Category: testimony

Testifying or Bragging?

Barbara Weber

John 12:17-19 WEB

The multitude therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb, and raised him from the dead, was testifying about it. [18] For this cause also the multitude went and met him, because they heard that he had done this sign. [19] The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, “See how you accomplish nothing. Behold, the world has gone after him.”

Jesus did a wonderful miracle, he raised Lazarus from the dead. Not only did he raise him, but Jesus did it after Lazarus was buried and dead for four days. The people that were there to grieve for Lazarus saw what Jesus did. And now, they were repeating the story and causing many to look for Jesus. The Lord, through his ministry commonly told people to keep their miracles a secret (Mat 9:29-30). But this sign was too big to keep silent. So, they testified, and many came to Christ.

How do we know when we are testifying and when we are bragging? That is a huge issue in modern society. We live in a time when self-promotion is rampant and often leads to success. Yet the word teaches us not to boast about our accomplishments (1 Sam 2:3). It can even be a boast to tell what God is doing in our lives. When we are right with God, we do not have to prove we are right with God. That comes from ego and self-promotion. We do not have to brag about our blessings. We should brag on God alone. He is our boast.

We can often tell when God has intervened in someone’s life. God will begin to fix what is broken and line up a believer with their destiny. But having healing or destiny is not something to brag about. Having a destiny in Christ should lead to our silence. We may at appropriate times share our calling with others. After all, we still need people even when we are solidly in Christ. But in general, it is not something we should be bragging about. Rather, we should treasure the miracles and share them when led by the Holy Spirit, so they lead others to Christ.

Lord, give me the wisdom to see when I am testifying and leading others to you, and when I am bragging and harming others. Take pride and ego away, Lord, and leave a tender heart prepared to receive from you.  Help me receive the wisdom to keep silent. Lead me by your Holy Spirit and let my only boast be you, Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.   

Miraculous Signs

Barbara Weber

John 10:22-25 WEB

It was the Feast of the Dedication at Jerusalem. [23] It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in Solomon’s porch. [24] The Jews therefore came around him and said to him, “How long will you hold us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” [25] Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you don’t believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name, these testify about me.

No matter how many people Jesus healed, many Jewish people refused to believe. They demanded signs and refused to believe the testimony of others (1 Cor 1:22). They wanted to see a spectacle, a miracle, and they were not going to believe until they did (John 6:30). Jesus was the chosen of God (John 5:36). However, Jesus did not do miracles at his discretion. Jesus did and said what he saw and heard (John 3:32).

When the Jews demanded an answer from the Lord, he spoke what he heard. He told them to look at the previous signs and make a judgment. How many signs did the Jewish people need? Always one more. It is the same in the lives of many modern-day believers. No matter how many times the Lord intervenes in some believers’ lives, they refuse to trust him. They are constantly seeking signs. This behavior opens believers up to demonic influence (1 Thes 2:9).

Following signs is dangerous. We must remember the signs God has already performed. We store these in our hearts. Then, when our faith is challenged, we can think about the past moves of God and believe. However, God does not perform miracles so people will believe. He performs miracles to both help his children, and to place his seal of approval on godly ministers and believers (John 5:37, 10:25). The one by whom a miracle comes, if they are performed in Jesus’ name, is the chosen of the Lord.

Lord, please help me call to mind your past moves in my life. I repent of needing to see signs before I will believe. Help me trust you on good days and difficult days. Give me eyes to see your miracles. In Jesus’ name, amen.

The First to See

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John 8:13-14 WEB

The Pharisees therefore said to him, “You testify about yourself. Your testimony is not valid.” [14] Jesus answered them, “Even if I testify about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from, and where I am going; but you don’t know where I came from, or where I am going.

Jesus came from the Father and was returning to the Father. It was simple for Jesus. He regularly cultivated his relationship with the Father, he knew how to hear his voice (Mark 1:35). Jesus knew scripture. Jesus knew who he was, and he knew what it meant (John 8:22).

The Pharisees could not even properly discern where Jesus was born, let alone anything else about him (John 7:52). Jesus rebuked the Pharisees because of their blindness (Mat 23:26). Jesus did not make excuses for their ignorance. They were the experts in scripture. The Pharisees should have been the first ones to realize Jesus was the Messiah.

Now, we are close to the end of the age. Jesus is coming back. Will we recognize him when he returns? With the modern-day push for all believers to know scripture, the church will be without excuse. However, with all believers educated in the Bible, we should be the first ones to recognize the Messiah.

