I believe this is what we are missing- a living testimony within our own lives! We can preach/teach want we want until the cows come home, but people look at our lives before they listen to our words. Our words should be a direct reflection of our lives."Holiness, Truth, and the Presence of God" was one of the first books I read that started to turn my lukewarm Christian life around. This article is adapted from this book.-The Converting Power of True Holiness-One of the most common verses in the New Testament reads, "and greatmultitudes followed Jesus." The gospel of Matthew alone mentions overtwenty distinct instances when vast numbers of people traveled greatdistances to be with Christ. People saw in Jesus meekness, unlimitedpower, and perfect love. If we would win souls, people must see in usthis same Jesus. When People Saw Jesus"And Jesus called His disciples to Him, and said, 'I feel compassion forthe multitude, because they have remained with Me now three days and havenothing to eat.'" Matthew 15:32There were two occasions when Jesus fed the multitudes. The first eventoccurred in a desolate region of the Judean wilderness, and it lasted oneday. During the second event, the multitudes had been with Jesus forthree days without food on a hillside near the Sea of Galilee. The impact Christ had upon the local Jewish society was unprecedented!Their entire economy stopped. No one picked over or sold vegetables inthe marketplaces, goats were not milked, gardens were left untended, andrelatives watching little children did not know when the parents wouldreturn! For three days nothing at all was normal. They Left AllThese local communities left all when they heard Jesus was near. Withoutforethought, without packing a donkey, without so much as taking extrafood or telling those who remained at home when to expect them, fourthousand men, plus additional thousands of women and children,spontaneously followed Christ to a "desolate place." Perhaps ten thousandor more people left their villages, but we read of no one complainingthat "the service was too long," or "the weather too hot" or "the messagewas boring." Whatever they lacked in comfort and convenience wasovershadowed by the glory of being with Jesus!How wonderful it must have been to be with Jesus! The first time Christfed the multitudes, the people were so overwhelmed they conspiredtogether to "take Him by force, to make Him king" (John 6:15). Such was Jesus. But a problem exists among many of us. People who do notreally know God's Son seek to represent Him to others. Instead oftestifying of His wonderful works, they testify only of their religion.The unsaved do not see Jesus. They hear about church, they are told sinis wrong, lusts are evil, and drunkenness a terrible shame, but they donot see the wonder of the love of Jesus. Yes, these things are wrong, butpeople must meet the love of Jesus before they will abandon their love ofsin. Called to SilencePlainly, Jesus called a number of people to silence concerning Himself.There were some whom He told, "See that you tell no one" (Matt. 8:4, also9:30, 12:16). Others He outright forbade to speak, even though what theyspoke was truth (Mark 3:11-12). Still others He warned would be doinggreat works, yet He neither sent them nor spoke to them, nor did He everknow them (Matt. 7:22-23). Indeed, there were even those of whom Hewarned whose zeal for converts took them over "sea and land," yet theirproselytes became "twice as much a son of hell" as they themselves were(Matt. 23:15). It is not our goal to discourage any from witnessing, especially when theneed is so great in our society. Still, we must realize that what we areroutinely - in attitude and deed - is a living testimony that, withoutour premeditation, is "known and read by all men" (2 Cor. 3:2). A"witness" is not just that which is "said"; it is that which is seen. Ifwe will draw men to Christ in heaven, they must be eyewitnesses of Christin us. But, if we have flagrant sin or self-righteousness, our witness isnon-effective.Let Your Light So ShineLight, in the Scriptures, symbolizes the out-raying purity of the HolyGod. When our hearts and subsequent actions are pure, the light of God'sPresence shines through us into this world. It is with this in mind thatJesus tells us to let our light shine before men in such a way that theysee our good works and glorify the Father (Matt. 5:16). If good works glorify the Father, then bad works bring Him dishonor. Paultells us that the "name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles" becauseof the sins of those who fail to represent Him (Rom. 2:24). King David was a great witness of the Living God to his generation, butwhen David sinned his witness became a reproach. In the 51st Psalm,David's prayer reveals the right attitudes necessary to truly witness forGod. He prayed, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfastspirit within me. ...Then I will teach transgressors Thy ways, andsinners will be converted to Thee" (Ps. 51:10-13). You see, the credibility of our witness is lost when sin rules in ourlives. The world has heard too many Christians give testimony to a lifethey are not living. They cause multitudes of people to thinkChristianity does not work. How to Know When to Witness"But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make adefense to everyone who asks you...for the hope that is in you, yet withgentleness and reverence." 1 Peter 3:15Many Christians are told to witness for Jesus. Again, we would notdiscourage your witness for Jesus; rather we seek to encourage you tolive for Him as well! Let people see Him in you before you testify. Thereare Christians who publicly sin in the work place: they lose theirtempers and do bad work, they are often late or heard complaining aboutmanagement and job conditions. Yet, they feel compelled to give theirtestimony. They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him(Titus 1:16). A "voice" in their minds compels them to "witness forJesus." Sometimes that voice is the Holy Spirit, but more often it isnot. Undaunted, they are sure it is from heaven, since they feel "guilty"until they witness and feel "good" afterward. There is one sure way to know if the voice urging you to witness is fromGod: If the voice speaking to you is the audible voice of someone who hasseen your good works and is asking about your way of life, that voice hasbeen inspired by God. When people see Christ in you - in your patiencewhen wronged, your peace in adversity, your forgiveness amidst cruelty -they will ask about your hope. The Seed of Reproduction is in Your FruitIf your conversion is genuine, you found a love for Jesus that is, initself, a witness of His life. Unfortunately, we often seek to leadpeople into our religion instead of to Christ. How often we seek toconvert our family and friends into a particular church structure. Peoplemust be led to Jesus, not merely to church. Let us always remember, Jesus wants to reach people, not drive them away.How does God expect us to do that? First, let us make sure our conversionis real, that we have truly given over our lives to Jesus Christ. Then,determine to bear the spiritual fruit of love and humility in your life.In the Garden of Eden the Lord placed trees with "seed in the fruit."Remember, beloved, the seed that has power to reproduce life is in thefruit. If you would like to see the life of Christ reproduced in yourloved ones or friends, walk in the fruit of the Spirit, for the power ofreproduction is in the seed and the seed is in your fruit. The fruit wemust display comes from the Tree of Life, which brings "healing of thenations" (Rev. 22:2). It is not in the tree of knowledge of good and evil- legalistic laws, judging what is wrong in people. A Sure SignShould you sin or stumble before them, which we all do at times, repentboth to God and to those you have sinned against. A sincere repentance toan unsaved person is a sure sign that God is both real and in control ofyour life! Parents: do you want your children raised for Christ? Do you want yourwords to impart eternal life? Walk in the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Asyour children are nourished by the fruit in your life, the seeds withinyour fruitfulness will reproduce in your family the same qualities. Wouldyou convert your spouse? Your parents? Your friends? Walk in the fruit ofthe Spirit, in love, joy, peace, patience, and kindness. Those who knowyou will find your life very attractive, for through your life they willsee the holy life of Jesus. Adapted from Holiness, Truth and the Presence of God -By Francis Frangipane
