Good News

Mark 16:14-16 "Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned."

I am convinced that we only want the bad news. Apparently that must be true or our newspapers wouldn't be bought and there wouldn't such huge ratings for news programs on TV. I myself ignore the news most of the time. As an army wife it is my prerogative. Oh don't get me wrong I look at the headlines when I get online in the morning. CNN and Fox are on my homepage. But just for once I would love for it to say, "Huge revival thousands saved" or "Soldiers feed starving children in Iraq", or anything else that would somehow give us hope that there is still good left in the world.

I live in a small town that has it's own newspaper that is printed 3 days a week. We have it delivered but very rarely do I read it. Yesterday I was looking at Monday's paper and at the top there is a quote. "The western world is becoming increasingly Christophobic, in these latter days, in the same way that the 'gay' community is becoming overtly heterophobic". It caught my attention as I was eating my lunch. I flipped to the article and it was written by a Reverend. He was talking about the new craze of taking Christ out of Christmas and Thanksgiving becoming Turkey Day.

I agree that we as Christians are getting diluted. We are either "Turn or Burn" or we are walking around with one foot in the world and one foot on the Rock. We talk about being Christians, we talk about Christ but are we really living out loud. I know that some people who know me tend to watch their language around me. They know I am a Christian and for that reason they treat me with respect. What they would say around their friends they won't say around me. I appreciate that and it makes me feel honored that those people would do that for me. But there are other people that aren't that way and I have to question myself and whether my testimony is showing. Am I engaging in morally corrupt conversation? Am I teetering on the edge of my Christianity in my freedom? Am I setting the bar for them or am I lowering to their expectations? Am I living Christ out loud or am I diluting my testimony?

There are times that I wish that I could lay my Christianity down and throw some redneck punches. When someone is bad mouthing my husband, yeah that little redneck girl can get stirred up. I can have some pretty bad thoughts in moments like that. However the fruit of the Spirit self-control has to be in place and I am thankful for that. As a disciple of Christ I have to hold my actions accountable to the Word. However I have to giggle when I think of Peter cutting off the ear of Malchus when they came to get Jesus. I am convinced that Peter had a little bit of redneck rebellion in him in that moment.

John 18:9-11 "This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: "I have not lost one of those you gave me". Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus). Jesus commanded Peter, "Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?"

Peter was willing to fight to save Jesus but look at what Jesus said to him. Jesus knew what his role was he could handle it and Peter in his redneck way was getting in the way of that. So I must take that lesson and apply it to my own life. Jesus will be victorious in the end. I don't have to fight for it, I don't have to strive for it. I can not be my husband's defender to do that would be to take away his role and his purpose. I would be taking away the cup the Father has given him.

So what do I do to become less diluted? How do I live my life out loud in a way that others not only will see Christ in me but want what I have. The joy of the Lord, the peace of Salvation? How do I stand upon the Rock without standing upon the soapbox?

Isaiah 52:7, "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!"

Okay I love a pedicure, it is one of the pleasures in my life. I don't have to have them but Lord knows I love them. But here is God's pedicure. I can have beautiful feet by bringing good news, proclaiming peace, bringing good tidings and proclaiming my salvation. Okay that is something I can get into. I can sink my teeth into that. So living out loud means, sharing Christ with everyone we see. Not in a do it or die kind of way but in a God made me this way. He took a sinner, a wrench like me and made me new. It means walking away from gossip. It means changing the channel, it means excusing yourself from a conversation when it turns ugly. It means self-control over our mouths, and over our redneck desires.

The good news is that Christ came for our sins. He died on the cross and separated us from our sins and cast them into the deep of the sea. They no longer exist. I can enter the throne room of Father God. I don't have to walk around carrying guilt and shame for my past because if I do I dilute the process and the anointing that God has placed on my life. I should be sharing the love of Christ and bringing the presence of God with me everywhere I go. Our Youth Pastor spoke on that a few weeks ago and that really struck me. Establish the presence of God everywhere I go. Hmm, who would have thunk? So not only do I have access to the throne room I am to be an ambassador of that here today.

Christ Jesus, is the Redeemer of all who believe. Father God is the creation of all and it is his intention for all of his children to return to him. If all I am is a pew warmer on Sunday morning and not sharing that love with every person that I encounter than I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. (See 1 Cor 13:1) How can I make an impact, or create change or establish the presence when that is all people hear?

Enough of the bad news. Enough! Let's start sharing the Good News of Christ every where we go.

Lord, I love you and I thank you for your provision not only for my life Father but for every one of your children that walk this earth. Lord, let my love for you shine in a way that others want to be impacted by you. Lord, let my testimony show. Lord, I choose today to show your love and to establish your presence everywhere I go. There is so much hurting, pain and disease in the world Lord and it is our jobs to go into those places and establish your presence and share your love. Lord thank you for this opportunity to be your voice, to be your arms. Lord, I love the process, I love the ability to do this for you. It is an honor and I am humbled to be called by you to preach the good news of you. Lord, thank you for you. For the great I AM. I lay my will, my life, my desires and lay them at your feet and say Lord, your will be done. I want to drink of the cup you have for me. That is more important to me than anything that this world can offer me. I am not of this world Lord and I thank you for sending me as an ambassador to those that are hurting and those that need you in a real way today. Lord, bless you, all honor and praise go to you. You are the lover of my soul and I love you in an inmeasurable way and just sit in awe of you again this morning. You are Jehovah, my Father, my Savior, my Redeemer. You are my all in all. In Jesus Name I pray. Amen.