Convincing is Not Our Task, Sharing the Gospel Is

I was recently reading a blog forum where several, apparently Christians, were trying to out scripture a non-believer who said he knew the Bible forward and backward. Satan is good at quoting the words of God, though not always accurately. I felt sad for those trying to convince, for how aggravated they became with the antagonist.

I know it is our nature to try to convince someone of what we believe to be true, but the Word says without the Spirit touching the other person we should walk away, in other words they are not hearing or open to hear the truth.

Without the Spirit convicting, the preaching of the gospel is foolishness to those that are perishing. The message of Christ only makes sense when God comes into the midst of the conversation. I don’t know how it happens, but I know that everything falls into place when we open to God’s love and His Spirit and by faith in the message, we are changed. Prayer will let us know if the Spirit is there to convict and if not, we will be casting pearls before swine.

Frankly, I would not have wasted my time with the antagonist. It was like casting pearls before swine. It was obvious the antagonist was just that, not someone who wanted to learn, just someone who wanted to argue, no Spiritual conviction. The Bible teaches us once we have shared the gospel we have done our task. The rest is up to God. And if it becomes a fight, we are to shake the dust from our feet and go on to someone else who may listen.

Our task is to share the gospel, then it is the Holy Spirit that does the convicting and the saving of a soul. We do not save anyone from sin or hell, God does through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ when someone is anointed by the Spirit, accepts God’s forgiveness, and begins to walk by faith not by sight.

My pity did go to the antagonist. He was raised in a religious household, said he knew all about the Christian faith and had once believed but with all his study, he no longer believed in Christianity. (He apparently believed in some kind of supernatural, said he wasn’t an atheist but didn’t say what he believed in). What’s sad is that, knowing about Christ, about every scripture, all the rituals and all the head knowledge in the world, is not the same as really knowing Christ. When that change takes place by the supernatural Spirit of God it is so wonderful, why would we walk away from that?

Pressing On

An old song says, “I’m pressing on the upward way, new heights I’m gaining everyday… Our pastor preached a sermon on valuing what Jesus Christ has done for us Sunday and then on pressing toward the mark for the high calling in Christ Jesus.

We know how much God values us. He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. He valued us with His life’s blood.

Even though man prefers to live away from God, in sin, God still loves His creation so much He immediately enforced a plan of salvation when man fell away by his disobedience.  I know theologically why it required blood, life for life, in the old testament to cover over sin from year to year and through Christ, it is a once for eternity sacrifice to not just cover but wash away man’s sins and reconcile him to the Father again. I’ve never been sure, though I know I’ll know when we are in heaven, why He had to do what He did, but I know how much love it shows for mankind.

What baffles my mind is why there was no other way but that Christ should die. God is all-powerful and He could have just as easily destroyed all evil with Satan, but He didn’t. Can I speculate why, even though, as I said, I may never know until Christ’s return and we are in heaven?

Nothing God ever created has been completely destroyed, has it? The whole earth covered in water was not destroyed. The waters receded and live things began to produce again. Even when we read the account of how God created Lucifer and how Lucifer, (called Satan and the Devil) stepped up to make himself a god, we see that God did not destroy His creation. He cast Lucifer out of His realm, and limited Satan’s powers that he once had but did not destroy him.

It seems the plan was in place for mankind’s redemption from the beginning, for those that would listen to Satan, God made a way for mankind to escape the judgement of death from sin, disobedience to God’s love.

If we read of God’s longsuffering toward sinful man, that as many as would believe in His plan, salvation through Christ, they would be reconciled to God, even then we see His creation is never fully destroyed.

Those accepting God’s love and plan of reconciling will spend eternity in heaven, a place so beautiful and wonderful, eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither has it entered our minds what God has prepared for those who love Him and His Word.

But even those that die without Christ will live in eternity forever and ever in hell, which I believe–though it says hell burns forever with fire and gnashing of teeth which is plenty fearful–I believe the greatest torture will be knowing how simple God’s plan and how loving God’s plan was in making a way to avoid that eternal death and those in hell ignored it. For all eternity knowing where they could be in heaven, that would be torture. Simple plan I say, for us, but paid for with such a great, loving price. Still, neither the soul in heaven or hell will see destruction.

That’s why I speculate that evil was not destroyed; controlled and eventually put away forever and ever in the lake of fire, yes, but not destroyed, because the subject that inflicted the evil was created by God. Opinions?

We walk by faith not by sight the Word says. We are to walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. We are saved by Grace and that not of ourselves, it is a gift of God, not of works lest anyone should boast.

I know the Word says some will be saved as if by fire, their works being burned so some say, I can live my live any which way I want as long as I truly believe in Christ Jesus, who He was and what he did for me, but let me ask a question.

Why would you, knowing how precious God is, why would anyone miss the joyful pleasure of living in the Spirit, sharing His love as a witness, and experiencing the deep and wonderful fellowship with our Creator, for such temporary blips of occasionally being happy with some earthly excitement? Sure you may end up in heaven, (? on the struggle of maintaining faith without walking in it) but think of the adventure, joy and pure love you will miss living your life in self-satisfaction.

