“Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;” Ephesians 6:14
Are we ashamed to share the Gospel? When we were saved were we grateful to the person who showed us how to be saved from eternal damnation? Salvation should cause such joy that we boldly want to help others find Christ. Paul, in Ephesians 6:19-20 gives us the reason we must be bold in witnessing. “And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”
Sometimes we get afraid of offending someone in pointing out their need of salvation but when we picture them burning in hell for eternity, we need to step back from our fear and boldly share Christ with them. There is no greater love we can show our friends, neighbors, relatives then to give them the good news that Jesus saves.
Stand up, stand up for Jesus, the trumpet call obey;
Forth to the mighty conflict, in this His glorious day.
Ye that are brave now serve Him against unnumbered foes;
Let courage rise with danger, and strength to strength oppose.
George Duffield was a minister back in the mid 1800’s. He had a friend, a fellow minister, who was in a tragic farming accident one day. Rev. Tyng was standing near a piece of farm equipment when his sleeve was caught dragging his arm into the machine. His arm was torn off and he later died from his injuries. Before he passed away, he preached a sermon and said, “Stand up for Jesus.”
From this sermon, Rev. Duffield wrote this song. He then preached a sermon and read this song just a week after his friend passed away. Even in a tragic experience, Duffield was able to write a strong song about how we can stand for Jesus as a testimony to others.
When tragedy strikes in your life, will you rejoice and thank God or give in to anxiety and fear?