SPEAKER_00: Hi everyone, it's Nancy with your Wednesday edition of our daily walk.
SPEAKER_00: As we study Philippians, we're seeing how Paul challenged, equipped, and encouraged people to share the gospel, both through his words and through his actions.
SPEAKER_00: He believed without a doubt that that was his calling.
SPEAKER_00: No matter where he was and no matter who he encountered, his mission and his message were the same, to share what God had done and was doing in his life, and to teach others about the Lord's saving power that could be at work in their lives as well.
SPEAKER_00: As I've reflected on that, my mind went to Peter's writing in 1 Peter 3, verse 15, and God's word says, In your hearts, honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you, and do it with gentleness and respect.
SPEAKER_00: Paul lived his life this way.
SPEAKER_00: So how do we prepare to share about the hope we have in the Lord?
SPEAKER_00: Three things come to mind for me.
SPEAKER_00: One, know God's word.
SPEAKER_00: What do people need to know about who God is and about the loving relationship he offers to them through the forgiveness of sins, the promise of eternal life, and his promise to faithfully be with them now and forever.
SPEAKER_00: Second thing we need to do is be aware of God's work in our lives and in our world.
SPEAKER_00: It's easy to go through our days focused on checking off our to-do list and perhaps worrying about what may come tomorrow.
SPEAKER_00: Okay, little personal example there.
SPEAKER_00: Our minds can be so focused on our needs, our problems, our pain, our uncertainties that we miss seeing how God is working in our lives this day, right now.
SPEAKER_00: How he's providing for us, protecting us, teaching us, and blessing us.
SPEAKER_00: And the third thing we can do is ask the Holy Spirit to provide opportunities and then prompt us to share with people how God is at work in our lives, how he's caring for us, and how he offers the same love, the same care, and the same promise of eternal life to them.
SPEAKER_00: To share our testimony of how we put our hope in him, no matter what our circumstances might be.
SPEAKER_00: Oh, may we be a people who follow Peter's teaching and Paul's example in our hearts to honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks us for a reason for the hope that is in us.
SPEAKER_00: Amen.