My Dear Friend,
A common question I am asked is how to speak with family members about the Lord Jesus and the New Covenant. There is a normal increase in these questions during this time of year, Thanksgiving and Christmas. It is a time when a lot of people visit with family, in-laws and outlaws. I get more questions from parents wanting help with their children than children wanting help with their parents, but they tend to be similar. A resurrected believer in the Lord Jesus will grow to have concern for the salvation of those who do not know Him, but there is normally a special desire for those who are closest to us.
For those of you who do not have many relatives who agree with you when it comes to the most significant matters of your faith, you probably have noticed that those who do not agree with you don't enjoy being around you as much as you would like. It turns out that when you have something people do not want, they will not likely want to be around you very much. You will find yourself being partially excluded from conversations and get the sense that some of them just don't like you at all. What I would like you to consider is that when you talk with family members about your faith, this obvious exclusion is going to probably be very important to them. They are going to look at the people around them and you, and the larger group of people will have an influence on them. The thought will come to mind that if they agree with you, they will be rejected by the, "family" just like you are. That is a consequence of taking a position on who is Jesus and what did He accomplish.
Most of what I teach is from my own personal experiences in life, failures and successes. If you find yourself feeling alone often, I want you to know that the Lord has numerous people who feel the same way. I have a small group of friends who I spend time with outside of my work in the ministry who are like minded in faith, but I have no family other than that, with whom I am able to rest with like I can with them. For thirty years now I have been sharing the Gospel with people and it has always been that way since I came to know the Lord Jesus. Some may be discouraged by this, desiring more, but I have come to know that the Lord does more work growing His kingdom when it is more difficult for us to assemble together as often as we would like and in larger numbers. He continues to use us to reach into people's lives who do not know Him, by sometimes making it difficult for us to just meet with each other instead. While we may want, "more," do not forget that through not having, "more," the Lord uses us so He can have, "more" through our being in the lives of others who do not yet know Him. Do not forget that He will go with you wherever you go and will see through your eyes, hear through your ears, touch with your hands and speak with your mouth.
Do remember that there is a cost for believing what you believe. Most others will not be willing to pay that cost because there will be things more valuable to them than the truth. They certainly will never tell you, confess or admit it, because doing so would clearly expose a poor decision. However, exposure to the truth gives the Holy Spirit additional opportunities to convict a person in their hearts and they will reconsider when no one is looking. This is one of the advantages of radio broadcasting. People normally listen to the radio programs in their cars and homes when no one is around. I talk with a lot of people who are wrestling with what I am teaching them. Some of them return after a year or two and others believe privately and try not to let others know about what they are learning from me. After a while I hear back from them because they just can't hold it in anymore and they start telling others about what they know to be true. Being a part of the work of the Lord is not just a project to be completed, but a life to be lived. You and I working together like this through Living God Ministries is a way for us to do more than what we could do individually. You and I are participants in the creation of life through telling others about the love, grace, justice, mercy and wisdom of God.
The apostle Paul often went to the Synagogues to speak with the Jews, and this was a time of meeting with his, "relatives." There was and always will be a unique bond with Jews that we are a tribe, a family of families, and the relational dynamics in a synagogue are similar to those found in small churches or a large get together of family members during holidays. Some encouragement I often get is through being reminded of what happened with Paul when he was in Corinth (Acts 18:1 - 17). In frustration, Paul shook his clothes and stormed out of the synagogue, "Your blood be upon your own head; I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles." He left and went next door to visit with his friend Justus, but his absence created a noticeable vacuum in the lives of the people at the synagogue. Right after he left, the head rabbi, Crispus, converted and believed the Gospel. Crispus left his position in the synagogue, he paid the price for believing the truth and Paul had a victory after what felt like a failure. The Lord told Paul in verse 9 and 10, "Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city." I'm sure Paul wanted to know who they were, but that is not normally the way the Lord works. Through the conversion of Crispus, Paul was inspired to continue to reach out to the Jews and even take a vow that would enable him access to the temple in Jerusalem to preach the Gospel there once again.
I pray this encourages you as it does me,
With Thanks,
Aaron Budjen
www.livinggodministries.net
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