Tuesday.  It's cold today, but the sun is shining and the skies are clear.

Sharing Your Faith in God with Others

    For those of us who are already believers, do you ever stop and think about how much you share your faith?  Take a look at the following verse from Philemon.

"I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints.  I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ."     
                                
                                                        Philemon 4-6

    It's one thing to be a believer.  It's another thing to take your belief and faith and trust in God to the next level: Sharing it.  It can be sort of scary if you approach it from a worldly view.  You may wonder what your friends and family are going to think of you when you openly profess your faith.  Especially when you broach the idea of becoming a believer and living in Christ to non-believers. 

    How often do you share your faith in Christ?  What form does it take?  If you share it, do you push hard or just plant seeds?  My opinion is that it is probably more effective over the long term to plan educated and honest seeds about God in people's minds.  I think one thing we have to accept is that not everyone is going to nurture those seeds and let them grow.
   
    I have seen people push the Word onto others and actually drive them away from Christ.  That is unfortunate.  They did this by cloaking themselves and everyone around them in Scripture and judgment.  It is a facade.  And most who I have seen do this wind up falling away from God because they can't keep the facade going.

    I think people who are really and truly believers at heart recognize this.  We all have different ways of expressing ourselves, but we essentially recognize that you have to know your audience.  Some people you may be able to talk openly with about believing in God and accepting Christ.  Others you may have to take baby steps with.  My pastor once invited a waitress to our church for four years before she finally accepted his invitation.  But he didn't push.  He just planted the seeds.  Finally it started to grow.

    Take a look at yourself and see where you are at with this.  Do you spread the Word only after doing competent research and Bible study?  Do you ask opinions of others and attempt to find answers through reliable sources?  My recommendation is to be as prepared and studied as possible before you spread the Word so that you are not distorting the Word.

    Do you have work to do?  Or do you need to back off?  Maybe you're just right?  Whichever you are...adjust if you need to, but keep sharing and spreading God's Word with enthusiasm.
   
    It's what He wants us to do.

    Until tomorrow.

    Come Believe...

   

"Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation." Mark 16:15

It is exciting to think about sharing my faith, but it is harder to actually do it in today's society. I agree with planting the seeds and waiting for them to grow. I personally did not do well when people tried to push me. I believe it is all in God's perfect timing that we find our way, but the seeds have to be planted.