Sharing the Gospel with a Lost and Dying World

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What is the Gospel? Have you ever wondered what it means to "be saved?" Maybe you have heard Christians talking about this subject, and you might have thought, what do I need to be saved FROM? Or perhaps you are already saved, but are not sure how to share the gospel with your unsaved friends, family, and coworkers. Well, this post answers all these questions. Evangelist Dr. John Van Gelderen (Revival Focus Ministries) gives a very thorough presentation of the gospel in THESE VIDEOS. It will be well worth your time! If you have questions, feel free to post them in the comments, and I will try to answer them in the best way that I can.

The Necessity of Forgiveness

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One of my favorite passages in the Bible that deals with forgiveness is Matthew 18:21-35. Peter asks Jesus how many times should one forgive others. Perhaps Peter thought he was being generous in suggesting that he forgive someone seven times. But the Lord answered, "I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven." I believe that Jesus' point was not that we should literally only forgive 490 times and then that's it. But rather, seventy times seven implies we should forgive so many times that we just do not even keep track. Jesus then tells the story of the king and his servant. A certain servant owed the king a huge sum of money - ten thousand talents. I do not know the exact amount in today's standards, but I have heard that it was probably millions. The Bible clearly states that the servant did not have the money to pay the king back. The servant was brought before the king and ordered to pay all that he owed. The servant fell at the king's feet and begged the king to be merciful. The king had declared that the servant was to be sold, along with the servant's wife and children, and all that he owned, in order to pay the king back. I mean, can you just imagine the hopelessness that this poor servant must have felt. Not only would he be separated from his wife and children, they would all be split up, too, and sold into slavery. There would be no chance of every being free again and being a family, because the debt was too great for someone such as this servant to ever pay back.

I love how the Bible says the king was "moved with compassion." He had pity on him. Not only did the king decide not to sell the servant and his family into slavery, but he COMPLETELY FORGAVE THE DEBT. All of it! Can you even imagine what that must have been like? Two seconds ago, your life was over and you would probably never see your family again. Now, you are forgiven. Freely and completely forgiven, and you never have to worry about that debt hanging over your head again. What would you do? You would think this servant would run home as fast as he possibly could and hug his family tighter than he ever had.

Unfortunately, that is not even close to what happened. It's interesting that the Bible says that the servant went out and FOUND one of his fellowservants who owed HIM money. That seems to tell me that servant #1 went looking for servant #2, to intentionally try to collect on his debt. Sometimes do you ever find yourself wishing you could go back in time and just smack some sense into someone like this? I do, until I realize that I have done the EXACT SAME THING to people in my own life. Anyway, more on this in a minute - I'm going to finish the story first.

So, servant #1 finds servant #2 and asks sweetly and respectfully if servant #2 could pay him back. Wait, maybe that version is in the NIV, but that's not what the KJV says. (A little tongue-in-cheek there, folks!) No, he put his hands on him and GRABBED HIM BY THE THROAT. He starts choking this poor fellowservant because he is so angry that servant #2 owes him money. The Bible says it was a "hundred pence." Again, I do not know how much exactly that is in today's standard. I've heard anywhere from a few pennies to around $15 dollars. Not a huge amount, compared to what servant #1 owed the king.

Servant #2 falls down on the ground, begging for servant #1 to be patient with him and give him a little more time. Sound familiar? You would think that would trigger pretty recent memories in servant #1, wouldn't you? But servant #1 wasn't going to hear any of it. He threw him in prison until he could pay the debt. Of course the rest of the story goes on to say that the king was told of servant #1's actions, and the king rebuked him for what he had done, and ended up punishing him in prison for his lack of compassion and forgiveness.

God is like the king in this story, who forgave me for my sin debt. I could never pay him back for all my sins, and therefore, I was doomed to spend eternity in the place of punishment, the place called hell. That was like the first servant who owed a million dollars - there was no way he could pay that back ever, even if he spent the rest of his life trying. I could never be good enough to atone for my sins. I could never pay God back by being good enough, even if I spent the rest of my life trying. God loved me, and had compassion on me. The Bible says that God is not willing for ANY to perish (that means be separated from God by spending eternity in hell). Now, unlike the king, God could not just overlook my sin. Jesus, the perfect Son of God, died on the cross and shed His blood to pay that debt. He took my place, and because of this, God is able to FREELY and COMPLETELY forgive my sins. All of them. He gave me back my life when I placed my faith and dependence fully on Jesus Christ alone as my Savior, and offered me eternal life in heaven with Him. So you would think I would spend each day freely forgiving others, remembering I had been spared from the fires and torment of hell. You would think I would forgive quickly. That any petty little thing that came up, I would not even give a second thought to.

