Good morning and welcome in everybody. Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture, but before we do that, I wanted to tell you a little story.
On this website, I like to share the things that I’ve learned in this world that symbolically remind me of the teachings of scripture. I also like to talk about the amazing things that God has done during my lifetime. Although testimonies can be drawn from one’s own personal experiences, they are not meant to glorify ourselves, but God. The Apostle Paul would give testimonies about what God had done and was doing in his life. Sharing these types of events with others can help increase their faith. One such example is found in the book of Acts when the Apostle shared his personal testimony with a King.
Acts 26 ¹ Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:
² I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews: ³ Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently. ⁴ My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;
⁵ Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
⁶ And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers: ⁷ Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope’s sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.
⁸ Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?
⁹ I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
¹⁰ Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.
¹¹ And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.
¹² Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,
¹³ At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.
¹⁴ And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
¹⁵ And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
¹⁶ But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
¹⁷ Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
¹⁸ To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
¹⁹ Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:
²⁰ But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
²¹ For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me.
²² Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:
²³ That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.
²⁴ And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.
²⁵ But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.
In the book of Galatians, he wrote another personal testimony to the church, about how God had changed his life.
Galatians 1 ¹³ For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:
¹⁴ And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.
¹⁵ But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace,
¹⁶ To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:
¹⁷ Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.
¹⁸ Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.
¹⁹ But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother.
²⁰ Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.
²¹ Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;
²² And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:
²³ But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.
²⁴ And they glorified God in me.
He testified about the Lord delivering him out of the hands of the wicked.
2 Timothy 4 ¹⁴ Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:
¹⁵ Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.
¹⁶ At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.
¹⁷ Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
¹⁸ And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
He testified about the sufferings that he endured for the cause of Christ Jesus.
2 Corinthians 11
²¹ I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also.
²² Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.
²³ Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.
²⁴ Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
²⁵ Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
²⁶ In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
²⁷ In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
²⁸ Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
²⁹ Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?
³⁰ If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.
³¹ The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.
³² In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me:
³³ And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.
Although they come from our own experiences, they are meant to edify the church and build them up in their faith. There are many things that God is doing in the lives of true believers, and sharing them is a great opportunity to glorify God through our own….
…….Personal Testimony
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you all, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.
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