I was conversing with a brother in Korea this week & he lamented over the thought that Christians in Korea seemed to be a lot like Christians in America. To put it bluntly, he said that it seems as though we are ?social morons,? spending time with each other (Christians), patting each other on the back and generally avoiding ?the world.? We don?t look for opportunities to share our faith with non-Christians. We don?t want to touch a non-Christian with a ?ten-foot-pole.?
Lately, I too see Christians ?surrounding the wagons? and shutting out the very people that need the Word. Here?s how I see it. Generally, people are conformist. Most people are content to conform to their surroundings and to the people they hang out with. Part of that conformation process is to feel the need to not "offend" someone with our beliefs. Non-Christians don't seem to have a problem offending us when they share their beliefs, or lack thereof. As Christians, we should have our minds transformed to the image of Christ to the degree that conformation is not possible.
(Side-bar; not a part of my conversation with Min. Lee) By the way, our youth needs to think about that concept of conforming. Well, at least they ARE sharing things with non-Christian youth. They are conforming to the ?world?s? way of acting, dressing & talking. These days you can?t tell a Christian youth from a non-Christian youth. Now don?t give me that old line that they need to act and dress that way to avoid being singled out and are just trying to ?fit in? so that they can witness; the only witness I see is pregnancies and droopy pants. Who?s witnessing to whom? (End of my personal tirade)
Most Christians think that reaching out to the lost is a special ministry gift that only the pastor or "evangelist" has and are content to let them run with that ball. As long as they go to church when they should, give a few of their dollars to help out and are "good" people, their "Christian" responsibility ends there.
?Forget about those people walking toward the cliff?, they say, ?I don't want to "offend" them by telling them what they should already know. I?m sure they can see the cliff coming up even if their vision is clouded with the ?cares of this world.? I'm not going to be the one to tell them that they are walking a path of destruction.?
Sad, but true, we are a selfish lot.
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Monday, August 28, 2006
One Thing You CAN'T Do In Heaven
Charles Spurgeon, John Wesley, George Whitefield, Peter, Paul-all dead. If they came back to planet earth for any amount of time, what would they want to do? What would be their focus as they walked the streets of our world? Would Spurgeon want to go to the Super Bowl, Final Four, or a World Series game? Would Wesley or Whitefield go on a cruise or spend hours watching this new marvel called television? Would Peter want to take a plane ride, since that was not part of his former life?
There is really only one thing they would agree on because as long as they have been in heaven, it's something none of them have been able to do. They haven't shared their faith with a lost person. Why? None there. Zero. Only God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, and saved people. No one else allowed. It is an exclusive club and you must have the right ticket stamped in the blood of Jesus Christ. Those servants of the Most High God would come back here and hand out all the tickets they could, giving as many as possible the experience of being with the Lord Jesus Christ; the forgiver of our sins; the Lamb that takes away the sins of the world, forever and ever and ever.
Have you ever wondered why this isn't every Christian's perspective? Before he died, Bill Bright said that only 2 percent of all Christians share their faith on a regular basis. Why don't we have the same zeal the apostles had to reach the lost, knowing we can't do that once we die? In 2005, Promise Keepers claimed 90 percent of all Christian men have never shared their faith even once. How far we have fallen in this age when men of God do not think it is their responsibility to warn the lost, before they take their last breath, about the judgment to come.
In the story of the rich man and Lazarus, there is a very interesting statement made in verses 27 and 28 of Luke, chapter 16: "Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment." Do you hear what the rich man said? He wanted his five brothers warned not to go anywhere near hell when they walked into eternity. How can it be that people in hell believe in personal evangelism, but there are people reading this article that do not? We, as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, are to be zealously passionate about reaching the lost individuals around us.
Jesus Christ came to seek and save that which was lost. If it was good enough for Him, it ought to be good enough for you and me. If it was good enough for Jesus to talk with the rich young ruler and the woman at the well about eternal matters, it ought to be good enough for us to strike up a conversation with a lost person today. A teenager emailed me and said, "We are not on a pleasure cruise going to heaven, but on a battleship at the gates of hell trying to prevent anybody from going there." That teenager has it figured out. Do you?
