Tag: Good News

Who Is an Evangelist?

On By vickleaIn Admonition, promises, Scripture3 Comments

The simple answer to this question is that we all are. Some are more vocal than others and some have evangelism as their profession, but we have all been called to be evangelists, to share the good news about Jesus.

In the devotional this morning that I read about evangelism, I chuckled when the speaker in the video reminded us that we don’t plant seeds and then stand and yell at them to grow. Our responsibility is just to plant the seeds and that can look like a lot of different things.

We can encourage someone when they need a pat on the shoulder, a hug or a kind word. Speaking of kindness, we should always be kind to others no matter what kind of day we are having or the mood we are in. There is never an excuse for rudeness. In today’s world of selfishness and entitlement, it is evident that rudeness seems to be prevalent. That is why Christians can stand out and consistently offer kindness as our banner, not demands. And, of course, we can share our testimony with others about the difference Christ has made in our lives.

The last one is the hardest one for me because of my introverted nature. But I know that if I have established a relationship with another person, then it is easier for me to talk to them about my past, where I came from and how my life changed. I think one of the keys of a good evangelist is establishing relationships, not just preaching the gospel and expecting people to take your word for it.

Regardless of how we do the job that Jesus tasked us to do while we wait for His return, we are not in this alone. Evangelism is a team effort. We are the seed sowers while others who come behind us may be the ones who water or give nutrients to the new plant. We do what we feel the Spirit prodding us to do and then let God take over. That relieves us of the burden of thinking that is all on us…it isn’t and God’s Word tells us that.

Our purpose in evangelism is not so that others can see us and offer us any kind of recognition. Rather, it is to just go and tell. We tell with encouragement, kindness and our testimony. We tell with words from God’s Word. God will bring the growth but the seeds have to be planted first and that is our responsibility.

Action Verbs that Can Change Lives

On By vickleaIn Scripture, YouVersion App3 Comments

I am a grammarian from way back, so I notice the use of action verbs, verbs that call for the subject to do something. In a command, the subject is YOU. So, when Jesus tells us to come, we move towards Him and read and study His Word, spending time with Him. When He says “see”, we are seeing the truth of His Word and all that He did for us during His short life on earth. “Go” means just that. Don’t just sit around filling your head and heart with God’s Word…go and tell others the truth of what you have read. Food does no good for anyone if it just sits in the pot and you stir it every once in a while. You have to eat it yourself and then share it with others. And “tell” is sharing the Good News with others. We are quick to share gossip or bad news about the current state of the nation or when our President falls again. How quickly do we share the good news that can change a life forever? I wish that the MSM would start each evening with a prayer and a Scripture. I know that is wishful thinking because they are MSM, but if they were taking part in fulfilling Jesus’s commission to come, see, go and tell, that is exactly what they would do. We cannot take over MSM, but we can influence our little corner of the world. Thus, it is imperative that we come, see, go and tell, for the sake of our world and future generations.

Come, See, Go, Tell.

What we hear affects what we know.
What we know influences what we believe.
What we believe impacts what we do.

That’s why it is so important to listen to God’s truth.

“So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭10:17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Throughout the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), we see Jesus inviting His followers to “come and see,” to “go and tell,” and to “listen and understand.”

Paul explains why “going and telling” matters in his letter to the Romans:

“For ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, ‘How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!’”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭10:13-15‬ ‭NLT‬‬

So what is this “Good News”?

To truly understand it, let’s first look at the bad news: we’ve all messed up. Our sin separates us from a good and holy God, and there’s nothing we can do to bridge that gap.

Now, the good news: God loves us so much that He has already made a way for us. He put on skin, paid the ultimate price by dying a criminal’s death (even though He was innocent), and has conquered the grave by rising again. He has granted us the right to become His!

This is why “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

So right now, take a moment and thank God for the gift of His Word, and the ability to receive His Good News. Then, ask Him to strengthen your faith by showing you how to share your hope with others.

Good News

On By vickleaIn YouVersion App1 Comment

When you get a raise or a promotion or a new baby arrives, you cannot wait to share the good news with everyone you know and even some strangers you may meet. The really good news that we should be sharing is the new life made possible because of the arrival of Jesus. On this Christmas Eve, take time to share the reason you are joyous and celebrating. Take time to tell others about your hope, your peace and your Savior!

God’s Captive

On By vickleaIn Scripture1 Comment

God captures us with love, grace and mercy. That is a great way to be a captive! No fear, no chains that bind us…just a lifting of our great burdens into His capable hands and a complete feeling of being able to relax and let go in His arms. As His captives, our responsibility is to spread the Gospel wherever we go. I love the imagery of this verse…the good news of the knowledge of Christ is like a sweet perfume. Have you gone into a room and knew instantly that someone you love dearly was just there because the essence of their scent was left behind? That’s what this verse makes me think about. As part of Christ’s triumphal procession, we need to act like victors, not downtrodden captives held by an oppressive dictator. God is love and always wants what is best for us. He knows that living for Him is what it always best!

