MINISTRY NOTES

Hi Everyone,

Sometimes it is frustrating to pray for someone and never hear how they are doing. feedback: Thank you for praying for Jeremy. He is out of the hospital now and doing fine. His asthma attack was so sever that without medical intervention, he could have ended his life at age 14. We are reminded that Jesus said in Mark 2:17 (ICB) "… It is the sick who need a doctor…"

Message Notes:

When people are encouraged to witness1, frequently they have instant fear, especially if it involves someone they might know. People think of going door-to-door or standing on a street corner when they think of witnessing. Perhaps, our first witness should be how we live. How we show love and forgiveness2. How we talk3. In our Marriage Workshop, when I ask who is your closest neighbor, couples immediately point at their spouse or their partner. Over the years, I may be very astute teaching what Jesus said4 but if I then speak harshly or angrily5 with my wife; I have compromised my witness with her and with anyone else present. Frequently, in most of our marriage prior to our training in our Marriage Workshop, I have compromised my witness in similar ways. This year I am a better husband than I was last year and I anticipate being an even better husband next year. It is hard to undo 30 + years of bad habits instantly. Being a better spouse may make for a happier marriage but more important it will help you be a better witness for God1. Last year, as I was talking to a friend who lives near, standing in his driveway, he had asked me an intellectual question about Christianity (he is not a Christian). An older neighbor who lives directly across the street walked over to join our conversation, without knowing what we were talking about. My friend said to him as he walked up, "I know you are a Christian because I see you going to Church on Sunday morning!" Apparently, our older neighbor was a witness just by driving out of his driveway.

Jesus gave us a similar example by worshipping God every week with a group in His hometown and they felt so comfortable with Him that they handed Jesus the writings of Isaiah in Hebrew to read and teach them6. We witness by our actions. We also witness by what we say. A teacher in a Vacation Bible School once asked her students to draw a picture of God. As she complimented each drawing, she looked at one that was an excellent sketch of Santa Claus. God is not Santa Claus. Jesus tells us to "…fear God…"7. What we say can reflect how we respect God. The VBS teacher made each child feel good about their sketch and then taught them how God created us in His image8. It is an insult to God to suggest we are created in the image of a monkey. Also, God only created two genders, male and female. To suggest anything else is an insult to God. I pray that we all live our lives in a way that we are more effective witnesses for God.

1. Acts 1:8; Luke 8:39

2. Mark 12:31; Matthew 6:14

3. Matthew 7:1

4. Matthew 28:20

5. Matthew 5:22

6. Luke 4:16

7. Luke 12:5

8. Genesis 1:26-27; 5:1-2