Building One Another - Vol. 12, No.11
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Dear Friend,
If you “see something say something” is becoming a catchword in American society. While it refers to vigilance in an insecure world, the phrase has me thinking about the reticence of many Christians to “say something” about the Lord they follow.
Nearly one hundred years ago, G. Campbell Morgan was to write: It has become very difficult for Christian people to talk of the things of Christ to each other. They meet together in ordinary life, and they talk of everything except the deepest things of their spiritual life; and that not because they have not deep experience, not because they are unfamiliar with the things of God and His Kingdom, but because they never learned how to help each other in mutual converse concerning them.[1] I find it fascinating that Morgan was speaking of Christians speaking of their faith to other Christians, a supposedly safe environment, much less to those who are not followers of Jesus. When he refers to “ordinary life,” Morgan was speaking of the conversations we have on a daily basis and not of the specific setting of a Bible study where matters of faith are discussed. In the vast majority of cases, American Christians today do not speak about their faith in personal conversation even when given an obvious opportunity to do it. One way for you to gain confidence in speaking of spiritual matters is to be a part of a face-to-face small group Bible study with other Christians. In daily life, when you realize you may appropriately speak of the Lord you love, take courage and say something! “For we cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard." Acts 4:20*
[1]G. Campbell Morgan, The Acts Of The Apostles (New York: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1924), p. 92.
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Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Say Something
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Cherrapunji
Building One Another - Vol. 12, No.10 | ||||||
Dear Friend,
Have you ever heard of Cherrapunji, India? The Guinness Book of World Records calls it the wettest place on earth. During the monsoon season Cherrapunji can receive nearly a yard of water a day. Imagine that! A Mr. Yule called attention to Cherrapunji in 1841 when he reported that during five successive days, thirty inches of water fell every twenty-four hours. [1] Amazing!
Now consider this pivotal word from Jesus: "On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, 'Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink.' As the scripture has said, 'Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.' Now he said this about the Spirit, which believers in him were to receive; for as yet there was no Spirit, because Jesus was not yet glorified." John 7:37-39* Jesus intends you to be a Cherrapunji of the Holy Spirit! "Out of the believer's heart shall flow rivers of living water." The Holy Spirit indwells, lives in those who trust in Jesus. As you open your life to the Spirit of God you will discover the Spirit’s desire is to fill you, surge through you, cascade out of you! This is not something you necessarily “feel” but rather know to be true because you trust the Lord who promises the Spirit to those who trust him by faith. Of course, when you resist the Spirit and engage in behaviors you know are not holy, the Spirit still indwells you, but the blessed influence on your life and actions is diminished. In that case, instead of being filled with the Spirit you have “quenched” the Spirit. Turn to the Lord who loves you, open yourself the filling of the marvelous Spirit of God, and be a Cherrapunji of the Spirit! | ||||||
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