Comments on: Public Faith

By: Paulette1958

Paulette1958 — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 05:02:15 +0000

Hello Laura,
Thank-you so much for filling in for me today, I appreciate it. I enjoyed your post alot. I think we all struggle with our boldness in Faith everyday. I would say I am semi bold. I will invite people to church and activities at church. If they ask about my faith I am always willing to talk openly about my faith. I have shared the gospel many times with people, however I try to make a repore with people first.
I do try to set an example in my faith, but I do fail at times. I always strive to be Christlike.
Great post Laura!

By: Ruth

Ruth — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 05:03:31 +0000

I really appreciated reading your post.
As a teenager my passion for Jesus as flourescent PINK and then because of fear and shame, I tried to colour it a nice happy “make everyone feel better” colour. something that wouldn’t stick out as much. maybe beige?

beige is boring when you’ve been created to be PINK!

God bless you!

By: Susan (5 Minutes for Mom)

Susan (5 Minutes for Mom) — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 05:15:14 +0000

High school is often a hard time for Christians to show their faith. I think most people knew I was a Christian in high school and I think most of the time I didn’t try to hide it… I can’t really remember ever trying to hide it… but that said, I also didn’t always ‘act’ like a Christian. And I still don’t always… I often think how probably most of the time if someone were observing me they wouldn’t know I was a Christian. It’s a very upsetting realization.

Thank you for the reminder.

By: Laurel Wreath

Laurel Wreath — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 13:03:44 +0000

I agree with “Our simple acts, done in public, can be used to bring others to Jesus. ” and many times it is when we think no one is watching!! Great post.

By: Ellen

Ellen — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 13:19:55 +0000

My Father, so often I merely react to what I see and hear. Then I feel so superficial. I wonder why my “Christianity” has so little power…
seems so unlovely. Then I realize I have done it my own way, and I feel like I’ve stepped “outside of you”
But today. I want my life …….. all thoughts, words, actions ………
to flow up and out of a spirit that lives “within” you.
Come meet with me now, Lord, in the secret inner depths of my spirit.Amen.

By: sonja brooks

sonja brooks — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 13:20:36 +0000

Our simple acts, done in public, can be used to bring others to Jesus.

Discussion: Does your commitment to Christ show? Have you helped others come to Christ by how you live and what you say?

My first sponsoree in CR got her 12 step chip just last month. She has been in recovery for one year now. I was so happy for her, and I did not realize the impact it would also have on me. While it was her moment of victory for one year of hard work in the program, however I did feel God was giving me a little HUG too saying Thank You Sonja for guiding my child back to me.

I call moments like those my spiritial markers that God gives to me. I have a journal that I keep now that is a complete journal of those spiritial markers. I go to it often in the hard times to help remind me what God has done for me, and the treasures He gives me for being TRUE to Him.

By: Barb

Barb — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 16:23:20 +0000

If you’ve read the Mark of the Lion trilogy by Francine Rivers, as I’m reading right now, then you know I’m reading about this very thing…being persecuted for displaying your faith. To answer your question, my commitment to Christ doesn’t show as much as it should. We can probably all improve in this area. I’d like to think that the way I live my life might inspire someone to wonder why and think about it. Thank you for this post. This gives all of us something to think about. Are we doing as much as we can? Never. We can always do better.

By: Karla

Karla — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 17:45:26 +0000

This is the second time in as many days that I’ve been encouraged to be more a witness (in acts and in words) for Him. *dink dink dink* I think He’s trying to tell me something.
My righteous indignation (ugh) gets in the way so many times; I can’t be an effective witness for Him when I’m living like that.
Thanks for the great but gentle reminder…

By: Lauren

Lauren — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 19:20:36 +0000

I think about this a lot. The other day I went to get the mail and I had received three things… something from Franklin Graham, Crossings Christian book club and a newsletter from a Christian Ministry. I wondered if the mail man ever considers this when we converse, is he watching to see if I’m different then others?

How about people I deal with on a daily basis? If I’m pleasant and courteous that reflects on me. It makes them think highly of me but is that what I’m striving for? If I’m pleasant and courteous and some how work the name of Christ into the conversation THEN I’m reflecting Christ.

And what about the bad days, when I’m grumpy. Have I completely blown my chance to talk about Christ with someone I’ve previously been short with?

Sorry, my mind wandered. In answer to your question - I hope so but this side of heaven I may not know.

By: Janice (5 Minutes for Mom)

Janice (5 Minutes for Mom) — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 05:34:09 +0000

I failed at many of my tests of faith in high school. Sure some I passed but one stands out as a terrible denial - it still breaks my heart and makes me hang my head in shame.

I was hanging out with a few “friends” in the halls. Everyone else was in class. The guys knew I was a Christian and had found out that my dad was in ministry and started saying some horrible, horrible things to me. They also taunted me saying, I bet you have a Bible in your locker (and I remember being sooooo relieved I hadn’t brought my Bible that day!) Then after one particularly nasty comment, I told them to “F— off” and walked away. I feel like I denied my Lord that day. I often shared that story with the teens I worked with. We all have our times of testing like Peter did. And like Peter, I failed mine.