2 Timothy 4:3-5 “Because the time will come when people will not listen to the true teaching but will find many more teachers who please them by saying the things they want to hear. They will stop listening to the truth and will begin to follow false stories. But you should control yourself at all times, accept troubles, do the work of telling the Good News, and complete all the duties of a servant of God.”
News, it surrounds us daily from morning until night. In many household’s people turn on the Morning News while preparing for the day, while eating breakfast or while driving to work, even using their smartphones. Then there's the news in the middle of the day, the six o'clock news on the drive home and the Evening News. News tells us the weather, the traffic, what's new in politics and so much more. So much news and so many people who feel they need the constant updates and to know all about it.
The problem with the news is that it's full of negative reports about what’s happening, it may not be completely truthful and it's depressing. There are always deaths of some kind, people fighting, fires, accidents, bad weather reports of storms and more. News just shows us the sadness of this world and what's becoming of God's beautiful creation as it turns to hate and evil. Then if one is really addicted, they get hooked on the many talk shows about human nature.
With all the negative feelings one finds on a daily basis it begins to affect our daily lives. We can begin to feel hopeless, that nothing good could happen again. Then, without knowing it, our minds and bodies become depressed, and the glass is always half empty.
The gospel shines in such contrast to the Daily News. Did you know the word “gospel” actually started with the word ‘godspel’ with the Anglo Saxons? Its meaning started as “good tidings” and later became “God-story”. We all know God's story is God's love shown to us through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus for our salvation. Also known as the Good News.
So, how do we shine the light of the gospel into a world full of negative news? How do we turn the negative into the godspel? It begins by proclaiming Jesus and His goodness in place of the negative.
When the news is about a crime, proclaim Jesus can change the hearts of even the most hardened. Deuteronomy 30:6 “The Lord your God will prepare you and your descendants to love him with your whole being so that you will live.” Proclaim Jesus can heal the victims of needless crimes. Exodus 15:26 “He said, “You must obey the Lord your God and do what he says is right. If you obey all his commands and keep his rules, I will not bring on you any of the sicknesses I brought on the Egyptians. I am the Lord who heals you.”
The news is full of racial tensions, war, conflicts among ethnic groups and more. Proclaim Jesus as the Prince of Peace who can calm every situation. Ephesians 2:14 “Christ himself is our peace. He made both Jewish people and those who are not Jews one people. They were separated as if there were a wall between them, but Christ broke down that wall of hate by giving his own body.”
Right now, the news is about sickness, disease, and epidemics. Proclaim Jesus is the Healer and can make us whole. Jeremiah 30:17 “I will bring back your health and heal your injuries,” says the Lord, “because other people forced you away. They said about you, ‘No one cares about Jerusalem!’”
Is the news about natural catastrophes, storms, or accidents? Proclaim Jesus who calms the storms and brings about good from evil. Mark 4:39 “Jesus stood up and commanded the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind stopped, and it became completely calm.”
Unfortunately, even if we choose to turn off the news, we are not immune from hearing the negative around us, we will encounter difficult circumstances. The best way and only way to counteract the bad news is with the Good News of Jesus our Lord and Savior. Share Jesus, share His Word to others, because Jesus will always be the best news we can hear each day, all day, every day.
I hope you have found some time in your daily studies to join me as we have been visiting through the Bible studying the books God has inspired us to learn from. We've already covered three books of the Bible with short study guides to help us along. If you are just joining us and would like to see the other studies just take a few minutes going over the last few months of blogs and you will find them. Or if you would like just send me a message through my many media's and we can get you the studies. We've already gone through James, Philippians, and Ephesians and now we will be looking through 1 Peter.
You can join our reading time as we begin with 1 Peter 1:3-12. The lesson is in the link that follows in which you can make a copy of it or just follow through the questions as you read. As always feel free to just take some time and read the verses for today and let the Holy Spirit speak to you with what Peter is telling us.
Lesson 1- 1 Peter 1:3-12 -https://www.docdroid.net/LNTEfLi/1-peter-week-1-docx
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