Category: evangelism

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A Truth

2Tim 3 “Don’t be Left Behind”

The “Left Behind Series” grabbed many viewers and revealed much about the rapture and the end times. But, suppose you could write the headline for the last day’s newspaper that will only be read by those who are “left behind.” Would it say something like this: Where were you when everyone disappeared? This chapter describes in detail why they are “left behind.” They like the people in Noah’s day were ignorant and indifferent to the signs that Jesus and Paul revealed.

Open today’s newspapers and it is almost as if you are reading from Matthew 24 and 2Tim 3! But, with all of that before us, we are to be busy about the Master’s business so that when he does return we are faithfully serving wherever and whenever. And part of that serving is to teach the inspired Word of God which is why Paul ended this chapter with this profound verse:

“Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,…” [2 Tim 3:16]

Not only does Paul tell us that the very Word of God was God breathed but also has four distinct purposes: teaching or instructing; reproving or revealing where one has erred; correction or bringing one back to the foundational principles; and lastly training in righteousness—that is ordering the training steps that will achieve that purpose.

Why did God prepare the scriptures and pass them on century after century? He tells us the reason: that the person dedicated to God may be capable and equipped for every good work.

Don’t be caught unawares and left behind. Instead drink in the God breathed Word so that you are prepared and ready to meet the Master. Know the scriptures and use them to equip yourself for His work.

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Unashamed

2 Tim 1 Is there something of which you are ashamed? Paul wrote to the Romans and then to Timothy that he was unashamed. To the Romans, he wrote that he was not ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of life to the unbelieving. [Rom 1:16] To Timothy he wrote that he was unashamed of Christ for He has given him life eternal. [2 Tim 1:12] These two statements give us the reason Paul continued on even though he suffered greatly here in this physical world, but one day he will receive the crown of righteousness for being faithful. 

Are you ashamed of Christ or His gospel or are you proud to carry the banner of this gospel to the unbelieving world?  How can we do this? Paul writes: Hold to the standard of sound words that you heard from me and do so with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Protect that good thing entrusted to you, through the Holy Spirit who lives within us. [2 Tim 1:13-14] We have an obligation to persevere daily wherever we are and to whom God has sent us. Go forth unashamedly and seek His will not yours. 

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Everyone must choose

ACTS 26 Testifying

Paul has had opportunities that few have had; to stand before judges,rulers and kings more than once. Now, he stands before the king and his testimony is full of his life before Christ andsince meeting Jesus on the Damascus road. With each ruler, Paul has expertly spoken to them using their own life and how they perceive the risen Christ. More than once, Paul has heard: you almost convince me to become a Christian. As we stand before others do we hear the same words after we have testified to the risen Christ? Each time, the Holy Spirit has given Paul the words to convict each person of their sin and. prove their wrong understanding of sin and righteousness and judgment— all because they do not believe in the risen Christ. [John 16:8-9]

Why do we fear speaking about the Christ when it is the Holy Spirit that does the convincing? All three men, Felix, Festus and now Agrippa will have to stand before God one day and they will hear these words; depart from Me, I never knew you, and this is the tragedy of many today. May you not hear those same words but repent now and be saved.

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Blindness

Acts 22 As Paul stood before the Jewish rioters, he expertly took them through his testimony. Later, he would write these famous words: “the god of this world has blinded the minds of those who do not believe so they would not see the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God.” [2 Cor 4:4] He is saying, that was me. 

There are two kinds of blindness; one is physical and one is spiritual. We read about the blind man in John 9 who was blind from birth. Graciously Jesus healed that blindness so he could see. Paul is not speaking of that, but he is speaking about spiritual blindness to the rioting Jews. Paul tells them that this is what he experienced,  and they are just as spiritually blind as he was. To be spiritually blind is one’s inability to see spiritually the truth of the gospel.  

If we return to John 9 we see what spiritually blind is. After seeing the miracle of the formerly blind man,the religious leaders asked Jesus if they were blind too. Here is His response: If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin, but now because you claim that you can see, your guilt remains. [John 9:41]

Ironically, the Jewish rioters are just like the religious leaders, for former Paul,  and those we meet today. They cannot see, cannot understand, but worse they are unwilling to open their hearts, minds and eyes to the truth of the gospel.  

Where are you today? 

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Truth Demands a Response

Acts 17 The Truth Penetrates

God will move His people to where they can hear the truth that Jesus is who He said He was and thus must decide if they will believe or not. God used Paul to speak truth to the Thessalonians of whom were both Gentiles and Jews. Interestingly it was the Jews who became jealous and sought to remove Paul from speaking. Why are the Jews jealous has always intrigued me. As Paul wrote to the Romans, it was they who had received the oracles of God. If that is true, why then did they not accept the words of Paul about God and Jesus? 

Today, when the gospel is shared there are these same two responses. Some believe and others become jealous and seek to destroy the speaker and the words spoken about Jesus. This is then a conundrum (a difficult problem with no easy answers) to me. It reminds me that God opens and closes hearts to hear the words of truth. Each person who is presented the words of truth must decide for themselves. 

