we ought to obey God rather than men.

I know something I have been super convicted of lately is the courage, boldness, and strength to stand up for the truth of the Gospel. This doesn't just go for women, but all brothers and sisters in Christ. I must admit, throughout my life so far I have never been too concerned about speaking out about the Lord. My friends knew my lifestyle. They knew that my dad pastored a church and that all my life I grew up in a Christian home. I just assumed that my family and our label was enough for them to understand, and to know. Yet, as I grow in the Lord I begin to realize that it isn't enough. Someone once said that sharing your testimony is a great way to spread the truth, but it's not the Gospel! We need to be sure we are giving a true depiction of the Gospel to those who are lost. Telling your friends that you grow up in church, and that your dad is a pastor isn't enough for them. Back in high school I was in a really long relationship. This person knew my lifestyle, he knew my dad was a pastor and that I was a "believer" yet we were young, and I was super immature. Praise God that He used my father to bring him to Christ. Oh, and ladies, I was really not walking with the Lord, so dating a nonbeliever was something that was sin! We are to NOT be unequally yoked with nonbelievers! The Bible is quite clear in this! NOR are we women, supposed to be the spiritual role models! Going on, once we broke up my lifestyle completely changed. I swayed towards the standards of the world and comformed rather than transformed. My outlook on life and my "walk with the Lord" or, lack thereof, was proof enough that I wasn't living the lifestyle I professed. Do you see the example he saw through me?

This is the point I'm making: sharing your testimony, or telling your friends you go to church isn't enough. That doesn't tell them that they were born into sin, it doesn't tell them that they are destined for hell, it doesn't tell them they are in desperate need of a Savior, it doesn't show them that they can have eternal life by surrendering their own, and it surely doesn't depict the truth of the Bible. We need to be BOLD for Jesus, you guys. I am so lame when it comes to this. I'll be the first to say that when I have an opportunity to share the Gospel with others, I run for the hills.

There was a situation this past Fall that still sticks with me and breaks my heart. I decided to go to Subway for lunch so I got in my car. I drove there and I noticed this girl walking there from the high school. It was a funny feeling I got when I saw her, immediately all I could think of was, "I wonder why she's all by herself.." I didn't think a whole lot of it I just began to get sad for her. I went inside and ordered my food and she trailed in. It was clear as day, the Lord was distinctly telling me, "Go, sit with her. Eat with her and share the Gospel with her." I argued with the Lord back and forth in those short seven minutes I was checking out. I knew what I was called to to but the thought of going up to a random stranger terrified the crud out of me. I kept saying, "Lord, I don't have a lot of time and she'll think I'm weird. I'm sorry..but I can't today." And so I left.

I got in my car and after two minutes of realizing what I had just done, I began to cry, and my heart broke. I knew that girl needed the hope of the Gospel and all I could do was pray for her, even if I didn't know her name. Guys, that moment woke me up. I began to see that the days were short, and more than ever this generation is spiraling downward so fast. They are searching for something, anything to give them fulfillment. It made me realize I was sick and tired of watching the world pass by without a true understanding of the Gospel.

Ever since then the Lord has put an intense burden on my heart for this generation. We are so lost, so depraved, looking for things that do not fully satisfy our souls. What we need is Jesus Christ. We are called, chosen to go out and share the good news of the Gospel to our friends. If they reject it, so what? If they end up hating us, who cares? I'm in the book of Acts right now and I'm reading all about Paul's ministry. Yesterday I came across chapter 4 where it talks about praying for boldness. Oh, how I must pray this every single day. It says in verses 29-31, "'Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all bodlness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.' And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness."

I have been on my face, literally, day after day so broken and hurting for this generation. I believe more than ever that we are in perilous times, guys. And what are we doing with our hours? Wasting them away, when we should really be out and about sharing the good news of the Gospel. I'm praying the Lord would begin to give me a heart for evan6elism because this lost and dying generation continues to head in the wrong direction. In Proverbs 30:11-15 it says, "There is a generation that curses its father, and does not bless its mother. There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, yet is not washed from its filthiness. There is a generation--oh, how lofty are their eyes! And their eyelids are lifted up. Ther eis a generation whose teeth are like swords, and whose fangs are like knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men. The leech has two daughters--Give and Give! There are three things that are never satisfied, four never say 'enough!': the grave, the barren womb, the earth that is not satisfied with water--and the fire never says, 'Enough!'"

Our generation is broken and continues to be hopeless, needy, and desolate. Guys, if we are in Christ, our calling is to be a witness! Just telling people you go to church isn't enough! You need to be giving them the clear and true interpretation of the Gospel! But first, we need to make sure WE have the clear, true interpretation of the Gospel. We need to be careful what we fix our ears upon, many men will profess to be Christians and walking in truth, but so many of these new authors, evangelists, and speakers are not living a true life in Christ! We need to be careful with who we listen to, and what we read. I won't name names, but please, prayerfully consider what you want to read next instead of just assuming they'll be telling you things in righteouesness and truth. Most of Christianity today ISN'T Christianity. It's what America wants to hear, we call it "American Christianity." It's a watered down version of the Gospel.

It's been altered, changed, more 'hearer friendly.' I've been told before that I'm too narrow minded. That my approach to sharing the Gospel isn't right. If any of you know me super well you'll know that I would be devastated if I came across arrogant, rude, or judgmental. Narrow minded, fine..I can take that. I understand there is a GOOD way to profess the Gospel and there is the wrong way. We need to share with our brothers and sisters in love. We are called to love those around us, regardless of how they are. Yet, they need to understand what they're destined for unless they surrender to Jesus. It says in Matthew 7:13-14, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wise is the gate and broad is the way that leds to destruction and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life and there are few who find it."

You can call me narrow minded, because according to verse 13 that's what I'm supposed to be. God made all the laws, He made all the commands, and it's because of His sovereignty that He enforces them. I follow them because it is what I am called to do. If that makes you think I'm narrow minded then you don't understand the true meaning of the Gospel.

Guys, I love this generation. My heart breaks for those in my life who don't know Him. Yet, I understand that the Lord knows those are His. My prayer is that we will not be ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. My prayer is that we can be BOLD for Him every day. If you are hated or persecuted for the name of Christ, blessed are you! This life is not our home. We have an eternal purpose, and our hope comes from above. Remember that the Lord God made you and created you for His purpose. It was no coincidence that you were created. You weren't formed because of fame, or popularity, or success. You were created for Him! You were created to profess His name. God created you...can't you fully live for Him? He is worthy. He deserves it.

I pray that I can be continually broken for this generation. I have so much to learn. I am in no way 'good' or 'perfect'. I fail every second of the day, but I know God's grace is sufficient for me. I can only ask and pray that my sin would daily be revealed to me so that I could be broken before Him. Healing begins in the brokenness. Brokenness is essential for a true understanding of repentance. Fall on your face today before GOD. He is worthy.

The days are short. The Lord's return is nearer than when we first believed. We need to stand up and be bold for the name of Jesus Christ. There should be no shame of speaking His name. He is worthy of all honor, praise, glory, and exaltation. Praying we can ALL be more bold to speak out on His behalf. I would rather have someone hate me and hear about the name of Jesus Christ than live their life however they want, see Him on judgment day, and realize that no one ever shared the Gospel with them. We need to have our eyes fixed on the eternal, and stop focusing on what people think of us. This, again, goes back to self focus. Satan's tactic for keeping the Gospel out of the world works every day. Do not let him win. Pray for boldness, courage, and strength. The Lord will give you some you never knew you had before.

"But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: 'We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.'. . . . . . .So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ."~Acts 5:29-32, 41-42