“When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the foreigner residing among you. I am the Lord your God.” [1]
“Remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.” [2]
We were foreigners to God’s country... heaven... but He invited us in through the precious blood of the Lamb: our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We certainly did not deserve such lavish treatment from God.
“Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.” [3]
Christians throughout history have been persecuted, mistreated, and martyred for their faith. America got its start after persecuted Christians fled here to start a colony where the Bible could be the rule of the law. Still, we are to remember that America, in fact, all nations on earth are only temporary residing places. The main residing place we should be concerned about is where we will reside for all eternity. Thus, the Apostle Peter advises us to live out our time here on earth as foreigners.
The key point here is that God’s ultimate goal is that the whole human race would unite in love.
God has scheduled an international praise and worship service in heaven that includes people from every nation and language: “After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.” [4]
[1] Leviticus 23:22
[2] Ephesians 2:12
[3] 1 Peter 1:17
[4] Revelation 7:9
Monday, September 23, 2013
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Repentance & Forgiveness
“A person’s own folly leads to their ruin, yet their heart rages against the Lord.” [1]
“Heavenly Father, please forgive me for the times that I have ruined lives. Please change me by Your grace with wisdom, meekness, humility, and integrity. In the Name of Your Son Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.”
“Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” [2]
“Heavenly Father, I am not at peace with __________. Please help me to live peacefully with ___________. In the Name of Your Son Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.”
“See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” [3]
“Heavenly Father, I do not want to fall short of Your grace by failing to forgive the one who has sinned against me. Please uproot that bitter root from me. Don’t let me trouble and defile people. Please grant me to drink of the river of life that flows from Your throne of grace. The one that makes me gracious like You are gracious! I want life, not death, to flow from me. In the Name of Your Son Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.”
“See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. Even though he sought the blessing with tears, he could not change what he had done.” [4]
“Heavenly Father, without Your help, I choose temporary pleasures over eternal ones. Please keep me mindful that a day is coming when it will be too late to change what I have done. It will be too late to wish that I had made choices for eternity. Help me to choose Your ways. In the Name of Your Son Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.”
“If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared.” [5]
“O Almighty God, merciful Father, I a poor, miserable sinner, confess to You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your punishment now and forever. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, And I pray You of Your boundless mercy, and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor sinful being.” [6]
What does the Lord say about His forgiveness?
He says, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” [7]
[1] Proverbs 19:3
[2] Hebrews 12:14
[3] Hebrews 12:15
[4] Hebrews 12:16-17
[5] Psalm 130:3-4
[6] The Lutheran Service Book, © 2006
[7] 1 John 1:8-9
“Heavenly Father, please forgive me for the times that I have ruined lives. Please change me by Your grace with wisdom, meekness, humility, and integrity. In the Name of Your Son Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.”
“Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” [2]
“Heavenly Father, I am not at peace with __________. Please help me to live peacefully with ___________. In the Name of Your Son Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.”
“See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” [3]
“Heavenly Father, I do not want to fall short of Your grace by failing to forgive the one who has sinned against me. Please uproot that bitter root from me. Don’t let me trouble and defile people. Please grant me to drink of the river of life that flows from Your throne of grace. The one that makes me gracious like You are gracious! I want life, not death, to flow from me. In the Name of Your Son Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.”
“See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. Even though he sought the blessing with tears, he could not change what he had done.” [4]
“Heavenly Father, without Your help, I choose temporary pleasures over eternal ones. Please keep me mindful that a day is coming when it will be too late to change what I have done. It will be too late to wish that I had made choices for eternity. Help me to choose Your ways. In the Name of Your Son Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.”
“If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared.” [5]
“O Almighty God, merciful Father, I a poor, miserable sinner, confess to You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your punishment now and forever. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, And I pray You of Your boundless mercy, and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor sinful being.” [6]
What does the Lord say about His forgiveness?
He says, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” [7]
[1] Proverbs 19:3
[2] Hebrews 12:14
[3] Hebrews 12:15
[4] Hebrews 12:16-17
[5] Psalm 130:3-4
[6] The Lutheran Service Book, © 2006
[7] 1 John 1:8-9
Saturday, September 14, 2013
He that Wins Souls is Wise
Christianity is not rocket science. A Christian believes in Christ and leads others to do the same. Our purpose is to testify for Jesus Christ. Our commission is to win souls to Him. Proverbs 11:30 advises, “He that wins souls is wise.”
