Walking Away

 Heart to Heart with the Housewrights

On the other side of the sea, they arrived in the region of the Gerasenes. As soon as Jesus got out of the boat, He was met by a man with an unclean spirit, who was coming from the tombs. This man had been living in the tombs and could no longer be restrained, even with chains. Though he was often bound with chains and shackles, he had broken the chains and shattered the shackles. Now there was no one with the strength to subdue him. Night and day in the tombs and in the mountains he kept crying out and cutting himself with stones. When the man saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees before Him. And he shouted in a loud voice, “What do You want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You before God not to torture me!” For Jesus had already declared, “Come out of this man, you unclean spirit!” “What is your name?” Jesus asked. “My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” And he begged Jesus repeatedly not to send them out of that region. There on the nearby hillside a large herd of pigs was feeding. So the demons begged Jesus, “Send us to the pigs, so that we may enter them.”He gave them permission, and the unclean spirits came out and went into the pigs, and the herd of about two thousand rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the water. Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons sitting there, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Those who had seen it described what had happened to the demon-possessed man and also to the pigs. And the people began to beg Jesus to leave their region. (Mark 5:1-17 NLT)

A rather lengthy portion of scripture this morning. But, it is the last verse that may be the most unsettling verse in the New Testament. “And the people began to beg Jesus to leave their region.” Ouch.

Imagine it - someone shows up to where you live and takes care of the impossible. Shows supernatural power and authority. Delivers a dear friend from years of torment, humiliation, ridicule and pain. Even sends the problem away so it will never be a problem again. And, then, you ask the person who did this miracle to leave. You actually beg them: “Go away! Leave!”

What a terrible moment in the Bible. What a terrible moment for the coastal region of the Gadarenes. One cannot help but imagine that this would not be the only miracle he desired to perform in the area. Surely, there were others that needed a touch of the “Master’s hand.”

But, no. After healing the greatest of human maladies - demonic possession - they begged him to depart. To walk away. To leave.

The question is why?

Simple - the very means of their existence, their way of life - had just been threatened. That which had afforded them a decent lifestyle - one that surely had been in their families and community for a great while - had just been crushed and done away with.

There are people today who react as the Gadarenes did. Jesus interrupts their lives. He does a great work in their midst. BUT…they refuse to place their faith in Christ, they refuse to surrender their lives to him. All because Jesus always demands that we leave the old life and embrace the new.

God works grace into their lives but that grace is costly - it demands that we “deny ourselves, take up his cross, and follow him.”

People do not like to be told that what they are doing is wrong. We do not like to be pulled to the side and warned that we are headed for destruction. “There is a way which seems right to a person but the end thereof is death.”

People are often against Christ and Christianity - because it is against them. “I have come to set a man against his father and a daughter against her mother.” Christianity is, perhaps, the hardest “thing to do” in all the world. Why? It calls us to put ourselves to death. Our wants, our needs, our desires, everything about us is to be laid down as we rise to go and follow Jesus.

Old Blue Eyes said it best for those who walk away from Christ: “ I did it my way.”

Likewise, when Jesus approaches us - and then we must do something: deny him and walk away or deny ourselves and follow.

And with the region of the Gadarenes, when they told him to leave…he did. Jesus will not stay where he is not welcomed. And, sadly, the ones who are possessed, sick, crippled, hurting, lonely, lost, bitter, hateful…they all stay in their present state with no hope of deliverance. They pass away and die in their sins. “I did it my way.” Yeah, you did…

But, let us ask you this: have you walked away from Jesus? Have you asked him to walk away from you? Repent. Now.

The word repent, μετανοέω in Greek, simply means to change one's mind or purpose. It’s used with the following ideas: I repent, change my mind, change the inner person (particularly with reference to acceptance of the will of God). Can you imagine what would have happened if the people of Gadarene had welcomed Jesus and the changes he brought? Then imagine what he can do for you.

Don’t ask Jesus to walk away from you. Don’t walk away from him. Turn and walk to him. You’ll be surprised to find out that he has been walking toward you all the time.