Kirby Puckett, Peter Jennings, Johnny Carson-all dead. The world tries to tell you they no longer exist. Not true. Those men are either alive and well, or alive in hell. One or the other. No other options. Your family members, friends, and strangers are all going to be alive 300 million years from now in heaven or hell. Do you care? But do you care enough to do something about it? Be one of those followers of Jesus that obviously care about others' eternal destiny. Time is precious. Use it wisely in the days to come.
Excerpted from an article by Mark Cahill - Author/Evangelist
Get his book: One Thing You CAN?T Do In Heaven
Saturday, August 26, 2006
What's You Potential?
God's Waiting to Use Your Full Potential
The next time you feel like God can't use you; just remember . . .
NOAH was a drunk.
ABRAHAM and SARAH were too old.
ISAAC was a daydreamer.
JACOB was a liar.
LEAH was ugly.
JOSEPH was abused.
MOSES had a stuttering problem.
GIDEON was afraid.
SAMSON had long hair, and was a womanizer!
RAHAB was a prostitute!
JEREMIAH and TIMOTHY were too young.
DAVID had an affair and was a murderer.
ELIJAH was suicidal.
ISAIAH preached naked.
JONAH ran from God.
NAOMI was a widow.
JOB went bankrupt.
JOHN the Baptist ate bugs.
PETER denied Christ.
The Disciples fell asleep while praying.
MARTHA worried about everything.
MARY MAGDALENE was, well, you know (... or maybe not - depends who you ask)...
The SAMARITAN WOMAN was divorced ... more than once!
ZACCHEUS was too small.
PAUL was too religious.
TIMOTHY had an ulcer .....
AND LAZARUS WAS DEAD!
... no more excuses now.
The next time you feel like God can't use you; just remember . . .
NOAH was a drunk.
ABRAHAM and SARAH were too old.
ISAAC was a daydreamer.
JACOB was a liar.
LEAH was ugly.
JOSEPH was abused.
MOSES had a stuttering problem.
GIDEON was afraid.
SAMSON had long hair, and was a womanizer!
RAHAB was a prostitute!
JEREMIAH and TIMOTHY were too young.
DAVID had an affair and was a murderer.
ELIJAH was suicidal.
ISAIAH preached naked.
JONAH ran from God.
NAOMI was a widow.
JOB went bankrupt.
JOHN the Baptist ate bugs.
PETER denied Christ.
The Disciples fell asleep while praying.
MARTHA worried about everything.
MARY MAGDALENE was, well, you know (... or maybe not - depends who you ask)...
The SAMARITAN WOMAN was divorced ... more than once!
ZACCHEUS was too small.
PAUL was too religious.
TIMOTHY had an ulcer .....
AND LAZARUS WAS DEAD!
... no more excuses now.
Monday, August 21, 2006
Whom Shall I Fear?
"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1
The Lord is my light and my salvation." Here is personal interest, "my light," "my salvation"; the soul is assured of it, and therefore declares it boldly. Into the soul at the new birth divine light is poured as the precursor of salvation; where there is not enough light to reveal our own darkness and to make us long for the Lord Jesus, there is no evidence of salvation. After conversion our God is our joy, comfort, guide, teacher, and in every sense our light: He is light within, light around, light reflected from us, and light to be revealed to us. Note, it is not said merely that the Lord gives light, but that He is light; nor that He gives salvation, but that He is salvation; he, then, who by faith has laid hold upon God, has all covenant blessings in his possession. This being made sure as a fact, the argument drawn from it is put in the form of a question, "Whom shall I fear?" A question which is its own answer. The powers of darkness are not to be feared, for the Lord, our light, destroys them; and the damnation of hell is not to be dreaded by us, for the Lord is our salvation. This is a very different challenge from that of boastful Goliath, for it rests, not upon the conceited vigor of an arm of flesh, but upon the real power of the omnipotent I AM. "The Lord is the strength of my life." Here is a third glowing epithet, to show that the writer's hope was fastened with a threefold cord which could not be broken. We may well accumulate terms of praise where the Lord lavishes deeds of grace. Our life derives all its strength from God; and if He deigns to make us strong, we cannot be weakened by all the machinations of the adversary. "Of whom shall I be afraid?" The bold question looks into the future as well as the present. "If God be for us," who can be against us, either now or in time to come?
