Share Life Today

Gratitude and Grace

Hi, I’m John Sorensen, President of Evangelism Explosion International, and you’re listening to Share Life Today.
Did you know that gratitude goes hand-in-hand with grace? It makes sense when you think about it! The definition of grace is "the undeserved favor of God." Romans 3:24 says that we "are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." You know, the natural response to a gift as big as the undeserved grace of God towards us—a people who chose rebellion against our Creator—is gratitude. And if it wasn't, there would be something seriously wrong! Have you witnessed a new believer be on fire for God? You can hardly contain them from telling everyone around them about what God has done in their life! "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me!" That should be our daily, natural, thankful response to God—we should tell everyone around us about what Jesus did for us on the cross. Not sure how to share this Good News? Well, we're here to help! Visit us at www.sharelife.today.

The Result of a Thankful Heart

Hi, I’m John Sorensen, President of Evangelism Explosion International, and you’re listening to Share Life Today.
In the past month, my grandson had his birthday, and upon receiving his gifts, he said, “Wow! These are so cool I can’t stop being grateful!” We chuckled at these heartwarming words from a seven-year-old, but isn’t it just profound? When we are given good gifts, we just can’t help but be grateful. And we have received good gifts from our Heavenly Father–of first importance, the gift of salvation! He promised a Messiah who would come take away our sins, and He fulfilled the promise of salvation through Jesus to all who would put their full trust in Him. We have seen God’s goodness and faithfulness through Jesus, and we can also cling to His other promises that He’s made for us. The result is a heart ready to believe God at His Word and fulfill His purpose for our lives. Let’s obey Jesus by following His Great Commission to us to go and share the Gospel with our communities and families! For help, visit www.sharelife.today.

Powerful Thankfulness

Hi, I’m John Sorensen, President of Evangelism Explosion International, and you’re listening to Share Life Today.
"Gratitude is an offering precious in the sight of God, and it is one that the poorest of us can make and be no poorer but richer for having made it." This quote by A.W. Tozer shares an important truth about thankfulness—it has great power. A grateful heart is not only valuable to God, but it also makes us quite different from most of humanity. Before having a relationship with Jesus, all of us were dead in our sins. And there are many who still operate that way and need to hear the Good News of the Gospel. It goes against our sinful natures to be thankful. But when we look outside of ourselves and realize that the grace and mercy that God offers we don’t deserve, we become thankful. Because this is the Father's love for us—that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. So let's be salt and light in a world that desperately needs to hear the Gospel. Who can you share with? For more, visit www.sharelife.today.

Fruit of a Thankful Heart

Hi, I’m John Sorensen, President of Evangelism
Explosion International, and you’re listening to Share Life Today.
What is a major characteristic of a heart changed by Jesus? Well, it is a spirit of joyous, vibrant, passionate thankfulness. As people rescued from sin and darkness, we are transformed into grateful children of God who walk in His light. And as His ambassadors, we’re told to walk in the Spirit, grow in Him, and tell others about who Jesus is and what He did on the cross. As we learn more about what we’ve been rescued from—God’s wrath, the debt of sin, our old fallen nature...our gratefulness to our Savior also abounds. So let’s be planted like the tree found in Psalm 1—by streams of water, which yields its fruit in the season. Our growth comes from Christ and our fruit should be blessing those who walk by us with the message of the Gospel that saved us. Let’s tell others about the Savior that we are thankful for and the Good News of the Gospel! For more, visit www.sharelife.today.

A Ministry of Gratitude

Hi, I’m John Sorensen, President of Evangelism Explosion International, and you’re listening to Share Life Today.
What is the nature of our ministry? You might ask, "John...what do you mean by that?" Well, every day we have a choice. We can either walk in joy, peace, and thankfulness or spiral into frustration and discouragement. And let's face it: life is busy. And in the busy-ness we can easily lose sight of what's important. And perhaps the highest calling that we’ve been given is to share the Gospel with others—and to do it with gratitude to God. We should model ourselves after Paul, who labored for the Lord with a thankful heart. Because true gratitude causes action. And to be thankful, we can’t just sit around. We have to give back or pass it on! And when we share the Gospel with others out of gratitude to God, others will see that thankfulness radiate from our hearts. So let me encourage you today, look for ways to share the Good News of the Gospel with others! For more tips and resources to help you in sharing your faith, visit share life dot today.

