HOW TO HELP THOSE UNSURE ABOUT GIVING THEIR LIFE TO CHRIST!
/How do you help those people whom you share the Gospel to but aren't ready to surrender their life over to the care and control of Christ? It's not that they are opposed to it but they are just unsure and need more information.
In this short training video we are going to ask and answer that question. I pray you find it to be helpful as you go out and shine the Light of Christ to your part of this dark world!
Please share your thoughts as a comment below! I'd love to hear from you!
3 Promises From God That Will Give You Courage
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Joining God in His activity is never an easy proposition especially when you first start out joining Him on His mission. Why?
- Because it requires COURAGE!
- Because it requires FAITH!
- Because it requires ACTION!
It's one thing to sit around and talk about joining Christ on His mission and how important it is but quite a different thing to actually get up and do it!
Hudson Taylor the great English missionary to China was thought by many of his friends to be a bit odd because he was willing to give up all the comforts of England and go to that foreign and less modern place of known as China. What was the difference between Hudson Taylor and His friends? COURAGE! Hudson Taylor was able to muster up the courage necessary to go shine the Light of Christ in China while the others were to afraid!
But what is courage and where does it come from? If we can answer these two important question maybe we too, like Hudson Taylor, will be able to more effectively join Christ on His mission and go where He would send us! Maybe, we too will be able to shine the Light for those who are still lost in spiritual darkness and lead them back home to God.
Let me quickly answer that first question and get it out of the way. What is courage?
"Courage is the ability to do something even though it frightens you; it is strength in the face of pain or grief. Some might say that a courageous person is brave and bold; strong and tenacious; or tough and valiant. Courage is the ability to go out and do something when everything inside of you is screaming to not go."
Courage is one of those virtues that everyone admires and wishes to have but few actually exhibit it. Many feel that courage can only be found in just a few people and that most people will never attain it.
However, courage is a necessary ingredient for a powerful missional life. Just to be able to say, like the Prophet Isaiah,
"Here I am Lord send me",
Requires courage. But where does that kind of courage come from? How can ordinary christians develop that mental state that will allow them to abandon all to join Christ in His work? The answer is simple!
Courage is found in the PROMISES OF GOD!
In this post we are going to look at 3 Specific Promises that God gave to Joshua when He commissioned him to be part of God's mission. Joshua's calling is found in Joshua 1:1-9. Three times in those 9 verses God instructs Joshua to have courage. 3 TIMES! Why? Because God knew that the commissioning of Joshua was going to cause Joshua tremendous stress and anxiety and so God was reassuring him that he could have courage to do what he was being called to do.
3 promises to match 3 admonitions to have courage.
These same 3 promises are for all of Christ's Followers and when fully accept will give you the courage to join Christ also on His mission. Let's take a look at Joshua 1:1-9 to learn of these 3 Promises.
3 Promises From God
#1: The Promise Of Success
"Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your territory." (v. 3,4)
This promise to Joshua was based on a previous promise that God had made to Abraham and again to his son Isaac and again to Jacob. God had promised that Abraham and his family line would inherit that land as God's gift to them.
Notice that the verses say that it "shall" be your territory but it doesn't say, "it might be your territory" or "it's possible for it to be your territory". No. God said that the promise land WOULD BE THEIR TERRITORY and that Joshua would bring them into it to possess it.
IT WAS A PROMISE OF SUCCESS!
In Matthew 24:14 Jesus make not only a prediction but also another promise of success that's important to all of us who are joining Christ on His mission. He says,
"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." (NIV)
What's the promise in this verse? That the gospel of the kingdom of God "WILL" be preached to the whole world! Again, there's no if's, but's or maybe's! The Gospel of Jesus Christ will be preach to every tribe, nation, language and people group in the whole world. IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN!
So, when we join Christ in His mission of sharing the Gospel to people all around us we are guaranteed success! We cannot fail! Why? Because it's a promise of success. When you join Christ in making disciple of all nations you will succeed because Christ has already appointed it success.
Knowing you can't fail in joining Christ on His mission should bring you such confidence. Why wouldn't you join Him if you couldn't fail? Why wouldn't you have courage if your success was guaranteed?
#2: The Promise Of God's Word
"Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." (vs. 7,8)
This promise is stated over and over again throughout the Bible! The promise is simply this: Know God's Word, meditate on God's Word and OBEY God's Word you will be successful. It's really quite simple. Obedience to God and His word will bring the blessings of God into your life but failure to obey God and His word will bring about His disfavor.
Why is this true? Because God is the creator of all things and as such He knows how it is suppose to operate. When we operate our life according to the way it was designed we experience the blessings of a well operated life but if we chose not to live life according to the way God has designed it our life will break down and fall apart. IT'S JUST THAT SIMPLE.
It's like a car. You can chose to run your car and never get an oil change as it is recommended to get every 3,000 miles. And you can actually run that car for many miles that way. But eventually there comes a time will the oil breaks down and your car engine locks up and won't run anymore. The car will actually break down many miles earlier than it would have if you had just gotten the recommended oil change. Our life is the same way. We can live life contrary to God's owner manual, the Bible, for a while. But eventually your life breaks down and will die much earlier than it would have if you had lived according to God's word.
