F4S: September 2012

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

How are you sowing to the Spirit these days? Are you getting enough fellowship?



I've heard it said.. Show me your close friends and I’ll tell you how you'll be. True.

It’s impossible not to become like those that you prioritize ahead of the others ..and hang real tight with.

Besides, you know it’s much easier to be pulled downwards than be pulled upwards, because we each have a fallen nature inside. Get up on a chair and try to pull a friend up there, as he or she at the same time tries to pull you down off that chair. Who do you think will win?

Wanna grow strong spiritually? Listen to the living Word. Why? Well cuz faith comes from hearing and hearing by the Word of Christ. Hang out with Jesus Christ the most - He's your very best friend that sticks closer than a brother. And have fellowship with growing believers too. Yes, be with missions-minded believers, those who are effective in witnessing of their faith ..as they both live the life and go tell others the Gospel Message. 

"I believe that in each generation God has called enough men and women to evangelize all the yet unreached tribes of the earth. It is not God who does not call. It is man who will not respond!" ~ Missionary Isobel Kuhn

Do go fellowship with those Christians who genuinely love other people and who love to prayerfully edify other believers with fitting Scriptures that address their needs and weaknesses. Aim to listen, to give and to receive from the Lord.

We need Christ most and then we are called to be interdependent, walking side by side with saints of Christ's Kingdom no matter the church or denomination that they are apart of. 

God tell us to "..pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart." Facebook.com/shareJesus

Sunday, September 16, 2012

What's Up With This Burden Bearin' Stuff?

I currently relate to a wonderful group of pray-ers who really care about others. Man, talk about refreshing - it's so SO cool just to hear them discuss issues, and earnstly lift up one another's needs. How do you spell love?

I can't tell you how many times my own family has been blessed in very specific ways when this group has gone to praying for us. God is gracious to give us strength, and grace, and provision, and open doors etc.

He is generous and so are our dear friends. Yup, God is still a way-Maker for His loved children ..when there is zero way to make it. Personally, I do my best to share what strength I recieve downwards and outwards, but first to verbally share may weaknesses, needs, occasional hurts, and challenges upwards looking to the Lord to meet such needs. But I have recieved such His comfort as certain ones I didn't even ask or approach have actually helpped to bear my burdens. Me thinks that even if you and I can not solve all of our friend's problems or challenges, it's so good to know Someone who can do that. And He often uses people in this.

Jesus Christ promised us believers that He will indeed meet all our needs as ask and we look away to Him. And we can indeed pray for any and everyone who comes to us too. We can hear them out, gently encourage them, point them to Christ who loves them more than all put together, point them to His sure promises, and to other Scriptures that might edify... and simply bear one another's burdens by faith. For sure, the Bible tells us Christians to...

"Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For every man shall bear his own burden." ~ Paul, Gal. 6:2 kjv

"We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves." Rom. 15:1

"To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law." 1 Cor. 9:21

"No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of it to anyne else." ~ Charles Dickens

"The entire law is summed up in a single command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" Gal. 5:14

But more specifically, Kurt, how can I bear another's burden? Well, here's how...

1. Listen well – Of course don't cast the final judge on them like you're their ultimate judge. Discern. Believe not and commiserate not with any lies that they might believe, but give them clear truth from the Word that addresses their need and show them your love and compassionate concern.

2. Pray – Realize that the God to Whom you pray to in Jesus Name is all powerful. Prayer ain't verbal well-wishing – a mere hope so. It's not sending good energy to someone in need, it's literally interceding for that person in the way that you would want and need someone praying for you. The fervent prayer of a righteous born again person gets through to the One who can accomplish so much in resolving the issue no matter how big it is.

3. Smile – Be tender enough to genuinely show Christ's warmhearted kind of love. Cry with them when they hurt and cry, laugh with them when it's clean and funny, and be there for them when they need to call someone.

4. Help – Follow the Lord in this as He would help out. He just might use you to meet the entire need or address it in part in a very practical way. Burden-bearing could literally be lifting and carrying a burden—many singles and elderly people need to relocate at times to a new location. Whatever the need, let's all seek to meet needs in a way that the person is most comfortable with—that's appropriate. And remember that the primary need of every person that we meet is that they be forgiven of their sins as they each trust Jesus for eternal salvation. Give them an opportunity to repent and believe.

