It's been said, if you arm any soldier with a feather duster he's not going to feel very courageous. However, give him state of the art weapons and those weapons will give him courage. Equipping yourself for Biblical evangelism is key!
Here are some incredibly helpful resources from Way of the Master/Living Waters:
Watch on-the-street witnessing
Listen to audio lessons
View video lessons
Answers to 100 common questions
Read the best selling book
Read Kirk and Ray's articles
The Way of the Master Minute
Biblical School of Evangelism
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
Self-Esteem vs. God-Esteem
It is bleeding from our culture into pulpits and "Christian literature" everywhere. Somehow slipping under the radar of discernment for many believers. On the surface it may seem harmless, helpful even - but is it Biblical? When you hear the term "Self-Esteem" what definition comes to your mind? I'll share the Merriam-Webster dictionary's definition and then challenge you to think on it for a moment.
self-esteem
1 : a confidence and satisfaction in oneself : self-respect
2 : SELF-CONCEIT
Is this something we should be focusing on building up within ourselves and our children? Self satification ... self-conceit? Don't get me wrong, I do praise my children for a job well done and encourage them to strive to do their best. Yet, I believe trying to build up a prideful sense of self-worth is doing them a complete disservice and will be taking a step in the wrong direction in shaping a Biblical understanding of who they are and who Christ is. At any age, apart from Christ we are completely depraved and in desperate need of a Savior. As a born again Christian our focus should be drawn away from sinful pride and self-seeking desires. Jesus said, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matthew 16:24-26)
Our esteem, confidence, faith and hope should never be in placed in ourselves, rather it should remain steadfast in Christ alone! "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20)
self-esteem
1 : a confidence and satisfaction in oneself : self-respect
2 : SELF-CONCEIT
Is this something we should be focusing on building up within ourselves and our children? Self satification ... self-conceit? Don't get me wrong, I do praise my children for a job well done and encourage them to strive to do their best. Yet, I believe trying to build up a prideful sense of self-worth is doing them a complete disservice and will be taking a step in the wrong direction in shaping a Biblical understanding of who they are and who Christ is. At any age, apart from Christ we are completely depraved and in desperate need of a Savior. As a born again Christian our focus should be drawn away from sinful pride and self-seeking desires. Jesus said, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matthew 16:24-26)
Our esteem, confidence, faith and hope should never be in placed in ourselves, rather it should remain steadfast in Christ alone! "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20)
Thursday, April 23, 2009
You Will Leave Everything Behind
The most important day of your life will the day of your death. Think about that. On that day, nothing else will matter except what you have done for God and where you are going. Your house, your car, your money, your sports will mean nothing on that day. You will be leaving time and entering into eternity. Meditate on that breath-taking moment. In the exhale of one breath, you will leave everything you love. Your wedding ring. Your spouse. Your loved ones. Your vehicle. Your money. Everything. Tonight, God could say to you, "This night your soul is required of you." Let such sobering thoughts consume you. Let them drive you to use your life for what matters, to reach out to the unsaved and make a big dent in this sinful world. There goes another minute. Gone forever. Go share your faith while you still have time.
-wayofthemasterminute.com
-wayofthemasterminute.com
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Unforgettable Cries
What do you and I think about? What is it that we meditate on most? It is "desire" that determines most of our thought patterns. It should be that the human predicament narrows down what we think about. Imagine a Titanic survivor. He is sitting with a few other survivors in a large, mostly empty lifeboat as the great ocean liner heaves and sinks silently beneath the freezing waters of the ocean. The only sounds that break that eerie silence are the unforgettable cries of perishing human beings pleading to be saved from an icy grave. There's plenty of room in the lifeboat. What is it then that should consume the survivor's thoughts? He should be utterly focused on saving those that are around him. Nothing else should matter, compared to the task that is before him. There goes another minute. Gone forever. Go share your faith while you still have time.
-wayofthemasterminute.com
-wayofthemasterminute.com
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Evangelism Tip Tuesday ~ Don't Wait!
