SUNDAY November 21, 2021

Appointed to Defend the Gospel

Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.
Philippians 1:15-18

Notice, some men preached the Gospel with very wrong intentions––out of envy and selfish ambition. They were motivated by malice. Men actually found pleasure in adding to Paul’s suffering. Yet Paul preached the Gospel out of pure love. He had great success even though in chains! He never preached the Gospel for financial gain; it burned within his heart. Paul’s motive in life or death was solely for the glory and honor of God. Yet whether men preached the Gospel out of good or bad motives, the Lord was still saving people––no matter the intention of men’s hearts.

Does the Gospel of Jesus Christ burn within your heart? When you get up in the morning, what is your first thought? What do you think of doing? I am sure it is thoughts of getting ready for the day––brushing your teeth, taking a shower, and getting dressed, but what about first dropping to your knees and thanking God that you woke up this morning?

At the end of the day, pray and ask God to wake you up the next morning, if that is His will and purpose. We have to remember to prioritize our relationship with Jesus Christ. Do you have devotions before going to work? When you go on vacation, do you still have a time set aside to be with the Lord? If you neglect fellowship with God and are negligent in attending church, what will you do instead? Usually your time is spent selfishly––on yourself. If you prioritize your time in reading your Bible and spending time with God, you will find that when you do go to church, you will be in tune with God’s Holy Spirit, and your life will be used of God.

Give me one hundred preachers who fear God, and I care not whether they be clergymen or laymen, they alone will shake the gates of Hell and set up the kingdom of Heaven upon Earth.
~John Wesley~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!