Show, Don't Tell part 1
It's always more effective to show than it is to tell. A man with an experience is never at the mercy of a man with an argument. What you THINK doesn't compare to what someone KNOWS. I think that's why there are so many verses in the Bible like Psalm 85:7 (NLT), "Show us your unfailing love, O LORD, and grant us yoru salvation." Why so many times in the Bible people asked God for signs and wonders. And here's the cool part--He never said no. He never had (and never will) have a problem putting Himself on display for us. In fact, whenever God shows up... He goes above and beyond. "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us" (Ephesians 3:20). More than we could ever even think! Because a lot of the time we think too small. We settle for the bare minimum when, in fact and in truth, it is ALL available to us. God wanted for the best for us so He gave the best TO us. He so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son. He gave Himself. His Spirit. His light. His life. His love. That's not what we need... that's what we have. That's who we are! So instead of running around like chickens with their heads cut off... we ought to just be still and know that He is God. Listen to that still, small voice deep inside and fill ourselves to overflowing with the love that He first loved us with. Look at the cry of man's heart in John 14:8 (NLT), "Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied."" Jesus, of course, said, "If you've seen me you've seen the Father." Because the Father and the Son... are One. There is no difference and no separation between God and man... because God lives IN man. Now add this to that: "Dear friends, we are already God's children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is" (1 John 3:2). We are already God's children. That's not something that needs to happen. That's something that already happened. From the foundation of the world, and brought to full manifestation on the cross. We were created in His image and then conformed to the image of His beloved Son in whom He is well pleased. Being God's children is not the problem. Understanding what it MEANS to be God's children is where we get mixed up. Of course, there's a solution for that too-- Jesus showing us who we are by showing us who the Father is. Letting us understand our dynamic as Son by helping us understand His role as Father. And whenever I quote that verse in 1 John I like to point out that I believe this "appearing" is not something we need to look forward to. It is something that happens every day in every way. Jesus is always appearing to us--showing Himself to us. We just have to have eyes to see and ears to hear. We just have to see what He is showing us. Love appears in our lives when we are looking for it. When we guard our hearts--and by that I mean keep them open to love. Telling people "chapter and verse" what you think the Bible says isn't necessarily the most effective way to spread the gospel. SHOWING people what it means to be loved by God... by loving them... is a surefire way to get your message across. Show people who God is in the same way that Jesus showed Philip. Show them by loving them. It's that simple. Because that's who God is--God is love. And He loves you. That is the ultimate truth of the universe. That is what everybody needs to know. And that, to me, is the best way to get the truth out there!