“The woman of Samaria said to Him (Jesus), ‘How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?’" —John 4:9
You can’t change the world how God wants until you’re first changed.
But we can learn a whole lot about effective world changing or witnessing in the Word. Sure, by examining the way our Lord did this for His Heavenly Father. Go check it out in the Bible once again, like where Christ encountered the woman at the well (John 4:5-26). Follow Him and His good example.
Christ wisely and deeply loved her. He timed things perfectly not in a weird way--He was walking in the Spirit. Jesus did break all social protocol though.. by simply talking to this Samaritan woman there. He was fully God, fully man and He had such a pure and giving love inside for her. You remember how Jesus asked her for a drink of water. Giving to God seems to give Him something to work with—he started her out with a habit to form. What He really wanted, was her to give Him her whole life.
After the icebreaker so to speak, Christ had a perfect opportunity to outright condemn her with her past and current loose-livin'-habits, but why do that when it wouldn't help. He didn’t do that. Instead, Jesus was a gentleman who listened.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:16-17
Have you prayed about being a wise witness for Jesus before the people you care about before?
And God loves you gobs as well!..yes, as much as He loves His own dear son, and He proved this by sending Him. God proved His love was real on the cross. And God in His great love chose you to become His dear child. He wants to bless you and bless others through you. He delights to use ordinary people like you and me.
Too many Westerners get inverted--looking at self. No need for too much of that. The idea for the believer is N O T really to focus on our own heart, but rather to look up—to focus our heart on the Word of God. Theology is very important to study from the Bible primarily, but don’t let your resolve for correct doctrine make you dry, miserable, mean, arrogant, or condemning of other people. You’ve got to be a person of passionate worship and prayer as well, a practical servant with a soft humble heart.
If we truly understand what it is to love God and then His people, then everything else will fall into place and be right.
We don’t need to redefine what God has already defined. Let’s get back to the church the way it was in the beginning.
Some people think we need to redefine the church for today. I think we need to rediscover it!
You can be loving, accepting, caring, and yet unbiblical in what you say.
Ask yourself, is my spirit right? How is your attitude? You can be kind, sympathetic and fashionably “tolerant” even tolerant of that which God is intolerant. It seems that too many people would prefer to offend God just as long as they don’t offend people.. even evil people who seek to harm others. I wouldn’t mind serving and helping people, but would rather not offend God while pleasing people.
You can be biblically correct, but unloving, puffed up in pride and even harsh—the religious leaders of Christ’s day were like that a lot of the time and at other times they weren’t even biblically correct not knowing the Scriptures or the power of God.
“But Jesus answered and said to them, "You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God.” Matthew 22:29
None of us need to be flawless cuz the grace, love and blood of Jesus covers, but that doesn’t mean we need to continue on in a spiritually compromising lifestyle. Listen, you may be resisting the enemy in one area, and yet setting up house with him in another.
It’s the growing, no-compromise believers in the word and full of faith that are fruitful and effective one. Small things always turn into big things regarding sin. Purpose in your heart now not to live a compromise lifestyle, believer.
More people have been brought down by the sin of compromise than any other sin. Remember Sampson and Delilah? Slowly, slowly he gave in until he lost his power for victory.
Faith is a consent of the will to the assent of the understanding. I’m not talking about that name it claim it, blab it and grab it word-faith aberration. No, biblical faith sees what could be and yet obeys the Word. Faith is not just intellectual assent—the devils believe and tremble. It’s an appropriate action—it’s decency and love on display. It is action in response to God’s Word. A believer sees invisible things in a sense, not everything.. yes, when God shows him or her what to go do or say.
“You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me.. to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8
In a court of law with a criminal court case, witnesses provide vital information that’s true about a possible crime that was committed. Being a witness there means telling the court the exact truth about what you know. It’s not about hiding or twisting the facts about what we personally saw, heard, felt, or experienced. Well, just as the jurist prudence system regarding criminal justice relies heavily upon witnesses, so does our just God do that. His Son does too. Jesus uses bold, faithful, caring and credible witnesses to spread His Word and to build His church.
Lord, help us show compassion
To a world that's lost in sin,
So when we share the Gospel,
Hungry souls for Christ we'll win. —Sper
Getting right with the Lord and loving the lost in prayer and then with deeds—those are the first steps in becoming a world-changer for Christ.
Regarding sin, admitting it and quitting—those are the first steps towards becoming the world-changer that God wants to make you into. Unless people repent and believe in the Bible Jesus they are in eternal trouble that God doesn’t want em in. I don’t either, but nobody gets saved without true repentance and saving faith in Christ. What am I talking about? Repentance is a true recognition of sin—we’ve all blown it and sinned says the Bible. And then it’s followed by a heartfelt sorrow inside that you hurt God, and then it culminates in a positive change of behavior that corresponds with a regenerated living human spirit when one is forgiven. Have you asked for true repentance, free forgiveness and saving faith? You can right now.
