What the Numbers Reveal!
What’s the percentage?
What number of people make up the percentage?
Math! Definitely NOT my best skill (as so many who love me, know); nevertheless, early this morning, I found myself searching the percentages. With you, I share my findings.
Territory #1—14.1 million people & 99% report to be Christians
Territory #2—Of the population, 79.6% report to be Christians.
Territory #3—77% identifies as Catholic & 16% as Protestant.
Territory #4—33,684,218 people & 94.51% report to be Christians.
Territory #5—17 million people & 25.4% are affiliated with a Christian church.
Territory #6—45.7 million identify as Christian.
Territory #7—Two-thirds (65%) identify as Christians, which is a decline from the 70% in 2020.
So, the question arises: What do all these percentages, all these “numbers” have in common?
Well, two things (I believe).
- Every percentage is comprised of humanity, of people, of individuals WHO ARE THE LIVING, WHO ARE CURRENTLY ALIVE!
- Every percentage identifies a place, a location, a territory, a different land; yet a land connected directly to all the others because we are ALL THE PEOPLE of ONE EARTH!
- Every percentage carries with it the guiding thought—WHETHER 99% or 25.4%—THERE IS STILL SO MUCH EVANGELISM TO BE DONE!
- Every number, Every percentage reveals NO TERRITORY—NONE (YET) ARE 100%!
- THERE IS STILL SO MUCH WORK TO BE DONE TO REACH THE 100%!
Therefore, the numbers reveal—The children of Almighty God have so much work to do while they still have breath in their lungs because—GOD SENT HIS SON TO SAVE ALL PEOPLE—100%!!!!!!!!!
We are to take the Gospel message—with us everywhere we go!
Yes, the Good News of Jesus—must always go with us!
People of the earth will respond to the Gospel & as they respond in FAITH & BELIEF & BAPTISM, then we are to show them how—to live out the gospel!
As we go & as they respond, we learn & we grow—that’s the SANCTIFICATION from our HOLY GOD!
We are to minister to the world of people surrounding us, both next door and across the seas, and as we “GO,” we are commanded by our Father, by God Himself, by our Savior, by Jesus Christ—“DO NOT STOP UNTIL I RETURN.”
- Our calendar, our schedules, our “life plan” really is not ours once we belong to God—for one simple reason.
- To those who believe, the Gospel Message is the Good News that is the POWER to SAVE!
- HOWEVER, the GOSPEL MESSAGE is only considered the “GOOD NEWS” to the “lost—the unsaved” (Man, Woman, & Child) IF THE GOSPEL MESSAGE GETS TO THEM IN TIME!
God led His servant Philip to realize this Truth. See with me the passage written in the book of Acts of the Apostles found within the Holy Word of God.
“Now the passage of Scripture which he [an Ethiopian eunuch] was reading was this:
“HE WAS LED LIKE A SHEEP TO SLAUGHTER;
AND LIKE A LAMB THAT IS SILENT BEFORE ITS SHEARER,
SO HE DOES NOT OPEN HIS MOUTH.
IN HUMILIATION HIS JUSTICE WAS TAKEN AWAY;
WHO WILL DESCRIBE HIS GENERATION?
FOR HIS LIFE IS TAKEN AWAY FROM THE EARTH.”
The eunuch answered Philip and said, “Please tell me, of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself, or of someone else?”
Then Philip opened his mouth, and he beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him.”
(Acts of the Apostles 8: 32-35 NASB)
God’s Word is the POWER for SALVATION!
God’s Word speaks for itself the TRUTH of ALMIGHTY JEHOVAH GOD!
God’s Word (not our ability, not our words, not our anything)—Can Save Everyone!
GOD IS THE ONLY SALVATION FOR THIS WORLD OF PEOPLE WHO SURROUND US!
THE GOSPEL MESSAGE OF GOD SPEAKS TO THE HEARTS & OPENS THE WAY FOR THEM TO KNOW HIM AS SAVIOR & LORD!
God continues forevermore!
God lasts forever & ever & ever & ever & ever & ever & ever & . . .!
The SAME GOD who created the heavens and the earth and everything in it is the SAME GOD WHO REIGNS ON HIS THRONE TODAY!
Whether we DO—our daily work for GOD’S PURPOSES & for HIS GLORY (whatever the task may be, whatever career God has led us to), then our work has eternal value. Even though our work (our fruit of this age) may pass away, still our work has “eternal value” because God delights in the work His children DO, as they accomplish His will within their daily lives.
So, What do the Numbers Reveal?
- God will lead us to the people alive and living on this earth—IF WE SEEK TO DO GOD’S WILL!
- God will lead us to speak to people about the Word of God as Philip did—IF WE SEEK DAILY TO OBEDIENTLY FOLLOW GOD!
- God will lead us to ask the right questions as we encounter the people who surround us—IF WE SEEK TO SHARE THE WORD OF GOD WITH PEOPLE!
- God will lead us to walk through the doors of opportunity, to courageously share JESUS—IF WE KEEP OUR EYES FIXED UPON HIM!
- God will lead us to boldly share our testimony & to share the gospel in an understandable way with others—IF WE ARE STUDYING GOD’S WORD DAILY!
THAT IS WHAT THE NUMBERS REVEAL!
THE WORK of GOD LASTS FOREVER & EVER & EVER—INTO ETERNAL INFINITY!
The melody “Offering” by Paul Baloche spoke to me this morning, causing me to ask two questions:
Are we bringing an offering, a sacrifice of praise, a worship—to JESUS, our KING?
Does JESUS receive the honor that is due Him within our lives?
“But You, LORD, remain forever,
And Your name remains to all generations.”
(Psalm 102: 12 NASB)