JESUS IS LOOKING FOR YOUR LOST NEIGHBOR

You might often find neighborhood posts asking for help finding a lost pet. They describe the pet, and the owner provides his contact information. Sometimes a reward is listed. Have you ever seen a homeless pet, and how did that make you feel? Did you wish you could reunite that pet with its owner?

Jesus paid a ransom for you and all mankind, including your neighbor. Your neighbor does not know or understand that he or she is lost, and if never found and returned to God, his or her owner, it will lead to eternal separation. On the other hand, you understand that the stakes are high; you are glad you have become a child of God by repenting of your sins and putting your faith in Jesus. Plus, you know and enjoy the benefits of your relationship with God, like joy, peace, and hope for the future; your neighbor could benefit from that knowledge. So, what are you going to do about your lost neighbor? 

God has made all believers, including you, His ambassadors, and is making His appeal through us; we must ask unbelievers to return to God through Jesus (see 2 Corinthians 5:19-20). What’s stopping you from being an ambassador? Could it be that you feel ashamed to openly declare that you’re a Christian, are afraid of persecution, or feel unsure how to present the gospel message?

Jesus’ response to those who feel ashamed is: “If anyone is ashamed of me and my message, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in His glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels” (Luke 9:26; also Mark 8:38). And if fear is your problem, Paul cautioned Timothy: “God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord” (2 Peter 1:7-8). If you’re unsure how to present the gospel, befriend your neighbor, show him love and respect, and avoid topics that lead to arguments. Pray for him, and as your friendship grows, you can share what God has done for you.

Sharing the gospel is not the time for a lecture. Jesus asked the woman at the well for a simple favor: “Please give me a drink” (John 4:7). That led to a discussion, and before she knew it, Jesus had confessed: “I AM the Messiah!” (V 26). The woman went back home to share her experience, and before she could really think about it, many from the village had put their trust in Him because of what she told them (see 39-42).

Jesus is waiting to welcome your neighbor; He is counting on you to introduce them. Your neighbor will appreciate knowing what you already know; he or she will appreciate going home to the Father he or she didn’t even know they had. Stop procrastinating because time is running out; it could soon be too late for your neighbor.

And just as neighborhood posts offer a reward, Jesus promises: “Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds” (Revelation 22:12).     

BE A CONSISTENT CHRISTIAN

  

I was relieved when we finally bade winter 2009 goodbye. I was glad to see spring arrive and hoped it would get warmer. But even after spring had been around for a few weeks, it did not warm up consistently with time. Instead, the warm kept alternating with the cold. I tried not to turn on the heat, but finally, when I couldn't take it any longer, I did; the house was too cold. I gave in and turned it on: just for one day. 

The alternating temperature changes made me miserable, and I seldom felt appropriately dressed. When I went outside in warm clothes, I felt too warm, and when I went out dressed in light clothes, I felt too cold. Why couldn't it get warm and stay warm? Why should I turn on the heat when it was nearly mid-May? I found it frustrating and vowed not to complain when it got hot. 

This frustrating experience with inconsistent weather reminds me of how God feels about lukewarm Christians. He told the church in Laodicea, "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth" (Revelation 3:15-16). 

This indicates that God wants us to walk consistently with Him and grow daily by being in the Word, doing what it says, and praying without ceasing. 

With the concept of inconsistency also comes double-mindedness. James 1:6-8 tells us a double-minded person is unstable in all he does. We are admonished to believe and not doubt when we ask God for wisdom. He is the same God who created the world with the Word of His mouth. God's power is not demonstrated in degrees or percentages. Power is power! Through it, He healed the sick, raised the dead, turned water into blood and wine, raised Christ from the dead, and defied gravity when Jesus ascended into heaven. So, is there anything too hard for Him? No! Why, then, do we have doubts when we pray? It could be because we focus on the problem and not on God, and that must change.

We find it easier to trust God with less complicated issues, but our faith does not measure up when it comes to overwhelming problems. We seem to say to God, "I don't know about this. Are you up to this challenge?" But the truth is, nothing is too hard for the Lord (see Genesis 18:14).  

Since nothing is too complicated for Him, we must trust Him completely, in every instance, and not just some of the time. Regardless of the circumstances, God can be trusted; He has never failed and is not about to now. Even when He doesn't respond however we want, it is still for our good. With faith should come patience and thanksgiving.  

A newborn cries when he/she needs something; he/she does not concern himself/herself with how the parents will meet that need.  

Let's learn from the newborn: ask for everything we need, and trust that our loving, heavenly Father will provide!

MOSES' CONVERSATION WITH GOD AT THE BURNING BUSH--God has an assignment for you.

