Over the past few weeks, maybe a month, God has been putting a thought on my heart over and over, so much so I can not shake it whatsoever, and it started from a place in time where I truly wondered what is it that the World needs more of? I can't tell you why that popped in my head, but it was there, replaying over and over, what is it that the World really needs to have more of?I began to think on that, dwell on that and there were a few things that came to mind. One of them is maybe the people in the World need more money. Isn't that what we are conditioned to think or believe, if I just had more money then the problems I am facing could be alleviated. I mean even I have thought that same thing, man I am so broke right now, if I just had more money then my life would be so much better, so much easier.
Then I look to Hollywood, a sect of people who have all the money in the World and I look at their lives, and when I examine them truly, it's very obvious that their lives are just as if not more screwed up than mine. Sure they may have a bigger house, better car, trips, but their lives all reflect a shallow existence, an existence that cries out for help. An existence that proves that they struggle as much if not more with the things those of us who are not millionaires deal with on a daily basis.
So money really isn't what the World needs more of, it doesn't actually help to address the problems we all face, problems like loneliness, unworthiness, sadness and depression. Problems like anger and bitterness, lust, addictions and violent reactions. Money may cover up these problems temporarily but inevitably they will rear their head once again, and we have to figure out how to confront them.
As I continued to think about this, suddenly it was as if God grabbed a bullhorn and just shouted to my heart, what the World needs more of is the Gospel. And for days that thought has been stirring on my heart, what does the World need more of, the Gospel!!! The Gospel is mentioned 98 times in the Word of God. Taking out the times it is repeated in the same verse, there are 93 verses that speak of the Gospel. That is a lot of verses that have the Gospel specifically named in them. If something is mentioned that many times in the New Testament, then I think we ought to pay attention to it!!!
Some may wonder, well what is the Gospel, and the quickest answer to that is that the Gospel is the Life, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the absolute embodiment of what the Gospel is. The Gospel solely revolves around Jesus Christ, who He was, what He did, how He lived, why He died, and when He Resurrected!!!
A bit more in detail of the Gospel is that Sin entered the World, and this Sin which we all take part in at some point, has caused us to be Separated from God. If we were to die in this state of Separation of God, then we will forever remain in this state which is called Hell. However God loved us so much that He became Man in the Form of the Son of God, Jesus Christ and lived perfectly so that He could lay down His Life as a Sacrifice, taking up our Sins upon Himself and the Wrath we all are due for our Sins on the Cross.
After He died on the Cross, because of His Blood He made Atonement for us, reconciling us back to God and 3 days later He Resurrected, showing that the Sacrifice was Perfect and Accepted by God, and proving that He had conquered Sin, Death and Hell. He then Ascended to the Right Hand of the Father in Power and Glory and is now making intercession for us day and night.
That is the basics of the Gospel, however does that really answer the question what does the World need more of? What does it mean that the World needs more of the Gospel? As I asked God what does that look like, what does that mean, He laid this upon my heart, What the World needs is to find themselves in the Gospel!!!
That changed everything, it went from this abstract thought, this far away idea, to becoming a very personal answer. What does it look like when YOU find YOURSELF in the Gospel, and that is what I want to expand upon today. I want you to ask yourself that question, where do I find myself in the Gospel. I want the Gospel to be PERSONAL to you individually, I want you to identify yourself in the Life, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
As I go forward, these are just some of the things revealed to me about finding ourselves in the Gospel. Some of them may describe you perfectly, some of them may kind of hit home, or you may not see yourself in them at all. Regardless I know for a fact that if you come to God with an honest heart and you pray a sincere prayer asking Him, Lord how can I find myself in the Gospel, He will without a doubt show you exactly where you are in the Gospel.
Every person, regardless of Race, Culture or Creed, regardless of upbringing, regardless of Class, Wealth, Prestige or lack thereof, no matter what you have gone through or endured, absolutely every person in the World can be and is found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ!!!
I believe there are certain aspects of Life that we all share in, certain things in which we all can relate to, and one of these things is physical sickness. I have been blessed so far in that I haven't had to go through or endure any major medical problems, but that doesn't mean sickness hasn't touched my life in redefining ways. Back in 2014 my Mother was diagnosed with Small Cell Lung Cancer, and I watched as that horrible disease took her bit by bit until she was a shell of her former self. I watched her fight the best fight, I watched her struggle and endure, I watched her put everything into overcoming that monster that was raging within her body.
Today as I write this I am watching my Father start a battle with Cancer as well, it's not as pervasive as my Mother's Cancer but I just went with him to surgery and watched as he had to have radiation treatment in his eye. I have never seen my Father like this before, he is a tough man, one who has been in control of everything, the one who has been there at all times for me and my Mother, to bail us out, to stand by us, to help us no matter what. And now he is in a position where he is in need, where he is having to look to others to help him out, he is facing something of which he has no real control over.
Can I ask, is that you today? Are you struggling right now in the midst of a battle with a Physical Disease? Are you watching someone you know, love and care about try and fight and endure a Major Sickness? Is this something that hits right on the head of the nail? Something that hits close to home? If it is I want to show you something, something you may have never noticed. Something you may have never heard. I want to show you yourself in the Gospel.
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