Sending You

Have you been sent out to heal the sick, to cast out demons, preach the gospel and set the captive free?  I believe that every born-again believer has this capability.  I believe these things are in the grasp of every believer but you must have faith to accomplish these things.  I believe the greatest prerequisites for doing these things is a strong faith, a strong commitment, a strong love and desire to see people healed and set free, also a committed prayer life and the anointing and the power of the Lord on your lives.  Some of these things can only be done through prayer and fasting. It seems like these things have become things of the past.

I think about what it says in Luke 10:1-9 when the Lord sent out 70 disciples to accomplish His task among the people that lived in the day Jesus walked the earth.  Today it seems like the only people that go out witnessing are the Mormons and, those that call themselves, Jehovah Witnesses.  It seems that we who are Christians have gotten lazy and don’t go out and share the gospel with others, we wait until they come to our houses of worship instead of bringing them in like we did at one time years ago.  Our priorities seem to have changed over the years.

When Jesus sent the seventy disciples out in Luke 10, He said to them that they would be like lambs among wolves.  In Matthew 10:16 Jesus also said to His disciples, “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.”  In Luke 10 it also says that Jesus sent these servants out so they could pave the way for Him because He would be visiting these cities.

Think of this as it says in Philippians 2:10-11, “so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”  The problem is that some may do it because they have to, while others because they want to.  Question: how many will want to because of your faithfulness to have witnessed to them?

These disciples that Jesus sent out were nothing special themselves, they were common ordinary people like you and I, what equipped them was the Lord’s power and their vision, like I have said many times in the past, “God doesn’t call the equipped but He equips the called.”  Every believer has this power and calling on their lives.  If we are born-again what excuse do we have for not sharing the Lord with others?  It all comes down to our choice like everything else we do.  These 70 disciples made the right choice and went, and when they returned they were rejoicing saying to Jesus, “even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.”  This was a very exciting time for these disciples, they were willing to go so they went and they saw the fruits of their labor.

There is nothing like seeing a soul snatched from the enemy and brought into God’s kingdom, seeing people healed that were bound by sin and sickness and we should want to rejoice in those situations. But, Jesus told them there was something even more exciting than what they experienced, and that was what they were to rejoice in, and that was that their names were written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, praise the Lord!!  If your church doesn’t have this kind of a ministry, going out and sharing the gospel, maybe you could talk to your pastor about starting one.  Pray and seek the Lord about it, it just may be your next ministry.  God bless and have a great day!!             

How Is Your Love Life

Jesus said in Luke 10:27, “And he answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”’  Are you really doing what this says or are you just kidding yourself?  

It is not real hard to gauge these things, the Word says in Matthew 6:21, “for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  I know this is talking about God and money, but I think whatever your treasure is can be in competition with God, and God needs to be first in your life.

How much time do you spend with God compared to the time you spend with the other things you own, or your hobbies?  What dominates your thought life, in other words what do you think about the most?  Can people tell that you’re a Christian just by your actions and your words?  

If I were to go where you live and ask your neighbors about you, what would they say?  I realize there are some exceptions, some people seem to be very hard to get along with no matter how hard you try, but for the most part what do you think their reaction would be, positive or negative and do they know that you are a believer?  Your neighbors need to know that you care for them; they need to experience your love.  All these things are very important, Jesus said this to His disciples in John 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Maybe you are like me at times, and you feel like you are just being used by people and that is the only reason they call or come around because they want something.  To be honest I feel that way most of the time, mostly just being taken advantage of.  But like I always say, when you get up in the morning you have choices to make, you are either going to love and forgive or wind up a bitter and angry person, separated from God because of your sin of unforgiveness.  I chose the former and not the latter.  

Forgiveness and love are key factors in the believer’s life, without them you will become totally miserable and ineffective in your Christian walk.  Maybe you are trying to justify yourself like the lawyer did in the Parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:29-37.  When he said this in verse 29, “But wishing to justify himself he said to Jesus, and who is my neighbor?”  Then Jesus told him a story about a man going from Jerusalem to Jericho being robbed, beaten and stripped on the way and left on the road half dead.  Two men came along, one was a Priest, the other a Levite and when they saw the man they passed by on the other side and did nothing for him.  Then another man came by who was a Samaritan and when he saw the man he had compassion on him, bandaging up his wounds, pouring wine and oil on them and putting the man on his animal to take him to an Inn where he took care of him.  He also gave the innkeeper money to finish his care and said he would give him whatever else it cost to take care of the man when he returned from his journey.  Then Jesus asked the lawyer, “who proved to be the neighbor,” and he said, “the one who had compassion on him.”  So Jesus said, “go and do the same,” which meant that the person that lives next door to you is not the only one that is considered your neighbor.

