“But if someone who is supposed to be a Christian has money enough to live well, and sees a brother in need, and won’t help him—how can God’s love be within him?”
–1 John 3:17 (TLB)
You know that the hardest thing for you to give up is your money. It represents your time, your energy, your talents, your total personality converted into currency. We usually hold on to it tenaciously, yet it is uncertain in value and we cannot take it into the next world. The Scripture teaches that we are stewards for a little while of all we earn. If we misuse it, as did the man who buried his talent, it brings upon us the severest judgment of God. The tithe is the Lord’s. If you use it for yourself, you are robbing God. We are to take the tithe as a standard, but to go beyond the tithe is an indication of our gratefulness for God’s gifts to us. In the midst of sorrow and trouble, this life has many blessings and enjoyments which have come from the hand of God. Even our capacity for love is a gift from God. We show our gratitude by giving back to Him a part of that which He has given to us.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY
Give me a generous heart, Father, that does not grudgingly give back to You all that is rightfully Yours.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Monday, February 6, 2012
The New Logo
Let us know what you think about the new logo for Walking In The Way!
Disillusioned when God does not answer
Many of the ungodly are disillusioned when God doesn’t answer their prayers. They need to know that He often doesn’t hear them because of their proud and sinful hearts. The psalmist warns that if we regard iniquity in our heart, the Lord will not hear (see Psa. 66:18). We must continually confess and forsake sin, and keep intimate communion with God. See also 1:15; Mic. 3:4; John 9:31.
Isaiah 59:1 Behold, the Lords hand is not shortened, Behold, the Lords hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear.2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.
Isaiah 59:1 Behold, the Lords hand is not shortened, Behold, the Lords hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear.2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.
The Cleansing Power of Christ
For if the blood of bulls and of goats . . . sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh; how much more shall the blood of Christ, . . . purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
–Hebrews 9:13,14
To have a guilty conscience is an experience. Psychologists may define it as a guilt complex and may seek to rationalize away the sense of guilt; but once this has been awakened through the application of the law of God, no explanation will quiet the insistent voice of conscience. Many a criminal has finally given himself over to the authorities because the accusations of a guilty conscience were worse than prison bars. The Bible teaches that Christ cleanses the conscience. To have a guilty conscience cleansed and to be free from its constant accusation is an experience, but it is not the cleansing of the conscience that saves you; it is faith in Christ that saves, and a cleansed conscience is the result of having come into the right relationship with God.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY
I stand in awe of the magnitude of Your forgiveness, Father.
–Hebrews 9:13,14
To have a guilty conscience is an experience. Psychologists may define it as a guilt complex and may seek to rationalize away the sense of guilt; but once this has been awakened through the application of the law of God, no explanation will quiet the insistent voice of conscience. Many a criminal has finally given himself over to the authorities because the accusations of a guilty conscience were worse than prison bars. The Bible teaches that Christ cleanses the conscience. To have a guilty conscience cleansed and to be free from its constant accusation is an experience, but it is not the cleansing of the conscience that saves you; it is faith in Christ that saves, and a cleansed conscience is the result of having come into the right relationship with God.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY
I stand in awe of the magnitude of Your forgiveness, Father.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Pleasures for a season
The Christian message to this world is that all its pleasures are but for a season. This life is a vapor; it is vanity. There is only One who is eternal, the Word of God, and He will grant eternal life to all who trust in Him.
“For had they but their thoughts well exercised about the shortness of this life, and the danger that will befall such as do miss of the Lord Jesus Christ, it would make them more wary and sober, and spend more time in the service of God, and be more delighted and diligent in inquiring after the Lord Jesus, who is the deliverer ‘from the wrath to come.’” John Bunyan
Isaiah 40:6 The voice said, Cry out! And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.7 The grass withers, the flower fades, Because the breath of the Lord blows upon it; Surely the people are grass.8 The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.
“For had they but their thoughts well exercised about the shortness of this life, and the danger that will befall such as do miss of the Lord Jesus Christ, it would make them more wary and sober, and spend more time in the service of God, and be more delighted and diligent in inquiring after the Lord Jesus, who is the deliverer ‘from the wrath to come.’” John Bunyan
Isaiah 40:6 The voice said, Cry out! And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.7 The grass withers, the flower fades, Because the breath of the Lord blows upon it; Surely the people are grass.8 The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.
