Chaplain Doug Givan has been away at a training conference for two weeks so I will will bring you today’s message in his stead.
It’s been over 2 weeks since the time change to Daylight Saving Time and I just got around to changing the old analog clock on my fireplace mantle. Everything is so easy these days, even your cell phone knows how to adjust for Daylight Saving Time! But did you “spring forward” in your walk with God or are you still in “fall back” mode?
In March, I attended the Rainbow VdC Ultreya where the guest speaker talked about their walk with God. She said she was energized by the 3-day retreat weekend she attended and has been more in tune with God ever since. She felt compelled to volunteer to give a talk about that at the gathering. She said to picture a courtroom scene where you are on trial for being a Christian and you are not allowed to testify on your own behalf.
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. (Matt 28:16-17 NIV) Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” (John 20:24-25 NIV)
What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. (James 2:14-17 NKJV)
Therefore you must first believe and your good works to glorify God will follow.
Are there enough witnesses that can be called to the courtroom to testify on your behalf to convict you of being a follower of Jesus?
In His service together with you,
Dave Lambert
NLS Database Coordinator
David Robert (Dave) Lambert
Wesley Theological Seminary
Equipping Lay Ministry Certificate, Class of 2006
https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrobertlambert
Eric is our current Webmaster and works on the NLS Communications Team. Raised in Judaism, he found Christ and the New Testament at age 16 in a Southern Baptist Church. He searched many denominations for the real church, only to find the Holy Spirit is present in all of them. He's worked for One for Israel, a group of native Israeli believers who are sharing the gospel in the holy land in Hebrew and is part of the only Hebrew speaking seminary in Israel.
