How do you recognize a really bad day? Someone said you would have a really bad day if you woke up to discover your waterbed broke, but you don’t have a waterbed. Or, if your birthday cake collapsed from the weight of the candles and your twin sister forgot it was your birthday. Most of us don’t need help identifying a really bad day. We’ve experienced storms firsthand. These storms have no favorites; no one is excused. Rich and poor, young and old alike are affected.

In Jeremiah 29:11 God declares, “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” We may know the verse, but often in the midst of our storm, it feels like we’re sinking and there’s no hope or future ahead. Perhaps that’s where you are today. If so, let me share a story of hope with you.

In 2 Kings 19, King Hezekiah of Judah found himself in a huge storm. Sennacherib, King of the great superpower— Assyria, was on Judah’s doorstep ready for his final assault. Judah was no match for Assyria which had already captured 46 cities and was now just outside Jerusalem. Hezekiah knew if he was captured he would be tortured to death. But this was only part of his problem. While Judah was being dismantled by the Assyrians, Hezekiah had fallen seriously ill. The message God sent him was not encouraging, “Put your house in order, because you are going to die, you will not recover.” Sometimes, “when it rains, it pours.” Can you identify?

Hezekiah was devastated. He felt like a mother about to deliver her baby, but with no strength left to even push. Have you ever been there? Cried until there were no more tears left? Hezekiah may have had reasons to throw in the towel, but he soon realized that with God there is always hope. What a powerful message for each of us to remember. No matter how downcast you are or how alone you may feel, just remember, with God there is always hope.

Let me share with you some steps to victory based on Hezekiah’s actions in 2 Kings 19.

Step 1– Examine your life for unconfessed sin.
Not all problems in our life are caused by sin, but sin always causes problems in our life. So first we must examine our heart.

Step 2– Encourage your heart with God’s promises.
Aren’t you glad we have God’s promises? When we face trials, most of us need an attitude change. Instead of feeling hopeless, we need to feel hopeful. Meditating on God’s promises will give us hope. So consider getting a promise box.

Step 3– Enlarge your faith through fervent prayer.
Don’t stop your fellowship with God when problems strike; instead increase your prayer life. As your faith grows, you will come to realize how big God is. Then, “you won’t tell God how big your problem is; you’ll tell your problem how big God is.”

Step 4–Exhibit patience as you await God’s intervention.
God does not operate on our timetable, “He’s an on time God.” 1 Cor. 10:13 is a great promise. Take time to read it.

A few years ago, we visited the Museum of Science and Technology in Chicago. One of the exhibits was an incubator with chicken eggs. Chicks had broken free from some of the shells, but in some cases the chicks were struggling to get out. This laborious process required about 10 hours of struggle before each little chick entered the world. But if someone felt sorry for the little chick and tried to save her struggle by making an escape hole in the shell, the chick would not survive. The process of struggle and strain develops the muscles that chicks need to survive.

God does have a good plan for you. So he has designed storms perfectly sized so that you will develop the spiritual muscles needed to achieve His purpose. So trust Him. He will not disappoint! Never forget, God is working out His plan for your life.

Be blessed,
Bro. Brian

In 1937, Joe Louis became heavyweight champion of the world. He had incredible punching power, knocking out 75% of his opponents. In 1946, he was slated to fight Billy Conn who, in pre-fight interviews, told reporters he would use a “hit and run” strategy. Louis was asked, “If he runs, will you chase him?” Louis responded with the now famous words, “He can run, but he can’t hide.”

The story of Jonah begins with him running from God. But Jonah soon discovered, “he could run, but he couldn’t hide.” It’s impossible to hide from God! God sent Jonah to preach to Nineveh, a city known for wickedness and brutality. Jonah hated these people and wanted them judged by God. Since he knew God would forgive them if they repented, he decided he would not preach in Nineveh. He would go to Tarshish instead.

Although he was God’s prophet, Jonah was running away from obeying God’s will. Today, things have not changed. Many of us who profess to be Christians know what God wants us to do, but we’ve decided not to obey. The story of Jonah teaches us some very important lessons about what happens when we run from God. Here are four of them:

1. Running from God may initially give us a false sense of security.

In Jonah 1:3, when Jonah arrived at the port in Joppa, he found a ship ready to go to Tarshish, exactly the place he had in mind while he ran from God. Things seemed to have been working out perfectly.