Morning and Evening by C. H. Spurgeon
The Lord is my light and my salvation." Here is personal interest, "my light," "my salvation"; the soul is assured of it, and therefore declares it boldly. Into the soul at the new birth divine light is poured as the precursor of salvation; where there is not enough light to reveal our own darkness and to make us long for the Lord Jesus, there is no evidence of salvation. After conversion our God is our joy, comfort, guide, teacher, and in every sense our light: He is light within, light around, light reflected from us, and light to be revealed to us. Note, it is not said merely that the Lord gives light, but that He is light; nor that He gives salvation, but that He is salvation; he, then, who by faith has laid hold upon God, has all covenant blessings in his possession. This being made sure as a fact, the argument drawn from it is put in the form of a question, "Whom shall I fear?" A question which is its own answer. The powers of darkness are not to be feared, for the Lord, our light, destroys them; and the damnation of hell is not to be dreaded by us, for the Lord is our salvation. This is a very different challenge from that of boastful Goliath, for it rests, not upon the conceited vigor of an arm of flesh, but upon the real power of the omnipotent I AM. "The Lord is the strength of my life." Here is a third glowing epithet, to show that the writer's hope was fastened with a threefold cord which could not be broken. We may well accumulate terms of praise where the Lord lavishes deeds of grace. Our life derives all its strength from God; and if He deigns to make us strong, we cannot be weakened by all the machinations of the adversary. "Of whom shall I be afraid?" The bold question looks into the future as well as the present. "If God be for us," who can be against us, either now or in time to come?
Morning and Evening by C. H. Spurgeon
The daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee
"The daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee."
- Isa_37:22
Reassured by the Word of the Lord, the poor trembling citizens of Zion grew bold, and shook their heads at Sennacherib?s boastful threats. Strong faith enables the servants of God to look with calm contempt upon their most haughty foes. We know that our enemies are attempting impossibilities. They seek to destroy the eternal life, which cannot die while Jesus lives; to overthrow the citadel, against which the gates of hell shall not prevail. They kick against the pricks to their own wounding, and rush upon the bosses of Jehovah?s buckler to their own hurt.
We know their weakness. What are they but men? And what is man but a worm? They roar and swell like waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame. When the Lord ariseth, they shall fly as chaff before the wind, and be consumed as crackling thorns. Their utter powerlessness to do damage to the cause of God and his truth, may make the weakest soldiers in Zion?s ranks laugh them to scorn.
Above all, we know that the Most High is with us, and when he dresses himself in arms, where are his enemies? If he cometh forth from his place, the potsherds of the earth will not long contend with their Maker. His rod of iron shall dash them in pieces like a potter?s vessel, and their very remembrance shall perish from the earth. Away, then, all fears, the kingdom is safe in the King?s hands. Let us shout for joy, for the Lord reigneth, and his foes shall be as straw for the dunghill.
"As true as God?s own word is true;
Nor earth, nor hell, with all their crew,
Against us shall prevail.
A jest, and by-word, are they grown;
God is with us, we are his own,
Our victory cannot fail."
Morning and Evening by C. H. Spurgeon
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Sharing Encouragement Via Email
I responded to an email today that asked how I got their email address as the person didn?t know me.
I want to share my reply with you all as a way of protecting your privacy.
[Response text]
I apologize for not introducing myself.
I am Minister Frank Coleman, webmaster at New Joy Divine Full Gospel Church in Chicago. [http://www.newjoydivine.org]
Let me tell you how I got your email address.
