Ephesians 1:13a,b In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, …

I find it curious that this verse shows a clear indication that trust was established before the “word of truth” was heard. So many times we hear or have been involved in witnessing to unbelievers about the offer of salvation offered thru Jesus Christ and are met with hostility, rejection and personal attacks. Is it possible that this happens because we forgot the first principle of witnessing? Trust must first be established before our words will carry any weight in a conversation. It comes down to this one truism.

“Show me what you’ve got.”

1 Corinthians 2:4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

So often we think that all we have to do is speak the truth and the truth will do the work. In some cases it does but I suspect that the truth rings true to those whose ears it falls upon because someone else has laid the foundation of trust in those lives.

I have only a few friends that knew me back when. Few because what I was drove people away. The people I know now have no idea what I was like before I surrendered to Christ. They know me now, they have a measure of trust and respect in who I am today. They are willing to accept that I have changed, my witness is accepted by them because like me, Jesus changed their lives.

Not everyone I know trusts me. I have not proven myself to them yet. Even my first wife and children took a year to come to believe I had changed and they lived with me every day. Trust does not come just because I say “Trust me!”

“Show me what you’ve got.”

Genesis 2:18b It is not good that the man should be alone;

Let me state right here, right up front, I am never alone. The Lord is with me. The problem for me is much as it was for Adam in those early days. God gave Adam responsibility and authority and walked with Adam every day. It is only within the realm of my understanding my relationship with God that I connect in any way as to what God and Adam talked about.

There is nothing that makes me so aware of who I am as being in His presence. He is God, I am not. As much as I would like to know what it is to be God, I cannot. God came in the Christ Jesus to experience all that man is in this world. He knows what I feel because of that. It isn’t just temptation, He took on my sins, so He knows from that how it feels to fail, even though He never failed the Father.

I know this to be true. Feeling it is another matter. Having all confidence in your beliefs do not always translate into the emotional aspect of being human. This is where a helpmate has the most influence in relationship. They feel what you feel. Not the perfect understanding, not the perfect answer, not the perfect solution, they feel your imperfection.

Paul was not given in marriage and he said that he wished that all men could be as he was, satisfied. Well I’m not Paul either. I have the Holy Spirit for the spiritual stuff, I have a helpmate for the rest. But what good does that helpmate do for you if you do not allow them to help?

Genesis 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

One meaning of cleave is adhere, as adhesive, which is likened to a root meaning to cook, a blending of elements under heat to mix thoroughly.

Now we’re cooking.