Jesus
is the stone you builders rejected,
which
has become the cornerstone.
Salvation is found in no one else, for
there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be
saved.”
Acts 4:11-12
I had recently been inspired by a pair of messages preached within the last couple of weeks by our West Davenport campus
pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel, Jeremy Hickman, entitled, “The Time has come”
You can listen to both messages here:
I like to see this message as a wake up call of sorts to those Christians in the
church (me definitely included) who are getting too comfortable and not
responding to the call to go out and preach the gospel “to all the
nations.” I will be the first to admit I
allow fear or even inconvenience to get in the way of witnessing. It is a very unloving and selfish state to be
in. The conviction rests in the fact,
when finally faced, that I would deny speaking to someone about Christ because
it’s uncomfortable and risk them not hearing the salvation message. I love (or hate, to be honest) the line, “do
you hate someone so much that you would deny them the message that would save them from hell?” *Gasp*…*shudder*! “Of course not”, we
say! Our actions prove a different story
as our own fear of what they might think of us will keep our mouths shut.
I again will be the first to
admit that I need a lot of prayer and boldness in this area of sharing the
gospel regularly with those around me. I
find myself so involved in my Christian circle sometimes that my ministry
doesn’t always leave the family of believers…It is a true shame and
conviction. But it doesn’t have to rest
there. We press on each day to be better
than the day before. To trust God and
ASK Him for opportunities and then actually OBEY when we are led to act!
Trust that He will lead us
and fuel us for the very reason He placed us here - to love God and to love
others.
Here is my song inspired by that message.
The Time has come, arise
Becki J Buescher
The time is now
To stand unashamed
We will not hide
We will not back away
The time is now
To bind our fear
So all may see
So all may hear
His Name be sung
His Kingdom Come
His Will be done
Wake up Church
The time has come, Arise
Boldly go, so all may know
And trust in Jesus Christ
There is no other name
By which we must be saved
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
