Don't Waste Your Financial Crisis!

Cameron Buettel is an Aussie living in Denmark. When he was laid off, his employers asked if they could do anything for him. He asked, "Yes, may I address my 35 co-workers in the lunch room before I go?" What you are about to see is Cameron's farewell.
Two stormed out. 33 listened.
God was honored.

Evangelism Tip Tuesday ~ Don't Sting Them

I read this on one of my favorite blogs fishwithtrish.blogspot.com and wanted to share with you all today. Witnessing encounters don't always go as we have planned. Here's a fantastic way of handling such encounters...

Don't Sting Them
The next time you get rejected for the Gospel's sake or someone takes your tract and throws it in the trash or you get yelled at--be like a bee. A bee doesn’t sting the flower when it doesn't have pollen, it just moves on to the next flower to see if it can find pollen there.

So when you have a "bad" witnessing encounter, take courage friend and don’t get upset and “sting” the individual. Just move on to the next person. Remember not to take it personal. It's the message they are rejecting. I'm comforted by Jesus' words that are for the Christian, “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matt 5: 11-12).

There's no such thing as a bad witnessing encounter. Everytime we share our faith it is a winning situation! Special Thanks to Mark Spence for the analogy--it's stuck with me during times that I am tempted to "sting" an individual who has rejected the Gospel message.

Consider the President

Consider the late President Kennedy. One moment he was sitting in his limo with his wife, smiling and waving to adoring crowds. The next moment he was in eternity. A small piece of fast-moving metal sent him there in a split second. Imagine you were taken back to the time just before he stepped into the limo. You can't stop the assassination, but you can talk to him for a few moments about his eternal salvation. Are you so intimidated by his status that you would remain silent? Of course not! You know what will happen to him. You look beyond the presidency into eternity. You ignore your fears and look into his eyes. You see the frailty of his humanity, and think how in an instant of time he will be blasted into death. Now think of the rest of humanity ... death will take 150,000 into eternity in the next 24 hours. There goes another minute. Gone forever. Go share your faith while you still have time.

Taken from:wayofthemasterminute.com
Visit wayofthemasterminute.com daily for a new devotion each day! The excellent 365-day devotional can also be purchased in book form at livingwaters.com, now on sale for just $4!

Fantastic Flick Friday ~ FIREPROOF!

Have you seen Fireproof? It was made with a mostly volunteer crew and very low budget, yet the movie they produced is without a doubt, a MUST SEE!

Fireproof will make you laugh, it will make you cry (I'd suggest having a full box of tissues on hand!) and best of all it will encourage you in Christ and strengthen your marriage!

In a time when most movies and television programs portray marriage in such a belittling way a movie that presents the truth about marriage as God intended it is incredibly refreshing to see!

...Be sure to keep it rolling through all of the credits, in the end you will behold the most beautiful words to conclude a film!



A wonderful side note about this movie as posted on FOXNEWS.COM September 24,2008:
Kirk Cameron: I Only Kiss My Wife ... Even on Screen.

The former star of the TV sitcom "Growing Pains" refused to kiss the actress who played his wife in his new movie "Fireproof," he told the "Today" show on Monday.

“I have a commitment not to kiss any other woman,” he told the morning show. So his real wife, actress Chelsea Noble, was the body double for the onscreen kiss.

"So when I’m kissing my wife, we’re actually husband and wife honoring marriage behind the scenes,” Cameron told "Today."

*TIP: This movie would be a great addition to any upcoming wedding or wedding shower gift! It is fantastic for a Christian couple or for sharing with the lost as it includes a clear gospel presentation!
(See the powerful movie clip below.)

If It's Not the Whole Truth, It's No Longer the Truth at All.

When we remove words like sin, repentance, judgment, and Hell from our message, we are in danger of preaching "another Gospel." If it’s not the whole truth, it’s no longer the truth at all. It becomes illegitimate and produces illegitimate children, who call God their father, but still serve the devil. The great key to making sure that we are never guilty of this is to say with Paul, "In the sight of God we speak in Christ." In other words, the words we speak are never dictated by a fear of offending sinners on earth. Instead, they are dictated by the fear of offending a holy God in Heaven. Nothing compromises truth like seeking the approval of men. And nothing ensures the truth like seeking the approval of Almighty God. There goes another minute. Gone forever. Go share your faith while you still have time. wayofthemasterminute.com

Evangelism Tip Tuesday ~ Send a Postcard to Your Comfort Zone!

