Got to Keep Working

                                                                                   

Mark 16:15

"And He said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every living creature"

Have you ever talked with or tried to witness to someone about Jesus, and just kept coming up empty?That happens to me a lot, seemingly more and more.  I'll change my tactics and delivery, but it seems like I keep getting the same results.  This can really eat you up if you are serious about serving the Lord.  However, the "gifts and calling of God are without repentance"(Romans 11:29).  So with prayer and with the strength of the Lord, we can go into the world day after day, knowing that one lost soul brought to repentance is worth all of the work and heartbreak of countless others who rejected the Lord and our testimony.

One thing that is an obstacle to me is that a lot of people that I talk to either claims to be saved, or that they know God, or that they believe in God but they don't go to church --for whatever reason.  These types of people are really hard to talk to because most of them know quite a bit of scripture; which is really scary for them because it makes them accountable.  "For it had been better for them not to have KNOWN the way of righteousness, than, after they have KNOWN [it], to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them"(2 Peter 2:21).  After all, where much is known, much is required.

It's amazing to me how people can take the Word and twist it around to fit there own life styles and beliefs. Where's the fear of the Lord, or the conviction that comes with being a child of the living God?  It's not there, because these people are lost.   I know that I'm not any body's judge as far as their salvation, but I've found that if you watch someone for a while they will judge themselves; whether they be a child of God or not.  My job is to witness and testify of the cross and to tell of Jesus' great love to us ward.   They either receive it or they don't. 

God bless,

David

Ref:

http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/

 

Thank You Lord

                                                                            



                   

Be a Worker for the Lord

                                                                                                        

James 1:22

Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

Suppose we decided to grow a flower garden this spring. We have the plot all picked out, buy the seed and fertilizer and read every book we could on having a successful garden.  We would also pray a lot for the Lord to bless our garden.  All of this is great planning and a good start, but with all of this there's one more thing we need.  Someone is going to have to till the ground, plant, fertilize and water the seeds.  Then, after they sprout, the garden has to be maintained.  Without someone doing the work all of the planning and prayer means nothing.  The same goes for our Christian walk.

I'm not saying that prayer is not important.  Prayer is absolutely essential for a healthy relationship with God.  I believe that He loves, and expects, to hear from His people on a regular basis.  In fact the Bible say to seek the Lord continually in prayer.  I would not take anything away from the power of prayer.

However, James said that "faith without works is dead", and again, "if you show me your faith without works, I'll show you my faith by my works".  I can see a definite "call to action" in the scriptures for all of God's people.  I know that very few people are called to be a famous evangelist or even the pastor of a church.  One thing that I know is true, though, is that wars are fought and won by front line soldiers.  No matter how great a plan the generals come up with, it takes the common people on the battlefield to make it happen.  My friends, be an unknown soldier for Christ.  You'll be glad that you did.

God Bless

David

Ref:

http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/James-Chapter-1/

 



A Beautiful Creation

                                                                                                      

Gen 1:31

And God saw everything that He had made, and, behold, [it was] very good.  And the  evening and the morning were the sixth day.

How can anyone doubt that this world that we live in was created by a loving God.  Every time that we see a rainbow or a sunset or a new birth, we should be reminded of the awesome power and imagination of our God.  The same hand that made the crocodile is the one that designed the hummingbird and the elephant.  The same one that crafted the Sahara desert, is the one which sculpted Antarctica.  This strange and wonderful world in which we dwell is no doubt the work of a powerful and loving God.

The truly amazing thing about the it all is that the modern world is the same creation that was in the beginning.  God has never changed and never will!  He loves this creation of His and the people that He placed here so much that He was willing to die on the cross to make things right.  The bible says that He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.  So now then His work is done and it's up to us (individually) to repent and accept His son Jesus as our Lord and Savior.  To accept Jesus and live for Him is the only way to true happiness and eternal life. 

David

Ref:

http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Genesis-Chapter-1/







 

Serving the Lord Part II

"The Great Commission"  (Matt 28:19-20)

The great commission which Jesus left with the disciples, just before He ascended into heaven; Matt 28:19-20 reads:  (19) "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:" (20) "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world."

