We should be thankful to the Lord Jesus for every breath that we receive. Life is a gift from God and a test for eternal life that has to come when Jesus comes for the second time. I said a test because any man born on this earth is born in sin, and the penalty of sin is death according to the Bible. Now the plan of salvation was complete when Jesus came on this planet earth and freely chose to give His life as a price for our ransom. In another words Jesus our Saviour has done everything possible to save you and save me. Now the question is: Do I accept His plan and enter into covenant with Him for the rest of my life? Shall I follow Him in the joys and sorrows of my life? No matter what this life offers me but what does matter is keeping walking with Jesus until the end of life, because not only starting with Jesus will help me to make it to heaven but also how I end this life. There should be a constant relationship with my Saviour through the power of the Holy Spirit that enables us to keep His commandments doing His will and preparing for His soon coming.
Many times, there are possibilities and circumstances given by God to each one of us to witness Him. They can be at the place of work there, friends and colleagues we spent mostly of the time with them and at the end of the day when we go home on the way back we think for a while, but wait a minute what have I done for Jesus today? Have I witness Him to others? Have I share His love and kindness to my colleagues? Do people know that I am a Christian, Jesus follower? God’s servant Ellen White has to say the following words regarding this in the book Acts of the Apostles, p. 134. “As His representatives among men, God does not choose angels who have never fallen, but human beings, men of like passions with those they seek to save. Christ took humanity that He might reach humanity. A divine-human Saviour was needed to bring salvation to the world. And to men and women has been committed the sacred trust of making known “the unsearchable riches of Christ.”
You see my brother my sister my friend, you and I have a special privilege on this earth to witness for Jesus. Our influence at the place of working in our families in our churches can be an influence of life or an influence of death. Do we realize how important is our conversation, our words? Jesus said in Matt. 10:32-33 “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.” We should tell people what Jesus has done in our life and what He can do in the lives of those who listen our testimony. I like to share with you some thoughts from the story of Jonah and his experience with God. There is a great lesson for us because Jonah’s story teaches us about obedience, willingness of spirit, gratitude, compassion and God’s patience and mercy.
The Book of Jonah is an outstanding example of the fact that, “God is ever gracious and slow to anger.” Also, that God gives fair warning before He brings destruction. He commissioned Jonah to bear a message of coming destruction unless Nineveh repented. Instead of going to Nineveh, Jonah found a ship that was going to Tarshish and he fled from the direction of Nineveh as fast as he could travel. But as Jonah was seeking to flee from God’s appointed task, a mighty storm arose, threatening the safety of the ship in which the prophet sailed. When the men of the ship learned that there was a Jonah aboard and that this storm came upon them because of Jonah, they threw him overboard.
I don’t want to enter into the details of this story in the book of Jonah because we know it and have read it many times, but what I like to share with you is the way Jonah responds to his challenges in this situation. Jonah 1:9 “So he said to them; I am a Hebrew and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land”. He said “I am a Hebrew”. What does it mean for us? For Jonah in his time he was not ashamed to tell them he is a Hebrew and that he fears God the Creator. In another words Jonah told them plainly I am God’s follower and I fear Him, I am His servant. Today there are many challenges in our life too and in many circumstances we are called to testify about our faith in Jesus our Creator and Saviour and could it be possible when people ask us; What is your occupation? Where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you? In response to those questions to choose the convenient way and simply say I don’t know anything about these people their faith and trust in God, oh these people are so narrow minded and their religion is so strict. Could it be possible? Oh, yes. Many times when there are given opportunities by God to testify about our faith in Jesus and we do not use them then we lose sight of the blessings God wants to bestow upon us. People don’t accept our faith just because there is lack of missionary work outreach. How can they know Jesus if we do not testify about Him? Every place we are brought every circumstance in which we are there is an opportunity to testify about Jesus and His sacrifice in our behalf. There is a field you can start working. You don’t need to be a Minister or Bible Worker employed full time in order to accomplish this task, you just need a humble spirit and a burning heart with Jesus’ love within yourself and an willing spirit to make known Jesus to others. This is all the equipment you need.