Have you ever resisted giving out a Gospel tract or presenting the Gospel to someone simply because you didn't "feel like it"? I have. There have been many times when I have simply not reached into my purse for a tract (even at a spot as convenient to do so as a check out line), because I was tired, had a rough day, was in a hurry, or simply insert any other lame excuse here - I have been guilty of most at some point! It requires daily forsaking of my own fleshly desire for comfort and prayer for compassion for the others to continue on in reaching out to the lost with the Beautiful Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I encourage you, my brothers and sisters in Christ, do not wait on the perfect situation. If you do you may never do anything! Instead, put Christ and His glorious Gospel first and crucify that selfish fleshy desire to remain comfortably complacent!
We have no idea how much longer God will bless us with on this Earth. Today could be my last, or yours. We do not know how many opportunities we have left to proclaim the incredible kindness of our precious Savior, dying a substitutionary death for such wretched sinners as ourselves with the power to do the same for others, many who may have yet to hear! Let us cease squandering our opportunities.
Do not remain asleep in the light!
I encourage you, my brothers and sisters in Christ, do not wait on the perfect situation. If you do you may never do anything! Instead, put Christ and His glorious Gospel first and crucify that selfish fleshy desire to remain comfortably complacent!
We have no idea how much longer God will bless us with on this Earth. Today could be my last, or yours. We do not know how many opportunities we have left to proclaim the incredible kindness of our precious Savior, dying a substitutionary death for such wretched sinners as ourselves with the power to do the same for others, many who may have yet to hear! Let us cease squandering our opportunities.
Do not remain asleep in the light!
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Whose Job is it, Anyway?
Imagine if a man let a neighbor's child drown in his swimming pool while he polished his car. His defense in court was that he didn't want to leave his car to save the child because he didn't want to ruin the vehicle's shine.
If we allow another human being to die when we have the ability to save them, we are not only morally responsible, but we are guilty of what civil law calls "depraved indifference." The crime of "depraved indifference" is very descriptive. Depraved means it's about as low as a human being can go, and indifference means that someone couldn't care less. That's what you and I are like if we profess to be Christians, and yet have no concern for the eternal salvation of those that are around us. We are saying "Evangelism is not my job," and we are therefore guilty of depraved indifference. It's about as low as we can go when we don't care about the fate of the unsaved. Love could never be so cold-hearted as to shine a car while a child drowns, and love cannot profess to know the love of God in Christ, and be unconcerned about the fact that those who die in their sins will end up in Hell.
If you aren't horrified at that thought, how can the love of God dwell within you? Charles Spurgeon said, "Have you no wish for others to be saved? Then you are not saved yourself. Be sure of that." So if that describes you, please, go somewhere quiet and ask God to forgive you for such a crime. Then plead with Him to give you a love that will swallow your fears, and a gratitude for the Cross that will forever banish indifference and help you to "seek and save that which is lost" as Jesus did.
Then may I suggest something that will help you overcome your fears and reach those you love with the gospel? It's a teaching called "Hell's Best Kept Secret." Perhaps you are afraid to share your faith because you don't feel equipped. That's understandable. Arm any soldier with a feather duster and push him into the heat of modern warfare, and he's not going to be very courageous. However, if you give him state-of-theart weapons and teach him how to use them, those weapons will give him courage. "Hell's Best Kept Secret" will put a state-of-the-art weapon into your hands. It will give you courage. Simply go to www.livingwaters.com/learn -- there you can listen to "Hell's Best Kept Secret" or watch the video if you prefer. As you will see, the teaching has been commended by many Christian leaders -- and it's free. It won't cost you a thing. You will never regret it. Go there now. If you don't have audio capability with your internet access, call (562) 920-8431 and request it, and we will mail a CD of the teaching to you free of charge. Thank you for taking the time to read this. May God bless you, Ray Comfort.
