Eye Witness part 2
It's almost like we take the human element out of it sometimes. Like we make the book more important than the author. And, again, I have nothing against the Bible. I love the Bible. I literally read it every day. But what good is the book if you don't KNOW the author? And I'm not talking about knowing ABOUT the author. I'm talking about 1 John 1:1-3, "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (for the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." The Word... that we've heard and seen. The Word... that was manifested to us. Because, really, unless you've seen and heard something you can't BE a witness to you. You can recite something you've learned--head knowledge--or you can share an experience--heart knowledge. One is ok. The other one is REAL. Let me use Paul for an example. When he was Saul he sure knew a lot about the Bible--or the Torah, as I believe it was called--he was about as religious as you can get. He knew all about this distant, angry God who would smite people every chance He got. But it wasn't until Saul got knocked off his donkey--off his high horse, if I can say it that way--and was blinded by the light that he truly began to SEE. He had an experience. And all of the things he thought he knew ABOUT God were turned upside down when he started to get to KNOW God. "...Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" (Acts 9:4). And here Saul thought he was doing the Lord's work. He had a pretty good argument. Until he got an experience. Until he became a witness to something. Then he REALLY had a message. Then he could REALLY preach the gospel. He transformed from Saul to Paul. A new name. A new nature. Not because of anything he had learned. But because of what he saw and heard. It's the human element. Real people having real experiences. And I'm not talking about emotionalism. I'm not talking about those that "get saved" on a weekly basis every time the altar is open. I'm talking about God revealing Himself to you. On a personal level. To the point where you KNOW something. To the point where you're CHANGED (in a sense) into what we were all changed into 2,000 years ago. When the Word is MANIFESTED in your life--in YOU--that's when things get real. That's when the Bible comes alive. That's when the Word is made flesh! The Word is love, right? And every time we act in love... that's charity. Love in action. The engrafted Word mixed with faith causing us to rest--which is not inactivity, but Holy Spirit directed activity. Not arguing, but sharing our experience. Sharing what we've got. Letting the love inside us overflow out of us. Filling ourselves with the fulness of God's love by loving others with the same love that we are loved with! "Guys, I just saw something amazing. Let me tell you all about it." That's a faithful witness. And that's the only way TO witness. Have an experience, and then share it with those you come into contact with!