Terrible Curses for Rebellion
How different things would have been if God’s people had been faithful to Him. He set before them the way of life and the way of death (21:8; Deut. 30:15,19). He told them to choose which they would have. He spoke to them of incredible blessings if they would obey His voice, and warned them of terrible curses for rebellion (see Deut. 28).
Jeremiah 50:4 In those days and in that time, says the Lord, The children of Israel shall come, They and the children of Judah together; With continual weeping they shall come, And seek the Lord their God.5 They shall ask the way to Zion, With their faces toward it, saying, Come and let us join ourselves to the Lord In a perpetual covenant That will not be forgotten.6 My people have been lost sheep. Their shepherds have led them astray; They have turned them away on the mountains. They have gone from mountain to hill; They have forgotten their resting place.7 All who found them have devoured them; And their adversaries said, We have not offended, Because they have sinned against the Lord, the habitation of justice, The Lord, the hope of their fathers.
Jeremiah 50:4 In those days and in that time, says the Lord, The children of Israel shall come, They and the children of Judah together; With continual weeping they shall come, And seek the Lord their God.5 They shall ask the way to Zion, With their faces toward it, saying, Come and let us join ourselves to the Lord In a perpetual covenant That will not be forgotten.6 My people have been lost sheep. Their shepherds have led them astray; They have turned them away on the mountains. They have gone from mountain to hill; They have forgotten their resting place.7 All who found them have devoured them; And their adversaries said, We have not offended, Because they have sinned against the Lord, the habitation of justice, The Lord, the hope of their fathers.
The Importance of Corporate Worship
Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together . . .
–Hebrews 10:25
I will not argue with you about nature inspiring thoughts of God. David said, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth His handiwork.” But at the same time, I would give you no comfort about absenting yourself from the house of God. The Bible says, “Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for it.” If our Lord loved it enough to die for it, then we should respect it enough to support and attend it. I like what Theodore Roosevelt once said, “You may worship God anywhere, at any time, but the chances are that you will not do so unless you have first learned to worship Him somewhere in some particular place, at some particular time.”
PRAYER FOR THE DAY
Down through the years, beloved Lord, Christians have met to worship You. Thank You that I am a part of this blessed family.
–Hebrews 10:25
I will not argue with you about nature inspiring thoughts of God. David said, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth His handiwork.” But at the same time, I would give you no comfort about absenting yourself from the house of God. The Bible says, “Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for it.” If our Lord loved it enough to die for it, then we should respect it enough to support and attend it. I like what Theodore Roosevelt once said, “You may worship God anywhere, at any time, but the chances are that you will not do so unless you have first learned to worship Him somewhere in some particular place, at some particular time.”
PRAYER FOR THE DAY
Down through the years, beloved Lord, Christians have met to worship You. Thank You that I am a part of this blessed family.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Following in the Footsteps of Jesus
The letters W.W.J.D. have caused a marketing and product craze
within the Christian sub-culture here in America. Most likely you already
realize that the letters represent the question, "What would Jesus do?" Even
though this is a very thought-provoking question, I think that there is an even
more helpful question that we should be asking as Christians. Let's change the
letters slightly to be W.D.J.D. – "What DID Jesus Do?" Instead of guessing about
what Jesus would do in a situation, it would seem more beneficial for us to look
at scripture and clearly realize what Jesus did do and then emulate that.
In John 4:4-26 we have an example of how Jesus witnessed to
someone. Here is a situation where Jesus initiates a conversation with a
complete stranger and demonstrates the Biblical method of approaching sinners
and presenting the Gospel to them. This story should prove that Christians can
effectively witness to people that they do not know personally or have taken the
time to establish a close intimate relationship with. This instance should also
prove that this form of "confrontational evangelism", which is by far the most
maligned, criticized and seldom practiced form of evangelism, can and is used of
God to bring people to faith in Christ. What did Jesus do? He witnessed to
strangers and so should we.
