1 Thessalonians 2:4 “But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts.”
I tend to think that I obey God most of the time. I try not to do the things that are wrong, and even though I often fall short, I also try to do the things that are right, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in me. But one thing I don’t do as often as I should, which He commands, and which is most important in the lives of those I know, is share His Word. Is it really possible that for over five years I can live near and talk to someone who is lost, and never share the amazing gift God has given me and offered them? And I really do believe that I care about their salvation! How many people do I see—talk to—every day who never hear God’s Word from me? How many conversations do I have where God’s name is never mentioned?
It can be very easy—too easy—to makes excuses or give reasons why we aren’t sharing His Word. Many times I feel I don’t have the time…someone else will do it…now is not the time…they don’t and won’t care what I have to say—or worse, they will steer clear of me from that moment on. And how awkward would that be! Rather, I should be thinking how awkward it would be one day if they could see me after death and wonder, “Why did you never mention this to me!?”
This month’s reading offers many verses that can apply to spreading God’s Word. James 1:22 tells us to be “doers, not hearers only.” In chapter 4, James warns that if we know good and do not do it, it is sin (v. 17). Acts tells of Stephen, who so adamantly spread the Word that he was stoned for it. And Saul, who had one of the greatest turn-arounds in the Bible, sharing God’s Word amid persecution even after witnessing the stoning of Stephen.
If we want to see a very vivid example of how God views the disobedience of not sharing His Word as He commands, we can look at the ever-popular story of Jonah. From childhood, we’ve known him to be the guy with the big fish. And we know it has something to do with a little place called Ninevah. But the book of Jonah, which we’ll read this month, is an amazingly relevant story of someone who was commanded to share God’s word and disobeyed. He literally ran in the other direction. And why? After fasting and repenting (3:5)—after spending three days in the belly of a fish—Jonah went to Ninevah to do what he was supposed to do in the first place. And how did they respond? Stoning Jonah? Chasing him out of town? Laughing in his face? No! They tore their clothes in sorrow and repented! Great! But, wait. Jonah’s reaction is the one that should surprise us the most. Or maybe it convicts us even more. In chapter 4, immediately after Ninevah’s repentance, Jonah is angry and displeased. Why? Because he didn’t believe that it should be that easy for a sinful place like Ninevah to be saved from God’s wrath.
Regardless of the reasons we often fail to share God’s Word, we need to ask His forgiveness for our sin in this area, pray that He will begin working on our hearts and provide us with opportunities, then help us to know the words to say when we tell others about His love. Rather than running from His command to spread the Word, we should be seeking out 
opportunities to share the gift He has given us.
By Lisa Grimenstein
Suggested Reading for October
OCT 1 Prov 26-27
OCT 2 Obadiah
OCT 3 Acts 1-2
OCT 4 Heb 5-7
OCT 5 Num 29-32
OCT 6 2 Chr 11-15
OCT 7 Ps 117-118
OCT 8 Prov 28
OCT 9 Jonah
OCT 10 Acts 3-4
OCT 11 Heb 8-10
OCT 12 Num 33-36
OCT 13 2 Chr 16-20
OCT 14 Ps 119
OCT 15 Prov 29-30
OCT 16 Micah
OCT 17 Acts 5-6
OCT 18 Heb 11-13
OCT 19 Deut 1-3
OCT 20 2 Chr 21-24
OCT 21 Ps 120-121
OCT 22 Prov 31
OCT 23 Nahum
OCT 24 Acts 7-8
OCT 25 James 1-3
OCT 26 Deut 4-6
OCT 27 2 Chr 25-28
OCT 28 Ps 122-124
OCT 29 Eccl 1-2
OCT 30 Habakkuk
OCT 31 Acts 9-10
This year’s Bible reading plan was borrowed from BibleReading.com. (To correspond with the 2009 year, we have included actual dates for your referral. You may choose to use the above site, instead.)
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