THE CHRISTIAN’S ROLE IN SOUL-WINNING

The process of salvation is a mystery; anyone saved can attest to this fact. It’s impossible to explain how a person understands the salvation message, accepts Christ, and suddenly becomes a totally new person (see 2 Corinthians 5:17). Jesus commissioned His disciples (including Christians of all ages) to go and preach the gospel to the whole world (see Matthew 28:19-20).

Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader, was perplexed about the idea of being born again. Jesus’ explanation of that process was to compare it to how the wind blows: “The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit” (John 3:8).  

Thank God, our only responsibility in all of this is to share the message, water the Word, and excitedly reap the harvest. Only God can give the increase through the Holy Spirit. Luke, the physician narrating the experience in Macedonia, shared how Lydia, the purple cloth seller from Thyatira, was saved. “As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying. She and her household were baptized” (Acts 16:14). This is a mystery! Jesus clearly teaches that only God can draw people to Him: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up” (John 6:44). Our responsibility, therefore, is not to convict anyone of sin or convert them; that’s God’s domain.

Our role is minimal yet vital; let’s take it seriously. We need to start by praying for people in our sphere of influence: the Lord will prepare their hearts and open doors at the right time for us to share. We’ll need to be watchful and not miss opportunities.    

Once, Jesus said to the crowd following Him, “When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself” (John 12:32). But what does that mean? Of course, He was referring to His crucifixion, the sacrifice through which salvation would be available to us sinners. But how else could He be lifted up? Whatever we can do to make Him known will be a way of lifting Him up. We need to put Him on display as much as possible. The way we can lift Him up is through sharing the salvation message verbally, and allowing Him to live through us, so people will notice the transformation in our lives and the impact the Word of God has on us.

As long as we are in this world, there will always be people who need to hear the gospel, and we are God’s tools and agents for accomplishing that purpose. Time is running out! How long before we’re individually called home and our time of sharing will be over? How much longer before those who need to hear it are called away, and they go to a Christ-less eternity? And how much longer before the Lord returns to judge the world, and grace is no longer available? Since we don’t have answers to these questions, let’s work diligently as though any day we are here could be the last.     

STAY PLANTED BY THE RIVERBANK

 

 

In Psalm 1, those who delight in the law of the LORD (Christians) are likened to trees planted along the riverbank. As evidence of the benefit of their location, they bear fruit every season, their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do (see Psalm 1:2-3). Why?

The riverbank supplies the water and nourishment the trees need to grow and bear fruit. The law of the LORD (the Word of God) similarly provides the kind of nourishment Christians need to grow in their understanding of God and to bear godly fruit demonstrated by godly character and soul-winning!

Would you like to be consistent in your Christian journey (fresh leaves all year round), without ups and downs? Would you like to bear fruit that lasts? Then stay planted by the riverbank. If trees are uprooted from the riverbank and planted elsewhere, they most likely won’t do as well as they did before moving. They won’t receive the needed nourishment and will therefore be stunted in growth, bear little to no fruit, and eventually die.

This condition will be evident in Christians who don’t meditate on the Word of God day and night. How are you doing? Are you meditating like you should? The Word transforms our hearts and minds, gradually creating in us the image of our Lord Jesus. As the Word says, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good, pleasing, and perfect” (Romans 12:2).   

Haphazardly reading the Word is not helpful; we must read it prayerfully and meditate on it studiously. Let’s not have the attitude of checking an item off our to-do list just so we feel we’ve accomplished something. If we don’t learn a valuable lesson when we read, it means we did not accomplish anything; it’s been a waste of time.

If we don’t stay planted by the riverbank, we will follow the way of the world, and instead of having a godly influence on the world around us, the world will have an influence on us. Our claim of being Christians would just be a mockery. It’s not enough to claim we are Christians; we must live like Jesus. There must be a difference in our responses to situations, speech, and way of life. If people don’t see a difference in us, then there is something wrong. Either we are not meditating on the Word, or we’ve chosen to willingly disobey God. That disobedience proves that we don’t love the Lord, and if we don’t love the Lord, we are really not Christians (see 1 John 3:7-10; Matthew 3:8). 

There are consequences for claiming to be a Christian and yet living however we wish: “Even now the axe of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire” (Matthew 3:10). The Bible labels a non-Christian as wicked, so either we are Christians or wicked; there’s no neutral title. We have to be one or the other. The Psalmist warns the wicked, “They [the wicked] will be condemned at the time of judgment. Sinners will have no place among the godly…the path of the wicked leads to destruction” (Ps 1:5-6).

