It all started upon this rock…
Image courtesy of VernsPics on flickr.com“The only thing you can take with you to heaven is some more people” Joby Martin
The most important part of our journey here in this life may be summed up as:
– Being in a growing relationship with Jesus.
– Making disciples along the way.
How do we do this? Well, being in a growing relationship with Jesus is a big part of a story we get to share called our faith story. This is the part about how things have changed since we put our faith in Him. And telling our faith story to other people is quite often how we bring other people along with us to heaven. Grab a megaphone and belt it out, the most powerful story you’ll ever tell!
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:16-20
These verses are commonly referred to as The Great Commission, Jesus telling the disciples to go and make more disciples. The most powerful tool that each of us has to carry out The Great Commission is our faith story. This story is going to be different for each of us. You know your faith story better than anyone and are uniquely qualified to share it. This is one of the easiest stories that you will ever tell, just be open and transparent. In fact, Jesus is asking that of each of us, that we share our story with other people. Getting to heaven isn’t like being accepted into a tacky social club, it’s an open invitation for everybody. Why wouldn’t we want to bring every person on planet earth along with us to this place called heaven? So please share your faith story, often.
Every faith story has the following 3 basic parts:
- This is where I was before I met Jesus.
- This is how I was introduced to Him.
- This is how my life is now.
My faith story started decades ago. If I think about it there are a number of events that brought me to know Jesus, the one that I share the most is called “The Journey Home” here at I’m Just Thinkin’. That one encounter as a college student with a believer huddled up under a rock in the wilderness during a gully washer changed everything for me. It was years later that I actually accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior, and there have been many times since then that I’ve fallen off the path, but that’s the one event I can point to that indeed changed my life. My faith is still growing (a good thing), so my story is alive like a fruit tree. If you are interested in reading a part of my faith story please click this link to “The Journey Home.” It remains very dear to my heart, written on the tablet if you will. I share it often with anyone who will listen.
They say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, but the best fruit comes from the soil that is fertile, when the weather is favorable, and with strong branches, vine, and root stock… and most importantly under the direct care of an attentive gardener. Yep, it’s in the Bible, check out John Chapter 15.
Do you have your faith story well rehearsed, so that you can share it with the next person who needs to hear it?
I’m grateful to you for reminding us about this.
I wrote out a testimony ‘cuz, you know–I’m a writer. That helped me solidify it in my own mind and heart. And enabled me to tell it more easily to others. It’s the best news we could ever share; it should always be our joy to share it.
Hope you and your loved ones have a lovely Thanksgiving.
Thank you Carol, God bless and have a wonderful holiday with your family!