This is a day of good tidings! - Let's not hold our peace

On Wednesday night, Pastor Bob Brado returned from his family camping trip for an evening to testify of God's work that he was privileged to be a part of for two weeks in the Ukraine with another hero of mine - Missionary Mike Ireland (http://ukrainebible.com/index.htm).

Pastor Brado spent some time showing slides of the family camp he preached there, many of the souls that God has redeemed to Himself in that country and pics of the Ireland family with greetings from them to our church family.

He then preached a message from 2 Kings 7 asking the question - Why sit we here until we die? and then answering with another phrase - We do not well: this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace. (http://www.myfbbc.info/sermons/2007/ - not there yet as of 7/27)

It was a powerful challenge to live for eternity and not for time, to recognize that we have the greatest message in the history of the world - the Gospel and yet we are often guilty of sitting on the spoil of it for ourselves rather than sharing it with others. It is clear that there is no way that we can exhaust such a treasure and there is something wrong with us if we can sit around and watch others die in misery and sin when we have the words of eternal life.

Isa 52:7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!

I am grateful for the way a short-term mission trip can encourage the missionary on the field, have an impact on souls in that country, glorify the name of Jesus Christ and fan the flames of zeal for the ones who go so they can bring that back and ignite fires back here. It was a great night, a great blessing and a great challenge. I long for the day that my family reaches the Philippines and my heart often feels as though it is there already. Until then though, the need, the message, the Saviour and the importance are just as great here. May God be glorified through hearing the body of Christ here in Rochester tell of the wondrous riches of His grace. May we use our feet for proclaim that our GOD REIGNETH rather than sitting around until we die.