Our world teeters on the brink of mass destruction. Madmen have always menaced our world. Research of any period in history reveals evil men who found great delight in destroying people as if they were nothing more than dead grass under their feet. But, never before in history has there been a day when delivery systems for evil were so close to everyone in the world. One push of a button could change life dramatically!
Why would I set forth such gloom and doom? There are several reasons.
First, it reminds me that we should never allow our lives to become Earth bound. Life today moves at a fast pace. We rarely stop to contemplate the larger issues. We are caught up in the next appointment, ballgame, music lesson, choice of restaurant or television show. The fact remains that life is fragile, and a day is coming when we will leave planet Earth in the Upward call. This world and all its pleasures are fleeting. Better not get too attached.
Second, this world is on a collision course with the eternal plan of Almighty God. The suffering Servant Who came to die on a cross to purchase our forgiveness will one day return as the Victor over the armies of hell. All His enemies will one day be as a footstool under His feet. The tyrants of this world who wield such power today will fall at His feet and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
Third, we always live on the edge of eternity. Life is but a breath. We must never take any moment for granted. Every second of life is precious and should be lived to the glory of our God.
Fourth, we have the only good news that will never turn bad. We have the Good News of Jesus. We proclaim the only Name that offers salvation, for there is salvation in no other than Jesus.
Fifth, time is short, and we must convey the Good News to people living in this bad news world. It is easy to think “over there,” but we need to think up close. Many of us hesitate to share our faith for fear of rejection. Better to share and be rejected than to leave our family and friends to face the horror of a Christless eternity.
And there is an even better reason to share our faith……It is because we want people to know our wonderful Savior. We want them to have the same peace, love and joy that we have. Above all, we want our Lord to be glorified and worshiped by people we love.
Times are tough. Crazy people sit in high places. In the end, we win---- and all who know Jesus win also.
SHARE WITH SOMEONE THE GOOD NEWS TODAY!
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
DO YOU REMEMBER
Come with me, no shoes allowed. Let’s go barefoot in the grass.
Hold my hand as we remember, all the summers of the past. Eating ice cream in the sunshine as it dribbles down our arms, Playing hopscotch and singing songs Like “Old McDonald had a farm”.
Orange soda and Kool-Aid pops and cooking hotdogs on the grill. Trying to see who the strongest was, who would be King of the Hill? Sitting by the lakeside, squishing sand between our toes Chasing fireflies in the night sky, never knowing why they glowed.
Summer rains that gently fell and washed my little face. Sitting down at supper time, with family saying grace. Thank you, Lord, for giving me these precious memories. Older now but remembering, with every summer breeze.
Hold my hand as we remember, all the summers of the past. Eating ice cream in the sunshine as it dribbles down our arms, Playing hopscotch and singing songs Like “Old McDonald had a farm”.
Orange soda and Kool-Aid pops and cooking hotdogs on the grill. Trying to see who the strongest was, who would be King of the Hill? Sitting by the lakeside, squishing sand between our toes Chasing fireflies in the night sky, never knowing why they glowed.
Summer rains that gently fell and washed my little face. Sitting down at supper time, with family saying grace. Thank you, Lord, for giving me these precious memories. Older now but remembering, with every summer breeze.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Occupy Till I Come
We have been instructed by Jesus to "occupy till I come" (Luke 19:13). But how are we to be occupied? The answer is clear in Jesus' last instructions to His disciples in Acts 1:8, "You shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." We have been left on this earth to lead others to Christ. Witnessing makes the wait worthwhile.
What then keeps so many of us from witnessing about Christ on a regular basis?
Roadblocks to Sharing Your Faith
Proxies. Someone who is authorized to represent you is called a proxy. In the church, we've developed a convenient system: "If you cannot go to spread the Gospel, you can send someone in your place." It is important to support our missionaries. But institutional missions was never intended to replace individual missions. God wants everyone to go somewhere.
Professionalism. You might ask your pastor, "What do you mean you want us to witness? Isn't that what we pay you for?" According to the Bible, it is the pastor's job to equip the people of God so they can do the work of evangelism. Witnessing is not only the job of the pastor; it's your job.
Pessimism. Many hold a pessimistic view of witnessing because they don't want to be viewed as being too aggressive or narrow-minded. We live in an age when people believe that all roads lead to God, as long as you sincerely believe. How many of you know you can be sincerely wrong? Jesus didn't say, "I am one of the ways." He said, "I am the Way" (John 14:6).
