Sovereign Calling

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.

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August 26

Evangelism: Sovereign Calling

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
--John 1:12-13

There is another and worse evil which springs from this basic failure to grasp the radical difference between the natures of the two worlds. It is the habit of languidly "accepting" salvation as if it were a small matter and one wholly in our hands. Men are exhorted to think things over and "decide" for Christ, and in some places one day each year is set aside as "Decision Day," at which time people are expected to condescend to grant Christ the right to save them, a right which they have obviously refused Him up to that time.

Christ is thus made to stand again before men's judgment seat; He is made to wait upon the pleasure of the individual, and after long and humble waiting is either turned away or patronizingly admitted. By a complete misunderstanding of the noble and true doctrine of the freedom of the human will salvation is made to depend perilously upon the will of man instead of upon the will of God.

However deep the mystery, however many the paradoxes involved, it is still true that men become saints not at their own whim but by sovereign calling. The Pursuit of Man, pp. 37-38

"Sovereign God, I'm Your servant. I'll share the message, I'll pray for response, but only You can draw an unsaved person to faith in Christ. Thank You for the privilege of having even a small part in Your sovereign work. Amen."

Evangelism: Too Easily Converted

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.

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August 21

Evangelism: Too Easily Converted

Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." --John 8:31-32

First, we must consider the person who becomes a disciple of Christ on impulse. This is likely to be the person who came in on a wave of enthusiasm, and I am a little bit suspicious of anyone who is too easily converted. I have a feeling that if he or she can be easily converted to Christ, he or she may be very easily flipped back the other way. I am concerned about the person who just yields, who has no sales resistance at all....

Actually, I go along with the man or woman who is thoughtful enough about this decision to say truthfully: "I want a day to think this over," or "I want a week to read the Bible and to meditate on what this decision means."

I have never considered it a very great compliment to the Christian church that we can generate enthusiasm on such short notice. The less there is in the kettle, the quicker it begins to boil. There are some who get converted on enthusiasm and backslide on principle! Faith Beyond Reason, pp. 55-57

"Lord, this is contrary to our usual thinking. We're aware of the urgency of the hour, of the need to trust Christ before it is too late. But thank You for this perspective on serious consideration rather than flippant acquiescence. Amen."

Why Do I Procrastinate?

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Why Do I Procrastinate?
by Rick Warren

Anyone who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins. James 4:17 (NIV)

"What have you been postponing? Ask yourself, "What am I afraid of?""

The Bible has a lot to say about procrastination.  Just take a minute to read today's verse and really let it sink in.  I know the things I ought to do and I don't do them.  And I know the things I shouldn't do and I do those.  But I procrastinate on the things I really want to change in my life. Why? 

The Bible says you procrastinate for one of five reasons.

1.  Indecision. "A double minded man is unstable in all he does."  (James 1:8 LB)  Have you ever sent a waiter away at a restaurant because you couldn't make up your mind?  Indecision causes you to postpone buying a car, choosing a college, getting married, buying new clothes, changing a job.

2.  Perfectionism. "If you wait for perfect conditions, you'll never get anything done!" (Ecclesiastes 11:4 LB) If you wait for things to be perfect, you're going to wait a long time. You don't have the time or the money for things to be perfect.

3.  Fear. "The fear of man is a trap."  (Proverbs 29:25 LB) Have you been postponing going to the dentist?  Or having that needed surgery?  Or getting into marriage counseling?  Sharing your faith at work?  Ask yourself, "What am I afraid of?" 

4.  Anger. "A lazy person is as bad as someone who is destructive." (Proverbs 18:9 GNT) Procrastination is a way to get back at people we don't like.  We delay.  Kids are great at procrastination.  You ask them to clean up their room.  They do it but they take so long doing it. One of the reasons may be that they're resisting your control. Procrastination is passive resistance.  I don't want to do it because I don't like you telling me to do what I have to do.  Anger causes us to put things off.

5. Laziness. "Lazy people want much but get little, while the diligent are prospering." (Proverbs 13:4 LB) One of the most popular words in America is "easy." If it's easy, we like it.  If it's hard, we don't like it.   Can you imagine a best seller titled, "Ten Difficult Steps to Change Your Life" or "Fifteen Difficult Ways to Get in Shape"?  If it's easy, we like it.  If it's hard, we don't like it. 

