Our Daily Bread

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OUR DAILY BREAD

Wednesday
April 30, 2008

A Personal Gospel

Read: Romans 10:13-17

Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. --Mark 16:15

In John 3:16 we read, "For God so loved the world." But what about His love for individuals? The rest of the verse reveals the central purpose behind God's sacrifice of His Son: "That whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." Therefore, without exception, every person may interpret John 3:16 like this: "For God so loved me!"

A. B. Simpson, a great missionary of the past, often hugged a globe to his chest and wept over the world's lostness. Yet his global vision was marked by compassion for individuals. You and I also must feel the responsibility to take the gospel to our world--by sharing the good news with one person at a time.

Unfortunately, we often think of the Great Commission in terms of "foreign missions" only. "World missions" is perhaps a better term, for that includes our nearest neighbors, who are part of the world to which God has called us. And we are already there!

Like A. B. Simpson, embrace your smaller world through earnest prayer as you consider lost individuals in your family, neighborhood, and workplace. Then, as you seek to live and give the good news, expect God to open doors of opportunity. --Joanie Yoder

Jesus died to bring salvation
For the rich and for the poor;
Those of every tribe and nation--
He includes the ones next door. --Anon.

The light that shines farthest, shines brightest at home.

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