Bible in a Nutshell (BIN)

Chapter One – A Woman in Search of an Answer What is wrong with me? I consider myself a seasoned Christian. I know the Gospel, and beyond any doubt, I am going to heaven. Why can’t I share the Good News of God? Do you want to share God’s good news, too, but haven’t gotten the words out of your mouth? Or the perfect answer comes to you long after the opportunity has passed. What is wrong with you? Well, according to God, nothing. Yes, you are a sinner. God has a plan and has given us instructions…go therefore and make disciples…(Matthew 28:19-20), page __. So, you know Jesus’ instructions. Maybe that’s why you are reading this book. But what is stopping you? What is stopping me? People push back, and I am not prepared to stand my ground. I thought I could let the love run from my mouth and the world would be right. But not everyone wanted to hear His story. And so, I shut up. Zip the lip. And like anything else, the more you practice it, the easier it becomes, and I have become fluent in zipping the lip. I have talked myself out of sharing the gospel many times. Silent words to myself... “I can’t do it this time.” Or I would say, “Maybe the timing isn’t right; I don’t think he/she is ready for it right now.” Or “I don’t have enough time to explain the Good News right now.” And, of course, the one that made it okay for me. “Calm down, Priscilla, you don’t have to do it right now; take a deep breath, breathe.” And guess what? I can talk myself out of it…just like the snap of a finger. Then, I am thankful. My heart rate calms, my breathing is normal, and I go right into another subject. All the while, the unsuspecting person probably thought I had checked out. See, I have mastered the art of not sharing the gospel at what I perceive to be the wrong time, and then, the opportunity is gone. It is only now that I realize the right time was then; the right time is now. Do you talk yourself out of sharing what you know is true? In a sermon today, my Pastor called people to accept Christ, and he quoted a Bible verse, which is also true for knowing the right time to share the gospel*. In part, he read, “Behold, now is the favorable time: behold, now is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6:2.). What if you could make any day, time, or place favorable for you with a stranger, relative, or friend…? With BIN, you can. Here is how. Through BIN, Bible in a Nutshell, I will show you how to clearly define your faith*, backed by Bible scriptures. Bible in a Nutshell is a bin, or a place if you will, where you can put your thoughts about the Bible and the Lord Jesus Christ. A method that will have you condense, refine, and communicate your faith in a noticeably short amount of time. By being concise and clear, you will remove the fear and hesitation to be ready “at a moment’s notice” to plant the seed of your faith. And the process will work for all Christians*.