Big Rocks for Strong Christ-Followers
Today’s Big Rock: Jesus Wants Witnesses – Part III
Scripture Foundation: Acts 1:8
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
The second phrase of the Apostle Peter’s words remind us believers to:
always be ready to explain it. (1 Peter 3:15b).
Yesterday’s devotion reminded us to wait for an unbeliever’s questions about our faith, believing that those questions will come as the Father draws them. We also studied the fact that we can pray for unbelievers, asking the Father to draw them.
Today, I want you to think about the second phrase, being ready to explain your faith.
I think we will be ready if you have two verses planted deep in our memory. The first one is very familiar, and you could tell someone of it:
For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16).
This is a great verse to remind any unbeliever. Often unbelievers wonder if God is mad at them because of all their sins. We can assure them that they can rest on the truth of this verse. We can assure them that God loves everyone in our world, regardless of their past sins.
A second verse that I like is:
The Lord isn’t really being slow about His promise, as some people think. No, He is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. (2 Peter 3:9).
Even as I pray for the unbelievers on my list, I often say: “Father, I am so glad it is not your will that anyone is lost, that you want them to come to you.”
Saying these words reminds me that I am praying for someone that God loves, and that my prayers are in line with God’s will.
Even if these are the only two scriptures you have planted in your memory, you are ready to give anyone the reason for your hope in Christ.
We, as believers, have our hope in the fact that God loved us, even while we were sinners (Romans 5:8).
We also have our hope in the fact that it is not in His will that we are lost in eternity.
Yes, our hope is in Christ alone! We can be ready to give an answer for the hope that lies within us.
Father, when you see I am ready, please use me to give unbelievers the same hope you have given me. In Jesus’s name I pray.