As we are fast approaching 2023, it is undeniable, our world has changed drastically in the last 20 years. One thing I love about Gods Word is that it does not change in its message or effectiveness to conform to the world and all it’s weird and demonic ideologies. God’s Word is the same yesterday, today, and forever and it is Good News not bad news.
I have talked to so many people today that have quit listening to the news because there is so much bad news that produces fear and not faith like Gods Word does. The angels’ proclamation in Luke 2:10 is still true today.
Notice that the Good News from Gods Word doesn’t produce fear but great joy.
Recently I was sharing at a church that at farm shows and FFA state conventions, our booth is always the busiest and most popular. Some would say it is because we give away free gifts, but I believe the biggest reason is because people are hungry for good news and what better news is there that Jesus took our punishment on the cross for all of our sins, and rose from the dead to bring man and God back together, to make a way, the only way for us to get into heaven. It will never get old to me to proclaim the best news in the world that we have all sinned and the wages of sin is death, but according to Romans 10:13 whoever calls on the name of the Lord Jesus shall be saved. God has a home in heaven for everyone who will receive Jesus into their lives as Lord and Savior. Notice the angel said this good news is not for just some people, but for all people of all races, all ages, all nationalities, farmers, city people, and everyone in between. If there is repentance, belief that Jesus is the Son of God, and making Jesus the Lord of your life, then you are guaranteed a home in heaven.
God has called everyone of us to share this good news to a lost and dying world. A short while ago, I talked with a man who is so tired of the bad news in this world that he bought his tombstone, put it in a cemetery, and now he is waiting to die. But if we Christians don’t stick around to tell people how to be saved, then who will. The devil and his crew certainly won’t. It is time for us Christians to realize that we were born for such a time as this and that we are to unpack our bags so to speak because the absence of our light and truth will just bring more darkness and lies.
Several years ago, I was walking through Times Square in New York City, and I was amazed that out of all those millions of people walking the streets of New York, there were so few preaching the Gospel. When I began to share the Gospel with some of them, it was the deer in the headlight’s response. One young FFA student at the Alabama FFA State convention last summer told us that we are the only ones he has seen out preaching the Gospel (even though I know there are others that are doing it also). This is why Jesus said the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. And then he told us not to pray for revival but to pray for more laborers.
When it comes down to it, our being faithful in proclaiming the Gospel message is a matter of life and death, heaven and hell. I will close with this story to illustrate my point. Years ago, a mother of an FFA student called the Fellowship of Christian Farmers office and said her son came to our tent at the National FFA convention, heard the Gospel message, then he prayed to receive Jesus. She said he had been a troubled boy but now he was on fire for God and living for him. He also started going to youth group. She said a month later he died and went to be with he Lord. I could tell you several stories very similar to this one. These stories are not to glorify us but to stir us all up to be witnesses for Christ.
In 2022 we prayed with hundreds of people to receive Christ at farm shows and FFA State conventions in states coast to coast. We even were able to minister at the Shiprock fair to the Navajos this fall, which we hadn’t been able to do since before COVID hit. We had a good team of people that saturated the fairgrounds, carnival, and parade with the Gospel. We already have a busy schedule lined up for 2023 and with God the best is always yet to come. Please pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have a free course. Pray also that we will preach the truth in love more boldly than we ever have.