Has God ever given you an assignment you did not want to accept because of fear? Many people can say yes to this, especially regarding witnessing. We fear ridicule, the inability to answer questions from our listeners, etc. Moses had escaped from Egypt because of a murder he had committed there and had no intentions of returning. But God had an assignment for him there that changed his life forever.   

GOD – Hi, Moses. I have some work for you to do for me. I have children enslaved in Egypt; they are suffering tremendously. I'd like to free and relocate them and relieve their suffering. I am giving them their own land, flowing with milk and honey. I am sending you to the Pharaoh of Egypt; tell him to let my people go. 

 MOSES – You've got to be joking, Lord! The people won't believe me; they will want to know your name. I don't even know how to speak; "I've never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue" (Exodus 4:10).

GOD – "Moses, who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go! I will help you speak and will teach you what to say" (V11-12).   

MOSES – Please, Lord, I do not want you to help me accomplish this task. Please, Lord, don't; just don't get me involved. I came out of Egypt for a reason; the king has a warrant for my arrest, and I do not want to be seen in that vicinity. "O Lord, send someone else to do it" (V13); someone who has a good reputation, is good at this sort of thing, and is very eloquent. 

Humanly speaking, you might think that this point in this dialogue is when God slaps Moses! But our God does not operate that way. He encourages, supports, and accommodates our inadequacies. Amen! Although His anger burned against Moses, He provided a helper in the person of Aaron, Moses' brother. He said to him, "I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do" (V 15).

However, if we overly try His patience, He might direct us to Jonah to discover possible consequences (see Jonah 1:17). Sometimes, we can be so overwhelmed with fear that the only thing that will suffice for us is to be far removed from a situation. But God has said to us many times, "Fear not, for I am with you" (Joshua 1:9). "I am with you" means "I am with you." Is anything too hard for Him? Of course not!  

He enables those He calls, but let us remember it means things could go differently than we want. If everything went smoothly each time he commissioned us, when would He get to demonstrate His wisdom, power, and strength? Challenges in our lives are opportunities for us to witness His greatness. So don't turn down the Lord's help to accomplish the tasks He calls you to, for He is faithful. 

 

THE PORTABLE PRISON  

Did you know there are personal, invisible prisons that people are in everywhere they go? They are inside it at work, when they go shopping, to bed, you name a place; they are in it. The saddest part is they don't know they are in prison, let alone know it is a 24/7 situation. You may be one of those people.

You might be wondering: "Am I really in prison? Who jailed me and why? Since when and for how much longer? What can I do to get out?" All these questions are very reasonable, especially since you didn't even know you were in prison. Let us get some answers to these questions. 

1. ARE YOU IN PRISON? – Yes, you are! You feel it, even though you don't see a physical structure around you. Don't you sometimes wonder why you have no peace, even when everything else seems okay? Your soul is in prison and wants to break free, but it doesn't know how. Isaiah 42:7 and 61:1 confirm that people are in prison and captivity, and Jesus puts it this way: "Everyone who sins is a slave to sin" (John 8:34). 

2. WHO IMPRISONED YOU? The apostle Paul admonished young preacher Timothy to instruct unbelievers with the hope that "They will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will" (2 Timothy 2:26). So, now you know who imprisoned you: it is the devil. 

WHY ARE YOU IN PRISON? – The devil put you in prison so that you will do his will. The devil wanted Adam and Eve to disobey God; he lied to them and got them to do his will. He is still lying to people and getting away with it (at least for now). People still disobey God because the devil twists the truth, making a lie attractive to them. Although they are in prison, he makes them feel like they have the freedom to do whatever they want. The truth is they have no space. He gives his prisoners only one option: to do evil, so that is all they can choose. On the other hand, God lays His options on the table and explains each option's consequences. This approach allows people to know upfront the implications of their choice. 

IMPRISONED SINCE WHEN? -You became a prisoner when your fore-parents, Adam and Eve, disobeyed God in the garden by listening to the devil and his lies. Since then, sin has passed on to all men, "just as sin entered the world through one man and death through sin, and in this way, death came to all men" (Romans 5:12). 

HOW LONG IS YOUR PRISON TERM? – You will be in prison until you discover the truth that sets a person free, which is why this article shows you the way to freedom. Countless men and women have found their way out by doing what I am about to tell you. Allow the Son to free you, and you will be free. (See John 8:36). 

