Road Trip Through Acts
QUESTION FOR THE WEEK
WEEK 3 - ACTS 8-12
Yesterday Jeff said …
“Jesus came to created a new community – the church – that would bring parties to those who have no parties and would celebrate those who haven’t been celebrated. Jesus came to lavish grace on the left-out, used-up, cast-aside, put-down, different-looking, different-speaking, and no-hope kind of people … that we all once were.”
How can you show grace to people in your sphere of influence who are outside of faith?
WEEK 2 - ACTS 4-7
Yesterday I said…
“Christianity has never been a private pursuit. It was never meant to peacefully coexist within society; its purpose is to transform society. As Christians, we are to have more than personal convictions, we have been given a message and a mandate—to go and make disciples.”
What motivates and/or hinders you in sharing your faith with others?
Week 1 - Acts 1-3
When Peter speaks of the Holy Spirit, it is important to realize that he is speaking of God. United with the Father and the Son, the Holy Spirit is the third person of the trinity—and he is a person. Unfortunately, he is often depicted as a power rather than a person, an ‘it’ rather than a ‘he’. But the Bible always presents him in personal terms. The Holy Spirit is described as our counselor, advocate, and helper; he is a divine person and must be treated as such.
Recognizing that he is a person, what does it mean to have a relationship with the Holy Spirit?
I think one thing that hinders me at times is that I seem to walk around with blinders on. I only see what is right in front of me and never look at the circumstances the way that I should. I know that during those times I am being lead by me and I am not allowing the Spirit to lead my life. The same can be true when I am letting the Spirit direct my path I seem to see all kinds of opportunities to share Jesus with others. I need to grow smaller so He can increase.
I tend to be a people pleaser. I ease into conversations with people, feeling them out. If I sense any tension from the conversation or if I feel I have offened them I back off and let them have the floor. I prize myself on having an open mind. I have conditioned myself to love others with all their faults, since I have so many. I tend to be the listener until they directly ask me a specific question. Then I feel I have a foot in the door. I pray that I can become more assertive about sharing my faith with others.
I find it hard to share my faith with others because I don't feel adequate enough to speak of the Bible and/or God. I feel like I would not have the knowledge to back up my belief, even though my belief is strong.
Last year I received a phone call from an acquaintance that wanted to know more about my relationship with the Lord and becoming a Christian. Once I was able to lead her to Christ my fire was lit to do the same for others. It's a life changing experience and I wish I could do it more. I am a mother (soon to be to 2 children) and I kind of felt like my opportunities were limited, but after listening to what Mrs Ward had to say Sunday I now know that the opportunities are endless. I pray that I can be a Godly example to others and they will want to know more about the Lord. I'm excited about the opportunites that lie ahead! Great message!!!
Yesterday I said…
“Christianity has never been a private pursuit. It was never meant to peacefully coexist within society; its purpose is to transform society. As Christians, we are to have more than personal convictions, we have been given a message and a mandate—to go and make disciples.”
What motivates and/or hinders you in sharing your faith with others?
The Holy Spirit is the very Character of God. He is the ever abiding presence that is with me every where I go. I am reminded that if I go to the heavens He is there..if I go to the depths He is there...to me that is the Holy Spirit. He is the one that guides me when I ask the question what is the wise thing to do..He is also the power in my life, the power that transforms me into the likeness of Christ.
The Holy Spirit is my guide when reading and understanding the Bible and saying prayers. If I catch myself using the Bible or praying prayers that reinforce a negative feeling I have about someone, chances are I'm not being guided by the Holy Spirit, but if Bible study and prayer helps me to understand why a person is the way he/she is and the result is a more loving feeling toward that person, it's usually the Holy Spirit who has helped me shed light on the situation and given me awareness of the pain that person is dealing with.
I have started reading a chapter in the book of Acts each night since Sunday. I hope that I will gain a better understanding of the Holy Spirit. I've been a Christian since I was 9 (now in my 30's) and I'm ashamed to say I've never given this much thought. I look forward to learning and growing more as we continue on this road trip. :)
Thank you for causing me to think on this! My relationship with the Holy Spirit provides for me clarity and understanding of what God wants me to know. He is my conscience, my encourager, comforter and knows me better than I know me. He helps me to be real and shows me a deeper understanding of God's will for my life.
Having a relationship with the Holy Spirit is a lot like that of a close family member, friend or spouse. You are different persons yet you are somehow deeply connected to each other. They are a part of you and you are a part of them. That which affects you affects them. Each of you has a role to play in the relationship. Our relationships are the most healthy when we are more concerned about the other than ourselves. With the Holy Spirit we should be more concerned about His well being than ours. We should honor and glorify him rather than worry about our gratification. And God says "If you honor me I will honor you." This is the relationship I feel we should strive to have with our Eternal Helper.