When a new believer experiences this kind of love from the brethren regarding their burdens, then guess what.. they feel such joy inside it makes em want to tell their friends about Christ and it motivates them to bring their lost friends to a local church where this type of love is a way of life.

You know how people long for "Family" today. It's cuz so many families are fractured - there's gobs of pain and heartache. So many need healing and restoration.

Listen, the believers I know and have met seem more like family to me than many of those in my own biological family who don't walk with Chrsit.

You also know how people are lonely today, and it's very typical that those out in the world are not yet ready to bear other people's burdens. Of course we will every now and then, come across a moral lost person out there who is simply kind, fairly wholesome, and helpful and we of all people (the Church of Jesus) need to profusely thank and bless them as best we can. But the prevalent motto for most people in the world is this: "Get all ya can, can all you get, and spoil the rest."

They have a dead human spirit, no Holy Spirit living on the inside, and are basically on the get, not out there on the give as Jesus was when He walked around down here. Let's tell them about how Chrsit bore a heavy cross and their sin as he died upon that thing up on top of Calvary's hill. Let's tell them how they can choose to experience resserection life in their inner spirit and soul all because Jesus was resserected from the dead and came out of the tomb before witnesses.    

Q: Can you list some other ways that God might use us believers to practically help carry someone else's burden, or perhaps speak to how we can balance all that stuff when we each have our own to carry as well?  facebook.com/shareJesus

Saturday, September 15, 2012

How Are Your Feet?

We might not be able to improve or change a whole lot of things about us, but we can indeed have that happen with our feet as we obey the Lord reaching out to others. Yup, according to the apostle Paul, we can have beautiful feet as by faith they hit the street: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!"  10:15rom.


"Oh is it not a magnificent thing to be privileged thus..to spread the glorious tidings of our Blessed Lord!" ~ Amy Charmichael

Spreading the far-beyond-great Tidings of Jesus' Gospel isn't really just the responsibility of trained Bible teachers and professional church pastors in some contained kinda religious or non-religious nook. All who know Jesus personally are also privileged and called to share Him in or outside a nook.. on a personal level with people even beyond Facebook.

P. Sometimes God, it's easier to tweet about you than to go tell. We know it's important for those you direct, but there seems to be a level of protection built-in with social networks.. in the sense that the uber-aggressive can't really punch you in the face etc. God, show us how we can appropriate your grace, segway, broach, and effectively bring up spiritual matters - the topic of eternal life in Christ when we come face to face with our friends, family, coworkers, fellow students and others. With new media opportunities and without live big through us. We know that with some primitive mission-fields still... joyous Christians physically arriving there on site "ready to say," is the only way to actually bring those there the Good News, Lord. In Jesus Name help us follow You where you lead.  

"How 
shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?" 10/14rom.

Christ has no hands but our hands to do His work today;
He has no feet but our feet to lead men in His way;
He has no tongue but our tongue to tell men how He died;
He has no help but our help to bring them to His side. ~ Flint

Lord, we are willing to be used of You in witnessing daily, so please give us boldness and wisdom so that we each can present the truth in a way that would be just right for each person that we meet. We want feet just like Yours in relation to the Great Commission. Thanks Jesus. 

Again, the Bible clearly says, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!" 10/15rom.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Two Knees—Landing Pads

With two knees planted on the floor.. that's still a really good place, among several other places, to talk straight with the Father in the Name of Jesus the Son. Yup, that's an excellent place to thank, to praise, to petition, to intercede for others, and also just to wait on the Lord to see what He might say.

 

It's a good place to humble yourself under His mighty hand so He can lift. Thank you God that the battle is the Lord's and that You can give each of us the victory daily over sin, the world, all fallen angels, and the flesh nature along this interesting journey home.

 

"Satan trembles when he sees the weakest Christian on his knees." ~ William Cowper
 
"For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ..." 3|14eph.
 

Want stabiltythe abilty to stay? Then pray. Want to become consistant in your witness to those in the world that you care about? Then pray. Want to simply obey the Spirit's promptings, moment by moment? Then pray without ceasing.

