Eye Witness part 4
It's hard to convince someone of something that you yourself aren't convinced of. That's why just regurgitating what you've been taught can come off a little flat. It may be true, but it won't necessarily grip anybody. It may be the Word, but it might not be the LIVING Word. Hebrews 4:2 says it like this, "For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it." It didn't profit them because it wasn't mixed with faith. Faith is the substance of things hoped for. The evidence of things not seen. Faith is what you FEEL. Deep inside. What you EXPERIENCE with the eyes and ears of your heart. What you're a witness to. And then, once you KNOW what you know because it's REAL to you... that's when you have something to share. You can't give what you don't have. If you don't really believe what you're saying no one else will either. It's easy to spot a fake and a phony. But it's also easy to see something real. And that's what I think people are desperate for. People want something real. Something better than what they've known. A more excellent way. And we don't show them that when we try to shove Jesus down their throats. The only thing that happens when we try to shove Jesus down somebody's throat is that they choke on it. They run screaming from the hills. They run FROM God instead of running TO God. Because even though He is literally the best thing going, we make Him unattractive. We misrepresent Him. I had a little interaction on Facebook today about how strange it is that we still--on this side of the cross, filled with the Holy Spirit--let the Old Testament, which is man's perception of God, dictate to us about "what He's like." God is like Jesus. Period. And as He is, so are we in this world. He created us in His image in the beginning, and He conformed us to the image of His Son on the cross. By knowing (and believing) who we are--who Jesus is--we BE who we are. By sharing the good news of the Gospel--God is love, and He loves you--we are effective witnesses. And I don't mean saying those actual words. I mean... LOVING PEOPLE WITH THE LOVE WE ARE LOVED WITH! Sharing our experience with God. Which is an experience OF love, WITH love. An effective witness for Christ is not somebody who says, "You better believe or you're in big trouble." It's not "turn or burn." It's not, "Get right or get left." It's... I've got something to share. You're desperate for love? I'm overflowing with my Daddy's love. Come get you some. The Spirit and the bride say, "Come," Right? Not, "Come... or else." But, "Come and get it!" Open arms and open hearts to share what we experienced with our eyes and ears. Let me say it once again: It's all about love. That's what we witness when we have an experience with God. And that's HOW we witness when we share that experience with others!