“Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him…” (Mark 10:21a NLT)

Please forgive me for the length of this post, but if you are interested in knowing more how to help your friends and loved ones know Jesus, just read what you have time to read, then come back when you have more time and read the rest.

Jesus was always sensitive to the needs of the persons with whom He spoke and His speaking was always motivated by a heart of love. The more we grow in our likeness of Jesus, the more effective we will be in winning our friends and loved ones to Jesus. The more they are able to see Jesus in us, not only in the way we speak, but in the way we live, the more open they will be to allow Jesus to speak to them through us.

Our motivation in sharing our faith must always be to honor and bless Jesus, and our goal must be to help those with whom we share to find a full and complete life in Jesus, not simply miss hell or gain heaven. Please don’t misunderstand. I long for heaven, but my longing centers on one thing – Jesus! Jesus is the Treasure I seek on earth and the Treasure I’ll find in heaven.

I’m convinced that to the extent those with whom the Lord has laid on our hearts to speak can sense a genuine love and concern for them and for Jesus, to that extent they’ll open their hearts to us and be willing to listen. Prayer is foundational in allowing that to happen.

Dick Eastman said, “Behind the saving grace of every believer is someone praying.” Sharing our story, our spiritual journey, our faith – however you want to think of it, MUST begin with prayer if our goal is to allow the Lord to lead someone to Him through us. Prayer prepares our heart and mind to speak and prepares the heart and mind of the one with whom we share to hear what God is seeking to say to them.

Never underestimate the workings of the Lord in you AND in the one with whom He lays on your heart to speak. In my nearly sixty years of walking with Jesus, I have NEVER saved anyone, I’ve simply been a vessel through whom the Lord has been faithful to do HIS saving work. He’ll work in you to the extent you’re willing to ask Him (prayer) and then are willing to get out of His way and allow Him to work through you (faith) to His honor and fame.

The first and best way to help others know Jesus is to be continually growing in your intimacy with Him yourself. Then you can allow the Holy Spirit free access to fill and empower you in any way He sees fit to reach others to Christ’s glory and honor. He will give you insight and understanding as to who He desires you to speak with and guidance as to what to say.

Foundationally, you prepare your heart and mind through prayer, reading and studying the Bible, but it’s also helpful to memorize key verses such as John 3:16, Romans 3:23 and 6:23; Romans 10:9, Proverbs 14:12 and Acts 4:12. Additionally, write your own story that you can share in 2-3 minutes, focusing on three main points. First, how was your life before you met Jesus? Second, what were the circumstances of your life when you came to know Jesus? Then thirdly, how has your life changed since you surrendered your life to Him? But perhaps THE MOST important question you need to ASK is: “Tell me about you, what’s your story?”  Spouting Scripture to someone who doesn’t believe the Bible is often futile and trying to share your story with someone the Lord hasn’t prepared to hear can be counterproductive. LISTEN not only to WHAT they say, but HOW they say it. Be attentive to the person with whom you’re speaking, while at the same time being sensitive to how the Lord is leading and prompting you. He will give you everything you need, to do all He’s asking you to do.

Remember, your ONLY role in sharing your faith is obedience to the Lord. The results are always and only in the Lord’s hands. The only way you ever fail in helping others know and understand who Jesus is, is to be insensitive to the Holy Spirit’s promptings.

You may think: “But what if they don’t pray to receive Christ?” What if they don’t? Maybe that was never the Lord’s role for you in that setting. Don’t assume your goal in every conversation with a pre-Christian is salvation (harvesting). Often our role is simply to plant faith seeds or water the seeds others have planted. Those are three EQUALLY important roles, so don’t be discouraged if your conversation leads to more questions than answers.

The goal of EVERY discussion with anyone about Jesus is to leave the door open for the next person whom the Lord has appointed to speak with them. Encourage, uplift, share openly and honestly as the Lord directs, but don’t try to take the person in a direction the Lord hasn’t prepared them to go.

It’s almost always a good thing to ask them if you can pray for them, but again, be sensitive to the Lord even as you pray. Pray in line with what they’ve asked you to pray, in terms of subject. (i.e. – please pray for my sick child, my need of a job, etc.)

Following Jesus is the greatest adventure I’ve ever experienced. Each day I’m constantly on the lookout for Jesus to intersect my life and introduce me to a person or circumstance that will challenge me in ways I’ve never been challenged and give me opportunity to see Him more clearly than ever before. Speaking with someone about Jesus is the delight of my life, but speaking must always follow the clear path of loving.

Sometimes the most effective way to help someone know Jesus is to keep your mouth shut and let your love do the talking.

