Friday, August 22, 2008
People pleasing
Am I pleasing only God? Or am I pleasing men? In Galatians several times over and over, it is stated that Paul never sought to please men, or never did God's will with the approval of any man, but by the will of God, by revelation of Jesus Christ. Has God spoken to me to follow Him? Then I need not consult with any man but only humbly obey God and His will for me. God will never reveal anything to me that is contrary to His word and that I do not have to be afraid of. All I need to do is follow after Him. Follow hard afer Him. I need to please Jesus.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Surrender
Will I surrender to the gospel of Jesus Christ? The true gospel? The true gospel states that through faith in Jesus Christ is the only thing, may I mention twice, the only thing that sets us free from our sin. There are no favorites. Jesus died for all of mankind and if someone accepts His awesome gift, then we are saved. We cannot work or earn our way into heaven. Although we may try, it really is just dead works. There is nothing we can do to make God love us even more. God will love me just the same. I have been set free from the power of sin. I don't steal, cheat, con people, or do anything like that. However, I need to stay in step with the Spirit of God. Galatians states, 5: 19-23 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarrelling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulnes, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
The sinful nature has been crucified to Christ, so how can I still follow the desires of my sinful nature? It's only by forgetting that my sinful nature has been crucified with Christ. And it's by not following after the Spirit of Christ. How can we constantly keep in step with the Spirit of Christ? We have to forget our own agenda. How do we do this when it seems like following after the Spirit of Christ will mean not doing certain things. Like when it's coming close to going to a class, or going to work, or having to be somewhere on time. Mainly going to work is one of the big things. I sometimes feel like there's more work for me to do regarding ministry and I have to cut it short and go to work. I thereby do not feel as if I am truly following after the Spirit. I feel I have an agenda. The only way to deal with this is to be in full time ministry, however, we need to be able to support ourselves and have a way to do that. Self employment can definitely be useful in these situations and looking for ways to become self employed are what may work for someone who has their mind set on full time ministry. We can always ask for forgiveness when we fall short of following after the Spirit and God will forgive us of all sin. Let me press forward to stay in step with the Spirit tomorrow. When I do not want to follow after the Spirit it is also times when I think I have an agenda to keep, such as I have to go to the grocery store at such and such time, or I have to do my laundry at such and such time. I must daily surrender my activities to the Lord and let Him lead me and guide. I also want to be used by Him and as an evangelist that is mainly at times I am not thinking of being used. Let me draw nearer to Him and spend time with Him and be as the disciple who rested on His chest and receive the love I need to be able to go out and minister to others.
May God Bless each one who reads this!
The sinful nature has been crucified to Christ, so how can I still follow the desires of my sinful nature? It's only by forgetting that my sinful nature has been crucified with Christ. And it's by not following after the Spirit of Christ. How can we constantly keep in step with the Spirit of Christ? We have to forget our own agenda. How do we do this when it seems like following after the Spirit of Christ will mean not doing certain things. Like when it's coming close to going to a class, or going to work, or having to be somewhere on time. Mainly going to work is one of the big things. I sometimes feel like there's more work for me to do regarding ministry and I have to cut it short and go to work. I thereby do not feel as if I am truly following after the Spirit. I feel I have an agenda. The only way to deal with this is to be in full time ministry, however, we need to be able to support ourselves and have a way to do that. Self employment can definitely be useful in these situations and looking for ways to become self employed are what may work for someone who has their mind set on full time ministry. We can always ask for forgiveness when we fall short of following after the Spirit and God will forgive us of all sin. Let me press forward to stay in step with the Spirit tomorrow. When I do not want to follow after the Spirit it is also times when I think I have an agenda to keep, such as I have to go to the grocery store at such and such time, or I have to do my laundry at such and such time. I must daily surrender my activities to the Lord and let Him lead me and guide. I also want to be used by Him and as an evangelist that is mainly at times I am not thinking of being used. Let me draw nearer to Him and spend time with Him and be as the disciple who rested on His chest and receive the love I need to be able to go out and minister to others.
May God Bless each one who reads this!
Friday, August 1, 2008
Salvation and evanglism
Evangelism---To share the good news of Jesus Christ with others, An evangelist is a messenger of the good news. Here I am going to share some of my experiences in learning how to evangelize and some information on what I have found is helpful. This will be in a sense a diary of what the life of an evangelist is like.
I found out that I was an evangelist when I was 19 years old and discovered that telling others about Jesus and that them receiving Jesus and feeling His power as real meant so much to me. I also went to a prophetic church and had it confirmed through the Pastor. When I see someone come to know Jesus as real and give their hearts to Him and be healed of the past that is when I truly am happiest in life. To see broken lives restored. To see joy upon the faces of people who had no hope. To see others happy. That is my true heart's desire. I personally operate in the gift of prophetic evangelism which usually means that I will be out and about my business and all of a sudden, God will pinpoint someone to talk to and tell me something about their lives. Alot of the times it will be when I don't feel like doing it, or when I have no idea He will tell me. Alot of being an evangelist is getting over the fear of what other people will think. I have learned that they are not rejecting me when they don't want to hear anything about Him, they are rejecting Him and He will know what to do about that. It's really not always any of my business why they don't accept Him, that is between them and God. I am to respect them if they do not want to talk about Jesus or if they get upset. Put yourself in their shoes. Think of how they are feeling and thinking. Think about them. Let your example be a sign of His love. Let your actions speak to them. One day they will remember that guy or gal who walked up to them and wanted nothing to do with you. One day they will know the Lord. We are only planting the seeds.
