Evangelism

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COME AND GO

(Matthew 11:28-30) “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Jesus gives us the greatest invitation we will ever receive when he says, “Come to me.”  When we come to him, we find rest, and as we commit ourselves to him, he gently teaches us a better way to live the life that he has given us.  He doesn’t lay heavy burdens on us, but be careful, there is a tendency for us to make it hard.

I remember those early days- shaking my fist at Jesus and saying that your burden is not light; it’s hard!  In my pride, I was trying to become a Christian on my own. It turns out that Jesus was patiently teaching me to trust him and learn from him.  As time went on, I found that his burden was light because he was always there beside me.

Like his disciples, Jesus teaches us his ways to live.  As we grow in our knowledge of him and his ways, we are then ready to share the Good News about him.  We are ready to go.

(Matthew 28:19&20) Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

When we respond to Jesus’ invitation to come, he calls us to share with others the new life we have received.  We are called to go.  Where are we going?  I believe that we are going into the life The Father set before us.  Some are called to go to other countries, but most of us go to those who are a part of our daily encounters.  Whether we are called to other places or to share right where we are the call to go is for us.

We come and then we go.  We do not go alone, because Jesus has promised that till the very end he will go with us.  As we share and teach about Jesus, he will guide us.  Our receiving of Jesus’ invitation sets in motion an eternal partnership with him, and together we will share the good news with all nations.

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OUR LIGHT AND MOMENTARY TROUBLES

(2 Corinthians 16&17) Therefore we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

Bad things happen to good people.  Actually, bad things happen to all people. No one escapes. Here on planet earth, amidst the beauty and wonder, there is much danger and trouble to be encountered. 

This week, I finished watching the fifth season of The Chosen.  The last episode shows what it might have been like for Jesus as he prayed on the Mount of Olives before he was arrested.  It was painful to watch Jesus as he wrestled with the anguish and emotions over the torture he was about to endure. John shares this prayer that Jesus prayed that night (John chapter 22 verse 42) “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”

Jesus was about to encounter bad things, but the results of his endurance brought about, “an eternal glory” that made salvation possible for the whole world.  Considering what Jesus went through, we can understand why the Apostle Paul called our troubles “light and momentary”.

I know that our troubles don’t usually seem light and momentary when we are in the midst of them.  Yet Paul gives us this promise, they are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So, with wholehearted trust in our God, we can endure our circumstances. And even though we don’t fully understand, we believe that someday we will see the eternal glory that our struggles here have produced.

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CONSIDER THE KINDNESS AND STERNNESS OF GOD

(Psalm 91:14-16) “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.  He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.  With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

(Romans 11:22) Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God…

The Apostle Paul challenges us with these words,“Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God…” the verses from Psalm 91 show us that for those who love the Lord and acknowledge his name there is kindness.  The opposite is therefore true that for those who reject the Lord and deny his existence there is sternness.  

Why do Christians talk about a new life in Christ Jesus?  The answer is because we have entered God’s kindness.  God has rescued us, protected us, answered our prayers, been with us in times of trouble, and shown us his salvation.  The writer of Psalm 91 received God’s kindness because he had acknowledged the name of the Lord and had come to love the Lord his God.

The sternness of God is reserved for those who reject God.  His sternness has been demonstrated from the beginning.  The flood is a good example.  In response to rampant evil, God wiped out all but eight of mankind. As we contemplate this, it is good to remember that Creation belongs to God, and he will deal with it according to what is necessary to bring about his final plan for his creation.   

We have each been given the opportunity to receive God’s kindness. First, we come to believe that God exists, and, as we seek him, he builds a relationship with us.  Jesus made the way for all to enter this glorious relationship with our creator.  God’s desire is that we would all come to him.  He would much rather show us his kindness than his sternness.

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WHAT HAS GOD DONE ABOUT MANKIND’S REBELLION? 

(Romans 1:18-21) The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.  For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.  For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.

The Apostle Paul gives a clear description of what has brought about the fallen state of God’s creation.  It is quite simple; mankind has turned their backs to their creator.  We were created to be with God.  God created us to share with him and to live in his righteousness. Without God we now live in a world full of evil. Not only did mankind turn their backs to God, but they created false god substitutes.  And in our current depravity, we have created vast theories to deny God’s existence.

