How Beautiful...

Good Morning,

Romans 10:8-15 (NIV)
But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"

I'd like to concentrate on the final words of these marvelous verses of Scripture. I'd like to lift up ALL who "preach" and proclaim the good news of the Gospel message, that is...God's plan of salvation for all of mankind.

So, just who, exactly are we to lift up? Of course these would include our wonderful pastors who answered the call to preach the Gospel and, thus, allow people to hear just how to call on the Lord and be saved. It would include the missionaries who travel near and far...those who answer the call to be sent...and speak boldly about Jesus Christ to those who may have never heard about God nor Jesus. We must include all of the Sunday School teachers who study and come to teach and proclaim Jesus as Lord to millions of people every week. Let's not forget about those who lead Small Groups who open their homes in order to form special relationships with people...which, we hope and pray...who will form a relationship with God. Finally, let us lift up one another...yes YOU!...who are the first seed planters in this process of being "those who bring good news."

You and I are every bit as important in getting this message, God's plan for everyone who will call on Him, to the world. It isn't ONLY the pastors, preachers, missionaries, Sunday School teachers, and leaders in our congregations who have this marvelous task to take on. Not at all! You see, we all have the responsibility to preach the "good news" that we know in our hearts. Yes, it's wonderful that we have all of these others, those in leadership positions in our congregations, to speak out about Jesus Christ. But, I contend, that it is EVERY believer who opens his/her mouth about Jesus who are the original seed planters; the first ones to tell others about our Lord. We, all of us as a whole and each of us as individuals, are just as responsible, and have every bit as much authority, to be the "preachers" we read about in these verses.

We read, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." We also read, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"

You and I are to bring that "good news" to this world. You and I should be ready when one of those people to whom we've spoken is ready to "call on the name of the Lord" and be born again in Him. You and I ARE the "preachers" that we read about in today's verses.

Let us be prepared in every way we can.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David