It is significant to take special notice of the exact
chronological order of the various components of Jesus' conversation. The order
isn't just coincidence, rather it exemplifies the wisdom and divine order of
Almighty God. If we want to follow in the footsteps of the Master, we should be
careful to follow in the same order in our witnessing opportunities. Let's
briefly consider what Jesus did and how we can apply these principles to our own
witnessing opportunities.
1. RELATE – John 4:7 "When a Samaritan woman came to
draw water, Jesus said to her, 'Will you give me a drink?"
Notice that Jesus began his conversation with this woman in the natural realm by speaking about something that she could easily relate to. Jesus was tired and thirty and asked this woman to help him by giving him a drink from the well. He did not begin his conversation with deep theological principles or by asking personal questions. There is a reason for this.
Notice that Jesus began his conversation with this woman in the natural realm by speaking about something that she could easily relate to. Jesus was tired and thirty and asked this woman to help him by giving him a drink from the well. He did not begin his conversation with deep theological principles or by asking personal questions. There is a reason for this.
Listen to what Paul says in I Corinthians 2:14 "The man without
the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they
are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are
spiritually discerned." Beginning a conversation with a sinner by using deep
spiritual truths, is like waking someone up from a sound sleep by flashing a
bright light in their face and shaking them violently. No one likes to get woken
up like that, including the unsaved. If we do this it will most likely produce
anger, annoyance, frustration and a closed heart.
Learn to take time to relate to people. Be friendly and speak
about the weather, a sport, their job, etc. If you are able, use humor and make
the experience as enjoyable as possible. Show a genuine interest in the person
that you are speaking with. I have found that most people genuinely enjoy
talking about themselves. Your goal here is to build a bridge of relationship,
rather than a wall of division.
Learn how to genuinely listen to people. The last thing you should
want to do is to give the person you are speaking with the impression that you
are only waiting to get to your religious sales pitch. Most people can tell if
someone is really listening to them or not. Media Management Inc. once listed
the ten most annoying mistakes made while listening. Here they are.
- Lack of eye contact
- Disagreeing with everything said
- Holding side conversations
- Correcting grammar or word choices
- Answering before the question is finished
- Not responding
- Bad breath or sitting too close
- Completing speaker's sentences
- Coughing or clearing throat
- Interrupting
An effective personal evangelist will learn how to listen to
people and build a bridge of relationship with them. Do what Jesus did and begin
your conversations with sinners by relating to them in the natural realm.
2. CREATE – John 4:10 "Jesus answered her, 'If you knew
the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked
him and he would have given you living water."
Here in this verse Jesus makes a deliberate change in the conversation from talking about natural things to speaking about spiritual things. This wasn't accidental. It was intentional. There needs to be a point in our conversations with people where we intentionally direct the course of the conversation to speaking about spiritual things.
Here in this verse Jesus makes a deliberate change in the conversation from talking about natural things to speaking about spiritual things. This wasn't accidental. It was intentional. There needs to be a point in our conversations with people where we intentionally direct the course of the conversation to speaking about spiritual things.
This is the part of your conversation that really takes courage.
There are many Christians who can talk at great length with people about the
weather, the local sports team, their jobs, etc. But there seems to be very few
who have sufficient courage and understanding of how to steer the conversation
to the things of God. You need to learn how to make a purposeful transition in
your conversation so you can speak about spiritual truths.
Let me give you a little word of advice here. If someone isn't
open to talking about the things of God when you make your transition, you
should feel free and uncondemned to resume talking about natural things. Most of
the time you will be able to tell very easily and quickly if a person is open
and willing to speak about spiritual things. If you keep pushing the Gospel on
someone who isn't open to it, you are no longer building a bridge of
relationship. Instead you are constructing a wall of division and you may never
be able to witness to that person again. God has got to be drawing them in order
for them to receive what you have to say. Jesus said in John 6:44 "No one can
come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him..."
What we are doing when we make this transition, is we are trying
to see if they are open and God is working on their heart. I have spent many
hours out on lakes fishing. One of the things that I learned about fishing is
that the object is to find fishing that are biting. There have been times when I
could see fish near my boat, but they weren't hungry. I could drop almost any
kind of bait in the world in front of them, but if they weren't hungry nothing
was going to happen. An effective fisherman will fish for a while in one spot
and if the fish aren't biting there he moves to another spot. We are called to
be fishers of men (Matthew 4:19). Like wise fishermen, we need to keep moving
from person to person until we find one that is "biting", i.e. they are open to
talking about the things of God.
