What is the book of John about?

"So Jesus said to them, 'Truly, truly I say to you, I am the door of the sheep...I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep'" (John 10:7, 11, New American Standard Bible).

The book of John has revolutionary truths about who Christ is, how He lived on earth and how God saved us through His sacrifice. A couple months ago, a video tool was released by BibleStudyTools.com and www.godtube.com of Jaye Martin describing concepts we can learn about Jesus in the book of John. We recommend checking out more videos released continuing the study of the same subject. You can find these videos by going to www.godtube.com and searching "Jaye Martin," or you can follow this link: Video Tools - "What is the book of John about?".

Photo above of a shepherd in Ireland found on vancouversun.com.

FEAR = False Evidence Appearing Real!

"Therefore, I remind you to keep ablaze the gift of God that is in you...For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment."

2 Timothy 1:6-7 (HCSB)



As we prepare to share Jesus with others, the enemy uses one of his tricks to cause us to NOT witness...FEAR=False Evidence Appearing Real! God is not the author of FEAR, and through His Spirit He causes us to "FEAR NOT"!

I would like to share with you three FEARS that the enemy uses to put out the fire of Godly courage in our gifted2go lives:

1. FEAR of Rejection! Truth that will set us free from fear=we WILL be rejected by people as a witness for Jesus...BUT we will NEVER be rejected by God! "I ask, then, has God rejected His people? Absolutely not!" Romans 11:1 (HCSB)


2. FEAR of Failure! Truth that will set us free from fear=we WILL fall short as a witness for Jesus...BUT we will NEVER be forsaken by God! "...I will never leave you or forsake you..." Hebrews 13:5 (HCSB)


3. FEAR of the Future! Truth that will set us free from fear=we WILL not be in control of the results as a witness...BUT we can leave the future up to our Faithful God that is Always in Control! "So, what is Apollos? And what is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, and each has the role the Lord has given. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth." 1 Corinthians 3:5-7 (HCSB)

A "Gifted2Go" Word of Testimony: As a first-generation Christian, from the age of 22 when I first heard the name of Jesus, God called me to share Him with others from the day that I accepted Him as my Savior. I will never forget my first pastor sharing with me the very day that I became a Christ Follower for me to "Go, and Share with Everyone What Had Just Happened In My Life"...that is what I did, because FEAR was not something that I was feeling in my new LIFE in Christ, it was a moment full of FAITH! My first day as a believer I went door to door on my street as I shared with my neighbors how I had just given my life to Jesus; the responses from my neighbors were mixed from words of affirmation & joy as I learned that some of my neighbors said to me "that they had been praying for me and my husband (it was clear that we needed the Lord-Lost people look like Lost people!), but there were also some negative reactions from some of my neighbors and extended family that were not believers yet. With each negative reaction the enemy tried over and over to discourage me from being God's witness through the rejection that turned into the fears that I listed above...that is where the importance of discipleship and evangelism training came into my life (PTL!)...with every TRUTH that I learned and lived out from God & His Word, The Holy Spirit turned my FEAR into FAITH not just once but over and over again even up to this day 26 years later since the very time that I first heard the name of JESUS and ran to HIM with ALL MY HEART and made the sold-out commitment to follow Him and Share Him as His "Evangelistic Concerned for Others: Gifted2Go" Witness!!

What specific FEAR is stopping you from being God's Witness? Will you join me in giving God all of our FEAR as we exchange FEAR for FAITH? YES, LORD!! "...Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness, access, and confidence through faith in Him"!! Ephesians 3:12 (HCSB)

Enjoy these 2 songs that remind us that God has set us FREE from the chains of all FEAR!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-mNT0axB9U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrO5KGCNGHM

How Can I Be Jesus to Someone Today?

"Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to ALL people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." (Galatians 6:10)

Last week I was challenging my students (and myself!) to "be Jesus to someone today." As I was thinking about this, I was trying to think of some ways to do this "as we go." These are just a FEW suggestions. You might want to share others through your comments!