If we allow another human being to die when we have the ability to save them, we are not only morally responsible, but we are guilty of what civil law calls "depraved indifference." The crime of "depraved indifference" is very descriptive. Depraved means it's about as low as a human being can go, and indifference means that someone couldn't care less. That's what you and I are like if we profess to be Christians, and yet have no concern for the eternal salvation of those that are around us. We are saying "Evangelism is not my job," and we are therefore guilty of depraved indifference. It's about as low as we can go when we don't care about the fate of the unsaved. Love could never be so cold-hearted as to shine a car while a child drowns, and love cannot profess to know the love of God in Christ, and be unconcerned about the fact that those who die in their sins will end up in Hell.
If you aren't horrified at that thought, how can the love of God dwell within you? Charles Spurgeon said, "Have you no wish for others to be saved? Then you are not saved yourself. Be sure of that." So if that describes you, please, go somewhere quiet and ask God to forgive you for such a crime. Then plead with Him to give you a love that will swallow your fears, and a gratitude for the Cross that will forever banish indifference and help you to "seek and save that which is lost" as Jesus did.
Then may I suggest something that will help you overcome your fears and reach those you love with the gospel? It's a teaching called "Hell's Best Kept Secret." Perhaps you are afraid to share your faith because you don't feel equipped. That's understandable. Arm any soldier with a feather duster and push him into the heat of modern warfare, and he's not going to be very courageous. However, if you give him state-of-theart weapons and teach him how to use them, those weapons will give him courage. "Hell's Best Kept Secret" will put a state-of-the-art weapon into your hands. It will give you courage. Simply go to www.livingwaters.com/learn -- there you can listen to "Hell's Best Kept Secret" or watch the video if you prefer. As you will see, the teaching has been commended by many Christian leaders -- and it's free. It won't cost you a thing. You will never regret it. Go there now. If you don't have audio capability with your internet access, call (562) 920-8431 and request it, and we will mail a CD of the teaching to you free of charge. Thank you for taking the time to read this. May God bless you, Ray Comfort.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Fantastic Flick Friday ~ Time Changer
Nineteenth-century Bible professor Russell Carlisle's (D. David Morin) new book, which asserts that morality can be taught independent of Christianity, is soon to be published. But a devout colleague (Gavin MacLeod) believes that what Carlisle has written will seriously affect the morals of future generations. To prove his theory, he sends Carlisle more than 100 years into the future, offering him a glimpse of where his writing will lead.
This movie is available through both Netflix and Blockbuster.
This movie is available through both Netflix and Blockbuster.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
13 Evangelistic Phrases that Produce False Conversion
By: Todd Friel
Churches divide over carpet color, building additions and budgets. In the meantime, our fellow church members are going to hell by the boat load.
A.W. Tozer said, "It is my opinion that tens of thousands of people, if not millions, have been brought into some kind of religious experience by accepting Christ, and they have not been saved."
D. James Kennedy said, "The vast majority of people who are members of churches in America today are not Christians. I say that without the slightest contradiction. I base it on empirical evidence of twenty-four years of examining thousands of people."
Friend, we argue over so many petty things. May I suggest we have lost sight of the most important debate of all, "What is salvation?" My theology teaches that salvation happens when a man repents and places his trust in Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21).
I would like to present thirteen ways that we have re-defined how a person becomes a true convert. Have we done this intentionally? Certainly not. We have simply created lingo that has a grain of truth in Scripture, but it is so open to interpretation that the un-converted understand it in ways that lead to false conversions.
1. Make Jesus your Lord and Savior. We cannot make Jesus our Lord and Savior, He is our Lord and Savior. We are living in rebellion to Him and He commands us to repent and trust Him.
2. Ask Jesus into your heart. Does Jesus come into our hearts? Yes He does. The question is, "How does He get in there?" It is not by simply asking Him in; it is by repentance and faith.
3. Just believe in Jesus. The demons believe and they tremble. We must repent and trust.
4. You have a God-shaped hole in your heart and only Jesus can fill it. We have far more than a hole that needs to be filled so we can feel complete; we have a wretched, deceitful, sinful heart that needs cleansing. Repentance and faith applies the blood of the lamb for that cleansing.