Love Conquers Fear

 

There is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God - Romans 3:11

For the heart of this people has become dull - with their ears they scarcely hear and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise, they would see with their eyes, hear with their ears, and understand with their heart and return, and I would heal them’ - Matthew 13:15

Little Johnny was in the kitchen as his mother made supper. She asked him to go into the pantry and get her a can of tomato soup. But, Johnny didn't want to go. He stopped and looked straight into his mom’s eyes: "It's dark in there and I'm scared to go in there all alone," he said. She asked again, yet he still persisted that he not go in there alone. Finally she said, "It's okay, Johnny, Jesus will be in there with you."

Filled with a glimmer of courage Johnny walked hesitantly to the pantry door and slowly opened it. He peeked inside and saw it was dark. With his voice barely above a whisper, Johnny said: "Jesus, if you're in there, would you mind handing me a can of tomato soup?"

Fear. It’s not a laughing matter.

Fear is so prevalent nowadays we have had to develop new terminology to describe fear. Things like peladophobia: fear of baldness and bald people. Aerophobia: fear of drafts. Porphyrophobia: fear of the color purple. Chaetophobia: fear of hairy people. Levophobia: fear of objects on the left side of the body. Dextrophobia: fear of objects on the right side of the body. Auroraphobia: fear of the northern lights. Calyprophobia: fear of obscure meanings. Thalassophobia: fear of being seated. Stabisbasiphobia: fear of standing and walking. Odontophobia: fear of teeth. Graphophobia: fear of writing in public. Phobophobia: fear of being afraid.

And of course, sermonophobia - fear of a sermon going too long…ok, we made that up.

What are you fearful of? What causes you to freeze up? What gives you the heebie jeebies?

If you read the Psalms you find that time and time again David wrestled with fear. In the Gospel of Mark you read about a young man who ran away naked out of the Garden of Gethsemane. And, of course, in the book of Acts you read about the sons of Sceva who faced off against evil and were beaten up and ran away.

Yes, fear is found throughout the Bible.

But, at the same time, fear does not have the final say. In this life or the next.

The Word of God reminds us: 

    1.) “Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world” - I John 4:4

    2.) “What shall we say in response to all of these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” - Romans 8:31

    3.) “...because everyone who is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith” - I John 5:4
    4.) “...the battle belongs to the LORD…” - I Chronicles 5:22
    5.) “The LORD is on my side; I will not be afraid. What can a person do to me?” - Psalms 118:6.
    6.) “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand of righteousness” - Isaiah 41:10
    7.) “So do not be afraid; you are worth more than the sparrows…” - Matthew 10:31

Now, the Bible is just a collection of books, thoughts, wisdom, history, songs, prophecy, and the sayings of a homeless, wandering Rabbi - unless you apply them to your life. If you place your faith (trust) in the Bible as the word of God then they become more than words. They give life. They become life.

Unfortunately, people do not read the Bible anymore, unless they are facing a crisis. They are afraid and they have nowhere else to turn. Then, they may crack open that book covered in dust. That leads to a life of fear.

We live in a culture that is based on fear. The news, social media, political parties, businesses - they all feed on people’s fears. Give people something to be scared about and then offer them the solution. That is how they control you. That is how the world operates.

God does not operate in fear. As a matter of fact, all of the teaching, preaching and shouting about hell and damnation - is nothing more than a ploy by people who want to “scare” people into heaven or control their behavior. 

Sure, there are words in the Holy Scriptures about judgment upon sin and those who refuse grace and mercy. Judgment on sin is coming.

That said, God’s love destroying our fear is much more prevalent and powerful in bringing people into God’s kingdom.

After all, it’s why we remember Jeremiah 31:3, “...I have loved you with an everlasting love.”

It’s why we repeat the words of our Savior: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son; so that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved.”

It’s also why we close this week’s note out with these words:

“All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. We love each other because he loved us first,” - I John 4:15-19.

LOVE CONQUERS FEAR

The Foundation of Forgiveness

 August 30, 2022

But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

“When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! Pray like this:

Our Father in heaven, may your Name be kept holy.

May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.

