7th Year 11-12 Edition 3 – Jhn 8-10
l The Feast l
Sep 14-16_2012 John 8-10
Dear Saints,
This weekend we prayerfully Feast in John 8 -10. This weekend I want to share something with you Saints. Brother Robert Waters posts a Daily blog “The Holy Spirit Is Calling!” You know we put an emphasis on sharing Jesus with the world. Yesterday Brother Waters sent this email out about personal evangelism. He gave me permission to share this with you, it really hits home;
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Sharing one's faith often is the mature believer's Achilles' heel. As we grow in grace in all other areas of the faith, we tend to lag behind in preaching the Gospel to unbelievers in our workplaces and neighborhoods. Excuses for our lack of obedience in this area abound.
While we see the immediate benefits that sharing our faith has toward unbelievers, we do not see the immediate benefits that sharing our faith has toward ourselves. Yet the benefits toward our own walks with the Lord should move us to share. Here are four benefits:
Sharing Expands Your Study of the Bible and Theology
As you share your faith with unbelievers, especially those less familiar with Christian culture and jargon, they are likely to raise questions about the Christian faith. In particular, they are likely to raise questions related to evil in the world or current events. But we do not always have the answers. So then we have to go back to the Scriptures, pull out commentaries, apologetics books, and systematic theologies so that we can be better equipped for answers to future questions. "Why is it that you must believe in theism in order to be morally good when many atheists seem to be upright citizens?" "Is Cain's wife a problem for the trustworthiness of Scripture?" You will need to study in order to answer these questions and give reason for your hope (1 Pet. 3:15). In the process of study, your own knowledge of Scripture and theology will deepen.
Sharing Encourages You to deepen in Prayer
Regularly sharing your faith quickly will lead you to people who are hostile or simply will not listen to reason. Unfortunately, when we run into such people, we might be tempted to "win" an argument rather than explain the Gospel. This is prideful response—a one that focuses on oneself and the desire to be victorious rather than defeated. In effect, we act as if the Lord would be glorified only by our power to convince another. We fall into this self-centered response due to a lack of dependency on the Spirit (cf.Mk. 14:38). In contrast, the Spirit's power comes through prayer (Acts 4:31).
Sharing Fosters Humility When We Realize our Weakness to Rescue a Soul
Being full of the Spirit through prayer does not guarantee the conversion of the one with whom we are sharing. Even our clearest presentations of the Gospel with the most loving approaches toward the unbeliever cannot make someone respond to the truth about Christ. A heart that is blind to God's glory, corrupt in its thinking about God, hateful toward its creator, and completely unregenerate is not overcome by the craftiness or perfection of our speaking. Only the power of Christ opens lost eyes to salvation in Christ; it is a work of divine grace and mercy, not of human skill.
For someone burdened for the souls of the lost, this can be frustrating. However, it should be humbling, for our lack of ability to convert a soul shows that we are yet helpless. Being helpless, we are unable to view ourselves as significant, important, or powerful. Instead, we are insignificant, unimportant, and weak. With this view of ourselves, we are prepared to receive great grace, "for God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (Ja. 4:6).
Moreover, Christ told his disciples that they would reap [souls] for "harvest" (salvation) where others had sown [the Gospel] (Jn. 4:38). When we witness someone's eyes open to Christ as a result of our sharing the Gospel, even then it is because of work on the part of God through others. We, weak as we are to save a soul, only have been vessels of the Gospel.
Sharing Sensitivity to Lostness of World—to the Experiences of Others
Sharing my faith is a great vaccine against ministering to others in a manner that is overly influenced by my level of social mobility, healthy family background, or measure of grace given to my marriage. While sharing my faith, I run into people who have given up on "church" and "religion" because "life" has dealt them a bad hand - a hand with which I often have no personal experience. As the people on the other end of my sharing of the Gospel relate to me stories of childhood molestation, abandonment by a parent or spouse, their family's fall into poverty at the death of the breadwinner, or of growing up fatherless, I am moved to pity for them. However, if I stay in my isolated and protected world of a strong Christian church, and a faithful and loving family, I will miss hearing of the ravages of sin in the lives of others. By sharing the Gospel I stay sensitive to the various forms and consequences of sin in the lives of people.
Sharing Makes You Faithful to the Great Commission—to Giving Gospel to the lost
The most obvious benefit to ourselves is that we are obedient to the Great Commission (Mt. 28:19-20), and thus to the Lord. This comes with the added benefit of the promised presence of God himself: "I will be with you always, even until the end of the age."
Share your faith with others. You will bless them with the offer of the Lord's love, grace, mercy, joy, and peace through the preaching of the Gospel. In doing so, the sharing will bless you too.
Jesus is our Savior besides him there is no other! “12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”” John 3:8 ESV Let His light be revealed through you! Keep the first thing first! That is salvation through the blood of the lamb, Jesus. Join us at http://www.admenu.com/am/praise.html for praise and prayer. I am not educated or a theologian so If I am wrong or mistaken please email me mlitew8@yahoo.com. I love prayerful correction and suggestions. To correspond with a pastor email Pastor Glen; evangelistglen@yahoo.com. If the Lord is willing I’ll send and post the Feast again Monday.
The Feast
Fri, September 14, 2012, John 8, - “The ministry of Christ. (1-3) The parable of the sower. (4-21) Christ stilleth the tempest and casteth out devils. (22-40) The daughter of Jairus restored to life. (41-56)“ – Matthew Henry Concise
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Sat, September 15, 2012, John 9, - “The apostles sent forth. (1-9) The multitude miraculously fed. (10-17) Peter's testimony to Christ, Self-denial enjoined. (18-27) The transfiguration. (28-36) An evil spirit cast out. (37-42) Christ checks the ambition of his disciples. (43-50) He reproves their mistaken zeal. (51-56) Every thing to be given up for Christ. (57-62)“ – Matthew Henry Concise
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Sun, September 16, 2012, John 10, - “Seventy disciples sent forth. (1-16) The blessedness of Christ's disciples. (17-24) The good Samaritan. (25-37) Jesus at the house of Martha and Mary. (38-42)“ – Matthew Henry Concise
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Will you please Join us in spreading the Word of God? You are an eternal being, where you spend eternity depends on your relationship with God? If you want to be sure, turn from sin and just say this simple prayer; “Dear God, I am a sinner and need forgiveness. I believe that Jesus Christ shed His precious blood and died for my sin. I am willing to turn from sin. I now invite Christ to come into my heart and life as my personal Saviour.“ If you said this prayer inviting Jesus into your heart. Now turning from sin, and seek fellowship just as we do. We worship and fellowship in a Church (group of believers) that strives to measures up to God’s Word. You need a Bible believing body of believers (church) to worship and pray with. Our salvation depends completely on God! We are the Saints that Jesus sacrificed his life to pay in full for our sin, when we repent (turn from sin) and accept Jesus. If you have trouble finding a good bible believing church in your neighborhood send me an email and I’ll see if I can help; mlitew8@yahoo.com or if you want a pastor email Pastor Glen; pastorglenacock@ymail.com
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Praise & Prayer List
Jesus please let your perfect will be done, Amen!
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God Bless you,
Brother Mike
Tags: jesus, love, hope, care, god, holy, ghost, save, help
“3 [Called to Blessing] Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous;” 1 Peter 3:8
Brother Bob Waters sends it out daily, check it out here “HOLY SPIRIT IS CALLING” if you are interested in having it sent to your email it write to Bob at: bob.beverlee@gmail.com.
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