Witness

This one wasn’t written just this morning.  It was started Sunday when pastor read:

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, (Hebrews 12:1 KJV)

Now, that verse will preach for a long time. Since I was to present a devotional Tuesday, that verse spoke a lot to me.  So, I wrote five pages about it. I need to bring that down to one for this morning.

Beginning with the witnesses from previous Hebrew chapters: Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham – and the list goes on. Witnesses who placed their lives in God’s hands, teaching us that He kept his promises even when they didn’t. Also teaching us that they learned from their errors and witnessed with their faith.

How do we grow the faith needed to witness to others about God’s work in our lives?

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17 KJV)

It’s a simple statement of truth. Christ mentioned witnessing:

And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. (Matthew 24:14 KJV)

In my presentation, I gave examples of family witnessing. No need to list them here, I believe each of my readers have been witnessed to by loving family members who want to share their love of God. There are several on my prayer list, too.

What is our witness?  Pretty much what Jesus described to John’s disciples:

Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. (Luke 7:22-23 KJV)

We are witnesses to what Christ has done. Not what we’ve done or our church has done. Not our pastor, our missionaries or any other servant of our Lord. Our witness is what Christ has done in our lives, for His glory.

How do we do that? The same way early Christians did:

And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. (1 Corinthians 2:1-5 KJV)

That’s our witness, in weakness and fear but in a truthful demonstration of the spirit. God will provide the words.