“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Matthew 6:6-14 (NLT)

There’s been a lot of talk about forgiveness recently. Primarily, financial loan forgiveness in the billion-dollar higher education industry. This written offering will not tackle that issue.

What we do want to focus on is the term forgiveness. (Seems to be something a lot of forgiven prople have forgotten about...) It’s something we all want to take effect in our own lives but often redact from others. After all, to err is human, but to forgive - that’s out of the question!

In our text this week we see that forgiveness is the “bullseye” of this section of the Sermon on the Mount. Let’s take a quick look at this wonderful word.

The original word in Greek is ἀφίημι - pronounced af-ee'-ay-mee. It is properly defined as meaning “to send away, leave alone, permit.” If we were to do a word study of it we would find that aphíēmi is a compound word from apó, "away from" and hiēmi, "send.” Put that together and we have - to send away; release (discharge).

Literally, forgiveness means to release or discharge someone from something.

In Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance we find that "to forgive" is to send; to send forth; to cry, forsake, lay aside, leave, let alone, let be, let go, let have, omit, put away, send away, remit, suffer, yield up.

That’s a whole lot more than we bargained for huh?

When we speak of forgiveness it can be a tough mental exercise. Why? Because, when we look at the concept of forgiveness and then employ it in our lives, we have to do a quick (ok, sometimes long) inventory of what someone else has done to us. And that is exhausting.

Sure, it may make you feel good for a few moments to rant and rave about someone else’s shortcomings. It may give you a brief interlude of satisfaction to let someone know how you feel about what they said or did, or didn’t say or do. You might even feel a sense of revenge when you are able to hold power and sway over someone - simply by not forgiving them.

Thank God, Jesus doesn’t think or act like us. Nor should his followers.

Followers of Jesus should be committed to a life of releasing forgiveness into the lives of others. John Stott tells the story about Marghanita Laski, a well known secular humanist and writer. Not long before she died in 1988, in a moment of surprising candor on television, she said, "What I envy most about you Christians is your forgiveness; I have nobody to forgive me." Are you somebody who is willing to forgive others?

Followers of Jesus should be first in line to offer forgiveness. There's a story of a Spanish father and son who had become estranged. The son ran away, and the father set off to find him. He searched for months to no avail. Finally, in a last desperate effort to find him, the father put an ad in a Madrid newspaper. The ad read: Dear Paco, meet me in front of this newspaper office at noon on Saturday. All is forgiven. I love you. Your Father. On Saturday 800 Pacos showed up, looking for forgiveness and love from their fathers. Are you willing to not give up on those who have hurt and dissappointed you and offer forgiveness?

Followers of Jesus should be the greatest examples of releasing people from the prison of guilt. Karl Menninger, the famed psychiatrist, once said that if he could convince the patients in psychiatric hospitals that their sins were forgiven, 75 percent of them could walk out the next day! Are you willing to forgive so that another may be whole?

Followers of Jesus should be willing to forgive themselves. In a dream, Martin Luther found himself being attacked by Satan. The devil unrolled a long scroll containing a list of Luther's sins, and held it before him. On reaching the end of the scroll Luther asked the devil, "Is that all?" "No!" came the abrupt and loud reply. A second scroll was thrust in front of him. Then, after a second came a third! But now the devil had no more. "You've forgotten something," Luther exclaimed with a barely noticeable smile. "Quickly write on each of them, 'The blood of Jesus Christ God's son cleanses us from all sins.'" Are you willing to forgive yourself the way Jesus forgives you?

It really is all about forgiveness. It is the foundation to everything. Otherwise, why did Paul write to the church in Romans 5:7-9: "Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Therefore, since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from wrath through Him!"

So, the question really is simple: how strong is your foundation?

Broken Hearts and Suffering: Evidence for God

11-03-2021

I will praise the LORD at all times. I will constantly speak his praises. I will boast only in the LORD; let all who are helpless take heart. Come, let us tell of the LORD’s greatness; let us exalt his name together. The LORD hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. The righteous person faces many troubles, but the LORD comes to the rescue each time...the LORD will redeem those who serve him. No one who takes refuge in him will be condemned. 

