Happy Friday

Thought for Today
 Everything is done before the eyes of God.
 
Speaking Out
(Author Unknown, Provided by Student Discipleship Ministries, TX) [Edited]
 
Acts 5:27-32 (NIV) says:  "Having brought the apostles, they made them appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. 'We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,' he said. 'Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man's blood.' Peter and the other apostles replied: 'We must obey God rather than men! The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead--whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.'"
 
Why did the apostles insist on "speaking out" about Jesus, rather than just "letting their lives be their witness?"
 
Bill Bright shares about a friend from Singapore who for years thought that his life could be his witness. This man shared with Bright that he had prayed daily that God would use his life as a model to those with whom he worked, so that they would become curious and ask him about his relationship with Jesus. Two years passed. Then one day a co-worker said to the Christian, "Fred, I've been watching you." Fred silently prayed, "Oh Lord, thank you. At last, You have answered my prayer." "I have observed that your life is different," the man added. Fred prayed again, "Thank you, Lord, he sees the difference in my life." The non-Christian went on, "I want to ask you a personal question." Fred prayed, "Thank you, Lord. Now this is the moment that I have been praying for." The non-Christian co-worker asked, "Fred, are you a vegetarian?"
 
A good life, as important as it is, is never adequate in making the Gospel clear to non-Christians. Jesus lived the best life possible and even He was misunderstood. You have to make the Gospel clear with your words. Now once you do this, there usually is a point at which you've said what you need to say and you need to hang back at that juncture and just "live it out" - there's certainly wisdom involved here. But, make sure you're not hiding behind the "I'm just going to let my life speak" mantra because you just plain don't want to be seen as confrontational. Jesus was loving, but He was also confrontational with truth.
 
To whom do you need to make the Gospel clear this week?