Week Forty-Four, 2018
WHAT IS YOUR STORY?
By John Grant
Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” So Paul motioned with his hand and began his defense: “King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today as I make my defense against all the accusations of the Jews, and especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. Acts 26:1-3
As I looked down from a tall skyscraper at the crowd assembled in a park below for their afternoon social, I could not help but think of the dozens of people and the life of each one. God made them all, special and individually different, each with a different story and background.
I once met an elderly pastor who, whenever he met someone, said: “Tell me your story.” He said it was an amazing revelation. People like to share their life stories with those who care to listen. People are more interested in others when others care about them and want to hear the stories of their life. It is a great process to lead to more important discussions like talking about the Gospel and salvation.
The task of evangelism often includes telling our individual story along with the larger gospel story. Weaving the two together makes for a powerful articulation of God’s gracious work through all times and his specific salvation work in an individual heart – namely, yours.
Every person has a life story and every one story is different, personal and important to that person. Some are good and some are bad, but each one is important. When you ask “What is your story,” inwardly and outwardly most people respond with a feeling of “Glad you asked.”
People don’t care what you think until they know that you care. People want to feel your compassion for them and for their situation. Compassion is about what you do and how you do it. Sometimes the greatest compassion is just listening. As Christians, we are called to love and care for others. Sadly, we live on an “all about me” society. People only care about themselves and care about others only when others can do something for them.
Jesus tell us: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35. He did not say to love other Christians. He said to love one another. That means every person. We don’t have to like them, but we are called to love them and care about their story, past, present and future.
Every life has a story… if we bother to read it.
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SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES
RELAX:
Relax, remembering that Jesus is God with us. He crafted us with enormous capacity to know Him and enjoy His Presence. When His people wear sour faces and walk through their lives with resigned rigidity, He is displeased. When we walk through a day with childlike delight, savoring every blessing, you proclaim your trust in Him, your ever-present Shepherd. The more we focus on His Presence with us, the more fully we can enjoy life. Glorify Him through our pleasure in Him. Thus we proclaim His presence to the watching world.
“The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” —which means, “God with us.” Matthew 1:23
W A R N I N G:
Bible Usage Can Be Habit Forming. Regular reading can cause loss of ANXIETY and FEAR; decreased appetite for LYING, CHEATING, STEALING, HATING, ANGER and ENVY. Symptoms Include: Increased sensation of LOVE, JOY, PEACE, COMPASSION and CONTENTMENT. If Symptoms persist, just PRAISE GOD! Side Effects are FORGIVENESS, GRACE, AND LOVE! Copy and re-post if you don’t mind the side effects of the WORD.
ASPHALT:
So I have this theory… maybe places are feeling hotter because of the amount of asphalt. Black asphalt. You get out of your car in an asphalt-covered parking lot and it feels FAR hotter than it really is! When you have been parked a while the temperature gauge in your car says 106 degrees, but that isn’t the air temperature (unless you live in Phoenix) but the asphalt temperature! Start driving and the gauge goes down to whatever the air temp is. So, maybe they should make white asphalt? I don’t know, just a thought.
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QUOTES YOU CAN USE
Maybe if we tell people that the brain is an app, they will start using it.
Some days you wake up feeling like a million dollars and on other
days you feel like a bounced check.
Trust your life with the authority of God’s Word. ~ Ken Whitten
Rest your life in the sovereignty of God’s care. ~ Ken Whitten
“A positive attitude gives you power over your circumstances instead of your circumstances having power over you.” ~ Joyce Meyer
“Positive thinking will let you do everything better than negative thinking will.” ~ Zig Ziglar
“In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.” ~ Robert Frost
“Your only obligation in any lifetime is to be true to yourself.” ~ Richard Bach
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Selected portions of Thoughts on Life can also be read at TheLife.com.
Feel free to pass this along to others and to contribute your ideas and thoughts. Address all items and comments to [email protected]. © Thoughts on Life Copyright 2018
©2018 John Grant | Florida State Senator (Ret.) | 10025 Orange Grove Drive | Tampa, FL 33618
Just an additional suggestion: “Your only obligation in life is to be true to God”—Frank Becker