Sharing Jesus
“Our words carry to those around us the weight of our inward selves.”
Romans 10:9-15 (NLT)
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
Reflection
My husband John has taught me many valuable lessons over our years of dating, engagement, and marriage, but none comes up more frequently than the verse, “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34, KJV). The fact that my mouth will speak out what I am filling my heart with is one that he needs to remind his wife of often... sometimes with mixed results! When I cultivate self-focus or negativity in my heart, my inward feelings inevitably tumble out of my mouth in complaints and frustration, affecting everyone around me. But when I fill my heart with gratitude to God, my words become filled with joy and I spread the news of the goodness of God to my children, friends, and everyone around me. It’s a night and day difference!
It’s no wonder that the scriptures link our beliefs about God with our hearts and with our mouths (verses 9-10). As humans, our hearts and our mouths are inevitably interconnected! Our salvation is complete when we accept in our hearts the gift of salvation that Jesus Christ offers us. I love how the Believer’s Bible Commentary puts it: “it is not a mere intellectual assent but a genuine acceptance with one’s whole inward being.” And when we accept Christ with our inward being, we will be filled with the hope of God, and the inevitable result will be an outward expression of that through our words.
Words are so important. They are the stamp we use to imprint our surroundings with our feelings, our thoughts, our priorities, and our beliefs. Our words carry to those around us the weight of our inward selves. Throughout our World Changers series, we have met so many biblical characters through their recorded words: their fears, their pasts, their questions, their struggles, but ultimately, their willingness to be used by God. The woman at the well is no different. Her words at first communicated her stereotypes, her limitations, and her traditions, but her encounter with the Living Word pulled forth her heart-longing for God, and ultimately resulted in her sharing with the whole village her testimony of salvation!
What have your words been imparting to others lately? Your mouth will inevitably speak out what your heart is filled with. Cultivate the joy of God in your heart, intentionally encounter the Living Water and His word on a daily basis... and you will always be ready to share the joy of Jesus with those around you and give a reason for the hope that is in you!
Action Steps
Prayer
Lord God, thank You for gifting us with words to connect and communicate with others. Thank You that our hearts and our words flow together. Give me life in my heart and on my tongue, Lord, for those around me! Help my words to draw others out, and to share with them the hope and joy I’ve found in You. I love You, Jesus, and in Your name I pray, amen.
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
Reflection
My husband John has taught me many valuable lessons over our years of dating, engagement, and marriage, but none comes up more frequently than the verse, “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34, KJV). The fact that my mouth will speak out what I am filling my heart with is one that he needs to remind his wife of often... sometimes with mixed results! When I cultivate self-focus or negativity in my heart, my inward feelings inevitably tumble out of my mouth in complaints and frustration, affecting everyone around me. But when I fill my heart with gratitude to God, my words become filled with joy and I spread the news of the goodness of God to my children, friends, and everyone around me. It’s a night and day difference!
It’s no wonder that the scriptures link our beliefs about God with our hearts and with our mouths (verses 9-10). As humans, our hearts and our mouths are inevitably interconnected! Our salvation is complete when we accept in our hearts the gift of salvation that Jesus Christ offers us. I love how the Believer’s Bible Commentary puts it: “it is not a mere intellectual assent but a genuine acceptance with one’s whole inward being.” And when we accept Christ with our inward being, we will be filled with the hope of God, and the inevitable result will be an outward expression of that through our words.
Words are so important. They are the stamp we use to imprint our surroundings with our feelings, our thoughts, our priorities, and our beliefs. Our words carry to those around us the weight of our inward selves. Throughout our World Changers series, we have met so many biblical characters through their recorded words: their fears, their pasts, their questions, their struggles, but ultimately, their willingness to be used by God. The woman at the well is no different. Her words at first communicated her stereotypes, her limitations, and her traditions, but her encounter with the Living Word pulled forth her heart-longing for God, and ultimately resulted in her sharing with the whole village her testimony of salvation!
What have your words been imparting to others lately? Your mouth will inevitably speak out what your heart is filled with. Cultivate the joy of God in your heart, intentionally encounter the Living Water and His word on a daily basis... and you will always be ready to share the joy of Jesus with those around you and give a reason for the hope that is in you!
