“He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” (Matt. 11:15 ESV)

Pay attention to what you hear

“And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you.” (Mark 4:24 ESV)

Faith comes from hearing

“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (Rom. 10:17 ESV)

Listen with faith

“Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?” (Gal. 3:2 ESV)

Hear the Word and hold it fast

“As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.” (Luke 8:15 ESV)

“Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness.” (Heb. 3:7-8 ESV)

Take care how you hear

“Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.” (Luke 8:18 ESV)

Hear the Word, accept it and bear much fruit

“But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” (Mark 4:20 ESV)

 “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” (Heb. 13:8 KJV)

Same: The one and the very same, identical, not different, equal, changeless, consistent, constant, invariable, unchanging, unfailing, invariable, invariant, regular, steady.

God does not change

“For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.” (Mal. 3:16 ESV)

There is no variation or shadow due to change

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” (James 1:17 ESV)

Now and for eternity

“To the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all time, and now, and for all eternity. Amen.” (Jude 1:25 NIV)

God’s Word will stand forever

“God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” (Num. 23:19 ESV)

“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” (Is. 40:8 ESV)

 “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8 NIV)

Love never fails

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” (1 Cor. 13:4-8 NIV)

Love covers all transgressions

“Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all transgressions.” (Prov. 10:12 NASB)

Foster love

“Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.” (Prov. 17:9 NIV)

Clothe yourself with love

“Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.” (Col. 3:14 NLT)

 “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” (Psalm 23:5 ESV)

He is able to do far more abundantly than we ask

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us.” (Eph. 3:20 ESV)

Jesus came that you may have life abundantly

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 19:19 ESV)

And God is able to make all grace abound to you

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” (2 Cor. 9:8 ESV)

“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:19 ESV)

Blessings shall overtake you

“And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God. Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field. Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your cattle, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock. Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. ...” (Deut. 28 ESV)

“I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart.” (Psalm 40:8 NLT)

Speak out! Don’t keep the good news hidden

“I have told all your people about your justice. I have not been afraid to speak out, as you, O LORD, well know. I have not kept the good news of your justice hidden in my heart.”  Psalms 40:9 NLT) 

Talk about His faithfulness, saving power, unfailing love and faithfulness

“I have talked about your faithfulness and saving power. I have told everyone in the great assembly of your unfailing love and faithfulness.” (Psalms 40:10 NLT)

 God’s covenant

“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” (Jer. 31:33 NIV)

The little yellow bird

I remember sneaking a cookie from the cookie jar when I was a child. Soon after, our cook and housekeeper, Mrs. Cox, pointed her finger at me and said, “I know you took a cookie!” I looked at her in complete surprise and said, “How did you know?” She then said, “A little yellow bird told me.” After that, when I was about to do something I knew I wasn’t supposed to, I looked around to make sure a little yellow bird wasn’t watching. Eventually, I figured out that there wasn’t any such thing as a little yellow bird watching to see if I was doing something wrong. After I became a follower of Christ I learned that God is ever-present and does see everything we do. And someday, all secrets will be revealed.

“For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light.” (Luke 8:17 ESV)

All hidden secrets will come to light

“For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light.” (Mark 4:22 ESV)

God knows the secrets of the heart

“Would not God discover this? For he knows the secrets of the heart.” (Psalm 44:21 ESV)

Every secret thing will be proclaimed

“Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops.” (Luke 12:3 ESV)

God will bring every secret thing into judgement

“For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.” (Eccles. 12:14 ESV)

God judges secrets of men by Jesus

“On that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.” (Rom. 2:16 ESV)

 “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete.” (1 John 1-1-4 NIV)

Sharing your personal experience

In the above passage the author says, “We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard.” They tell of their personal experience concerning what they “have seen with their own eyes and what they had personally touched with their own hands”. This approach to sharing ones faith is very effective because it is difficult to argue against someone’s personal experience. In fact, the most powerful witness tool you have as a Christian is your own personal testimony accompanied with God’s Word, as they say above, “concerning the Word of life.”

Be prepared to gently and respectively  give an answer

“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15b NIV)

Graciously make the most of opportunities

“Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” (Col. 4:5-6 ESV)

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Eph. 4:32 ESV)

Forgiveness: pardon, absolution, exoneration, remission, dispensation, indulgence, clemency, mercy, reprieve, amnesty.

Keep your heart and mind clear from unforgiveness

“And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” (Mark 11:25 ESV)

“Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” (Col. 3:13 ESV)

Forgive others and be forgiven also

“But if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Forgive over and over and over...

“Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.” (Matt. 18:21-22 ESV)

He is worthy!

“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” (Rev. 4:11 ESV)

To God be blessing, honor, glory and might forever and ever

“And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” (Rev. 5:13 ESV)

Honor Him in your heart as holy

“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)

Honor Him with your body

“For you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” (1 Cor. 6:20 ESV)

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--this is your true and proper worship.” (Rom 12:1 NIV)

Honor Him with your wealth

“Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce.” (Prov. 3:9 ESV)

Honor Him Forever

“To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Tim. 1:17 ESV)

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (1 Cor. 10:31