When I mention evangelism what is the first thing that comes to your mind? Are you fearful of getting out there and sharing your faith? Can you pinpoint what exactly you are afraid of? For most, it is simply a fear of rejection. Many worry about how they'll be received when sharing the Gospel with family, friends or even strangers. Sharing your faith can and most likely will be an experience that will leave you sweaty palmed and shaking in your boots but it will also bring you to your knees, fully dependent upon God and will bring tremendous glory to the Lord! Let's take a deeper look at all of this and let God's Word shine some light on what should be the legitimate concern for us as Christians.

Will you at times be mocked, rejected and even abandoned, completely cut off from those who you step out of your comfort zone to share the truth of the Gospel with? YES, YES and YES! Should this cause you to consider shrinking back in hopes of "keeping the peace" with others? NO! God has commanded that we go and preach the Gospel to every living creature. You will find no "except when" in Mark 16:15. It also doesn't say when it's comfortable, convenient, if you feel like it or if the person seems interested. It's not a suggestion "you may preach the Gospel" it is a command "Go". Unto death we are to proclaim the very truth that has saved us! We should boldly go forth echoing Paul, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek."(Romans 1:16)

We are told again and again in scripture we will be despised, mocked and hated. (For a few examples see: 1 John 3:13, Luke 6:22, John 15:18-21, Matthew 10:22). Yet, as a follower of Christ we are commanded to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily and follow Him (Luke 9:23). This leaves no room for quietly remaining in comfort zones folks! A true believer is a doer of the Word not a hearer only (James 1:22, Matthew 7:21).

Think on this friend, one day EVERY person you share the Gospel with will know and understand the truth! Whether your message is received with thanksgiving and gratitude towards the Savior immediately or it is received with mocking and hatred, the day will come when that individual will fully understand that the Gospel message you presented to them is life giving truth. They may hatefully mock you up until their last breath but then they will step into eternity before a Holy and Just God. If not in this life, when they stand before God then they will know that you had cared enough to share the truth. They will understand, even at a cost, you were willing to warn them of what they would endure if they were to pay the debt of their sin on their own (an eternity in Hell), rather than repent and trust in Christ who bore the wrath of the Father they deserved (that they could be justified through the spotless blood of His substitutionary death and receive the free gift of eternal life).

Do you care enough about someone to proclaim the truth that saved a wretch like yourself, whatever the cost? Do you love God and long to see His Name unashamedly proclaimed enough to put everything on the line? You have a choice right now, care enough to warn others or remain silent. If you remain silent you won't ruffle any feathers and you may keep a relationship intact. Yet, if you choose this option you must be prepared to one day weep at that very loved one's funeral, certain that they will now spend all of eternity in Hell if they have died in their sins. You must also prepare to give an account to God as to why you in shameful disobedience cared more about pleasing that person than the God whom you claim to serve.


Letter from an Unsaved Friend

My friend, I stand in judgment now, and feel that you’re to blame somehow. On earth I walked with you by day, and never did you show the way.
You knew the Savior in truth and glory, But never did you tell the story. My knowledge then was very dim. You could have led me safe to Him.
Though we lived together, here on earth, you never told me of the second birth. And now I stand before eternal hell, because of heaven’s glory you did not tell!

...May such a thing not be spoken of us!

Evangelism Tip Tuesday ~ Leave Your Comfort Zone in the Dust!

It's that time again! . . . Are you up for another challenge? Last week's was as easy as they come, get ahold of some excellent Biblically sound gospel tracts and simply leave them in places for someone to find. Piece of cake, right? This week's challenge may get your heart pumping a little more, let the adrenaline rush compel you towards action this week! I challenge you to intentionally go out of your way to pass out one of those great Gospel tracts to someone, any one, how about just one? You can do this!

When you are out an about this week have a tract handy and use it! It may be frightening at first, but take a moment to really put things into perspective and soon compassion will help you swallow any fear you may have. Think about the incredible difference between the worst case scenario of the person you will be giving the tract to and your own personal worst case scenario in the process. If they die tonight in their sins, they will spend eternity in hell. Think on that for a moment, ETERNITY in HELL! Now, what is the worst case scenario for you as you pass along this tract? Realistically, the worst you'd probably encounter passing out a tract here in the States is hearing, "No thanks." While rejection is never fun, you will get over it!

Not sure where to start? I've found that some of the easiest people to give tracts to are those you encounter when making a purchase. Whether it be at a grocery check out or a fast food drive thru window, it's pretty simple to get a tract into a hand that is already extended in putting a receipt into your own! Try giving a million dollar bill tract at the end of a transaction along with a quick, "Thanks a million"! "Keep the change!" always goes over well too! Sometimes people consider refusing it at first only because they are thinking it is real money and they'd be in trouble if they took it from you! If that happens I usually respond with, "Here, be sure to read the million dollar question on the back"or "It'd be great if you could really get the change!" As soon as they realize there's more to it people are normally delighted to receive it. I've heard so many "Hey, look! I got a million bucks!", "I can't wait to show this off!", and "Thanks!" Often, I also end up receiving multiple requests from bystanders who'd like one of their own!