Lord Jesus, please help me discern you in the world. If you return in my life, help me recognize you. Protect me from being deceived by the antichrist. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

Living Words

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John 5:37-40 WEB

The Father himself, who sent me, has testified about me. You have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his form. [38] You don’t have his word living in you; because you don’t believe him whom he sent. [39] “You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and these are they which testify about me. [40] Yet you will not come to me, that you may have life.

Have you ever heard the phrase “living word?” The idea is that some words contain special impartations of grace for our lives. Usually, when a scripture or prophetic utterance is a living word it will stay with the recipient for years. A prime feature of a living word is the way it remains in the memory of the receiver.

Jesus says something amazing about living words in this passage. First, he says living words come from the Father. Second, he says if we do not honor the one the Father sends we will not receive the living word. Jesus concludes by saying life is found in him. He is what the scriptures testify about. Jesus is the one who is sent. He is the one who gives life and the testimony of him carries life.

Our testimony of Jesus carries life to the hearer. In those moments, we are the one who is sent. And, like the above passage says, those who do not honor the one who is sent and do not believe the testimony of Jesus will not receive the living word. They will not come to Jesus, and they will not receive the life he offers.

Lord Jesus, I want to receive the life you offer. Teach me to honor those you have sent. Help me listen and hear when others testify about you, Lord. Use me to share your testimony with others. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

One Way the Father Speaks

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John 5:31-36 WEB

“If I testify about myself, my witness is not valid. [32] It is another who testifies about me. I know that the testimony which he testifies about me is true. [33] You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth. [34] But the testimony which I receive is not from man. However, I say these things that you may be saved. [35] He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. [36] But the testimony which I have is greater than that of John, for the works which the Father gave me to accomplish, the very works that I do, testify about me, that the Father has sent me.

When I think of my works speaking, I shudder. Thank God for grace. Still, I can look back at times when the works I was doing were speaking for the Father. Times when things went wrong, so much that I began to believe the Father was telling me to stop. Other times, I have seen things go so remarkably well that I felt the Father was lighting the path as I walked. Like Jesus, I must recognize the Father to recognize when he is speaking and what he is saying.

Jesus was humble in his interpretation. He does not boast. In fact, he hedges when he says, “…the Father has sent me.” (John 5:36 WEB) It is hedging because he knew more but he keeps the scope small with a simple, “he sent me.” That is great because it is something I can do in my life. I can see where the Father is lighting my path and recognize its meaning, that I am sent. I do not have to know every detail. What is significant is that I can recognize I am on a path with the Father.

It seems Jesus expected to be judged. He tells his audience to judge the works he does, for they testify of Jesus on behalf of the Father. Jesus did not have an audible relationship with the Father while he was on earth. Like those around him, Jesus had to interpret the meaning of the signs that he was performing. His interpretation was that the miracles spoke for the Father. He believed in his own destiny because he could recognize the works of the Father.

Lord Jesus, please give me eyes to see and ears to hear so that I will recognize the works of God in my life. Help me to interpret what you do in my life accurately. Please give me the grace to rest knowing you are with me. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

Spiritual Truth

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John 4:24 WEB

God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

God is a spirit, so, why is it hard to believe that he works despite the truth of reality? He is a spirit and the works he does are spiritual. How he works is spiritual. Why he works is spiritual. His goals are all spiritual and point to a life after death. A life with God where he is, in the presence of Jesus and with the whole company of believers.

Have you noticed how hard it is to testify to God’s purely spiritual works? People tend to dismiss these testimonies as fanciful or wishful. There is no boasting in God’s spiritual works. His works refrain us from boasting. The truth is, to testify of His spiritual works can be costly. In fact, according to the truth of the Bible, his works are foolishness to the lost (1 Corinthians 1:18).

The good news regarding this is we have a truth that is founded upon reality. If the spiritual is foolish to the lost, then we need a reality-based tool to use. God is spiritual and he used the spiritual tool of anointing to inspire the writing of the Bible. No word of the Bible is apart from anointing. The Bible is inspired from the first verse of Genesis to the last word of Revelation.

The Bible is truth. We are to worship God in both spirit and truth. We must accept, recognize, and share that which is spiritual. We must also accept, recognize, and share that which is truth. When God changes our circumstances so that we have favorable outcomes, we must share, especially with other believers. When God leads us to share with a lost person we must testify from the Bible. Believers can receive the spiritual and the lost can receive the truth.

