 tells us, "Fix these words of Mine in your hearts and minds . . ." In other words, we should store up, treasure, and live God’s Word in our hearts. That is what we do when we study the Bible.
Does God speak to us audibly today? Hey, He is God - He can do anything He wants. I sincerely believe He wants to be in our hearts, minds, and souls through prayer, Bible study, and our daily Christian walk - not waiting for Him to speak to us like we listen to music and zoom.
But, on the other hand, I have a confession. Those Friends who know me, know that I am a very, very conservative person and Christian. Yet I do know that one time in my life God, through the Holy Spirit, has spoken audibly to me.
For over 20 years my step-father had my mother in a cult church - and when I became a believer in 1987, that began to really bother me. Several times when I visited her in Alabama, I shared the Gospel with her, but could only do so much with her in Alabama and me in California.
In early 1990s, following several strokes, my step-father moved her to Arkansas to be near his daughter - which upset me and the family, for mom had been in the same home for over 50 years - same address, same phone number, same neighbors. Then she was uprooted to Arkansas.
A few months later, he and his daughter put her in a nursing home - and that made me furious. Then the Holy Spirit spoke to me through prayer, telling me, "You have been praying for her salvation, this is your opportunity." Right away I called the nursing home and asked, "Is there a Baptist church near the nursing home?" Her answer, "Yes, there is one next door and they do Bible studies here." Praise God!
I called and spoke with the pastor - who then took my mom a Bible and included her in their Bible study. A few months later he told me, "Bill, I led her in a prayer of salvation - but I am not sure she understood." In the past couple of years mom had several strokes and was not always thinking clearly, so I understood. I told him, "I know, pastor, that is why I have not tried to do it over the phone."
In February 1994 mom had a stroke which left her in a coma. I flew to Little Rock to be with her and two days later she passed away. My problem, I was still not sure of her spiritual relationship with God. We transported her back to our hometown in Alabama - and on Thursday evening we had the viewing.
Before people arrived, I wanted time alone with her. As I stood with her, I heard a voice, very clear, very audible, which said, "Don't worry, she is with Me now." Those were His exact words, which I will never forget. And at that moment I began to celebrate. Shortly my cousin arrived and I knew she was going to start crying, then others would follow - and it would be group mourning - when it should be a celebration of her eternal life.
Later, I asked my brother, Bob, if he had heard the voice, and even though he was nearby, he had not. But he told me, "Boy, you sure worked the room that night, making a party of it." And I had a great reason to party, for I knew - beyond all doubt - that my mother was in heaven the moment she passed. God, the Holy Spirit, told me - audibly.
So, yes, God can and does, on rare occasions of His choice, speak audibly to us. But not like that YouTube pastor suggested when he kept declaring, "The Lord told me. . . . " and "Last night God told me. . . ." - when he should have been declaring, "In the Bible, God's Word, we find. . . ."
No pastor in our modern time has been more effective than Pastor Chuck Smith, in living the Great Commission and planting Christian churches, thousands of them worldwide, through Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa. Before his death, Pastor Chuck was also on the Pastor's Perspective talk show on KWVE Christian Radio most afternoons.
I remember one caller asked a question of Pastor Chuck about modern day prophets. His answer, and I am paraphrasing, was similar to mine above, "I have no doubt that God can do what He wants and raise up who He wants to share His message - but speaking personally, God has never spoken audibly to me." If not to Pastor Chuck, who has caused thousands of very effective churches to be planted around the world - then who?
Am I being too critical when I question a pastor? No, for I truly believe every believer should always be ready to "test the message and the messenger" - in other words we should all be as the Bereans:
Acts17:11, "Now these (the Bereans) were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the Word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so." Testing the message and the messenger!
In closing, that night in our discussion Dory worried that some might find me over-bearing, too pushy, too religious, or that I talk too much - when I question a teacher, pastor, theologian, or other believer.
