Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Share Your Faith And Make Disciples



Question: Are you sharing your faith in Christ with others?

The reason why I ask is that many believers don’t share their saving faith with others for a variety of personal reasons.  Many of us have the desire to share the “Good News”, but allow the fear of rejection and persecution to prevent us from doing so. One thing we know is that God wants us to serve Him in ways that express His desires.  The good news for us is that God will provide the strength and means to do His work. In fact, God, through the work of the Holy Spirit, is changing us from the inside out in order for our lives to reflect the character of Jesus. For example, our lives will be known for the depth of love we have for others, the joy of being content with God's provision, the peace that transcends all understanding, the integrity of our work and the way we handle dealing with others, the way we serve God and others, The excellence we strive for in all areas of our lives, the forgiveness and grace that are part of who we are, etc. 

The Bible tells us that God begins a work in us and through us that extends throughout our entire lives:
 
Philippians 1:6 NIV
being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

The Bible tells us that God has a good purpose for what He is doing in us and through us:

Philippians 2:13 NIV
for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.


The Bible tells us that whatever God calls us to do He will provide the means to do it:

Philippians 4:13 NIV
I can do everything through him who gives me strength.


Ephesians 4:11-12 NIV
 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up



So if God is equipping us to share our faith then we should take very seriously the Great Commission to go and make disciples. Sharing our faith is just one part of the equation. We are also called to train others about the principles of God. A disciple is a student who learns and imitates what He or she has learned. Many people just stop at sharing their faith. Jesus is calling us to teach and train others to grow in their faith, trust and knowledge of God. 
 

Jesus has commanded us to share our faith and make disciples:

 1 Peter 3:15 NIV
But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the
reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect

2 Timothy 3:16-17 New International Version (NIV)
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Acts 1:8 TNIV  
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

Matthew 28:18-19 NIV
Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.


Our love for Jesus will motivate us to care about the salvation of others:

John 14:23 NIV 
Jesus replied, "Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.

Our love for God and others should reflect the 2 greatest commandments of God:
 
Matthew 22:37-39 NIV
Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'


So here is the Good News:
 
John 3:16 NIV
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish  but have eternal life.

Don’t pass up the opportunity to pass along to someone the hope you have. Also teach them how to grow in their relationship with God.

Romans 5 NIV
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we  rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 

Romans 12:1-2 NIV
A Living Sacrifice
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

John 15:5 NIV
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.



Principles of Salvation - A Saving Faith:

Lets go over what a “Saving Faith” is composed of:
A “Saving Faith” is: Once we have heard the Gospel, we believe God, and act on that belief.

The three elements of a “Saving Faith”:
  1. Content: Through Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection from the dead, we have forgiveness of our sins.
  2. Personal Agreement: We agree with the Gospel and its content.
  3. Commitment: We then call on Christ alone to save us and commit to making Him Lord and Savior.

A “Saving Faith” is in Christ alone. There are times when we all get different messages in our head that may cause doubt or belief in something that may not reflect the truth of God’s word. As Christians we need to make sure we are hearing and applying Jesus' Words. The truth about hearing Jesus is that His message is never contrary to what the Bible teaches. That is why we should test everything we hear with what the Bible says.

 
Here is an approach to teaching the Gospel that aligns itself directly with God’s teaching.  
 It is called the “Roman Road”. In the Book of Romans, Paul laid out God’s plan of salvation through passages of scripture. We will lay out these passages in a systematic way.  When sharing the Gospel It is Important for us to be able to be articulate man's dire spiritual condition and then show that through God's grace and amazing love, this separation from God can be restored into a right relationship with Him. 


Romans 3:23
“For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.”
  • Sin = disobedience to God.
  • We must all realize that we are sinners and that we need forgiveness. We are not worthy of God’s grace.

Romans 6:23
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
  • Death = Separation from God now and forever.
  • Eternal Life = Life with God now and forever.
  • If we remain sinners, we will die. However, if we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, and repent of our sins, we will have eternal life.

Romans 5:8
“But God demonstrates His love toward us, in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
  • Through the work of Jesus on the cross, God gave us a way to be saved from our sins. 

Romans 10:9   
“That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
  • When a person confesses, truly believes, that Jesus Christ is Lord and believes in their heart that God raised Him from the dead and they will be saved.
Romans 10:13
“For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”
  • There are no religious formulas or rituals -- When a person calls upon the name of the Lord they will be saved. 

Note:
Faith is a gift from God. A Supernatural work of the Holy Spirit.