If you're joining Christ on His mission and living life according to the Word of God you are promised success in your missional endeavors! Look at the end of verse 7, "...that you may have prosper wherever you go."
Why Wouldn't You Be Courageous If Your Obedience To God's Word Promised Success?
#3: The Promise Of God's Presence
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." (v. 9)
Here God tells Joshua that there is absolutely no reason why he should be afraid and he has every reason to have courage because He (God) will be with him wherever he goes. He said the same thing in verse 5:
"No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you."
God's promise to Joshua was to never leave him or forsake him! Isn't that the most encouraging thing you could ever think of? If God's continuous presence doesn't give you courage I don't know what will!
Listen to what Jesus says at the end of when He is giving the Great Commission to go make disciples. He says,
"and low I am with you always even to the end of the age."
There's that same promise for us that was given to Joshua! Christ has promised to always be with us as we join Him on His mission of discipling the nations.
- Why shouldn't we be courageous?
- How could anything discourage us when we are assured that Christ will always be with us.
These 3 promise that will give you courage are given to those who are committed to joining Christ (God) on His mission. Begin to join God in shining the Light of Christ in your part of this dark world but do it without fear and filled with courage.
I'd love to hear your thoughts about this post. Leave a comment and share what's on your mind and let's see if we can get a good discussion going. Come back to read what others have to say and respond to their comments.
Also, please take a few moments and share this blog with your friends on Facebook and Twitter. Thanks I'd appreciate it.
John The Baptist: The Prototype For Missional Living
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When it comes to missional living there is one of the Biblical figure that pop up as a great example for how to do it is John the Baptist! Today, I want us to look at John the Baptist and how he went out to "Make the path straight for the coming of the Lord." What did he do? And how did he do it?
Take a few moments and watch this devotional, think about it and then share your thoughts as comments below.
Please make sure to share this post with your friends on Facebook and Twitter!
SIGN UP FOR THE ORDINARY CHRISTIANS NEWSLETTER!
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Why Should I Sign Up For Your Newsletter?
You Should Subscribe To The Ordinary Christian's Newsletter If:
- You want or need encouragement to live a life that reflects and shares the love of Christ to others who need to see it and experience it.
- You want to receive some really good but simple training that will help you join Christ on His mission!
- You're wanting to join God's movement of raising up, training up and unleashing a workforce to enter the Spiritual Harvest Fields and bring in the harvest.
- You sincerely desire to live out the purpose for which God has you here on earth for.
And here's a great reason: IT'S FREE
What Can I Expect To Receive?
The Ordinary Christian's Newsletter is intended to empower, encourage and equip the everyday Christian to live powerful missional lives that shine the Light of Christ brightly in their part of this dark world. With that in mind you will receive blog posts, video's, training material and information about other resources that will help you to live that powerful missional life.
Can I Unsubscribe?
ABSOLUTELY! On each newsletter email there's a link towards the bottom of the page that allows you to unsubscribe at any time. Our prayer is that this newsletter will become such and encouragement to you and resource that will stimulate you to shine the Light of Christ even brighter that you won't even want to think about it.
How Often Will I Receive It?
We send out the newsletter 2 maybe 3 times a week at this point. All of the content is either intended to encourage you, empower you or equip you to reflect the glory of Christ in both word and deed!
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Missional Living Is Having A Faith In God That Encourages Others!
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Through an event in the life of Paul we are going to learn that part of a powerful Missional Life is having the kind of faith in God that can encourage others! When people look at us, hear us speak and listen to what we say about Jesus Christ do they find encouragement?
Remember your faith in Christ might be the only source of faith for someone else!
Please take a few moments and share this video blog with your Christian family and friends on Facebook & Twitter.
Also, take a few moments and share a time when someone else's faith was the encouragement you needed. Share as a comment below!
How A Stop At The Waffle House Turned Into A Missional Living Experience!
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Here's a true story from my friend Clint Harrill about an experience he had while in Nashville visiting some friends and intentionally living a missional life that shares Jesus with others. Clint is just an ordinary Christian like you and me but God is using him powerfully to share the Gospel and make more disciples for Christ. Clint is a wonderful example of what God can and will do through anyone who is willing to join Him on his mission. This is a story of what God can do through you if you would allow him to! READ HIS STORY AND BE ENCOURAGED!
"Got back home to good ole small town friendly today and haven't stopped!!! A day in the life...lol....so thankful for my time in Nashville with some dear bros in Christ!! God blessed in so many ways and even in the spiritual warfare we faced, I felt excitement and learned so much. My #1 takeaway was that, the great commission is the Holy Spirit's work, and He's just asking us to join Him where He's already working. If we do that, it will bear much fruit. Secondly, when God is up to something big, spiritual warfare will raise it's ugly head, but praise God because God is bigger....we win....Greater is HE that is in us than he that is in the world.....we can claim that and have faith and just persevere through the trials. "Consider it pure joy, my brothers when you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
So rejoice and just lift up the name of Jesus when these trials come, and He will see you through.
