You Are His Witness!

"It’s news I’m most proud to proclaim, this extraordinary Message of God’s powerful plan to rescue everyone who trusts Him, starting with Jews and then right on to everyone else! God’s way of putting people right shows up in the acts of faith, confirming what Scripture has said all along: “The person in right standing before God by trusting Him really lives.”  Romans 1:16-17 (The Message)

As we read one of the most life-changing truths from God's Word from Romans 1, we see that Paul was not ashamed of the gospel, because he knew it was the truth that set him free.  Paul had witnessed the life-changing power in the hearts of those that he walked with, talked with, and most of all shared the gospel with!  As Paul journeyed for Jesus, his actions and his words empowered others to admit they needed God, believe that Jesus was the one and only Lord, and confess to others the truth that would set them free too.

As I look back at the miracle of my salvation, my life was dramatically changed in EVERY way and because of "...the power of God..." (Romans 1:16), I went home, the very day that I gave my life to Christ, and I became His unashamed witness (I did not know that I was being a witness, I just could not keep my life-changing experience and the love of God to myself :-) ! )  As I began to share Jesus on my little street in Houston, Texas, God began to impact the lives around me "unto salvation" (Romans 1:16) through His love that was shared through actions and the truth of God's Word.  I began to experience God as His witness for the very first time as I learned that many were also searching for direction and purpose in their lives.

As we share Jesus with others, our testimony is one of the most powerful things we can share.  How has Jesus made a difference in your life?  How has Jesus made a difference in your life years ago, months ago, weeks ago, days ago, today?!!  As His witness, we always have something we can share as Jesus lives and works in and through our lives as His followers....I believe that this is one way that God keeps me full of His courage to share the Good News of Jesus Christ as He defeats any fear, pain, or shame that the enemy tries to silence me with!!!!

Is the life-changing power of God alive and active in your life today, are you His fearless witness when you are at the store, at a resturant, at work, on twitter, on facebook, at school, in the bleachers at the ballfield, at the bank, when you are shopping, at the nail or hair salon, everywhere you go?  If not, what fear, pain, shame, or other obstacle, has the enemy tried to silence you with?  Throw it off, lay it down, give it to Jesus, trust Him and do what you did when you were first His witness!  " For you will be a witness for Him to all people of what you have seen and heard."  Acts 22:15 (HCSB)  "You are to be a key witness to everyone you meet of what you've seen and heard."  Acts 22:15 (The Message)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNS5tGUoBCs  ( I Am Not Ashamed Of The Gospel! - Heritage Singers)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euPKtGqcu0w   ( No Turning Back! - Chris Tomlin)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KsfwvpcQhY  ( Trading My Sorrows!)

The Holy Spirit gives us God's power to witness

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth" (Acts 1:8, New American Standard Bible). 

The witness. Jars and vessels, like the basket jars pictured, are usually made to have something inside them. What is inside you? As believers, God has forgiven us of our sins and as He is transforming us from the inside out. The same God who transforms us also has the power to tell His story through us.

The power. In 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, Paul explained his message was based on things He learned from God. We are saved by God's power, and the body of believers that have come to Him are a result of that power. We can praise God that others can be saved by God's power rather than our own wisdom.

The vessels. What is your story of God working in you? As followers of Christ we have a story, a testimony of what God has done in our life through His Son. 2 Corinthians 4:7 explains how we are like vessels and jars, since God works through us to bring others to Him. The origin and power of saving grace is from the Lord.

Lord, help us remember to share what You have done in our life with someone else. Help us depend on the power of the Holy Spirit to help us share our faith with others. Amen.

Above study based on the workbook HeartCall: Women Sharing God's Heart (Jaye Martin, 1999).
Photo of Williams Sonoma Vessel Jars found on seasidestyle.blogspot.com.

A True Story

     Back in the 1950's there was a well known radio host/comedian/song writer in Hollywood named Carl Stuart Hamblen who was noted for his drinking, womanizing, partying etc.  One of his bigger hits at the time was "I won't go hunting with you Jake, but I'll go chasing women."
     One day, along came a young preacher holding a tent revival.  Hamblen had him on his radio show presumably to poke fun at him.  In order to gather more material for his show, Hamblen showed up at one of the revival meetings.
     Early in the service the preacher announced, "There is one man in this audience who is a big fake."  There were probably others who thought the same thing, but Hamblen was convinced that he was the one the preacher was talking about (some would call that conviction) but he was having none of that.
     Still the words continued to haunt him until a couple of nights later he showed up drunk at the preacher's hotel door around 2 AM demanding that the preacher pray for him!  But the preacher refused, saying, "This is between you and God and I'm not going to get in the middle of it."  But he did invite Stuart in and the talked until about 5 AM at which point Stuart dropped to his knees and with tears, cried out to God.
 