2. Running from God is a downhill road.

To get to Tarshish, Jonah went down in the ship, down below deck, and eventually was thrown down to the bottom of the sea. Make no mistake, when we fail to obey God, we’re on a downhill road.

3. Running from God may cause us to sleep through God’s wake up call.

In Jonah 1:4-6, the ship was hit by a great storm. The storm was so intense that the experienced mariners were afraid; but somehow Jonah was fast asleep. Sometimes God sends storms into our life to wake us up, but sadly we often sleep through His wake-up calls. We are lulled into complacency because our consciences are not bothering us.

4. Running from God makes us resist repenting.

Jonah admitted to the sailors that the storm came as a result of his disobedience. He also knew that if he repented, God would forgive him. But Jonah did not want to repent. Instead he told them, “Throw me into the sea.” It’s as if he was more willing to die than to repent. How did his heart get so hard? Disobedience can take us to places we had no intention of going.

Jonah was eventually thrown into the sea and immediately the storm ended. That would have been the end of the story had it not been for the mercy of God. God sent a great fish to swallow him. From the fish’s belly, Jonah finally repented.

Don’t wait for God to send a fish. It’s time to repent right now. Never forget, you can run, but you can’t hide from God. So stop trifling with His mercy and run to Him in repentance today.

Bro. Brian

A little boy was playing outside, baseball cap in place, ball and bat in his hands. He threw the ball up, swung and missed. “Strike one,” he said, “but I’m the greatest hitter in the world.” He threw the ball up again, swung and missed again. “Strike two,” he said, “but I’m the greatest hitter ever.” He threw the ball up again, swung and missed for the third time. It was now strike three. “Wow!” he said, “I’m the greatest pitcher in the world!” Thinking positively is good; but sometimes we need more than positive thinking. Sometimes we need a touch from God.

In John 5, Jesus visited the pool at Bethesda. It had a sea of disabled, hurting people there, many of whom had been there for many years. They were there because an angel would occasionally stir the waters of the pool, and the first person entering afterwards would be healed. These hurting people were desperate, and this pool was their last hope.

No one is exempt from pain; ask Tony Dungee, former coach of the Super Bowl Champion Colts. After his son’s suicide, he said, “It’s easy to believe that God will provide when the refrigerator is full, but it’s a different story when the refrigerator is empty.” But in our darkest hour, even when the refrigerator is empty, there is hope in Jesus!

As Jesus arrived, he visited an invalid that had been there for decades. He had lost hope; nothing would ever change. Have you been there? Although Jesus knew the invalid had been there 38 years, he still asked, “Do you want to get well?” Wasn’t the answer obviously YES?

Surprisingly, I’ve discovered that not everyone wants to get well. For example, some people harbor bitterness and unforgiveness that has stolen their joy, but they’re not ready to change. Others have grown spiritually cold and have felt God’s chastening hand, but they’re not ready to “get well.” What’s the cause of your pain? Are you ready to get well?

Instead of answering Jesus, the man started giving excuses as to why he wasn’t well; “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool. While I am coming, another steps down before me”. It was as if he was saying, “I’m a victim, I have no one!” Excuses come so easily, “If only my family situation was different, if only I had a different spouse. If only, if only.” But even if others got you in your situation, they are not the cause of why you’re still there. You’re there because you have not yielded control of your life to Jesus Christ who can make you well.

Jesus told the man to do the impossible. He told this cripple of 38 years to, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” And guess what? The man obeyed and immediately was made well. His faith in Christ had made him well.

Regardless of your situation, faith in Christ can make you well. So come to Him today. Give up the excuses. Make a total commitment of your life to Christ and trust God to do the impossible.

Thank God, there is a balm in Gilead!
Bro. Brian

In 1985 Jose Cubero, one of Spain’s most brilliant matadors was performing before a sold out audience. The bullfight started with much pageantry and fanfare. After he had weakened the bull with knives and his sword, he thrust his sword a final time into the bleeding, delirious bull. Immediately the bull collapsed. Considering the struggle finished, he turned to the crowd to acknowledge the applause. The bull however was not dead.

It rose and lunged at him. Its horn pierced his back and punctured his heart. That day Jose Cubero died. At the very point of victory, something he had overlooked cost him his life.