Action Steps
- Be intentional to listen to yourself throughout today. What are your words imparting to those around you? How do your words change when you are with certain people, and why?
- Be intentional in allowing your heart to flow through your words to everyone around you this week... and watch the results!
Prayer
Lord God, thank You for gifting us with words to connect and communicate with others. Thank You that our hearts and our words flow together. Give me life in my heart and on my tongue, Lord, for those around me! Help my words to draw others out, and to share with them the hope and joy I’ve found in You. I love You, Jesus, and in Your name I pray, amen.
Recent
Archive
2026
January
Don’t Stop Short of JesusThe Cross Is God’s Invitation to YouRemembering the OwnerThe OwnerThe Illusion of Self-Made SuccessActs 26:12–23 | Paul’s Encounter with JesusActs 26: 1–11 | Agrippa Grants PermissionInvited From The OutsideSurrender Creates PeaceWhen Blessing Becomes ForgetfulnessWhat A Pastor Means When They Say... | The Branch Living as Stewards, Not OwnersCreated for RelationshipThe Heart Behind the GiftSurrender GainsThe StewardFaithful StewardsOne Percent BetterEverything Belongs to GodThe Evaluation Is ComingActs 26:24-32 | Agrippa Parries Paul's ChallengeRedefining Success | The Branch The EvaluationHow You View God Determines EverythingThe Economy of Kingdom InvestmentChoose Your Category WiselyAnchored in Steadfast LoveActs 27:1-3 | Paul Sails for RomeDiscerning Between Good And Evil | The BranchLoved Enough to Be DisciplinedThe Steadfast Love of GodReturning to God’s WayCrying Out from the DepthsLiving with Wise Awareness
February
Partnering with God’s MissionBuilding Kingdom FruitTHE GIVER | PASTOR ANTHONY LOMBARDIWorship Through SacrificeNavigating God's Calling Within MarriageTrusting God’s ProvisionActs 27: 13-20 | The Storm at Sea | TCBSActs 27: 4-12 | From Caesarea to Fair HavensFrom Self-Focus to Kingdom-FocusFrom Death to LifeThe Answer Is a PersonEmpowered for MissionActs 27:21–26 | TCBSTHE CHURCH | PASTOR MATTHEW JOHNSONDesigned for CommunityAnger, Justice and Psalms of Judgment | The BranchHeaven Invading EarthBetter Together PURPOSED RELATIONSHIPS | PASTOR MATTHEW JOHNSONLifted When You FallWarmth in the ColdProtected by the CordWhen to Wait, When to Work | The BranchOne Body, One MissionWhere Your Treasure IsThe Antidote to AnxietyINVEST HEARTS AND FINANCES | PASTOR MATTHEW JOHNSONReturn to MeActs 27: 39-44 | The Shipwreck | TCBSTreasures That LastThe Heaps of Hezekiah
March
The Good News We Cannot Keep Silent EVANGELISM | PASTOR MARY JOHNSONEncountering Jesus Changes EverythingLove Compels Us to ShareActs 28:1-6 | Paul Ashore on Malta | TCBSPlaced with PurposeYour Story, His GloryThe Upside-Down KingdomEvangelism | The BranchThe Death of the Kingdom of SelfActs 28: 7-10 | Ministry in Malta | TCBSServing as Worship THE DETHRONING OF SELF | PASTOR MATTHEW JOHNSONNo Excuses, Only ObedienceThe Privilege of PartnershipDenying Self to Find LifeTHE STRENGTH OF SURRENDER | PASTOR MATTHEW JOHNSONListening to the Spirit's VoiceThe Authority of God's WordActs 28: 11-16 | Paul's Arrival at Rome | TCBS
2025
January
A New Heart and SpiritSowing in Tears, Reaping in JoyFrom the Pit to a New SongNo Other God's Before MeSeek First the KingdomStoring Treasures in HeavenServing One MasterTrusting God with EverythingThe Power of InfluenceRelationships That InfluenceFinding Godly FriendsIron Sharpens IronSpeaking Truth In LovePrioritizing God's PresenceChoosing the Better Portion
No Comments