Tag: sharing

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Sharing and Serving

Exodus 25-27 God gives Moses the plan for building the Tabernacle. God owns it all, but He wants the people to share in the building. He wanted the people to give willingly, not because they had to but because they wanted to.

God gives me that same opportunity, and with it comes pride; not pride of self but pride in sharing in the building. When we are just given an enormous or precious gift, we often do not appreciate it. So our wise God knows that when the people share in the building, they will take ownership of it and be blessed. He doesn’t order the amount we are to give but only what our heart tells us.

Where has God given me a project and provided all the materials but asks me to participate by sharing out of my abundance?

Paul told the Corinthians that God is not a God of confusion but order, and these chapters prove that statement. [1Cor 14:33]The practical is proven wise.

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It is more blessed to give than receive

2Kings 4-6 Today many wish they had a double portion of Elijah’s power to eradicate this dratted virus that has us quarantined. Instead, God has given us not a double portion of miraculous powers but the power of the Word so we might bear fruit in every good deed growing in the knowledge of God. [Col1]

Elisha had asked for a double portion of Elijah’s power, and Elijah granted it should Elisha see him depart to heaven.  Elisha then used that power to give hope to the widow whose husband had been a loyal follower of the Lord but now was near destitution because her bank account was empty. The next was the raising of the dead child of the Shunammite woman. And then he healed the poisoned stew.  Elisha used his power to alleviate suffering, provide healing, and even locate a lost ax head.  Elisha sought to be of help to all of these and, most likely, many more. Elisha is an example to us of how we may use our talents and gifts to bless God’s people.

What have you been given that you can share with others? Are you actively looking to share” 

“It is more blessed to give than to receive” [Acts 20]

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Sharing Your Faith to the Almost Persuaded….

ImageWhat do Felix, Festus, King Agrippa and Bernice all have in common with the rich man in Luke 16? They all in some way said that they were almost persuaded to accept Jesus but never did. They sealed their eternal destiny by a single word “almost.” To be almost is to be eternally lost because you have not made the most important decision of your life and this is what Paul presented to these four individuals.

Paul, by sharing, teaches us the primer of how to share one’s faith to those who have not heard and have not made any decision. Paul was “not ashamed of the gospel, for [he knew] it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” We must believe that as well. He had been waiting now for 2 full years and now with a captive audience he asked their patience as he recounts his journey from unbelief to belief and that is what you and I are to be doing.

Vs 4-19 Plant the seed through your faith story. Share who you before you met Christ. No one has your history and no one has your experiences, capitalize on those facts. Note Paul shared both his education and his religious training and then asks a question: “Why do you people think it is unbelievable that God raises the dead?” Before they could respond Paul continued.

Vs 20-26 Water the seed of their thinking just as Paul shared about his change and transformation. No one has your experience and no one has the same story. Jesus stopped him and opened his eyes to see his sin and how he had been persecuting Jesus.  Your story is not the same but it is still just as powerful as Paul’s.

Vs. 27- Ask the key question that will touch their hearts just as Paul revealed the heart of Agrippa. “Do you believe the prophets, King Agrippa? I know that you believe.” In other words, where do you stand before God, as an unbeliever or a believer?

Remember that all men will respond in some way. Festus said Paul was insane which revealed that he truly did not believe that God could raise someone from the dead nor did he believe that Paul actually met Jesus on the Damascus Road and was transformed. He discounted both and thus is without excuse. Agrippa sat squirming knowing if he answered he did believe then Festus would categorize him as crazy as well and that was a place he was not willing to be…so he answered “almost.” To be almost is to be eternally lost for you have not made any decision.  Bernice was silent, but was her heart pricked? The heart is God’s problem not ours.

Beloved, each of us has a story to tell, it is our story, in fact we are the expert because it is ours and ours alone! Peter said we have everything we need. It is the devil’s lie that we are not wise enough, strong enough, educated enough…we are…for God has prepared us to share. How the hearers respond is not our concern, our concern is to be obedient to share. We may not have two years to craft our story for God may bring someone today across our path. Are we ready? Can we share the Romans Road to salvation as Paul did?

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