     But that is not the end of the story.  Stuart quit drinking, quit chasing women, quit everything that was "fun."  So he began to lose favor with the Hollywood crowd.  He was ultimately fired by the radio station when he refused to accept a beer company as a sponsor.  Hard times were upon him.  He tried writing a couple of "Christian" songs but the only one that had such success was "This Old House," written for his friend Rosemary Clooney.
     As he continued to struggle, a long time friend named John took him aside and told him, "All your troubles started when you 'got religion,' was it worth it all?"
     Stuart answered simply, "Yes."  Then his friend asked, "You liked your booze so much, don't you ever miss it?  His answer was "No."  John then said, "I don't understand how you could give it up so easily...:
     And Stuart's response was, "Its no big secret.  All things are possible with God."   To this John said, "That's a catch phrase.  You should write a song about it."  And as they say: "The rest is history."
 The song Carl Stuart Hamblen wrote was "It Is No Secret."  "It is no secret what God can do.  What He's done for others, He'll do for you.  With arm wide open, He'll welcome you.  It is no secret, what God can do..."

     By the way...the friend was John Wayne.  and the young preacher who refused to pray for Stuart Hamblen?  That was Billy Graham.

Let's remember in our lives and in the lives of our friends and family that it is no secret what God can do!.

Share Your Story!

"For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgement. So don't be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, or of me His prisoner. Instead, share in suffering for the gospel, relying on the Power of God." 2 Timothy 1:7-8 (HCSB)


"So don't be embarrassed to speak up for our Master..." 2 Timothy 1:8 (MSG)



You have a special story to share , your story, your testimony!

One of the greatest tools you have as His witness is to share your personal testimony, His Story in your life, with someone that needs that Lord or needs to turn back to the Lord!


I thank God for the first Christians in my life that encourage me to share my personal story with others as they shared with me that God could use my testimony to plant and water seeds of Good News of Jesus Christ in someone's life! When we share our story, we are His Witness!


There are many ways you can prepare to share your story. Here is a simple but powerful plan/outline you may want to use (you can find this simple tool in chapter 4 of "HeartCall: Women Sharing God's Heart" (page 28):

• What Was My Life Like Before I Became A Christian? (list some of the things that God saved you and forgave you from)

• What Happened & How You Accepted & Believed That Jesus Loved You & Gave His Life For You? (list some of the details about the day you accepted Jesus as your Lord)

• How Has Your Life Been Different As A Christian Since You Gave Your Life To The Lord? (list some of the ways that your life has changed and is new)

Thank God that He has saved you and that you have a story to share with others as His Witness! If you have never committed your life to Him, this would be a great time to do that. Please let someone know of your decision to follow Christ so that they can pray celebrate with you, pray for you, and help you begin to grow as a New Believer!!

We would LOVE to hear Your Story! Please feel free to share Your Story using the outline above! Sharing your story by using this simple outline above is a great way to practice as you prepare to share your story with others!

I am compelled to stop and pray for you based on Colossians 4:2-6!! "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us too that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act towards outsiders (non-Christians); make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."!! Colossians 4:2-6

IN JESUS' NAME!! AMEN!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jbe7OruLk8I
(Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone) - Chris Tomlin)

Everyone Needs HOPE!

"There's more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we're never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can't round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!"

Romans 5:3-5 (msg)

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jer.29:11-13 (NIV)

Romans 5:6-8 (ESV) "For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."!!

As God's witnesses, as the constant changing circumstances around us are often very difficult, we have a great opportunity to share the ONE truth that NEVER CHANGES=JESUS! Right now in our communities as we look around us there is such a huge opportunity to share JESUS because of all of the uncertainty and questions about the future that are in The United States of America and the WORLD! Just like it is written in Romans 5:6 "for while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly..." Our world is full of people that are searching searching searching for someone & something that they can put their trust in that will not let them down or change! We have THE ANSWER to every one's needs and His name is JESUS!! JESUS is who equips us and calls us as His Gifted2Go witness♥

WOW, like me, do you remember what it was like to be lost (without hope)? Lost people look and live like lost people! Romans 5: 6-8 compels my thoughts right back to the time in my life that I was LOST and how desperately I was searching for Peace and Purpose "weak and ungodly" and NEEDING JESUS~PEACE WITH GOD & HOPE for my future...how many people around us right now are needing HOPE & PEACE? Would you join me and make a "who needs Jesus" prayer list?