“But in your hearts, honor Christ the Lord as Holy; always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the Hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15-16a)

Years ago I was developing a relationship with a young man who came to my house regularly for pest control. We were standing in my driveway talking and for the first time he was beginning to open up to me about why he had no interest in Christ or attending church. As we were talking, another young man I’d recently met, joined the conversation. In an effort to impress me with his “spiritual maturity,” the second man began to ask my friend questions like: “Do you know you’re lost without Jesus? You need to repent and give your life to Christ right now before it’s eternally too late?” On and on he went until my friend whom I’d nurtured for months to lay the groundwork for a meaningful relationship, suddenly turned away and left. I never saw him again and he wouldn’t return my calls.

Was the man who was “witnessing” to my friend “wrong?” In that context, yes he was. While his words were “right,” his sensitivity to the Lord was absent and rather than drawing my friend TO Christ, he was pushed further away. Seeking to share the Good News, because it was given without apparent regard to my friend’s needs, and from selfish motives, became, for him, bad news.

I’m convinced that’s why a lot of people today are reluctant to come to church or have a meaningful conversation about who Jesus is and what He’s done for them. They’ve been badgered and beaten down by well-meaning people who are too often insensitive to the Lord and to the people with whom they’re speaking. Our willingness to share our faith must always be preceded by humble submission to the leadership of God’s Spirit.

Blessings, Ed 🙂

“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” (John 10:10 NLT)

As we shared in yesterday’s post, our goal as a believer is to become fruitful (effective for Christ) and connected (with Jesus and other believers) in order that our lives may reflect the presence of Jesus. What might that look like as we seek to help others know Him?

First, before we can share “Good News,” we have to BE good news! What does that mean? To me it speaks to our motivation. WHY do we want our loved ones and friends to come to Christ? Is it for our own personal edification, so we can feel better about ourselves? (i.e. so others can recognize how “spiritual” I am).  Or is it so they can stay out of hell or go to heaven? In my understanding of Scripture, if our only motivation for winning people to Jesus is to keep them out of hell or get them into heaven, we’ve missed the point of the Cross.    

Jesus said in John 10:10: “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” (NLT) “Rich and satisfying” essentially means full or complete, in short, a life that’s continually seeking to become more and more like Jesus.

In Romans 8:29 Paul writes: “For God knew His people in advance, and He chose them to become like His Son, so that His Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” Nothing this world offers can compare to closeness to Jesus. What’s my point? To be effective (fruitful) in influencing others to commit their lives to Jesus, our lives must be fully surrendered to Him, thus enabling us to become a channel through which the good news can flow. More about this tomorrow.

Blessings, Ed 🙂

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”  (John 15:5 NLT)

When I was growing up, while our world was in chaos, at least most people attended church and the authority of the Bible was respected and accepted as truth. Today we have an uphill battle, especially in an affluent community like much of Las Vegas, trying to help people who have “everything” believe they have need of anything, is hard.

What I’m learning is, helping those in my sphere of influence takes time and persistence, but with the Lord’s help and guidance, it can become a lifestyle. By God’s grace, over the years He’s enabled me to lead people to a saving knowledge of Jesus, but I’m not the proverbial “expert.” Jesus is the expert and anything we do for Him is by Him and for Him. What does that mean? It simply means, as Jesus said in John 15:5: “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”  (NLT)

What does that mean? It essentially translates – fruitfulness (effectiveness in anything we do for the Lord) depends upon connectedness (closeness to the Lord). With that in mind, over the next few days I will offer some suggestions as to how to help those in our spheres of influence come to know Jesus in a personal and powerful way.

Blessings, Ed 🙂

Jesus said, in John 10:27: “My sheep listen to my voice…” (NLT) The implications are manifold, but the point is, it shouldn’t be considered odd or unusual that followers of Jesus are able to hear, discern, understand and respond appropriately to the voice of our Shepherd.

We’ll look at some ways that God speaks, but before we do that, here are a few things to consider. First, as with any conversation, speaking is only half of the equation. If my wife speaks to me, but I’m not listening, it doesn’t matter what her message is. Similarly, when God speaks to us as His followers, if we’re so distracted by other things, we can easily miss what He’s seeking to say to us.

Second, God spoke in an audible voice on occasion in the Bible, and there are those with whom He still communicates in that manner. That said, I’ve personally never heard God’s audible voice, except as He speaks to me through another person. However, in my spirit I have discerned His voice clearly many times. He is the inspiration of everything I write, and I trust His “voice” to guide me, just as I believe He guided the authors of the Bible.

Perhaps it would be helpful to think of God speaking, as simply communicating. It’s purported that a high percentage of human communication is nonverbal, even when using words, so it shouldn’t surprise us that God seeks to communicate with us in many nonverbal ways.

