BRINGING THE GOOD NEWS TO OTHERS
If you had found the cure to cancer, you would be telling all who would listen about it, right? Well, you have found something greater than that. Jesus has made it posible for you to have eternal life, He has cleansed you of your sins so that you may stand before God as a righteous man or woman and enter into the kingdom of heaven. So why wouldn't you want to tell everyone about this wonderful thing you have found? Already, I'm sure the reasons are forming in your head for keeping quiet about the good news of Jesus Christ and our salvation, and I want to go into them. I know that I have a great deal of fear when it comes to talking to anyone about what I believe, this is why I have chose this subject for this page.
First off about myself: I suffer from an illness called social phobia. I have a fear of people and it gets worse as the amount of people increases. But when I talk about things that are important to me to even one person, I become very nervous. It is at it's worst when I am bringing up the subject myself. But my fear is not logical, it is part of an illness. I work on it and I am being treated for this illness, I should have no fear.
Paul asked God to remove his "thorn" or weakness and the Lord refused. When we are weak we need the Lord and His strength all the more. We reley on Him more and this is what God wants from us. If a strong man were to ask for help from the Lord to lift something heavy and then he lifts the heavy item, where would we see God's hand? But when a weak man asks for God's help to lift something that you can see that he could not lift and he lifts it, we see God's hand in the task. Does that make sense to you? God's power is shown all the more when we are weak and do great things for the Lord. Our weaknesses become the Lord's assets.
Do you worry that you will be thought a fool for believing in something that maybe unpopular in your circle? I know this feeling. But I consider what the early church had to face and I know that what I may suffer is nothing. If they think of me as a fool, does this really make a difference to me in my life? Maybe I am different because public opinion really does not matter to me all that much. I've always been different. Paul did not have it too easy:
Some may want to choose a church that has lots of money, a large group of people, and a huge building. There is nothing wrong with this but remember that each church delivers the same message. There is no higher standing because of a richer congregation. A small church that is teaching the Word just as a large church has no less or more status. You should go where you feel conected. Jesus did not live a luxurous life, He lived with the people He came to save. And He talked about us:
Anytime we are thought a fool because of believing in Jesus, or called a nut because of our faith, we are blessed. If someone mistreats us because we dare to say that we love Jesus Christ, we are rewarded in heaven. We were warned of persecution because of our faith, but Paul said this about suffering and how it can help us:
Peter said this:
Sounds to me like doing evil is going to produce suffering, so why would we choose this route. If there is the chance we may suffer for our faith, but our reward awaits us, why do what we know will produce suffering without reward? Yet we all have done so. But now, we can do something that will produce fruit, reward for you and others. We can help others to find their way to the Lord.
I have not seen any of these miracles happen in my lifetime as they are written about here. But if you were to ask me if the Spirit is inside me you would get a huge and certain "YES!" I don't require anymore than what I have seen in my life and have read in the bible for proof that the Holy Spirit has been given to me and is at work in my life. But what about the gifts talked about in the bible? Do we all have these gifts? I think one of my problems is that I want a certain gift, one that would mean more to me than any other. The gift I want is witnessing ability and effectiveness. Now, is any of the gifts of the Spirit better than any other?
If you are speaking in truth, you cannot say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit. Conversely, you cannot be in the Spirit and truthfully say that Jesus be cursed. When I became a Christian, I received the Holy Spirit into myself from God as a deposit, The Comforter. One of the greatest things that I can do is truthfully say that I know Jesus is Lord, my Savior, and God Almighty. This is part of the gift of the Spirit I received. When I have said that I do not know what my gifts are, I am mistaken. Because this is a great gift. With this gift I have the power to bring another to Christ.
There are other gifts that come from the Spirit, all serve God to bring those who might be saved to Him. What good would it be to speak in tongues if no one can interpret? God gives these gifts as He sees fit and no one should feel that he has been slighted because he does not have a certain gift. Paul outlines that there are gifts that are greater than others, but what you do with your gift is going to be what makes the most difference. We are also told to desire greater gifts as well. I pray to be used by God but I have to let it be on His terms. If He wants me to be able to witness effectively, that is also what I want. But what if He has something else in mind for me? I have to be humble and teachable, so that He can use me for His purpose.
We have the great commission given to us by Jesus:
As far as what will we suffer for telling others about what we have found? I know it will likely be less than what others before us went through. But whatever I do get to suffer for the Name of the Lord, I will count myself as blessed.
I have the gift of the Holy Spirit, this is something that I know is true. I am able to tell all that I come into contact with that Jesus is Lord and by doing this I hope that the Spirit will work in these people too. At one point I belittled this gift, my thinking was that it was too small-something that every Christian has. I now know that I was wrong to do so. If I am not a teacher, not a preacher, not a speaker of tongues, not a prophet of any kind, not a healer, I am able to tell what I know is the truth to everyone: Jesus is Lord. This is no small deal. It can change a life, maybe even lives. It is a great gift from God. Jesus saved me, He will save you if you will have it. The Holy Spirit works in all who will allow the Spirit to work in them, we don't choose how the Spirit works. Our choice brings us so far, God makes the decisions about how He will work in our lives. I can easily accept this now, I had to be taught by some one who has the gift to teach the Word. Thank God for this.
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