Proclaim Him at the Party

With Christmas and New Year's coming up many of us will find ourselves at parties where baby Jesus is welcome but the risen, ruling Christ the King is not. Many a holiday party, especially on New Year's eve, will have alcohol and other temptations designed to inhibit self-control and stumble the believer.

How can we let our hair down while keeping our guard up? Some might be tempted to just stay home alone, but is that what Jesus would do? He ate and drank with sinners and gave them the good news of the gospel. We should follow His example and not hide our light at the same time.

It is difficult in these dark days to heed the Apostle Paul's example to become all things to all men that we might save some. That's a fine line we must walk, to fit in with unbelievers yet not indulge the flesh. Jude put it well - "And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh." (v. 23)

We are not Amish, separating ourselves from the world and living in our own little closed communities, fearing outsiders. We're to be in the world, but not of it -- another difficult thing to balance.

We can look at those invitations as opportunities to be used by the LORD to draw men to Him. Pray before you go asking the LORD to give you an open door in conversations to speak the truth in love to those who are open to the truth. Put a gospel tract or two in your purse or pocket. If anyone is flying on a plane to go home for the holidays, that is another place we can pray the LORD sit us next to one who is being drawn by God and is looking for answers.

Time is short for getting the gospel into the highways and biways. It's all up to us. God gives us divine appointments as His ambassadors to light the way for others. That is our assignment, the Great Commission; let's fulfill it until He comes for us.

"No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light." - Luke 8:16

"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear" - 1Pet 3:15

"Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will." - 2 Tim 2:21-26

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nPFUh4j2OM