Ephesians 2:8 NIV
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, 
it is the gift of God



 So What does this all mean:
  • We are all sinners.
  • Our sin separates us from God.
  • Our sin and rebellion ultimately lead  to an eternal separation from God in death as well.
  • Because of Jesus’ love for us, He willingly gave His life to fulfill God’s plan of Salvation.
  • By willingly going to the cross, Jesus received the penalty for our sin so we wouldn’t have to.
  • As Christians we believe that Jesus died for us and was raised from the dead for the purpose of our Salvation.
  • Our Salvation is based on God’s Grace alone, not our works or deeds.
  • Our Faith is now in God and his plan of Salvation, not our own preconceived notions of what makes us good in God’s eyes. The Bible says: “The Righteous will live by Faith”
  • The Object of our Faith is Jesus Christ.
  • Finally we need to ask Jesus to be our Lord and Savior.
  • Once Jesus becomes our Lord and Savior we can live the abundant life God desires for His Children.
  • We are no longer enemies of  God nor under His Wrath.
  • We are adopted into God’s family.
  • The Holy Spirit indwells in us.
  • We are a new creation in Christ.
  • We have a purpose filled life.
  • We have the Fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-23)
  • We can love others as much or more than we love ourselves.
  • We can even pray for our enemies.
  • We have eternal life.

Now that’s Good News. Share it with someone. 


Just Sayin…………………..Dave





Wednesday, June 19, 2013

A Sense Of Peace – Peace with God:



A Sense Of Peace – Peace with God:
There is a great desire for peace amongst many people I have encountered. But peace is hard to achieve when those same people are broken and struggling with sin, when some of them are living in survival mode, and when some hate those that are not like them. An even greater reason for not being at peace is the fact that many people are not friends with God. There is a great tension that exists because people who naturally want to be master of their own universe while at the same time there is a God calling them to be set apart to Himself and to submit their desires for His. God created us all with a God sized hole yet many people try to fill that hole with everything but God Himself. This tension that exists between God and man is due to the fact that God created man for the purpose of being in relationship with Him. Because God is rejected by man, and there still exists a great need in the human soul for God, a great restlessness and struggle builds up eventually leading to hindrances and walls separating man from God. True peace can never be  achieved without a real relationship with God. Humanity tends to think man's existence and desires outweigh those of the desires of God. This is a real tension that has existed from the time of the fall of man. You see, many people do believe there is a "God" or higher being, but many don't believe in the one true God, the God of the Bible. They know of Him but don't know Him. They don't call Him by His real name. In fact, many create their own God, one that they can put in their personal box where principles and rules only apply when deemed necessary or fit with in someones personal belief system or social mores. The greatest issue to conflict with God is sin and another is submission to His authority. Many folks struggle with this idea of authority and from the time we are youngsters to adulthood the word no is probably used more regularly than any other word in our vocabulary.

Here is the greatest truth we can know:
 
Only through Jesus can we have true peace and become a friend of God. Jesus said:

John 14:6 NIV 
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 10:9 NIV 
I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture.




Jesus is the only way to salvation and He was born to be our Savior, our Prince of Peace.
His work has reconciled us back to God.

Acts 4:12 NIV 
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

Isaiah 9:6 TNIV 
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Ephesians 2:13-17 NIV
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.

Mark 16:16 NIV 
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Acts 2:21 NIV 
And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Romans 10:9 NIV 
That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,
you will be saved.

Romans 10:10 NIV 
For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.


Even though many people consider themselves religious/Christian because they affiliate
themselves with some denomination or some church they happen to attend every once in a while, they may not reconciled to God due to the fact that they have not come to terms with  what it means to become a true follower of Christ. People can say they believe in God but so do the demons.

James 2:19 NIV
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.


A major component of true faith is that faith needs to be accompanied by action based on ones believe in God and His Word. The issue becomes that faith and action must work together. Faith without works is dead.

James 2:26 NIV
As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.


With the components of faith and action working together real devoted followers of Jesus also live a life set apart to Him. They live a life of worship. There identity is in Christ. They are a new creation.

1 Peter 3:15 NIV 
But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

John 4:23 NIV 
Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.

Luke 9:23 NIV 
Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily
and follow me.

Luke 14:27 NIV 
And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV 
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!


Devoted followers of Christ continue to grow spiritually. The Church along with the power of God's Word and the Holy Spirit play an important role in helping those who become believers mature in their faith.

2 Peter 3:18 NIV
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

1 Peter 2:2 NIV
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,

James 1:22 NIV
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.


Acts 17:11 New International Version 
Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.



2 Timothy 3:16-17 New International Version
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Ephesians 4:11-13 New International Version 
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.



Those who become devoted followers of Jesus will live by faith not by sight.

