Are You One of the Nine?
This past year, and currently, we are on deputation as USA
Church Planters. The Lord has burdened
our hearts to plant churches in areas where the gospel is not being
preached. This experience has allowed us
to travel to over 90 different churches to present the ministry in 11 different
states so far! We are living differently
than we ever have in that we have no home of our own, we are traveling
constantly, and living out of suitcases!
The great joy in all of this has been that we have been able
to see God do so many miracles! Miracles
for us in answered prayer and provision, and miracles in the lives of others as
we hear their testimonies and how God has worked in their lives.
The title of this posting is, “Are You One of the Nine?” Jesus asked this question in Luke 17:17, “And
Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?”
You see, He had just cleansed 10 people, but only one came back to thank
Him. I pondered this question because we
see so many folks make a profession for Christ, and then there are a select few
whose life change after salvation is awe inspiring for the glory of God!
Today, there are two specific testimonies that stand out in
my heart – I believe that in both these cases, these Christians are like the “one”
who went back to thank God…
The first testimony on my heart is that of one of my
grandsons, Corban.
The second testimony that has, to me, shown the great power
of the gospel comes from a gal I met at a church we recently visited. I met this young wife and asked her how long
she had been attending the church, which I typically ask folks at churches we
visit. This opens the door for me to ask
about their salvation, and ultimately a possibility to present the gospel if
they are not yet saved. As she began to
share her testimony, I could see the excitement, joy, and love that she has for
the Lord. You see, she had been in the
entertainment industry – on
the road to success as she had several contracts with a major cable premium station (HBO, Starz, etc.), and she met the man that
would become her husband; He was a saved man and began inviting her to church. At first,
she resisted, believing, in her words, that "the building would collapse" if she
entered! After she attended the church
for six months she received the Lord as her Saviour. The work He did in her heart was miraculous! She immediately cancelled all her contracts
because she said that it is impossible to be in the industry without having to
make some type of compromise – “even using the Lord’s Name in vain as part of
the script is still using His name in vain…and I couldn’t do it!” She has since been able to reach others that
worked with her in the entertainment industry for Christ and even has a very unique
ministry to reach them with the Gospel.
In both these cases, the gospel changed their lives in such
a way that I am sure not only pleases the Lord
but also prompts others to see that God does miracles even today! I would hope to be as these “ones” and not as
the other “nine.” What about you? If you’ve trusted the Lord as your Saviour, and have been healed by His stripes, are you one of
the ones that return to the Lord to thank
Him? Do you show the Lord your love and
appreciation for Him and the salvation He purchased for you with His
blood? Or…are you one of the nine?
If in your heart you realize that perhaps you have been like
one of the nine, it is not too late today to go to the Lord and thank Him for
all He has done and to begin showing your love and appreciation for Him with
your life. “And thou shalt love the Lord
thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and
with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou
shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30-31
When you love the Lord with all that you are, you will love
others.
Have a wonderful day!
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