Being an evangelist can be tough at times, especially if there are no other evangelists in your life. I cannot describe the importance of souls and how every person I meet I wonder if they know Jesus. Sometimes I just show love and let my life speak through me. Sometimes I befriend people and when we are talking about problems it will give me the opportunity to share Christ with others. Alot of times, I will share what Jesus has done in my life. My one biggest thing is, I do not want to bore people. I think Jesus never bored anyone. I mean Nicodemus went over to His house in the middle of the night asking Him questions. I want people wanting to come over to my house in the middle of the night asking questions about Jesus. I want them to know His love and His power. It is His presence, it is His power that they will feel. It is His touch that will shatter the hardest of hearts and heal the hurting wounds within them. It is His power that will set them free from all kinds of addictions and bondages. It is His peace that will settle the minds of the uneasy and worrisome. It is His promises that will give hope. Jesus is so big, big enough to handle all of their problems. Jesus is big enough to Father all of His children. I want people to want to know Christ through my life. I want my life to encourage others to follow Him. My life will encourage others as I spend time with Him myself. I need to be renewed and refreshed and touched by Him and then I can pour out to others. I will produce more fruit as I abide in Him. Am I taking time to abide in Him? As I abide in Him, I will leave His presence with boldness and it will just be natural to minister to others. It will be easier to hear His voice when I am in the supermarket. If I abide in Him I will bear much fruit. And that is what I want.
John 15: 5-8
Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.
When Jesus came into the world, there was no longer a lot of of reference to the Holy of Holies and the tabernacles and rules and regulations, Jesus was the one who tore the veil to the Holy of Holies, we could enter in once we received Him. And He gave freely of that salvation. It was made available to anyone who wanted it. Anyone could have it! Anyone could enter in! There was no more mention that it was just for a select few. It is for anyone who wants it. Jesus is the Holy of Holies, and yet became sin for us. Someone who knew no sin became sin for the world. To let the whole world enter in the Holy of Holies. To be face to face with Jesus. To be in communion with Him, to have His glory be manifested. It is for the whole world. Not just a select few, but for the whole world.
I found out that I was an evangelist when I was 19 years old and discovered that telling others about Jesus and that them receiving Jesus and feeling His power as real meant so much to me. I also went to a prophetic church and had it confirmed through the Pastor. When I see someone come to know Jesus as real and give their hearts to Him and be healed of the past that is when I truly am happiest in life. To see broken lives restored. To see joy upon the faces of people who had no hope. To see others happy. That is my true heart's desire. I personally operate in the gift of prophetic evangelism which usually means that I will be out and about my business and all of a sudden, God will pinpoint someone to talk to and tell me something about their lives. Alot of the times it will be when I don't feel like doing it, or when I have no idea He will tell me. Alot of being an evangelist is getting over the fear of what other people will think. I have learned that they are not rejecting me when they don't want to hear anything about Him, they are rejecting Him and He will know what to do about that. It's really not always any of my business why they don't accept Him, that is between them and God. I am to respect them if they do not want to talk about Jesus or if they get upset. Put yourself in their shoes. Think of how they are feeling and thinking. Think about them. Let your example be a sign of His love. Let your actions speak to them. One day they will remember that guy or gal who walked up to them and wanted nothing to do with you. One day they will know the Lord. We are only planting the seeds.
Being an evangelist can be tough at times, especially if there are no other evangelists in your life. I cannot describe the importance of souls and how every person I meet I wonder if they know Jesus. Sometimes I just show love and let my life speak through me. Sometimes I befriend people and when we are talking about problems it will give me the opportunity to share Christ with others. Alot of times, I will share what Jesus has done in my life. My one biggest thing is, I do not want to bore people. I think Jesus never bored anyone. I mean Nicodemus went over to His house in the middle of the night asking Him questions. I want people wanting to come over to my house in the middle of the night asking questions about Jesus. I want them to know His love and His power. It is His presence, it is His power that they will feel. It is His touch that will shatter the hardest of hearts and heal the hurting wounds within them. It is His power that will set them free from all kinds of addictions and bondages. It is His peace that will settle the minds of the uneasy and worrisome. It is His promises that will give hope. Jesus is so big, big enough to handle all of their problems. Jesus is big enough to Father all of His children. I want people to want to know Christ through my life. I want my life to encourage others to follow Him. My life will encourage others as I spend time with Him myself. I need to be renewed and refreshed and touched by Him and then I can pour out to others. I will produce more fruit as I abide in Him. Am I taking time to abide in Him? As I abide in Him, I will leave His presence with boldness and it will just be natural to minister to others. It will be easier to hear His voice when I am in the supermarket. If I abide in Him I will bear much fruit. And that is what I want.
John 15: 5-8
Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.
When Jesus came into the world, there was no longer a lot of of reference to the Holy of Holies and the tabernacles and rules and regulations, Jesus was the one who tore the veil to the Holy of Holies, we could enter in once we received Him. And He gave freely of that salvation. It was made available to anyone who wanted it. Anyone could have it! Anyone could enter in! There was no more mention that it was just for a select few. It is for anyone who wants it. Jesus is the Holy of Holies, and yet became sin for us. Someone who knew no sin became sin for the world. To let the whole world enter in the Holy of Holies. To be face to face with Jesus. To be in communion with Him, to have His glory be manifested. It is for the whole world. Not just a select few, but for the whole world.
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