Focus of the week: Witnessing (Exciting stuff.. Really.)

Today was finally a GREAT day! I had been recovering from an intense spring break for a week and a half (some serious spiritual things were going on in the fam), and each day the light grew brighter and brighter to the point where today the light HAS chased away all the darkness.

Over the past couple of weeks, the Lord has been putting it to my attention that I have been acting as if I am ashamed of portions of the Gospel. If I was un-saved or still in High School, my thought process would have gone like this:


Okay.. So I gave up my voice, I only sing for You..

I gave up my HEART for You... NO ONE ELSE is allowed in the VIP section of the party known as my life except You, Your Son, and YOUR Spirit..

I gave up FRIENDS for You (if they disrespect my DAD they better not chill around me!)

I first gave up my Sundays, then Thursdays, then Fridays, then Wednesdays, Then MONDAYS, TUESDAYS, AND SATURDAYS FOR YOU!

I gave up Heroes (bc it was stealing my time from You...)

WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT!?!?!?!?!?!?


BUT, I am saved (Hallelujah) and He's changed me, so now I say,

"I understand, FORGIVE ME I'M WRONG"

Because I understand why He says this...(I know that EVERYTHING means EVERYTHING and when He says "Take up your cross and follow Me" He MEANS IT!), and I REFUSE to give the devil any means to work mischief in MY life (HE BETTER RECOGNIZE, I am NOT the one!). So then I said,

"Show me what I'm doing wrong and I'll fix it."

TIME TO WORK!

Haha.. He showed me that although I pray to Him, it's too shallow, and I'm still hiding my Prayers from others knowledge.
He also said, "Good job, you've made a point to show Love to others daily, BUT now it's time to show REAL Love!". So I say "COOL! What's real love?"

And Guess what comes next...
(Drumroll Please)

WITNESSING!!!

My heart stopped a couple times I think..

You see, I knew in my heart that I should be witnessing, BUT I was not about to have people lookin at me crazy and calling me a "bible thumper", NO WAY!

And all this was simply a front to mask the fact (which I was showing through my actions although not verbally confessing) that..

I cared much more about what others thought of me, than what He thought of me..

I was MUCH more interested in people pleasing than I was God-pleasing..

So I hid under the front of:

"I don't have to tell them they already know..."

and

"I'm just gonna show them Jesus in the way I live my life".

Now don't get me wrong, that's great! BUT, one question... "If they do see 'Jesus' in your life and your actions, how will they know that it is Jesus they see if they have never encountered Him before??"

We presume FAR too much in this belief that everyone knows who Jesus is and what He stands for.

Yes, America has been EXTREMELY churched, however, alot of it has been in vain due to the majority of the population proclaiming the name of Jesus (in the past) with their tongues, but not with their lives... So much that MANY believe they understand Christianity and the church, even JESUS CHRIST from this surface level faith of people who know what is right and wrong and yet choose to teeter-totter on what is a sin, instead of what is pure and holy in the sight of God.

OR as I've heard Joyce Meyer say..

"We want just enough of God to stay out of Hell, but not enough of Him to live in victory."

Exactly.. how sad is that...
So You and I've got to be REAL Christians, to be an example to both Christians and non-christians alike.


BUT ANYWAYS, the point is WITNESSING. I told Him I'd obey if He instructed.. That's what He instructed, and I obeyed.

Two weeks ago, the Friday before spring break, I had a two hour drive to the airport with a driver from Super Shuttle. That's when the Lord pricked me and said, "I'm instructing, now do it!". I was SO embarrassed, so I kindof eased into it.


"Hey I'M NOT CRAZY."
(Good start right?? I know.. sheer genius.)
"I have questions so I decided I'm going to start asking random people their viewpoints.. Is that cool with you?"

[Driver] "Yes no problem.."
He's from Somalia by the way, just thought I'd throw it out there.

[Me] "What do you think about... g-g-God? Yea, What do you think about God?"

[Somalia] "What do I think of God?? What do you mean?? I mean He's...uhh.."

[Me] "What do you think of when you think of God?"

[S] "He's everywhere? Sorry, I don't really know how to answer that.."

[Me] "I think of Love.. etc I'm Christian..etc (I explained my viewpoint) So what about you?"

[S] He's read several teachings, is from a Muslim family where his father was a teacher of the law, however he never really identified with that. He starts explaining his life to me and invites me to sit in the front (haha Movin' on up!). He then asks a bunch of questions and I got a chance to clear up some false doctrine (An anglican-christian teacher he drove told him that Adam and Eve were not the first humans on this earth, so I whipped out the Truth and read the verses to him).. the rest is History..

That was the quickest two and a half hour drive I've ever experienced.. in case you were interested. It really wasn't awkward for either of us, and we a great conversation.

You see, God will provide a way. No worries, He knows what you know and don't know. What you strongly believe and what you doubt. Just Give Your Everything to Him and He will work it to be suitable for use and use you! And EVERY experience coming from Him is for both Your and others' benefit, because He is GOOD.


Mark 13:11
"...Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit."


Remember, there is nothing you can't handle with Him! I'll touch on witnessing and various other things a bit down the line, I'm running out of time now..I have homework and stuff to do, but you know..

Peace and God Bless!
Obey Him and Trust Him,
Find EVERYDAY ways to bless others, advance the kingdom, and be a light to others

Again, God Bless and catch up with yall later.

Ryan