You can use questions/transition statements and tracts to quickly
and effectively create a witnessing opportunity. You might ask someone if they
go to church anywhere or if they have a Christian background. You can ask
someone what they do for a living and then try to think of someone in your
church with the same or a similar occupation and mention them in the
conversation, following that up by asking them if they go to church anywhere.
You might begin speaking about an interesting speaker that you had at your
church recently or about a Christian television program that you watched.
You could give them a tract and ask them to read it and give you
their opinion. I use an optical illusion tract, and many others, from Living Waters Publications to
quickly swing from the natural to the spiritual. Creative Gospel tracts are very
effective for this particular phase of witnessing. If someone is open to talking
with you about spiritual things then continue following in the footsteps of
Jesus.
3. CONVICT – John 4:16-18 "He told her, 'Go, call your
husband and come back.' 'I have no husband,' she replied. Jesus said to her,
'You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five
husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said
is quite true."
Here Jesus uses the essence of the seventh commandment, "You shall not commit adultery" (Exodus 20:14), to convict this woman of her personal sins against God. Once the woman said that she didn't have a husband, notice that Jesus didn't say something like, "Well, nobody is perfect. We've all sinned and fall short of the glory of God." No, Jesus was very direct in pointing out her sins. He made it very clear that this woman had violated the Laws of God and was still in her sins. We need to learn how to do the same to be genuinely effective in evangelism.
Here Jesus uses the essence of the seventh commandment, "You shall not commit adultery" (Exodus 20:14), to convict this woman of her personal sins against God. Once the woman said that she didn't have a husband, notice that Jesus didn't say something like, "Well, nobody is perfect. We've all sinned and fall short of the glory of God." No, Jesus was very direct in pointing out her sins. He made it very clear that this woman had violated the Laws of God and was still in her sins. We need to learn how to do the same to be genuinely effective in evangelism.
This would be a great time in your conversation to ask the person,
"Do you see your need for God's forgiveness?" Most people will answer, "No."
This is where you would begin to use the Ten Commandments, the Law of God, to
bring about a consciousness of sin. This part is crucial because if a person
does not clearly understand that they have sinned against God they will sense no
need for salvation. In other words, if they think lightly of sin they will think
lightly of the Savior (Luke 7:47).
If you do not clearly understand how and why to use the Ten
Commandments in evangelism, I strongly encourage you to go online at
www.livingwaters.com and listen to the presentation entitled, "Hell's Best Kept
Secret". Or you can order a book or cassette by the same title.
When, and only when, this part has been successful, you would move
on to the forth thing that Jesus did.
4. REVEAL – John 4:26 "Then Jesus declared, 'I who speak
to you am he.'"
Once this woman had been convicted of her sin and did not try to justify her disobedience, Jesus revealed Himself to her as the Messiah. Once the woman was convinced that she had the "disease" Jesus revealed Himself as the "cure". This is the point in your conversation where you talk about the cross, mercy and grace of God.
Once this woman had been convicted of her sin and did not try to justify her disobedience, Jesus revealed Himself to her as the Messiah. Once the woman was convinced that she had the "disease" Jesus revealed Himself as the "cure". This is the point in your conversation where you talk about the cross, mercy and grace of God.
Here is a great rule of thumb to follow in witnessing: GIVE LAW TO
THE PROUD AND GRACE TO THE HUMBLE. To do this is to follow in the footsteps of
Jesus. James 4:6 says, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."
This is exactly what Jesus did. Contrary to popular Christian belief, Jesus did
not treat everyone the same. To the proud and self-righteous religious leaders
who prided themselves on observing the Law, Jesus was very direct in showing
their violations of the Law. He spoke about their sin hypocrisy and the Judgment
of God. His message to them was not, "I love you and have a wonderful plan for
your life!" They were arrogant so He gave them the Law.