Unfortunately, that is not what I do. No, I don't literally go up to people that have wronged me and choke them! But how many time have I spoken hateful words to them that wound just as deep? I often hold little grudges and bitterness in my heart. I act coldly towards them because they did me wrong. Don't we all? And is anything that any human could do to me as significant as the huge sin debt I owed God? If we are honest, we would have to say no. It's like comparing a few dollars to a million dollars. There really is NO comparison.

Whenever I am really struggling to forgive someone, I try to think of this passage. It really puts things in perspective for me. It suddenly makes what someone else said to me or did to me seem like the first servant choking the second servant. And you know, verse 35 talks about forgiving from the heart. I used to not really see the significance of this. I've come to believe that you can forgive with your lips, but not with your hearts. You can begrudgingly say to someone, "I forgive you," because you feel like you have to. But all the while, you harbor angry feelings towards them in your heart. Those angry feelings turn into bitterness if left unchecked. But when you forgive with your heart, you do not hold any more angry feelings in your heart towards that person. Now we as humans are not good at doing this. We actually like to nurse angry, bitter feelings because somehow we think we are hurting that person back by doing so. It's like a way to get a little piece of revenge - we think. Actually, the truth is it just hurts our own self. We need the Lord to help us get rid of the anger and bitterness when someone has wronged us. Can people do some pretty hurtful things to us? Oh my, yes! Can we trust the Lord to help heal that hurt and take the sting of those hateful words or actions away? Absolutely!

So, how do you forgive? Ask the Lord to teach you how to have compassion, and how to freely forgive from the heart. He can and will teach you, if you allow Him to. Then, remember this verse: II Corinthians 1:3. God is the God of all comfort. That circumstance that hurt you and wounded you so deeply that you don't think you will ever come back from this?  - He is powerful enough to help you to forgive and take that sting away. Is anything to hard for the Lord?

Character Qualities

Dr. S. M. Davis, along with Park Meadows Baptist Church, has a wonderful ministry of helping Christian families. His website is SolveFamilyProblems. Dr. Davis has preached in our church, and the truths he preached have deeply impacted our church, Christian school, and my own family. He talks a lot about anger, rebellion, marriage, character, parenting, friendships, and much more. He has put his sermons on DVD, using a unique technique of hundreds of picture illustrations that really drive home the points, while making every sermon very interesting and easy to listen to. He even has some free downloads on his website. Our school's theme this year is developing Christian character. Dr. Davis has a free downloadable chart of the 49 Character Qualities on his chart. These are so good, I have listed this chart below. I think teaching good, godly character is something that is desperately missing from many of our Christian homes these days. As I read through the list, all I can say is "Oh me. I have some work to do in my own life!" Through watching Dr. Davis' video sermon on instilling godly character in children, my husband and I have renewed our determination to teach our children these Biblical concepts, as well as work on them in our own lives.

