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After the failure of the trained Missionaries to evangelize the Gold Coast as outlined in yesterday’s devotional entitled “Empty To Be Filled”; which had followed the initial failure of the Portuguese Roman Catholic Chaplains as outlined in the devotional of the day before yesterday entitled “Will We Be Like Jesus”, the Dutch Calvinists drove out the Roman Catholic Portuguese!

This new group put in very little effort to evangelize the Gold Coast. They were satisfied with supplying chaplains to the needs of their own staff. 

This is how John Barbot described their policy: 

“The great concern of the Dutch on this coast, as well as of all other Europeans, settled or trading there, is the gold, and not the welfare of the souls: for by their lewd loose lives, many who live among these poor wretches, rather harden them in their wickedness, than turn them from it. I beg leave to mention this with sorrow, to the dishonor of Christianity.” 

The statement,

“…for by their lewd loose lives, many who live among these poor wretches, rather harden them in their wickedness, than turn them from it…”

was very unfortunate. On the number line, this is like going from “zero” to “negative”; and in accounting, finance or banking, this is like moving from “having no money” to “going into debt”! This definitely made the work of those who followed them more difficult; because they would first need to regain the confidence of the natives before paying attention to their main missionary work.

We might not be evangelists or missionaries; we might not even share God’s word with anyone. But our lives can be the gospels we preach.

In Peter’s letter to the believers scattered around the then known world — believed to have been forced to scatter due to persecution  — Peter gave them some sound advice.

READ 1 Peter 2:11-12

“Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,  having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.” (1 Peter 2:11-12NKJV)

There is something most people don’t know; that through God’s general revelation of Himself, like through nature, history and religiousness; He also put in us a natural sense of right and wrong. That is why you can meet someone who has never been exposed to any religion, but the person still knows certain things that are wrong, and other things that are right. Even the heathen have moral codes!

It is in this vein that Peter was advising the scattered believers to maintain honorable conduct among the Gentiles, so the gentiles may by the good works they observe in the believers, glorify God. (vv. 12)

There are a lot of people who don’t believe what you believe, but are watching you!

Will your life deny Christ and all He stood for? Or will it be the Gospel they read?

Will your life be a “Voiceless Gospel” among the unbelievers?

MEMORY VERSE

“…having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles…that they may by your good works which they observe, glorify God…” (1 Peter 2:11-12)

QUESTIONS

1. How do you conduct yourself among unbelievers?
2. Do you know that they are watching, scrutinizing and making decisions based on your conduct?

PRAYER TIPS

Father, please help us to be ambassadors of Christ; living the Gospel everywhere we go.

Written by:
BENNY MALM

For:
TESTIMONY DEVOTIONAL

CREDITS:

1. “HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY IN GHANA” By the Very Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Isaac Kpakpo Addo

URGENT CALL

If you don’t know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord and Personal Savior, you need to do that now!

Please visit “The Believer’s Prayer” for guidance.

We will be happy to hear from you through the contact information on that page. God bless you.

SPECIAL GRATITUDE

Thank you for visiting the Testimony Devotional Website. 

We would not have gotten here without your prayers, goodwill and overall support. We are grateful, and humbled.

We thank God for counting us worthy to share in His Great Commission.