Faith and Works

On By vickleaIn ScriptureLeave a comment

I struggled for a long time when I was a newly born-again Christian. I just did not understand the thought that Jesus paid everything for us on the cross and yet, there was still work for us to do here on earth. After many years of seeking an answer, I finally got peace when I realized that the work that Jesus wants me to do is not onerous or demanding but rather loving and kind and merciful. The work He has given me to do is the same that He did on earth, i.e. to spread the good news of salvation through grace.

Seeing others believe in Christ builds my own faith. Helping others to come to know Christ as their Lord and Savior builds it even more and that is a living legacy worth having. God has given us all of the tools we need to share about Jesus in His Word. Some of us are better at using the Word than others, but all are supposed to be daily digging into the Word in order to share it with those who need it. The Bible is our spiritual food and just as you would not go days without eating (unless you are called to fast for a period of time), neither should any Christian go days without reading God’s Word and letting His Spirit speak to your heart. Then, once your own faith is built up by His Word inside you, then you can take what you have learned and share it with others. A hammer builds, but only in the hands of someone wielding it. Likewise, God’s Word saves but only from the mouths of those who speak it.

Have a blessed day and may you be filled with the wisdom from His Word so that it overflows to others around you.

A Call to Action

On By vickleaIn Scripture2 Comments

I only hear snippets of news throughout the day because I have purposed to just not listen to all of the negativity. My husband shares things with me that he thinks I need to know and pray about, but my days of watching news broadcasts from morning to evening are long done. I have entered a time of watchful expectation. I see what is going on, I hear what others are saying and I know that the Lord cannot tarry forever. He will have to judge the world for their sins that are polluting the entire earth that He created for good.

No, I am not a prophet and I am not saying that the return of Jesus and God’s judgment are imminent. I am, however, saying to be ready and to be aware that the time is coming. In the Book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon seems like he is on a real downer kind of trip. Solomon, the man with hundreds of wives and concubines, a huge palace, servants to do his bidding all the time, and the one who built an impressive temple for God seems to be in a real depression. That man is having some real “come to Jesus” moments in Ecclesiastes and this verse portrays one of them. I agree with him in that everyone should be mourning. What are we mourning? The death of sanity, the loss of common sense and the complete destruction of the moral compass that God put inside mankind but which man in his own attempt at control has chosen to destroy, not just to ignore. Instead of mourning the sins of ourselves and our nation, we seek constant pleasure wherever we can find it, trying desperately to block out that still small voice that insistently calls us to His throne and to repentance. Earlier in this chapter in Ecclesiastes, Solomon says that everyone dies. Well, of course! But everyone does not have to spend eternity in hell as is the destiny of so many who refuse to acknowledge the King. I never realized before that Solomon’s Book of Wisdom is also a call to repentance if we can only pause and listen. The days are short, we just don’t know how short before the Lord’s return. But we do know that we are called to repent, to turn from wickedness and to change our ways. Thus, those of us who are about the business of the Lord are in mourning, for nations and their people who are burying their heads in the sand and thinking that God cannot see them for what they are. Let’s not be foolish but wise. Let’s mourn for the losses but let us also take up the mantle of the Good News and declare His Truth to all, whether they want to hear it or not. They need to hear, and we need to tell.

Have a blessed day, my friends, and may you find the courage to boldly speak the truth to at least one lost soul today.

Can the Pope Be in Error?

On By vickleaIn Uncategorized1 Comment

Yesterday, the Pope stated that the civil union of same-sex couples is okay with the church. Really? Seriously? Is it okay with God? Has God changed His mind? Or His Word? Just because man has become more tolerant of sin does not mean that God has. So, in my very humble opinion, I think that the Pope has made a grave error. I must state here that I am not Catholic, so I do not revere the Pope as holy or anything similar. Only God is holy, and that includes all parts of the Holy Trinity. I don’t mean to offend anyone, however. I just want you to take an honest look at what the Bible says and what the consequences are of not following God’s instructions. Once again, Dr. Denison says it a lot better than I ever could.

Dr. Denison Oct. 22, 2020 Pope and Gay Marriage

Good News!

In my inbox today, along with Dr. Denison’s newsletter, was good news from the You Version Blog. May these testimonies bless and inspire you just as they blessed me.

Let’s Celebrate Good News!

May you all have a blessed day! Seek God’s face in His Word and find yourself in the hollow of His hand, ready to face the new day and whatever it brings.