If you claim to be a Christian, please stay planted by the riverbank; be nourished and be fruitful. God admonished Joshua after the death of Moses, “Study this book of instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do” (Joshua 1:8). As we walk faithfully with the Lord, He promises to bless us with success in all we do.

Let’s encourage each other and pray for one another to walk faithfully with our God. That will include sharing our difficulties, trials, and victories with one another. The Christian walk is not a one-man journey; we belong to the Church, the Body of Christ. Let’s do life together and be a blessing to one another!          

A LOST SHEEP’S PSALM

 

I am a sheep and, by nature, very dumb,

I know when I am hungry, thirsty, and tired,

But don’t know how to get these needs met.

I know I don’t want to be prey to the wildlife out there,

But don’t know how to keep me safe.

Sometimes I am afraid and tired,

But have no idea how or where to find rest.

Oh, somebody, HELP ME!

Wait: I just realized what I need: a caretaker, a shepherd! A shepherd knows all

the things I need, and he has the resources and the ability to provide them.

This Shepherd found me when I was lost, wandering, and without hope. How sad: to be lost and not know it! I wasn’t

even aware of my condition.

He took me into His loving sheepfold and made me one of His own. Now I am His

forever; I’ve finally found love and a sense of belonging.

Since He brought me into the fold, things have changed drastically: He’s given me

many marvelous promises and the assurance I never had and never realized I

needed. He’s promised I’ll belong to Him forever; no one can ever snatch me from

His hands. I feel so secure in His care because He never slumbers nor falls asleep;

my waking moments are just as safe as the moments when I’m sleeping.

My loving Shepherd guides and leads me, so I don’t wander away, but if I

recklessly do, He comes looking for me and brings me back home safely. My

Shepherd is a fantastic Provider; He answers before I call, and while I’m still

speaking, He hears. Talk about being loved! He’s even promised blessings when I

obey Him. He doesn’t have to do that; after all, I belong to Him, and all I have

belongs to Him. Wow!

Are you a lost sheep? Then you need my Shepherd; I know what your life has

been like because I’ve been there. My Shepherd has room in the sheepfold; there’s room for you and everyone who needs a Shepherd. Call on Him today, and He will bring you in, provide for you, and keep you safe. The longer you wait out there, the longer it will take to find rest and comfort -- or you might not find it at all. 

I know as long as I live, He will pursue me with His unfailing love in all situations, and in the end, He’ll bring me safely home to live with Him forever! I encourage you to come to Jesus today; He is the great Shepherd of the sheep! 

 

 

SAME OLD TRICKS (THE DEVIL HAS NO NEW TRICKS!)

 

I've met people who do not want to discuss anything about the devil: such people often think talking about the devil is a way of elevating him or making him essential. The Bible admonishes us: "Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8). Being ignorant of his ways could lead to our defeat in the fight, and our loss would mean disobeying our Father. How wrong! If we know he is our adversary, we should want to know him inside and out to detect when he is working against us.

So, what are the devil's tricks, and what are his goals? His tricks come in the form of deception; he misrepresents God with the hope that we would mistrust and disobey Him, thereby putting a rift between God and us. He makes us think God is withholding good things from us to make us miserable; that's what he did when talking to Eve about God's instructions to Adam, insisting God didn't want them to be wise (see Genesis 3:1-6). Below is how he makes us think it's okay to do what God forbids. And what are the devil's goals when he lies to us? He wants us to doubt God's Word and believe God is not looking out for our best interests, thereby causing us to switch our allegiance from God to him.

1)    Appealing to our physical needs/lust: We all have these; they are hunger, intimacy, etc. Remember, after forty days of fasting, the Bible says Jesus was very hungry (see Matthew 4:2). Being the Son of God, Jesus could have turned anything into bread or anything else He desired to satisfy His hunger. But what would have been the implication? It would have implied that He obeyed the devil, even though He knew what the Word said. God forbid! 

What would you do if you had a similar need and the devil suggested you steal, cheat, fornicate, or commit adultery? Well, remember what God's Word says about these situations? Jesus did: Thou shall not steal; a false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight; Flee from sexual immorality; Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled (see Ex 20:15; Proverbs 11:1; 1 Corinthians 6:19; Hebrews 13:4). Being able to recall such Scriptures should caution us and help us realize when what we are about to do is contrary to God's Word.   