Every Testimony Matters

Hi, I’m John Sorensen, President of Evangelism Explosion International, and you’re listening to Share Life Today.
Every testimony is important. For some of us, we came to have a relationship with Christ later on in life. We have a clear "before" and "after" when Jesus came into our hearts. But did you know, this is not the only testimony that God uses? If you grew up knowing Jesus from a very young age, I want you to know that your story matters too. It's often thought that these are "less powerful" than ones full of drastic and sudden change. However, it’s just not the case at all! You have a lifetime of stories sharing the benefits of having a relationship with Christ. Chris grew up in the church and was saved at a very young age. When he experienced a huge betrayal in his life, Jesus gave him the peace that passes all understanding. It brought Chris through that difficult situation where it would be easy to give up to despair. And he knows from Christ's promises in His Word that he’ll be in heaven for eternity. Learn to share your story at www.sharelife.today.

John’s Story

Hi, I’m John Sorensen, President of Evangelism Explosion International, and you’re listening to Share Life Today.
“You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.” Well, I’ve learned that you actually can if you have a salt tablet. And for us as Christians, our testimonies are salt tablets. Your salty testimony can make non-Christians thirsty for the water of life. There are at least a couple of key elements to an effective testimony: What was your life like before you received eternal life; how did you receive it, and now that you have it, what’s your life been like since? Allow me to share a brief version of mine:  Before I had eternal life I was absolutely afraid of dying. Then someone shared with me the greatest news about how I could have eternal life and it changed me. I no longer fear death.  I’ve had that confidence ever since and I know that if I died today, I’d go to be with God in Heaven. You can read the rest of it on what’s my story dot org. You can also build your own testimony there. Visit www.sharelife.today.

A Lasting Love

Hi, I’m John Sorensen, President of Evangelism Explosion International, and you’re listening to Share Life Today.
Revelation 12:11 says that we will defeat the enemy by “the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony.” That kind of power shouldn't be hidden—your story should be shared boldly! Jesus will use it as you tell of His goodness and love to those around you. This is exactly what’s happening in Sharon's life. Before she had a relationship with Jesus, her existence was dark. She always felt isolated and alone. Sharon looked to friendships to find fulfillment, but nothing ever stuck as she never made any new, long-lasting relationships. But then, she received the free gift of eternal life, and now she knows she is never alone! Sharon feels the peace and love that comes from Jesus living in her heart, and she has found a genuine and lasting community in her church. And she just can't keep it to herself! Her friends have heard it because she shared it with them. Find out how you can do the same at www.sharelife.today.

A Powerful Tool

Hi, I’m John Sorensen, President of Evangelism Explosion International, and you’re listening to Share Life Today.
Do you realize that you have an extremely powerful tool that can help bring people to saving faith in Jesus Christ? It’s your testimony! And they come in all shapes and sizes, but what they have in common is that they tell of God's faithfulness and grace in each of our lives. Take Kevin, for example. Before he had eternal life, he had no purpose. To him, all there was to life was pain and finally death, and he was just along for the ride. But one day, he raised his hand in church expressing that he had no idea where he would go when he died. After the service, Kevin went up to the altar where someone shared what Jesus did for him on the cross. And guess what? He received Jesus as his Lord and Savior, and everything began to change! Now, he has not only found purpose in sharing his faith with others, but he also knows that God has plans for his life. What a difference! You can learn how to share your story too at www.sharelife.today.

Your Story

Hi, I’m John Sorensen, President of Evangelism Explosion International, and you’re listening to Share Life Today.
Do you realize that God has given you a story to tell?  We often refer to it as a testimony but I prefer to call it “your story.” If you have trusted in Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, your story of how God saved you and changed you counts.  I hope that’s obvious to you.  But as I travel the world, I’m often amazed at how many Christians don’t think their story counts for much of anything.  I hope you’re not one of those people who thinks their story is lackluster or “no big deal” because that just doesn’t line-up with Scripture.  In Revelation 12:11, it says, “And they have defeated him (meaning Satan) by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony.” According to that verse, your testimony is an incredibly valuable and powerful witnessing tool. When’s the last time you shared it with someone? If you need help preparing your story, we have a free testimony-building tool that I encourage you to check out. Just visit www.sharelife.today.