1. Truthfulness vs. Deception - Earning future trust by accurately reporting past facts (Ephesians 4:25)
2. Obedience vs. Willfulness - Freedom to be creative under the protection of divinely appointed authority (II Corinthians 10:5)
3. Sincerity vs. Hypocrisy - Eagerness to do what is right with transparent motives (I Peter 1:22)
4. Virtue vs. Impurity - The moral excellence and purity of spirit that radiate from my life as I obey God's Word (II Peter 1:5)
5. Boldness vs. Fearfulness - Confidence that what I have to say or do is true, right, and just in the sight of God (Acts 4:29)
6. Forgiveness vs. Rejection - Clearing the record of those who have wronged me and allowing God to love them through me (Ephesians 4:32)
7. Persuasiveness vs. Contentiousness - Guiding vital truths around another's mental roadblocks (II Timothy 2:24)
8. Alertness vs. Unawareness - Being aware of that which is taking place around me so I can have the right responses (Mark 14:35)
9. Hospitality vs. Loneliness - Cheerfully sharing food, shelter, and spiritual refreshment with those whom God brings into my life (Hebrews 13:2)
10. Generosity vs. Stinginess - Realizing that all I have belongs to God and using it for His purpose (II Corinthians 9:6)
11. Joyfulness vs. Self-pity - The spontaneous enthusiasm of my spirit when my soul is in fellowship with God (Proverbs 15:13)
12. Flexability vs. Resistance - Not settling my affections on ideas or plans which could be changed by God or others (Colossians 3:2)
13. Availability vs. Self-centeredness - Making my own schedule and priorities secondary to the wishes of those I am serving (Philippians 2:20-21)
14. Endurance vs. Giving Up - The inward strength to withstand stress to accomplish God's best (Galatians 6:9)
15. Self-Control vs. Self-Indulgence - Instant obedience to the initial promptings of God's Spirit (Galatians 5:24-25)
16. Reverence vs. Disrespect - Awareness of how God is working through people and events in my life to produce character in me (Proverbs 23:17-18)
17. Diligence vs. Slothfulness - Picturing each task as a special assignment from the Lord and using all my energies to accomplish it (Colossians 3:23)
18. Thoroughness vs. Incompleteness - Knowing what factors will diminish the effectiveness of my work or words if neglected (Colossians 3:23)
19. Dependability vs. Inconsistency - Fulfilling what I consented to do, even if it means unexpected sacrifice (Psalm 15:4)
20. Security vs. Anxiety - Structuring my life around that which is eternal and cannot be destroyed or taken away (John 6:27)
21. Patience vs. Restlessness - Accepting a difficult situation from God without giving Him a deadline to remove it (Romans 5:3-4)
22. Wisdom vs. Natural Inclinations - Seeing and responding to life situations from God's frame or reference (Proverbs 9:10)
23. Discernment vs. Judgment - The God-given ability to understand why things happen (I Samuel 16:7)
24. Faith vs. Presumption - Picturing what God intends to do in a given situation and acting in harmony with it (Hebrews 11:1)
25. Discretion vs. Simple-mindedness - The ability to avoid words, actions, and attitudes which could result in undesirable consequences (Proverbs 22:3)
26. Love vs. Selfishness - Giving to others' basic needs without having as my motive personal reward (I Corinthians 13:3)
27. Creativity vs. Underachievement - Approaching a need, a task, or an idea from a new perspective (Romans 12:2)
28. Enthusiasm vs. Apathy - Expressing with my spirit the joy of my soul (I Thessalonians 5:15, 19)
29. Resourcefulness vs. Wastefulness - Wise use of that which others would normally overlook or discard (Luke 15:10)
30. Thriftiness vs. Extravagance - Not letting myself or others spend that which is not necessary (Luke 15:11)
31. Contentment vs. Coveteousness - Realizing that God has provided everything I need for my present happiness (I Timothy 6:8)
32. Punctuality vs. Tardiness - Showing high esteem for other people and their time (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
33. Tolerance vs. Prejudice - Acceptance of others as unique expressions of specific character qualities in varying degrees of maturity (Philippians 2:2)
34. Cautiousness vs. Rashness - Knowing how important right timing is in accomplishing right actions (Proverbs 19:2)
35. Gratefulness vs. Unthankfulness - Making known to God and others in what ways they have benefitted my life (Ephesians 4:25)
36. Orderliness vs. Disorganization - Preparing myself and my surroundings so I will achieve the greatest efficiency (I Corinthians 14:40)
37. Initiative vs. Unresponsiveness - Recognizing and doing what needs to be done before I am asked to do it (Romans 12:21)
38. Responsibility vs. Unreliability - Knowing and doing what both God and others are expecting of me (Romans 14:2)
39. Humitiy vs. Pride - Recognizing that God and others are actually responsible for the achievements in my life (James 4:5)
40. Decisiveness vs. Doublemindedness - The ability to finalize difficult decisions based on the will and ways of God (James 1:5)
41. Determination vs. Faintheartedness - Purposing to accomplish God's goals in God's time regardless of the opposition (II Timothy 4:7-8)
42. Loyalty vs. Unfaithfulness - Using difficult times to demonstrate my commitment to God and to those whom He has called me to serve (John 15:13)
43. Attentiveness vs. Unconcern - Showing the worth of a person by giving undivided attention to his words and emotions (Hebrews 2:1)
44. Sensitivity vs. Callousness - Exercising my senses so I can perceive the true spirit and emotions of those around me (Romans 12:15)
45. Justice vs. Fairness - Personal responsibility to God's unchanging laws (Micah 6:8)
46. Compassion vs. Indifference - Investing whatever is necessary to heal the hurts of others (I John 3:17)
47. Gentleness vs. Harshness - Showing personal care and concern in meeting the needs of others (I Thessalonians 2:7)
48. Deference vs. Rudeness - Limiting my freedom in order not to offend the tastes of those whom God has called me to serve (Romans 14:21)
49. Meekness vs. Anger - Yielding my personal rights and expectations to God (Psalm 62:5)

