Scripture taken from 2 Timothy 4:7-8. “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved His appearing.”

What is in your cup? Love or hate?

I had the pleasure at singing at my Mother-in-law’s funeral. Now I know what most of you are thinking? How can I say that I had the pleasure singing at her funeral? Although her physical body was in the bronze casket, her spirit was already with her Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus. I was honored having been asked to sing by both my Brother-in-law and my Wife.

Someone recently asked me what Marketplace Evangelism was? This is my definition, but first, let me tell you what it isn’t. Marketplace Evangelism is not standing on the street corner and preaching to people in the street. It is not forcing Jesus Christ down people’s throats. Marketplace Evangelism is loving people at the job, career, or workplace; by living your life in a manner that is pleasing to God. It is espousing the love of Christ so that others will see something different in you. An example of this is going to see a co-worker or client who is hospitalized and visit and pray for them. It is opening yourself up, in faith, and only when truly led by the Holy Spirit, accept divine appointments to share your faith and how Christ has helped and changed you with those in your environment. It’s living your life in a manner, striving to be Christ incarnate, so that others may see Christ in you, because you may be the only Jesus anyone will ever see. It is making a difference in people’s lives one life at a time! Dave Earley and David Wheeler, Evangelism Is: How to Share Jesus with Passion and Confidence, (Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 2010) 133-134.

References Blackaby, Henry T, and Richard Blackaby. EXPERIENCING GOD DAY-BY-DAY: The Devotional and Journal. Nashville, TN: B & H Publishing Group, 1997.

Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 6:23 – “For the wages of sin is death (hell), but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” John 3:3 – “In reply Jesus declared, ‘I tell you the truth, unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 14:6 – “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” Romans 10:9-11 – “9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 11 As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” 2 Corinthians 5:15 – “And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again.” Revelation 3:20 – “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.”

I once knew a man who proclaimed to be a Christian. He was an Usher at his mega church. He greeted people and played the part of a wonderful Christian brother at church. But you see, he had two sides of him. His public face to face matched what one would think a Christian should look like and act like. The other side of him was his social media side. He was a huge supporter of a famous politician, and he would not stop at anything to make his point or put someone in their place. I saw a response he made on a News Station’s social media Facebook page where I wondered if his account had been hacked. He used terrible profanity and called the other person a “Demoncrat,” because this person was not of his political party. He used vile language in written form to attempt to make his point, all the while destroying his testimony for Christ. Perhaps this man never knew Jesus as he showed no fruits, no real evidence that he loved God with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his mind, and he definitely did not love his neighbor as himself. 

As a Christian, to avoid these spiritual roadblocks, these instances when we fall into sin, we must stay focused on Christ Jesus. Because we were born into sin, we have a sinful nature, but we must fully surrender ourselves to Christ Jesus, ask forgiveness when we do sin, and stay focused on Christ. 

One of the Ten Commandments says in Exodus 20:7, “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.”

“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” – Galatians 6:2