Not Ashamed of Jesus
Reading Time: 8 Minutes
Jesus Teaches us to Fish for People
One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed him. Matthew 4:18-20 NLT
If we leave our own desires to follow Jesus He teaches us to fish for people. In scene two of The Beautiful Dream, I saw Mark and myself sitting on concrete bleachers. I was so happy that I couldn’t stop describing Jesus’ love and all that He had done for me. There was no hesitation, no shame and no doubt in the way I shared my love for the Lord. This is the heart-cry of our Father—that our love for Jesus always shines brightly!
Sharing the Good News
Because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and thus has righteousness and with the mouth one confesses and thus has salvation. Romans 10:9-10 NET
Sharing your faith because you truly love Jesus helps the seed of faith that Jesus placed inside you to grow. (Matthew 13:1-23) The desire to share your faith is the first sign that you are drinking Living Water! (John 4:11-14, 39-41)
The Lord doesn’t want us to see sharing our faith like a law—that if we tell someone about Jesus we will earn points with God. If we share our faith out of fear that God will punish us if we don’t, we are only religious. The main theme of The Beautiful Dream was the Agape Love of God. The Lord’s Love deposited in us by the Holy Spirit is so powerful we care that others know the Good News about the Kingdom of God!
The Bible tells us that our own Love for God and others can grow cold. But if we are seated next to our Father at His Table, we will be passionate about those He longs to have seated next to His heart. Many around the world are being persecuted, imprisoned and even killed because they told people about Jesus. That’s because their relationship with God is authentic and spiritually hot. They are not ashamed of Jesus because they know Him intimately.
Power to be Jesus’ Witnesses
After He was resurrected from the dead, Jesus asked His disciples to wait in Jerusalem until the promised Holy Spirit came on them.
…but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and as far as the remotest part of the earth. Acts 1:8 NASB
The Holy Spirit still empowers us to share the Good News of Jesus with others. But if we don’t cherish our relationship with Jesus the King, the fire of the Love we once had will grow dim. Holy Spirit wants to give us fresh fire with power to Love souls and be His witnesses. We are not ashamed of Jesus!
Search for the Lost
Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming close to him to hear him. The Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, “This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them.” He told them this parable: “Which of you men, if you had one hundred sheep and lost one of them, wouldn’t leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that was lost, until he found it? When he has found it, he carries it on his shoulders, rejoicing. When he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ I tell you that even so there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance. Luke 15:1-7 WEB
There is nothing more valuable in life than leading someone to Jesus, and nothing more rewarding! The greatest treasures are not material things, fame or power on earth. Eternal treasures are the people that can be brought into the arms of Jesus!
The hearts of many are ready to receive Jesus but they haven’t heard of Him. We must Love people enough to ask the Spirit to lead us to them. Some will reject the message but the seed of the Word has been planted. God wants everyone to know Jesus! (2 Peter 3:9)
Prepare to Share
For I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ, because it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes… Romans 1:16 WEB
We must pray for a greater love for those without Jesus. The Holy Spirit to show us how He will use us to bring others into His Kingdom. It may be through conversations at work. He may use us through social media, as we help a neighbor or in many other ways. We must be led of God’s Spirit.
Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong! Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit. 1 Peter 3:15-18 NLT
The Fragrance of the Good News
The number of people we are able to bring into the Father’s Love is greater than we can imagine! Our joy in the Lord will spill out like a beautiful fragrant perfume!
But thanks be to God, who always leads us in Christ’s triumphal procession and through us spreads the aroma of the knowledge of him in every place. For to God we are the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To some we are an aroma of death leading to death, but to others, an aroma of life leading to life. 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 CSB
We are meant to burn brightly like a scented candle, from the moment God’s light enters our hearts until the day we are taken to Heaven. Our hearts should always dance in the love of Jesus– always follow His lead– always stay close to the Father’s heart!
Unashamed Love for Jesus is Powerful!
Our tree will bear fruit. The Spirit equips us to display God’s Love through kind words, deeds, signs, wonders, healings and miracles.
As you go, preach, saying, ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons. Freely you received, so freely give. Matthew 10:7-8 WEB
God has freely poured His forgiveness, healing and deliverance into our hearts through the Holy Spirit so we can freely give it away. We are generous like our Father! Many of us need to grow in faith to believe that we, like Jesus’ disciples, can do miracles. But as we learn to follow the Spirit in His Love, these signs will follow us. And Jesus will receive all the glory! Praise the Lord!
The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him. Luke 8:38-39 WEB
Keep Your Lamps Burning
Telling others about Jesus is just as important for us as it is for others. As the Holy Spirit leads us to share our faith, we are allowing God’s Spirit to burn in us! While we are still on earth, we can stay close to Jesus, let Him replenish our candles and emit the fragrance of His Agape Love. We are not ashamed– we really do Love Jesus! The Holy Spirit in us is not bashful so let’s go! It’s starting to get very dark in this world and people need the Light!
As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world. John 9:4-5 NIV
In the end times, spiritual darkness will increase making it hard for believers to share their faith openly. But the light of the Holy Spirit lives inside us—The Light of the World! So, while we can, let’s be seated in the Light! Keep your lamps lit with fragrant Holy Spirit, fish for people and fill your stadium! It may not be easy to plant the seeds of the Gospel of Jesus, but one day we will be full of joy when the beautiful harvest of souls starts to come in! Our hearts will be filled with the joy of the Lord!
He who goes out weeping, carrying seed for sowing, will certainly come again with joy, carrying his sheaves. Psalm 126:6 NLT
Thank you for reading. I am praying for you!
