I have some very strong beliefs that control much of my life. One is that I believe that we are eternal beings, and that when we die we will spend our eternity either with God or away from God. With God will be amazing joy and apart from a Him will be a total lack of joy. Psalms 16:12 says, “in Your presence is fullness of joy”. Attached to that belief is the conviction that we get to spend our eternity with God because we love Jesus, and for no other reason.

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,

Many believe that there are many ways to God, I do not, I believe there is only one way, and that those who do not choose that one way are eternally separated from God. If I truly care for people I will attempt to convince them that they need to follow Jesus as their savior. That I believe is a major assignment given to me by God. That is a very tough assignment, and I have had limited success in accomplishing it, so I am always pondering how to be more persuasive, influence more, attract people to my faith, and to convince them that it is truth.

I know that success in this area will be based more on the strength of my relationship with people than on my persuasive words. People won’t be drawn to my faith if I offend them in my attempt to convince them. That is what makes this assignment so difficult, the gospel according to Jesus is offensive to people. The Apostle Paul wrote much of the New Testament, started many churches, went about trying to persuade people to follow Jesus, and was martyred for his faith in Jesus. I attempt to follow Paul’s example, though most of the time not very successfully, as expressed in 1 Corinthians 9:19 and 9:23-24;

For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. . . . To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. I do all things for the sake of the gospel,

The great challenge for me and others is, “If I am going to win people, I have to be winsome”, “if I am going to convince people that Jesus loves them, I have to be lovable“. The sad truth for me as a witness for Jesus is that often people don’t reject Jesus, they reject me, His ambassador.