Daily Devotional for Sunday February 22, 2009

Declaring Jesus to All and Praising His Name

(Luke 19:40; Romans 10:14)

"I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out." - (Luke 19:40)

"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?" - (Romans 10:14)

I love the interaction in Luke 19 with Jesus and the Pharisees as they were complaining to Jesus about His disciples who were declaring for all to hear His miracles and without shame praising His name! We are His disciples and that is what we should be doing. Telling others how Jesus has changed our lives and praising Him before this lost world we live in. Jesus told the Pharisees that even if all His disciples were silent, the very rocks would cry out!!! My word for you today is simply this. Tell others what Jesus has done for you and boldly declare to this lost world that Jesus Christ is our only hope and our only answer.

Some may ask why we have been commanded to tell others about our faith in Jesus. The answer to that question is found in the book or Romans, in Chapter 10 verse 14 where God's Word says, "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?" How can we expect someone to get saved if they have never been told how? How are they suppose to be told how to get saved unless some person tells them? God's Word is clear that all of those who know Jesus as their Savior have been called to tell others about His love. This is not just the job of the pastor or evangelist, but ALL who call Christ Lord!

Sadly, this message needs to be read by some very high profile servants of the Lord who have no problem declaring Jesus to their church, but are silent when speaking to the lost world. The sad thing is, those in the church have heard how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, many of the lost souls outside the 4 walls of the church have not. Nowhere does the Bible say we are to only preach to those who are already Christians. It actually COMMANDS us to take the message of Christ to those who are NOT Christians!

I have documented in the past the numerous opportunities Joel Osteen, who pastors the largest church in he United States, has had in major secular media venues to tell people that Jesus is their only hope, their only answer. His desire to sell books is greater than his desire to save souls since time and time again he refuses to declare that Jesus is the ONLY way to Heaven. He even brags that he won't talk about sin. How can you not talk about sin, since it is our sin that separates us from God?

During the Hurricane Katrina memorial service in Washington's National Cathedral, Bishop T.D. Jakes gave the message. Here is a man who is famous for being a fiery orator, a powerful messenger of the Gospel, yet on this occasion with the world watching, he refused to tell millions of lost souls that Jesus was the only hope for the victims of Hurricane Katrina, Jesus was the only hope for this world, and that Jesus was the only hope for each one of them. Instead, he delivered a tame, politically correct message that any Muslim, follower of any of the world's false religions, or even an atheist would be comfortable with.

A few years ago, Paula White was on the nationally syndicated Tyra Banks program. It was almost miraculous that she was on for nearly one full hour and never ONCE mentioned the name of Jesus, prayer, God, the fact she was a Christian (she even failed to mention her salvation in sharing her life story), on Christian TV, or a pastor. She called herself a "life coach," stated she had some sort of psychology degree that qualified her to counsel several women on the program who had problems, and mimicked the infamous Dr. Phil in giving out pop-psycho babble answers to these women's problems.

My friend, listen to me carefully. The only message we have is JESUS. Let me say that again. The ONLY message we have is Jesus. Joel Osteen is just another world-pleasing motivational speaker unless he tells people about Jesus. T.D. Jakes is just another guy who can talk unless he tells people about Jesus. Paula White is just another pretty face on TV unless she tells people about Jesus. The pastor of your local church is no better than the drunk at the local bar unless he tells people about Jesus. Bill Keller has NOTHING to tell over 2.4 million world wide every day via email unless he tells people about Jesus. YOU have nothing but empty words for people unless you tell them about Jesus. We have no message other than the message of Jesus!!!

I love you and care about you so much. I want to challenge you and encourage you today to become BOLD in declaring Christ to those God has put into your life. Your family, friends, neighbors, those you work with or go to school with, people you recreate with, in addition to the people you simply meet in the course of your daily life ARE THE VERY PEOPLE GOD HAS ALLOWED TO CROSS YOUR PATH, NOT BY ACCIDENT, BUT TO TELL THEM ABOUT JESUS!

Telling others is not an option, it is a commandment for all of those who know the Lord as their Savior. How can we expect someone to get saved unless they are told how. You are the one God has put in their life to tell them how. I pray today that you will hear these words, take this challenge, and begin to make it a priority in your life each day to tell others about Jesus. We have no message other than Jesus, and if we won't declare His goodness and grace, if we won't praise His name, the very rocks will cry out!!!

In His love and service, Your friend and brother in Christ, Bill Keller