5. Accept Jesus. Whoa. We need to accept Jesus? This is entirely backward. We need Jesus to accept us–and He will, if we repent and trust.
6. Make a decision for Jesus. Decisional regeneration puts man in the driver's seat of salvation. When we repent and trust, Jesus decides to save us. That puts Him in the driver's seat…where He demands.
7. It is easy to believe. While the formula of repentance and faith sounds simple, a complete surrendering of self in repentance is anything but easy. It's hard.
8. God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. The only promises for the convert are trials, temptation and persecution. If that is how you define a wonderful life, fine. Otherwise we must command all men everywhere to repent and trust.
9. Come to Jesus just as you are. We should come to Jesus just as the sinners we are, but He also expects a broken heart and contrite spirit demonstrated in repentance and faith.
10. Come to Jesus and you will receive forgiveness of sins and ________________ (fill in the blank with money, health, a healed marriage). Jesus didn't promise healed marriages; in fact He promised broken homes because we would divide when one member repents and trusts.
11. Come to Jesus and experience love, joy, peace. Do we get the fruit of the Spirit upon conversion? Yes. But if we come seeking the gifts and not the giver, we will receive neither. Instead, we must repent and trust.
12. Jesus is the missing piece. Um, no, the God of the universe is not the missing piece, He demands that He is the center of our lives when we repent and trust.
13. Jesus is better than fame and fortune. That is an understatement, and frankly, it is insulting. Saying Jesus is better than money is like saying that a steak dinner is better than eating a dung hill. He defies comparison and we trivialize the Son of God. Instead, we should be pleading with all men everywhere to repent and trust.
If I showed up at your door with a can of grapefruit juice and a roll of paper towels and offered to change your oil, you would say, "No thanks." If we wouldn't let someone mess with our car using the wrong method, why do we allow the Gospel to be presented so ambiguously?
Would you let a doctor operate on your child who was "sort of" accurate? The salvation of men is far more important than an appendix.
I beg you to consider how you share the Gospel. You and I know what we are talking about when we use these phrases, but do the unregenerate? Is it possible that we have so many backsliders today because they never slid forward in the first place? Is it because they were never told that they must repent and trust?
If we are willing to debate shag verse plush in the fellowship hall, shouldn't we be more concerned about an issue that has eternal consequences?
Churches divide over carpet color, building additions and budgets. In the meantime, our fellow church members are going to hell by the boat load.
A.W. Tozer said, "It is my opinion that tens of thousands of people, if not millions, have been brought into some kind of religious experience by accepting Christ, and they have not been saved."
D. James Kennedy said, "The vast majority of people who are members of churches in America today are not Christians. I say that without the slightest contradiction. I base it on empirical evidence of twenty-four years of examining thousands of people."
Friend, we argue over so many petty things. May I suggest we have lost sight of the most important debate of all, "What is salvation?" My theology teaches that salvation happens when a man repents and places his trust in Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21).
I would like to present thirteen ways that we have re-defined how a person becomes a true convert. Have we done this intentionally? Certainly not. We have simply created lingo that has a grain of truth in Scripture, but it is so open to interpretation that the un-converted understand it in ways that lead to false conversions.
1. Make Jesus your Lord and Savior. We cannot make Jesus our Lord and Savior, He is our Lord and Savior. We are living in rebellion to Him and He commands us to repent and trust Him.
2. Ask Jesus into your heart. Does Jesus come into our hearts? Yes He does. The question is, "How does He get in there?" It is not by simply asking Him in; it is by repentance and faith.
3. Just believe in Jesus. The demons believe and they tremble. We must repent and trust.
4. You have a God-shaped hole in your heart and only Jesus can fill it. We have far more than a hole that needs to be filled so we can feel complete; we have a wretched, deceitful, sinful heart that needs cleansing. Repentance and faith applies the blood of the lamb for that cleansing.