I’m convinced that one of the biggest threats to spiritual victory is an often overlooked thing called pride. It’s a subject often neglected and one we’d sometimes rather not discuss. It can even make us angry. About 10 years ago I gave a message on pride. I’ll never forget what happened after; it’s the only time I’ve ever had this experience. As soon as I left the pulpit, a man stopped me to let me know I’d wasted a message speaking on a topic that was of no spiritual value. It was clearly a topic he’d rather not discuss.

What is pride? Pride is an overbearing opinion of one’s worth or importance and like an octopus it has many legs. Let’s be introspective as we consider four of these legs: Haughtiness – arrogantly self admiring; Vanity – an excessive desire for admiration; Conceit – an exaggerated opinion of one’s ability; Vainglory – undue boasting about one’s accomplishment.

Although it is so often overlooked, pride is certainly one of the most deadly sins and causes significant damage in the body of Christ. One of the greatest preachers of all time, Charles Spurgeon, said: “There is nothing into which the heart of [a person] so easily falls as pride, and yet there is no vice which is more frequently, more emphatically, and more eloquently condemned in Scripture.”

Proverbs 16:5 (NIV); The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this, they will not go unpunished.
Proverbs 11:2 (NIV) – When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.
Proverbs 16:18 (message) – First pride, then the crash — the bigger the ego, the harder the fall.

King Asa was one of Judah’s great kings. In 1 Kings 15 we have an account of many of his spiritual accomplishments. Read 1 Kings 15:9-15 and you cannot but be impressed with his spiritual commitment. But despite this wonderful start, Asa had a very bad finish. I hope you’ll take the time to read 2 Chronicles 16. When you read verses 10-12 it’s hard to believe this is the same King who was off to such a great start. Unfortunately, Asa’s accomplishments made him proud. When his sin was brought to his attention, instead of repenting, his pride caused him to be enraged. At the end of his life the Bible records, “Asa was afflicted with a disease. Although the disease was severe, even in his illness he did not seek help from the Lord”. What a tragedy! Pride often makes us unwilling to say we were wrong.

As the Spirit of God shines his searchlight on your life, can you detect any root of pride in your life? Once you recognize it, take the next 3 steps as you ask God to root it out:

1. Repent of it. 1 John 1:9
2. Learn to be a servant of others. Matthew 20:26, Philippians 2:3, 4
3. Replace pride in yourself with boasting in our great God. Jer. 9:23, 24; 1 Cor. 1:31

What a wonderful God we serve! Let’s boast in Him alone.

Be blessed!
Bro. Brian

I believe Psalm 73 provides some secrets on how to be thankful in the midst of discouragement. The Psalm opens with Asaph seeming to sound a note of thanksgiving, but as you continue reading, you realize he was so discouraged he was struggling with being truly thankful. What caused his discouragement? Asaph was angry that sinners seemed to be “getting away with murder.” The wicked were having a great time partying as they pleased, but he and others who were trying to live a Godly life were having nothing but trouble. It seemed so unfair.

Is there anything bugging you about God’s dealings with you? Is there anything making it hard for you to be thankful in everything? We can be sure of this; resentment about God’s dealing with us will eventually snowball if not dealt with. Things really snowballed with Asaph.

In verse 13, Asaph pondered if keeping his heart clean was really worth it. Why make the effort to live a clean life since it appeared the ungodly could live in open sin without consequence? Soon he started seeing himself as a victim. In verse 14, he stated that “all day long” he had been afflicted “and every morning brings new punishments.” What an exaggeration! It’s so easy to focus on our problems and see ourselves as victims. But that’s partly because we often forget to count our blessings. Despite our challenges we are still a very blessed people.

Asaph eventually had a big turnaround. What gave him back the spirit of thanksgiving? Here are 4 observations that may help us as we seek to Make Every Day a Day of Thanksgiving:

1. Practice Treasuring the Lord. It starts by spending time in his presence. Asaph said in verse 17 that his change came when he went into the Sanctuary of God. Here are a few additional scriptures to ponder: Psalm 73:24-26, Songs of Solomon 3:1-4 and Psalm 42:1-2.
2. Look at life from an Eternal Perspective. Heaven is our home, but judgment is ahead for the ungodly. In the meantime God is chiseling away on us, to make us more like Jesus. The chisel is no fun, but God is perfecting us into his masterpiece. Read verses 18-24.
3. Remember that God is still in full control. The Supreme, Sovereign God is causing all things to work together for our good. Isn’t that wonderful! God is bigger than your problem. Trust Him!
4. Be willing to confess. In verse 22, Asaph confessed to God that he was wrong. Perhaps the Spirit of God is pointing out to you some areas where you’re wrong, some aspects of your life that are out of alignment. Why not fix it this Thanksgiving? “If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” And that promise is something to be truly thankful for.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Be blessed,
Bro. Brian

