Monday, April 15, 2019

TIM GOOD MORNING, I’M TIM WISE, SENIOR ADULT MINISTER AND SANCTUARY CHOIR DIRECTOR AT CENTRAL. Paul sat in prison and from his prison cell wrote letters. He wrote letters to the followers of Christ in Ephesus, Philippi and Colossae, and his Philemon all while sitting in a prison cell. He proclaimed the good news and the way of life that Christians should live all while being chained up for his beliefs. We live in the freedom of America where we do not face any real persecution for our religious beliefs, yet we hesitate to share our faith with the people around us. We aren’t confined to a cell. We aren’t shackled in chains except the metaphorical chains that bind us from going out into the world to live and serve as Christ would have us to. Paul in Colossians says to pray for God to open a door for our message so that we may proclaim Christ. Pray that his name may be proclaimed clearly and for the courage to make the most of every opportunity. And to let your conversations be full of grace so that you may know how to answer everyone. I pray that you find the opportunity to proclaim the truth of the Gospel to someone who doesn’t know the truth. May God grant us courage and strength and boldness to preach the good news.