TESTIMONY

[quietthinker]

What is our testimony? Yup, what is it that we testify to? Is it ourselves or the risen Jesus?

The story of how we came to understand the Grace of God is but a minor part of the stories of our life. If we make it the major part and assume that is our testimony, we have become lost in the labyrinth of navel gazing and have little to say about God's generosity to sinners. We are focusing on ourselves at the expense of testifying to the risen, forgiving Saviour.

What a clever trick Satan has pulled on us. Talk about ourselves, he convinces us, and we think we are giving our testimony.....and our listeners are none the wiser of Jesus and its wonder.

When we are asked to share our testimony, what are we expected to say....and what do we say? Food for thought!

 

[Nancy]

Hey Q.T.,
Agreed, I never thought about it this way before. There should be many testimonies throughout our walk, which strengthen our faith as we move ahead. Sensational testimonies can cause some to wonder why they haven't had the same experience thus, their faith might take a hit.
Or, those that believe you can be "taught" by other Christians HOW to speak in tongues!! Crazy really, we pray to be blessed by The Holy Spirit as scripture states yet, man tries to force these outside experiences onto weak Christians all the time, I am one such person.

Really though, should we always have a testimony/praise report? Yes! And, they should be everyday things we sometimes take for granted like, our clothes, food, shelter, a new baby, when there is not enough money to pay for car or house repairs, but God seems to get us through when we fully trust, rigidly, without waver. Not always easy but it is a simple concept-faith.

My own "testimony" is not sensational but, many, many times I saw (figuratively) His hand working in my life in very sensational ways! Our testimony should be ongoing.
JMHO :)

 

[quietthinker]

Hey Q.T.,
Agreed, I never thought about it this way before. There should be many testimonies throughout our walk, which strengthen our faith as we move ahead. Sensational testimonies can cause some to wonder why they haven't had the same experience thus, their faith might take a hit.
Or, those that believe you can be "taught" by other Christians HOW to speak in tongues!! Crazy really, we pray to be blessed by The Holy Spirit as scripture states yet, man tries to force these outside experiences onto weak Christians all the time, I am one such person.

Really though, should we always have a testimony/praise report? Yes! And, they should be everyday things we sometimes take for granted like, our clothes, food, shelter, a new baby, when there is not enough money to pay for car or house repairs, but God seems to get us through when we fully trust, rigidly, without waver. Not always easy but it is a simple concept-faith.

My own "testimony" is not sensational but, many, many times I saw (figuratively) His hand working in my life in very sensational ways! Our testimony should be ongoing.
JMHO :)

When the Disciples discovered a risen Jesus, what do we suppose they told people?

 

[Nancy]

When the Disciples discovered a risen Jesus, what do we suppose they told people?

Not much, until Pentecost after The Holy Spirit fell upon them, giving them courage and boldness to say allot! All AFTER the flames of fire above their heads came, after the mighty wind! :)

 

[quietthinker]

Not much, until Pentecost after The Holy Spirit fell upon them, giving them courage and boldness to say allot! All AFTER the flames of fire above their heads came, after the mighty wind! :)

My guess is they couldn't shut up....and when pentecost came what did they proclaim with boldness?

 

[DuckieLady]

What is our testimony? Yup, what is it that we testify to? Is it ourselves or the risen Jesus?

The story of how we came to understand the Grace of God is but a minor part of the stories of our life. If we make it the major part and assume that is our testimony, we have become lost in the labyrinth of navel gazing and have little to say about God's generosity to sinners. We are focusing on ourselves at the expense of testifying to the risen, forgiving Saviour.

What a clever trick Satan has pulled on us. Talk about ourselves, he convinces us, and we think we are giving our testimony.....and our listeners are none the wiser of Jesus and its wonder.

When we are asked to share our testimony, what are we expected to say....and what do we say? Food for thought!

I think it really helps when you have a background that someone is in presently.

Do you know how many people are involved in witchcraft? So when people ask me what my sign is I tell them I used to be an astrologist and it's a bunch of bunk and dangerous to play with.

You're not going to have the same effect on a person if you simply tell them that's not true. They're going to think you don't have an open mind and aren't listening to them.

At least with some things you can tell them, "My mind was so open already that my brain fell out. Let me tell you why you shouldn't do that."

I think you should hold on to your testimony, because the reality is it's God's story. He wrote it - and it's not really just for you. Don't hold him back.

 

[Nancy]

My guess is they couldn't shut up....and when pentecost came what did they proclaim with boldness?

My dear brother, they were screaming the gospel from the rooftops!

 

[ScottA]

If we are in Christ and Him in us, it is the same testimony--a testimony of Christ. For we who are His are His body and should indeed testify to such a thing occurring, that others might also believe and be saved.

To the contrary, a story of being personally welcomed, and the joy of becoming part of a body of believers, is not a testimony of the works of Christ, but of the good works of those who believe, yet lacking the full substance and message of the gospel.

 

[quietthinker]

My dear brother, they were screaming the gospel from the rooftops!

soooo, what has happened with us? We talk about ourselves and think we are screaming the Gospel.....hmmmm, 'from the rooftops'

 

[MatthewG]

The testimony I have simply is. There was something wrong with my heart, and decided to read about the Lord Jesus, cause to me... all I ever heard was that he was a healer, and one whom could help me. Thankful and grateful though I know I do not amount up to what he has done, he done so much for the World, that it makes me desire him. I always fail him, but abiding in him is a great choice one could ever make, looking to the Father for help as adopted children of his.

 

[quietthinker]

If we are in Christ and Him in us, it is the same testimony--a testimony of Christ. For we who are His are His body and should indeed testify to such a thing occurring, that others might also believe and be saved.