Another of my personal favorites is "101 Funniest One Liners". I worked in retail for several years and know firsthand how long a slow night can seem. I like to give these to people at the check out with a little, "Here this is for you. If you get slow at all tonight it's a really great time passer!" These are very well received in such settings! Best of all, these tracts contain a very clear Gospel presentation!

I've mentioned a few of my favorite tracts. Now, I'd strongly urge you to take the time to look through the variety of sound Gospel tracts in search of a tract that YOU love! If you really enjoy it yourself you will feel more comfortable in giving it out and your own enthusiasm will spark curiosity in others as well!

If in thinking about getting started in all of this you still feel more apathetic than compassionate, pray! Pray that God will allow you to fully grasp the seriousness of what is at stake for these people you will meet throughout your day if they are to continue on as rebels against a Holy and Just God. Think about what our Amazing God has done on behalf of that person! How can you possibly withhold the information that glorifies our Precious Savior and offers eternal salvation! This person before you is not promised another breath, yet they will live forever, either in Heaven or Hell. When you really think about the magnitude of eternity, suddenly the discomfort of a mere few seconds that it will take you to give out a Gospel tract seems much more than doable!

Think on Proverbs 28:1, "The wicked flee when no one is pursuing, but the righteous are bold as a lion." Be bold for the One who deserves all glory, honor and praise!

"Even if I were utterly selfish and had no care for anything but my own happiness, I would choose, if God allowed, to be a soul winner, for never did I know perfect, overflowing, unutterable happiness of the purest and most ennobling order till I first heard of one who had sought and found a Savior through my means." - Charles Spurgeon

Fantastic Flick Friday ~ A Timeless Epic

Today's "Fantastic Flick Friday" pick is BEN-HUR!

Think Ben-Hur is only about a big chariot race? Think again! To learn more about this film check out:
http://www.warnervideo.com/benhurdvd/

Then pick up a copy, you will not be disappointed!

Good News!

Check this out...

Don't Buy Stuff You Cannot Afford

As Christians we need to make certain we are good stewards of our money. I think we could all take a tip from this "book" featured on SNL. :o)

Atheist Penn Jillette's Reaction to the Gift of a Bible

Penn Jillette of the magic/comedy act Penn and Teller is a well known atheist. Listen to what he had to say about receiving a Bible after one of his shows.

He asks questions we as Christians should hear, think about and answer.
"How much do you have to hate someone to not proselytize?
How much do you have to hate somebody to believe that everlasting life is possible and not tell them that?"

Here is an exhortation to Evangelize from an atheist! . . .

Evangelism Tip Tuesday ~ Ease on Out of that Comfort Zone!

Are you uneasy or uncomfortable with the thought of sharing your faith? Do you wonder how you can even begin to bring up the subject? Would a tool that both breaks the ice and actually contains the entire Gospel message right on it calm your fears? If you've answered yes, yes and yes to those questions I'd like you to encourage you to get ahold of some good Gospel tracts!

Biblically sound Gospel tracts are one of the greatest resources a Christian could possibly have on hand! I stress Biblically sound because if you walk into your local "Christian Bookstore" you will most likely find that the majority of tracts being sold today are not. Be certain that the Gospel tracts you purchase contain both the Law and Grace! One without the either is not Biblical, nor helpful. (For more details please listen to "Hell's Best Kept Secret". It will help you to see the importance of sharing your faith Biblically, just as Jesus did!)

A fantastic site for getting ahold of excellent tracts is Livingwaters.com.  They sell a wide variety and you will certainly find one (or several) there that you will be enthusiastic to begin using!  

If you'd like to start with some free tracts you can begin using immediately visit needgod.com/resources.shtml.  They offer a free printable tract that contains the same simple 8 question test used at needgod.com.  It is entitled Will your "good" outweigh your "bad"?

If you are fearful of sharing your faith I'd like to first challenge you to do something simple to ease your way into stepping out of your comfort zone! Equip yourself with some great Gospel tracts and simply begin with leaving them in places where others are sure to find them. It doesn't get much easier than this folks!

Here is a list of my favorite spots to leave Gospel tracts. I hope that you will find some of these ideas helpful!:

- Shopping carts ~ Leave a million dollar bill tucked under the child's seat portion of the cart, it's sure to be noticed by the next shopper!