2)    Pride and Arrogance/Ego: Have you ever been tempted to be a show-off for recognition and the like? God hates pride and arrogance (see Proverbs 8:13). The devil asked Jesus to jump off the temple's highest point. Again, he twisted Scripture, saying: "He will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways (Psalm 91:11 NLT).” This promise is about God protecting us in our everyday lives, but not necessarily when we want to show off or intentionally try to commit suicide. Of course, He might still intervene, but the promise is not claimable under the circumstances we engineer. For instance, if you go to bed with your doors and windows locked, you can confidently claim His protection, but why should you if you intentionally leave yourself vulnerable? 

3)    Materialism: Have you ever had to choose between material gain and integrity? In Matthew 4:8-9, the devil asked Jesus to worship him in exchange for all the kingdoms of the world with their glory (things that already belonged to Him anyway).  For example, how would you respond if asked to be involved in a cover-up scheme for a reward? Jesus knew exactly how He should respond in His case, and He did: "Get out of here, Satan, for the Scriptures say, 'You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him’" (Verse 10-11). In other words, "No, not on your life, Satan!". 

OUR RESPONSE TO TEMPTATIONS

Jesus quoted Scripture with every temptation (see Matthew 4:4, 7, 10). He knew the appropriate Scripture for each situation. Do you? The knowledge of Scripture and how and when it applies is of utmost importance. In addition to knowing the Scriptures, we need to have a love for God expressed through obedience to his Word: "Loving God means keeping his commandments" (1 John 5:3 NLT).  

Satan's tricks can often be traced to one of the above (lust, pride, materialism). Our obedience to the Word of God is our surest way of defeating the devil and maintaining an uninterrupted, loving relationship with God our Father. Let's get into the habit of putting the devil in his place like Jesus did: "Get out of here, Satan!" In addition, let's put and keep on the whole armor of God to guarantee our victory in the fight (see Ephesians 6:11-18).

TAKING A SERIOUS LOOK AT FORGIVENESS

What is forgiveness? Forgiveness is defined as acquittal or pardon of sins. When the courts acquit a felon, he is no longer held responsible for his crime; he walks away free from all charges and consequences. In the same way, when God forgives our sin, He no longer holds it against us; He treats us like we never sinned! Awesome!

Have you ever been seriously offended by another person, like family, friends, neighbors, or strangers? How did you respond? Even if they apologized, you probably thought to yourself, “I can never forgive,” or “I’ll forgive but can never forget!”

In Jesus’ parable of the unforgiving debtor (Matthew 18:23-27), He compared the Kingdom of Heaven to a king who was updating his accounts with servants who had borrowed from him. One of the servants owed him a huge amount but could not pay. When the king announced his verdict, the servant begged for a time extension, promising to pay back all he owed. The king responded not by extending time but by forgiving the whole debt.

Can you look back and name individuals who owe you a debt? Have you half-heartedly or completely forgiven them? Is your relationship with them restored, or do you try to avoid contact with them?

The circumstances for the forgiven servant changed rather quickly; he failed to forgive another servant who owed him much less than he owed the king. When the king found out, he was thrown into jail, to stay there until his debt was fully paid. Ouch!

At the end of the chapter, Jesus warned, “That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.” As followers of Christ, we should take this seriously because Jesus was talking to the disciples - and that is exactly what we are.

In the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13), we ask in verse 12 to be forgiven as we forgive others. Do we mean half-heartedly or completely? How would we fare if God forgave us half-heartedly? At the end of that passage, in verse 14, Jesus said, “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

Can we really afford not to be forgiven by God? The answer should be “No” for each child of God! What would the implication be for not being forgiven? Hell? May God forbid!

Lord, please help us to be obedient to your Word and love each other as you have loved us. You forgave our sins and chose to remove them from us as far as the east is from the west. We’ve escaped hell because you’ve lovingly forgiven us, and shouldn’t we forgive others? Help us, Lord, to follow your example and do the same with those who hurt us; help us to let go of all hurt and replace hurt with love. Thank you in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen

LOOKING AT WORRY WITH THE RIGHT PERSPECTIVE

 

 

Worry gives way to anxiety or unease, allowing one's mind to dwell on difficulty or troubles. Although that is true, I've learned another way to define it. Worrying is taking over another person's problem or responsibility without being asked. It means the issue in question is beyond my ability to solve and has not been assigned to me. Insisting on solving the problem is an indication that I am impersonating the One whose responsibility that problem is; I am attempting to take over God's job. The last time I checked the want ads, only vacant positions were posted, and God's work was not on the list. Nevertheless, even if advertised, nobody on this planet is qualified.  