• Write an encouraging note to someone who seems discouraged



• Take a gift card for pizza to someone who is overwhelmed or tired



• Offer to watch some children for a couple hours to give a Mom a break



• Serve your spouse even if you don't feel like it
  


• Express appreciation to store clerks as you check out



• Offer to pray for or with a friend



• Listen to a friend who needs to talk



• Go to your nearest Goodwill store and pay for the customer's purchase that is either in front of you or behind you (and give them a gospel booklet :) )



• Think of a person or family who is financially stressed and put a few dollars in an envelope for them to use for a treat



• Express appreciation to your family members for who they are



• Offer to help one afternoon at a clothing closet or homeless shelter



• Have a cheerful attitude when you are asked to do something at work that you don't want to do



• Take some coffee or a Coke to a colleague

As I said before, these are just a FEW ideas. But, AS YOU GO, be Jesus to someone. Please add the things that come to your mind in your comments!

Be Jesus to Someone Today

"We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands...Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did." (I John 2:3,6)

I teach Bible to ninth graders at a Christian School. My specific subject is mainly about teaching them how to take a "ROAD trip" in the Bible. (This acrostic was the idea of one of my colleagues, Dr. Michael Nicholson.) First, they learn how to READ the Bible; second, they learn how to OBSERVE Scripture - who, what, when, where, why, and how; third, they learn how to ANALYZE - context, genre, literary devices, etc.; then they learn how to DO (apply). It is exciting to see them digging into the Scriptures, but I pray that they are not learning these things just to get puffed up with knowledge. The goal for all of us is not just to read and interpret the Bible for the head knowledge, but so that it overflows into our lives to make us more like Jesus. Therefore, as we "Go into all the world...." along the ROAD God has planned for us, we need to be Jesus to others. As I challenged my students the other day to "be Jesus to someone today: your mom or dad, your neighbor, a store clerk..." it was a good reminder to me that to keep the main thing the main thing is to reflect Jesus in everything we do to everyone we meet. As someone has said : "Out theology must become biography."

HOPE for TODAY!

"The nations will put their hope in His name." Matthew 12:21 HCSB

As the anniversary of 9/11 is remembered this week, like you, I will never forget where I was, what I was doing, and the first person I called when I saw the breaking news unfold on the television...One of the first thoughts I had, perhaps because we were about to have a "HeartCall" women's evangelistic leadership training, was...how many people went to heaven that knew Jesus as their Savior and how many did not as I prayed that thousands would turn to Jesus as a result of this tragedy...my heart was gripped with a fresh call to share Jesus with others! Today, what is God using to grip our heart to share Jesus in a fresh way with others?

Do you remember how full our prayer services at church were right after 9/11? Do you remember how God opened up doors to share Jesus & Heaven with others? I still have my hometown newspaper from the day after 9/11....do you know what word is on the entire front page? The word HOPE was on the front page of our local newspaper in the biggest boldest letters!

Our HOPE must come from JESUS and there are millions of people searching for that HOPE today! This week is another special opportunity to share Jesus with others right where we are in our lives doing exactly what we are doing even after these many years since 9/11!

What are some ways that we can reach out to others with Jesus? Our nation is still at war as a result of 9/11...How many military families do we know that could use Hope and/or our Prayers? To inspire us all, I have got to share this song with you about our Christian Military Soldiers that are serving our Nation Under God on the battlefield today. Dear praying friends let's stop right now and say a prayer as the Lord leads us as we cover them with the HOPE & VICTORY that is found in JESUS as they share Jesus with others through their service to our country that keeps us FREE!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_c-dgz9Ykvo

Dear God, no matter what is going on in our lives you can cause each circumstance to fan the flame of The Holy Spirit in our hearts to Share Jesus~Our Greatest HOPE! In Jesus' Name~AMEN!

"But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people. Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones. And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them." Genesis 50:20-21 NKJV

He Makes ALL Things NEW!