To fulfill our purpose in the Lord we must worship in spirit and truth. When we testify of the spiritual, we build up the body of believers. When we share from the Bible, we build up believers and harvest the lost. As people of the Church Age, we are bound by the great commission. Regardless of how or when the Great Commission was inspired and written, we are bound to work in the harvesting of the lost. It is our most significant purpose.

As our primary purpose, it should be our primary pursuit. Instead, many have fallen into the trap of pursuing wealth and prosperity. This is tricky because wealth and prosperity are a part of the blessing of the covenant of salvation. Yet, it is also testing for the spiritual. What you focus on in your witness or ministry is spiritual. The outflow of your spiritual condition becomes the reality of your goals and pursuits.

Lord Jesus, please forgive me for selfish pursuits. You died for me, and I am honored to pursue your direction and commission. Please cause me to become a soul-winner. I want to be a part of your harvest as the Bible commands. Please heal my spiritual health. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

What we have Seen

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John 3:32-33 WEB

What he [Jesus] has seen and heard, of that he testifies; and no one receives his witness. [33] He who has received his witness has set his seal to this, that God is true.

When Jesus testified to the things of heaven which he had seen and heard, he was rejected. According to the above verse, no one believed him. Not his apostles, not his disciples, not the people he taught. However, many believed that Jesus was sent by God. The miracles assured at least that much belief. This verse is written by the apostle John, who at the time before the resurrection, did not believe. If the apostles, disciples, and the people did not believe Jesus, they will also not believe modern believers. However, there is hope. We still have the miracles. We have victories in our lives that looked impossible. We have the health breakthroughs, the family relationship breakthroughs, and the financial breakthroughs. We can testify to the power of Jesus in our lives. We can lift the banner of his name and his victory over death. We can lift the testimony of what we have seen and heard. Because we are like the apostle John when he wrote this scripture, we are on the winning side of Jesus’ victory over death. We live and testify after the resurrection. They did not believe Jesus before he defeated death, but they did believe in him after he rose from the dead. If you look at the above verses, you may see something unusual. First John says no one believed Jesus. Next, he says, “he who has received his witness,” that is, they who did believe. So, what happened between verses 32 and 33? Why does John say no one believed, and in the next verse talk about those who did believe? One verse tells the story before the cross and resurrection. The next verse tells the story after Jesus’ victory over death and the grave. On one hand, we are in the same situation that Jesus was in. Namely, that the works of the Father, that is the miracles, testify of the truth of our witness. On the other hand, we are in a different situation than Jesus. The Lord did his work before the cross, we do our work after the cross. Our miracles and victories are backed up with Jesus’ victory at the cross. Therefore, when we testify of unusual victories, that testimony should be brief. This is because all the details are not significant. In fact, too many details ruin the witness because no one will ever have our exact circumstances. When we witness the things we have seen and heard in our own lives, we should sketch out the major points and leave the nuance to the Holy Spirit. The Spirit will do the work in the hearer’s heart. In Romans 8:16 WEB it says, “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God;” This is why after we testify to the miracles, we must shift the focus from ourselves and onto Jesus. Then, anyone who receives our witness will believe that God is true. (John 3:33 WEB)

Lord Jesus, thank you for the wonderful things you have done in my life. Please help me testify of you and help me keep the focus on you rather than myself. I ask Lord that I may be a holy vessel who opens their mouth to bear witness of the things I have seen and heard. I pray Lord that those who hear my testimony will believe that you are true. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

Before Christ

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John 1:6-9 WEB

There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John. [7] The same came as a witness, that he might testify about the light, that all might believe through him. [8] He was not the light, but was sent that he might testify about the light. [9] The true light that enlightens everyone was coming into the world.

John the prophet was commissioned by God to announce the coming of Christ (Mark 1:2). This is not the same John who wrote the Book of John. This is John the Baptist who is also called the Forerunner of Christ, or Elijah who is to come (Luke 1:17). John was called baptist because he preached repentance followed by baptism (Mark 1:4).

It’s interesting, the testimony of Christ was a message of repentance (Acts 19:4). John spoke to the general public but often he aimed his comments at religious and political leaders. And, not just any religious leaders, but the Pharisees (Mt 3:7). That is significant because the Pharisees were the godliest people in the land.

If the godliest people of the day could not discern Christ (John 12:42), how can we be sure we do not miss Christ? It’s important we understand the first announcement of the coming of Christ (Gen 3:15, Luke 1:31). We’re at a time when we all expect the millennial reign to come at any moment, so it seems pertinent we can recognize when somebody is announcing Christ.

Lord Jesus, please help me recognize the signs of your second coming. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.