Go tell it on the mountain

Yesterday I gave my speech to the Inc. Magazine 500/5000 conference attendees and it was very well received. If they had never heard of Jesus Christ prior to this talk, they have now. The auditorium was packed with the very best entrepreneurs in the country; the men and women who founded the fastest growing privately held businesses in the United States. These are the brilliant minds that create the companies and develop the innovative products that keep the United States ahead of the rest of the world. They are the people who create the jobs.

My speech came right after the speech made by the Secretary of Commerce of the United States. I met him as he was exiting the stage surrounded by his entourage of unsmiling men wearing dark suits and little microphones in their ears. While I was waiting for him to finish his speech, one of the ladies backstage asked me if I got nervous before giving a speech in front of such a large number of people.

“Yes”, I replied, “but as soon as I begin talking it disappears. She smiled and nodded her head; (I don’t think she believed me). As I walked on stage I whispered to myself, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” and indeed I felt His calming presence and all hints of nervousness disappeared as I delivered my speech.

Afterwards I was surprised at the number of people, (literally hundreds), who came up to me and thanked me for being “brave” enough to actually mention the “J” word, (Jesus), in such a setting. One gentleman told me that he was a Christian and that all the while I was speaking he was praying for me that the Lord would provide me the right words to say. I appreciate all of the prayers for me, and I thanked him for it. I had prayed the same prayer that morning.

As for those who mentioned bravery on my part, I don’t think it requires “bravery” to talk about Jesus publically. In fact it seems very natural to me to tell people about Jesus. Without God in my life I would not even have been at that conference much less on stage. I would be in prison, dead, or possibly in an insane asylum. I could never turn my back on the Lord, He is the one who saved me from myself and blessed me so enormously in so many different ways.

Everyone who enjoys the blessings of the Lord should recognize where they came from and hopefully will not hesitate to unashamedly tell others. I don’t dread talking about Jesus in public, I actually *enjoy* telling others about Him. I cannot envision being any other way. It does not take *bravery* to tell others about the Lord; it takes a deep love for Him and a spirit of thankfulness.

Do you love the Lord? Today can be your day. Tell someone about Him. You will be pleasantly surprised how well it is received. Trust me God will be right there with you every second

Matthew 28:
Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to do everything I have told you. I will be with you always, even until the end of the world.

John 15:26…. The Spirit will help you and will tell you about me. Then you will also tell others about me, because you have been with me from the beginning.