Prayer fuels soul winning and soul winning fuels prayer. If we are not soul winning, our prayer life is weak. Soul winning requires prayer for God’s leading and anointing to speak, prayer for the soul we will witness to, and prayer for the person who opens their heart to Jesus.
William Booth called his soul winning movement, “The Salvation Army” because it is a battle. If we daily share Christ with others, we will be driven to our knees, because: apart from Christ we can do nothing. Apart from Christ listeners won’t respond. Apart from Christ the enemy will win. With Christ all things are possible.
Prayer is vital to vigilance. Prayer is imperative for preparedness. Prayer is asking Almighty God Maker of heaven and earth for HELP.
“The Hour that Changes the World” movement began after Dick Eastman saw how many souls in China needed Jesus. He recruited people to pray for China. After 25 years of prayer, the organization he is a part of has reached 800 of China’s largest cities. 40 million families have been given the Gospel home by home.
“Dear Heavenly Father, please make us wise in regards to winning souls to believe in Your Son Jesus Christ. In His Name I pray. Amen.”
Prayer fuels soul winning and soul winning fuels prayer. If we are not soul winning, our prayer life is weak. Soul winning requires prayer for God’s leading and anointing to speak, prayer for the soul we will witness to, and prayer for the person who opens their heart to Jesus.
William Booth called his soul winning movement, “The Salvation Army” because it is a battle. If we daily share Christ with others, we will be driven to our knees, because: apart from Christ we can do nothing. Apart from Christ listeners won’t respond. Apart from Christ the enemy will win. With Christ all things are possible.
Prayer is vital to vigilance. Prayer is imperative for preparedness. Prayer is asking Almighty God Maker of heaven and earth for HELP.
“The Hour that Changes the World” movement began after Dick Eastman saw how many souls in China needed Jesus. He recruited people to pray for China. After 25 years of prayer, the organization he is a part of has reached 800 of China’s largest cities. 40 million families have been given the Gospel home by home.
Four Prayers Needs
Workers for the Harvest
Nothing can be built or maintained without workers
Open Doors
A third of the world lives where Gospel sharing is prohibited
Fruit that Remains
In many cultures converts are rejected by family and society
Resources
Most people do not realize how expensive it is to spread the Gospel
“Dear Heavenly Father, please make us wise in regards to winning souls to believe in Your Son Jesus Christ. In His Name I pray. Amen.”
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Middle Easterners Shall Worship Yahweh
The day is approaching when the people of the Middle East will worship the Lord (Yahweh). During 739-690 BC, the area of Egypt and the Assyrian Empire included nearly all of the Middle East stretching from western Iran, the Persian Gulf region, most of Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Israel, as well as Egypt. The Lord predicts that the people of this region shall become His people.
“In that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the heart of Egypt, and a monument to the Lord at its border. It will be a sign and witness to the Lord Almighty in the land of Egypt.
When they cry out to the Lord because of their oppressors, He will send them a Savior and Defender, and He will rescue them. So, the Lord will make Himself known to the Egyptians and in that day, they will acknowledge the Lord. They will worship with sacrifices and grain offerings; they will make vows to the Lord and keep them.
The Lord will strike Egypt with a plague; He will strike them and heal them. They will turn to the Lord, and He will respond to their pleas and heal them. In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will go to Egypt and the Egyptians to Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship together.
In that day Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing on the earth. The Lord Almighty will bless them, saying, ‘Blessed be Egypt My people, and Assyria My handiwork, and Israel My inheritance.’” [1]
[1] Isaiah 19:19-25
“In that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the heart of Egypt, and a monument to the Lord at its border. It will be a sign and witness to the Lord Almighty in the land of Egypt.
When they cry out to the Lord because of their oppressors, He will send them a Savior and Defender, and He will rescue them. So, the Lord will make Himself known to the Egyptians and in that day, they will acknowledge the Lord. They will worship with sacrifices and grain offerings; they will make vows to the Lord and keep them.
The Lord will strike Egypt with a plague; He will strike them and heal them. They will turn to the Lord, and He will respond to their pleas and heal them. In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will go to Egypt and the Egyptians to Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship together.
In that day Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing on the earth. The Lord Almighty will bless them, saying, ‘Blessed be Egypt My people, and Assyria My handiwork, and Israel My inheritance.’” [1]
[1] Isaiah 19:19-25
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