As our Pastor stated, we are saved through accepting God’s gift, but if we truly value God even a portion of how much He values us, we will share what we have experienced and press toward the mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus. We are not saved to sit around and vegetate but to tell someone what God through Christ has done for us and will continue to give to us throughout all eternity, without end.

I Think We Beat a Record

Last year I read something on a blog that led me to Dave’s Garden of facts. You put in your zip code and it gives you the frost history for your area. It said there would be little to no chance of frost after April 19 in our area. If it hadn’t been raining I do believe we would have had frost this year on the 21st. It got slightly below 33 degrees. It is my understanding that a below 33 degrees temperature with moisture in the air (not rain) will give a frost. Anyone know if that is true?
Oh well. I’m sure if Dave is updating his chart he would know.

It brings me to one of my favorite things. Planting a garden! I’ve been planning it since end of February and we have had several days since then that have tempted me to get planting BUT I learned from my first year here from the lifetime locals, wait until mid-April. I lost everything except the peas my first year. Do you know peas and potatoes will survive even a late snow? Mine did. But assuming green beans and peas are of the same family is a mistake. Green beans will not survive a frost.

I usually always try to connect my blog topic with a spiritual truth so I’m thinking. We are all human beings, yet we don’t all live the same, even as Christians. I do believe the gospel is the gospel and we all have to be obedient to that truth. We can’t make up and we can’t pick and choose what we will follow. The Word is the Word. Yet just as plants that seem similar do not all react the same to the same kind of environment, we must be careful not to teach customs and traditions as part of the Word.

The priests, in the time Jesus walked the earth, had all kinds of customs and traditions that they followed or instructed the people to follow that Jesus said were made up. They weren’t even part of the old covenant law. They had been put in place by the priests over the years and Jesus said the priests didn’t even follow the rules that they were subjecting the people to.

The Bible says to work out your own salvation WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING. That means to make sure we are keeping the commandments of Jesus, but to know when a burden put on us is just that and has no foundation of truth.

The Word says we should not offend another brother or sister by flaunting something we are allowed to do and that they feel convicted against doing. The whole meat issue Paul talks about comes to mind. But neither do we have to be in bondage to a custom or tradition that God has freed us from. That’s where the “working out our salvation with fear and trembling” comes into play. We are no longer in bondage to men’s religious rules BUT we are servants of God who need to listen to the admonition of the Word. We are to refrain from offending if possible.

There are extreme cases where that is not possible. Jim Jones doctrine comes to mind, where men and women followed him in what they considered spiritual obedience. Even when it became evident that some of the things he was doing were against the Word of God, it seemed they didn’t want to offend brothers and sisters who thought Jim Jones was a great leader so they remained silent, many to their unfortunate death.

Many might say, I wouldn’t do anything that stupid. Hundreds did. A few who were really seeking God’s will realized Jim Jones was becoming a fanatic. What he was demanding was ungodly, so they walked away, but most followed him to what they thought would be heaven on earth. That is not God’s plan.

God knows what each of us needs to spiritually survive our environments, so that becomes a basic teaching. There is now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus—but complete the verse—who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. Trust God to lead us by His Spirit and He will plant us in the right location.

To Help a Friend

I have an author friend in England who has done some very good devotional books. She has asked if I could get the word out about her new book. How to pray is the topic. I have done some critique work with the author and find the book inspiring.
From the author, Marion Stroud: (author of dozens of devotional books)
“My new book ‘It’s Just You and Me Lord’ will be in Sam’s Club, in time for Mother’s Day. If I was in the US, I’d know what to do in order to make people aware that it can be bought from there. But from here I’m definitely working in the dark! I should imagine that hundreds of thousands know about Sam’s Club who would never do anything about going to a Christian bookstore or do direct order from Discovery House. And I long for the book to get to those for whom prayer is a mystery.”

If you need help in knowing how to pray and like a good devotional book, please check out Sam’s Club for Marion Stroud’s,  “It’s Just You and Me Lord.”  I hope you will find the book encouraging.

The Word of God is Not a Pick and Choose Doctrine

We either believe and follow all of the teachings of Jesus or we are not part of the Christian faith. The very book that describes what makes us Christian says that the new testament is for reproof, for doctrine and instruction in righteousness. We can’t pick what we like and throw out what we don’t like, or it is no longer the truth. (I’m not talking about customs and traditions that are sometimes taught as doctrine)

I was reading in Jeremiah and saw perfect examples in the old testament of the country of Judah, about what happens to people who want to be called God’s people, but they still wanted to worship idols. God told them they couldn’t have it both ways.

Much of our society today is willing to follow and promote the commandments that are for their benefit but ignore the ones that don’t fit the lifestyle they want to live. Have you noticed that our rule of law is strongly based on the ten commandments; thou shall not steal, not kill, not lie but most don’t want a mention of the One who gave us our moral high ground. Leave off the first of the commandments, thou shall love the Lord God…Him only shall you serve and in many places, take out the ‘thou shall not commit adultery’ and the rest will pretty much be accepted by a society who want the protections the law affords.

