Let's Keep It Simple!

“It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood." (Acts 15:19,20 NIV)

All over the land, especially in America, church leaders are shaking their heads, trying to understand why their buildings are not filled to overflowing (depending upon the size of the building). The biggest problem for most churches is this: the leadership and the people would rather beat people up about The Word, than Teach them The Word.

A number of people visit a church and find some interesting reason to listen to a sermon, but before the service is over, they are assailed with the "rules" and are humiliated because they don't understand the rules. How can they know "the rules" of anything before they have been taught? And why must people make the rules so rigid that no one wants to adhere to them?

There is a better way to win lost souls and James provides us with the perfect method in this verse of scripture. Let's encourage them to live a sin-free life, not worshiping idols, and teach them how to receive God's best in their lives. Let's keep it simple and draw others into the love of Jesus Christ--pointing the way by what we do--not what we say.

To be honest--those who profess to know Christ, but yet don't know how to live the life they profess before others--keep more people out of churches than they draw into the churches. When we do not live what we say, we are hypocrites and Jesus has warned us that we'll get to end and hear, "depart from me you workers of iniquity--I never knew you." What a heartrending statement to hear! This demonstrates the difference from those who "think" they are living according to The Word and those who "know" they are living according to The Word.

Let's make evangelizing simple--live it, promote it, teach it, and glorify God in all you do! Let your light so shine, filled with His glory, that others will seek you out, wanting to know--why and how you can smile, and never be discouraged on this journey called--life!