To the contrary, a story of being personally welcomed, and joy of becoming part of a body of believers, is not a testimony of the works of Christ, but of the good works of those who believe, yet lacking the full substance and message of the gospel.

Oh Scott, you speak with a forked tongue.....just as you do in your signature!

 

[DuckieLady]

soooo, what has happened with us? We talk about ourselves and think we are screaming the Gospel.....hmmmm, 'from the rooftops'

I feel like you weren't allowed to be outspoken and vulnerable, and maybe this became an expectation in yourself for everyone to do the same.

Which really just makes me want to know your testimony more

 

[Nancy]

soooo, what has happened with us? We talk about ourselves and think we are screaming the Gospel.....hmmmm, 'from the rooftops'

Well, we have become way to lax IMO. Many of our prayers are lacking fervor, or are redundant
Many factors have made us well, lazy and lacking courage and fervor and...action I guess. Including myself here as well. It's a rocky road but, the correct one

 

[quietthinker]

The testimony I have simply is. There was something wrong with my heart, and decided to read about the Lord Jesus, cause to me... all I ever heard was that he was a healer, and one whom could help me. Thankful and grateful though I know I do not amount up to what he has done, he done so much for the World, that it makes me desire him. I always fail him, but abiding in him is a great choice one could ever make, looking to the Father for help as adopted children of his.

Matthew, don't you think a person describing a good drug experience would use similar language, ie their elation ...ie, themselves?
Our personal story has a place, a rather minor one in fact. When we make it our major witness.....people still remain ignorant of the Gospel.....unless of course in our own heads we redefine the Gospel to mean our experience

 

[MatthewG]

Absolutely! It's difficult to find people who desire to actually go verse by verse in the bible. Because it takes years to even get a grasp some things on that is being said. While on my personal search, there was two preachers I found to listen to, Paul Washer, and then I found Shawn McCranney, and he used the bible all the time, to make his points because he knew if he did not do that people wouldn't listen. Though he has helped me learn so much, I had to also sit and read the gospels for myself, and when I first did that, I was a Rick, with a capital P when I first started. I thought I was better than everyone else, slowly over time, those notions became clear that it was not of the holy spirit but actually of myself. People have subjectively lived lives, and experiences, and hardly ever do we enjoy really reading and looking at the bible and the reason why is because it reveals to us our natural state, however the spirit willingly but the flesh is quite weak! Great question, here and thank you for it @quietthinker. I think I need to go on and get out of here and actually sit in a quiet place and think, and maybe... read the bible to myself, and start studying like I use to; Lord willing.

 

[ScottA]

Oh Scott, you speak with a forked tongue.....just as you do in your signature!

And you have trouble with facts--but then again, I would never bring it up if you weren't so rude.

 

[quietthinker]

I feel like you weren't allowed to be outspoken and vulnerable, and maybe this became an expectation in yourself for everyone to do the same.

Which really just makes me want to know your testimony more

Ok fluffy....I testify to the gob-smacking generosity of our Father. On the other hand, if you want to hear my personal experience, broadly speaking, it would start with an epiphany and continue through fifty odd years of various unfolding experiences.
Paul does much the same; he meets Jesus on the Damascus road but later talks of his shipwrecks and beatings and imprisonment etc. but these things are not the Gospel to which he testifies. These are the result of his passion for presenting Jesus to the people....not the cause

 

[quietthinker]

And you have trouble with facts--but then again, I would never bring it up if you weren't so rude.

you call me rude because I state the obvious.....yet in the process you don't hear yourself.

 

[DuckieLady]

Ok fluffy....I testify to the gob-smacking generosity of our Father. On the other hand, if you want to hear my personal experience, broadly speaking, it would start with an epiphany and continue through fifty odd years of various unfolding experiences.
Paul does much the same; he meets Jesus on the Damascus road but later talks of his shipwrecks and beatings and imprisonment etc. but these things are not the Gospel to which he testifies. These are the result of his passion for presenting Jesus to the people....not the cause

Those hardships are part of not just the gospel they were fighting for, but the grace of God through working through them.

11 of the 12 disciples did not die horrible deaths as a mere consequence, but for the glory of God. They didn't endure persecution for fun, but because they knew Jesus personally and believed- and because they had faith it was the Holy Spirit in them that led them.

The guilt trip and silencing the work of the Holy Spirit in people's lives is not the will of God. Rather, it is the will of the devil.

Satan wants nothing more than people not hearing the effect of God's work in his children's lives. I would be careful about this and where these thoughts are coming from.

 

[quietthinker]

Those hardships are part of not just the gospel they were fighting for, but the grace of God through working through them.

11 of the 12 disciples did not die horrible deaths as a mere consequence, but for the glory of God. They didn't endure persecution for fun, but because they knew Jesus personally and believed- and because they had faith it was the Holy Spirit in them that led them.

The guilt trip and silencing the work of the Holy Spirit in people's lives is not the will of God. Rather, it is the will of the devil.

Satan wants nothing more than people not hearing the effect of God's work in his children's lives. I would be careful about this and where these thoughts are coming from.

the work of the Holy Spirit is to testify to Jesus, Fluffy, not to ourselves.

John 16:13-14
'But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you'.

The Sprit does not testify of himself and neither do those who have the Spirit testify of themselves.

This does not diminish God's effect in his children. They will stand out like pimples on a ducks tail not because they are testifying to themselves (because that's what the whole world does, it says, look at me look at me, look how my life has changed) They will stand out because they testify of/ to Jesus. See above, vs 14

Those at a distance from Jesus have little or nothing to say of him as they would a lover. For them Jesus becomes a name to validate and glorify themselves.

It is selfishness which has infected and dominates the human race. Apart from the obvious it has become so sophisticated it presented as if it is not selfish (self interest)......and 'religion' is one of those avenues.

*note the statement in my signature below in red as a case in point.