heres a short simple testimony from the Bible

John 9:25,30  He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see. [30] The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.

I was blind and now I see and that Man changed my life. 

Each morning consecrate yourselves and your children to God for that day.  Make no calculation for months or years; these are not yours.  One brief day is given you.  As if it were your last on earth, work during its hours for the Master.  Lay all your plans before God, to be carried out or given up, as His providence shall indicate.  Accept His plans instead of your own, even though their acceptance requires the abandonment of cherished projects.  Thus the life will be molded more and more after the divine example; and the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."  Philippians 4:7. {7T 44.5}

Joseph's checkered life was not an accident; it was ordered of Providence.  But how was he enabled to make such a record of firmness of character, uprightness, and wisdom?  It was the result of careful training in his early years.  He had consulted duty rather than inclination; and the purity and simple trust of the boy bore fruit in the deeds of the man.  The most brilliant talents are of no value unless they are improved; industrious habits and force of character must be gained by cultivation.  A high moral character and fine mental qualities are not the result of accident.  God gives opportunities; success depends upon the use made of them.  The openings of Providence must be quickly discerned and eagerly seized upon.  {5T 321.2}

Who can measure the results of those years of toil and wandering among the lonely hills? The communion with nature and with God, the care of his flocks, the perils and deliverances, the griefs and joys, of his lowly lot, were not only to mold the character of David and to influence his future life, but through the psalms of Israel's sweet singer they were in all coming ages to kindle love and faith in the hearts of God's people, bringing them nearer to the ever-loving heart of Him in whom all His creatures live.  

David, in the beauty and vigor of his young manhood, was preparing to take a high position with the noblest of the earth. His talents, as precious gifts from God, were employed to extol the glory of the divine Giver. His opportunities of contemplation and meditation served to enrich him with that wisdom and piety that made him beloved of God and angels. As he contemplated the perfections of his Creator, clearer conceptions of God opened before his soul. Obscure themes were illuminated, difficulties were made plain, perplexities were harmonized, and each ray of new light called forth fresh bursts of rapture, and sweeter anthems of devotion, to the glory of God and the Redeemer. The love that moved him, the sorrows that beset him, the triumphs that attended him, were all themes for his active thought; and as he beheld the love of God in all the providences of his life, his heart throbbed with more fervent adoration and gratitude, his voice rang out in a richer melody, his harp was swept with more exultant joy; and the shepherd boy proceeded from strength to strength, from knowledge to knowledge; for the Spirit of the Lord was upon him. PP 642

The apparently weak soul, who with a contrite, trusting spirit takes God at His word, and with a sense of his unworthiness asks for help, will be given grace to win victory after victory, and to gain the eternal weight of glory in the future life.  The Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of the Father, is truly God in infinity, but not in personality.  He has wrought out the righteousness that enables human beings to overcome every assault of Satan.  He will impute His righteousness to the believing saint who walks as He walked when on earth.  {UL 367.4} 

The man who loves God meditates on the law of God day and night.  He is instant in season and out of season.  He bears the fruit of a branch vitally connected with the Vine.  As he has opportunity, he does good; and everywhere, at all times and in all places, he finds opportunity to work for God.  He is one of the Lord's evergreen-trees; and he carries fragrance with him wherever he goes.  A wholesome atmosphere surrounds his soul.  The beauty of his well-ordered life and godly conversation inspires faith and hope and courage in others.  This is Christianity in practise.  Seek to be an ever-green-tree.  Wear the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.  Cherish the grace of love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness.  This is the fruit of the Christian tree.  Planted by the rivers of water, it always brings forth its fruit in due season.  {RH, August 24, 1897 par. 5} 

Heres some more Bible testimonies.

the little Jewish maid servant:

2 Kings 5:2-3 And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman's wife. [3] And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.

The samaritan woman at the well

John 4:29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?

the demoniac 

Mark 5:19-20 Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee. [20] And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.

Jesus on the road to Emmaus

Luke 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

man born blind

John 9:30 The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.

Nb wrote:

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Suppose you are on a plane and its just getting ready to land. 
The person next to you finds out you are a Christian and asks you,

So I understand that you are a Christian!  What is the Bible all about anyway?

Youve got only a few minutes

what would you say to him?

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One approach that I might use would be to talk first about the Great Controversy, how there are two systems at war with each other.  I would reference Isaiah 14:12-14 for this, the idea that Lucifer desired to be like the Most High.  I would mention how God allowed this system of rebellion to work out, for example by permitting Satan to put Job to the test (Job 1:6-12).

I would then suggest that it's highly desirable to choose God's system, as played out in the Father sending His Son to redeem us from the system of rebellion, and I would cite familiar passages like John 3:16-18 and 1 John 1:8-9.

I would try to express the idea that we are given the power of choice, as the quote below makes clear.  I would try to say in a few words what exercising that power of choice has meant to me personally.

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The power of choice God has given to men; it is theirs to exercise.  You cannot change your heart, you cannot of yourself give to God its affections; but you can choose to serve Him.  You can give Him your will; He will then work in you to will and to do according to His good pleasure.  Thus your whole nature will be brought under the control of the Spirit of Christ; your affections will be centered upon Him, your thoughts will be in harmony with Him.  {SC 47.1}

If you seek to imitate Christ in your character, the impression upon the people will not be made by you, but by the angels of God that stand right by your side; they will touch the hearts of those to whom you speak. . RH April 26,  1887, par. 8

 this statement is wonderful 

how diligently we must pray before witnessing so that we may receive help 

Nb wrote:

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If you seek to imitate Christ in your character, the impression upon the people will not be made by you, but by the angels of God that stand right by your side; they will touch the hearts of those to whom you speak. . RH April 26,  1887, par. 8

this statement is wonderful 

how diligently we must pray before witnessing so that we may receive help 

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John saw a company in white robes standing around the throne of God, and he says: "One of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes?  and whence came they?  And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest.  And he said to me. These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb?"  This is the work that we must do in this day of preparation.  We are to cleanse our characters, and imitate the life of Christ.  We must build upon the sure foundation; for other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.  {ST, September 8, 1909 par. 5} 

Nb wrote:

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EarlySDA wrote:

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Last Sabbath I posed the following to the 3 members at the church in the afternoon:

"I'm dying, I have only one minute to live how do I get to heaven?"