Psalm 34:1-3;17-19; 22 (New Living Translation)

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and rescues those whose spirit is crushed...

This week I (Steve) am going to do something I rarely, if ever, do. I am going to rehash a previous work. Actually, it comes from a funeral I was honored to be a part of this morning. Due to time constraints I felt it was necessary to cut quite a bit out of the message I shared with those gathered and I wanted to take what was there and expand on it a bit. Why? Missy and I feel it is a very important message/reminder to those of us who are not doing so well right now - mentally and emotionally.

Ann Voskamp, in her profound and brutally honest book The Broken Way describes what it was like to endure enormous personal pain and loss...only to have her feelings and suffering trivialized from the pulpit and by other people in the church. “I wanted to stand up and howl,” she writes: “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick...I wanted to stand up and beg: ‘When the church isn’t for the suffering and broken, then the church isn’t for Christ. Because Jesus, with His pierced side, is always on the side of the broken.'”

We don’t elaborate enough on particular points of scripture. This is often by design (we don’t want to discuss the issue) or by default (nobody wants to hear about it). One of those oft neglected truths of the New Testament is the fact that the authors fundamentally believed that Jesus purposefully moved into the lives of those who were affected with grief. Look at Mary and Martha and how he went to them during the loss of their beloved brother Lazarus.

Not only that but one can easily see that the Jesus of the Bible always went to where the suffering was. He never shied away from seeking out those who were crushed by life and rejected by society. Indeed, the wound in His side, the imprint of thorns on his brow, the piercings in his hands all prove that Jesus is always on the side of the suffering, the wounded, the broken.

If you are struggling today let me assure you that Jesus is on your side.

So many people today are encountering moments - even seasons - of mental anguish, physical struggle and emotional turmoil. Sure, some of it is a direct consequence of personal behavior and bad decision-making. Yet, even that should not be an excuse to ridicule or belittle someone who is fighting to stay afloat.

Most of the time, however, those who are agonizing over even simple daily tasks, are not to blame for their current situation. Life happens. Things happen. People happen. It isn’t always pretty, clean or easy to deal with.

Although we do not know exactly what is happening in your life right now, one thing Missy and I agree upon is this: we cannot begin to fathom the pain, the loss, the grief you are encountering right now. Nor you, ours. We can only be there for one another...

Yet, there is something to be said about embracing the pain, the loss and the grief of our lives. It is a sad truth that we mostly spend our time attempting to run away from difficult situations. We try to smooth over the rough, ugly and painful moments of our lives. We even try to hide what we are going through - lying to the world and ourselves, “I’m doing great!”

It can be especially bitter for those who are followers of Jesus who have been told all their lives - by other “Christians” no less - to “Keep a stiff upper lip;” “Don’t let others see you cry;” “Real men don’t cry,” or even, “If you just had more faith you would be able to handle all of this.” Lies. All lies. And, remember, God hates lies.

A secret most Christians do not want you to know is that suffering is an integral part of all our lives. We speak of the joy of Jesus so much (and rightfully so!) we neglect - to our own demise - the comfort of the only One Who truly understands what we are going through. Remember, “Jesus wept.”

And Jesus is weeping with you today. He is weeping for you; what you are going through; what you have lost; what you must deal with.

Not only that, Jesus is in your very midst through the gift of His Holy Spirit. Simultaneously, he is at the right hand of the Father - even now- interceding on your behalf...asking the Father to comfort His children...right where you are.

Euegene Peterson, writing in the foreword of Alan Nelson’s reassuring book, Embracing Brokenness: How God Refines Us Through Life’s Disappointments, confirms a powerful truth I wish to share with you today: “Suffering is not evidence of God’s absence, but of God’s presence, and it is in our experience of being broken that God does his surest and most characteristic salvation work. There is a way to accept, embrace, and deal with suffering that results in a better life, not a worse one, and more of the experience of God, not less. God is working out his salvation in our lives the way he has always worked it out—at the place of brokenness, at the cross of Jesus, and at the very place where we take up our cross.”