What has God done about mankind’s rebellion?  Well, since the beginning he has called for us to return to him, and out of his great love for us, when the time was right, he sent his Son to show us how to live a righteous life.  As a clear demonstration of his love for us, Jesus, God the Son, having no sin, took upon himself all the sins that mankind has committed throughout the ages, and suffered death on the cross to pay the price for all those sins.  Jesus covered our unrighteous acts so that we could be free to return to a right relationship with our God. 

The rampant evil acts that daily occur here on planet earth are the result of mankind’s rebellion against our creator. Paul explains the results of this rebellion, “but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.”

To the very end, many of mankind will continue to defy God.  I have been studying the book of Revelation; it is amazing the terrible destruction that God’s judgement will bring upon the earth, yet, in the midst of this destruction, many will refuse to repent.

 God, with great sacrifice, has prepared a way that we can enter the love and wonders that he has always wanted for his created ones.  If we let his light shine in our hearts, the darkness will flee, and our thinking will become clear.  This has always been God’s desire.

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SEEK THE LORD ALWAYS

(1Chronicals 16:9-11) Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wonderful acts.  Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.  Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.

  I last wrote about seeking God initially, to find him, and discover that he rewards those who genuinely seek him, but that is just the beginning.  When we find God, he leads us to his Son, and there we find the salvation he has provided through Jesus. As soon as we accept Jesus as our Savior and Lord, we are ushered into the eternal family of God, and we are sealed with his Holy Spirit. Through Bible study and fellowship with other believers we grow in our relationship with our new family, and the most important relationship is now the growing interaction with our Heavenly Father.

Seeking God is a continual activity.  Once we find him, we discover that he is always with us.  We no longer live our lives alone.  He is the ultimate source of love, wisdom and peace. The more we seek him the closer we become to being like him, He is the one who created us in his likeness, and we find the deep riches of his love for us.

Life doesn’t become perfect as we walk with the Lord here on earth, because we live in a fallen, imperfect world.  The real comfort is knowing we are not alone.  We have the promise of a great never-ending life ahead of us, and that is our hope; We look forward to an eternal future never again to be tainted by sin. 

“Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.”

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THE BEST POSSIBLE ROAD TO TAKE

(John 3:16&17) For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

We have just celebrated the birth of Jesus. This is the beginning of the greatest event that has ever occurred on the earth.  John clarifies for us just what happened on that night when Mary gave birth to a son in the town of Bethlehem.  God gave his one and only Son to save the world.  Why would God do this?  Because he so loved the world.  And who can receive this saving grace?  Whoever believes in Jesus the Son. 

Our creator has offered us an open invitation to reconcile with him and spend eternity with him in a perfectly sin free new world.  What can possibly stand in the way of us jumping at this invitation?  I like to be reminded of these words from Proverbs 3:5&6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your way submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”  A relationship with God doesn’t depend on our ability to figure out God; it depends on our ability to believe that he exists.  We call this faith. Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”  The writer of Hebrews continues in verse 6, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

Jeremiah 29:13, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”  God is inviting us to receive the greatest gift ever offered, eternal life. We waste our time seeking everything that in the long run has no eternal significance. In Matthew 6:31-33 Jesus said, So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For the pagans run after these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

The promise found in God’s Son is not only for eternity.  It is even for right now.  When we put our faith in God our Father and believe in Jesus as our savior, we begin a new life.  Considering what is offered and how much can be lost; Think about it, seeking God seems to be the best possible road to take.

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THE MYSTERY REVEALED

(1 Corinthians 2:9&10) However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” – the things God has prepared for those who love him – these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.

In these verses, the Apostle Paul refers to the great mystery that had been hidden from the beginning of time and now revealed by his Spirit.  The advent of Jesus the Christ is the beginning of this great reveal.  God in his wisdom, that is far beyond what we can conceive, has always had a plan for our redemption. A baby, born to a common family, lying in a manger made for feeding animals, is the beginning of this astonishing miracle.  Jesus came that we might have new life, eternal life.

The great love of our Creator did not allow him to abandon us.  He would give his one and only son unto a torturous death, allowing him to take on the sins of the whole world.  But Jesus did not Just come and go; he grew up like a regular human child, and he spent his adult years teaching us a new way to live. For those of us who have received him, we have been given new life guided by the infilling of his Holy Spirit.

Christmas is a celebration of the reveal. A mystery that was long hidden until the time was ready for its release.  We are all given invitations to what God’s love accomplished for us in his redemption plan.  Don’t miss out! Receive this great gift that our creator has offered us and join in on the everlasting celebration!

