Evangelism, witnessing, sharing the Good News, or the simplest way to say it, “sharing the love of Jesus.” How are we all doing on these topics? I made a statement a few Sundays ago in regard to God’s Will. I said, “Imagine if God answered to us. We would have all that we wanted in this world. Money, new cars, great vacations, and everything that we could imagine.” The problem with that statement was on the flipside of it. If our will were in play, we would have all those things and most likely be on our way to hell. God’s will for us, is why you and I can spend eternity in heaven. We are called to share the God who manifested Himself to us with the world. Jesus is what the world needs.
How do our lives line up with the last words that Christ spoke which are written in the Acts of the Apostles? As a reminder, here are the words which He spoke. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:8 NASB). We have the power so what are we actually doing with that power? Now, I understand that with a blog you can just stop reading right now, but hopefully you read to the end. This morning as I continue to write this, I find myself working through the Book of Numbers. It is an Old Testament book that contains many numbers, lists, and exacting details of what God requires.
As I have spent the past months studying through Acts of the Apostles and the Book of Numbers, I see such great similarities. It is these similarities that have been moving me through a series of events on my life. I think the question we often have of God is, “Why?” The questions can be directed at God in regard to wondering why in our salvation are we called to be His witnesses, or in the case of the Book of Numbers why God has called His people to such exacting ways in which to serve Him. I mean really, have you ever read Numbers 31 and observed of what has called His people to do? Of course, the statement that is best to make (this is sarcasm) is to say, “Well, that is God from the Old Testament, we serve Jesus, the New Testament is totally different.” I wrote this morning in my personal journal that God has always called us to put to death that which keeps us from Him. Would that be putting to death the fears that keep us from evangelizing and sharing the Good News? Would that be putting to death the idolatry in our lives that clouds us from seeing God’s glory and what He desires for us as we move closer to the promised land? Let me back up a minute and be clear that God of the Old Testament is God of the New Testament and Jesus is God. Please do not ever fall for the lies that the world would like us to believe about different gods all being the same. Or the lies that Satan may try to fill our heads with that sound something like, “Did God really say that?”
This blog perhaps is a little different than some others that I have written. I have sensed a renewed interest in the people of God towards prayer. Prayer to give them the desire to step out and share God’s Word. Prayers made with confidence that God is sovereign in all that is happening in our world. Prayers that a revival is coming in which people who have doubted God will turn in joy to the reality of God and the salvation offered only through Jesus Christ.