September 17th

SEPTEMBER 17th

So I guess the Lord really wants to remind us this week that we should be sharing our faith with others, because as I have been seeking Him for what He wants to say in these devotions this week this seems to be a recurring theme.

Romans 1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world.

This verse really is telling. Their faith was being reported all over the world. This is Paul writing to the Church in Rome. He has been hearing about their faith being reported ALL OVER THE WORLD! Big deal? Yes it was! Think about it! This was before cell phones, before internet, before social media, before television or radio, or automobiles, or trains, or powered ships!

Wow! Makes us realize that we really have no good excuses for not sharing our faith! We have all of these other tools that they didn’t have!

Does everyone in your “world” know of your faith? If not, then why not? Embarrassed? Don’t want to be uncomfortable? Even in work environments where there are rules about trying to convert others, there is nothing that keeps you from talking about your own life. Sometimes it is a simple statement about yourself that will at least put it on others’ radars.

Romans 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

Hard truth:

Matthew 10:32-33 Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.

Thankfully there is forgiveness for the times we have denied Him. Think about Peter. He denied even knowing Jesus 3 times the night that Jesus was taken into custody. But after Jesus was resurrected from the dead, Peter’s life changed. He was forgiven, restored to fellowship with the Lord and the Lord used Him to start the Church and deliver a message that brought 3,000 people to the Lord on the day of Pentecost! We are forgiven, we are restored to our fellowship with the Lord so now let our life be changed and rather than not speaking up about our faith, let us take part in the harvest!

What is a little discomfort when it means someone’s eternal fate is a hanging in the balance? What if our being willing to be a little uncomfortable or feel a little awkward is the very thing that is standing in the way of someone learning that they have hope in Jesus? What if their life depends on us being open to share with them? What if someone else leads them to Christ and then they come to us later and try to share Jesus with us, what are we going to say? “Oh yes, I know! I am a believer too!” And then they look at us and ask, “Why didn’t you share this good news with me then, why did you keep it to yourself?”

Let us not keep it to ourselves!

Jesus forgive me for keeping you to myself. Thank you for your forgiveness. Help me to move on now and proclaim you to everyone in my world, wether they want to hear it or not. Help me to share the hope that I have in you. Give me opportunities to share and help me be bold enough to seize those opportunities. Thank you for your never failing love.