“He replied, "Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!" (John 9:25 NIV)

The above passage is from a blind man that Jesus had healed. The religious leaders tried to trap him with a religious question about whether Jesus was a sinner or not. His answer was short and to the point. He said, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” They could not argue with his personal story and it abruptly ended their interrogation.

Your own story can be powerful

People can argue with you about religion, the church, theology, even about the existence of God. But, your personal stories of God’s presence in your life are yours alone, and are inarguable.

Don't debate, just tell your story simply!

Think about all that God has done for you. How you received Jesus. What He has done in your life. The answered prayers. The blessings He has sent your way. Those are stories you can use in many positive ways. When someone says something negative about God, don't argue with them, instead say, “I don't know about that, but this I do know (insert your personal story here). You may be pleasantly surprised how God can use you this way!

Do it with gentleness and respect

“but 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; yet do it with gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15 ESV)

Tomorrow, I will tell you what happened when I told my story to a hitchhiking woman with a little baby in her backpack, during a blizzard.  

"But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.  And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Mark 19:42-45 NKJV)

Serving others doesn't come naturally!

Human nature at its very core is to be self-centered. Just think about that statement for a moment! We don't like to think of ourselves as selfish, but we are! From the moment we awake each day, our lives are basically about taking care of ourselves, our bodies and our needs and appetites. In order to serve someone else you have to first deny yourself, then put other’s needs above your own. And, that's not easy to do! Children have to be taught to share, they usually don't want to. Even as adults, it's easy to be selfish and think only of yourself rather than others. Married couples often struggle with this and have to learn to serve each other’s needs. Learning to put others ahead of yourself, although difficult, brings much personal joy and satisfaction. And, it's very good for others, too!

Jesus set the example of servanthood

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Mark 19:45 NKJV)

“But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.”(Isa. 41:3 ESV)

God calls His own by name!

“To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” (Ohm 10:3 ESV)

Jesus knows His own!

“I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.” (John 10:14-15 ESV)

Before you were born, God knew you!

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” (Jer. 1:5 ESV)

Jesus will confess your name before the Father!

“The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.” (Rev. 3:5 ESV)

“While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2 Cor. 4:18 NIV)

Everything we see is temporary!

In my early childhood I lived in the Northern California redwoods in the little community of Alton. It was a wonderful place to live! It was located next to the Van Duzen River, which ran along a lush mountainside with blue-green pools of water for us to swim in. A row of beautiful walnut trees grew next to our house. My brother David and I would climb them to build amazing tree houses and pretend we were Tarzan. At age twelve, I moved from there to Alaska. Many years later I returned to Alton for a visit, but I could barely recognize it. Everything had changed! Our house and walnut trees were gone. The river had shifted from its original location and no longer ran alongside the mountain. The beautiful swimming holes no longer existed. It looked nothing like the wonderful place I had loved so dearly in my childhood. There was nothing familiar left except for my memories! It was shocking and very sad.

But, it's a picture of the way things are going to be here on earth eventually; nothing we can see now is permanent. But, this world is not our true home. We are only passing through!

The Word of God is permanent!

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.”(Matt. 24:35 NASB)

“For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” (Matt. 5:18 NASB)

People are like Grass!

“A voice says, "Call out." Then he answered, "What shall I call out?" All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, When the breath of the LORD blows upon it; Surely the people are grass.” (Isa. 40:6-7 NASB)

We have a permanent home in heaven!

“For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.” (Heb. 13:14 NLT)

"Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have lqaid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You in the presence of the sons of men!" (Psalm 31:19, NKJV)

 "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." (John 24:3 NIV)

"Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created." (Rev. 4:11 NASB)

Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God

“Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matt. 16:16 ESV)

Worthy is the Lamb!

"Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing." (Rev. 5:12 KJV)

“That they may know that You alone, whose name is the LORD, Are the Most High over all the earth.” (Psalm 83:18 NASB)

You abide in His shadow!

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.” (Psalm 91:1 NASB)

Do not dread anything because He is in your midst!

 “You shall not dread them, for the LORD your God is in your midst, a great and awesome God.”  (Psalm 47:2 NASB)

He accomplishes all things for you!

“I will cry to God Most High, To God who accomplishes all things for me.” (Psalm 57:2 NASB)

Sing praises to the Lord most high!

“I will give thanks to the LORD according to His righteousness And will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.” (Psalm 7:17 NASB)

“For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.”(Heb. 4:12 NLT)

It is God breathed!

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim. 3:16-17 NIV)

Do what it says

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” (Jam. 1:22 NIV)

Preach the Word

“Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction.” (2 Tim. 4:2 NIV)

"When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate asked him, 'Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?' But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor." (Matt. 27:12-14, NIV)

Don't respond to negativity

I have a friend who has a very large, successful, and public ministry. Along with it comes much criticism and many personal attacks. There are entire blogs and sites dedicated to negativity about him and his ministry. The attacks are often hateful and filled with character assassination. But, my friend doesn't respond to a single charge! He totally ignores them. When asked why he or his staff don't answer his critics, he says, “I have an important job to do, which is to reach as many people in the world as I can with the gospel of Jesus Christ. I have no time to give to meaningless distractions." He is right! You only give energy to accusations when you add fuel to them with any kind of an answer. Jesus, in the passage at top didn't answer his accusers, either. “Not to a single charge” (Matt. 27:14 NIV).  Billy Graham had a similar policy, he said, “We don't accuse or excuse. Period!"

“Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the LORD means safety. (Prob. 29:25 NLT)

“But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.” (Luke 6:35 NIV)

God has a different standard of behavior than most

Most of us behave like goats. If you push on a goat, it pushes back hard. If you pull a goat's horns, it will pull back hard. Most people react negatively to those who act negatively towards them. It's human nature. But God has a different way. He forgives those who are negative towards Him. He gives love to the ungrateful and wicked. In fact, He expects, even commands, the same kind of behavior of us toward others.

Love your enemies!

“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.  Do to others as you would have them do to you.

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them.And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that.  And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” (Luke 6:27-36 NIV)