New Year’s Day 1929 is one of the most memorable days in college football history. That day, the California Golden Bears faced the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at the Rose Bowl. Midway through the second quarter, Roy Riegels of the Golden Bears picked up a fumble 30 yards from the opposing team’s end zone. What happened next was a big surprise; Riegels got confused and instead of running the 30 yards to Georgia’s end-zone, he turned around and ran in the wrong direction. One of his teammates chased him, screaming at him to stop. He finally caught him at his 3-yard line and eventually brought him down at their own 1-yard line. Riegels had almost scored a 70-yard touchdown for the other team! He was so distraught his coach had to talk him into returning to the game for the second half. He said, “Coach I can’t do it. I’ve ruined you, I’ve ruined myself, I’ve ruined the University of California. I can’t face that crowd.” The coach responded, “Roy, get up and go back out there; the game is only half over.”

Thank God the game is not over. 2014 may have been a tough year, but God has brought us to a brand new year; the game is not over. There will undoubtedly be new challenges, but President Eisenhower once said: “Every tomorrow has two handles. We can take hold of tomorrow with the handle of anxiety or with the handle of faith.” If we take the handle of faith in 2015, we will see God do some amazing things.

In Numbers 13, Caleb took the handle of faith. He was one of twelve spies Moses sent into Canaan to scout out the territory before attacking it. But ten of the spies were afraid when they saw the size of the enemy. They said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” Negativity is contagious and very soon this bad report was accepted by the majority of the people who gave up hope and started crying, wishing they had never left the “safety” of slavery in Egypt. But Caleb courageously said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.” Caleb saw the same obstacles as the other ten spies, but chose “the handle of faith.”

So look at what happened in Numbers 14:6-10 – “But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; and they spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying: ‘The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. If the LORD delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land which flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the LORD, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the LORD is with us. Do not fear them.’ And all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Now the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of meeting before all the children of Israel.”

Here are a few lessons we can learn for our walk of faith:

1. Stop worrying about the odds against you. God knows all about your problems and trials, but does not want you to focus too much on them. Focus instead on him; the God who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all you can ask or think (Eph. 3:20). The other ten spies saw all the difficulties, but Joshua and Caleb saw the God who was able.
2. Have confidence in God. Despite the odds, Caleb was convinced that if God was with them he would destroy the enemy’s protection. Aren’t you glad God can help you overcome all the obstacles you face?
3. Move forward in faith. This may be lonely, for just like how they were about to stone Caleb, folks may think you are crazy to believe God will come through for you. Remember, it’s more important to be in tune with the voice of God than to make your final decision based on the fears of your friends and relatives.

Caleb’s faith was consistent. Forty-five years later we meet Caleb in Joshua 14. He’s now 85 years old but he’s still walking by faith. He’d learn to trust God when he was young and over the years his faith has grown even stronger. The land he seeks has giants and is well fortified; this is a job for a much younger man. But Caleb, 85 years young, is not afraid of the giants. He tells Joshua, “…give me this mountain…the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out” (Josh. 14:12). Whatever mountain you face, say to God, “Give me this mountain!” The Lord is able to give it to you.

Have a happy & blessed New Year!

Be blessed,
Bro. Brian

2 Cor. 5:17 (NIV): Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

A little boy’s mom was describing what it means to be a Christian. After she was finished, he looked up at her and asked, “Mom, have I ever met a real Christian?” So, what should a Christian look like? In Ephesians 4, the apostle Paul shared lifestyle changes that ought to happen in the life of every believer.

Take time to read the entire chapter, but let me point out four identifying marks of a Christian that can be gleaned from this passage:

1. A Christian ought to look less like the world and more like Christ. Verse 17 indicates that Christians should not live like the rest of the world. But sadly, Christians often do everything they can to look like the rest of the world. This seems to be a growing epidemic. This weekend I got a great Chinese fortune cookie. It read, “You can’t steal second base and keep one foot on first.” And guess what? You can’t grow up in Christ while you hold on to the world. We belong to God now. We must therefore stop conforming to the world and live for His glory. God is sculpting each of us into His masterpiece and one day we will be like Jesus! If we willingly seek to be more like our Savior, the sculptor will have less chiseling to do on us. And chiseling can be painful. It is my prayer that our desire will be to be like Jesus.

