August: Evangelism
Every notable advance in the saving work of God among men will, if examined, be found to have two factors present: several converging lines of providential circumstances and a person.
Let My People Go: The Life of Robert A. Jaffray, 50.
August 15
Evangelism: Gospel Implications
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,
teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should
live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age.
--Titus 2:11-12
The fact is that the New Testament message embraces a great deal
more than an offer of free pardon. It is a message of pardon, and
for that may God be praised; but it is also a message of
repentance. It is a message of atonement, but it is also a message
of temperance and righteousness and godliness in this present world.
It tells us that we must accept a Savior, but it tells us also that
we must deny ungodliness and worldly lusts. The gospel message
includes the idea of amendment, of separation from the world, of
cross-carrying and loyalty to the kingdom of God even unto death.
To be strictly technical, these latter truths are corollaries of the
gospel, and not the gospel itself; but they are part and parcel of
the total message which we are commissioned to declare....
To offer a sinner the gift of salvation based upon the work of
Christ, while at the same time allowing him to retain the idea that
the gift carries with it no moral implications, is to do him untold
injury where it hurts him worst. The Set of the Sail, 19-20.
"Lord, help me to proclaim the truth, the whole truth, and nothing
but the truth as I present the Gospel today. Amen."
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Have the Attitude of Christ
Philippians 2:1-11 (New Living Translation)
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers.
Philippians 2
Have the Attitude of Christ
1 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
6 Though he was God,[a]
he did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges[b];
he took the humble position of a slave[c]
and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,[d]
8 he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
and gave him the name above all other names,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Footnotes:
- Philippians 2:6 Or Being in the form of God.
- Philippians 2:7 Greek he emptied himself.
- Philippians 2:7 Or the form of a slave.
- Philippians 2:7 Some English translations put this phrase in verse 8.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Friday, June 20, 2008
Saturday, June 14, 2008
How to Stay Motivated When You’re Fatigued
Like an open city with no defenses is the man with no check on his feelings. Proverbs 25:28 (NAB)
*** *** *** ***
It’s not unusual for people to become disillusioned, discouraged, and fatigued about halfway into a difficult challenge. When I start to feel the fatigue, I look to Proverbs 25 and remember that my feelings are not a reliable measure of how things are going.
We’re to trust wholeheartedly in God and put no faith in our own perceptions (based on Proverbs 3:5 NJB).
Our feelings come from a variety of sources – past, present, and future. But feelings often lie; they’re not always a reflection of reality. Plus, life is complex and we must often live with mixed feelings: “Even in laughter the heart may ache, and joy may end in grief” (Proverbs 14:13 NIV).
People often compare life to a roller coaster of hills and valleys, but actually life is more like two rails on a railroad track. One rail represents the good and positive in your life; the other represents the bad and painful in your life.
You’ll always have both at the same time! There will always be something good and something bad happening in your life. We can’t expect everything to be good for one month and then everything to be bad the next month. There’s always a mixture of both, a blending of both bitter and sweet.
However, we can choose the focus: “When others are happy, be happy with them. If they are sad, share their sorrow” (Romans 12:15 NLT).
© 2008 Purpose Driven Life. All rights reserved.
Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., one of America's largest and best-known churches. In addition, Rick is author of the New York Times bestseller The Purpose Driven Life and The Purpose Driven Church, which was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th Century. He is also founder of Pastors.com, a global Internet community for ministers.
*** *** *** ***
It’s not unusual for people to become disillusioned, discouraged, and fatigued about halfway into a difficult challenge. When I start to feel the fatigue, I look to Proverbs 25 and remember that my feelings are not a reliable measure of how things are going.
We’re to trust wholeheartedly in God and put no faith in our own perceptions (based on Proverbs 3:5 NJB).
Our feelings come from a variety of sources – past, present, and future. But feelings often lie; they’re not always a reflection of reality. Plus, life is complex and we must often live with mixed feelings: “Even in laughter the heart may ache, and joy may end in grief” (Proverbs 14:13 NIV).
