[Biblemat] A) WE BELIEVE AND THEREFORE SPEAK

[J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com]

Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here.  A very good Monday morning
to each and everyone.  May God bless you and yours.  Here is an article from 
my recent files:

WE BELIEVE AND THEREFORE SPEAK

       The preaching of the apostles proceeded from hearts full of
conviction.  They had observed the miracales of Jesus: they had heard His 
teaching: three of them had been with Him in the
Mount of Transfiguration, and had heard those worlds spoken 
from heaven, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleas-
ed; hear ye HIm;" they had seen His composure as He was arrested in the 
Garden; they had carefully examined evidences
of His resurrection, and had talked with Him, eaten with Him, felt
of Him; they had watched as He ascended until a cloud received
Him out of their sight.  They believed!  And so full were they of 
faith that their faith overflowed in words.  They could not hold
back that message which burned in their hearts.

       They preached it everywhere: in the synagogues and in the
temple; in the streets and from house to house; in governor's
mansions and in prisons; in market places and from Mars Hill;
on ships and in chariots; in upper rooms and on river banks.

       They preached it to the rich and to the poor; to worshippers
of God and to worshippers of idols; to the humble and to the
proud; to the lowly and to the mighty; to the educated and to the
uneducated; to the good and to the bad; to the moral and immor-
al.

       They preached it to drunkards, to adulterers, to homosexua-
ls, to idolators, to sorcerers, to kings, to governmental officials,
to army officers, to jailors, to ship captains, to beggars.  They 
preached it, and preached it, and preached it!  Because they 
preached it they were imprisoned, beaten, scourged, stoned, 
mocked, ridiculed, threatened; they were victims of lies, deceit,
conspiracy, uproars, mob violence, shipwreck; ambush; they
lived in poverty, often hungering, and with "no certain dwelling
place;" but nothing could stop them from preaching as long as
they had breath.  They believed, and their faith forced them to
preach regardless of the consequences.  They believed, and 
therefore spoke (2 Cor. 4:13).

       What did they preach?  They preached that message reveal-
ed to them by the Holy Spirit, God's divine message (1 Cor. 2:6-
13).  They had no time for opinions, human philosophies, or poli-
tics; nor was their faith centered upon such things.  The messa-
ge that burned in their hearts was a message concernint the
Christ and salvation through Him.  They believed in Christ, in the
efficacy of His blood, and in the power of His gospel.  They belie-
ved, adn therefore they spoke that message, and that message
only.

       Faith!  In that one word may lie the most important element
of effective evangelism.  When we come to believe as did those
apostles; when we become so full of faith that we can hardly  re-
strain ourselves; when the message of salvation burns within
us as it did in them, we will be teaching others and we will be
doing so effectively.  Until then our words may contain an unmis-
takable emptiness that will render them powerless in changing
the hearts of men.    ------ Bill Hall, via Gospel Power, Vol. 15, No.
43, Oct. 26, 2008.
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