Now think about the woman caught in adultery (John 8:3-11). She
was caught in the act of breaking the 7th commandment. The Law called for her
blood. Her sentence under the Law was death by stoning. She was literally
between a rock and hard place! What did Jesus do? Did give her Law? No, he gave
her grace. The reason is because she was humbled by the Law. Never once did she
say anything trying to justify her actions or accuse anyone else of their own
sin. Because of the broken and contrite condition of her heart, Jesus gave her
grace.
If the person you are witnessing to is convinced of their sin and
clearly understands their need of salvation, spend your time by speaking of the
love and mercy of God. If that person won't admit that they are a sinner and see
their need of Christ, continue to talk about the Law, sin and Judgment of God.
You shouldn't feel bad about ending a conversation that way either. Leave people
in their conviction if they are not ready yet for grace. The right time will
come. If you remove a baby from the womb before the proper time it will die. But
when the time is right, the baby comes into the world healthy and strong. This
is why we have untold thousands of people making "decisions" for Christ yet they
are still dead in their sins.
In Matthew 7:6 Jesus said, "Do not give dogs what is sacred; do
not throw your pearls to pigs." Let me try and explain what I believe Jesus is
saying here. We should not give something that is valuable to us to someone who
cannot appreciate its value. We should never give something to someone who will
not treat that thing in the proper way that it should be treated. Please
consider the following illustration.
A doting grandmother is babysitting all four of her grandchildren
who are all under the age of five. She adores her grandbabies and is thrilled
about this opportunity to spend time with them at her home. As the toddlers are
racing through the house, they come into the dining room and stop. With wide
eyes they stare at the beautiful and expensive china locked away in grandma's
china cabinet. They notice the beautiful designs on the dishes as well as the
solid gold edges of the cups and plates. After a few moments they call grandma
into the room and ask her if they can take the pretty dishes outside to play
with them in the sandbox.
What do you think this grandma will do? More than likely she will
lovingly tell the grandchildren that there is no way they are going anywhere
near grandma's china. As a consolation though, she may offer some banged up pots
or plastic dishes that the children could play with.
Why would this grandma do this? Is it because she hates her
grandchildren? No, she loves them very much. It is because she knows that the
toddlers cannot appreciate the china's value to her and thus they will not treat
it in the way it should be treated. But what about if her daughter comes to pick
up the children and while talking with her mom the daughter tells her of a
formal dinner party she is organizing for her husband. She tells of how she has
priced china in the past and is fully aware of how expensive it is to purchase.
There is no way she can afford to buy her own china set. She then proceeds to
very humbly and delicately to ask her mom if she could borrow the china for her
party. She goes to great length to ensure her mom that she will take every
precaution imaginable to protect the valuable china.
More than likely the mother will gladly allow her daughter the
blessing of using her china because she can fully appreciate its value and will
treat it in the way it deserves to be treated. This how we should be in
witnessing. Never give the grace of God, what should be the Christian's most
valued and cherished possession, to people who are not ready for it.
This is how Jesus witnessed and we should do the same. Let's do
what Jesus did!
Make sure to 'like' us on Facebook, and become a 'Follower' here, or sign up for email notifications on the bottom right of this page. As always, thanks for stopping by, and may God bless you! -Walking In The Way
What is God like
If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there . . .
–Psalm 139:8
I believe it is possible to know what God is like. The Bible declares that God is Spirit, that He is not limited to body; He is not limited to shape; He is not limited to force; He is not limited to boundaries or bonds; He is absolutely immeasurable. Thousands of people are trying to limit God to certain spheres, and relegate Him to certain categories that are the product of their own speculation. There is no limit to God. There is no limit to His wisdom. There is no limit to His power. There is no limit to His love. There is no limit to His mercy. Men change, fashions change, conditions and circumstances change, but God never changes.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY
I limit You so many times, Lord. Forgive my finite mind and fill me with Your wisdom, power, and mercy, so that I can touch those You love this day.