2. A Christian ought to have a strong sensitivity about sin. Sadly, some folks have a nonchalant attitude to sin; “What’s the big deal? God will forgive. He knows I’m only human.” But verse 30 warns us not to grieve the Holy Spirit and He is always grieved when we harbor sin. Aren’t you glad that God has already given us a prescription to deal with sin? 1 John 1:9 – If we confess our sins, He’s faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. So don’t wait, deal with any unconfessed sin right now.

3. A Christian ought to have a desire to serve the Lord. Every Christian ought to be involved in ministry. In verses 8-14, Paul indicates that God has given every believer special spiritual gifts (supernatural enablement) to equip them for service. Isn’t it exciting to know He has a special role for each of us to fill? Have you found yours yet? If not, get started in some area of ministry. You’ll find, once you get started, it’s easy to be redirected to the area God has in mind for you. It’s always easier to steer a car that’s moving than one that is parked.

4. A Christian ought to have a deep love for the family of God.
Verse 3 indicates that this love ought to drive us to make every effort to maintain unity in the family of God. But sadly, the Christian church has a history of conflict. That is not what we ought to look like. Let me remind you of a story I’ve told before. A visitor at a mental hospital was astonished to note that there were only 3 guards watching over 100 dangerous inmates. He asked his guide, “Don’t you fear that these people will overpower the guards and escape?” No, was the reply. “Lunatics never unite.” Our impact for God is greatly enhanced when we work together in unity. When geese fly in a V formation, each bird flapping its wings creates an updraft for the bird flying behind it. By doing this, it increases the flying range of the whole flock by 71%. A goose that can fly 500 miles by himself can fly 855 miles with a group. The same thing can happen when Christians are united. We can accomplish much more for God’s kingdom when we work in unity.

Years ago, there was a song that became quite popular in Christian circles. It went like this, “If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” Let’s make sure your life provides evidence; that it reflects what a Christian ought to look like.

Be blessed,
Bro. Brian

Proverbs 14:30 (NLT) – A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealousy is like cancer in the bones.

There’s an old story of two shopkeepers who were bitter rivals. Their stores were directly across the street from each other. If one got a customer, he would smile in triumph at his rival. Day and night each strove to outdo the other.

It soon became more than a game, it became a match in jealousy and anger. One night an angel appeared to one of them in a dream and said, “I will give you anything you ask, but whatever you receive, your competitor will receive twice as much. You can be very rich, but he will be twice as wealthy. You can live a long and healthy life, but his life will be longer and healthier. What is your desire?” The man frowned, thought for a moment, and said, “Here is my request: Strike me blind in one eye!”

Jealousy, although often overlooked, can be a very dangerous emotion. James 3:16 states, “For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.” Jealousy is therefore not to be trifled with as it can lead to evil of every kind.

What is jealousy? It’s an unhappy or angry feeling of wanting to have what someone else has. It often results in feeling resentment towards someone because of that person’s success or some advantage they appear to have over you.

The story of Saul and David is a classic story of jealousy. King Saul was greatly blessed by God and was brought from obscurity and made King of Israel. But after David slew Goliath, the people said, “Saul has slain his thousands, but David his tens of thousands” (1 Samuel 18:7). Because the people made more of David’s single victory than all of Saul’s, he went into a rage and became greatly jealous of David. From that moment, he plotted to kill David. Instead of building up Israel, Saul wasted his reign chasing David through the hills.

Saul was so taken up with David’s success, he forgot the blessings he actually had. After all, he was still King of Israel! Jealousy makes us behave as if God’s resources are not sufficient enough for Him to bless others and still bless us. It poisons attitudes by making us compare ourselves with others. Jealousy makes us dissatisfied with God’s blessing, robs us of joy and contentment, and may even destroy us. Saul’s jealousy cost him contentment, his throne, his family and ultimately his life.

Like bone cancer, if left unchecked, jealousy will spread. So let’s watch out for this “cancer in the bones.” Treat it as seriously as you would any cancer, because it’s deadly. It can destroy your relationship with God and with others. Ask God to search your heart. If there’s a root of jealousy, repent of it today.