You may be broken and suffering, but that is the exact place you can meet Jesus. It is the very place where God’s love and comfort, hope and healing, will reveal themselves to be true and dependable.

How do we know this to be true? It was at the cross of Jesus that the love of all loves, the hope of all hope was given without remorse or regret. To a lost and dying world, to a planet filled with pain and suffering, the God of all creation sent His one and only Son to show He alone can empathize and carry us through. “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and rescues those whose spirit is crushed.”

Our hope and prayer is that Jesus would comfort, console and encompass you this day and everyday. May God grant you His strength to endure, His grace to overcome, His peace to continue living. May our heavenly Father fill each of us with His Spirit that we may walk as children of peace, as a people of faith, proclaiming to all who will listen, “...let all who are helpless take heart...the LORD hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles.”

Rewording Bill Withers’ classic song, “Lean on God when you’re not strong…”

It Wasn't Me!

10-05-2021

For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be brought to light - Mark 4:22

After having heard it all, this is the conclusion: Fear God, and keep his commands, because this applies to everyone. God will certainly judge everything that is done. This includes every secret thing, whether it is good or bad - Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

    This week saw a surprise report released which shed light on some rather “dark” deeds. The data was obtained by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists in Washington DC, which has been working with more than 140 media organizations on its biggest ever global investigation. Dubbed “The Pandora Papers,” it documents information that points to world leaders, billionaires and other community-minded leaders who made billions - all while in public office - by sorting their finances through offshore companies. Of course, all those involved have denied wrongdoing. It’s that age-old defense of deny, deny, deny.

    Included in the investigative results are Russian President Vladimir Putin and Jordan's King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein, who are among some 35 current and former leaders linked to the files. Both Putin and Al-Hussein have issued statements saying they have done nothing wrong and that there is nothing for them to hide. Reportedly, some of the leaked documents show the Jordanian leader alone secretly spent more than $100,000,000 on establishing a property empire in the UK and US since he took power in Jordan in 1999.

    Have you ever thought you could get away with something? Come on, be honest. We all have. Shoot, I (Steve) get away with working only one hour a week. At least that’s what my father-in-law says…and maybe some from the church now that I think about it.

    Ever since we have been little we all have been looking to deny doing anything wrong or at the very least try to blame someone else for our faults and shortcomings. After all, none of us like being brutally honest when we have failed. None of us like to admit we are wrong. Nobody wants to take the blame. No one wants to confess they have sinned.

    The opening scriptures above reveal to us one of the more intriguing - if not horrifying - truths in life: the fact that nothing is truly ever hidden; that everything will be revealed. If not now - later. It’s the fundamental reason so many “bad” things are done in the dark of night when no light can shine on the evil deed. It’s also why people instinctively try to cover up their mistakes - we like to hide what we don’t want others to see. “Just don’t get caught!”

    But, we all get caught. Eventually. The good news, however, is that God does not leave us to our own demise. He doesn’t abandon us when we make mistakes. He doesn’t give up on us even when we give up on ourselves. As the apostle John relates: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness,” I John 1:9.

    No, God does not want us to hide (ask Adam and Eve when you get the chance). Yes, God does want us to bring our mistakes to the light (ask King David after you talk to Adam and Eve). The wonderful thing about God - who is the only rightful Judge - is that he does not want to judge us. He wants to redeem us. 2 Peter 3:9 reminds us: “The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance." God is patient with us. What a wonderful and hopefull thought!

    BUT...and this is a BIG BUT...don’t neglect what Peter tells us immediately following those words: “...the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and its works will be laid bare…” Judgment is coming. And it is final. There is literally no hope when God’s judgment upon sin is executed.

    Which is why we urge you - and ourselves - to be in a constant state of repentance. We are not excusing or making light of sin - as a matter of fact, we are wanting all of us to take it more seriously. Furthermore, repentance is the only way to deal with sin. It is the only way to bring “light into the darkness” and the “darkness cannot overcome it.”