- In mail ~ Place tracts in with letters, cards, gifts or even bill payments.

- With a generous tip ~ This is important! NEVER leave a tract instead of or with a cheap tip! You want this to be well received!

- On seats in restaurant lobbies ~ This is especially easy if they have a spot for reading materials or business cards,ect..

- In hotels ~ I love sticking them in the phone books in hotel rooms, marking sections of the phonebook that people on vacation normally look at such as restaurants.

- In waiting rooms at hospitals, doctors' offices,ect. ~ Anywhere where literature is already setting out makes for a simple place to leave a tract!

- In airplane seat pockets ~ I love putting them in the safety instruction booklets.

- In displays of pamphlets for area tourist sites

- On sinks in a public restroom

- Cubbies where you store belongings at an amusement park

- With menus that are stored on tables at restaurants

- Dressing rooms

- In library books ~ It is so easy to "book mark" with them and leave it for the next reader to find!


... Now go ahead, you can do this! Get out there and take this simple step out of your comfort zone!!

I hope you'll visit again next week, same time, same place for another challenge and more tips for sharing your faith!

Fantastic Flick Friday ~ LUTHER

...Well worth a watch!

Phraseology That Elevates Man and Diminishes the Glory of God

Have you noticed the incredible push in society today to boost the self-esteem of all?  If you were to apply for a part time job at Subway you wouldn't be known as a simple "sandwich maker" you would be a "Sandwich Artist".  If you go for the same job down the street at Jimmy John's you are applying to be a "Rock Star"!  While these titles are laughable, the phraseology adopted by the modern church to make sinners feel more important is not!

Much of the lingo in modern churchianity has elevated deprived man, fed on his pride and presented Almighty God as little more than a lonely school boy, pleading on bended knee that the sinner will "pretty please with a cherry on top" just "give Him a try".   If you don't believe that to be the case, please take a closer look at the language used in many modern churches on any given Sunday. Unbiblical terms and phrases used have spread like a cancer throughout evangelicalism. Sadly, few have taken notice! Common examples being, "Make Jesus Lord and Savior" and "Accept Jesus". Let's think about what is being said there.  No one makes Jesus Lord and Savior, He is Lord and Savior.  The fact that someone is an unregenerate sinner doesn't change the truth of Jesus' Lordship.  Furthermore, Jesus doesn't need our acceptance, we need HIS!  Unfortunately these phrases and countless others have been spoken so frequently in evangelical circles that they have now become as gospel to many.  

I'd urge you, my brothers and sisters in Christ, take a moment to think about the way you speak when presenting the Gospel to the lost.  Do you soften and sweeten it up just a little (or a lot) to make it more palatable?  Do you put them in a position above God Himself, elevating the sinner above the Savior?  The sinner must see his or her truly desperate and deprived state before the good news of the Gospel can be rightly understood and appreciated.  In elevating man in such a way that he believes he is able to make Jesus Lord we depreciate the glory of our Awesome God, cheapening the work of Christ!

If a blind man were about to walk past a stop sign into a busy intersection would you tenderly whisper, "Oh sir, won't you please give yielding a try?" Of course not! You'd boldly shout at the top of your lungs, "STOP!"  You wouldn't care if it sounded "too harsh". You would promptly and clearly articulate the necessary, crucial message!  You would not take the risk that this simple, yet vital instruction could somehow be misinterpreted or misunderstood.

My friends, how much more important is the message of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ!  Is it not the most vital truth you could possibly share with those who aren't promised even one more heartbeat?  How cruel must we be to withhold the seriousness of that which will impact a soul for all of eternity?

I plead with you to examine the language you use.  While other Christians may understand what you are trying to convey, the unregenerate will not.  Please stick to Biblically solid terms when presenting the gospel to the lost.  The glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ is not our own to edit. We were commanded to call all to repentance, that they would turn from their sins and put on the Lord Jesus Christ. Be faithful to God's Word! Only the Truth of the Gospel has the power to deliver sinners from the just wrath of God.

If your child were gravely ill you wouldn't water down the medication capable of restoring his health, regardless of how hard it was to swallow.  How much more careful we must be in avoiding watering down the only Truth that can save a precious soul from hell!

"8 Reasons Why I Don't Share My Faith"

Are your excuses this funny?

Evangelism Tip Tuesday

ABSOLUTELY LOVE this idea!
Thanks Fish with Trish!

Using Fruit for Fishing Bait?!

"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." - Matthew 4:19

My question to you is what bait are you using? Are you sharing the gospel as Jesus did? Many people these days are using the wrong bait. Luring people to christianity in a wrong way will only create boatloads of false converts.

