Ditch the "Friendship" Evangelism!!

US 2012 death rate has surpassed 2.5 Million.
And the rate increases every year. (Huffington Post: below link)
More than 38,000 commit suicide per year in the US alone.

Also, more than 150,000 people die around the world every day.



SPEAK TRUTH! WARN PEOPLE! PROCLAIM THE GOOD NEWS!


The command: 

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” - Matt 28

Everyone... This includes your mailman!



We're not here to make friends! We're here to pull people out of the fire and there's no time for people to experience a long life of your good works. (Ditch the "Friendship" Evangelism)

“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it". - Matt. 10

"You believe that there is one God; Good for you: the demons also believe, and tremble". - James 2:19

 



True belief generates action. If you believed your ceiling was about to cave-in while you were home watching TV, you would act on this belief and jet out of the living room to save yourself from a serious headache.

"The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead." - Acts 17:30-31

Yes, I said it... "Judgment is coming"! 
 
Most believers have read that God's Word "will not come back void" and that it'll do what it's set out to accomplish (Isaiah 55:11).

But how many people consider that the Word can either become a seed unto salvation for the person who heeds it as well as a nail in the coffin of the person who rejects it?   Every time the Word is proclaimed, something powerful and spiritual is happening in the life of the listener.   That's how powerful God's Word is.

"Heaven and earth shall pass away but behold my Words will never pass away"-
Matt. 24:35, Mark 13:31, and Luke 21:33. 

All 3 writers quoted this important Truth.

"The wicked shall return to Sheol, all the nations that forget God". - Psalm 9:17

So if you're obedient to God's Word, and abide in God's will, you will warn people; no matter what it takes, and spread the COMPLETE Gospel of Truth, SIN, GOD'S LAW, HELL, REPENTANCE, SALVATION, HOPE AND LOVE. 
 


When we're more concerned with not offending people, in essence, we're not loving people but loving ourselves, being selfish, and actively being ashamed of the full Gospel of Christ. 

We're also MISLEADING people  - and that is sin.

... and it's very easy to deny those things we're ashamed of.





"And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town. So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven". - Matt. 10



"Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me". - John 14:6




"And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,..." - Hebrews 9:27















http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/10/us-mortality-rate_n_1953215.html

Sentenced to death for a sip of water

As her religion faces persecution across the Middle East, a Christian woman explains why she faces hanging in Pakistan for the crime of ‘blasphemy’

• By ASIA BIBI
• Last Updated: 1:33 AM, August 25, 2013
• Posted: 11:34 PM, August 24, 2013

More and more people join the crowd as they push me towards the home of the village headman. I recognize the house — it’s the only one that has a garden with grass growing in it. They throw me to the ground. The village imam speaks to me: “I’ve been told you’ve insulted our Prophet. You know what happens to anyone who attacks the holy Prophet Mohammed. You can redeem yourself only by conversion or death.”
“I haven’t done anything! Please! I beg you! I’ve done nothing wrong!”
The qari with his long, well-combed beard, turns to Musarat and the three women who were there on the day of the falsa harvest.

Daughters of Asia Bibi hold a photo of their mother, who has been in prison for four years.

Chicago Review Press (2)

Asia Bibi

 

