Angie and I started noticing this trend when we were looking for a hotel room for the first night we were here before we ever left home. I went to several websites looking for rooms and so did she and we both seemed to settle on this one hotel, called Willow Brook Lodge. It looked nice, and the room rates were good and since we were going to be driving straight from my work to the mountains and only staying in a hotel for a few hours, we settled on it. Then Angie looks at me and says "did you notice the scriptures on every screen of their web page?" I of course had been so wrapped up in room rates that I had overlooked that part of it. When we got to the hotel, they were playing contemporary christian music over the speakers and the whole spirit of the facility was amazing. You see God knew we didn't want to stay in some really expensive, I am out for the money only hotel, and he also knew we didn't want to settle for some roach infested, dirty sheet stinking room either, so he led us to this hotel a week before we even left. And it just went from there. One restaurant we ate at had scriptures going across the TV screens while screen shots of the mountains played behind them, and a live singer who had recently started a new ministry, singing while we ate. The Souvenir store we love has the words "Jesus Saves" written on the outside in big bold letters right up under the stores name, and inside the music is christian and the spirit of the employees reflects that. Every little shop we went in, every place we ate, in one way or another, was Christ centered it seemed. Even the Dixie Stampede's carriage show plays gospel music and then the main show talks about God and country at times.
Well in looking back at all these places and how they are , I am reminded about what Paul says in Romans 1:16 "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile." You see Paul was not ashamed to tell anyone about Jesus and how he had made a difference in his life and how he could and would do the same for them. It didn't matter if he went to the Grocery store on the corner, the mall down the street, the courthouse, or the hospital. if he was there someone somehow was going to hear the name of Jesus. Well these businesses have decided to do the same exact thing. It doesn't matter who walks in their place of business. It doesn't make a difference who comes across their website. It doesn't matter who calls them on the phone. They are going to be sure that the name of Jesus is heard or seen by all they come in contact with. I personally think they should be commended. For in today's society, just the mention of the name of Jesus , is enough to cause a lawsuit, a riot, or many other types of revolts by many people. You see most businesses try not to do anything that would alienate any customer of any type. Stores put up Happy Holiday signs and inform all their staff NOT to say Merry Christmas because it offend many people. They play music over their speakers that speaks of homosexuality, drinking, drugging, raping, murdering, because that doesn't offend as many people or their religious beliefs nearly as much as the name of Jesus. In a world where people are afraid to stand up and say , I AM A CHRISTIAN, these business are putting it front and center and they evidently do not care who sees it. They don't care if a group of Muslims walks in the door, they are not going to turn the channel of the radio, or go out and cover up the sign, or pull the scripture of the walls. No they aren't. What they are going to do is welcome them to the business and ask them if they need any help. What they will continue to do is when they check out is say Thank you and God bless you, even if it's the biggest atheist out there, and why will they continue to do this. Because they are not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God to Salvation. They know that this may be the only time someone hears the name of Jesus. They know that the small seed that is planted could be watered down the road and grow into a powerful witness for Christ. They know that they have a calling and they are not going to fail in that calling. They know that Jesus has called them to tell the world and this is their way of fulfilling that great commission.
I have to tell you, I was greatly encouraged these last few days. I had to begin to think that the world was turning it's back on Christ in every public arena and area that there was. But after these last few days, my hope in this world, my hope that people would wake up and go about the fathers business of telling others about Christ, my hope that the name of Jesus would reach people that don't come to church on a regular basis or at all for that matter, has been restored. I would like to ask every christian that reads this blog to commit to praying for these businesses and this area, for as you and I know where Christ is preached, the Devil is at work trying to turn people the other direction and interfere with the work of the church. We need to pray that more businesses out there would follow the lead of these and stop hiding and start proclaiming. Proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus unto a lost world.
Good night all and God Bless.
In Christ's Love,
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