Back to the country of Judah, they were willing to listen to Jeremiah as long as he was saying things they agreed with, but turned on him when he hit on sin against God, especially when he told them they would have to give up their sexual perversion in worshiping the queen of heaven. The history I’ve read on this so-called goddess was very specifically erotic, sexual worship involving prostitutes, male and female, multiple sex partners, same-sex, opposite sex, even sex with animals. Kind of reminds me of what is happening with society today.

The Word is the judge. I know, I’ve heard many say, the bible says judge not lest you be judged. When the word of God is so plain and shows the results of sin as death, it is the Word that is judging our behavior.

As a sincere believer, we cannot pick and choose what part of the word we will follow and throw out the parts that don’t please us. The word teaches that narrow is the gate that leads to eternal life. Broad is the way that leads to destruction. No matter the terminology used to accept sinful life styles in our society, God will not tolerate disobedience. That’s not done with hate but because of God’s love and His desire that no one perishes because of disobedience.

The people of Judah asked Jeremiah to petition God about what they should do and said they would obey what God told them. Jeremiah came back and told them God’s answer. It meant they would have to turn away from the sin in their lives, so they told Jeremiah he was a liar and they weren’t going to listen. (a side note, they all perished from their actions and decisions not to listen to God.)

There are several scriptures in which people say, let us do as we please but still be called by God’s name. I know the word says before Christ comes back to judge the earth, many people will be in that position. They don’t want to deny God, but in practice they do deny Him.

Bottom line is if we are not willing to abide by the truth in God’s word, then why do we hold on to the name Christian and continue to do and support what God finds abominable?

You’ve Always Been Good

Funny how a quick statement by someone can bring back a memory. Recently I heard someone tell someone: “You don’t understand. You’ve always been good.”

Many years ago while witnessing to someone who was struggling to make a stand for Christ, I made the statement: “It takes total surrender to God to leave behind the past, but when you do you’ll find that your focus will be on pleasing God. All things will be new and you will want to only do what God wants.”

That’s when the, “You don’t understand. You’ve always been good.” made me almost laugh. I told the person. “No one is good except God. That’s scripture and that includes me. The only good in me is Christ living through me. When I gave up the struggle and totally surrendered my life, God made me a new creature. My thoughts, my wants were now on how I could please Him. And no, I have definitely not always been good.”

I was raised in a very dysfunctional family. I did my share of stupid and sinful things. I will not go into the past (for my siblings sake!) because it is gone and forgiven, but needless to say children left to their own devices can be pretty creative. I sometimes wonder how we all turned out as well as we did, even how we survived!

The only time God can begin to teach us how to walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the lust of the flesh (anything in our lives that is not pleasing to God) is when we surrender to Him completely. We may stumble, make mistakes but it will be a growing process that will make us strong, not weaker, for God. I believe the scripture teaches that when I am weak, recognize I’m nothing without God, that’s when I am strong.

So if you look at a strong Christian and you are struggling to be good, stop the fight. Don’t assume someone was born loving and serving God, but do know the struggle will be over when you totally surrender your past and your present and your future to the only One that is good.

Nothing is Impossible with God

If we ask of God and don’t receive what we ask for, does it mean God doesn’t answer prayers anymore? In our finite mind it may appear God hasn’t answered, but He says He will do abundantly above all we ask or think so what does that mean?

I know many people say that God does always answer but sometimes that answer is no, or wait awhile. I suppose that is true in some cases, but in studying the Word, I believe sometimes there is another reason we don’t receive the answer we expect.

The Creator of all things has said in many different ways that He will do what is best for His children, that He will not withhold any good thing from us, that He wants us to prosper. Again, are we limiting God by what our finite mind can see or comprehend?

Unbelief and doubt can limit God’s promises in our lives. The Word says we should believe God for all things, whatsoever we have need of (noted it doesn’t say all our wants) yet, the one real thing we have need of in order to believe God for all the rest, is to draw close to Him and He will draw close to us. To walk in the power of the Spirit and we will not fulfill the desires of the flesh, to allow God to change our hearts so that we really can have the desires of our hearts met.

Just like a good human Father, God is not going to supply us with things that will ultimately harm us. And with our limited vision we can’t see the big picture that He sees. So how do we pray to God who has given us such great promises?

How about telling Him our situation (He knows but tells us to pray anyway) and then surrender the results to Him. It is His good pleasure to give good gifts to His children. The hard part for us seems to be the surrendering to His will, not our own. To give up the control we think we have to have and put whatever the need is into His hands.

He is almighty God, yet chooses to live in us through the sacrifice, the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus, the Christ, the Messiah. It takes us repenting of sin (disobedience to God) and surrendering to the plan that will work only to our good. That surrender brings a sweet release to the souls of those who believe the promise, a relief that creates joy unspeakable and full of glory. No one can ever explain to another how that change happens, but if we happen to be someone who has received that saving and renewing through Christ then we know it is real.

It all happens when we are convicted by the Spirit of our need for God’s forgiveness, then pray the prayer of repentance that will absolutely change our lives and reconcile us to God, who will then keep us in perfect peace if we walk in His Spirit and keep our mind stayed on Him.

And if you think you have no hope, that you are too deep in sin for God to love you, remember, nothing is impossible with God.