January, 2008 Prayer Letter

 I finished up the year in New York, New England and by being home for Christmas with my Family and Church Family as well.  I had planned to spend the month of November out in the Mid-West preaching in meetings in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and New York.  Unfortunately, my trip was cut short due to severe back problems.  But I was allowed by the Lord to finish my meetings and be home for Christmas.  Later this month I will be leaving to preach meetings in Maryland, Florida and Georgia as I suffer through the winter, [snow and ice storms] in the beautiful warm weather in the South.  Not that I’m trying to rub it in.  Enough of the small talk let me give you what God has laid on my heart.

A TRUE WITNESS OF THE SAVIOR

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
 
How today we need true witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ.  God promised us Heavenly Enduement for witnessing.  In our own strength, we would not –could not serve as Ambassadors for Jesus Christ as we should.  In order to boldly proclaim the Truth to a lost world, we need special power from on high.

 The command of the Lord was to tarry in Jerusalem, and to abide around the promise of the Father.  THEY WERE NOT TO PRAY FOR IT, BUT WAIT FOR IT, OR ABIDE.  The Holy Spirit could not be poured out until the Son had taken His place in Glory.  He had told them (John 7:38-39) they should be reservoirs of the Holy Spirit, but not until He was Glorified.  First…they were to wait.  Nothing can be accomplished in Spiritual Things until God’s time comes.  Obedience is the first requisite in the life of faith.  Every promise of God is certain.  Waiting implies preparation.  No time is lost that is spent in waiting upon God.  Second…they were to be anointed.  The Power of the Holy Spirit was to come upon them.  There was no doubt about the Power.  He came upon each one [everybody].  There was conscious enduement.  Third…they were to be witnesses.  The whole purpose of the anointing was clearly set forth.  This was done for their own satisfaction.  Not that they might feel good; not that they might be puffed up, but that they might serve.  They were to be set apart for testimony concerning the Crucifixion, Ascension and coming of the Lord.  Fourth…the extent of their field of service was the world.  What a message! What Power! What a field! What a blessed privilege!
 
YE SHALL BE WITNESSES…As believers in Jesus Christ; we are to be Witnesses of His Person, His Work, His Saving Power, His ability to give Victory over sin in the life.  But sadly many professing believers today ARE POOR WITNESSES.  They are good witnesses of the world and all that it offers but poor witnesses of the Savior who delivered them from the power of the god of this world.  The Bible is full of good examples and bad examples of witnesses.  Consider Daniel and his 3 Hebrew friends.  They held true to their convictions by not defiling themselves with the food and drink of the Babylonians (Dan 1:3-20).  They testified, through their godly obedience to the Lord, of the goodness and Power of their God.

 Dear Christian the Lord is entitled to a clean-cut testimony from the lives of His followers; and the needy world is also entitled to the testimony of God’s Power to sustain His followers in their separation from the things which defile and demean.  WHO ELSE CAN TESTIFY AND WITNESS FOR HIM if we who are redeemed by His precious Blood and exalted to the position of sons of God, FAIL HIM?  The test of Daniel and his friends was a 3 year test, and they stood it and proved the rightfulness of their claim.

 Oh, that the Church would once again rise to the privilege which is hers, and be able by the lives of her members, to be saying…“HERE IS THE PROOF”

 Notice…again in our text today that God is not asking us to be Witnesses; WE ARE HIS WITNESSES to a lost world.  Are we accurately representing our Savior and testifying of Him.  Are we standing out from the world as a light in the midst of darkness?  None of us is all that we should be or all that we could be.  This is the beginning of a New Year.  So, let’s decide that in 2008 that we are going to strive to be true witnesses of our dear Savior.

 How I weep, and how my heart is heavy over Christians today among us who’s Witness does more harm than good.  I encourage not only praying for yourselves but for one another as well.  We all need a fresh start and this year is a good time to do so.

 May God continue to have His divine hand upon your life and ministry is my prayer.
Love & Prayers In Christ
 
Bro. Randy Davis