He Remembers

I will lead on softly, according as the cattle that goeth before me and the children be able to endure. ~ Genesis 33:14

Entire Selection from Streams in the Desert -

"What a beautiful picture of Jacob's thoughtfulness for the cattle and the children! He would not allow them to be overdriven even for one day. He would not lead on according to what a strong man like Easu could do and expected them to do, but only according to what they were able to endure. He knew exactly how far they could go in a day; and he made that his only consideration in arranging the marches. He had gone the same wilderness journey years before, and knew all about its roughness and heat and length, by personal experience. And so he said, "I will lead on softly" (Gen. 33:14. "For ye have not passed this way heretofore." (Joshua 3:4)


"We have not passed this way heretofore, but the Lord Jesus has. It is all untrodden and unknown ground to us, but He knows it all by personal experience. The steep bits that take away our breath, the stony bits that make our feet ache so, the hot shadeless stretches that make us feel so exhausted, the rushing rivers that we have to pass through - Jesus has gone through it all before us. "He was wearied with his journey."

"Not some, but all the many waters went over Him, and yet did not quench His love. He was made a perfect leader by the things which He suffered. "He knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust." Think of that when you are tempted to question the gentleness of His leading. He is remembering all the time; and not one step will He make you take beyond what your foot is able to endure. Never mind if you think it will not be able for the step that seems to come next; either He will so strengthen it that it shall be able, or He will call a sudden halt, and you shall not have to take it at all. ~ Francis Ridley Havergall"

In "pastures green"? Not always; sometimes He

Who knowest best, in kindness leadeth me

In weary ways, where heavy shadows be.

So, whether on the hill-tops high and fair

I dwell, or in the sunless valleys, where

The shadows lie, what matter? He is there.

~ Barry

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Being an effective soul-winner

Then saith he unto his disciples, the harvest 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.

- Matthew 9:37 - 38.

Do we live like we really believe this verse, that the harvest is plenteous? Those of us in ministry often find ourselves saying, "Well, you know, this part of the country is really closed to the Gospel, it's just so hard to win these people to Christ." You know what? It's hard everywhere! But that doesn't mean God's Word is any less sure. There IS a prepared harvest, we simply must be a willing and obedient vessel for God to use. Start praying for God to give you "divine appointments." Start praying before you leave your house each day that God would bring you to someone who is ready to hear. One of the best books I have ever read on being an effective soul-winner is the book entitled, Just What the Doctor Ordered, by Walter L. Wilson. Walter would pray and ask the Lord to send him to someone who needed to hear the gospel before he would leave the house to embark on even the most mundane errands. He looked for ways to approach people and strike up a conversation with them, and then turn it toward spiritual matters. He was careful to rely on the Holy Spirit's power to work and speak through him, rather than relying on his own abilities. This easy-reading book is filled with personal stories of some of the ones Walter Wilson led to the Lord. It is such an encouraging and challenging book. It is my desire to become a more effective soul-winner as I seek to reach a dying world with the power of the Gospel.

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Who's first on your list?

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. ~ Psalm 46:1

Sometimes the simplest truths in Scripture are so easily overlooked. When things are spinning out of control, or something gets you discouraged, is venting to a friend the very first thing you do?  Isn't it usually our first reaction when something goes wrong? Some people turn to food for comfort, or simply internalize their problems to work out a solution themselves. Then, when all else fails, we cry out to God to help us out of the mess we are in. But what if God was our first response, instead of our last resort? What if He was the first One we went to with a problem, and we asked Him for guidance and wisdom on how to react to the problem? Seems like I am continually learning this lesson. Some problems seem easy to turn to God first, and other problems don't seem very significant, and so I think I can handle them on my own, only to realize I can't. The goal is to put God - our Refuge, our Strength - first in every circumstance that comes our way.