The next time you find yourself procrastinating, stop and ask yourself why. Then ask God to help you overcome it so you can move forward and do what you need to do.

You can’t please everybody

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

You can't please everybody
by Rick Warren

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Romans 12:18 (NIV)

"Even God can't please everybody. Only a fool would try to do what even God can't do."

Have you realized that there are some people you can't please?  No matter what you do or what you try or how nice you are to them. You just can't please everybody.

But the Bible tells says you don't need to please everybody. "It is dangerous to be concerned with what others think of you." (Proverbs 29:25 LB) It's an emotional trap when you start worrying about what other people think. We buy things we don't need with money we don't have to impress people we don't even like -- all because we think we must be liked by everyone in order to be happy. That's foolish!

Jesus said, "I only seek to please Him who sent me."  (John 5:30 LB) Even Jesus didn't try to please everybody. One person wants it to rain; another doesn't want it to rain. I was one in Texas talking to oil people.  They want oil prices to go up; the rest of us are hoping they'll go down.  Even God can't please everybody.  Only a fool would try to do what even God can't do. 

In Luke 6:26 Jesus said, "Woe to you when all men speak well of you." (NIV) That's probably because the only time everybody's going to speak well of you is at your funeral!

I meet Christians all the time who must live with someone who makes life crazy. Every day they face someone who is an EGR (extra grace required).  They say, "I try and try to make peace with this person, but I fail and I feel so guilty."  The fact is, it may not be your fault.  It may be the person you're trying to make peace with is just flat out difficult. 

Give that person to God and focus on pleasing Him.

Love, love, love

John 13:35 (New International Version)

³⁵By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

Stepping into a new life

Friday, July 23, 2010

Stepping into a new life
by Rick Warren

"Come!" answered Jesus. So Peter got out of the boat and started walking on the water to Jesus. Matthew 14:29 (TEV)

"By our obedience, we learn to be faithful."

(This guest devotional is by Jon Walker, author of Costly Grace: A Contemporary View of Bonhoeffer's 'The Cost of Discipleship.)

When Peter stepped out of the storm-tossed boat and onto the water, where was the safest place to be? In the boat or in the arms of Jesus?

The answer, of course, is Jesus, and for a brief time, Peter saw that. Right then he got a glimpse of what it is like to TRUST in Jesus and what it is like to operate within the realm of costly grace as a citizen of the kingdom of heaven.

And we get a glimpse of that too. We see that following Jesus requires us to step into apparent insecurity in order to find true security.

It's a paradox of faith: Our first step of faith places us in a position where faith becomes possible. By our obedience, we learn to be faithful. If we refuse to follow, we never learn how to believe. We stay stuck in the shallow end of faith, trusting in ourselves, living by sight and not by faith.

The essence of discipleship is Jesus constantly pushing us into new situations where it is possible for us to trust him even more. He pushes us toward "the impos­sible situation in which everything is staked solely on the word of Jesus," says the German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Undeterred Determination

June 5, 2010 — by Joe Stowell

Read: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21

All things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. —2 Corinthians 5:18

Bible in a year:
2 Chronicles 23-24; John 15

One of the great privileges of serving at Moody Bible Institute was hearing about graduates who had impacted the world for Christ. Their stories of sacrifice, perseverance, and passion for the gospel were inspiring.

In the late 19th century, Mary McLeod Bethune spent 2 years studying at Moody in Chicago, training to become a missionary in Africa. But after she graduated, no mission board would give her the opportunity, as an African-American woman, to serve on the mission field. Unable to fulfill her dream to go to Africa, she didn’t give up on her calling to serve Jesus. Undaunted, she started a small school for African-American girls in Florida that would eventually blossom into Bethune-Cookman College. She became a powerful force for change in the status of women.

Mary’s legacy was forged by her determination to serve Jesus even in the face of shattered dreams. She knew that God had entrusted to her “the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:18)—and she wouldn’t give up.

That wasn’t just a mandate for Mary McLeod Bethune. Telling people they can be reconciled to God through Christ is a calling given to all of us. Look for a way to make a difference for Jesus today—right where you are!

Wherever You have placed us, Lord,
Give us the courage to proclaim
To people who are lost in sin:
“You can be new in Jesus’ name.” —Sper

One of the qualities God looks for in His people is a heart that is willing to serve Him.

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