Do you have a testimony ready to share?
In your hearts, set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.
1 Peter 3:15 New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY’S VERSE…
What Peter is saying here is, “Always have a testimony to share.” We are to be ready, willing, and able to tell people about the “Good News”, the hope (“The Faith”) and the changes that Jesus has brought to our lives! To have a “Testimony” to share. After all He has made us able ministers of the Gospel (2 Cor. 3:6). To do this we must be meditating His Word always. We must have an abundance of the Word in our hearts for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks! But when we share this hope with others, two things are very important:
1. Our credibility — is Jesus really Lord of our hearts and our lives — Do we walk the talk? Are we really living the life of the Christian faith in Jesus, or do we merely just talk the talk? Do we show up for Church on Sunday and then live like the rest of the world all week? Smoking, drinking, cursing, partying and carrying on as the unsaved do. As Christians, we MUST live by faith, we MUST walk the talk always! Four (4) times in God’s Word He tells us the just (those who are in right standing with Him) must live by faith.
2. Our character — do we show gentleness and respect in our approach and speak in love? Are we lead by the Holy Spirit and His inner promptings when we tell others about Jesus? Or do we preach condemnation to them for the way they are? (I hope not!) Do we tell them what is theirs already through Jesus according to the Word if they will only believe? Do we tell them that God loves them and wants them to love Him. We must preach the Gospel (the “Good News”), not the “Law”. No man is justified by the Law. The goal is not to win arguments, but to win hearts and souls to Jesus!
MY PRAYER…
Holy and Loving Father, thank You for sending Your grace in and through Jesus. Thank You for having Your Word (Jesus) become flesh and dwell among us. Thank You for giving us an example to live by. I’m sure I would not have believed any other message than that of the “Good News” (the news of what Jesus had done for me!) Father, increase in me the conviction I need to share my faith in Jesus, but in a way that reflects Your grace. Let Your Holy Spirit fall on me anew each day, just as it did on the day of Pentecost, giving me the same boldness it gave Peter that day when he stood up and preached about Jesus, and 3,000 souls were added to the church in one preaching! Father, do in me what is necessary so that You can use me that same way. In Jesus’ name, I pray.
Amen