Panic. Just the thought of witnessing creates panic in many people. Many of us fear witnessing because we don't feel ready to share our faith. Preparing to witness is kind of like taking a CPR class. People learn CPR in order to resuscitate someone physically if necessary. You don't have to be a medical doctor with years of training to perform CPR. You just have to learn a few basic principles. In the same way, we ought to know some basic principles of witnessing so we can spiritually resuscitate someone.
The following steps will show you how to perform "spiritual CPR" and share your faith.
Sharing the Road to Salvation
Be Enthusiastic. Are you enthusiastic about your faith in Jesus Christ? A contagious Christian is doing something that's got them excited, something that gets them out of bed in the morning.
Be Authentic. People don't only read the Christian literature we give them; they read our lives. It's nearly impossible to ignore someone who authentically lives out his or her convictions. But it's easy to discount someone who says one thing and does another.
Be Looking for Opportunities. In the past month, how many of you have had dinner with an unsaved couple or individual? Witnessing presents a real challenge if we are always around believers.
Be Prepared. Prepare yourself for evangelism by praying and studying the Bible. Begin on your knees by asking God to touch your unsaved friends through the power of the Holy Spirit. Even if you don't see your friends come to Christ right away, keep praying!
Be Christ-Centered. Acts 8:5 tells us that Philip the evangelist went down to Samaria and preached Christ. He went right to the core of the Gospel message. We must be committed to preaching Christ's death and resurrection.
Finding Worth in the Wait
As you wait for Christ's return, is witnessing a priority in your life? Nothing can compare to being God's instrument to lead one person out of the kingdom of Satan into the glorious life of heaven. If you have never had that experience, or you would like to be more effective in your witness, God can use you starting today.
This article was taken from Turning Points, Dr. David Jeremiah's bi-monthly Devotional Magazine.
What then keeps so many of us from witnessing about Christ on a regular basis?
Roadblocks to Sharing Your Faith
Proxies. Someone who is authorized to represent you is called a proxy. In the church, we've developed a convenient system: "If you cannot go to spread the Gospel, you can send someone in your place." It is important to support our missionaries. But institutional missions was never intended to replace individual missions. God wants everyone to go somewhere.
Professionalism. You might ask your pastor, "What do you mean you want us to witness? Isn't that what we pay you for?" According to the Bible, it is the pastor's job to equip the people of God so they can do the work of evangelism. Witnessing is not only the job of the pastor; it's your job.
Pessimism. Many hold a pessimistic view of witnessing because they don't want to be viewed as being too aggressive or narrow-minded. We live in an age when people believe that all roads lead to God, as long as you sincerely believe. How many of you know you can be sincerely wrong? Jesus didn't say, "I am one of the ways." He said, "I am the Way" (John 14:6).
Panic. Just the thought of witnessing creates panic in many people. Many of us fear witnessing because we don't feel ready to share our faith. Preparing to witness is kind of like taking a CPR class. People learn CPR in order to resuscitate someone physically if necessary. You don't have to be a medical doctor with years of training to perform CPR. You just have to learn a few basic principles. In the same way, we ought to know some basic principles of witnessing so we can spiritually resuscitate someone.
The following steps will show you how to perform "spiritual CPR" and share your faith.
Sharing the Road to Salvation
Be Enthusiastic. Are you enthusiastic about your faith in Jesus Christ? A contagious Christian is doing something that's got them excited, something that gets them out of bed in the morning.
Be Authentic. People don't only read the Christian literature we give them; they read our lives. It's nearly impossible to ignore someone who authentically lives out his or her convictions. But it's easy to discount someone who says one thing and does another.
Be Looking for Opportunities. In the past month, how many of you have had dinner with an unsaved couple or individual? Witnessing presents a real challenge if we are always around believers.
Be Prepared. Prepare yourself for evangelism by praying and studying the Bible. Begin on your knees by asking God to touch your unsaved friends through the power of the Holy Spirit. Even if you don't see your friends come to Christ right away, keep praying!
Be Christ-Centered. Acts 8:5 tells us that Philip the evangelist went down to Samaria and preached Christ. He went right to the core of the Gospel message. We must be committed to preaching Christ's death and resurrection.
Finding Worth in the Wait
As you wait for Christ's return, is witnessing a priority in your life? Nothing can compare to being God's instrument to lead one person out of the kingdom of Satan into the glorious life of heaven. If you have never had that experience, or you would like to be more effective in your witness, God can use you starting today.
This article was taken from Turning Points, Dr. David Jeremiah's bi-monthly Devotional Magazine.
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