“Did she speak ill of Muslims and our holy Prophet Mohammed?”
“Yes, she insulted them,” replies Musarat, and the others join in:
“It’s true, she insulted our religion.”
“If you don’t want to die,” says the young mullah, “you must convert to Islam. Are you willing to redeem yourself by becoming a good Muslim?”
Sobbing, I reply:
“No, I don’t want to change my religion. But please believe me, I didn’t do what these women say, I didn’t insult your religion. Please have mercy on me.”
I put my hands together and plead with him. But he is unmoved.
“You’re lying! Everyone says you committed this blasphemy and that’s proof enough. Christians must comply with the law of Pakistan, which forbids any derogatory remarks about the holy Prophet. Since you won’t convert and the Prophet cannot defend himself, we shall avenge him.”
He turns on his heel and the angry crowd falls on me. I’m beaten with sticks and spat at. I think I’m going to die. Then they ask me again:
“Will you convert to a religion worthy of the name?”
“No, please, I’m a Christian, but I beg you . . . ”
And they go on beating me with the same fury as before.
I was barely conscious and could hardly feel the pain of my wounds by the time the police arrived. Two policemen threw me in their van, to cheers from the angry crowd, and a few minutes later I was in the police station in Nankana Sahib.
In the police chief’s office they sat me down on a bench. I asked for water and compresses for the wounds on my legs, which were streaming with blood. A young policeman threw me an old dishcloth and spat out at me:
“Here, and don’t get it everywhere.”
One of my arms really hurt and I thought it might be broken. Just then I saw the qari come in with Musarat and her gang. With me sitting there they told the police chief that I insulted the Prophet Mohammed. From outside the police station I could hear shouts:
“Death to the Christian!”
After writing up the report the policeman turned and called to me in a nasty voice:
“So what have you got to say for yourself?”
“I’m innocent! It’s not true! I didn’t insult the Prophet!”
Immediately after I’d protested my innocence I was manhandled into the police van and driven away. During the journey I passed out from pain and only came back to myself as we were arriving at Sheikhupura prison, where I was thrown into a cell.
Since that day I haven’t left prison.

Excerpted with permission from “Blasphemy: A Memoir” by Asia Bibi as told to Anne-Isabelle Tollet, published by Chicago Review Press.
(c/p by bxblues/lordspromise.blogspot.com)

"Prove to be disciples"...

Book of John Chapt. 15

 

"I am the  true vine, and my Father is   the vinedresser.    Every branch in me that does not bear fruit  he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes,  that it may bear more fruit.    Already  you are clean  because of the word that I have spoken to you.    Abide  in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.    I am the vine;  you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that  bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.    If anyone does not abide in me  he is thrown away like a branch and withers;  and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.    If  you abide in me, and my words abide in you,  ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.    By this my Father is glorified, that you  bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

 

...............

 

Who ever has ears, let them hear what the Word of the Lord is saying.

Let us examine ourselves to make sure we're truly in the faith.

The proof that we're disciples of Christ is that we are GROWING in the faith and that growth is proven by the producing of spiritual "fruit" within our lives.   Are we baring spiritual fruit?  Are we growing in love, patience, long-suffering, love of The Lord, hungering and thirsting more and more for that which is holy and righteous, forgiveness, etc.   Are we embracing and hungering more and more for God's Word, His guidance, knowledge and wisdom through His Word?...    Let us "examine ourselves".

Also, the hunger for Truth should likewise extend to those around us who are NOT in the faith. We should be growing hungrier and hungrier to proclaim God's Truth.  Therefore, in the fruit of obedience to God's command (2 Tim. 4:2), (Acts 8:4), Mark 16:15), we should be hungry for sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all creation.

**Despite what many Christians believe, the sharing of the gospel isn't always effectively manifested through an examination of a person's life but instead through the old fashioned practice of verbal communication.  In other words, ..... we have to open our mouths and whiteness to people!


Pray about it, strengthen yourself in God's Word, and  go proclaim the Gospel!
God bless.


 

TOO MUCH LOVE PREACHING:

Be suspicious of preachers who spend a lot more time preaching on how much God loves you and not enough time on repentance.   Many people believe that preaching too much on repentance, hell, judgment, the rapture, end time events, etc. is divisive.   But the biggest divide is what will happen on the last day when Christ says He'll separate the "sheep from the goats".

Most prosperity gospel preaching and "motivational" preaching have a lot of exposure on TV exactly because they preach more on "what people want to hear" but it's a snare to those who concentrate most of their time desiring material things and people who need to feel how wonderful they are.

The Truth is that if we've repented and dedicated our lives to God through Christ,  it's time to spread the "whole" good news of the gospel as Christ mandates.  

 Jesus said -  

 "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation." Mark 16:15.

