Believe It Or Not
Ripley’s Believe It or Not ! … is an American franchise created by Robert Ripley…beginning in December 1918 from a cartoon he drew. His bizarre creations blossomed into the entertainment industry because of its ability to capture people’s attention and cause them to question the authenticity of each article, photo, display or creature. The crazier it looked or sounded, the more people were drawn to it. Theme parks, as well as “tourist towns” have his franchised attractions in their states as well as in other countries. People pay for oddity, and Mr. Ripley took advantage of it. Personally, i like spinning that heavy granite ball that levitates on that water out in front of the business, more than i like the attractions inside … but hey, that’s just me. I was reading Jesus’ statements in ( Luke 10 ) this morning and it occurred to me that God’s Word is a lot like Mr. Ripley’s attractions … we can “believe it or not “! When Jesus sent these 72 disciples to towns and cities He would eventually visit, to preach the gospel, heal the sick and share the love of Christ, He sent them with one particular message … tell em, “ The kingdom of God is near you.” If the people welcomed em, they’d be blessed by God’s message and favor … if they weren’t, they’d shake the dust from their feet and leave em with the same statement…” The kingdom of God is near you.” They had the same message and the same opportunity to accept it, or not. Same is true of us that present the gospel to the ones we’re sent to … we’re just messengers from God…sent into those “fields that are white unto harvest”. It’s not our duty to “save” anybody. It IS our duty to tell em about the good thing we have found, though. It’s our duty to share the gospel of Jesus Christ, serve others as He leads, present the hope that comes from a relationship with God through faith in Jesus, give a ( bottle ) of water in His name, buy a meal for those who are hungry, take care of the widows and orphans, treat others better than we do ourselves, lend a hand, prepare a meal, teach a lesson, rock and change a baby, honor our seniors and elders, bless them that curse us and do good to them that persecute us. As I’ve stated before…living for Jesus and being His messengers aint for the weak. It takes guts and determination… fueled by a LOVE like no other ! So WHAT if they call us strange, weird or crazy !?! “If you suffer as a Christian, don’t be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. For it’s time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God ?” ( 1 Peter 4:16-17 ) GOD’S WORD.., Believe It or Not !