Read about Quaker beliefs and practices in
Pre-Triennial study booklet: Being Faithful Witnesses: Serving God in a Changing World
Contents
- Using this booklet
- 1. Faithful waiting on God – David Blamires (Editor) Britain Yearly Meeting
- 2. Witness – Elizabeth Yano Bware Yearly Meeting
- 3. Nadia's Story – Max L. Carter North Carolina Yearly Meeting (FUM)
- 4. Servant of God – Angella Beharie Jamaica YM
- 5. Witness to Faithfulness – Rachel Muers Britain Yearly Meeting
- 6. Quaker Message – Helmer Batista North Carolina Yearly Meeting (FUM)
- 7. Unchanging Truths – Phyllis Short Aotearoa/New Zealand Yearly Meeting
- 8. Affirmation – Susannah Brindle Australia Yearly Meeting
- 9. A Fire in our Hearts – Diego Chuyma INELA Bolivia
- 10. Witness – Anne Thomas Canadian Yearly Meeting
- 11. Proclaiming the Good News – Dan Cammack Northwest Yearly Meeting
- 12. Vigil for Peace – Misha Roshchin Moscow Monthly Meeting
- 13. Faithful Witness – Kenneth Co Hong Kong Monthly Meeting
- 14. Building a Foundation for Peaceful Witness – Val Liveoak South Central Yearly Meeting
9. A Fire in our Hearts
Diego Chuyma INELA Bolivia
In this changing world we need a threefold commitment: to know the resurrected Christ, to be filled with the Holy Spirit and to be a faithful witness. First, to really know the resurrected Christ, we need not only to know about Christ, but to know him personally. Everyone who has known Christ has never been the same. The apostle Paul before his conversion was a religious leader; he knew his Bible and doctrine, but did not know Christ personally. When he met Christ on the road to Damascus, his life was changed forever. The same can be said about George Fox. Second, there has to be a commitment to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Only those who ask, seek and knock receive the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:9-13). We are to be continuously filled with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:18). Third, we must make a conscious decision to be a witness to Christ. This is to live with a purpose, with a mission.
If we are to be effective witnesses of Christ, we need to be baptized by the Holy Spirit. Even Jesus needed to be anointed with the Holy Spirit to do his ministry and the good work (Acts 10:38). He said that we would do the same things that he did and even greater things (John 14:12). The results of being baptized with the Holy Spirit will be changed lives, holy lives and lives that are impacting families, communities, cities and the whole world.
We receive power of the Holy Spirit to do the kind of works that Jesus did, to be a missionary church. Friends from around the world, we need more than ever to have a missionary zeal, a passion for lost souls. The world is ready for Jesus and to be changed by the power of the Holy Spirit. Revival is going on, and people are getting saved. As Friends, we should be part of this great harvest of souls for Jesus. As people of God, we have a job as ambassadors of Christ in this changing world. Where are the ‘Valiant Sixty’ who had the zeal to change the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ? Jesus commanded us to go out and make disciples in all the world (Matt. 28: 19-20). We receive the power of the Holy Spirit in order to be powerful witnesses in our home, our country and right to the ends of the world. If we are Friends who obey Christ’s command (John 15: 14), we should be making not just converts, but disciples. This requires a fire in our hearts.
Queries:
- What are the ways in which you have received power?
- How can we be enabled to change the world?