Love helps those who are in need, regardless of color or ethnic background.  Think of this, the Jews and Samaritans hated each other because the Jews considered themselves a pure race and the Samaritans half breeds, part Jew and part Gentile.  Jews would walk all the way around Samaria to get to their destination; they would never walk through Samaria.  Like I titled this tidbit; “How Is Your Love Life?”  Something to think about, have a great day and God bless!!     

Are You A Soldier

This is part of a soldier’s duty, “To preach the Word, be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with great patience and instruction.”  Paul wrote these things to Timothy in his day and we need to heed these words today just like they did then. The Word was no more important in Paul’s day then it is today.

I have said this before that the truth of God’s Word is so important that it should never be watered down and it should be preached with all humility and sincerity from those who count it a privilege to be called to preach or teach it.  Now is the time to be sincere and preach, or teach, the truth because there will be a time coming when preaching and teaching the Word will be outlawed.  Today people need to hear the truth because they need to live the truth in their lives, plus it is the only thing that will set them free.  

Seems like in our day there are many more false teachers than there were in Paul’s day.  There are many cults in our world today that have some truth but deny the most fundamental truth’s that our Christian faith is founded on.  Many people today flock to the motivational speakers because they want their ears tickled with only part of the truth, the parts that make them feel good.  Without hearing what they think is the negative, that may bring them to repentance through the Holy Spirit‘s conviction which in the end they will have to make a choice to repent or not repent.

Read what it says in 2 Timothy 4:3-4, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.”  This is happening today, but even if this is some people’s choice, they will all need to hear the truth and then everyone will be responsible for the choice they make.

Paul said to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:15, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.”  When the Word of God is taught accurately, it will be used to reveal the problems in our lives; many will be convicted of their sins and be confronted with the truth about themselves so that they can make a choice with what they have been confronted with.  It says this in Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

Even if people hear the truth, reject it and turn to myths, a true soldier must be faithful regardless of the outcome.  Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:5, “But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”  I believe that Paul would want every soldier of the Lord to do the same thing.  

So if you are a preacher, teacher or soldier in the Lord’s army, take these things to heart and be faithful to preach the truth in season and out of season so you can say like Paul said in verses 7-8 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.”

Have a great day and may God bless you and yours.          

A True Saying

This should be very encouraging to the believer.  Peter says this about us in 1 Peter 2:1-5, “Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.  And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

When we come to the Lord for redemption we are guilty of many sins of which Peter names a few, that we all have to resist from doing after we have repented and asked the Lord to forgive us.  When we are converted and forgiven, the rebirth occurs and we have become babes in Christ.  Sort of like babies who need milk to grow physically, we need the milk of God’s Word to grow spiritually. God’s Word is a must for us to feed on if we will ever grow up and mature as believers, but sad to say some never grow to maturity.  How is your hunger for the Word?  

The Jewish people were familiar with the cornerstone being Israel but now Peter applies the image of Christ.  Peter, here, does not do away with the Jewish heritage but fulfills it.  Remember, Christ is the headstone and all believers are little stones that make up the body of Christ.  Each one of us is very important to the health and welfare of the rest of the body and we need each other.  This battle we are in is very tough at times and we all need to be encouraged and built up in the faith, for we are not an island nor were we meant to be.  Even though many reject the cornerstone, we as believers trust in Him, for we know that he is trustworthy, praise His name!

Let me share a couple more encouraging verses with you, it says this in 1 Peter 2:9-10, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”  I realize these scriptures are talking about Israel but I think we are included in this also, praise the Lord!  

Before our conversion we were blind, living in darkness and then the Lord opened our eyes and removed the veil from our minds that Satan held us in spiritual darkness with, and He brought us into His marvelous spiritual light.  Satan had us bound, but the Lord set us free and we are His possession, we are His holy people.  At one time we hadn’t received mercy but in God’s timing we now have received His mercy through Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord.  We are the children of the Almighty God.  