 
 

Thursday, September 6, 2012

His Kinda Warfare Is For Those Who Care

It's basically too early to quit, to stop, to cease ..just cuz you somehow feel that God stopped loving you. It's too early even if you think it's just too hard to try, so why try at all? He does love you and those around you. It's too early to get distracted, or change your focus away from the Lord. He is still there for you and has you in mind today. It's too early to give up on earnest, fervent prayer ..for your friends, family and others. It's too early to fail in sowing to the spirit - sowing to the flesh will get you nowhere good. Your friends need you more than ever.. as the dark seems to be getting darker still. Remember, we are children of the light and of the day, and it's just too early to give up on God's light and love.

You and I, believer, are locked in a battle as long as we are in these earthly bodies. I mean before we receive our resurrected bodies..which might not be that far off. Yup, I mean until the Rapture happens.

God of course, wants us to by faith gain the victory over the flesh, over the devil, demons, and this world system.. through Jesus Christ. The battle starts in your mind.

Is it a mere debate, or a sometimes fairly civil, or friendly, a mere gentleman's discussion. No, never. Is it an ongoing life and death conflict with change-up tactics and cruel catch you off guard destructive ploys? Yes it is. It's between the spiritual hosts of wickedness and those who claim the Name of Christ. That means every born again believer. When Christ called you, it wasn't merely onto his playground with fun toys. It was into his real war for souls, and onto His battleground with spiritual weapons of warfare.   

The devil and his minions would love for you and me to think that there is no real battle going on today. Sure he would. That would give him an advantage. And many people around us think that way. In fact they don't even think that there is a devil or demons who are out to destroy as many people as possible via lies and deception.  

And so much error has been taught.. even in Christian churches ..regarding this very important subject, but the Bible does have something to say about it. The Holy Spirit wants us to be encouraged in praying to God through Christ today. I simply want to remind you of what you've already been taught. Keep interceding. We ain't done yet and a lot is at stake. After you pray, go share the Gospel.. in that order.

Jesus provided the full armor of God for us, but we must by faith put it on. He won't make us put it on to fight the good fight of faith. In His grace, God has richly provided so much for us, but He won't make us receive any of it and we shouldn't ever get mad at Him for not receiving it for us. Please take another look at the promises He gave us, and then start receiving the benefits of them. Ask and keep on asking—don't stop.       

I like what the apostle Paul said, "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled." 10|5two.cor. 

"Our God is Jehovah of hosts, who can summon unexpected reinforcements at any moment to aid His people. Believe that He is there between you and your difficulty, and what baffles you will flee before Him, as clouds before the gale." ~ Frederick Brotherton (F.B.) Meyer

"Many of us are hunting mice—while lions devour the land." ~ Leonard Ravenhill

"Successful spiritual warfare has to be fought in the jungle of the mind." ~ Ron Hutchcraft

"I cried to Him with my mouth, and high praise was on my tongue." 66|17ps.

"A sinning man stops praying, a praying man stops sinning." ~ Leonard Ravenhill
"Time spent on the knees in prayer will do more to remedy heart strain and nerve worry than anything else." ~ George David Stewart

May the Lord strengthen and guide you in the war that is more critical that all other wars. Fight on by God's Spirit who will grant exploits to those who call out on His Name. You know that we can't win by our own strength, but let's fight on right. We can't really muscle through it all independently, but the battle is the Lord's. 

I'm thinkin' 'bout.. yes, closely re-checkin' out these inspired words here, "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' Says the Lord of hosts. Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone with shouts of 'Grace, grace to it!'" 4|6-7zec. I feel encouraged to pray, am praying for you, and I just want to encourage you in this as well. Only one life to live which will soon be past and only what's done with, for, and completely under the Lordship of Christ will last.  facebook.com/shareJesus

Monday, September 3, 2012

Makes ya wanna sing plus...

Just used my Shazam app to discover a really great song by Bryan and Katie. Worship of God through Christ of course comes first for all believers, and then there is a natural outgrowth from this relationship... equipping and reaching the lost world. When was the last time that you got away just to go praise and pray about your fears, needs, plans, purpose, friends and family members

There is of course dancing in a contest to win a prize, dancing in the fine arts, dancing in the flesh - a.k.a. a sensual type of dancing like in a club, and then there is the very best type that is rare to find and indeed to be encouraged.. “Let them praise His name with the dance; let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp.”