I am reminded of a visiting missionary from the Philippines, Steve Houston, who spoke in our Corona Fil-Am church about 20 years ago. Steve shared his view of Acts 1:8, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."
Steve explained that he views our Jerusalem as our immediate family and very close friends. Our Judea is our local community, city, state. Our Samaria is our nation. And "to the ends of the earth" is self-explanatory.
Last night I told Dory and Lana, "Even if my comments on false teachers, false teaching, pastors or churches which are preaching a weak or erroneous theology - may at times be aggravating - I would be remiss, maybe even sinning, if I do not raise a red flag on such people and issues." As my Friend, Steve Houston, told us some 20 years ago - "my Jerusalem" is my family and loved ones. To not share my beliefs with them at such times - would be sinning against them and the Word of God.
Many thanks to my Friend and Christian brother, Gil Andrada, for sharing his graphic encouragement below.
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill
Recently on YouTube a pastor I do not know, but who initially appeared to be on track, for the first minute, was in a video we found. Then he began to tell us, "The Lord told me . . ." and, "Last night God told me. . . ." I stopped watching and said to Dory and Lana, "I believe he is a false prophet." And they asked why I feel so strongly about pastors, or anyone, who declares that God has spoken to them - except in prayer or in the Bible?
My answer was that in the Old Testament God did speak to the people through prophets. "Thus saith the Lord" occurs time in 413 verses in the KJV translation - all in the Old Testament, none in the New Testament. Why?
In the New Testament, Jesus Christ and His apostles performed miracles of raising the dead and healing the sick.
Jesus raised the dead: Jairus’ daughter (Luke 8:40–56). - Lazarus of Bethany (John 11). In Matthew 27:50–53 the Bible tells us that many saints, people of faith, were raised from the dead en masse at the time of the death of Christ and went into the city.
In John 20:30-31 we read, "And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name."
Apostles: In Acts 9:36–43, Tabitha, whose Greek name was Dorcas, was a believer. The apostle Peter raised her from from the dead, returned her to life.
In Acts 20:7–12, Eutychus, a young man who lived, died, and lived again in Troas - was raised from the dead by the apostle Paul.
The purpose of those miracles was to authenticate the divine nature of Jesus Christ, Son of God. Acts 2:22 declares, “Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know.”
The same was true of the apostles: "The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by signs and wonders and miracles." (2 Corinthians 12:12).
That raises the question: "How does God speak to us today?"
And my answer will always be: "Through prayer and in the Bible." Based upon that we should all be spending a lot of time in both prayer and studying the Bible. Notice that I did not say, "Reading the Bible" - but instead I say, "Studying the Bible."
"Come on, Bill, what is the difference?" Glad you asked. You read a novel, you read magazines, newspapers, etc. - and most of it is "in one ear and out the other" for most folks. But in studying the Bible, alone or in a Bible study, we read a verse or passage, then ask ourselves or the group, "What is God telling us here? What in that verse/passage is God's message for us today?
Deuteronomy 11:18-20 tells us, "Fix these words of Mine in your hearts and minds . . ." In other words, we should store up, treasure, and live God’s Word in our hearts. That is what we do when we study the Bible.
Does God speak to us audibly today? Hey, He is God - He can do anything He wants. I sincerely believe He wants to be in our hearts, minds, and souls through prayer, Bible study, and our daily Christian walk - not waiting for Him to speak to us like we listen to music and zoom.
But, on the other hand, I have a confession. Those Friends who know me, know that I am a very, very conservative person and Christian. Yet I do know that one time in my life God, through the Holy Spirit, has spoken audibly to me.
For over 20 years my step-father had my mother in a cult church - and when I became a believer in 1987, that began to really bother me. Several times when I visited her in Alabama, I shared the Gospel with her, but could only do so much with her in Alabama and me in California.