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JESUS IS GOD

One of the main premises of Christianity is that Jesus is fully man and fully God. People seldom deny that Jesus was a man, yet his deity is often the point of controversy.  Jesus was born to a woman, but he was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and his father is God.  In his time among us, he did much to demonstrate that he is God the Son.

The first supernatural event that Jesus presented, when he was about to begin his ministry here on earth, was to turn water into wine (see John 2:1-11).  He was at a wedding banquet, and the wine was running out.  He ordered servants to fill 6 stone jars with water.  Each jar held twenty to thirty gallons.  When they were full, he instructed them to take some to the master of the banquet. The water had become fine wine.

Water is as you know H2O.  Its elemental make up is two hydrogen and one oxygen atom.  Wine is about 84% water, and 13% ethanol.  The other 3% is a complex combination of glycerol, organic acids, amino acids, sugars, other alcohols, phenols, minerals, aromatics, and sulfur.  Not only did Jesus turn water into wine, but he made the best wine. 

Other supernatural events occurred frequently during his ministry proving that he is not just a man, but also God.  The gospels are full of miraculous stories of Jesus’ miracles.

For example:

He fed five thousand people with five loaves of bread and two fish.

He walked on the water of a stormy lake.

He commanded the waves and wind to be still and they obeyed.

He healed multitudes of people with various infirmities.

He raised people who had died back to life.

He commanded demons to leave inflicted people, and they had to obey.

Jesus demonstrated his supernatural authority over the basic elements and over all other aspects of creation. Only God has this kind of authority over creation.  And then came the final demonstration. His Godly love for us.  Jesus did not use his power to protect himself but humbled himself and allowed men to take his life so that he could pay for our sins.  Then his Father raised him from the dead and gave him all authority over heaven and earth.

The evidence is clear.  Jesus is God!  No other can claim this truth.

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GOD REALLY LOVES US

(Psalm 139:13-17) For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.  Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.  How precious to me are your thoughts, God!  How vast is the sum of them!

From the very beginning of creation, God took great interest in bringing forth mankind. He bent down and formed man with his own hands, and then he formed woman.  Each one was formed from the earth he had created.  King David recognized that God involves himself in the creation of each one of us as he knits us together in our mother’s womb. And isn’t it interesting that he has knowledge of each day of our lives from the beginning of our existence.

There is an intimacy between us and God that transcends our understanding, but his great love for us was revealed when he sent his Son to redeem us.  When we consider these things, it becomes apparent that God is continually working on his desire to have a relationship with us.  Remember, God did not create us and then walk away.  We walked away!

In my own life, I stayed away from God in those early years.  I wanted to do life on my own terms.  I had an awareness that he was there, but I kept my distance.  When the realization of how badly I had messed up my live came crashing in, God, who was waiting patiently, received me with open arms.  I deserved punishment, but through the work of Jesus, I was granted grace.  From that moment on, I began to live a life of blessing in the arms of my God.

I now know that the greatest foolishness in this life is to try to live it without the one who created us and loves us.  The greatest fulfillment in this life is to seek God and his will for us.  Nothing is better than a relationship with the one who calls himself Our Father.

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THE TEMPLE OF THE LORD

(Ephesians 2:19-22) Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.  In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.  And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

I was reading this verse last week during our worldwide prayer for the church.  I was intrigued by the idea that all the true Christians across the entire earth are built into a living temple, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus as the chief cornerstone.  Construction of this temple began on the day of Pentecost.  Since then, each new brother or sister who enters the kingdom of God is filled with the Holy Spirit, and they become a part of this temple.

Imagine the earth with a worldwide temple full of prayers and worship rising toward heaven.  What an awesome image, with every born-again Christian across the whole earth having a part in the prayers and worship being sent to our Father in heaven. 

In this fallen world, we know that the enemy must be working to interfere with this glorious work of the temple of Christ.  I believe his main weapon is to keep Christians at odds with each other.  I’m not referring to those who suffer under false doctrines, the enemy has no problem with them; but to those of us who have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, we are to love all people. We are to love and be in unity with those who are of the family of God.

We are of the same building, and we are filled with the power of Jesus to love and bear witness of his love to the world. Yet, if we are at odds with each other, the walls begin to crumble, and our power is hindered.  In Psalm 133:1 David reminds us, “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!”