5. Accept Jesus. Whoa. We need to accept Jesus? This is entirely backward. We need Jesus to accept us–and He will, if we repent and trust.
6. Make a decision for Jesus. Decisional regeneration puts man in the driver's seat of salvation. When we repent and trust, Jesus decides to save us. That puts Him in the driver's seat…where He demands.
7. It is easy to believe. While the formula of repentance and faith sounds simple, a complete surrendering of self in repentance is anything but easy. It's hard.
8. God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. The only promises for the convert are trials, temptation and persecution. If that is how you define a wonderful life, fine. Otherwise we must command all men everywhere to repent and trust.
9. Come to Jesus just as you are. We should come to Jesus just as the sinners we are, but He also expects a broken heart and contrite spirit demonstrated in repentance and faith.
10. Come to Jesus and you will receive forgiveness of sins and ________________ (fill in the blank with money, health, a healed marriage). Jesus didn't promise healed marriages; in fact He promised broken homes because we would divide when one member repents and trusts.
11. Come to Jesus and experience love, joy, peace. Do we get the fruit of the Spirit upon conversion? Yes. But if we come seeking the gifts and not the giver, we will receive neither. Instead, we must repent and trust.
12. Jesus is the missing piece. Um, no, the God of the universe is not the missing piece, He demands that He is the center of our lives when we repent and trust.
13. Jesus is better than fame and fortune. That is an understatement, and frankly, it is insulting. Saying Jesus is better than money is like saying that a steak dinner is better than eating a dung hill. He defies comparison and we trivialize the Son of God. Instead, we should be pleading with all men everywhere to repent and trust.
If I showed up at your door with a can of grapefruit juice and a roll of paper towels and offered to change your oil, you would say, "No thanks." If we wouldn't let someone mess with our car using the wrong method, why do we allow the Gospel to be presented so ambiguously?
Would you let a doctor operate on your child who was "sort of" accurate? The salvation of men is far more important than an appendix.
I beg you to consider how you share the Gospel. You and I know what we are talking about when we use these phrases, but do the unregenerate? Is it possible that we have so many backsliders today because they never slid forward in the first place? Is it because they were never told that they must repent and trust?
If we are willing to debate shag verse plush in the fellowship hall, shouldn't we be more concerned about an issue that has eternal consequences?
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Evangelism Tip Tuesday ~ Create a Gift Stash!
Hello, my name is Brenda. I am a giftoholic. When I hear of someone who is sick, having a great day, having a rough day, hurt, recovering, celebrating any occasion BIG or small, or none of the above (leaving me to "make up" a reason), I am uncontrollably compelled to give gifts as an excuse to share Biblically solid resources with everyone I know. There is no stopping me. LOL! With that being said, I would like to use this Evangelism Tip Tuesday to share some tips on using this obsession to the glory of God!
I would encourage you all to create a gift stash! Begin by finding a space you can organize specifically for this use. I've turned my bedroom closet into a "gift closet". I keep a Plastic 5 drawer storage unit and a large rubbermaid tote to store my goodies! Keeping your gifts organized makes for easy prep when an occasion arises!
My Stockpile Favs!:
- Excellent Biblically sound Gospel tracts
- "One Heartbeat Away" by Mark Cahill (For the lost) It shares a full, clear Gospel presentation.
- "One Thing You Can't Do in Heaven" by Mark Cahill (For brothers and sisters in Christ) Be sure to give a stack of Gospel tracts along with this book as it is a tremendous encouragement to believers to get out there and share their faith!
...These Cahill books can be purchased at a fantastic price in bulk! I have ordered a box of 18 copies of "One Heartbeat Away" and a box of 20 of "One Thing You Can't Do in Heaven" for $125 each with free shipping. It is a bit of an investment but it is so wonderful to have these awesome resources handy! Click here for more info and to read the introduction and first chapter of each book!
- Burnable CDs for making copies of FREE DUPLICATION messages to share.
- Misc. items from a dollar store or clearance aisle to toss in as well. Examples: bookmarks, candles, chocolates,ect..
