Tag: testimony

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Acts Devotionals

In all good conscience (2)

clean conscience

I always strive to have a clear conscience toward God and men. (Acts 24:16)

This is the second time in two chapters that Paul talks about keeping a clear conscience before God. (Acts 23:1)

Why was that important to him?

I think there were three reasons.

First, he knew there was a resurrection and that he would stand before God’s judgment seat someday. (15)

He once told the Corinthians,

Therefore, whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to be pleasing to him.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may be repaid for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. (2 Corinthians 5:9-10)

But as much as he knew the fear of the Lord, he also knew the love of the Lord, and that also drove him. He said,

For the love of Christ compels us, since we have reached this conclusion, that one died for all, and therefore all died.

And he died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the one who died for them and was raised. (2 Corinthians 5:14-15)

But I think a final reason is that he knew keeping a clear conscience had an effect on his testimony.

When Paul talked to Felix about judgment, it scared Felix to death. (Acts 24:25)

I half-wonder if one reason Felix was hoping for a bribe from Paul was to diminish his testimony. After all, if Paul accepted a bribe, how afraid of judgment could Paul really be?

But Paul kept a clean conscience, and his testimony stood.

How important is keeping a clear conscience to us?

Father, help me to always keep a clear conscience before you. For fear of you. For love of you. And for an unstained witness that might draw the people I love to you.

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Mark Devotionals

Tell them!

Mark

Happy Good Friday everyone!

Today Jesus’ words to the man who had been demon-possessed really struck me.

Go home to your own people, and report to them how much the Lord has done for you and how he has had mercy on you. (Mark 5:19)

Sometimes we wonder how to share the gospel with people. Often times the best way is to do what Jesus told this man to do. Tell others what the Lord has done for you and how he has had mercy on you.

So on this Good Friday, think about that. What has the Lord done for you, not just on that Friday 2000 years ago, but from the time you first met him? And in what ways has he had mercy on you?

Then practice sharing your testimony by telling it to your family and friends who are Christians. It will definitely be an encouragement to them. Be especially sure to share your story with your children if they haven’t heard it yet.

And then pray for opportunities to share your testimony with those around you who don’t know him. There are so many people now who need to hear words of hope.

But most of all, take time to thank God today for all he has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.

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Deuteronomy Devotionals

Our testimony to the next generation

Deuteronomy

There is so much in this passage that is worth talking about.

God warned the people, “Don’t take me and what I’ve done for you for granted. Don’t forget, especially when things are good in your life.” (Deuteronomy 6:10-13)

And “Don’t take a rebellious attitude toward me, questioning my love and loyalty to you.” (16)

But the thing I want to focus on is verse 20-24.

When your children, the next generation asks you, “Why do you follow God? Why do you do what he says,” what will you say?

What is your testimony of how God has worked in your life?

It’s good to think about these things.

For one thing, it helps us keep a heart of thanksgiving.

But for another, our kids, the next generation needs to know what God did for us.

They need to know that God is not just someone who did things 2000 years ago. They need to know God is alive and active today.

Do you share with your children and others of the next generation what God has done in your life?

For that matter, do you share with your friends, coworkers, and relatives all he has done for you?

What is your testimony?

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John John 9

A picture of salvation

John

After Jesus healed this man blind from birth, it caused quite a stir as we see in this chapter. But through this story, we see a beautiful picture of salvation.

We see, first of all, that this man was blind from birth. In the same way, we also were born spiritually blind and spiritually dead.

Then Jesus came for us. It wasn’t that this blind man sought Jesus. Jesus sought him out, and touched him. And though we, like this blind man, were not even seeking God, he sought us and touched us.

The man was then told to wash in the pool of Siloam. This is a picture of baptism, both our spiritual baptism in which God washes us of our sin, and of our physical baptism in which we proclaim to the world what God has done for us.

The man now seeing, the change was so dramatic that people could barely recognize him, saying,

Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg? (John 9:8)

Some people said yes, others said it couldn’t be, and the man had to insist that it was really him.

People often respond the same way to us after we become Christians.

Sometimes the change in us is so dramatic, that people can barely recognize us, and wonder, “Is this really the same person,” giving us the opportunity to give our testimony as this man did.

Like the man, however, we often don’t know so much when we first become Christians.

But as time goes on, we start to get a clearer idea of just who Jesus is. To this man, Jesus was first simply, “a man,” then “a prophet,” then finally, “God’s Son.”

But though we give our testimony, and though the change is undeniable, yet some people will reject not only Christ, but us.

And that’s what happened with this man. First, they tried to convince the man that Jesus was a sinner, and not from God.

But when this man could not be shaken, they rejected him.

Even then, this man’s faith was not shaken. And when Jesus found him again, he fell at Jesus’ feet and worshiped him for the new life he had been given.

Let us be like this man. Grateful for the change that God has brought in our lives. Sharing boldly what we know (limited though it may be) with others. Standing fast in the face of opposition. And ever worshiping and seeking our Savior.

Categories
Mark Mark 6 Matthew Matthew 13

When people we love refuse our testimony

The gospels

I mentioned before that there were two times Jesus was amazed. The first time was when he saw a Roman centurion’s great faith. (Matthew 8:5-13)

The second time was here. Jesus, by this point, had become well known throughout the nation. This was, in fact, the second time we see him visit his hometown after he had started his ministry.

But though the people noted his miracles, and they noted his wisdom, they refused to believe.

Why? Perhaps it was because they had the picture of a carpenter in their heads. A person who put together their tables, and all the other wooden things in their houses.

All that time, they had never thought of him as anything special. He was just “the carpenter.”

Or perhaps they still thought of him as that little boy who lived down the street. The one who played with their children, and who had visited their houses and shared their food.

But because of these things, they could not imagine taking instruction from him. They could not imagine that they could learn anything from him. And so they took offense at him when he tried to teach them.

That’s why Jesus said,

Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor. (Mark 6:4)

What can we take from this? I think there are two things.

First, God can speak to us through the most unexpected of people. But we can miss it if we’re too busy looking down on them.

Sometimes we look down on them because they are younger than us and less experienced. Maybe we look down on them because they are less educated.

Essentially, what it comes down to, whether we admit it or not, is that we look down on them because we don’t think God thinks much of them. And because we think that way, we do not receive the things that they say.

But God can use the old and the young, the educated and uneducated, to speak to us.

He can use the pastor you respect, and he can use the brother or sister or neighbor that annoyed you when you were a kid (and maybe still does annoy you).

If anyone has given their lives to the Lord, the Holy Spirit is living in them, and he can and will speak through them. The question is, do we have a heart that is humble enough to listen? A heart that can see beyond the person to the Spirit that is in them.

The second thing we can learn is that there will be some people that will reject your testimony simply for the reasons I mentioned above.

If it happened to Jesus, and he was perfect, how can you be surprised if it happens to you when you are far from perfect?

You can’t control that. You can’t make someone believe. All you can do is share what God has given you and done for you. And if they reject your testimony, pray for them.

Because there is only one person who can change the human heart, and that’s God.

So in short, don’t get discouraged when people reject your testimony. Stay humble. And always be on the watch for whenever God may be speaking to you. If you do, you’ll find that he speaks a lot more than you ever realized.