Questions

1. How can we be truly thankful? Thankfulness is mood altering, and I have personally found it to be a kind of spiritual medication to the soul. God can use it as a powerful method to turn even the most negative of attitudes. Start each day with prayer. Write three things you are thankful for, including physical and spiritual blessings. Each day reread your list and add three more, but no duplicates. God will begin to adjust your focus from being on all that is wrong, or the negative, exalting the issues and problems, unto realizing all you have been given by your Father, who is now is exalted.

I Corinthians 15:57: “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Ephesians 3:20-21: “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”

Romans 8:31-39: “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

2. How can I fine tune how I share the gospel?

One key insight that I have learned is to avoid blasting others with ‘all God has taught me’ on the gospel. A babe or unbeliever cannot bear it. Instead, see where they are in understanding and give them just a little; precisely what they need. Consider using one key verse to think on and leave them with a contact number for follow up. I blew out so many dear ones before I learned the issue of moder-ation. (Philippians 4:5)

It helps to take a moment to think about how to speak the truth in love. (Eph.4:15) Personally consider each individual, using God’s way: the doctrine laid out in Romans 1-5: Justification. Focus on what their soul needs and they are able to digest, not driven by what we know or want to say to feel good about the en-counter. One is motivated in wisdom and love; the other is the flesh and feelings.

I Corinthians 3:1-2: “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.”

Ephesians 4:15: “But speak-ing the truth in love; may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.”

Romans 14:19: “Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.”