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Can You Make a Difference?
By Kenneth D. Christensen
What do you think? Can one person
make a difference? How about in your place of employment or your
school? You think you are the only Christian out of perhaps thousands
in your school. Maybe your entire town is mostly comprised of
another so called "faith". You say "Brother Ken,
There are so many of them, I cannot possibly reach them for the
Lord. I am the only Christian in my large high school."
Even if you are the only one, you can do SOMETHING!
Try carrying your Bible (KJB of course) on top of your school
books. Have a Bible on your desk at work! You do know that we
are commanded to live right before the unsaved, don't you? Matthew 5:16 "Let your light so shine before
men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father
which is in heaven." Seems like God wants the world
to recognize His people by just seeing them. Is there enough circumstantial
evidence for people to come to the conclusion that you are a Christian?
Let's look at some examples of one person making a difference.
One time a Preacher was holding a large outdoor meeting. Counting
all of the women and children, there were probably between 15,000
and 20,000 people there. He preached a long sermon. It was hot
out. People were beginning to get faint. They had not had anything
to eat. (The local Mc Donalds had not been built yet!) The assistant
pastors told the Preacher to send the folks home so they could
get something to eat. But the Preacher was fearful that the folk
would faint and not make it home. So what did He do? John
6:5-11 "When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw
a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall
we buy bread, that these may eat? 6 And this he said to
prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. 7 Philip
answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient
for them, that every one of them may take a little. 8 One
of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him,
9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and
two small fishes: but what are they among so many? 10 And
Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in
the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks,
he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that
were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would."
You say one person made a difference that time, but that was
Jesus, the Son of God. That is very true, but where did He get
the bread and fish? A young boy had gone out for the day. Mom
had packed him a lunch to take. He came across this preaching
meeting and was curious. He got close enough to the front that
an assistant pastor noticed him. The boy said "I have a lunch,
I could share it with the Preacher!" He did share it, and
all of those folks got a good meal because of it. By the way,
what do you think was done with all the left overs? I think the
assistant pastors helped the boy carry it home. Imagine the surprise
that Mom had when he brought so much food home! One person can
make a difference!
Elijah was only one when he stood up to Ahab and Jezebel. He
single handedly took on the 850 heathen from the local ministerial
association. He was one, and he made a huge difference! The interesting
thing to notice is this: Elijah got discouraged after that. He
complained to God that he, Elijah, was the only Christian left.
God encouraged him by telling him that there were 7,000 Christians.
WHERE WERE THEY? It is great that there were so many saved
people, but they were all in the "Secret Service." Nobody
could tell that they were God's people. Matthew
5:16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see
your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."
Elijah made a difference. A whole nation chose to serve
the living God.
We could discuss Samson, Gideon and others, but lets look at
one prime example of one person making a difference from the New
Testament. Here is the true story as recorded in God's word. Mark 5:1-17 "And they came over unto the
other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. 2 And
when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out
of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, 3 Who had his dwelling
among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:
4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains,
and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters
broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. 5 And always,
night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying,
and cutting himself with stones. 6 But when he saw Jesus afar
off, he ran and worshipped him, 7 And cried with a loud voice,
and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the
most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.
8 For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.
9 And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying,
My name is Legion: for we are many. 10 And he besought him much
that he would not send them away out of the country. 11 Now there
was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.
12 And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine,
that we may enter into them. 13 And forthwith Jesus gave them
leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the
swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the
sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.
14 And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city,
and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that
was done. 15 And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed
with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and
in his right mind: and they were afraid. 16 And they that saw
it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the
devil, and also concerning the swine. 17 And they began to pray
him to depart out of their coasts."
Notice that the people were fearful of Jesus, and begged Him
to leave. They didn't know Who He was. The story does not end
there, the continuation of the story is in: Mark
6:53-56 "And when they had passed over, they came into the
land of Gennesaret, and drew to the shore. 54 And when
they were come out of the ship, straightway they knew him,
55 And ran through that whole region round about, and began
to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard
he was. 56 And whithersoever he entered, into villages,
or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and
besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of
his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole."
Notice that now Jesus is welcomed. They are no longer afraid
of Him. What caused this big change in the attitude of the people.
Think about it. This article is about one person making a difference.
Who do you suppose made the difference in this case?
You don't think that a man that used to live among the tombs
spread the news of what Jesus did for him..........do you?
Ken's Soap Box
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