|
Decision
Magazine Weekly E-mail Devotional
August 20, 2008
"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved
you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my
commands, you will remain in my love, just as I
have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in
his love. I have told you this so that my joy
may be in you and that your joy may be complete"
(John 15:9-11, NIV).
A Word From Billy Graham »
Jesus knew that one of
the real tests of our yieldedness to God is our
willingness to share with others. If we have no
mercy toward others that is one proof that we
have never experienced God’s mercy. Emerson must
have been reading the gauge of human mercy when
he said, “What you are speaks so loudly that I
cannot hear what you say.” Satan does not care
how much you theorize about Christianity, or how
much you profess to know Christ. What he opposes
vigorously is how you live Christ.
Some time ago a lady wrote and said, “I am 65
years old. My children are all married, my
husband is dead, and I am one of the loneliest
people in all the world.” It was suggested to
her that she find a way of sharing her religious
faith and her material goods with those around
her. She wrote a few weeks later and said, “I am
the happiest woman in town. I have found a new
joy and happiness in sharing with others.”
That’s exactly what Jesus promised!
Read more from Billy Graham »
Sharing the Joy of Knowing Christ
by Don Posterski
Here are three tips for effectively relating to
people who are indifferent to Christ and passive
about the faith that we treasure:
1. Pray for specific people. We will never
understand the full impact of praying. We can be
certain, however, that praying for specific
people not only increases our sensitivity toward
those individuals, but our praying also invites
the Spirit of God to arouse their interest (John
17:1-26). Prayer reminds us who God is and who
we are. Remembering both realities keeps us
centered on God and in healthy relationships
with others.
2. Speak with your life. In our information
society words alone will not make the Gospel
credible or believable. One of the reasons that
people are indifferent to Christ is that they
have not seen enough evidence to convince them
that following Jesus makes much difference.
Being generous with our time and money,
developing a reputation for being trustworthy,
and responding to people's practical needs make
the life of faith more plausible (2 Peter
1:5-8).
3. Speak with words. Words are important. They
are what we use to explain the Gospel. They
allow us to articulate God's truth and to make
sense of what Christ has done. Taking the
initiative to communicate God's truth and being
ready to offer reasons for our faith will always
be an important part of creating spiritual
interest in people (1 Peter 3:15).
Read more from Decision magazine »
Devotional Prayer:
Lord, there is
no greater joy than knowing You and being
obedient to You. Help us to share the Gospel
with those around us so that they may know this
joy. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen. |
Wedding Bells 
