"The Value of Sharing Your Faith"

Scripture: "I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ." -Philemon 1:6, NIV

If you were to reflect upon your childhood, at one time or another, you shared something with someone. Whether it was a sandwich your mother cut into two, a piece of gum from a pack or pieces you carried with you, your basketball with others to play on the basketball, or any other thing, we shared. When we shared those things, it had a way of making a person's day, making a set of games go smoother, allowed you to make friends, having a smoother day, and other things. Within the Kingdom of God, this same principle is key. It's important that we share with our brothers and sisters the things God has done for us. It's important to share that God still sits high on the throne and is able to deliver you from anything! It's also important to share with our brothers and sisters our faith! What do you mean? When you share with people the faith that God has blessed you with, it has a way of blessing them and in turn, igniting their faith. Today's text will provide further clarity on the value of sharing your faith.

Today's scripture is located in the book of Philemon. This book was one of the thirteen New Testament books/epistles written by the Apostle Paul. As a background to this book, the receiver of this book, Philemon, lived in Colossae, was known for having a little wealth, and a convert of the Apostle Paul. Philemon had a slave by the name of Onesimus, who ran away from his master to Rome and was converted to the Christian faith by the Apostle Paul. Due to Onesimus breaking away from his master, he wanted to repair his relationship with Philemon, thus Paul's reason for writing this one chapter book.

Our main scripture begins with Paul making the following statement: "I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith". Just as Paul said this to Philemon, I am saying the same to you: I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith! There are some of us who receive Word after Word after Word and God has done some miraculous things in our life, but yet and still, we sit on our stories, we sit on our Word and because of that, the body of Christ cannot grow to the level God wants it to grow! Believers' healings lie within the sharing of your faith! Breakthroughs lie within the sharing of your faith! Repairs of relationships lie within the sharing of your faith! James told us to be "ye doers of the Word and not hearers only" and some of us have heard so much that we are not doing anything with it! Maintain a regiment that will keep you off of your seat of do nothing and share your faith!

What's the value of sharing your faith? The final part of the text provides us the answer. The value of sharing your faith is "so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ". In other words, when you think of the goodness of Jesus and all that He has done for you, your soul ought to cry out Hallelujah, you thank God for saving you! Not only do you thank God for saving you, you thank God for where He has brought you from! By sharing your story with others, it gives you understanding. The more you share your story, the more understanding you receive knowing that everything came from God, and more importantly, it brings God more Glory! I think about the fact that in my youth, I had asthma and when the seasons change, my asthma flared up and as it flared up, inhalers and breathing treatments were a part of my regiment. I thank God that at the age of 12, through my faith in Him, He healed me from it and when I have shared this story with others, it gives them encouragement to know that God can heal them from their disease and in turn, blesses me to know that God is Jehovah Rophe, the God that healeth thee! If truth were told, EVERYONE of you have a story to tell and how your faith has blessed you. As you share, your understanding becomes clearer and God's Glory becomes bigger!

In closing, sharing food and snacks back in the day was a cool thing to do. Today, it's a cooler thing to share with others the faith that God has blessed you with. As you share your faith, you will gain a greater appreciation for the things God has done for you! Never take God's blessings for granted nor the faith He has given you! Don't sit on your faith, share it, and exercise it so that God can get maximum profit from your life to benefit the Kingdom!