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Harvest Daily 02/07/05


 

February 7
The "H" Word!

"I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God" - Acts 20:27

How hard it must be for a doctor to come to a person, who has just had a test, and say, "I'm sorry, but you have cancer."  The doctor must tell the truth so the patient can seek the necessary treatment.

In the same way it is difficult at times to deliver the whole message of the gospel.  The Apostle Paul said to the elders at Ephesus, " 'I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God' " (Acts 20:27).  And we are so excited to say to people, "God loves you.  He will give you peace, joy, forgiveness, and the hope of heaven if you will receive Jesus Christ into your life."  But when someone asks, "What will happen when I die if I refuse to believe in Jesus Christ?", we suddenly aren't as excited to share the whole counsel of God. 

Often times we don't like to say the words hell and judgment, because people will get offended.  So we hide that part of the gospel message.  Listen, the word gospel means good news.  But before someone can fully appreciate the Good News, they need to know all about the bad news.  Jesus did not come to be an additive in our lives.  He did not come just to give us warm, fuzzy emotional feelings.  Jesus primarily came to deliver us from eternal judgment in hell.  Things like happiness, peace, and joy are fringe benefits.  The big issue is eternity.  We must not be afraid to tell people the truth.  We, like the Apostle Paul, need to proclaim the whole counsel of God. 

Copyright (c) 2004 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright (c) 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Bible text from the New King James Version is not to be reproduced in copies or otherwise by any means except as permitted in writing by Thomas Nelson, Inc., Attn: Bible Rights and Permissions, P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214-1000.

 



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