This is in no way intended to be a comprehensive report of every way God speaks; however, I do hope to emphasize that God seeks to communicate with us in a “language” that is specific to every person. He very much desires each of us to hear and understand what He’s saying.

In Hebrews 1:1 the author writes: “Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through His Son…” (NLT) In the opening verses of the Gospel of John we read: “In the beginning the Word (Jesus) already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (NLT)

The most significant and understandable way God speaks to us is through His Word, the Bible. Jesus, God’s living Word, is the thread that holds the narrative of the whole Bible together. God will never say anything to anyone at any time that contradicts what He’s clearly declared in His written Word, the Bible.

One of my Seminary Professors was fond of saying: “The best interpreter of Scripture is Scripture.” In other words, if you’re struggling with something you read in the Bible, keep reading and somewhere in the Bible you’ll come upon a clarifying statement or passage that will shed light on what you don’t understand.

Reading and studying the Bible isn’t our whole responsibility as a believer, but it’s certainly an integral part of the process. Without the instruction of God’s Word, we have no track to run on, no clear “Voice” to guide us in our quest of fulfilling God’s purposes on this earth.

Yes, of course, there are conflicting interpretations and teachings regarding the Bible, but I’ve found in my nearly sixty years of following Jesus, as the Psalmist affirmed in Psalm 119:105: “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.” (NLT)

If you desire to know God’s will and discern His strong, clear voice, make time every day to read the Bible, taking notes and listing insights and questions. And when you read something that’s difficult to understand, seek counsel from a pastor or trusted, believing friend.

Space doesn’t allow elaboration on every way that God speaks (communicates) with us, but I’ll list a few for your consideration.

• Nature – God shares His creativity and power through that which He’s created. Sit on a huge boulder in the Grand Canyon and watch the sunset. Ponder the breathtaking beauty of a sunrise from the vantage of a Hawaiian island. Hike the trails of the forests of the world or climb the many mountains that give you views that can literally thrill your soul. Listen to a bird’s song or follow the erratic path of a butterfly. Marvel at the flight of an eagle or smile at the antics of a monkey.
• Music – Do you want to know God’s favorite kind of music? All of it! He inspired the creation of every note, whether the composer acknowledged His participation or not.
• Other believers – What a joy to have a conversation with someone who loves Jesus, sharing the manifold ways He speaks to them and expresses His loving care in such personal ways. Read books and articles. Go to seminars, speak with pastors or Christian counselors, always being careful to measure what you hear with what the Bible teaches.
• Life’s experiences – Pastor Rick Warren says: “God never wastes a problem.” Some of the most life-transforming lessons I’ve learned were through pain and suffering. On the path the Lord has led you, you will encounter things that you would never have chosen for yourself. “Listen” carefully in those seasons.
• Quietness/stillness – Sometimes the Lord speaks to me most clearly when I’m too sick to get out of bed. Did I hear someone say – “captive audience?” But even when I’m well, sitting quietly in His presence, free of distractions, opens the lines of communication with God.
• Worship – Both individual and corporate. Opening ourselves to Him in complete surrender, singing to Him, desiring Him above all else, giving ourselves fully to Him without reservation – nothing opens the lines of communication like fully yielding ourselves to Him.
• The truth is, there is no limit to the number of ways God will speak to us if we’re willing to listen.

A few days ago, God said to me, not in an audible voice, but with absolute clarity: “Miracles abound for those whose spirit is tuned to experience them.” God is the same yesterday, today and forever. The same God who spoke this earth and everything in it into existence is the same God who speaks to us today. He WANTS to communicate with you. Are you listening?

Blessings, Ed 🙂

As a retired pastor I find great comfort in knowing my identity wasn’t and isn’t in what I did/do (i.e. pastoring/being retired). By the way, neither is yours. As children of God, our identity is found in our oneness with our Father.

When I was born physically I became a Hager, the name of my biological father, and I received his name and became identified as his son. Whatever else I did in the course of my life, nothing could change the fact that I’m my father’s son. Similarly, there was a point in time, the Spring of 1963, when I opened my heart and life to Jesus and became, by virtue of my “new birth,” a child of God.

Just as a young child has to learn to walk and talk and run and play, as a child of God we have to learn how to relate to our new, invisible, heavenly Father. What does it look like to walk with Jesus? What happens when I fail? What about all the wrong things I’ve done? These and a thousand other questions reverberate in my mind and heart and compel me to give expression to the things the Lord is teaching me in our almost 6 decades together.

That’s why I’m blogging. Each day the Lord gives me insights, ideas, understandings that He prompts me to share with others. If what you read here is helpful, please tell others. If it’s not, please tell me. I’m not a “professional” writer, I’m just someone who loves Jesus and wants to spread the love He’s given me with everyone I can.

Blessings, Ed 🙂