Testimony

"Raise your right hand. Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but?"

I must repeat this oath at least a dozen times a day. Oh no! Not because I’m in court giving my own testimony. What I am doing, as a Spanish Court interpreter, I am interpreting court proceedings. Among the dialogue between judge and defendant is the oath all must take.

Everyone has a testimony, what they’ve never done, never been at or haven’t seen. Or often it’s the contrary, what in fact they have seen to prove the guilt of the defendant.

With the latest news of O. J. Simpson, no doubt testimonies will fill courtrooms and grand jury members’ ears pretty soon.

Actually all of us have testimonies - one we display to those around us and the one we’ll give to the Lord some day when we face Him.

So I prepare my evidence to present to the ultimate Judge. They include exhibits of my actions, thoughts and deeds.

Here’s what Dr. Charles Stanley from In Touch Ministries asserts. Hmm, when I read the implications, I dug deeper into the records of my soul.

Psalm 78:1-7 "What is a testimony? Some Christians think it's simply a brief account of how God has worked in their life. While that may be partially true, our testimony is much more than just a short story.

One important aspect of our testimony is our character, which should include a spirit of obedience. Do we follow God's instruction on occasion but ignore Him the rest of the time? An obedient spirit follows the Lord's guidance, no matter what. Sometimes our actions may outwardly display obedience, but nobody-with the exception of God-- knows what lies within our heart. What He sees is our true character, and it should line up with the story we tell others to glorify Him.

Our conduct, or what we do, is another facet of our testimony. If what we say conflicts with our behavior, then we cloud our witness. Unbelievers may consider us hypocritical or doubt the genuineness of our faith. The way we act should confirm who we are in Christ.

Finally, a third part of our testimony is our conversation. As Psalm 107:2 says, "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so." This gives us an opportunity to tell others what God is doing in our lives. Our words can be significant to an unbeliever who doubts the existence of God or the divinity of Christ."

Goodness gracious, we need to watch our P’s and Q’s big time! But in living a life guided by God’s precepts ushers freedom, incredible freedom, sleep at night, peace in the heart, conscience that shines and best of all an intimate relationship with Christ.

And it’s that relationship that ultimately renders the "not guilty” verdict - setting us free from the effects of burdens, pain and anxiety.

If you struggle to maintain your testimony squeaky clean, I’m with you. I know the task is tough when we tackle it on our own. But when Jesus, our spiritual attorney is by our side, we can win the battle in the courtroom of life.

Janet