But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.

Acts 11:20-21 (NKJV)

 

Every day is a gift from God to make a difference in someone's life that no one else can. You must learn to spend your time doing something good or valuable to bless others. Allow God's Spirit to move in and through you by being open to His leading. Recognize His voice and respond to His prompting. If you are willing to do so, you will find yourself positively impacting and influencing others for the better.

Even if you feel awkward and uncomfortable at first, don't let a little fear keep you from a lifetime of touching lives in Jesus' name. Consider what might have happened if the early disciples had declined to proclaim the gospel. Thankfully, they did not. They not only preached the gospel but also raised many disciples, who in turn raised more.

If you let circumstances define the course of your Christian life, you will struggle to stay focused and motivated because your excessive worry and dread will prevent you from finishing well. If you keep your eyes on Jesus, you will find opportunities to shine for Him every day.

In contrast to the Jerusalem believers, who were unable to cross over cultural barriers in order to reach Gentiles for Christ, Luke tells us of these unknown Jewish Christians from Cyprus and Cyrene who were the first to preach Jesus to Gentiles in the cosmopolitan city of Antioch.

Their initiative led many people to the Lord, and the church grew rapidly in a short time. Later, they were known as Christians, which means "anointed or messianic believers." It was a fitting name that clearly identified both Jewish and Gentile believers as disciples of Jesus, the Messiah or the Anointed One.

You, too, are an anointed one in Christ. This means you have the fullness of Christ inside you. As such, the question is not whether you should or should not preach the gospel, but rather who does God want you to bless the gospel with, and then do so with joyful obedience.