Take a Stand for Jesus

Good morning, Happy Souls!

Bill Keller wrote a thought-provoking devotional
today that I recommend to you.  He has given
me permission to copy his e-mails, and I'm sure
he would be happy if you would share this with
people you know as well.

As you read this devotional, I suggest that you
remember that Jesus told us we are to love everyone
as did the Ten Commandments.

Read on.

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL   WEDNESDAY JANUARY 25, 2006
(The entire Book of Acts)

Taking a stand for Christ.  There comes a time in
the life of every Believer when God is going to ask
you to take a stand for Him.  I know most followers
of Christ do all they can to avoid being in that
position, but I want to encourage you today to not
fear those moments but look forward to them.  Let
me put this to you bluntly.  When it was time to go
to the cross for you, Jesus went.  Very few people
will ever be asked to die for Christ, only take
a stand for Him from time to time.  If Jesus was
willing to die so that your sins could be forgiven
and you could receive everlasting life, aren't you
willing to take a stand for Him?

Monday morning I received a phone call from the
political editor of the Weekly Planet in Tampa.
The Weekly Planet is the paper in Tampa, much
like similar papers most communities have, that is
published weekly and given away free in the bars,
clubs, restaurants, sex businesses, and other
retail outlets around Tampa, Florida.  Its articles
are very liberal and their target audience is the
18-40 crowd who dine out, go to the clubs and
concerts, support a woman's right to kill her baby,
advocate gay marriage, and for the most part live
their lives void of God and in rebellion to His
Word.

The political editor wanted to know if I would be
willing to do a live event next Monday night where
I would be one of 6 guests in front of an audience
debating how the church and religion shape the key
political issues of the day like school vouchers,
gay marriage, the teaching of intelligent design
along with evolution, as well as other key issues
that have religious components to them.  Even though
this will be held during my normal sleeping hours, I
agreed, since there will be plenty of time to sleep
when the work in this life is over.

The other panel members include Phyllis Hunt, the
lesbian pastor of the abominable Metropolitan Community
Church in Tampa that condones, glorifies, and supports
the sin of homosexuality, Nadine Smith, another lesbian
who is the head of a group called Equality Florida that
fights for gay rights and promotes the homosexual agenda,
Joe Redner the infamous owner of one of Tampa's oldest
strip club who I actually had on my TV program several
years ago, and their token for the other side, a woman
who is the partner in a PR firm that does commercials
for Republicans.

They obviously realized that this was going to be a
totally one-sided discussion and they needed a strong
advocate for the other side, not to mention that the
live audience would mostly be coming from the readers
of their paper.  I was amused to learn later that my
name was brought up in the initial discussions about
panel members but many who were putting this event
together had seen my TV program and quite frankly
didn't want me included. I wonder why?  I was also sad
to learn that they had reached out to numerous pastors
of many great churches in the Tampa area, as well as
several people who are part of the Christian TV and
radio stations here locally, and ALL turned them down
with various excuses.

Let me digress for just a moment.  It is a sad
witness to the lost in the world when those who God
has elevated to positions of leadership in His
church run and hide from events like this.  One of
the organizers commented to me that these guys must
not really believe what they preach.  They asked
how they can preach to thousands in the pews on
Sunday, broadcast on Christian TV and radio, but run
and hide when they have the chance to share their
faith to a mixed group outside the four walls of
their church.  All I could do is apologize for them.

It made me think of Paul throughout his various
missionary journeys.  Time and time again he was in
hostile settings with the chance to share the
Gospel.  Did he pass on those opportunities?  NO WAY!
You can tell that he treasured them!  Even though it
often meant being thrown in prison, having his very
life threatened, being ridiculed and scorned, Paul
stood in the midst of the assembly and declared Christ
and Him crucified!  Let me remind you again, when it
was time for Jesus to die for your sins He didn't
run and hide.  He took those nails in His body and
willingly died for YOU.  If Jesus took a stand for
you, how you can you not take a stand for Him?

I love you and care about you so much.  Here is the
word today, listen carefully.  There will be times
in your life when you are going to be asked to take
a stand for Christ.  It will most likely not be going
head to head in a live debate with people who
advocate living in rebellion to God and His Word in
front of a hostile audience, but probably with a
co-worker, a neighbor, a friend, a family member.
When you are faced with that opportunity, what will
you do?  Shut up and say nothing or take a stand for
Christ?

Read the Book of Acts tonight.  There are 28 chapters,
it will take you about an hour.  It will be more
fruitful than whatever nonsense you will watch on TV
tonight for an hour.  Pay close attention to Paul on
his various journeys and how he stood for Christ.
Nothing fancy, no clever sermons, simply the GOSPEL!
When it is time for you to take a stand for Christ,
all you need to do is share from your heart how Jesus
has changed your life and that what He did for you He
will do for anyone.

Share the simple truth of the Gospel.  We all sin,
it is our sin that separates us from God, we will
all die one day, and at that moment our sin will
separate us for all eternity from God.  However,
God made a plan for us to escape eternal punishment
by sending Jesus to die for our sins.  That is why
it is faith in Jesus and Jesus alone that can wash
way our sins and bring us back into an everlasting
relationship with God our Creator.  It is a choice
each person has to make in this life, and the choice
that will determine if our eternity is spent forever
with God or apart from God.

I will be praying for you today.  Praying that God
will give you boldness and courage as you read about
Paul's life.  I will be praying that when the
opportunities in life present themselves for you to
take a stand for Christ, YOU WILL!  He loves you,
He died for your sins, through faith in Him you
have the assurance of everlasting life, so how can
you not willingly and gladly stand for Jesus when
you have the chance?  I count it an honor and
privilege to stand for Christ and will do so with
my very last breath!!!

*Please be praying for me next Monday night at 7:30
p.m.  This event is being held at the Shimberg
Playhouse which is part of the Tampa Bay
Performing Arts Center in downtown Tampa.  If you
live in the Tampa area, it is FREE.  I would be
honored if you came down and were part of the live
audience, especially since it will most likely be
very heavily stacked with people in favor of the
anti-God and anti-Bible position all of the other
panelists will be sharing.  I am looking forward
to standing in the midst of these people who have
yielded themselves as tools of unrighteousness
and letting them know that God is real, there is
only ONE TRUTH , and there is only ONE SAVIOR.
Just like on Mt. Carmel, may THE GOD OF THE BIBLE
answer by fire on that night!

In His love and service,
Your friend and brother in Christ,
Bill Keller

***If I can help you in any way you can contact me
through my personal email at bkeller@liveprayer.com

***ARE YOU 100% CERTAIN WHERE YOU WILL SPEND
ETERNITY?  The fact is you will die one day.  At
that moment, you will either spend eternity with
the Lord or be cast into everlasting darkness
forever separated from God your creator.  To know
for certain you will be forever with Jesus, go to:
http://www.liveprayer.com/bdy_salvatn.html

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(C) Copyright 2006, Bill Keller Ministries.
All rights reserved

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May God bless you as you learn from this message!

Donald W. Mitchell, Your Dream Concierge

Copyright 2006 Donald W. Mitchell