August 4th, 2026
The Upward Look, by Jon Forrest
The Gap
Jason Bonnicksen shared the following story in a message.
“The year was 1930, and it was the year of the Naval Conference in London. King George was to address the opening session. Radio was in its infancy, but through this media the king’s message was to be carried around the world. However, just before the king was to go on the air, a young engineer working for the Columbia Broadcasting Station--ironically--discovered a broken wire in the transmitter.
There was no time for repairs; the world was waiting to hear the message of the king. The young engineer thought of a quick solution: he took a piece of broken wire in one hand, and a piece of broken wire in the other hand, and for fifteen minutes, he took 250 volts of electricity through his body so that the king’s broadcast could be heard “ -adapted
When I read this story I couldn’t help but think of the words of the prophet in Ezekiel 22:30 and how they apply to the church today... I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.
The young engineer sacrificed his own comfort and risked his life in order for the world to hear the message of the King. He literally stood in the gap because the speaker was important and so was his message.
As important as King George was in 1930, the greatest man ever, the great King of the Universe, Jesus Christ, Lord of the universe has sent a message. The only one who can fill the gap between Him and every recipient is the church and every member of the Lord’s church.
It has been the primary task of the Lord’s church from her inception to fill that gap and be a transmitter of Christ’s message of everlasting love, forgiveness and eternal life to a world desperate for hope. He gave us that job when he told his disciples in Act 1:8, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
Some of us feel uncomfortable standing in that gap. The young technician experienced 250 volts of electricity through his body for 15 minutes for the message of a mere mortal man. Christ followers in the early church experienced beatings, burnings, beheadings, crucifixions, stoning, rejection and every form of torture for the sake of being that conduit of Christ’s message to the world. In the US today we have the freedom to share this message every day, yet statistics show that very few church members today have ever shared the message of Christ. There are followers of Jesus in some foreign nations today who put their lives in jeopardy for the Gospel every day.
Yet, in our comfort, we fear rejection. We fear “not being cool” if we speak a word for him. There is no greater source and there is no greater message that can lead to no greater life than what we have in our hearts.
Today is the day we should share Christ. Not tomorrow, but today. Are you willing to stand in the gap for others on behalf of Jesus our Lord?
Sunday we will continue the thought-provoking series The Dedicated Church Member; Outwardly Focused Christians with a message titled My Jerusalem, based on John 14:1-6 & Acts 4:1-22.
Last Sunday we challenged the church family to a 90 Day test of self-giving.
The challenge was to:
1. Ask nothing from my church.
2. Do not complain in any way.
3. Commit to at least two hours a week serving others.
4. Commit myself to an hour a day of praying for my church, the leadership and the people who are going through struggles.
Almost everyone there accepted the challenge. What will God challenge and encourage you to do this week. Come and see.
Standing with you in the gap,
Jon
The Gap
Jason Bonnicksen shared the following story in a message.
“The year was 1930, and it was the year of the Naval Conference in London. King George was to address the opening session. Radio was in its infancy, but through this media the king’s message was to be carried around the world. However, just before the king was to go on the air, a young engineer working for the Columbia Broadcasting Station--ironically--discovered a broken wire in the transmitter.
There was no time for repairs; the world was waiting to hear the message of the king. The young engineer thought of a quick solution: he took a piece of broken wire in one hand, and a piece of broken wire in the other hand, and for fifteen minutes, he took 250 volts of electricity through his body so that the king’s broadcast could be heard “ -adapted
When I read this story I couldn’t help but think of the words of the prophet in Ezekiel 22:30 and how they apply to the church today... I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.
The young engineer sacrificed his own comfort and risked his life in order for the world to hear the message of the King. He literally stood in the gap because the speaker was important and so was his message.
As important as King George was in 1930, the greatest man ever, the great King of the Universe, Jesus Christ, Lord of the universe has sent a message. The only one who can fill the gap between Him and every recipient is the church and every member of the Lord’s church.
It has been the primary task of the Lord’s church from her inception to fill that gap and be a transmitter of Christ’s message of everlasting love, forgiveness and eternal life to a world desperate for hope. He gave us that job when he told his disciples in Act 1:8, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
Some of us feel uncomfortable standing in that gap. The young technician experienced 250 volts of electricity through his body for 15 minutes for the message of a mere mortal man. Christ followers in the early church experienced beatings, burnings, beheadings, crucifixions, stoning, rejection and every form of torture for the sake of being that conduit of Christ’s message to the world. In the US today we have the freedom to share this message every day, yet statistics show that very few church members today have ever shared the message of Christ. There are followers of Jesus in some foreign nations today who put their lives in jeopardy for the Gospel every day.
Yet, in our comfort, we fear rejection. We fear “not being cool” if we speak a word for him. There is no greater source and there is no greater message that can lead to no greater life than what we have in our hearts.
Today is the day we should share Christ. Not tomorrow, but today. Are you willing to stand in the gap for others on behalf of Jesus our Lord?
Sunday we will continue the thought-provoking series The Dedicated Church Member; Outwardly Focused Christians with a message titled My Jerusalem, based on John 14:1-6 & Acts 4:1-22.
Last Sunday we challenged the church family to a 90 Day test of self-giving.
The challenge was to:
1. Ask nothing from my church.
2. Do not complain in any way.
3. Commit to at least two hours a week serving others.
4. Commit myself to an hour a day of praying for my church, the leadership and the people who are going through struggles.
Almost everyone there accepted the challenge. What will God challenge and encourage you to do this week. Come and see.
Standing with you in the gap,
Jon
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