So what do we do about serving the Lord?  The first thing that we do is do away with all of the excuses.  Some people might say; "I don't know enough", or maybe " I don't feel led to do a certain thing".  That's the type of thinking that will really quench the Holy Spirit in your life.  It takes a willing vessel for the Spirit to work.  That's what is pleasing to the Father.  Jesus said in Luke 9:23 that we should deny ourselves, take up our cross daily and follow after him.  If you don't know what your calling is, then read it again and deny yourself (put the Lord first in your life), take up your cross (repent daily of our sins), and follow Jesus (Learn His ways and follow the righteous path that He laid for us).  This is every one's calling.

Jesus set the example for us in the three and a half years that he ministered.  Although His life was cruelly cut short, the legacy that He left us with is still with us.  The reason that this is so is because Godly people were willing to obey the Lord, sometimes at the risk of their life.  Jesus told us to be the light of the world and to preach the Gospel to every living creature.  Let's get rid of those excuses folks.  You have your calling.  You have your commandment.  It's time to get off the church pews and hit the Hy-ways and the hedges, and seek that which is lost.  You don't have to worry, God will equip you; as He already has given us the Holy Spirit to teach us and guide us on our journey. 

David

Reference:

http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org 

          

        



         



           

         





                                    

                                                                                                                

Serving the Lord Part 1

                                                                                          

Joshua 24:15

...as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

We will start our study this week  with Joshua 24:15 which reads;  "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that [were] on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Ammorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord".   This is a very important scripture about the importance of serving God and not turning from His truth unto vain idols.

Since Moses was forbidden to enter when Israel passed into the promise land, the leadership of the people fell on Joshua, who was also ordained of God just as Moses had been.  Joshua was also faced with similar problems as his predecessor in dealing with Israel.  He was burdened with a people who were inclined toward disobedience, idolatry and wickedness, and other faults which displeases God.  It seems that no matter how the Lord worked among the people, they were forever turning away and following the things of the world and flesh.

 "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve".  Israel had the same choice that Jesus gave us in Mathew 6:24 when He said that you cannot serve God and mammon.  The bible also says that friendship of the world is enmity with God.  I don't know about you, but to me these are very important points that the Lord is making in how to serve Him in a way that is pleasing to Him, and not to satisfy our own nature only.

 "Whether the gods which your fathers served that [were] on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell"  Let's think for a minute what Joshua is saying in this line of verse.  The gods which their fathers (or ancestors) served on the other side of the flood were the gods that were in the days of Noah.  The bible says that the people of that day were living it up and knew nothing until the flood  overtook them.  When the Lord had enough of the wickedness He destroyed all life with the flood, except for the ones in the ark--8 souls and the animals which Noah was commanded to take into the ark.  All of the gods and idols were powerless to stop the wrath of almighty God.  He also offered them the choice of the gods of the Ammorites.  Joshua pointed out to the children of Israel that they were living in the land which they had taken from the Ammorites.  Again the Ammorite gods were completely silent against the living God of Israel, who had delivered up the enemy unto Israel and gave them the land for an inheritance.

Well that winds up this section of our study on serving God.  Let's not be too hard on Israel, because we have the same choice today that they had then.  do we put God first in our lives as we should are do we put the things of the world first.  Everyone has this decision to make; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

God Bless

David

References:

http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org



                                                                     

Serve the Lord thy God

                                                                           

Joshua 24:15

    "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that [were] on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord".

That's a pretty straight-forward proposition that Joshua put to the tribe of Israel.  The knowledge, as Christians, of how to serve the Lord our Savior is a very serious matter, that each of us should think about each and every day.  Just like Israel in the days of Joshua, all too many times we call out to God when we're in need or sometimes when we want something that is to hard or maybe impossible to get on or own; and when things are going good then we put Him back on the shelf until we're in need again.

We're going to have a study over the next few days and discover in the Word just how we can serve God, and what we can do to please Him and bring glory and honor to His name.  I hope that you will join us and be sure to add any comments or questions.  Until next time God bless and I hope you the best.

Dave

References:

http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org