COMFORT IN TRIALS
Gospel Being the Power of God
unto Salvation to Everyone Who Believes
Rom. 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes, both to Jew first and to Greek.
Not to Be Ashamed of the Gospel
In Romans 1:16 Paul said that he was “not ashamed of the gospel.” Satan wants every believer to be ashamed of speaking to people concerning the Lord Jesus. Whether they are preaching the gospel to a classmate or putting on a gospel vest, they should simply say, “Get behind me, Satan. Stop troubling me.” We need a strong resolution not to be ashamed of the gospel. (CWWL, 1971, vol. 1, “The Meaning of Human Life and a Proper Consecration,” msg. 10)
Gospel Bing the Power of God
unto Salvation to Everyone Who Believes
When we preach the gospel to people, we do not need to speak for a long time. Sometimes, the longer we speak, the more we quench the work of the Holy Spirit, and the weaker others’ faith becomes. This does not mean that we should not say anything. Rather, it means that we need to remain under the ruling of the Holy Spirit when we speak. We need to be persons who are consecrated, who pray in a proper way, and who work together with God. If we are such persons, when we contact people, God will speak in our speaking. When we speak to others, we are not merely passing on knowledge to them about philosophy, science, or biblical doctrines. Those things will only keep people in their mind; they cannot touch people’s spirit. Our unique message is the gospel of God, which is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes (Rom. 1:16). Every word that we speak should demonstrate that the gospel is the power of God. This is the faith that we should have. (CWWL, 1959, vol. 2, “Christ Being the Burden of the Gospel,” msg. 3)
Needing to Be ready in Season and Out of Season
Some saints are already retired, so they can preach the gospel to their neighbors every day. We do not need to leave the apartment buildings in which we live. As long as we have time, we can knock on doors every day, and gradually the neighbors will know that we are their neighbors and will welcome us. When people open their doors for us, we should preach the Lord Jesus to them. The Lord Jesus should always be our topic. Today the “fish” are numerous, so we not only need to fish with a single line but also with a net. Sometimes, the fish may be so numerous that we ourselves may have to jump into the net. Hence, we should be more diligent in preaching the gospel. We need to be ready in season and out of season. (CWWL, 1987, vol. 3,“Being Up-to-date for the Rebuilding of the Temple,” msg. 5)
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You for letting me to see that gospel is the power of god unto salvation to everyone who believes, open the eyes of this generation, have mercy on them, soften their heart, and make them seek you. Lord Jesus, put the burden of the gospel in me, make me have burden on others, make me a gospel preacher, and be ready preach the gospel in season and out of season.