Most of you have heard a message like this at one point or another, some sadly on a weekly basis even:
Come to Jesus Christ, ask him to come into your heart and you'll have peace, joy and lasting happiness.
... Boy that sounds nice doesn't it? Many would respond to such an invitation with the false notion that christianity is a prescription to live your best life now. The truth is that this type of bait may fill churches for a time but it will not fill heaven!

Why should we tell people they need Jesus? What have you been told? What are you telling others? Let's get down to the core of the situation that people are in without Christ. What is the serious issue they face? Is our main concern and focus happiness or holiness? Think about that for a moment, would you?

Now of course the fruit of the spirit is produced by a life surrendered fully to the Lord so while soundly saved christians will have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, this fruit is not legitimate bait. Let me tell you why. If you tell someone to come for the fruit they will come hungry for the wrong thing! Rather than seeing their desperate need for forgiveness, repenting and then hungering to know the God that has been so kind to them in forgiving their nasty sin, you will instead bring lost souls craving happiness in life. It is not about happiness it's about righteousness! The only way for someone to be soundly saved is for them to come before the Lord broken and repentant, done with themselves and ready to take up their cross daily and follow Jesus. Preaching the common modern gospel of Jesus has a greater joy for you will only draw in people with unrepentant hearts selfishly seeking to improve their earthly lives.

In order to show someone their need for a Savior they must first realize that they are in need of saving. They must understand that which they've heard repeated countless times in their lives - Jesus died for you. People need to understand why that was necessary. If someone doesn't understand they are in need of rescuing then telling them someone died on their behalf to rescue them, well it simply won't make any sense! We need to explain to people why Jesus' sacrifice was necessary for their redemption. What is the most effective way to illuminate ones need for a Savior and to show them the sin in their lives that has made them enemies of God with His wrath abiding on them? Lets see what the Word has to say:

I would not have known what sin was except through the law. - Romans 7:7
Apart from the law, sin is dead - Romans 7:8

God has given us His law to reflect how deceitfully wicked our hearts are! So why don't we put what He has given us to use and show people the true reason they need Jesus! Asking a few simple questions will provide them understanding of the situation their sin has put them in...


Would you consider yourself to be a good person?
How about according to Gods standard, the ten commandments? Do you think you've kept them? Lets see ... Have you ever told a lie? Have you ever stolen anything (regardless of it's value, ever taken anything that did not belong to you)? Have you ever taken the Lord's name in vain?

I only named 3 of the 10 commandments yet if you are guilty of any of these you are in serious trouble - the Bible says in James 2:10 "Whoever keeps the whole law yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it."
So according to the Word of God will you be found innocent or guilty on Judgment day? Knowing that God has seen your thought life and every deed done in darkness you know that you would be guilty according to Gods standards. Yet, imagine this, just as the Judge is about to pass sentence and rightly send you away someone you dont even know steps up to the judge and says I will pay their debt in full. The judge says you can now go free because justice has been served. How much gratitude should you have? Well that is what God has done for you! You and I have sinned. We have committed serious crimes against God. God is just and cannot let such crimes go unpunished. Many people think that He is all loving and will simply let it go. He cannot let sin go unpunished! Could you imagine what you would say about a human judge who let law breakers just simply go free - you would surely call him corrupt! God cannot be corrupt. He is holy and just. He will punish law breakers. On our own we would all be heading for hell but that is not His will for us. So He did something absolutely astonishing - He came to this earth in human form in the person of Jesus Christ, fully God, fully man and He lived a perfect sinless life and was crucified. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. - 2 Corinthians 5:21. If we repent (turn from sin) and put our trust in Jesus Christ through His precious blood we can be forgiven and soundly saved!


... See how using the law effectively illuminates the sin that has actually made the person an enemy of God? Showing a person their need for salvation is much more important than passing along another "God loves you and He has a wonderful plan for your life." Yes God is loving but all too often that is the only side of His character that unbelievers hear about therefore they think - if God is so loving He will let me into Heaven, I am not that bad of a person . While God is loving, He is also just.
The Lord is known by his justice; the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands. - Psalm 9:16

Remember, when you are sharing the gospel do not try to make it more appealing to the lost by throwing fruit on as bait. If you do you run the risk of leading that person into a false conversion. If you want to share the gospel in a way that will truly bring people to a place of repentance and to true salvation you must share the gospel biblically.

For help getting equipped to share the gospel biblically, the way that Jesus did PLEASE check out these sites:
livingwaters.com
wayofthemaster.com