Don't keep the faith to yourself.....

Sharing the Faith. That is the name of my blog. It seems simple enough because here on my blog I am sharing my faith. But the story goes a little deeper than what you see on the outside.
You see, it relates back to my childhood and growing up years. As I have posted in earlier blog posts .....( link to posts here
http://sharingthefaith-northernsparrow.blogspot.ca/2012/04/coming-to-jesus.html

http://sharingthefaith-northernsparrow.blogspot.ca/2012/04/baptism.html


in my family we are fans of Billy Graham. His teaching throughout the years has been a great blessing to our lives. We used to listen to the Hour of Decision broadcast every Sunday afternoon at 1:30. Oftentimes the message would be by Billy Graham himself,  preaching from a recent crusade but other times he would have other members of the Billy Graham Team bring the message. One of the Team speakers was a man by the name of Leighton Ford. He was a good preacher too. But at the close of his message, he would always end it the same way saying "Don't keep the faith to yourself - Pass it on!" That sounds like great advice, don't you think? Well my Dad didn't think it was worded quite accurately. My Dad would say " Don't keep the faith to yourself - Share it!". So what is the difference here?

I think why my Dad was bothered by the statement to "pass on your faith" is because your faith is a personal thing. None of us can redeem his brother. That is what the Bible says in Psalm 49: 7-8  None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)

I cannot give you faith. I can share my faith with you and then it is your decision whether to make it your own or not. An example I think of is a family heirloom - a clock that my mother passed on to me. It is a very old chime clock. See picture of it here.



The clock I inherited


My Mom's Mom  ( that is my Grandmother ) inherited it, then she passed it on to my Mother, and now my Mother has passed it on to me and some day I will pass it on to one of my boys. So in passing down something valuable such as this clock, it is completely the decision of the giver whether or not I receive the gift. I inherited it. While when I share my faith with you, you must be decide whether you will receive what you have heard and whether you will choose to make it your own.

So I kind of like my Dad's idea "Don't keep the faith to yourself - Share it!!"

My Dad passed on to glory in 2004. If you would like to read a post about him link to post here:

http://sharingthefaith-northernsparrow.blogspot.ca/2012/04/my-dad-man-of-god.html

http://sharingthefaith-northernsparrow.blogspot.ca/2012/04/daddy-old-time-preacher-man.html

The Clock my Mother Gave to me.....

For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

My Chime Clock

Time is ticking away...
This chime clock pictured here was given to me by my mother this past Christmas. Each of my five sisters also received a clock just like it. It is a beautiful gift which I will treasure for many years to come.  My mother is currently 85 years old and so this clock is a gift that means a lot to me and whenever I look at it, it is a reminder to me of my precious mother.
In its own sort of way, a clock tells a story. It reminds us of the lives we have lived as well as how fleeting time really is. For those of you who read my blog regularly, you will know that I recently turned 50. Much of my life is behind me and Lord willing, I have much life to look forward to yet here on this earth, and then eternal life awaits me with our Lord Jesus in heaven. We have seen our babies boys grow up to be fine young men and our baby daughter has grown up quickly also and has become a beauiful young gal, and I am reminded of my child who has already gone to be with the Lord.  So many memories to cherish.
In the book of Ecclesiates we find a very insightful passage on "time".
Please take the time to read these verses from the book of Ecclesiastes.
Ecclestiastes 3:1-11
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: 
 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
  A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?
  I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.
He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.