All posted jobs have listed requirements, training, experience, etc. Likewise, if God's position were published, the applicants would have to meet specific criteria. So, here are the qualifications. To apply for the job, the applicant must answer 'Yes' to all of the following:

Have you ever spoken anything into existence? "And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light" (Genesis 1:3 NIV).

Have you ever created any living thing? "The Lord God formed the man…and breathed into his nostrils …, and the man became a living being" (Genesis 2:7 NIV).                                                                                                 

Have you ever raised the dead? And he did! "Jesus called in a loud voice, 'Lazarus, come out" (John 11:43 NIV).

Have you ever gone a month or more straight without slumber or sleep? "He who watches over you will not slumber, indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep" (Psalm 121:3-4 NIV).

Can you see what is happening worldwide, simultaneously, every second of the day? "The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good" (Proverbs 15:3 NIV).

Can you tell what someone is thinking, going to say, or doing before they do? "O LORD, you have searched me, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar…before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord" (Psalm 139:1-4 NIV).

Did you or anybody you know die and then come back to life without seeing decay? Here's the psalmist's prophecy about Jesus: "My body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay" (Psalm 16:9-10 NIV).

Do you love unconditionally 100% of the time? "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? … neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:35-39 NIV).

Do you forgive and also forget 100% of the time? "I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more" (Jeremiah 31:34 NIV).

Can and will you take on the punishment others deserve? "Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:7-8 NIV).    

How many questions were you able to answer "Yes" to? You are disqualified from taking over God's job if you answered 'No' to any of the questions.

The next time you have something to worry about, ask yourself, "Am I God?" if you can honestly say 'No' to that question (and you can!), then it's time to pray and turn over the problem to the One who can solve it with ease--God. He knows where all the puzzle pieces fit and what the finished puzzle will look like. He invites all His children: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7 NIV). 

GOOD WORKS IS THE BREATH OF FAITH

The book of James gives us a perfect analogy for vibrant Christian living. It says, "Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works" (James 2:26 NLT). We all know what happens when people stop breathing—they die. At the end of Jesus' crucifixion, for example, He announced: "It is finished!" then He bowed His head and released the Spirit (see John 19:30). Without breath, Jesus was pronounced dead!

Our faith must be alive and active if we claim to be Christians. If not, it will be categorized as dead. How can we claim that the Spirit that gives us life lives in us while we don't exhibit the signs of life? We need to take a serious look at our claims and ensure they are not false. If faith without good works is dead, then good works are what we need to keep faith alive.

What do good works look like? Good works are actions that make a person right with God, like trust and obedience. For example, Moses fled to Midian to escape the Pharaoh of Egypt, who wanted to kill him for a murder he had committed. Although he had run for his life, he obeyed God and returned to Egypt to go and free the Israelites. He obeyed God because he trusted Him to keep him safe. What good is our faith if we can't trust and obey God?

  Obedience should then direct us to meet the needs of others, show kindness, love them (see James 2:15-16), and forgive offenses. In short, we should love others as ourselves. James uses the example of a brother or sister with a need you could meet but don't, and instead wish him or her well (see James 2:15-16).

Many claim they believe in God but don't have a personal relationship with Him. We can't expect such people to do good deeds because they don't have the Holy Spirit working in them. Those of us who are the temple of the Holy Spirit (Christians) should be able to demonstrate faith in tangible ways. James expresses it like this, "I will show you my faith by my good deeds" (James 2:18 NLT).  

God has shown my family His amazing love through the obedience of His children and unbelievers alike. My family has been the recipient of the good works of many godly people who didn't know us from Adam but took us in, in the name of love and treated us like family. The needs they met included housing, transportation, encouragement, and friendship. I pray that the Lord will be gracious to the descendants of these dear saints of God. And may He make me a blessing to others as He sees fit.

Dear brother, dear sister, is your faith dead or alive? Your works should tell you! To keep faith alive, we must demonstrate trust and obedience towards God and love and serve others in Jesus' name.