Witnesses

Good Morning,

Acts 1:8 (NIV)
(Jesus said) "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

Many of us have always thought that by being witnesses for the Lord it meant only that we would give a good "witness"...that would be a verbal statement about our conversion and what it takes to be saved. My friends, being His witnesses in the world is so very much more than just being able to explain the Gospel and then to be able to verbalize our personal experience about our own salvation. You see, I hear the Lord asking me if I've been a good witness for Him. Not in what I've been able to say and even preach or write, but in how I go about my life each day...and how people might perceive me even when I think there's no one watching.

I would love to say that I'm proud of how I go about all of my daily activities and that I know the Lord is happy with the "life witness" I show in all that I do. Yes, I'd love to say that and be truthful, but, well, I cannot honestly say that. At least not in EVERYTHING I say and do. And that fact, that I can't be proud of my personal walking witness, is especially true when I think that I am all alone and no one sees me; sees what I'm doing; or hears me; hears what I might say.

"And you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

What spoke to me in addition to the plain fact that I am to be His witness to my neighborhood, my city and county, my nation, and even to the whole world, is that I am to be His witness ALL THE TIME! Not only when I attend worship services and sing loudly and raise my hands. Not only when I'm among friends and acquaintances speaking to them. Not only when I'm asked to give my "witness" to someone. Like the old joke about the drunk who, when asked if he drank, said, "Only when I'm alone or with someone!" That's how it's to be in how I'm to witness for Jesus...only when I'm alone or with someone.

How is it with you today? Has your witness for the Lord been all that you would like it to be? For me, I would say "No" it's not what I would like it to be and there's much more I ought to be doing and some things that I ought to get changed. Now, I know that I do not have the power to do this on my own. But, as Jesus told us at the start of this verse of Scripture, I have the power of the Holy Spirit in my life to help me. So do we all. It's a matter of us calling on Him and asking Him to be more forceful in our lives so that we can truly BE the witnesses that God is calling us to be.

That's my prayer this morning. For the Holy Spirit to guide me and help me to truly be the witness I know I should be. In all I say, all I do, and all I am. It is my prayer for you, as well.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David