Is there parts of your story that you would love to see deleted from it? When I was asked to share my testimony with my church, I didn't know how much I should really share. I try to be someone who doesn't care what others think of me, but deep inside me I know there is a part that does. I didn't have a great time growing up. There is some parts that shame me, scare me, and some that make me smile. Which do I share? I know that all that I have been through has made me into the woman that I am today so why not share. In the end I gave my testimony with a pieces in tact. Nothing deleted.
So if we are called to share the Gospel and we do, why do we cut out the parts that are most important? It's like we want to whitewash all the parts that will scare someone. It's like we want them to like what we believe, but don't want them to run away at the parts that can be hard to share. Just like with my testimony in the end I had to share it all. This is something we should do when we share the Gospel. We need to share all of it. The consequences of sin, the lifestyles that Jesus knew were bad for us, and not conforming to ways of the natural world but following the supernatural ways set before us by Jesus.
If you want someone to appreciate all there is to know, you have to share it all. We are not called to share the good parts, As I always say to my husband, "We can't enjoy the grace, if we don't know all the rules." We can't share the grace, if we don't share it all, warts and all. It's the only way to sow good seed, The ground needs to be prepared to accept the seed, cultivate it, and help it grow. Which path do we want them to follow.
Matthew 13:3-9 (NIV) 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.”
I challenge you to share all of Jesus' testimony, not just the parts that will make us feel good.
Yours in Christ
Heather
Not Ashamed - Kristian Stanfill ft. Passion https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLs0O4ynZk8
Your Love Awakens Me - Phil Wickham https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIMh6lS6VjE
Lord I Give You My Heart - Anthony Evans https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pu-xkUH4Pi0
I Surrender All - CeCe Winans https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vowPSalZHrE
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