In early 1990s, following several strokes, my step-father moved her to Arkansas to be near his daughter - which upset me and the family, for mom had been in the same home for over 50 years - same address, same phone number, same neighbors. Then she was uprooted to Arkansas.
A few months later, he and his daughter put her in a nursing home - and that made me furious. Then the Holy Spirit spoke to me through prayer, telling me, "You have been praying for her salvation, this is your opportunity." Right away I called the nursing home and asked, "Is there a Baptist church near the nursing home?" Her answer, "Yes, there is one next door and they do Bible studies here." Praise God!
I called and spoke with the pastor - who then took my mom a Bible and included her in their Bible study. A few months later he told me, "Bill, I led her in a prayer of salvation - but I am not sure she understood." In the past couple of years mom had several strokes and was not always thinking clearly, so I understood. I told him, "I know, pastor, that is why I have not tried to do it over the phone."
In February 1994 mom had a stroke which left her in a coma. I flew to Little Rock to be with her and two days later she passed away. My problem, I was still not sure of her spiritual relationship with God. We transported her back to our hometown in Alabama - and on Thursday evening we had the viewing.
Before people arrived, I wanted time alone with her. As I stood with her, I heard a voice, very clear, very audible, which said, "Don't worry, she is with Me now." Those were His exact words, which I will never forget. And at that moment I began to celebrate. Shortly my cousin arrived and I knew she was going to start crying, then others would follow - and it would be group mourning - when it should be a celebration of her eternal life.
Later, I asked my brother, Bob, if he had heard the voice, and even though he was nearby, he had not. But he told me, "Boy, you sure worked the room that night, making a party of it." And I had a great reason to party, for I knew - beyond all doubt - that my mother was in heaven the moment she passed. God, the Holy Spirit, told me - audibly.
So, yes, God can and does, on rare occasions of His choice, speak audibly to us. But not like that YouTube pastor suggested when he kept declaring, "The Lord told me. . . . " and "Last night God told me. . . ." - when he should have been declaring, "In the Bible, God's Word, we find. . . ."
No pastor in our modern time has been more effective than Pastor Chuck Smith, in living the Great Commission and planting Christian churches, thousands of them worldwide, through Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa. Before his death, Pastor Chuck was also on the Pastor's Perspective talk show on KWVE Christian Radio most afternoons.
I remember one caller asked a question of Pastor Chuck about modern day prophets. His answer, and I am paraphrasing, was similar to mine above, "I have no doubt that God can do what He wants and raise up who He wants to share His message - but speaking personally, God has never spoken audibly to me." If not to Pastor Chuck, who has caused thousands of very effective churches to be planted around the world - then who?
Am I being too critical when I question a pastor? No, for I truly believe every believer should always be ready to "test the message and the messenger" - in other words we should all be as the Bereans:
Acts17:11, "Now these (the Bereans) were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the Word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so." Testing the message and the messenger!
In closing, that night in our discussion Dory worried that some might find me over-bearing, too pushy, too religious, or that I talk too much - when I question a teacher, pastor, theologian, or other believer.
I am reminded of a visiting missionary from the Philippines, Steve Houston, who spoke in our Corona Fil-Am church about 20 years ago. Steve shared his view of Acts 1:8, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."
Steve explained that he views our Jerusalem as our immediate family and very close friends. Our Judea is our local community, city, state. Our Samaria is our nation. And "to the ends of the earth" is self-explanatory.
Last night I told Dory and Lana, "Even if my comments on false teachers, false teaching, pastors or churches which are preaching a weak or erroneous theology - may at times be aggravating - I would be remiss, maybe even sinning, if I do not raise a red flag on such people and issues." As my Friend, Steve Houston, told us some 20 years ago - "my Jerusalem" is my family and loved ones. To not share my beliefs with them at such times - would be sinning against them and the Word of God.
Many thanks to my Friend and Christian brother, Gil Andrada, for sharing his graphic encouragement below.
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill
Click on the image to enlarge:
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