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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!"

Romans 10:14-15 NIV


I was having coffee the other night with one of my best friends when we got into an interesting conversation. I was sharing with her one of my most memorable moments when a friend from church accepted Christ as her Savior.

It happened a couple of years ago when a few ladies from church attended a women's convention. I had booked a room and was trying to find a few others to join me to share the cost of the room. A long time friend agreed to go - as did a woman who had been in a Bible Study class with me.

The convention started on a Friday and ran through Sunday. It was a wonderful time of learning, growing, refreshment and encouragement. I got to know both ladies in a deeper way - as well as getting to know a few other ladies from our church better who were also in attendance.

However, what stands out to me is what happened on that last day. In the final hours of the convention, we heard an incredible message from the lead speaker, Kay Arthur. She was deeply passionate and incredibly moving. I remember our bowing our heads in prayer as Kay prayed for those who had not made a decision for Christ and inviting those who had not to come down front and make a profession of faith. Suddenly, I felt movement next to me as I realized one of the ladies I had roomed with was getting to her feet and going forward.

I was just blown away. I had a mix of emotions. My first emotions was simply joy. I was thrilled that my friend had made this decision for herself. My next emotion was one of wonder. I wondered why I had assumed she had already made a decision for Christ. It never even occurred to me to tell her about Jesus. I just assumed because she had bee in church and in my Bible Study that she already knew Him.

As I was sharing the story with my girlfriend over coffee, she too wondered aloud how many people she knew who she also assumed knew Jesus and had never told them about Him and how important it is to make a decision FOR Him.

I'm sure that's true of a great many of us.

Just because someone goes to church, or reads the Bible, or attends Bible Study, or has a fish symbol on their car, or listens to Christian music or reads Christian books - it doesn't make them a Christian.

It takes making a decision FOR Him.

For some this decision may result from going to church or reading the Bible or listening to Christian music.

But for most people, it's the result of a friend or family member telling them about Jesus and then asking them if they'd like to make a decision to accept Jesus into their heart.

Jesus made it very clear what He wanted us to do. In both the book of Matthew and Mark - Jesus' parting words were specific... he wanted us to go and make disciples. He wanted us to tell others about HIM.

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Matthew 28:18-20 NIV

He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Mark 16:15-16 NIV

I can honestly say that my husband has inspired me to be more bold in my faith. Time and time again I hear him strike up conversations with complete strangers about their relationship with Jesus. Sometimes it makes me so uncomfortable because I worry about making others uncomfortable. And then I think about it and wonder - why does that matter anyway? Isn't the prospect of telling them something that will make an eternal difference in their life worth more than either of us being uncomfortable?

I think so.

Besides, Jesus commanded us to tell others. It wasn't a question or a suggestion.

"Today's Little Lift" from Jim Bullington

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