–Psalm 139:8
I believe it is possible to know what God is like. The Bible declares that God is Spirit, that He is not limited to body; He is not limited to shape; He is not limited to force; He is not limited to boundaries or bonds; He is absolutely immeasurable. Thousands of people are trying to limit God to certain spheres, and relegate Him to certain categories that are the product of their own speculation. There is no limit to God. There is no limit to His wisdom. There is no limit to His power. There is no limit to His love. There is no limit to His mercy. Men change, fashions change, conditions and circumstances change, but God never changes.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY
I limit You so many times, Lord. Forgive my finite mind and fill me with Your wisdom, power, and mercy, so that I can touch those You love this day.
Friday, February 3, 2012
A Lesser Known
A Lesser Known
by Charles R. Swindoll
Read Acts 9:26–30
Act two of the drama opens with, "When he came to Jerusalem . . . " (v. 26). Jerusalem! Saul owned Jerusalem. He went to graduate school in that great town. I mean, the man knew that old city like the back of his hand—every alleyway, every narrow passage, every escape route. He knew virtually everyone of any significance. What a venue to restart his public ministry. "Get the microphones. Turn the lights up bright. Pharisee-turned-evangelist now appearing at the central Jerusalem auditorium. Come and hear! Come listen to this man preach!" Forget it. It was nothing like that.
Instead, we read this: "He was trying to associate with the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple" (v. 26). Rejected again, only this time by those he most wanted to meet. Fear stood between them and the zealous, gifted preacher.
That's understandable; who wouldn't be afraid of him? He killed their fellow Christians, some of whom may have been relatives. They thought Saul was a spy—part of an elaborate hoax designed to trap them and drag them to trial. "Saul? No way. Don't let him in our ranks!"
Ever felt the sting of that kind of rejection? Have you ever had such a bad track record that people didn't want to associate with you or welcome you into their fellowship? (Or welcome you back?) It happens all the time. People are rejected because of their pasts. The load of baggage they drag behind them as they enter the Christian life keeps them from enjoying what should be instant acceptance. The rejection at times is unbearable. You may say, "Yes. I've been there. And I'm trying to forget those memories, thank you very much." No, don't forget those times. Those painful memories are part of God's gracious plan to break your strong spirit of independence. They've become an essential segment of your story—your testimony of God's grace.
Thankfully, in the midst of those times, God faithfully provides lesser-known individuals who come alongside and say, "Hey, I'm on your team. Let me walk through this with you." That's exactly what happened to Saul in Jerusalem. Someone stepped up, voluntarily. He didn't have to, he wanted to. His name . . . Barnabas, the encourager.
by Charles R. Swindoll
Read Acts 9:26–30
Act two of the drama opens with, "When he came to Jerusalem . . . " (v. 26). Jerusalem! Saul owned Jerusalem. He went to graduate school in that great town. I mean, the man knew that old city like the back of his hand—every alleyway, every narrow passage, every escape route. He knew virtually everyone of any significance. What a venue to restart his public ministry. "Get the microphones. Turn the lights up bright. Pharisee-turned-evangelist now appearing at the central Jerusalem auditorium. Come and hear! Come listen to this man preach!" Forget it. It was nothing like that.
Instead, we read this: "He was trying to associate with the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple" (v. 26). Rejected again, only this time by those he most wanted to meet. Fear stood between them and the zealous, gifted preacher.
That's understandable; who wouldn't be afraid of him? He killed their fellow Christians, some of whom may have been relatives. They thought Saul was a spy—part of an elaborate hoax designed to trap them and drag them to trial. "Saul? No way. Don't let him in our ranks!"
Ever felt the sting of that kind of rejection? Have you ever had such a bad track record that people didn't want to associate with you or welcome you into their fellowship? (Or welcome you back?) It happens all the time. People are rejected because of their pasts. The load of baggage they drag behind them as they enter the Christian life keeps them from enjoying what should be instant acceptance. The rejection at times is unbearable. You may say, "Yes. I've been there. And I'm trying to forget those memories, thank you very much." No, don't forget those times. Those painful memories are part of God's gracious plan to break your strong spirit of independence. They've become an essential segment of your story—your testimony of God's grace.
Thankfully, in the midst of those times, God faithfully provides lesser-known individuals who come alongside and say, "Hey, I'm on your team. Let me walk through this with you." That's exactly what happened to Saul in Jerusalem. Someone stepped up, voluntarily. He didn't have to, he wanted to. His name . . . Barnabas, the encourager.
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