Daily Devotion

 With Pastor Ancel Presnell

“PLEASING GOD, NOT MAN, WITH THE DYNAMITE OF TRUTH”

If we want the Crown of Rejoicing, we must become loving stewards of the Gospel. That means boldly pursuing the lost with the message of Jesus and refusing to let little setbacks stop us. We can’t let inconvenience, threats, or past afflictions (like Paul faced) slow us down from sharing Christ. Our motivation must be a deep love for the Gospel and a deep love for lost souls, or we will surely fail to receive this incredible crown.

We must remember that God has entrusted us with this message. He saved us, redeemed us, and commanded us to witness. Now, let’s be honest: it is far more pleasing to men if we keep the message quiet and suppressed. No one wants to hear about sin and judgment at the dinner table. But it is ever so pleasing to God, and that should be the driving force behind everything we do! We can’t keep isolating ourselves with the excuse that we don’t know how to share or that we might deliver the message wrong. Paul did it with simplicity; he determined “not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.”

The Gospel is powerful—it’s like dynamite—and the people we’re trying to reach are lost and on their way to Hell. It is a delicate situation, and we must handle the Gospel and those who need it gently. Remember, lost people act like lost people! But as you are faithful, remember that the enemy does not want you sharing Christ. He wants you to be a normal, American Christian whose faith is dormant. But when your faith becomes active and you start sharing those tracks and talking about Jesus, the enemy will try to stop it. Don’t let him! Our greatest hope, joy, and Crown of Rejoicing will be seeing and spending eternity with those God allowed us to win to Christ!

1 Thessalonians 2:4– “But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.”