For Thought and Meditation - Thursday, July 21

[Pine Baron]

Good morning all. I had a hard time picking a message for today. So many spoke to me. This message spoke the loudest. Have a safe and blessed day.

Thursday, July 21, 2022 - Pastor Greg Laurie
The Greatest Sacrifice of All

“Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ”
—Philippians 3:8

Telling your story, or sharing your testimony, is a powerful bridge for the gospel message. Your story is also known as your testimony. You tell people how you came to faith, because sometimes, nonbelievers don’t realize we weren’t born this way.

When you share your personal story, however, don’t glorify or exaggerate the past. The testimonies of some people get more dramatic with the telling. Don’t make your past sound better than your present. Someone might be listening to you and thinking, “I want your old life, not your new one.”

I love the perspective that the apostle Paul had on his past. He was a very intelligent, accomplished individual, yet he dismissed all of it. He said, “Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ” (Philippians 3:8 NLT).

Paul was effectively saying, “I’ve dumped it all in the trash so I could embrace Christ and be embraced by Him.”

Don’t talk about what you gave up for Jesus. Talk about what Jesus gave up for you. Whatever you gave up is nothing compared to what God has done for you. So talk about how Jesus died on the cross for your sin and made the greatest sacrifice of all.

Here’s an acronym to remember for sharing your faith: BLAST. B is for build. When you’re talking to people about Jesus, start building a bridge. L is a reminder to lovingly enter their world. Take an interest in them. A is for ask. Ask questions, and then listen. S is for share. Share your testimony. That brings us to T. Tell them how to come to Jesus.

Remember, it is not about you; it’s about Him. Tell your story to build a bridge to His story, the greatest story ever told.

[dverna]

I did not give up anything of value when I accepted Christ. I gave up my arrogance, and realized I was not as smart as I thought I was.

We cannot possibly understand God...how humbling is that!

[USMC87]

Amen, Jesus gave His all upon the cross for me an undeserving sinner!