"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come."!
2 Corinthians 5:17 HCSB

NEW things have come~old things are gone! God is so wonderful to take away the old things in our lives and make us brand NEW! What He begins in our lives He keeps working on until He returns! What are some old things that He is working on in our lives? Am I allowing Him to make me NEW, it is a choice I make everyday! I have found that one thing that people that need the Lord are looking for is something NEW! Until I learned that it was JESUS that I needed, I would fill up the voids of my life with the new things that the world offer, even though these things did not satisfy; new clothes, new shoes, new places, new people, new gadgets, new neighborhood, new job, new ________...I will NEVER forget the day that JESUS filled the void in my heart, took away my old self and made me brand NEW in Him...He makes ALL things NEW...He puts people in the path of our lives that need to be made NEW...who do we know that we can share Jesus-the Only One That Can Make Us Brand New?

Butterflies remind me of the promise God gives us in 2 Cor. 5:17, especially right now during the summer season because Butterflies are everywhere. From caterpillar to butterfly through many changes in the metamorphosis process...when I think about this God reminds me of the incredible life-changing ways He has changed my life for His Glory! He also reminds me to NEVER forget what it was like when I didn't know Him as my Lord and Savior, what it was like to be in the cocoon of lostness/darkness! When I think about all that God has rescued me from He reminds me to be sensitive to people that are still in their cocoon of lostness/darkness without God...my heart is burdened for our world, our nation, our state, my city, my neighborhood as the Lord whispers to my heart "Tracy, they need Jesus-they need to be made NEW"!

As a caterpillar must "struggle" in the process of emerging as a butterfly, as a believer, God reminds me that He will use every struggle to make me more like Him so that I can share more of Him with others!

Praise You God for the ways You keep working in our lives so that we will continue to have a sensitivity for people that need the Lord! AMEN!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwjOLFMZhQo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKx_hx5itIM

"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."! Philippians 1:6 HCSB

Remembering the Season

In the last week, both my parents celebrated their 80th birthdays and it was a joy for my sister and family, Dad's two sisters, and my family to get to be with them to join in on all the fun. There is so much I could tell you but as I reflect back on it, I am remembering the importance of seasons in one's life and learning to accept where you are.

Take my parents for example, both have had full lives and now have retired in Florida. They still are active helping and serving in their community. They have time to enjoy the scenery as well as take off from the daily routine when they want to. My aunts both find themselves in still another season with grown kids and spouses who are no longer around. They travel (or don't) as they can and can golf or sit and read knowing that it is their choice. My sisters and I are both in the sandwich generation of Boomers with aging parents and children who still need us (and trust me, we want to be needed). We are both insanely busy with ministry and family and seldom have a second to spare. Our husbands are crazy busy at professional jobs and concerned about retirement and what we are all going to live on. My daughter and nieces are finishing those college years and in the crazy 20's where all the major decisions of life are made.

Serving the Lord in our season is very important. Even as we share Christ and take on new challenges at church, we need to remember what season we are in. As a college student, I was free to travel on mission trips and stay up late working with youth ministries. As a young married, I had to devote some of my time to my husband so my time at church had to be adjusted. Talking all night on the phone to the girls just wasn't going to cut it. When I became a mom, I still volunteered at church, but I did things that Kelli could do with me or that I could do when she was at Mother's day out. The older she got, the more things changed. Kelli being in college brought more changes to our home as she moved in and out. Now as she heads to Southern Seminary in Louisville, the huge truck outside the house is a reminder that we are about to enter still another season of life for us all.

So what the point of all this reflection? The point is: Remember your season and serve in it. Don't try to rush things. Enjoy the babies, be patient with that teenager, and keep serving the Lord no matter what. Adapt to your season and rejoice in it. Look for ways to share Christ that fit you and your lifestyle. As YOU go, share the good news of Jesus Christ.

"He made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows when to set" (HCSB, Psalm 104:19).