Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. (1 Peter 3:15 , NIV)
To advance at golf, you want to be able to hit a greater variety of shots. It is so satisfying to practice a new shot then use it successfully on the course. And the more we use it successfully, the more we build confidence for next time.
When I was playing professional golf, we had a match late one summer afternoon with seven assistant pros. We made our way around the course in one group, playing Skins with carryovers. Well, the holes kept carrying over. Pretty soon, there was a seven-hole carryover, and I had a downhill, sidehill six-footer for birdie to win. The pressure was thick and I felt really nervous, because all the other guys were pulling for me to miss. I made the putt and won the money! That putt prepared me for a similar situation a few weeks later. I was in a playoff to get into my first PGA Tour event and had a tricky putt to win. Having felt the mounting pressure from the Skins match, I was mentally prepared to handle the pressure of a putt to win a playoff to qualify for the Michelob Classic at Kingsmill.
As we grow in the faith, conversations with seekers come up more and more. Our heart aligns with God as we desire for all people, especially our friends, to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Along the way, there are certain “shots” that prove helpful in that process. Probably the best “shot” to have in your bag is a clear presentation of the gospel that includes God, man, sin, and salvation through belief in Jesus Christ.
In today’s society, there are also lies we have to be able to traverse during our spiritual conversations. The enemy puts forth lies that lead people to question God, his goodness and his people. The most common lies that people encounter on their road to God need to be addressed for progress toward a relationship with God. Preparing to answer the following questions is comparable to learning new shots in golf, and addressing these questions with friends will help you uncover the lies that your unbelieving friends have believed. These questions include:
– Is there a God?
– Is the Bible reliable?
– Why do bad things happen to good people?
– What about all the hypocrites?*
Answering these common questions for people falls in line with Peter’s encouragement to “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” Even more important than learning a new golf shot, learning to answer these common objections will help you to be clutch when the pressure is on. Answering these questions, along with prayer and the Holy Spirit’s guidance, will greatly improve your game in regards to sharing your faith with others!
(*To investigate biblical answers to these questions and others like them, consider working through the Links Players Bible studies on Spiritual Due Diligence. You will find them here.)
—
Korky Kemp
October 31, 2013
Copyright 2013 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.