Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
I’ve said it before but this weekend was a little wild. Vicki and I did some yard work on Friday afternoon. We got everything done and it all looked pretty good.
Then on Saturday we got up and took off for Amarillo. First was an oil change for her car. Then we watched Amayah play a game, Scout coach a game followed by another one of Amayah’s. All in all it was really a good time.
Charity and Piper met us and of course Piper was her usual full of energy self. She ran everywhere and kept everyone entertained around her. She would talk to everyone and bring a smile to their face. It was a good time for sure.
One of the things we had to do at times was tell Piper to stop before she ran too close to the court, someone walking or the road. Once we even had to tell her to stop talking. She just looked at us and kept talking. Her energy level really tires Papa out!
Some people are just like Piper and evidently don’t know what STOP means. There have been a couple of times as a crossing guard that I have had to stand directly in front of a car to get them to stop.
I was taught that when you come to a stop sign you were to stop behind the sign. Then look left, right, left and if all was clear you could go. The STOP sign is in place to ensure your safety as well as the safety of others who are driving.
So whether it’s a child running and a parent telling them to stop or a driver approaching a stop sign, the thing that needs to take place is the stop. That means that they are to no longer do what they are doing. It means to be aware of what is taking place before moving forward.
At times it is important for us to stop doing what we are doing because it may not be safe or it causes others to be distracted. Yet at other times it is important that we don’t stop. As I thought about this, I recalled something that Peter and John experienced. They were warned by the religious leaders to no longer speak or teach in the name of Jesus (Acts 4:18).
It was then that they shared something that is important for us to hear. In Acts 4:19-20 it says – 19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; 20 for we cannot stop speaking what we have seen and heard.”
There are people in our world that are being told that they cannot follow the way of Christ. They are told they cannot preach or teach the name of Jesus. They are told that they must stop sharing Christ or they will face imprisonment or even death.
These people are unable to openly share the name of Jesus with those they encounter. Like one man in China said, “I cannot cease to share what Christ has done for me. Whatever may happen, I cannot stop sharing Christ.”
What Peter and John were told, people today are being told. People are being confronted all around the world for sharing the Good News of Jesus. Here in America we have been blessed with an ‘open door’ to share Christ. Yet I fear that satan is seeking to place a ‘STOP’ sign in front of us even now.
It is time for us to make the decision in our lives to continue sharing the Good News of Jesus with all that we meet. Yes, it is important that we stop at a STOP sign and be aware of pedestrian and vehicle traffic. But it is eternally important that we don’t stop sharing the Good News of Jesus. Remember ---
JESUS, JESUS, JESUS, there IS something about that name!!
Christ only, always,
Bro. Paul
Brother Paul Nachtigall is the preacher at Highland Baptist Church. He can be reached at bropaul@centramedia.net.
