The Testimonial

        World trade has made many things available to many people all at the same time.  You can just look at the labels and see where the products have been manufactured.  I once was given an electronic device that had the complete King James Bible on it and it was manufactured in China.   When a new product comes out that is really great, one of the best ways to promote it is to have testimonials.  I read a lot of testimonials, called reviews, of a product I am thinking about purchasing.  These are people who have actually tried the product and found it to work. You can have all of the advertising you want, but the personal testimonial is the greatest method of promoting it. If you want to find out if a car is good or bad, then just talk to a couple of owners and see what they think about it. In spiritual things, we call this the personal testimony. As John said in his first epistle, in 1 John 1:1-3 "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ."

        A good witness is one who has seen, who has heard and has touched. It is no wonder then that God has chosen this method in which to send forth His Word. While there are many things about which we could testify, the one main thing is salvation itself. If a saved person tells a lost person about salvation, the message is much more credible. Romans 10:13-14 says, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?" Paul listed the simple steps of salvation taking it back to the first step. If a person is going to believe, they are going to have to hear the gospel message. And if they are to hear the gospel message, then someone has to declare it to them. The word "preacher" here does not denote the office of the pastor, but rather the person who "proclaims" the message. We are all people who can proclaim  God's wonderful grace and we can testify as to what it has done for us. However, we are sometimes reluctant to share this message with others. We ought not be afraid to do so. We share the message. That is, we share what we have seen, what we have heard and what we have touched. The Holy Spirit does the convicting. As the parable of the sower explains, we are to just be faithful in casting out the seed, or the Word of God. Then, God takes care of the rest. How about being a "proclaimer" of God's Word as we get close to beginning a new year?  Praise God for the message that He has given to us all.  Share your testimony as to what God has done in your life.