Jesus Freaks

By Pat

A short time ago, a friend and I were talking about what we'd do if we knew the return of Jesus was imminent. Would we be different? Live differently? I couldn't really think of anything major that I would change about my lifestyle, except for one thing. I told my friend I would desperately witness in an attempt to reach my family and friends who are not saved, to warn them that the end is near, in hopes that their salvation was secured. And as soon as the words left my lips...BAM! Convicted! Shouldn't I already be doing that?

I have always felt funny about being too pushy about what I know to be the truth. I have a fear of wondering what people think of me, of thinking I am strange; a Jesus freak. I worry that rather than nudge people towards Jesus, my manner and words might instead push them away. It happens...We've all heard stories about people who have been turned off by over-zealous Christians. But didn't Jesus command us to "go and make disciples of all nations?" And in order to do that, shouldn't I be asking God to help me to overcome my inhibitions and do what I need to do in order to make sure everyone I encounter knows exactly who Jesus is?

One of my favorite Bible heroes is John the Baptist. He was fearless, unique, forward and obedient. He knew he was here to point people to Jesus. He never proclaimed to be great, but instead told everyone about the coming of the great Savior, Jesus. "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.' " (Mark 1:3) He didn't care to whom, where, when or how the message was delivered. He only knew he had a job to do, as do we, and he did it!

I want to be more like John. I want to overcome my fear of being avoided, or thought of as weird. I want to witness fearlessly, tirelessly and diligently. I want everyone to know my Lord and be saved. I want to be bold, not timid. I want the Holy Spirit to move in me in such a way that Jesus is made real and glorified in my every word. I want to be a Jesus freak! And with God's help, I can.

"I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he." (Luke 7:28)

Pat is a good friend who is passionate about her faith and her family. She works from home supporting a family business, and loves to read, write and garden when she can, and spends every spare moment with her grandkids.

Salvation For the Next Generation

Updated on Monday, August 30, 2010 at 1:01PM by MAD21

[Editor's Note: This post is the second contribution to a wonderful series we are doing on Biblical virtues and praying for our children. I firmly believe that as parents, it is part of our responsibility, and an honor, to pray to our Father in heaven on behalf of our children. I pray you are blessed and encouraged by the words of these posts and that you will join me in my passion for growing strong, confident, loving, honorable and faithful children of God.]

By Nick (My Experience As...)

First let me say thank you for the opportunity. I used to write nearly every day but lately I have been so busy that I haven’t done any writing. This is helping me more than I can say.

If you know me then you can skip this paragraph, but if you don’t it might be helpful to get an idea of where I’m coming from.  I am a father to 4 children. I love them dearly and believe each to be a gift from God. I mean this quite literally as my wife had two miscarriages and a tubal before we had our first and we were both struggling with horrible depression until God spoke to us through our pastor.  This is a powerful story that I’d invite you to read on my blog. I’m also a youth pastor and have well over 50 students I pray for all the time. My heart breaks for most of them because I know they have heard the truth, but have not responded to it.

I believe we need to pray for our children daily. I don’t even mean our natural children, but all those of this generation of students.  I have made a strong effort to get the names of all of my students, even those who came once and haven’t been back, into the hands of people in my church.  I ask them to pray for the kids every day, and I know they are covered in prayers. We pray for protection, and peace. We ask for strength and wisdom. We seek blessing and perseverance on their behalf.

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The Greatest Gift

By Pat

In this day and age, it's very hard to get something for nothing. There is always a price to pay for the things we want. For instance, in order to be recognized in our jobs, we are required to work hard in hopes that the boss will acknowledge our attempts and reward us with pay raises and promotions. As children, we earn an allowance by doing chores, and oftentimes parents reward their childrens' good grades by allowing a special privilege, or buying a particular item the child has been wanting.

Isn't it wonderful to realize that there is one thing in life that is totally and completely free to us, a gift so wonderful that no other gifts can compare? Something that is so precious it cannot be given a monetary value, cannot be earned through diligent hard work. It's the gift of salvation, and it's free! What could possibly be better than that?

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