Testimony

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
Acts 1:8 ESV

Sometimes I forget I'm a Christian. I don't mean I go willfully sin or do things that are against sound biblical doctrine. But I forget to do what a follower of Christ is to do. The book of Acts is named for acts of the apostles and disciples after Jesus gave them the gift of the Holy Spirit and ascended into heaven. It is a testimony of the power of God and the faithfulness of the apostles. And like them, I am also to be a witness and testify about the power of God.

What does this testimony entail? Very simply, what God has done. A witness provides a truthful account of what they have seen or experienced. Too much Christianese makes me think that there is so much more to it than that, but there isn't. Jesus spoke to the disciples before He ascended and said they would be witnesses for Him in the earth. He didn't say they needed to go earn a degree, perfect an elevator speech, or read special books first. He said they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them. There are some debates about what that means and when it happens to a believer, but I like to go with what Jesus said about it in John 14-16. He tells us when the Holy Spirit comes He will bear witness about Him and so will we (John 15:26-27).

So what is my testimony about Jesus? Too much for one blog post, although this whole blog serves to tell part of my testimony. Most recently, God has shown me how faithful He is. I've been a Christian for 25 years and throughout that time I have learned a lot about being a human being. That may sound funny since that's all I can be, but sometimes I feel like my humanity can be an excuse to not do better. Anyway, the Lord has worked with me to have a more accurate perception about my humanity and how He works through it. In the past 6 years, He has softened my heart towards myself and others, allowing all of us to just be human. As He has done that, He has also shown me the good work that He is doing in me. Not all of it, but enough pieces to reveal that He is highly involved in every encounter I have and every detail of my life. I am humbled, amazed, and grateful for what I have gained through Jesus Christ, my Savior!

No matter what your testimony is, remember to give it, telling everyone how much the Lord has done for you.

And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled. Mark 5:19-20 ESV