"striving together for the faith of the gospel." -Phil. 1:27
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Category Archives: Outreach

Widow Visitation!

James 1:27, “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”

There are three particular items God really blesses and labels as pure religion, visiting the fatherless, visiting the widows, and keeping oneself pure. This type of living expresses Christian compassion and holiness. These two virtues are foundational in biblical living.

It is important and necessary to teach these truths, but applying that truth in a “hands on” format helps reinforce that truth.

Last Saturday I had the awesome opportunity to teach the youth group how to serve the widows and widowers in our local church! We had a great time fellowshipping with these folks and letting them know that we appreciate and remember them. At the same time we enjoyed hearing their stories, nuggets of wisdom, salvation testimonies, and involvement to the local church! Widow visitation is one of the best activities of the year!

Praying for Missions!

One of my favorite conferences of the year in the life of a local church is missions conference! It’s a great time to fellowship with like-minded missionaries who have dedicated their lives to reach a particular country with the gospel of Jesus Christ (Acts 1:8)! Furthermore, there is great preaching and fellowship around the Scriptures! This year’s key-note speaker was Dr. Fred Moritz, who throughout the conference delivered several challenging messages. His concluding sermon Sunday night after the international dinner on how to biblically pray for missionaries and church planters is what I would like to outline for you in this post.

Pray for Power (2 Thess. 3:1) – Paul urged the believers to frequently lift up prayers so that “…the word of the Lord may have free course…” In other words, pray that missionaries will have many opportunities to present the gospel of Jesus Christ to lost people! It is a biblically thing to fervently pray that the Word of God will run free and spread rapidly in their place of ministry. 

Pray for Protection (2 Thess. 3:2) – Paul requested prayer for safety “…from unreasonable and wicked men…” who were opposed to the truth of the gospel. We must pray that our missionaries have protection as they perform the Lord’s work.   

Pray for Provision (2 Cor. 1:8-11) – Paul thanked the Corinthians “…for the gift bestowed upon us…” Sending people to the mission field isn’t cheap, but what a worthy and eternal investment! Along with financial support there are many other items (passports, housing, transportation, food, citizenship, etc) that must take place. It is a biblical thing to pray that the needs of our missionaries are met so they can focus on spreading the gospel.

Pray for Personnel (Matt. 9:35-38) – Finally, our Lord Jesus Christ clearly stated, in imperative mode, that “…the harvest is truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” It takes people to communicate the gospel (Rom. 10:14), therefore we must obediently and diligently pray that Christians will hear and answer the call to missions. The next generation of missionaries is only going to come from the local church that is faithfully praying.

Reconciliation 101

Reconciliation is an awesome topic to delve into when studying the elements of salvation. Many times we can overlook the awesomeness of this subject. Unfortunately, there is little in-depth preaching delivered on this wonderful theological subject. Sadly, the only time we hear this term is in the context of divorce (i.e. “irreconcilable differences”). I would like to take this post and summarize the elements of reconciliation using 2 Corinthians 5:17-20.

What is reconciliation? The basic everyday definition is “peace between two parties.” In the biblical context, it is where a holy God and a sinful man are brought back together in sweet harmony and fellowship. Ok, now to those elements…

Reconciliation Transforms (v.17) – “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” In order for you to be reconciled to God you had to be changed into a new creature. In other words, you somehow have to be declared righteous. Why? Because you were born totally 100% sinful (Colossians 1:21) and incapable of doing anything to earn favor with God (Romans 3:23). Nothing in you motivated Jesus Christ to die for you (Romans 5:8-10). Through salvation you are thoroughly changed!

Reconciliation is through Christ Alone (v.18a, 19a) – “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ…” and in v.19, “To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them…” There is only one means that this reconciliation can take place, and that is through the person and work of Jesus Christ! The cross is the only occasion that can bring a holy God and a sinful man back into a peaceful fellowship. 1 Timothy 2:5, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” Thank God for demonstrating His love toward you (John 3:16; Romans 5:8)!

Reconciliation is for Everyone (v.19) – “To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them…” This reconciliation is for all, no one is left out, excluded, ignored, or overlooked! God loves and desires to be reconciled with everyone (2 Peter 3:9). If you have never repented from your sins and trusted Christ alone for salvation this invitation of mercy and forgiveness is still available today, please contact me I would love to talk with you about it.

Reconciliation Satisfies God’s Wrath (v.21) – “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” In order for God to be reconciled to you He had to appease (satisfy) His wrath against sin. The only way that could be possible was through the violent and sacrificial death of His sinless Son, Jesus Christ.

Reconciliation is our Ministry (v.18b, 19b, 20a) – “…hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation,” “…hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation,” “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ…” If you have been reconciled (saved) it is now your responsibility to reach out to others and tell them the good news of Jesus Christ! You are now God’s ambassador to a lost world. This is ought to be your mission in life.

Praise God for this all-inclusive reconciliation provided through Christ alone that transforms sinful men, satisfies the wrath of God, and is now our ministry!

*Photo taken by: Soulbring

America’s True Hope and Change!

Elections are coming up soon in November and it is always a healthy exercise to review our biblical responsibilities as Christian in the world of politics. How can a Christian make a difference in politics? What is a Christian’s role when it comes to government? I would like to submit 5 responsibilities that every Christian must practice.