He didn't say "accept me and then live your Christian life by putting it on a shelf for people to see, and desire so much that people will want to be like you"; - Which is what all too many people believe (I did also).    Because there are so many Christian converts who treat their "eternal life" relationship with Christ like it's a fuzzy rabbit's foot in their pocket to take out whenever they need Him.  

Most of us are victims of faulty evangelicalism in one way or another.    But it's high time that we delve into the Word of God and truly live to represent Christ on earth.  

With the culture dipping ever so fast into immorality, we need to stand firm within our Christian convictions because the times are without question pushing and pressing Godly consciousness to the wall.   Today people only think that it's their decision to keep those convictions on the shelf, but in truth, the reason they have them up there in the first place is because the culture is pressing on us every day more and more; and people just don't see it. 

Censorship of Biblical truths is already here, and the pressing continues daily.

"Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends!" -  (The Apostle Paul) Philippians 4:1

Therefore, we must preach the full gospel.   God is indeed good, merciful and forgiving but that is only regarded towards people who first REPENT of their sins that separate them from Him.  

"Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." - Matt. 18:3

"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out.." - Acts 3:19

God is also a God of justice and righteousness.   And sort of like any human judge that we would expect to apply sound judgment and not let evil slip through, even more so, God's judgments are true.

"I will pronounce my judgments on my people because of their wickedness in forsaking me, in burning incense to other gods and in worshiping what their hands have made."-  Jeremiah 1:16

"For it is time for judgment to begin with God's household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? - 1 Peter 4:17

God is Love, peace, mercy and goodness but He is also Justice, Truth and Holy.  
Spread the gospel of Jesus Christ in whole Truth.   He calls all humans to repent (turn from and despise sin), deny self and seek Him and the Kingdom of God FIRST above all things.   Be suspicious of any message or preaching that does NOT preach the full gospel of the Lord.

He says if we seek Him with all our hearts, we WILL find Him,  If we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us.   "Knock and the door will be open to you".    His message is clear.


God bless.
 

 

 


 


 

Religious freedom for everyone but Christians?

Powerful testimony from Admiral Lee, of our armed forces and a chaplain regarding the Christian persecution that's unfolding every day more and more within our military.   He says "Lets weather the storm that I'm certain will come"!   Pray and God bless America.








The hatred from government on the Christian faith is so obvious of hate when the reasoning for all these attacks, restrictions and censorship is so vague. 

Evolution Vs. God

It all depends on what we're willing to BELIEVE in.
Believe in God... and live.

The Child-Free Life:

Oh how Satan hates us!  He doesn't want us to reproduce.  He wants to stifle our numbers as so plainly demonstrated by the millions of murdered unborn in our country and around the world.  By the proliferation of homosexuality and same-sex unions so as to reduce procreation.

And another one of his evil schemes is by continuing to convince our modern culture that the height of personal fulfillment in ones life can only be attained by not having children.

Those that argue that "children aren't for everyone" have a good point.  But that argument has always been reserved for people who have impediments to fulfilling their responsibilities of being a good parent, not for the sake of directly pushing aside the calling and societal importance of parenthood to replace it with the sole pursuit of pleasure and selfishness.    That mentality has always been frowned upon... but not today!


And this is the mentality being pushed today in our society.   For people who are already adults, have grown children, and just plainly disagree with this evil suggestion of hedonism, we're not all that affected by this trend.   But for our youth today, this rising mentality in the mainstream of society can have a huge impact. 


Procreation is one of the mandates of God found in the Bible. Unless there are biological impediments to growing a family, there is but one mentality against having children and that is one of self-worship and putting the material in the place of God which is idolatry.
 

In the case of abortion, the message being sent is that we are God and we can do whatever we want with our bodies by murdering our own children.   The message being sent to our youth with "A child free Life" is that children are a nuisance and thus you'll ruin your life by having kids.

This message is everywhere in our TV/Cable sitcoms, comedy skits, media, etc.
Most of the coverage of "family" in the media today are to highlight dysfunction and disorder, etc. 

Lets pray for our youth who are the targets of evil every single day.