The past few years have set unprecedented circumstances to the people of this world. The effects are being felt every day, and inflation is increasing putting a large strain on American families. What they do not realize is that this is the norm for the people living in undeveloped or developing nations. Yet, Americans moan and groan, and ask “Where is your God? If God was real, these things would not be happening.” Comparing this to the people of other nations, who treasure family and community, they rarely complain even though they do not have running water, plumbing and other needs that people in developed nations see as a necessity and take for granted.
People in developed nations are used to having things. People in undeveloped nations are used to having faith and hope. In America, when there is a threat to things the people respond in full-out panic. The pandemic, while an extreme, is an example. People were stockpiling toilet paper, paper towels, baby formula (many of whom did not have a nursing child), drugs, non-perishable foods, you name it. Granted this was an extreme, but if you want a normal example, go to the northeast of America before a winter snowstorm hits. People panic buy milk and bread, and other goods. Snowstorms are a normal occurrence in the northeast. It is to be expected.
Why is it this way? There are several socio-economic factors that explain this, and I could get into that, but I choose not to because it takes away from the focus and intent of the Coffee with the Cross’s goal: spreading the gospel one article at a time. Regardless of the socio-economic factors, it boils down to not knowing God, and not having hope.
My niece had said she got yelled at by a bus driver when she was a young child for talking about God after a boy had asked her about her faith. The problem with this is that even our dollar bills have “In God we trust.” But do we? Credit cards, and cryptocurrency are slowly replacing cash and coins. These are also replacing the use of checks. One day this phrase will be completely ignored. It is already largely ignored now.
People Do Not Have God and Do Not Have Hope
Lamentations 3:25 says, ““The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.” However, people do not hope in God, because they do not know Him, or they chose to completely ignore Him. Without a relationship with God, we do not have hope. The Holy Bible says that “My soul faints for Your salvation, But I hope in Your word.” (Psalm 119:81). John 1:1 opens with “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Consider this; people cannot know God, unless they have heard or read the Holy Bible which is the Word.
Therefore, Jesus Christ gave the order to His disciples to preach the gospel all over the world just before His Ascension into heaven, “Go into the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). Jesus Christ also told them that “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). Yet, Jesus does not stop there, and further instructs His disciples to “teach them to observe all things that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20).
Let us recap what Jesus Christ said to His disciples before He ascended into heaven. There were a set of three instructions to His disciples to turn people into believers that Jesus Christ is their savior. Here are the three things that Jesus Christ said (in no particular order):
1. Preach the gospel to everyone.
2. Teach people the ways of Jesus Christ as He commanded.
3. Baptize people in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Beloved, if you are feeling your spirit move, or if tears are coming to your eyes as you read this, God is calling you to preach. To start preaching, pray. Pray about which books of the Holy Bible you should read and study. Take notes as you seem fit. Some articles I posted, God had brought me to relevant passages a year or more before, or even a year to the date that I started drafting the articles. When you feel ready to preach, start with friends and family, and at your church. If they do not let you, walk away, as there will be some that will listen at another time. Therefore, do not be discouraged and have faith, and have hope in God’s Word.
Some of you do not feel moved by this article, and even doubt it, but do not fear because God is with you, and He will use you. In time, He will reveal what He needs you to do for Him. For a word of encouragement, I want to tell you that Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” I would also like to provide advice.
Jesus Christ told us not to worry about tomorrow for God will provide to you, “do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:34). Jesus Christ had said that even the birds in the sky do not sow or reap, but God still feeds them, and you are more value to Him. To give you an idea of how valuable you are, consider what Jesus Christ said in Matthew 13:45, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” Whereas the pearl of great price is you, and all that God had sold wa Jesus Christ to pay for your sins.
Brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, there is hope, because God is raising a spiritual army out of this generation, to bring hope to the world. These will be the people that will preach the gospel and will not shy away from the Word of God. Many will ignore their messages, but for those that listen, they will be saved. So, dust off your Holy Bible and begin praying, hoping in God’s Word, and reading God’s Word.
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