Be blessed,
Bro. Brian

God’s army is also seeking volunteers, but sadly not many are lining up to enlist. And yet this army fights for the greatest cause in human history; to rescue those enslaved by sin so they can find freedom and salvation in Christ. What an honor to be part of this army.

We have all heard the military commercial, “We’re looking for a few good men.” God also seeks a few good men and women; young people and adults who are willing to make a total commitment to Him. He is not looking for a person with special training or background but just for ordinary people who will make a full commitment to him. He’s looking for folks like us!

Dwight L. Moody was a poorly educated shoe salesman who felt called to preach the gospel. He and his friends were praying in a hay field when his friend Henry Varley said, “The world has yet to see what God can do with a man who is fully and wholly consecrated to Him.” Moody was challenged and prayed, “God, use me!” God answered this prayer and did extraordinary things through this ordinary man. He became one of the greatest evangelists and founded Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, which continues to train and send out men and women to impact the world for God.

Gideon was another ordinary man; a farmer who had no desire to be anything more. But God had a different plan; His plan would turn this farmer into one of Israel’s great heroes. In Judges 6, the LORD appeared to Gideon and said, “The LORD is with you, mighty warrior.” Gideon, feeling he was Mr. Nobody, responded in Judges 6:15 – “Pardon me, my lord, but my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” Can you identify with him? Gideon would soon realize that what God could use him to accomplish had nothing to do with his “ability” but with his “availability.”

Take time now to read Judges 6-8 and see how God used this ordinary man. Somehow Gideon was able to inspire 32,000 men to join the fight, but God said that was too many, even though the enemy had 135,000 men. God would eventually make him reduce the number to 300 men. Can you imagine 300 fighting 135,000? But if God is on our side we have the victory. What a wonderful assurance this is.

God likes to use ordinary people to do extraordinary things. So why not make yourself available to Him? He has great exploits for each of us and calls us today to volunteer for his army. God is looking for a few good men and women; ordinary, but dedicated people. Don’t wait to be drafted. Volunteer!

Take a minute right now to talk to the Lord. Send me an email to let me know you’re willing to sign up for duty today.

Be blessed,
Bro. Brian

Get in the Game – Don’t be afraid to speak up for Jesus.

On May 3, 1943, air raid sirens sounded over London. People ran towards the underground stations for cover. In ten minutes, more than 2,500 people ran to the Bethnal Green station. A woman carrying a baby lost her footing on one of the nineteen steps leading down from the street. Like dominoes, people started falling on top of one another. In the end, 173 people had died. All these people were dead and yet no bombs had fallen. Bombs didn’t kill them, fear did!

Fear can be deadly! Here’s the deadliest kind; when we are timid to share the gospel. Our silence may cause some of our family and friends to enter a lost eternity without ever hearing a clear presentation of the gospel. That’s serious stuff! But fear to share the gospel is not uncommon. Even Timothy struggled in this area. In 2 Timothy 1, Paul spent time encouraging Timothy to “Get in the Game.” Let’s join Paul and encourage each other to get moving.

God has given us two incredible sources of power to make us effective in witness.

1. The power of the Holy Spirit
2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV) – For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. The Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of power lives in us. If we follow His leading, He’ll give us the power to witness for Him, despite our feeling of timidity.

2. The power of the Gospel
Romans 1:16 (NKJV) – For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. The gospel is God’s “dynamite” that can break the hardest and stoniest heart; so don’t let Satan trick you into believing that someone is not a good candidate for the Gospel. I could share my own stories, but let me share one Pastor Hiawatha Kennedy shared at this weekend’s adult retreat. He told us about an encounter in West Philadelphia with two men about to enter a store to buy beer. They were both uninterested in receiving a tract and tried brushing him aside. Somehow something he said caused the 2nd man to stop for a moment. Bro. Kennedy was able to share the gospel with him and soon this young man broke into tears and started weeping. Shortly after, he was on his knees praying to invite Jesus into his heart. The power of the Gospel! No wonder Paul said, “I’m not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.” Are you?

God has given us the power we need and lives are at stake. So stop letting fear hold you back! Tell God you want to “Get in the Game”… starting now. Ask Him to lead you to someone today. Let us know how we can help you.

In the Master’s Service,
Bro. Brian Grant