Thursday, February 28, 2019

Teach with Testimony

It is not what we know but what we can testify to.

Our learning is not as much book learning as On The Job Training.

If we don't do what we learn, we won't really know it. In fact, if we fail to do what we are learning, what we think we know will soon only be a deception. James 1:22 NASB “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.”

Everyone has a foundation to their life. To some, fun is purpose of their life. Others make a career or job their foundation. And others' foundation is a political philosophy. Matthew 7:24-25 NASB “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.”

The Bible must be our foundation. We can base our lives on the Bible, not just knowing it and how it flows from Genesis to Revelation. If we base our life on the Bible, we can rely on it through the storms. Notice that the foundation is built before the storm comes. If we wait until the storm comes before attempting to build, the foundation will be washed away as we are building. That is not to say we can't build our house in the storm, but it will take much longer with heartache.

John 8:31-32 shows the key to freedom through what Jesus taught. “So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

I have heard it taught 100s of times that freedom comes from knowing the Word. The Bible teaches that we know the Word by remaining in it throughout life. Continuing in the word means we will stay in it through the storms of life. This  brings us freedom. When we remain in faith through the storms of life,  it testifies to the goodness of God. When we give up on the Word in a trial, we didn't believe it would work.

Other aspects to continuing in the Word is to make Jesus Lord and carrying our cross daily. Luke 9:23; Romans 10:9-10; Romans 12:1-2 If we don't make Jesus Lord and carry our cross, the trials of life will cause the promise of the Scriptures to become bitter. Many reject the Bible because they don't make Jesus Lord and fail to carry the cross of Christ. It is the Lordship of Christ and willingness to suffer in service to Him that brings the stability, even through all the world throws us.

There are many disagreements in the Christian walk. Churches split over doctrinal differences. Jesus led me to not present Scripture without a testimony whenever it is a point of contention. Christian forums have shown the problems we have when sharing spiritual truth. The teaching of James 3:13-18 shows the importance of letting our testimony be the teacher, especially when there is a point of contention. 

“ Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. 18 And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”

1 Corinthians 8:1-2 explains the problem of knowing something without living it with love. When we live out the Scriptures, we are humbled by our weakness when we don't rely on the Holy Spirit to help us. To live out the Scriptures pushes us to love because there is no effective faith without love. Galatians 6:7 says faith works through love. Without love, faith is ineffective. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 explains the problem of faith without love. When we talk to someone who knows Bible teaching but hasn't lived it, it comes across as arrogant and unpleasant. It is refreshing and encouraging to learn from someone who lives out what he is teaching.

Kenneth Hagin was a preacher who knew what he was teaching. Every page of his books have examples of how he lived out what he had learned from the Bible. You can't argue with a testimony. A testimony will give glory to God and how He provided the solution to the problem.

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