- Gift bags, baskets, tissue paper and gift preparation supplies (Tip: Make day-after holiday trips to buy up drastically discounted bargains on items like gift bags/wrap that can be used year round!)
- Cards (Having a nice package of blank inside cards comes in handy when putting together a gift!)
Once you've put together a gift stockpile you'll be ready for any occasion!
If you hear of someone who is sick send them a "Get Well Soon Package" with a card letting them know you are praying for their recovery but even more so for their eternal salvation. If you hear of someone taking a vacation, send them one of these great books to help pass the time on the plane/car trip. Send a care package for a loved one's birthday expressing your genuine love and care for them not just for the fleeting moment of their "special day", but for eternity!
Look for an occasion and if nothing arises make a "Just Because I Care" basket! If for a lost loved one use it as an open door to present the Gospel to them. If for a dear brother or sister in Christ use it as an opportunity to bless and encourage them in the Lord! (As iron sharpens iron so one man sharpens another - Proverbs 27:17.) Who doesn't love to receive a gift and what Christian can resist the opportunity to exalt the Name of Christ - put the two together and use gift giving as another wonderful way to share Biblical truth with those you love!!
I would encourage you all to create a gift stash! Begin by finding a space you can organize specifically for this use. I've turned my bedroom closet into a "gift closet". I keep a Plastic 5 drawer storage unit and a large rubbermaid tote to store my goodies! Keeping your gifts organized makes for easy prep when an occasion arises!
My Stockpile Favs!:
- Excellent Biblically sound Gospel tracts
- "One Heartbeat Away" by Mark Cahill (For the lost) It shares a full, clear Gospel presentation.
- "One Thing You Can't Do in Heaven" by Mark Cahill (For brothers and sisters in Christ) Be sure to give a stack of Gospel tracts along with this book as it is a tremendous encouragement to believers to get out there and share their faith!
...These Cahill books can be purchased at a fantastic price in bulk! I have ordered a box of 18 copies of "One Heartbeat Away" and a box of 20 of "One Thing You Can't Do in Heaven" for $125 each with free shipping. It is a bit of an investment but it is so wonderful to have these awesome resources handy! Click here for more info and to read the introduction and first chapter of each book!
- Burnable CDs for making copies of FREE DUPLICATION messages to share.
- Misc. items from a dollar store or clearance aisle to toss in as well. Examples: bookmarks, candles, chocolates,ect..
- Gift bags, baskets, tissue paper and gift preparation supplies (Tip: Make day-after holiday trips to buy up drastically discounted bargains on items like gift bags/wrap that can be used year round!)
- Cards (Having a nice package of blank inside cards comes in handy when putting together a gift!)
Once you've put together a gift stockpile you'll be ready for any occasion!
If you hear of someone who is sick send them a "Get Well Soon Package" with a card letting them know you are praying for their recovery but even more so for their eternal salvation. If you hear of someone taking a vacation, send them one of these great books to help pass the time on the plane/car trip. Send a care package for a loved one's birthday expressing your genuine love and care for them not just for the fleeting moment of their "special day", but for eternity!
Look for an occasion and if nothing arises make a "Just Because I Care" basket! If for a lost loved one use it as an open door to present the Gospel to them. If for a dear brother or sister in Christ use it as an opportunity to bless and encourage them in the Lord! (As iron sharpens iron so one man sharpens another - Proverbs 27:17.) Who doesn't love to receive a gift and what Christian can resist the opportunity to exalt the Name of Christ - put the two together and use gift giving as another wonderful way to share Biblical truth with those you love!!
Friday, April 10, 2009
The Big Question
Wretched Easter Special
Life and death. Good and evil. Divine will and human rebellion. Kirk Cameron joins Todd Friel for "The Big Question," A Wretched Easter special. Find more in life - watch "The Big Question" this weekend. Airs on FamilyNet Friday, April 10 at 3PM and 9PM ; Saturday, April 11 at 9PM; Sunday, April 12 at 7PM (all times central).