Why there are churches dying with its members? Lack of Missionary work, volunteer work. God’s servant says God expects personal service from everyone to whom He has intrusted knowledge of the truth for this time…Every true disciple is born into the kingdom of God as a missionary. You see my dear brother my dear sister we are debtors to the world. We cannot just stay and wait for others to do this great work. Souls are very precious to Jesus, He died for us. We should be as the Waldensian people who testified about their faith in each place they had an opportunity to do so. The faithfulness of these Waldensian believers calls us commitment in our spiritual walk with God. These were godly people they made the Bible and only the Bible their rule of faith testifying about their faith in Jesus. Isn’t that amazing how God takes ordinary people making them a tool in His hands? You don’t need to have University study you only need to have an open mind an open heart to God’s word and willingness to share it with others for whom Jesus died. When we learn to do this then in our hearts is a fire that we cannot quench it.
The story of Jonah teaches us about obedience to God, perfect submission willingness of spirit gratitude and compassion. The story of Johan speaks to us about God’s patience and mercy toward the sinner. Let us have always before our eyes this picture of Jesus leaving everything in heaven for our sakes and coming down to this earth taking humanity in order to reach us where we are and not only this but going on until there he gave His life on the cross shedding His precious blood through which we can receive forgiveness and acceptance.
If God could save Nineveh then He can saved you and He can save me. However there is another great lesson in the experience of Jonah. He ran away from God’s command. He took a ticket to Tarshish. He tried to evade what God wanted him to do. Is not this typical of many of us today? God calls us to follow Him and we endeavour to evade it- like Jonah we take a ticket to Tarshish. Whenever we neglect God’s command, whenever we resist God’s call, whenever we refuse to follow the light of truth, we are taking a ticket to Tarshish and trying to run away from God. This can only end in disaster to ourselves. Whenever we put anything before our duty to God, we are following in the steps of Jonah. The ticket to Tarshish is the easy way, it is the convenient way, it is man’s way. Don’t run away from God, don’t try to get around the truth for He may have to make a storm in your life to save you. Don’t leave it until it is too late. It could be that tomorrow will be too late.
So my dear brethren let us always be glad and rejoice in salvation offered by Jesus freely without any merits from our part, but never forget our duty as God’s representatives on this earth to make known to other how great our Father is. What a wonderful Saviour we have. We are saved by grace and not by works but this grace just because we are saved, we are working, and then the work which we do is the results of the Holy Spirit in us. The Bible is clear crystal how are we saved and I hope that this message will help you to work for Jesus more motivated from now on because do you know what God has in His store for you and for me when we step out in faith and do missionary work? Come with me to the Bible and let those words to accompany you wherever you go. Isaiah 52:7 “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, Your God reigns”. The simple message of Isaiah 52:7 is that redemption and forgiveness are available through Jesus Christ who provides reconciliation and peace between a holy, sovereign God and sinful humans. I remember when I was sent back from Hungary to Romania as Bible worker there. I did the first 6 months 8 hours a day canvass all day long with my friend and brother in Christ George. We canvassed all hospitals schools and banks there in the city as God’s spirit moved us. Houses and flats were opened before us people interested and moved by the message our books brought to them. Surveys and Bible studies almost every day. How beautiful is to witness for Jesus and help people to find the path to heaven. There is not greater joy than this. Not only in Romania I had nice experiences and blessed time but also in Spain as we moved there in 2003 by June, in Valencia, Castellon also the Lord helped me to witness and help people to find Jesus and meaning in their life. In England Chelmsford the time just prior our coming here to Canada, I and my family tried to help people in the church to reach a higher standard and be involved in missionary work there edifying the church. This is our purpose on this earth my dear brother my dear sister in the Lord even if you are not full time employed by the Church you can use your time and means to reach other people with the Gospel. As we approach the end of time let us work for the Lord with all our heart because there is a great recompense as you do that. Remember we are not saved by works but because we are saved we do work. In 2 Peter 3:18 the Apostle said; But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. This is our privilege to grow in Jesus and as we grow in Him we cannot keep it only for ourselves this growing we like to share it with people for whom Jesus died. William Carey, the great missionary to India said; I cobble shoes to pay expenses but soul winning is my business. William Carey’s dedication is a powerful example for us. His life work was to win souls for Jesus. God’s servant Ellen G. White in Testimonies volume 4 p. 53 says; “To save souls should be the life work of everyone who professes Christ. We are debtors to the world for the grace given us of God, for the light which has shone upon us, and for the discovered beauty and power of truth”. You know the Bible was written for two purposes, namely to learn how we can be saved, and to share with others how they can be saved. The message of salvation is the message of the entire Bible. There is no higher calling than sharing God’s love with others.
Let us then give glory to God our Father and Jesus our Lord and Saviour in sharing that wonderful love Jesus has for us is my wish and prayer. Amin.
Br. Nicholas Anca
Canadian Field Bible Worker.