GOOD NEWS!
We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you (We are bringing you GOOD NEWS – NIV) that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them. – Acts 14:15.
And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching (proclaiming the GOOD NEWS – NIV) Jesus as the Christ. – Acts 5:42.
How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things! (who bring GOOD NEWS! – NIV)” – Romans 10:14-15.
We all want to have good, nice, positive things to be said about us but would we be willing to pay for it? Last year the Newark City Council decided they would be willing to pay for positive things to be said about their city. The council awarded a $100,000 contract to the Newark Weekly News to publish positive news about their city. The paper will work with Newark’s public information officer to develop stories to spread the good news about the city. Of course, some are critical of using tax dollars in this way. John O’Brien who is the executive director of the New Jersey Press Association said, “The press role is supposed to be that of a watchdog.”
We would all like to hear some good news, however, the bad news keeps pouring in upon us. The news for just today is bad enough: Consulate attacked in Pakistan with four dead, Latest violence in Iraq kills 36, Fires in Oklahoma and arson suspected, Serial killers kill more in the US, Meth may be involved in killing of a girl, and on and on. It is like that every day, day in and day out we are saturated with the bad news, the terrible news, the horrific news.
Even though life and the news may appear bleak at times, there is GOOD NEWS! The GOOD NEWS is that God loved us so much (John 3:16) that He came down from the glories of Heaven and suffered and died a horrific death so that all those who receive Him as their Savior might have eternal life. The GOOD NEWS is that some bright and shining day if we know Jesus as our Savior we will wake up in Heaven and find that the bad news has finally come to an end.
How do we make it through day after day of bad news here on Planet Earth where bad things occur so frequently and often happen to us personally? We make it by focusing in on the GOOD NEWS of Jesus. That is what the writer of the book of Hebrews tells us to do in Hebrews 12:2-3, “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.”
(In a time when bad news is constantly occuring and at times affects us personally we need to focus on the GOOD NEWS.)