About the Wretch
Todd Friel is not only a wretch, but he is the chief of wretches. A long-time radio host and former stand-up comedian, Todd hosts Wretched with Todd Friel on FamilyNet Television and Wretched Radio on SIRIUS Satellite Radio Channel 161.
The Big Question can also be purchased through Wretched's website - $9.95 per copy ($8.96 for Wretched Club Members) or $49.75 for 10 copies ($44.78 for Wretched Club Members).
http://www.wretchedradio.com/store/catalog.cfm?id=41
Thorns
Why do roses have thorns? They are so beautiful, and yet can be so painful. Perhaps it's to remind us of the beauty of the Garden of Eden that was marred by the curse of sin. Or perhaps God looked down through time and saw a suffering Savior, wearing a crown of thorns, and the sharp thorns on the rose stem are to remind us that you cannot have a Jesus without that crown of thorns. The world embraces a baby in a manger or a great teacher who espouses profound thought. They admire the beautiful rose and inhale the fragrant perfume, but there is no Jesus without the cross. There is no Rose of Sharon without the cruel crown. Anything else is what the Bible calls, "another Jesus."
(excerpt from a wayofthemasterminute.com post)
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Evangelism Tip Tuesday ~ Prepare to Share the Gospel this Resurrection Sunday!
This Sunday most of us with gather together to celebrate Easter with some of our unsaved loved ones. Often those dearest to us are the ones we find it most difficult to share the truth of the Gospel with. After all, there is much more at stake when dealing with those you love. You may fear you will offend them and lose that relationship that is precious to you. Yet, think about the devastating risk being taken in remaining silent. If they do not see their desperate need for the Savior you will most definitely lose them, maybe not in this brief lifetime, but for all of eternity their soul will be lost in utter anguish as they pay the wages of their sin in Hell.
Let's set aside our selfish fears and proclaim the truth of the Gospel this Easter! Here are a few ideas on sharing with those you'll gather with this Sunday, as well as those you'll not see in person but that you care enough to make the extra effort to share with as well.
Did you send out Christmas cards a few months back? If so you probably used that opportunity to share about why Christ came. Why is it that Christians often think of Christmas as the only holiday that lends an open door to share the Gospel with their loved ones? It's not just about the miraculous virgin birth of Christ. Use this Easter as an opportunity to follow up whatever you may have shared in your Christmas cards with full truth of the Gospel - the reason Christ was crucified!
Each December my favorite Christmas song, "It's About the Cross", focuses my thoughts beyond the nativity to resurrection Sunday. Now that that time is upon us I'd like to share those lyrics with you.:
It's About the Cross - By: Go Fish
Verse
It’s not just about the manger where the baby laid
It’s not all about the angels who sang for Him that day
It’s not just about the shepherds or the bright and shining star
It’s not all about the wise men who traveled from afar
Chorus 1
It’s about the cross
It’s about my sin
It’s about how Jesus came to be born once
So that we could be born again
It’s about the stone
That was rolled away
So that you and I could have real life some day
It’s about the cross
Let's remind ourselves of the efforts we place on sharing Christ with others at Christmastime and how important it is on the day we celebrate His resurrection to proclaim His Truth as well!
Write a personal letter voicing your sincere concern for your loved ones and share the truth in love. Be sure that you articulate the true reason why they are in need of a Savior. God is concerned about holiness not merely "happiness". (See my previous blog post "Using Fruit for Fishing Bait?!"for more on this.) You can place these letters inside a card, give alone, or along with a gift. Go beyond preparing these for those you'll see in person, mail them out to others you won't! Pull out your Christmas card address list. (You should find all those who matter most to you there!) Good old fashioned "snail mail" isn't only for December! Your friends, family and neighbors would be delighted to hear from you in April as well!
If you've got a busy schedule this week but don't want to let this opportunity slip through your fingers, then grab some seasonal greeting cards, enclose a tract and write a simple message inside encouraging them to take the time read and give much thought to the the tract enclosed. (If you have no tracts on hand right now use these Free Printable ones!)
