2024-11-29
Good morning Dear Ones,
The Holy Spirit commands me to write about something very dear to my heart—being fitted with readiness to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ—as we continue with the exegesis of God’s full armor from EPH 6: 11-18. Since vs 15 reads, “…With your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the Gospel of peace…” Two requirements arise: Having true faith in Jesus Christ and having the self-discipline to take the time to study the Scriptures. Doing this means that we have taken the time to study and learn God’s word. Then, we must have the courage to use the working knowledge we’ve received from the Holy Spirit to share it with others. One way to do this is to set an example of Christian life that is righteous and pleasing to the Lord. The other is to be willing to “bloom where planted.” The latter may be wherever you are living, or it may mean traveling to another place to do this task for the Lord. I have friends who are serving in such faraway places as Mongolia, the Maldives, Tanzania, and Ecuador. That’s the Lord’s decision, as He provides opportunities, and the individual has the means to get to these places. But most of us can and will be called to do this in our hometowns. We can all be missionaries for the Lord.
Here are a few verses that we are told: MT 28: 19, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit;” MK 16: 15, “And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the Gospel to the whole creation;’” AC 1: 8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.” MT 4: 19, “Come, follow me, and I will send you to fish for people.” PHL 1: 6, “And I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.” 2TIM 2: 15, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” And yes, there are many more. Anything that is repeated in the Scriptures is important to God, and to us.
When I was called to serve God, it came as quite a surprise. Now that I’ve been doing this as long as I have, I realize He gave me the skill set to do what has been my driving force for all these years. IS 46: 9-10, “Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is none like Me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times to what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’” This is not God beating His chest as a threat, but instead, God stating a fact that should be remembered along with 1 JN 1: 5. “This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is Light; in Him there is no darkness at all.” The logical conclusion we can make here is that God does get His way, and that way is always righteous! We can also test this against our own experience and will find that conclusion is always true. Never forget 1JN 1: 9, “If we confess our sings, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
There are many foundational Scriptures that can help us to convey the truth found in God’s words. EPH 2: 8-10, for instance: “For it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance to us to do.” If my experience is any teacher, there is great joy when we share the Gospel story to those wanting to listen. It’s my hope and prayer that all of us can shuck off any embarrassment we might feel and take the time to share this wonderfully positive message with others.
PRAYER: O Most Holy One, we have been given faith in the Lord Jesus, so that we might bring the Good News to others as we work to better ourselves. His message combined with our experiences with it are our testimonies. Selecting the right time and way to convey Your word is something each of us can be equipped to do once we have asked You in prayer to show us the time and way. Sometimes, it is by example, other times, it is when we either teach or take a Bible class, and still another way is to share our testimonies. When and how to do this depends on Your will and our preparation. Help us to be accurate and to be deeply in love with Your word. We must remember: 2 TIM 3: 16-17, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” We thank and praise You for this precious gift, in Christ’s holy/mighty name. Amen.
NEXT WEEK: I’m commanded to discuss the “shield of faith” from EPH 6: 16 next week. In the meanwhile, we must consider the how, when, and with whom we should share the Gospel. There are some Christians who think that they must force the situation. I’m against that and believe we should take the time to see where our listeners are in their faith walk and if they want to hear God’s message. As for being prepared, we should take the time to become completely familiar with God’s word before either teaching it or speaking to others about it. Peter wrote, in 1 PET 3: 15, “But in your hearts honor Chris the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you yet do it with gentleness and respect.” Moreover, we should never ignore 1 PET 3: 18, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the Righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the Spirit.” Praise and thanksgiving be to Him!
Grace Be with You Always,
Lynn, JS 24: 15
© Lynn Johnson 2024. All Rights Reserved.
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