Colossians 4:2-6 v. 2 - Be devoted in prayer - "be strong," "persist" in prayer Keep watch - active in prayer, never mechanical, but alive Maintain your zest for prayer through thanksgiving Privately - be devoted to prayer vv. 3-4 - Pray for open doors and clear communication Pray for God to open the door to share your faith with the people around you - a coworker, a fellow student, another mom, someone you regularly come into contact with. vv. 5-6 - live in such a way that unbelievers will see and gain a favorable impression of your faith. Walk in wisdom with outsiders. Watch what you say and do. If Someone at work talks badly about you, model forgiveness. Don't view others as a hassle. Love people, take time to listen to their stories. Treat them as someone for whom Christ died. Make the most of opportunities. Seize opportunities to share your faith. Privately - be devoted to prayer Publicly - live out and share your faith If we Christians are hermetically sealed from non-Christians, how will the lost ever be saved? Escape the Christian subculture. 1. Eat with others, including Non-Christians. We all eat three meals a day. Share one of those meals with others? Go to lunch with a co-worker. Invite the neighbors over for dinner. When you go out for a meal invite others. Cookout and invite Christians and non-Christians. 2. Be a Regular. Instead of hopping all over town for gas, groceries, haircuts, eating out, and coffee, go to the same places. Get to know the staff. Go to the same places. Smile. Ask questions. Be a regular. Build relationships. 3. Talk to Your Co-workers. Take your breaks with intentionality. Go out with your team after work. Show interest in your co-workers. Pick one or two and pray for them. Form mom groups in your neighborhood and don’t make them exclusively Christian. Schedule play dates with the neighbors’ kids. Work on mission. Speak with grace, purity and life. Your mouth reveals your heart There is no way to shortcut this. People know when you're sincere. People know whether or not its real in your life. This has to be real. The way to speak and act in a godly way is to have a vibrant relationship with The Lord. Get near him. We often don't share our faith because we're afraid we don't know enough. 1 Corinthians 2:1-2 When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. Lose confidence in you, gain confidence in Him. No one was ever argued into the kingdom of God. It is always Jesus that drives men to God. What do you do when they ask you something you don't know? Say, "I don't know." You will have to broach the subject - un spiritual people do not bring up spiritual things. God has placed you where you are and whom you're around. Acts 17:26-27 From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the time set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. God has you living around specific people so that they might find Him through you. May we be a people who are devoted to prayer and actively share our faith.