THE WAY TO FREEDOM – God sent His Son to die in your place. This is what Jesus said, "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners" (Luke 4:18). The Psalmist knew what it meant to be free, and this is his testimony: "The Lord sets the prisoners free" (Psalm 146:7). Jesus is the only one who can set you free, and this is what you must do: "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31). Confess your sins to Him, ask for His forgiveness, and ask Him to be your Lord and Savior. This is how you break free from the devil's camp. Until you take this step, you will continue to be his prisoner. So don't wait any longer; today is your day of salvation, your day to break free from prison!

 

 

THE EXCUSES PEOPLE MAKE

  

 

THE EXCUSES PEOPLE MAKE  

Excuses don’t relieve a person of responsibilities and/or consequences. If a student says to his teacher, “The dog ate my homework,” the teacher won’t necessarily give the student a passing grade as if he had turned in his assignment; in fact, he shouldn’t. If a police officer issues a ticket for a moving violation, he will not withdraw it just because the driver says, “I have no money; I lost my job.” He will still be expected to pay the fine, whether or not he has a job. The point is that excuses do not exempt one from responsibilities or consequences.

Here are some of the excuses people make for not believing in Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins and the Bible’s response to each one: 

     1) There’s no God-   

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands” (Psalm 19:1); “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God’” (Psalm 14:1). 

2)    Jesus is not God-

At Jesus’ baptism, God said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17); “In the beginning was the Word (Jesus), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1); “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30).  

3) I am not that bad –

“The Lord looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All have turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one” (Psalm 14:2-3). 

4)    Christians are hypocrites –

“The soul that sins is the one who will die” (Ezekiel 8:4). Christians might not be doing everything right, but God will still hold you accountable. Christians’ mistakes and failures will not get you off the hook. 

5)    There is no life after death –

“The Lake of Fire is the second death. If anyone’s name was not found written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:14-15). 

6)    Jesus is not the only way to God –

“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12); “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). 

 7) I do not believe the Bible is the Word of God –

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). 

I am sure there are more excuses out there. Still, no matter what they are, nobody will be excused for not believing in Jesus because the Bible clearly says, “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). God does not play favorites and does not accept excuses; come to Him today, and be saved!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE BRIDGE TO SAFETY

  

Imagine walking through the woods and coming to a river with no bridge. Your path was unsafe, and you needed to move quickly to the other side. Unfortunately, the river was too deep to wade through, and no canoe or boat was available to carry you across. Your only solution would be to find a bridge between the two banks. 

The above analogy is a possible scenario in our physical/natural world. It is also meant to illustrate the restoration of the relationship between man and God, his Creator. The Bible clearly shows that man has lost his relationship with God through sin. So, sin separated God from man; man desperately needs to return to God. God, in His love and mercy, sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to come and be the bridge man needs to bring him back to God.  

Dear reader, did you know that God loves you? He knew you while you were still in your mother’s womb before birth and called you to be His own. But do you also understand that you are a sinner? God knows every sin you’ve ever committed and will commit in the future. His holy and just nature demands that He punish you. Still, He loves you so much that He sent Christ to the cross in your place (see John 3:16). The Bible says: “He wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). Jesus is the only way to get back to God; the Bible says He is the only mediator between God and man (see 1 Timothy 2:5), and that, “There is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).  

If you will believe in the name of the Lord Jesus, the Bible says you will be saved: “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 10:9). Don’t delay or procrastinate; this matter is urgent! Make this decision now, and let the peace from knowing the truth rule your heart. Here is the assurance you get when you believe in Jesus: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). The Apostle Paul explains it this way: “Therefore, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).   

The bridge is solid and steady; it will never collapse. Jesus will keep you safe in this life and in the future. No one can snatch you out of His hands (see John 10:28); He says all power in heaven and on earth has been given to Him (Matthew 28:18), and that is the truth!

STEPS TO SALVATION SPELLED OUT

 

  

 

 Jesus told the Jews, "He who belongs to God hears what God says" (John 8:47).

The question then becomes, what does God say? 

The answer: About Jesus, during His baptism, God said: "You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy” (Luke 3:22), and again at Jesus' transfiguration, God announced, "This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to Him" (Matthew 17:5). 

So, what does Jesus the Son say that needs to be heeded?

He says, "Unless you believe that I AM who I claim to be, you will die in your sins" (John 8:24). 

Who does He claim to be?

He says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).  

We have finally gotten to the bottom of the issue!

Jesus is the Son of God; He is the only way to God; therefore, to be saved, one has to believe in Jesus. Amen! Please do not argue about the facts or postpone making this decision. This is your opportunity to get saved. 

If you are one of those counting on their good deeds or growing up in a church-attending family, etc. for salvation, you must understand that each person will face God individually. So, make sure you have personally responded to Jesus' invitation and your name is written in The Lamb's Book of Life!