 I often take on their responses to myself and pour out guilt upon myself when this is a problem only solved by the intervention of the power of the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit speak to the hearts of those who do not believe and open their heart to hear and be saved as you did for those in Thessalonica and Berea. 

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Jealousy/Envy

ACTS 13 As I sit here reading this chapter I find it disturbing that the very people that God chose to carry His message of love and forgiveness were jealous of the message of Jesus. They would rather remain in spiritual darkness than to receive the light of the gospel message. Today many also do not want to hear this message,  but their ways are not revealed as jealousy or envy, but of disdain.  They use euphemisms as that is ok for you but not for me or they say what I do is worthy of heaven. They cling to their works, but ignore the promises of God. Just as Paul rehearsed the power of the Holy Spirit to change hearts and lives, so we are to do today. 

Paul presented the truth and it was rejected and it happens to us even today. It is hard to see those we care about reject this powerful message. We, who have received the truth, are never to be jealous, but our hearts should be burdened just as Paul’s was. Again we see what the Holy Spirit has revealed: the veil is over their hearts and the enemy has blinded them so they might see the glorious image of Christ. 

Today may our hearts be ready to share the good news with anyone who needs to hear it. 

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Upside Down Theology

Acts 11 God directs our steps, so says the Psalmist. God directed Peter to go and tell the good news to Cornelius who was a Gentile. Six brethren accompanied him, thus giving us the perfect number of seven to be witnesses of this event. The Gentile Cornelius had had an audience with an angel about how to know the way to God and he obeyed. Peter, as the disciple who often challenged Jesus was the chosen recipient to take the good news but first he had to overcome prejudice. 

Do I need to overcome prejudices that will keep me from presenting the good news to unbelievers? Do I need a vision of that which is “unclean” to change my focus, or do I need to have a personal encounter and witness the power of the Holy Spirit to open my eyes? There are many who are waiting to hear the good news and we are to be ready to go and not question the ways of God. 

Again, we see that the Jerusalem church was aghast at the news of the believers in Antioch and the news of Cornelius’ conversion. Just like us, we often fail to recognize that God has done a mighty work. But, graciously God gave them evidence to show them that this good news is not just for the Jew but also for the Gentile. 

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Will you go and tell?

Acts 10 Salvation is for All

In the previous chapter we saw how God called a “righteous” Jew to salvation and he will be used to bring the gospel to many. Today in chapter 10 we find that God calls a “righteous” Gentile to be saved and all of his household. God is showing us that He is the Savior of all, not just the Jews but also for the Gentiles.  

Today look about your neighborhood,and your church and see that God has called many to salvation. Are we like Paul who resisted, but then the Holy Spirit grabbed his heart and he went on to bring the message to many? Or are we like Peter who resisted because of the many rules of the Pharisees of whom he was?  

Look about you and see that what Jesus saw, the fields are ripe for harvest. Will we go into the fields and bring the message of salvation to them? 

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A Damascus Road Experience

Acts 9 One thing we know about Saul is that he believed, like some unbelievers do today, that those who are of the Way must be stopped. They thought then and do today that only those who follow their Way are right. They live by this motto: I am serving God, and I must put to death anyone who speaks of Messiah and His salvation. They believe they are “offering service to God.” [Jn 16:2] This is where we find Saul in this historical record given by Dr. Luke.

Saul had been at the stoning of Stephen, and from there, he sought to kill or punish as many of these “Christians” as he could. Obtaining letters from the high priest, he roamed about Israel, and from there, he went to Damascus so that he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. On a lonely road, Messiah Jesus accosted Saul. The light of the Messiah blinded him as He asked him why he was persecuting Him.

Saul, raised as a Pharisee and taught by Gamaliel, was prepared to know and understand the Torah and the prophets. He was sure that he was doing God’s will by killing or imprisoning as many of the Way as he could. But, God opened his heart to know that Jesus was indeed the Messiah and Saul/Paul was on the wrong path.

Were you raised to know a way to God, but then you met “the” God and found that the Way you were taught was diametrically opposite? Jesus said, ” Come unto me, ” and that is what Saul had missed. Blinded on the road to Damascus, Saul became Paul and went on to preach the gospel message until his death.

Have you had a Damascus Road experience? Tell us about it.

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Scattering brings forth fruit

Acts 8 It is interesting to read this account by Dr. Luke on the scattering of the early church due to persecution. Included in this we see that those who were believers went even to Samaria, a place detested by the Jews. We remember the stories of the Samaritan who cared for the injured man and then we read about the Samaritan woman who came to saving faith. All through the NT, God has given us a glimpse of those who were disregarded by the world, coming to faith. God is not partial to any and He will move heaven and earth to bring the gospel to the lost and dying. Thus we see now again that truth that Joseph saw: even what men try to do evil, God can use to turn to good that all men may hear and believe.  Acts 8 is proof that God can and will bring the gospel message to the world and Satan and his servants cannot stop it! 

Is there a Samaritan in your world that needs the gospel message? Will you and I step out to find them and share the good news? 

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