If you normally prepare Easter baskets for your loved ones add something much more valuable than chocolate eggs or homemade muffins, this year slip inside a card with a tract sharing the true reason why Christ died.
Give some thought to how you could step a little further out of your comfort zone and use this coming holiday to glorify God! Whatever you do - JUST DO SOMETHING!! The wrath of God that you and I deserved was poured out upon Christ that we could be forgiven. Our immeasurable gratitude alone should be great enough that we cannot help but speak of all He has done.
Enjoy a Beautiful Christ-centered Resurrection Sunday!
Let's set aside our selfish fears and proclaim the truth of the Gospel this Easter! Here are a few ideas on sharing with those you'll gather with this Sunday, as well as those you'll not see in person but that you care enough to make the extra effort to share with as well.
Did you send out Christmas cards a few months back? If so you probably used that opportunity to share about why Christ came. Why is it that Christians often think of Christmas as the only holiday that lends an open door to share the Gospel with their loved ones? It's not just about the miraculous virgin birth of Christ. Use this Easter as an opportunity to follow up whatever you may have shared in your Christmas cards with full truth of the Gospel - the reason Christ was crucified!
Each December my favorite Christmas song, "It's About the Cross", focuses my thoughts beyond the nativity to resurrection Sunday. Now that that time is upon us I'd like to share those lyrics with you.:
It's About the Cross - By: Go Fish
Verse
It’s not just about the manger where the baby laid
It’s not all about the angels who sang for Him that day
It’s not just about the shepherds or the bright and shining star
It’s not all about the wise men who traveled from afar
Chorus 1
It’s about the cross
It’s about my sin
It’s about how Jesus came to be born once
So that we could be born again
It’s about the stone
That was rolled away
So that you and I could have real life some day
It’s about the cross
Let's remind ourselves of the efforts we place on sharing Christ with others at Christmastime and how important it is on the day we celebrate His resurrection to proclaim His Truth as well!
Write a personal letter voicing your sincere concern for your loved ones and share the truth in love. Be sure that you articulate the true reason why they are in need of a Savior. God is concerned about holiness not merely "happiness". (See my previous blog post "Using Fruit for Fishing Bait?!"for more on this.) You can place these letters inside a card, give alone, or along with a gift. Go beyond preparing these for those you'll see in person, mail them out to others you won't! Pull out your Christmas card address list. (You should find all those who matter most to you there!) Good old fashioned "snail mail" isn't only for December! Your friends, family and neighbors would be delighted to hear from you in April as well!
If you've got a busy schedule this week but don't want to let this opportunity slip through your fingers, then grab some seasonal greeting cards, enclose a tract and write a simple message inside encouraging them to take the time read and give much thought to the the tract enclosed. (If you have no tracts on hand right now use these Free Printable ones!)
If you normally prepare Easter baskets for your loved ones add something much more valuable than chocolate eggs or homemade muffins, this year slip inside a card with a tract sharing the true reason why Christ died.
Give some thought to how you could step a little further out of your comfort zone and use this coming holiday to glorify God! Whatever you do - JUST DO SOMETHING!! The wrath of God that you and I deserved was poured out upon Christ that we could be forgiven. Our immeasurable gratitude alone should be great enough that we cannot help but speak of all He has done.
Enjoy a Beautiful Christ-centered Resurrection Sunday!
Monday, April 6, 2009
Friday, April 3, 2009
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Pull the Plug on Atheism
National Atheist Day.
April 1st.
"The FOOL has said in his heart, 'There is no God.'" - Psalm 14:1
For Free articles, videos and resources by best-selling author and TV co-host Ray Comfort that will help you to pull the plug on the rising tide of atheism visit:
April 1st.
"The FOOL has said in his heart, 'There is no God.'" - Psalm 14:1
For Free articles, videos and resources by best-selling author and TV co-host Ray Comfort that will help you to pull the plug on the rising tide of atheism visit:
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