Daily Devotional For Thursday, July 3, 2025

Good morning Southside. We are continuing to look at what it means to follow Jesus. One of the ways is that when Jesus gives us His life, He also gives us His Spirit. And in all occurrences in the Bible when this occurred, everyone verbally witnessed for Jesus Christ. Look at Numbers 11:25, Numbers 24:2-3, 2 Samuel 23:2, 2 Chronicles 24:20, Nehemiah 9:30, Ezekiel 11:5, Luke 1:41-42, Luke 1:67, Acts 2:4, Acts 4:31, Acts 9:17-20, and Acts 13:9-12. Do you see it? Everyone who was given life by God and filled with His Spirit, followed God by sharing and witnessing for Him. We see this over and over in the book of Acts with all the disciples of Jesus. They could not and would not remain silent about who Jesus was and is and why others needed Him also. If what excites you more is church by-laws, church buildings and church budgets, you may not be saved. Both the Old & New Testament are clear on this: genuinely saved people share the Lord through His Spirit. 

Just as Jesus filled His original disciples with His Holy Spirit in Acts 2 to fulfill His promise to them in Acts 1:8, He has continued to do the same for the last 2,000 years. When Jesus gives us His life, He also gives us His power and His presence to do this. Yet, in the modern church, we either miss this or ignore this or feel it is not our responsibility. How do I know this? It is in how people express it when challenged. Here are several statements people make today:

• “I will share my faith with others when the Holy Spirit convicts me to do it.” Yes, there is some truth here. We want to be led by the Holy Spirit, but the HOLY SPIRIT LIVES IN US FOR THIS EXACT PURPOSE. OF SPREADING THE GOSPEL PERSONALLY. If you are waiting for an angel to appear to you to tell you to do this or the Good Year Blimp to fly overhead with a message on its Jumbotron from the Holy Spirit, “Witness to this person,” it is not going to happen. Witnessing is the last command from Jesus before He ascended and it is one proof you are His.
• “I don’t witness with my words; I witness with my life.” Yes, there is some truth here also. We want the character of Christ to be evident and visible to others in our lives. When Jesus gave us the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20 and the promise in  Acts 1:8, Jesus was not telling us to simply be nice, polite, courteous and thoughtful people. Once those early followers of Jesus were filled with His Holy Spirit, most of them were martyred. 11 of the 12 disciples were. They tried to kill John but he survived and died on the Isle of Patmos. These early followers of Jesus were not martyred for being nice, polite, courteous and thoughtful people. They were martyred for sharing the Gospel to a lost and dying world.

Every follower of Jesus has the message of the Gospel to share, the power of the Holy Spirit to do it and the ability to do it with their mouths and their words. The question you and I have to answer is this: Do we believe that God is at work in this world or are we on our own? Do you believe that God wants to use you to be His witness to the people around you? Here is another excuse I have had people give me for not sharing their faith:

• “I wouldn’t know where to begin or how to begin such a conversation.” I understand how some might use this out of fear, but you can always find something in common with anyone if you look intentionally enough and love the Lord and the people He died to save. This is not quantum physics. This is your purpose with quality. The Apostle Paul talks about this in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23:

“Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ. (20) When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law. (21) When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ. (22) When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. (23) I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings (NLT).

This is coming from a man who once did everything he could to stop the spread of the Gospel and the church by imprisoning and martyring Christians. You can always find common ground, something you have in common with anyone if you love the Lord and the people He came to save. People who use these excuses are forgetting or ignoring who they are. The Bible reminds us in Galatians 2:20. Our old self has been crucified and the life we live now, we live in the power of His Resurrection. 

Jesus has united His life with our life and it is He who now lives in use empowering us to do this. That is the point of 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline” (NLT). Either Jesus has given you His life, His power that overrides your fear or He has not. Either He is a liar or He is Lord. On our own, we will fail, but we are not on our own. Over 2,000 years ago, a Jewish carpenter was crucified for the sins of the world. Why would anyone today believe that? For the same reasons you and I do. 

The same God who opened the eyes in 2 Kings 6:17 for the King of Israel, will open the eyes and hearts of whoever you are talking to eventually. Look at what Jesus said to Saul/Paul on the road to Damascus in Acts 26:17-18. God did this for two disciples on the Road to Emmaus after the Resurrection in Luke 24:28-31. The same Jesus who opens the eyes of all these others will open the eyes of those you are sharing Christ eventually. Jesus has been doing this for the last 2,000 years. Do you believe this? If you say, “Yes,” what is the proof? If you are not sharing your faith, then you simply do not believe the Lord with His promises to you and you are calling Jesus a liar.

Assignment: For example, when our family is at a restaurant, we ask the server questions. Many of these are college students in Wilmington. You may not find common ground with their degrees, but you can find common ground with the depth of their lives in how they answer your questions. Do you really care that people are dying and going to hell? Do you? If you do, then do something that proves it. Jesus was passionate about the lost? Are you? Jesus said this in Luke 19:10, “For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost” (NLT). Jesus did not come to give us more buildings, budgets and by-laws. He came to give us boldness with our faith through His Spirit and His power.

Scripture To Meditate On:  2 Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline” (NLT). 

Prayer To Pray: “Dear Lord, please use me as I follow You to do what You did – talk and share with others how to have life abundantly here and life eternal. I admit that none of my excuses for not sharing do not carry any weight with You. You have not given me a spirit of fear, but one of power — power to share with others. Please convict me to trust You with this. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”

I love you Southside! – Pastor Kelly