Tuesday, May 26, 2009

The ultimate source of power

Prayer can move mountains. It can change human hearts, families, neighborhoods, cities, and nations. It is the ultimate source of power because, in reality, it is the power of Almighty God that released through prayer.


“Prayer can do what political action cannot, what education cannot, what military might cannot, and what planning committees cannot. All these are impotent by comparison. By prayer the kingdom of God is built, and kingdom of Satan is destroyed. Where there is no prayer, there are no great works, and there is no building of kingdom. Where thereis much prayer and fervent prayer, there are great gains for the kingdom: God’s rule is established, His power is directed, His will is done, society is transformed, lost persons are saved, and saints are enabled to stand against the devil’s schemes.(Eph.6:11) If that isn’t enough to compel us to devout ourselves to prayer and always wrestle in prayer (Col.4:2,12), I don’t know what is!”



Alvin J. Vander Griend.

Friday, May 15, 2009

"Mote" and "Beam"

Matthew 7:3-5
3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? 5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.


We are so often inclined to note errors in other people, but we do not know how to deal and to get rid of our own sins. Frequently people begin to speak about somebody’s “motes”, to condemn in order to feel - “I’m not too bad.” But what does Jesus telling here? If we unable to manage our own sins and do not looking for help, then please be amiable, and don’t speak about someone else sins. Do not tell in other what they should do. Go and do this yourself first, conquer your sin, because only if your personal conscience will congratulate you for the victory over the sin, when happiness of personal freedom from the “beam” will overfill you, then you will be in state to help others to get rid of the “mote in the eye”. Your personal experience + truth, this is what makes us gracious, understandable, qualified blessings for those, who is still wrestling with their sins.

Wednesday, May 06, 2009

The function of the Law




But when Jesus heard that, he said to them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.
Matthew 9:12

"Sinners that think they need no physician will not endure the healer's hand. The Law is therefore necessary to give knowledge of sin so that proud man, who thought he was whole, may be humbled by the discovery of his own great wickedness, and sigh and pant after the grace that is set forth in Christ"

Martin Luther


Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, Touch not; taste not; handle not...

Colossians 2:20-21

Some may wonder whether using the Law in evangelism produces legalism.When the Law is used to show a sinner that sin is "exceedingly sinful" - that nothing can commend him to God - he clings to the cross knowing that he is saved by grace and grace alone. This knowledge gives the Christian the understanding that even after the lifetime of good works, fasting, praying, seeking the lost, ets., his "works" don't commend him to God - he is still saved by grace alone.
However, when the Law isn't used befor the cross, and the sinner simply makes a "decision for Christ," he comes with the lack of understanding about the true nature of sin. After his commitment, he thinks that his good works, his fasting, praying, evangelism,ets., commend him to God. He is the one who thinks that what he eats, wears, and what he does become relevant to his salvation. He is the one who is liable to say "touch not, taste not, handle not"- the one who becomes "legalistic."
But using the Law in evangelism befor the cross liberates a new convert from legalism.




"Just as the world was not ready for the New Testament before it received the Old, just as the Jews were not prepared for the ministry of Christ until John the Baptist had gone before Him with his claimant call to repentance, so the unsaved are in no condition today for the gospel till the Law be applied to their hearts, for 'by the Law is the knowledge of sin.' It is the waste of time to sow seed on ground which has never been ploughed or spaded! To present the vicarious sacrifice of Christ to those whose dominant passion is to take fill of sin, is to give that which is holy to the dogs."
A.W. Pink

"God, being a perfect God, had to give a perfect Law, and the Law was given not to save men, but to measure them. I want you to understand this clearly, because I believe handreds and thousands stumble at this point. They try to save themselves by trying to keep the Law; but it was never meant for men to save themselves by."
D.L.Moody

Saturday, May 02, 2009

The Key to Reaching the Lost

Luke 11:52 “How terrible it will be for you experts in religious law! For you hide the key to knowledge from the people. You don’t enter the Kingdom yourselves, and you prevent others from entering.”

Have you ever thought, there must be a key to reaching the lost? There is! And it’s rusty through lack of use. Bible does actually call it “the key,” and its purpose is to bring us to Christ, to unlock the Door of salvation (John 10:9)
Jesus used it. So did Paul (Rom.3:19-20), Timothy (1Tim. 1:8-11), and James (2:10) Jesus said that lawyers had “hide the key,” and even refused to use it to let people enter into the Kingdom of God.
The Pharisees didn’t take it away. Instead they bent it out of shape so that it wouldn’t do its work (Mark 7:8). Jesus returned it to its true shape, just as Scriptures prophesied that He would do (Is.42:21).
Satan has tried to prejudice the modern Church against the key. He has maligned it, misused it, twisted it, and of course, hidden it. He hates it because of what it does.
In Acts 28:23 the Bible tell us that Paul persuaded sinners concerning Jesus “out of the law of Moses”. Bible tells us that the Law of Moses is good if it is used lawfully (1Timothy1:8). It was given by God as a “schoolmaster” to bring us to Christ (Galatians 3:24). Paul wrote that “I had not known sin, but by the law” (Rim.7:7). The Law of God (the Ten Commandments) is evidently the “key to knowledge” Jesus spoke of in Luke 11:52.
Likewise the modern Church should preach God’s Law so that sinners could receive the “knowledge of sin,” and recognize their need of the Savior.
My city is one of the intellectual centers of my country. We have a lot of educational and scientific institutions. And it stunning to see how the Law of God works. Indeed “every mouth stopped” (Rom.3:19) because it go round the mind, the place of arguments, and speaks right into the persons conscience.


“I do not believe that any man can preach the gospel who does not preach the Law. The Law is the needle, and you cannot draw the silken thread of the gospel through a man’s heart unless you first send the needle of the Law to make way for it.”

                                                                              Charles Spurgeon



Friday, May 01, 2009

Evangelism is Our Most Sobering Task

Have you noticed how much praying for revival has been going on of late and how little revival has resulted?

I believe the problem is that we have been trying to substitute praying for obeying, and it simply will not work. to pray for revival while ignoring the plain precept laid down in Scriptur is to waste a lot of words and get nothing for our trroubl. Prayer will become effective when we stop using it as a substitute for obedience.

AIDEN WILSON TOZER

1897-1963



What do you think about this quote?
Can you imagine if Lord would said to His disciples “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone, everywher...", and they answer to Him :"Okey Jesus! We will pray about this!"
Isn't it true that personal evangelism need to be revived in the Body of Christ today?