As followers of Christ, our hope is in Christ Alone, not in this world! The more difficult times grow around the world, the greater opportunity we have to share JESUS!

Today is a great opportunity to share your personal testimony with someone today that needs Jesus. Here are 3 simple steps in sharing your testimony:

1. Share what your life was like before you gave your life to Jesus Christ:


2. Share how your heard about Jesus and the day you believed and surrendered your life to Him:


3. Share about how your life has grown and changed because of Jesus. Who are some of the people that you have been able to share your testimony with? You are His witness as you share your testimony with others!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sKcw9_PQYA (The Wonderful Cross!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y83-vMeWc9E (You Never Let Go!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMSd7XQE5yk (My Hope!)

With God All Things Are Possible!

"But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Matthew 19:26 (HCSB)

Please meet one of our family praying friends, Brian. You can see him in the picture we see to the left having a great time last week in the East Texas SNOW. We had about 6-8 inches of snow last week in East Texas and Brian was outside in the snow making "donuts in his wheelchair"! This has got to be my favorite picture that I have seen of all the fun and excitement everyone enjoyed during this unusual SNOW DAY in East Texas! Brian not only is a picture of God's Amazing Power, but he also shares The Lord wherever he can as an inspirational motivational speaker. Brian has a very special testimony that you can watch some of it below on the u-tube that I have pasted as an inspiration for all!

Let's think about the people we know right now that need Jesus, what impossible situation are they in right now in their life? One way to share Jesus is to share the things that He has done in our lives, our testimonies, our life-changing experiences that God has done in our lives. There are things in our lives that we can say, "with man this is impossible, but with GOD all things are possible"! Jaye Martin has referred to these kind of things in our lives as being ready to share our "pearls" with others. "Pearls" can be anything positive or negative that we have experienced and how God has turned those things into His beautiful "pearls" to wear and share with others. For example, share a time that you experienced an unexpected blessing, gift, intervention, how God helped us when we were discouraged, depressed, or grieving. Both positive and negative "pearls" can help build a bridge to people that need the Lord and may be feeling that "no one understands" or "God can't accept me just the way I am".

Challenge: Listen closely to what is going on in the lives of people that we come into contact with and be willing to share an example of how God has helped you with the same kind of experience that they may be walking through right now (share your pearls!) "Taken from HeartCall~Women Sharing God's Heart, Written By Jaye Martin".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zV5rtalFGD0 (Brian Brown Sharing Part of His Testimony)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ys4YgiZ392Y (Mercy Me-God With Us)

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/photo.php?pid=31081978&id=1247060398 (Brian's Snow Pictures!)

Who Gave You Your First Bible?

"For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as to divide soul, spirit, joints, and marrow; it is a judge of the ideas and thoughts of the heart."
Hebrews 4:12 (HCSB)

Who gave you your first Bible? How old were you when you got your first Bible? Where is your first Bible right now? These near and dear questions make me burst in tears because of a very special blessing God gave me this past weekend while sharing part of my testimony at a women's ministry forum in Conroe, Texas as a part of Jaye Martin's Gifted2Go Team. Before I share with you what happened that caused me to literally go from a standing position to a chair and almost to the floor, I must share with you how I received my Very First Bible: As a first-generation believer miraculously SAVED - snatched out of darkness into God's marvelous light at the age of 22...I DID NOT HAVE A CLUE about ANYTHING about GOD & HIS WORD & HIS WAYS, we are talking CLUELESS WITHOUT CHRIST! It was a children's minister that was doing follow-up outreach after Vacation Bible School in the summer of 1985 that came down my street in Houston, Texas and shared The ABC's to JESUS with the children that CAPTURED this young mother's life for JESUS and I WILL NEVER BE THE SAME since I RAN to JESUS that next Sunday, 7/21/85!!

