"The gospel will save the lost. Nothing else can do it. Nothing else is doing it. Nothing else has done it. Nothing else shall do it. The gospel convicts of sin, the gospel converts the soul. It is by the foolishness of preaching the gospel that men, women, and children are brought out of darkness into light, out of damnation into salvation, out of death into life, out of hell into heaven." Hyman Appelman
Every time I include a quote from a Christian who I have no knowledge of, I have to look them up and read their story. Such is the case with Hyman Appelman. Prior to reading the quote above, I had never heard of Dr. Appelman. But here's his story:
Hyman Appelman was a major evangelist of the 20th century, preaching all over the United States and throughout the world. Billy Graham has said, "Dr. Appelman is one of the greatest and most powerful preachers of the Gospel I have ever listened to. Twenty years ago I used to listen to him preach night after night and made notes on his sermons. Some of my own knowledge and inspiration concerning mass evangelism came from his ministry. Thousands of names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life because Dr. Appelman passed their way."
But the more astounding details of Dr. Appelman's life include the fact that he was born in Russia in 1902 to Orthodox Jewish parents. He arrived in the United States in 1914 as a young boy who, although speaking Hebrew, Russian, Polish, German and Yiddish, did not know English. As a 13 year old, he had to start school as a first-grader, and then proceeded through the next eight grades in two years, and went on to prep school, university, and law school. A tremendous amount of drive led him to work fervently, to the point of breaking down in 1924. He felt empty and
discontent. He went west for a vacation, and while in Denver, was converted to Christianity. Romans 10:9 was his verse of conversion, "That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."
His new found joy was countered with absolute rejection by his Jewish family back in Chicago and the dissolution of his engagement to a nice Jewish girl back home.
Dr. Appelman refused to be ashamed of the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Even at the price of knowing that he would never be welcomed back into his family home as long as he proclaimed the saving work of Jesus in his life. But proclaim he did, and untold numbers owe their introduction to the saving power of Jesus to him.
It is easy to say, "I am not ashamed" when it costs us nothing...would we be so bold if it cost us our family? Would we be so bold if we were to spend years in prison for our proclamation of faith as many Christians do around the world today? Would we be so bold if our statement of faith cost us our life? It has for many throughout the years, throughout the world, and still does today.
I pray we will be bold, I pray we will not be ashamed --- no matter the cost.
Every time I include a quote from a Christian who I have no knowledge of, I have to look them up and read their story. Such is the case with Hyman Appelman. Prior to reading the quote above, I had never heard of Dr. Appelman. But here's his story:
Hyman Appelman was a major evangelist of the 20th century, preaching all over the United States and throughout the world. Billy Graham has said, "Dr. Appelman is one of the greatest and most powerful preachers of the Gospel I have ever listened to. Twenty years ago I used to listen to him preach night after night and made notes on his sermons. Some of my own knowledge and inspiration concerning mass evangelism came from his ministry. Thousands of names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life because Dr. Appelman passed their way."
But the more astounding details of Dr. Appelman's life include the fact that he was born in Russia in 1902 to Orthodox Jewish parents. He arrived in the United States in 1914 as a young boy who, although speaking Hebrew, Russian, Polish, German and Yiddish, did not know English. As a 13 year old, he had to start school as a first-grader, and then proceeded through the next eight grades in two years, and went on to prep school, university, and law school. A tremendous amount of drive led him to work fervently, to the point of breaking down in 1924. He felt empty and
discontent. He went west for a vacation, and while in Denver, was converted to Christianity. Romans 10:9 was his verse of conversion, "That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."
His new found joy was countered with absolute rejection by his Jewish family back in Chicago and the dissolution of his engagement to a nice Jewish girl back home.
Dr. Appelman refused to be ashamed of the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Even at the price of knowing that he would never be welcomed back into his family home as long as he proclaimed the saving work of Jesus in his life. But proclaim he did, and untold numbers owe their introduction to the saving power of Jesus to him.
It is easy to say, "I am not ashamed" when it costs us nothing...would we be so bold if it cost us our family? Would we be so bold if we were to spend years in prison for our proclamation of faith as many Christians do around the world today? Would we be so bold if our statement of faith cost us our life? It has for many throughout the years, throughout the world, and still does today.
I pray we will be bold, I pray we will not be ashamed --- no matter the cost.
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