DAILY VIDEO DEVOTIONAL
Several years ago, I was in the nation of Albania preaching the gospel. I ministered in one city in which 99 percent of the population was Muslim background. The city’s small band of Christians were hungry to see their friends, relatives, and neighbors come to Christ. It was thrilling to watch hundreds of people listening to the gospel for the first time.
One of my interpreters came from that region. He wanted us to meet his family. So on the last day we hiked two hours into the mountains to his village. Faille, our interpreter, was the first Christian from that village. As we began to trek into the mountains, Faille’s brother and uncle came to meet us. Both were Muslims but very respectful of Christians. The only way to the village was to hike up a small mountain trail.
About thirty minutes before we arrived at the village, Faille’s uncle began to talk to me about God. I shared with him my faith in Christ.
He stopped and pointed to a ridge on a mountain across the valley. He said, “There once was a Christian church on that ridge many hundreds of years ago.”
“What happened to it?”
“When the Muslims came through here,” he said, “they destroyed all of the Christian churches and forced all the people in the region to become Muslim.” Then he looked up and said something amazing: “Every time I pass near the spot where the church used to stand, something happens to me. I know there is a God, but that place is very special.”
I smiled as I thought of the words of Jesus when He descended the Mount of Olives. The multitudes had welcomed Him as the king who came in the name of the Lord. But the Pharisees wanted to silence the multitudes. That’s when Jesus said, “I tell you that if these do not cry out the stones will cry out.”
In a mountain village in Albania, the stones did cry out. But the only time stones can proclaim Jesus as King is when Christians become silent.
I have a question for you: “Who is proclaiming Jesus in your community … you or the stones? What a penetrating, sobering question for each of us to consider. Are you — or are the stones — proclaiming Christ in your community?
Luke : Chapter 19
28) After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29) As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, 30) “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31) If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’” 32) Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. 33) As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34) They replied, “The Lord needs it.” 35) They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. 36) As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. 37) When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: 38) “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”[b] “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 39) Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” 40) “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
Book of the Month
Sammy Tippit told his fiancée, “I can’t promise we’ll be rich, but life won’t be boring.”
Sammy had no idea what an understatement that would become. Beginning in the bars of Baton Rouge and the nightclubs of Chicago, Tippit has shared the news of life-changing faith in Christ all over the world – including in the middle of a revolution in Romania, the aftermath of genocide in Rwanda, and war in Burundi and the Congo.
Sammy’s lifelong adventure has come at a great price. He’s been cursed, threatened, arrested, deported, and blacklisted. He’s also been personally broken, ravaged with illness, and devastated by grief.
Yet he continues to preach to in stadiums, in open fields, and via satellite technology to hundreds of thousands around the globe. For all other books…
About Sammy Tippit Ministries
STM has been providing inspiration and help around the world for nearly 50 years. Sammy Tippit, founder and president, is a world renowned counselor, teacher and evangelist with experience serving and helping people in over 80 countries. Sammy provides materials that help people tackle a broad array of social, societal, psychological and spiritual issues. He is particularly passionate about making materials accessible to other countries around the world. Sammy is married to Debara “Tex” Tippit, and they have two children and five grandchildren.
Sammy Tippit Ministries is a registered 501c3 non-profit organization.
Contact: info@sammytippit.org
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