Well, can I share with you that God's Mission began in my life and it began in DRAMATIC RADICAL ways as He began to transform my life in EVERYWAY...oh how I would love to sit down with you personally and pour out in details but that would take way more time and "word count" than I have on today's BLOG:-)...this brings me to My First Bible...Bro. Jim, the children's minister that came down my street, really helped my husband, Marshall, and I in the First Steps a Christian takes as a New Believer! I did not have a Bible, never had owned one, did not know what all the different "versions" of The Bible meant and which one should I purchase and where should I go to even purchase one...just picture the scene with me...walking up to Bro.Jim and asking him all of these questions about The Bible~Which One~Where Do I Get One~Who Is "King James"~Which One Is Better???? Do you know what Bro.Jim did.....He Gave Me His Bible right there on the spot...I am holding that very Bible in my hands right now, and YES I am in TEARS of GRATEFULNESS & AWE OF GOD...GOD'S WORD HAS CHANGED MY LIFE, I can not even begin to share that with you..we need a RETREAT:-)!!!

Fast forward to this past weekend...as I was sharing this very part of my testimony as the Lord led me to (I don't always share the same parts every time~that is up to The Holy Spirit), after Jaye Martin shared her powerful message from GOD'S WORD, 3 precious ladies walked up to me and asked me if I was talking about their children's minister, Bro. Jim???? I have been praying for over 20 years that my path would cross once again with Bro. Jim so that I could THANK HIM for giving me his BIBLE...God Answers Prayer because I now have Bro. Jim's telephone # in my cellphone...I could not wait to get home and share with my husband what had happened because Bro. Jim was instrumental in my husband's salvation 3 months after I became a believer, my husband, Marshall, gave his life to Christ and became a believer...we can't wait to call Bro. Jim and share what God has been doing in and through our lives in Christ for the past 25 years....GOD'S WORD NEVER RETURNS VOID!!!

There is so much more I want to share with you, but I must wrap this up for now with a challenge for us all: Do we LOVE God's Word~Is it our DAILY Bread, Are we RUNNING to God's Word for EVERY answer we need, Are we HIDING God's Word in our hearts, Are we SHARING God's Word with others that may not have a Bible or may not have a Bible that they can understand...I can not think of a better GIFT during this season of LOVE we call FEBRUARY than to GIVE someone a copy or some verses from GOD'S LOVE LETTER~THE WORD OF GOD....may we FALL IN LOVE with GOD & HIS WORD in a FRESH NEW DEEPER way TODAY!!!!!
IN JESUS' NAME~AMEN!!!!!!!
"I have sought You with all my heart; don’t let me wander from Your commands. I have treasured Your word in my heart so that I may not sin against You. " Psalm 119:10-11
"Help me understand Your instruction, and I will obey it and follow it with all my heart." Psalm 119:34
"I have Your decrees as a heritage forever; indeed, they are the joy of my heart." Psalm 119:111
"I call with all my heart; answer me, Lord. I will obey Your statutes." Psalm 119:145
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTY-UKgLlXs (Word Of God Speak~Mercy Me!!)

Revive Me

“Revive me according to Thy lovingkindness, so that I may keep the testimony of Thy mouth” Psalm 119:88 (NAS).

I took this photo of some black-eyes susans that were at Ridgecrest in North Carolina. They were just a beautiful sight and seemed to be so perky and vibrant with color. There they were, standing there reaching toward the sun. As I looked at them, I was reminded of God and His creation...that He is the source of energy, vibrancy, color and life. Oh what a beautiful sight to see!

I could not help but think that they were a better testimony to the glory of God than I was. They could not utter a word, yet they were reaching toward their Creator and testifying by their very being. Romans 1:20 says, "From the creation of the world His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what He has made. As a result, people are without excuse" (HCSB).

What is my testimony? Tired? Too tired to share about the love and passion of Jesus Christ? Am I so busy that I cannot stop to make an eternal difference in someone's life? Oh Lord, please "revive me...so that I may keep the testimony of Thy mouth."

Jesus~The Faithful Witness!

"...and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has set us free..." Revelation 1:5 HCSB

(the cross pictured above was handmade in The Holy Land and reminds me that Jesus is Alive to help me be the witness that He has called me to be!)