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Meeting the Need of Your Spouse

On Sunday, we heard an excellent lesson on meeting the need of your spouse during the Sunday School hour from an evangelist friend that was speaking in our church. This post is taken from notes of that lesson.

Ephesians 5:31-33

1. Understand the primary need of your spouse. (v. 33)
* The wife's primary need is for the husband to love her as his own body - to feel loved and cherished by her husband (v. 29, 33).
* The husband's primary need is for the wife to respect him as her head (v. 22, 33).

2. Understand that your spouse communicates love and respect differently than you do. (I Peter 3:7; Titus 2:4).

3. Understand your reactions to your unfulfilled need begins the Conflict Cycle.

Conflict Cycle

The wife's problem - she feels unloved

The wife's reaction - she criticizes her husband

The husband's interpretation - he feels contempt for his wife (contempt = disrespected or disgraced)

The husband's problem - he thinks he is disrespted

The husband's reaction - he often becomes silent (walks away and refuses to deal with the situation)

The wife's interpretation - she thinks her husband is uncaring

So, she feels unloved, which causes her to criticize her husband, which causes him to feel contempt towards his wife, which causes him to think he is disrespected, which causes him to become silent, which causes the wife to think her husband is uncaring, which causes her to feel unloved........Do you see the cycle? Around and around it goes.

So how to do you break the cycle?

1. Decide that your spouse does not intend to be unloving nor disrespectful (Proverbs 31:11-12).

*When the wife reacts with criticism her intent is to resolve the problem.

* When the husband reacts with silence his intent is to maintain respect for both.

2. Decide to forgive as God has forgiven you (Ephesians 4:32).

3. Decide that you will meet the need of your spouse unconditionally just as Christ would. This will begin the Christ Life Cycle (Ephesians 5:18, 21).

*Stop focusing on your needs instead of your spouse's needs.

*Start submitting yourselves to each other in the fear of God (v. 21).

*The KEY to the Christ Life Cycle is to be filled with the Holy Spirit (v. 18).

Christ Life Cycle

The wife's needs are met, so she feels loved

The wife's response is that she will be encouraged to respect her husband

The wife's decision is to respect her husband unconditionally

The husband's need of respect is met, so he thinks he is respected

The husband's response is that he will be encouraged to love his wife

The husband's decision is to love his wife unconditionally

So, because her husband loves her unconditionally, the wife's needs are met, so she feels loved, so she will respond by being encouraged to respect, so she makes the decision to respect her husband unconditionally, so the husband's needs are met, so he thinks he is respected, so he responds by being encouraged to love his wife, so he makes the decision to love her unconditionally, so her needs are met.......Do you see the cycle?

Don't wait for your spouse to "get their act together" before YOU are willing to break the Conflict Cycle and start the Christ Life Cycle. YOU be the first to do what's right! 

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How to get rid of Complaining

I will bless the LORD at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth. ~ Psalms 34:1

It's so easy to be thankful and praise the Lord during good times. It's not always easy to do that during difficult times. Complaining is nothing more than unbelief. It is saying to God, I do not believe You are going to work this problem for my good. It doesn't matter if it's a small thing like the weather, or a big thing like an illness or losing your job. I'm really having to learn this lesson alot lately. I don't always feel thankful when something I don't like happens, but just saying thank you to God and starting to praise Him for Who He is and what He has done for me gets rid of that complaining attitude.

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The End of Myself is the Beginning of God

Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. ~ Isaiah 40:28

Isn't it a comfort to know that God never gets overwhelmed? He never says, "I don't have time for you today, because too many other people need me right now." He is interested in all aspects of our lives, and is never too tired to care for us, guide us, teach us, protect us.

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Think on these things

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

~ Phillipians 4:8

All too often, we allow ourselves to think about the wrong things. We choose to dwell on some hurt that was done to us, or we worry about our finances, our family, our health. Our mind is filled with fears and doubts which rob us of our joy in the Lord and His peace that passes all understanding. Let go of bitterness and be forgiving. Let go of a doubting spirit, and trust the Lord to work that troubling thing to your good. Make the choice today to think on things that are true and lovely and of good report.

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