Many people feel that sharing quotes, prayers and words of encouragement through email is great. I agree that some of these messages have merit, however many are just time wasters. I have tried to convey to the people sending these posts that if they want to share stuff like this to use the "BCC" (Blind Carbon Copy) line when entering email addresses instead of the "TO" or "CC" line. Blind Carbon Copy hides the email addresses from the other recipients when you send email to a large group of people. (If you don't see a "Bcc" as a choice in your email client, click on the "Cc" or the image next to the "Cc", it will open up all three choices; "To" - "Cc" - "Bcc")
Using the "TO" & "CC" lines exposes your email address to EVERYONE the sender has addressed.
Just like you received an email from me & you don't know me, think of a SPAM artist cultivating email addresses from seemingly innocent email and flooding you with sales offers or even worse. These innocent emails are the greatest source for email addresses on the net today.
I know this because I have a couple of web businesses and look into as many ways to advertise as possible. Farming email addresses from large email posts isn't illegal, but it is unethical. You will NEVER get a solicitation from me.
I was responding to some bad info shared in the original email.
I apologize for the intrusion. I will be sure that your email address does not make its way into my lists.
IN HIS SERVICE
Min. Frank Coleman
[End of response]
PLEASE; care about your friends enough to use the ?BCC? line when entering their email addresses on large mailings. You can put your own email address in the ?TO? line and place everyone else on the ?BCC? line. Help to prevent as much spam as you can.
I want to share my reply with you all as a way of protecting your privacy.
[Response text]
I apologize for not introducing myself.
I am Minister Frank Coleman, webmaster at New Joy Divine Full Gospel Church in Chicago. [http://www.newjoydivine.org]
Let me tell you how I got your email address.
Many people feel that sharing quotes, prayers and words of encouragement through email is great. I agree that some of these messages have merit, however many are just time wasters. I have tried to convey to the people sending these posts that if they want to share stuff like this to use the "BCC" (Blind Carbon Copy) line when entering email addresses instead of the "TO" or "CC" line. Blind Carbon Copy hides the email addresses from the other recipients when you send email to a large group of people. (If you don't see a "Bcc" as a choice in your email client, click on the "Cc" or the image next to the "Cc", it will open up all three choices; "To" - "Cc" - "Bcc")
Using the "TO" & "CC" lines exposes your email address to EVERYONE the sender has addressed.
Just like you received an email from me & you don't know me, think of a SPAM artist cultivating email addresses from seemingly innocent email and flooding you with sales offers or even worse. These innocent emails are the greatest source for email addresses on the net today.
I know this because I have a couple of web businesses and look into as many ways to advertise as possible. Farming email addresses from large email posts isn't illegal, but it is unethical. You will NEVER get a solicitation from me.
I was responding to some bad info shared in the original email.
I apologize for the intrusion. I will be sure that your email address does not make its way into my lists.
IN HIS SERVICE
Min. Frank Coleman
[End of response]
PLEASE; care about your friends enough to use the ?BCC? line when entering their email addresses on large mailings. You can put your own email address in the ?TO? line and place everyone else on the ?BCC? line. Help to prevent as much spam as you can.
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Search the Scriptures
"Search the Scriptures." John 5:39
The Greek word here rendered searchsignifies a strict, close, diligent, curious search, such as men make when they are seeking gold, or hunters when they are in earnest after game. We must not rest content with having given a superficial reading to a chapter or two, but with the candle of the Spirit we must deliberately seek out the hidden meaning of the word. Holy Scripture requires searching--much of it can only be learned by careful study. There is milk for babes, but also meat for strong men. The rabbis wisely say that a mountain of matter hangs upon every word, yea, upon every title of Scripture. Tertullian exclaims, "I adore the fullness of the Scriptures." No man who merely skims the book of God can profit thereby; we must dig and mine until we obtain the hid treasure. The door of the word only opens to the key of diligence. The Scriptures claim searching. They are the writings of God, bearing the divine stamp and imprimatur-- who shall dare to treat them with levity? He who despises them despises the God who wrote them. God forbid that any of us should leave our Bibles to become swift witnesses against us in the great day of account. The word of God will repay searching. God does not bid us sift a mountain of chaff with here and there a grain of wheat in it, but the Bible is winnowed corn--we have but to open the granary door and find it. Scripture grows upon the student. It is full of surprises. Under the teaching of the Holy Spirit, to the searching eye it glows with splendor of revelation, like a vast temple paved with wrought gold, and roofed with rubies, emeralds, and all manner of gems. No merchandise like the merchandise of Scripture truth. Lastly, the Scriptures reveal Jesus: "They are they which testify of Me." No more powerful motive can be urged upon Bible readers than this: he who finds Jesus finds life, heaven, all things. Happy he who, searching his Bible, discovers his Savior.