2 Corinthians 4:18 NIV 
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is
unseen is eternal.

Romans 1:17 NIV 
For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last,  just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."   

2 Corinthians 5:7 NIV 
We live by faith, not by sight.

Galatians 3:26 NIV
You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus,


Attributes of a true devoted follower of Jesus = F-a-i-t-h

  • Follow His example
  • Accept His grace
  • Invest their lives in Him for His Kingdom purpose
  • Trust in God's wisdom and strength
  • Hold on to His promises


So how does being a fully devoted follower of Jesus and living by faith give us peace? :

John 8:12 NIV
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

 2 Corinthians 1:3 TNIV 
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,


Romans 15:13 TNIV  
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

1 Thessalonians 1:6 TNIV  
You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 11:28-30 TNIV
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Philippians 4:6-7 NIV
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

John 14:27 NIV
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Romans 5:1 NIV
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God

So peace with God comes through our relationship with Jesus who paid the price for our sin with His life and blood. Because we have come to receive what Jesus has done, we are no longer under God’s wrath but have become friends with God. We have also been adopted into God's family and have been promised a hope and a future in heaven for all eternity. along with that we have been given the Holy Spirit who is our Guide and Teacher reminding us of everything Jesus has said. With Jesus’ words of hope and His work on the cross comes  a sense of peace to those who have become His disciples.

 John 14:26 TNIV  
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will
remind you of everything I have said to you.

John 14:1-4 TNIV
 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.  My Father's house has plenty of room; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going."

Galatians 5:22 NIV
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness


Having that sense of peace is directly related to the condition of our relationship with God. There are two aspects to this:

  • Our eternal position: Salvation 
 
  • Our daily relationship: Sin vs. Holiness – new self vs. the old self  -separation vs. being connected – self-centered vs. Christ centered

Sometimes I feel like I am two different people. There seems to be a battle between the old self vs. the new self. I humbly admit the old self rears its ugly head sometimes. The difference now is the Holy Spirit has a way of convicting me of the sinfulness of my thoughts and actions. This is a good thing that gets me back on track so I don’t hurt others or cause them to stumble in their faith. One of the goals I have is to be more like Jesus. This means I must take deliberate action on my part to stay connected to God through prayer and the ingestion of His Word. This means I need to be reminded and encouraged that I am a new creation in Christ. Being Christ-like means that I am filled with the Holy Spirit who now rules the desires in my heart and the thoughts in my mind. One thing I need to remind myself of is that I have an enemy who wants to distract me from the things of God and get me focused on my self- centered desires. What better way to make me ineffective as an ambassador for Christ than for me to forget about the importance of putting God first in my life. So even though I have assurance of my salvation, my sin can get in the way of my relationship with God.
                                            
Followers of Jesus have peace due to the assurance of their salvation. Here is the Biblical view:

2 Corinthians 1:21-22 NIV
Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

Ephesians 1:13 NIV 
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed,
you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,


Unconfessed sin builds a wall between us and God.

Isaiah 59:1-2 NIV
Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.
But your iniquities have separated you from your God;  your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.

Proverbs 28:13 NIV
He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

John 8:34 NIV
Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.

Matthew 6:24 NIV
No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.


When we do confess our sin the dynamic in the relationship changes because we are now
open to the Holy Spirit who has the power to direct us back on the path to living a life pleasing to God. Confession and repentance lead to peace with God.

1 John 1:9 NIV
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV 
 If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Psalm 32:1-5 NIV 
Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.
When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.
For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.
Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess
my transgressions to the LORD "— and you forgave the guilt of my sin.

 

Followers of Jesus can experience a peace that transcends all understanding even during the most difficult of times. We have the Holy Spirit indwelled in us so we never have to face difficult circumstances alone. The one huge difference in the way I used to feel before I was a Christian and the way I feel now being part of God’s family is that I never feel alone anymore. I can also be at peace even when I am struggling with the circumstances of living life in a fallen world. 

During my days of living a Godless self-centered life I used to feel empty and uneasy within myself in and  amongst any of my circumstances. For many years daily life was a struggle and very unsettling to me. I resorted to substitute avenues of comfort to get me through each day. As a devoted follower of Jesus I now know that that I am loved by God and have the wisdom, direction and discernment I need to navigate through the pitfalls that living this fallen world can bring about. With the knowledge and relationship I have with the Holy Spirit working in my life, peace is at hand and I am able to get back on the right path to living this life for God and for the sake of His kingdom.

My favorite Bible verse is from proverbs and sets the stage for living in peace and being at peace with God:

Proverbs 3:5-6 TNIV
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him (In all your ways acknowledge Him - NIV), and he will make your paths straight.  



Just Sayin………………..Dave