1. Obey Them – “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is not power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation” -Romans 13:1-2

We must submit ourselves to all authorities that God places in our lives, even the government. God always blesses obedience to authority. We must be careful to obey every speed limit, not text and drive (if that law applies in your state), and pay our taxes! When we resist obeying our civil authority we actually directly disobey God and place ourselves in a dangerous position that God will not prosper.

2. Pay Them – “For this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.” – Romans 13:6-7 As hard and unfair as this may seem sometimes we must pay the government not only our money, but our honor and praise. Why do we pay the government?

First, so they can punish evil doers, Romans 13:3a “For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power?”

Second, so they can praise those who are good, Romans 13:3b “…do that which is good, and thou shall have praise of the same.” We pay the government so they can honor those who do right. For example, in Washington D.C. there are many WW2 monuments and memorials honoring soldiers of their worthy and sacrificial service to our country that were erected with our tax money. That’s biblical!

Third, so they can protect those who do good, Romans 13:4 “For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.” A government that is punishing evil doers and honoring good doers will diligently protect the good doers.

3. Pray for Them – “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” – 1 Timothy 2:1-4

We as born-again believers must be faithfully praying for our governmental (local, state, and national) officials. In those prayers we must thank God for them. We must pray for their salvation. We must pray for their decision making. Why? Because this is good and acceptable in God’s eyes! A Christian who is faithfully praying for his or her governmental officials will not have time to criticize them.

4. Honor Them – “Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.” – Romans 13:5

We can go through our life and outwardly obey our civil authorities, but how much do we actually inwardly honor them? Do we value them and appreciate what they do for us? Do we genuinely respect them? Those are hard questions to honestly answer, but demand answers! Think about it, we ought to be thankful for the government we do have, because that is better than having not government at all. Otherwise, there would be chaos and everyone would be doing what is right in their own eyes. Let’s resolve to honor our authorities! God blesses that!

5. Sway Them – No doubt there are some remaining questions that deal with honoring and obeying a government that is progressively wicked and deceitful. What must a Christian do? Sway them! “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” – Matthew 5:13-16

Instead of doing what most Christians do and resent them, disobey them, and disrespect them let’s spend our time persuading them to do right! Let’s sway them by sending letters and emails, making phone calls, and faithfully voting according to biblical standards. This will take time, but if every Christian does his or her part God will bless our efforts.

One thing I remind myself and others is that true hope and change is not in political reform, but in the gospel! Let’s implement these five biblical responsibilities and watch God work in great and might ways!

*Photo above taken by: Clarinex

Lessons on a Fishing Pier!

This year’s family vacation took us to the coast of Oak Island, NC. We had a great time making many unforgettable family memories! I frequently look for real life illustrations to relate to the Christian life and the first one came on the fishing pier close to where we were staying. I observed the operation of many of the fishermen and many correlations came to mind about witnessing.

Location – These fishermen were in the right spot to find fish, on the pier in the ocean! What a great place to find fish! It made tons of sense for these fishermen to be fishing for fish in water filled with fish! It was painfully obvious that these guys had the right idea! In order to be an effective fisherman we got to be in a location where there are fish. As a Christian, location is very important! I must strive to be in non-compromising places where there are lost people. In order for me to be an effective Christian I must be in “waters” where there are lost people “swimming” around. What locations can you stake out to submerge yourself around unsaved people?

Preparation – As I walked by many of the fishermen I carefully noticed their equipment. They had everything, probably from the closest Bass Pro Shop! Coolers, nets, tackle boxes, live bait, hooks, poles, sinkers, and carts to carry it all around. These guys weren’t professionals, just your normal and average guy looking to make a catch. I got to thinking, am I THAT prepared to win souls? Do I have tracts with me? Where is my pocket Bible? What Bible verses and passages am I memorizing, reviewing, and familiarizing myself with in order to be prepared? I don’t have to be some super Christian or have a PhD in theology to be a soul winner. This is for the average and normal Christian!         

Expectation – Along with all the equipment these men carted around I noticed an expectant demeanor about them. They came to the fishing pier that day expecting to catch fish! They weren’t hoping to catch fish, they were confident and anticipating when the catch would come. One guy even had a cutting board and knife close by for filleting! As a believer in Christ, I was rebuked by my lack of expectation when I’m out soul winning. Many times it just becomes a duty or a guilt relieving task that needs to be checked off the list and not a time of eagerness that someone is coming to Christ today! Am I expecting to lead someone to Christ today?

Diligence – Many of these fishermen had two or three lines casted simultaneously and then patiently, but confidently, waited. During this time they would occasionally check the line to assure its effectiveness, other times it was necessary for them to re-cast with a different technique. They were very diligent in making sure their time and equipment was being used wisely. They didn’t quit. It quickly and clearly came to my attention that I need to be like that in my witnessing. I must be patient, but confident. Also, during those times of waiting I must be making follow up visits to people I’m witnessing to. I must use my time and resources wisely. I must not quit.

Fishing is to fishermen what witnessing is to Christians. In order for one to be an effective witness for Christ they must be properly located, well prepared, confidently expectant, and consistently diligent.