Morning and Evening by C. H. Spurgeon
American Tract Society -- Devotions
www.atstracts.org
The Greek word here rendered searchsignifies a strict, close, diligent, curious search, such as men make when they are seeking gold, or hunters when they are in earnest after game. We must not rest content with having given a superficial reading to a chapter or two, but with the candle of the Spirit we must deliberately seek out the hidden meaning of the word. Holy Scripture requires searching--much of it can only be learned by careful study. There is milk for babes, but also meat for strong men. The rabbis wisely say that a mountain of matter hangs upon every word, yea, upon every title of Scripture. Tertullian exclaims, "I adore the fullness of the Scriptures." No man who merely skims the book of God can profit thereby; we must dig and mine until we obtain the hid treasure. The door of the word only opens to the key of diligence. The Scriptures claim searching. They are the writings of God, bearing the divine stamp and imprimatur-- who shall dare to treat them with levity? He who despises them despises the God who wrote them. God forbid that any of us should leave our Bibles to become swift witnesses against us in the great day of account. The word of God will repay searching. God does not bid us sift a mountain of chaff with here and there a grain of wheat in it, but the Bible is winnowed corn--we have but to open the granary door and find it. Scripture grows upon the student. It is full of surprises. Under the teaching of the Holy Spirit, to the searching eye it glows with splendor of revelation, like a vast temple paved with wrought gold, and roofed with rubies, emeralds, and all manner of gems. No merchandise like the merchandise of Scripture truth. Lastly, the Scriptures reveal Jesus: "They are they which testify of Me." No more powerful motive can be urged upon Bible readers than this: he who finds Jesus finds life, heaven, all things. Happy he who, searching his Bible, discovers his Savior.
Morning and Evening by C. H. Spurgeon
American Tract Society -- Devotions
www.atstracts.org
God Delights to Give
"And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever." Genesis 13:14-15
A special blessing for a memorable occasion. Abram had settled a family dispute. He had said, "Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between thee and me, for we be brethren"; and hence he received the blessing which belongs to peacemakers. The LORD and giver of peace delights to manifest His grace to those who seek peace and pursue it. If we desire closer communion with God, we must keep closer to the ways of peace. Abram had behaved very generously to his kinsman, giving him his choice of the land. If we deny ourselves for peace's sake, the LORD will more than make it up to us. As far as the patriarch can see, he can claim, and we may do the like by faith. Abram had to wait for the actual possession, but the LORD entailed the land upon him and his posterity.
Boundless blessings belong to us by covenant gift. All things are ours. When we please the LORD, He makes us to look everywhere and see all things our own, whether things present or things to come, all are ours, and we are Christ's, and Christ is God's.
Chequebook of the Bank of Faith by C. H. Spurgeon
A special blessing for a memorable occasion. Abram had settled a family dispute. He had said, "Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between thee and me, for we be brethren"; and hence he received the blessing which belongs to peacemakers. The LORD and giver of peace delights to manifest His grace to those who seek peace and pursue it. If we desire closer communion with God, we must keep closer to the ways of peace. Abram had behaved very generously to his kinsman, giving him his choice of the land. If we deny ourselves for peace's sake, the LORD will more than make it up to us. As far as the patriarch can see, he can claim, and we may do the like by faith. Abram had to wait for the actual possession, but the LORD entailed the land upon him and his posterity.
Boundless blessings belong to us by covenant gift. All things are ours. When we please the LORD, He makes us to look everywhere and see all things our own, whether things present or things to come, all are ours, and we are Christ's, and Christ is God's.
Chequebook of the Bank of Faith by C. H. Spurgeon
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