Sadly, they didn't understand the situation for quite a while.

Finally they said some things, but no one got to the core.

And these are all quite studious SDAs. 

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 Nicodemus didnt know either. 

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There is much need of the testimony that was given to Nicodemus.  Jesus said unto Nicodemus, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."  Nicodemus was astonished as well as indignant at these words.  He regarded himself as not only an intellectual, but a pious and religious man.  But Christ said again to him, "Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.  The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so [are a few who profess to believe the truth? -- No.] is every one that is born of the Spirit.  Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?  Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?"  Nicodemus was unbelieving.  He could not harmonize this doctrine of conversion with his understanding of what constituted religion.  He could not explain to his own satisfaction the science of conversion; but Jesus showed him, by a figure, that it could not be explained by any of his precise methods.  Jesus pointed out to him the fact that he could not see the wind, yet he could discern its action.  He might never be able to explain the process of conversion, but he would be able to discern its effect.  He heard the sound of the wind which bloweth where it listeth, and he could see the results of its action.  The operating agency was not revealed to view; men could not tell whence it came, or whither it went.  They could not define by what law it was governed; but they could see what it produced by its action.  No human reasoning of the most learned man can define the operations of the Holy Spirit upon human minds and characters; yet they can see the effects upon the life and actions.  The Holy Spirit is a free, working, independent agency.  The God of heaven uses his Spirit as it pleases him, and human minds and human judgment and human methods can no more set boundaries to its working, or prescribe as to the channel through which it shall operate, than they can say to the wind, "I bid you to blow in a certain direction, and to conduct yourself in such and such a manner."  {RH, May 5, 1896 par. 2} 

There was no excuse for the blindness of Israel in regard to the work of regeneration.  Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Isaiah had written, "We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags."  David had prayed, "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me."  And through Ezekiel the promise had been given, "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.  And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes."  Isaiah 64:6; Psalm 51:10; Ezekiel 36:26, 27.  {DA 174.1}

Nicodemus had read these scriptures with a clouded mind; but he now began to comprehend their meaning.  He saw that the most rigid obedience to the mere letter of the law as applied to the outward life could entitle no man to enter the kingdom of heaven.  In the estimation of men, his life had been just and honorable; but in the presence of Christ he felt that his heart was unclean, and his life unholy.  {DA 174.2} 

Nicodemus was being drawn to Christ.  As the Saviour explained to him concerning the new birth, he longed to have this change wrought in himself.  By what means could it be accomplished?  Jesus answered the unspoken question: "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life."  {DA 174.3} 

Here was ground with which Nicodemus was familiar.  The symbol of the uplifted serpent made plain to him the Saviour's mission.  When the people of Israel were dying from the sting of the fiery serpents, God directed Moses to make a serpent of brass, and place it on high in the midst of the congregation.  Then the word was sounded throughout the encampment that all who would look upon the serpent should live.  The people well knew that in itself the serpent had no power to help them.  It was a symbol of Christ.  As the image made in the likeness of the destroying serpents was lifted up for their healing, so One made "in the likeness of sinful flesh" was to be their Redeemer.  Romans 8:3.  Many of the Israelites regarded the sacrificial service as having in itself virtue to set them free from sin.  God desired to teach them that it had no more value than that serpent of brass.  It was to lead their minds to the Saviour.  Whether for the healing of their wounds or the pardon of their sins, they could do nothing for themselves but show their faith in the Gift of God.  They were to look and live.  {DA 174.4} 

Those who had been bitten by the serpents might have delayed to look.  They might have questioned how there could be efficacy in that brazen symbol.  They might have demanded a scientific explanation.  But no explanation was given.  They must accept the word of God to them through Moses.  To refuse to look was to perish.  {DA 175.1} 

Not through controversy and discussion is the soul enlightened.  We must look and live.  Nicodemus received the lesson, and carried it with him.  He searched the Scriptures in a new way, not for the discussion of a theory, but in order to receive life for the soul.  He began to see the kingdom of heaven as he submitted himself to the leading of the Holy Spirit.  {DA 175.2} 

Agree!!

appreciate the study on Nicodemus!!

The true minister of God will not shun hardship or responsibility. From the Source that never fails those who sincerely seek for divine power, he draws strength that enables him to meet and overcome temptation, and to perform the duties that God places upon him. . . . His soul goes out in longing desire to do acceptable service for the Master.Acts of the Apostles, pp. 498-501.

After the Lord's ascension, when the disciples were scattered by persecution, Nicodemus came boldly to the front.  He employed his wealth in sustaining the infant church that the Jews had expected to be blotted out at the death of Christ.  In the time of peril he who had been so cautious and questioning was firm as a rock, encouraging the faith of the disciples, and furnishing means to carry forward the work of the gospel.  He was scorned and persecuted by those who had paid him reverence in other days.  He became poor in this world's goods; yet he faltered not in the faith which had its beginning in that night conference with Jesus.  {DA 177.1}