Jesus is the greatest most faithful witness that we could ever model our lives after! As a follower of Jesus, He promises to teach and equip us as His disciple ( Background of Disciple The term “disciple” comes to us in English from a Latin root. Its basic meaning is “learner” or “pupil.” taken from Holman Dictionary from LifeWay's Online Bible Library @ http://www.bible.lifeway.com/)

Mt 4:19-20 The First Disciples “Follow Me,” He told them, “and I will make you fish for people! Immediately they left their nets and followed Him." HCSB

If you and I were on trial for being a Christian, a follower of Jesus, would there be enough evidence to convict us? I encourage you to make a list of the evidence that is in your life and the evidence that you would like for there to be in your life as God promises in Philippians 1:6 "I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." HCSB

I often think about witnessing as if I am on trial because as a first-generation Christian I have had so many "trials" in this old world!! Witnesses in courtrooms are sworn to tell the truth. No speculation. No opinions. No hearsay. What "evidence" would people who know us give to support our claim that we are true and faithful reflections of Jesus? Jesus, who is called "the faithful witness" paid the ultimate price on trial for you and me...what more can we do than to testify and share with others the ways that He has ultimately, radically, and miraculously changed our lives from unfaithful to faithful until He returns...let's take as many others with us as we fill the courtroom of our lives and TESTIFY for HIM!! May all who come behind us find us faithful to "The Faithful One"! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s392HyzQ79M

July 21, 1985!

I am 24 years old today...IN JESUS!! I will NEVER forget the day that I heard about JESUS for the very first time...I was a married 22 year old young mother and very LOST=empty, fearful, selfish, lonely, searching, purposeless, worldly, filling our lives with things that did not matter, yearning for something better, and much more (the small picture you see at the top of this post is a picture of my husband, Marshall and I BEFORE we were Christians-our "before" picture & the larger picture is our AFTER and one of our most recent pictures - my husband became a Christian 4 months after I did during the week before Thanksgiving 1985-I have SO MUCH to be thankful for, especially that year!)!

I thank God for VBS and a Vacation Bible School Bus that came down my street in Houston, Texas to pick-up our neighborhood children for VBS (it was the week of July 21st, 1985)...God used the Follow-up visit from the children's minister of that very special church to DRAW me to JESUS!! When Bro. Jim shared the ABC's to JESUS with the children of my neighborhood that were playing outside in the cul-de-sac of my street the simple true words he shared specifically for the children about what John 3:16 meant were for this grown wife and mother! I will NEVER forget how the TRUTH from GOD'S WORD met me right where I was at & led me to where God wanted me to GO!

An exciting long story short-my husband & I and our little ones were at that special church that came down my street with their VBS bus that next SUNDAY and I RAN to JESUS during the FIRST WORD of the FIRST VERSE of JUST AS I AM...tears of JOY filled my NEW HEART IN CHRIST just like they are filling eyes & my heart today 24 years later...it's just as powerful and just as meaningful as if it had happened yesterday!! I have asked God to NEVER let me forget what it was like being LOST & what it means now to be FOUND in JESUS=peace, purpose, unconditional love, joy, meaning, unselfishness, concern for others, gifted by God, hear His still small voice, purchased FIRST BIBLE & began to understand His Word for the very first time, filled to overflowing with God things, and much more...most of all I had the deepest desire to SHARE what God has done in my life with others because in Jesus I began to learn that am Gifted2GO & tell what Jesus has done in my life!! This is my 3 minute testimony so I need to wrap up this post...BUT...The story doesn't stop until Jesus returns or we go to live with Him FOREVER!!

As His children, we all have a very very special story to share, a testimony of what our lives were like before we met Jesus - how we came to Jesus - and what Jesus is doing in our lives today...YOU have a very very special "testimony" that God will use over and over as His Gifted2Go witness!! That's evangelism 101 to me, share what God has done in your life with someone and leave the results up to Him!! ABC's to Jesus!! Gifted2GO!!!!!!!!!!
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What is Your Story? Your Testimony?!

Describe Your Life Before Jesus: (even if you became a Christian as a little girl (my children all have this kind of powerful testimony of becoming Christians while young! Describe the things that you knew separated you from God...as a little girl it could be; taking a piece of gum that is not yours, telling your parents a story that is not the entire truth, or not minding your parents when they told you to do something)

Describe How You Believed in Jesus and Became a Christian:

Describe What Your Life Has Been Like Since Becoming a Christian:

I thank God for the first Christian women role models in my life that encouraged me to write down my testimony so that I could share Jesus with others!

Thank you for allowing me to OVERFLOW with HIS STORY in and through my life that He begun 24 years ago...TODAY!...the longer I serve Him the SWEETER HE grows!!!!!!!

Do you know that you know that you know that you are HIS?!
Never Give up on those that you are praying for to come to JESUS!

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life"! John 3:16!!!!!!