    What if there was an investigative unit who was looking into your life. What would they find? What would you hope and pray they would not find? We may not be billionaires or world leaders, but like them we have all “sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” We must, “Therefore confess our sins to each other and pray for each other so that we may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power to prevail," James 5:16.

    Prussian king Frederick the Great was touring a Berlin prison. The prisoners fell on their knees before him to proclaim their innocence-except for one man, who remained silent. Frederick called to him, "Why are you here?" "Armed robbery, Your Majesty," was the reply. "And are you guilty?" "Yes indeed, Your Majesty, I deserve my punishment." Frederick then summoned the jailer and ordered him, "Release this guilty wretch at once. I will not have him kept in this prison where he will corrupt all the fine innocent people who occupy it."

    Guilty? Confession is good for the soul...now and later.

Steve and Missy

One Thing I Know...

 “So a second time they called for the man who had been blind and said, “Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.” He answered, “Whether He is a sinner I do not know. There is one thing I do know: I was blind, but now I see!” “What did He do to you?” they asked. “How did He open your eyes?” He replied, “I already told you, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?”

Then they heaped insults on him and said, “You are His disciple; we are disciples of Moses. We know that God spoke to Moses, but we do not know where this man is from.” “That is remarkable indeed!” the man said. “You do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but He does listen to the one who worships Him and does His will. Never before has anyone heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, He could do no such thing.”

They replied, “You were born in utter sin, and you are instructing us?” And they threw him out.

John 9:24-34 (Berean Study Bible)

“One thing I do know: I was blind but now I see.”  Of all the ways in which this man, who was blind from birth, could have testified to the power of Jesus, none could have had more clarity and impact than this word of personal testimony. People can argue and debate the existence of the Divine, the inerrancy of the Scriptures, the legitimacy of the resurrection, the validity of prophecy...but people CANNOT argue with your experience.

Think about it. What have you experienced in your life that goes against what most people think or believe? Perhaps it was a physical miracle that occurred in your body. Maybe you were in a stressful way and there was a moment of peace that simply overwhelmed you. Or, could it have been a near death experience that defied all odds? We’ve all experienced something at least once in our lives that defies reason and explanation. Or, at the very least, left a profound influence upon us and perhaps even those we know.

I (Steve) remember an incident that occurred while at TCU. A few religious studies students - myself included - had been taking a class which placed us in a local church leading various ministries to gain much needed practical ministry experience. One night, after a small group Bible study, a man approached me as we (the students) were supposed to be meeting in another room to talk about what we had just done, how it went, how we were feeling, what could have been better...you get the idea. For the next half hour the man held me spellbound as he spoke about God supernaturally healing his wife while she lay dying in the cold hospital bed and the angel he saw beside her bed that told him she would live. My professor was unhappy with me missing the discussion but when I related to him what I had just experienced he smiled and said, “Well, I can’t argue with that can I?”

I didn’t question the man over what he saw, what he heard or what he felt. How could I? It was what he experienced AND it was in line with the Holy Scriptures of our faith.  I might have not been there, I certainly could not vouch for the validity of his story/experience, but who am I to judge? I can imagine him saying, “One thing I know, my wife was dying but now she is alive.”

When is the last time you heard some story that defied reality or your set of beliefs? When was the last time you shared a story with someone that resonated with them?  For that matter, when was the last time you read the Bible and pondered the great stories of our faith - the experiences that define who we are and what we believe? Events and experiences such as:

• The creation

• The Flood

• The Israelites escape from Egypt with all of the plagues of God upon the Egyptians

• Joshua marching around Jericho

• Daniel in the lion’s den

• The birth of Jesus

• The miracles of Jesus

• People touching Peter’s cloak and being healed

Christianity has spread primarily because of two reasons: first and foremost, the testimonies, stories and experiences found in the New Testament of the Bible; secondly, the personal testimonies and experiences of those who follow Jesus. People just like you. Society and culture  today only “see” and “hear” Jesus when they see and hear you. What is the story you need to share? What experience have you had in Christ that you need to tell someone about this week? 

Take the opportunity soon to share what Jesus has done for you. If someone questions you can always say, “Well, all I know is this…” 

Steve and Missy