If this doesn’t excite you, nothing will.  If you feel like you want to shout right about now and praise the Lord you have my permission, not that you need it.  I hope you will rejoice and praise the Lord every day for He is truly worthy.  May God bless you and yours and may you have a spectacular day!!                        

Keeping Your Way Pure

“How can a young man keep his way pure?”  This is the answer, “By obeying your word,” it says this in Psalms 119:9.

God said this in Jeremiah 29:10-14 to the Jews, God’s chosen people, when they were in captivity in Babylon, “This is what the Lord says: ‘You will be in Babylon for seventy years.  But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again.  For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord.  ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.  In those days when you pray, I will listen.  If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.  I will be found by you,’ says the Lord. ‘I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes.  I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.’”

Think about this; is anything impossible with the Lord?  The only things God can’t, or won’t, do are the things He chooses not to, like sin, for-instance.  When I think about God’s love, grace and some of His other attributes I wonder how this can be true, that God never gave up completely on His people.  It is amazing how loving, patient and compassionate the Lord is.  When I think about how the Jews treated their God, and how out of love God would correct them, because He is a just God, He would still move on their behalf and forgive and rescue them when they came to their senses, repented and cried out to Him.  

This reminds me of a story in the Bible about a son who wanted his inheritance but when he got it he went away and spent it very foolishly and ended up broke.  Finding the only job he could feeding pigs, which was an abomination to him, he finally came to his senses and started thinking about his father and all the servants he had and how well he took care of them.  Then he decided to go home and face his father and ask him for mercy saying, “I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, I am no longer worthy to be called your son,” which I call repentance; mercy, forgiveness and restoration is what he received.  This young man wasn’t kicked out of the house, what he did he chose to do.  When he spent the money on prostitutes and sinful living that was also his choice.  Humbling himself and repenting was his choice also, just like the Jews at an earlier time in history.  The father hadn’t changed he still loved the son and he looked daily for him to come home.  This story is found in Luke 15:11-32.  The father in this story represents God and His amazing love and grace, praise His name.

This is what God is looking, and waiting, for from every sinner.  Confession, repentance and a humble and contrite heart, God will never despise these things.  He always draws to the humble and resists the proud.  So if you are in a backslidden state or if you are not a believer at all this message is for you.  God loves you and wants you to come back to Him.  So don’t put it off any longer and don’t make the Lord wait another moment, make the right choice now, like the prodigal son did and found a loving father running to him with arms wide open to embrace him.  Let God embrace you also.  May God bless you and have a wonderful day!!

                                                                        

How Are We To Live

How would you answer this question: how are we to live as Christians?  

I think if I was asked this question I may respond like this; not as unwise but as wise, not gratifying the flesh but putting to death my flesh and walking in the Spirit, taking up my cross daily and denying myself and following Christ who is the author and finisher of my faith, pressing on with a faith and a boldness that will be able to stand for the cause of Christ, no matter what the opposition, walking in love for one another, even for my enemies and also, if need be, to suffer for my faith.  I think I should live discerning the times that I live in and always be ready for the return of Christ getting my house in order each day, praying and studying the Word and applying it to my life.

Reading, studying, meditating and memorizing the Word is very important because someday it may be against the law to own a Bible.  The Psalmist said this in Psalms 119:9-11, “How can a young man cleanse his way?  By taking heed according to Your word.  With my whole heart I have sought You; oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!  Your Word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.”

It also says this in John 14:26, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”

It is also important to listen to the Word of God.  All these things are very important so that we can discern the truth from error and not be deceived by false teachers.  Memorizing, studying and learning the scriptures now may someday be what the Lord will use to win the world before Jesus’ return.  What a blessing you may become to new converts at that time when they can’t get a Bible to read for themselves.  

We should live in purity and holiness and at peace with all men as much as is possible with us.  Solomon wrote about this subject in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:  Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all.  For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.”

The better we know the Lord and His Word, the less likely we are to be deceived, so as it says in 2 Timothy 2:15, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

This is a shorter ‘tidbit’ but I think I said enough.  Now you can answer this question for yourself, how are you supposed to live as a believer? Something to think about, God bless and have a great day!!  And don’t forget to thank and praise the Lord.