People often compare life to a roller coaster of hills and valleys, but actually life is more like two rails on a railroad track. One rail represents the good and positive in your life; the other represents the bad and painful in your life.
You’ll always have both at the same time! There will always be something good and something bad happening in your life. We can’t expect everything to be good for one month and then everything to be bad the next month. There’s always a mixture of both, a blending of both bitter and sweet.
However, we can choose the focus: “When others are happy, be happy with them. If they are sad, share their sorrow” (Romans 12:15 NLT).
© 2008 Purpose Driven Life. All rights reserved.
Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., one of America's largest and best-known churches. In addition, Rick is author of the New York Times bestseller The Purpose Driven Life and The Purpose Driven Church, which was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th Century. He is also founder of Pastors.com, a global Internet community for ministers.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Grace
Ephesians 2:8 (New Living Translation)
8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.
Ephesians 2:8 (The Message)
The Message (MSG), Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson, [The Message at Navpress] [NavPress]
7-10 Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It's God's gift from start to finish! We don't play the major role. If we did, we'd probably go around bragging that we'd done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer
April 26
Prayer: Be Patient
Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in
prayer.
--Romans 12:12
Think of the kernels of grain, the seed, that the farmer plants in
the ground in the fall of the year. How patient the farmer must be!
Throughout the long, cold winter the seed is dormant. There is no
evidence at all that it is there--covered by the cold earth itself.
The snows come and go. The ground freezes and thaws. Does the
farmer lie awake at night worrying that those seeds he placed in
the ground may be ineffective? He does not. He knows that spring
will come!
And in due course, the sunshine of March or April warms the air.
Spring rains water the ground. The farmer knows then that it will
not be long until green shoots suddenly break out from their
covering of earth. And in their own time, great waving fields of
grain are ready for the harvest. The farmer's faith in the seed he
planted is fully justified.
Likewise, God wants us to be patient with every prayer and
petition we sincerely send up to that heavenly altar. Our praying
done in the Spirit cannot be ineffective. It is as though God is
saying to us: "You have planted the seed. You have prayed for My
will to be done and for My kingdom to come on earth.... The
effective prayers of my son, Jesus, will join with the effective
prayers of righteous men and women. Be patient and put your trust
in Me, day by day!" Jesus Is Victor!, 122.
"Lord, I'm tempted to jot down, 'Give me that patience, and give
it to me now!' That's so typical of our hurried mind-set. Change
that mind-set for me today, Lord, and give me a patient,
steadfast faith, with a willingness to wait for the harvest.
Amen."
Prayer: Be Patient
Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in
prayer.
--Romans 12:12
Think of the kernels of grain, the seed, that the farmer plants in
the ground in the fall of the year. How patient the farmer must be!
Throughout the long, cold winter the seed is dormant. There is no
evidence at all that it is there--covered by the cold earth itself.
The snows come and go. The ground freezes and thaws. Does the
farmer lie awake at night worrying that those seeds he placed in
the ground may be ineffective? He does not. He knows that spring
will come!
And in due course, the sunshine of March or April warms the air.
Spring rains water the ground. The farmer knows then that it will
not be long until green shoots suddenly break out from their
covering of earth. And in their own time, great waving fields of
grain are ready for the harvest. The farmer's faith in the seed he
planted is fully justified.
Likewise, God wants us to be patient with every prayer and
petition we sincerely send up to that heavenly altar. Our praying
done in the Spirit cannot be ineffective. It is as though God is
saying to us: "You have planted the seed. You have prayed for My
will to be done and for My kingdom to come on earth.... The
effective prayers of my son, Jesus, will join with the effective
prayers of righteous men and women. Be patient and put your trust
in Me, day by day!" Jesus Is Victor!, 122.
"Lord, I'm tempted to jot down, 'Give me that patience, and give
it to me now!' That's so typical of our hurried mind-set. Change
that mind-set for me today, Lord, and give me a patient,
steadfast faith, with a willingness to wait for the harvest.
Amen."
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