“We’ve talked about this a little bit before,” Stan commented, “but I keep seeing the same thing in the Bible and I have the sense it must be important, so let’s talk about it again.”
“What same thing to you keep seeing?” I asked.
“How the news about Jesus spread when He was walking the earth,” Stan replied. “And it makes me wonder why things may seem to be different now.”
“Different how?”
“When Jesus was walking the earth, the news of Him spread from person to person,” Stan replied. “It was like a neighbor telling a neighbor, and it makes me wonder why that doesn’t happen so much now.”
“Maybe because of what Paul wrote about Satan blinding the minds of the unbelieving,” I replied.
“Maybe,” Stan said, “but what about the believers?”
“What about them?”
“Who’s binding their mouths to keep them from telling others?”
“Oh,” I said, “blinding the mind versus binding the mouth.”
“Yeah,” Stan replied. “I know for a fact that I was blind to the truth until someone told me, and I know there are many people out there whose lives and eternal destinations can and will be changed if someone who knows the truth, beginning with me, will just stop keeping it a secret and tell them!”
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Bible verses to consider:
But the news about Him was spreading even farther, and great multitudes were gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses. Luke 5:15.
And the news about Him went into all Syria . . . . Matthew 5:24.
And immediately the news about Him went out everywhere into all the surrounding district of Galilee. Mark 1:28.
Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. How then shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring glad tidings of good things!” Romans 10:13-15.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for giving Jesus so that all who believe will spend eternity in your presence. Thank you for those who brought me to the truth — and the truth to me — so I could believe. I confess that too often I do not tell others the truth of your free and gracious provision so they, too, can and will believe. Please forgive me. Please help me to follow every step of your lead so I do, in fact, spread the news of Jesus so that others will know the truth. Thank you that I can and do bring these prayers before you in His magnificent name. Amen.
Think on this: Have you accepted God’s free and gracious provision of life eternally with Him when it’s time? If you have done that, how did you hear the truth of His provision? Did it come from someone telling you? If you have not yet accepted the truth, is that because no one has told you, or is it because you simply don’t believe? Why would you want to spend eternity, beginning now, separated from God? If you are a Christian with the assurance of salvation and redemption, how are you doing with telling others the truth of God’s provision for them? If you sense the need for change, how is that going to happen? Is that what you want? Why or why not?
Waiting for the Train 