Monday, October 8
A Gospel Opportunist
Scripture: Ezra 9-10, Psalm 131, Luke 21
Luke 21:13 This will give you an opportunity to bear witness.
Observation
Jesus predicted that His followers would face persecution, arrest and imprisonment, but “this will give you an opportunity to bear witness.” All this hardship was an opportunity for witness—to share the gospel. Rather than silencing them, it gave them opportunity, a platform and a megaphone.
Jesus went on to promise that the Spirit would give us “words and wisdom” that our adversaries could not resist or contradict. This was exactly what Stephen, the first martyr, experienced in Acts 6:10.
So the prediction of persecution was not to inspire fear, but opportunism, boldness, and confidence.
Application
We face little or no threat of persecution, and yet fear paralyzes and silences many Christians. We are afraid of offending, afraid of rejection, afraid of being ostracized. We desperately need a good dose of the Holy Spirit and the boldness He inspires. We need to pray for and seize the opportunities that God gives us every day, trusting the Holy Spirit to give us the words and wisdom, and to do the work in people’s hearts.
Stop being afraid! Start being a bold witness for Jesus. Become a gospel opportunist!
Prayer: Lord, this speaks to me. Fill me with the Holy Spirit today, and make be a gospel opportunist, a bold witness for Jesus.
If a “Christian” shares Christ but lives a life of greed, selfishness, anger and pride, they are keeping people from the Kingdom of God not drawing them to Christ. Today’s nonbeliever looks at the Christians life–their fruit, and asks themselves is this Jesus someone they want to follow? Is the Christ follower loving, kind, humble, forgiving, generous to the poor? Are their lives any different/better than the nonbeliever?
Psalms 82:2-4, Micah 6:8, Matthew 7:13-23, Matthew 25:34-40 and James 2:14-19
May we witness to others Christ’s love by loving the hurting, the “other”, the unlovable, through the power and direction of the Holy Spirit, so that we may draw others to our Lord.