So my last night in Nashville, we just had a bro night around a fire pit with some stogies and just rejoicing in the Lord....my bros, David Kaufmann, James Harvey, Samuel, Paul Kirk, Josh and Tracie Lansford, Alvin Jackson and Todd Greer, prayed blessings over me and it was just a great time in the Lord. Afterwards james, samuel, paul and myself headed to the waffle house. Our waitress was Hannah....we asked if she knew what her name meant, she said no, so we explained that it meant God's favor.....she thought that was really cool and said I hope so. We ordered, and Hannah was super friendly. She brought our food and I told her....Hannah, we're gonna bless our food so I'd love to ask u, if God could do a miracle in ur life today, something only God could do, what would that be and we'd just love to pray that for u as we bless our food. She said, I don't know....I said, anything. ....she began to get teary eyed and said I want to get my son back....I said ok, can I pray that now....and she said sure.....we prayed and she was super thankful. We continued chatting with her during our time there and she told us her story and how it was her first night back working at the waffle house and she didn't really want to but she has said, ok if this is what I have to do, there must be some reason....how she'd been struggling, her story was very sad....she's been hurt by "Christians", but was really trying to get her life on track....she was so amazed that we prayed for her, and said, yall don't even know me....but we just told her we cared about her because we love Jesus and that's what we do....we promised to pray for her and her son Camden....told her the story of Hannah from the bible, which she was familiar with...she told us what a blessing we were to her, told us when she worked and said, yall please come back every week.....WOW.....divine appointment? Uh, yea, I think so....James asked me to pray as he plans to ask the manager of the waffle house, if he can start a waffle "house church".....want u join us in prayer....a lot of hurting people at the waffle house and elsewhere....it's our God given purpose just to show them Jesus...."
So what do you say? Are you ready to join Christ on His mission? Are you willing to allow God to use you to bring salvation to others? Are you ready to start getting training that will equip you to do so? If the answer is "YES" then leave a comment that says:
I'M READY!
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How A Solicitor Phone Call Turns Into A Missional Living Opportunity
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A good friend of mine, Eric Therrien, who is a plumber, shared with us on Facebook how two telephone calls, a phone solicitor and a phone sales person, provided him an opportunity to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Listen to the story in his own words.
FACEBOOK POST:
"A telephone solicitor called while I was eating dinner, I decided to share the Gospel with him. I explained to him the origin of sin the the solution that God has provided. This then led to a conversation about about his spiritual state. It ended in prayer. Please pray for Dorell's salvation."
ERIC'S COMMENT TO HIS OWN POST:
"Just got off the phone with another phone solicitor, pray for Flora."
MY COMMENT:
"This is so awesome! Eric share with us all how you initiate that conversation after they call. How do you begin to share the Gospel?"
ERIC'S RESPONSE:
"Jay, Dorell was calling to speak with my wife he was from verison customer service. When I told him that she was not here I just asked him if I could share the Gospel with, obviously God's been working with him because he was so open. Flora was with some charity that has a truck that goes through the neighborhood and wondered If I could leave clothes or other good at the curb. This was to easy I told her I didn't have anything to leave out but what I did have I would share with her. This lead to a Gospel presentation. Every call is different I started doing this over a year ago because living waters ministry recommended practicing giving the good person test this way. People were open to taking the test but I found I could rarely get to the Gospel, so I have refined it to the Gospel first."
ISN'T THIS POWERFUL? ISN'T THIS SO SIMPLE? ISN'T THIS SOMETHING WE ALL COULD BE DOING?
Of course it is! If we would become intentional and look for the opportunities for where God is already at work.
Can you imagine what would happen if you made a commitment to share the Gospel with every wrong number or telephone solicitor that called you? You might find that God starts sending you lots of wrong numbers!
LET'S DO IT!
WHAT DOES MISSIONAL LIVING NEED TO OVERCOME IMPOSSIBLE CIRCUMSTANCES?
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When we begin to live an intentional life on mission with Christ we will begin to experience some circumstances that will literally blow our minds! As we encounter those circumstances, impossible circumstances, questions will begin to fill our minds! Questions like:
- How will Christ ever be glorified through this?
- What is God trying to do? This doesn't make sense?
- What am I suppose to do in this situation?
We are going to look at just one little statement Jesus made to a woman while he was out on mission. In that statement holds the key to answer this important question! Take a few moments and watch it NOW!
WILL YOU JOIN CHRIST ON HIS MISSION?
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Today, I was reading, LIFE ON MISSION: A Simple Way To Share The Gospel, by Dustin Willis & Aaron Coe and came across an activity that I thought would be really good for my readers to do. So, I share it with you now!
PRAY FOR GOD TO OPEN YOU HEART AND MIND TO HEAR HIS VOICE!
"Father God and Lord Jesus. I pray that you would open the hearts and minds of all your people who read this post. Stir their hearts to long for and grave for the things that are most important to you. Help them to understand their part in the mission you have given us. Convict our hearts, enlighten our minds, provide and steadfastness of will that follow you wherever you lead us. In Jesus name we pray. Amen!"
READ THESE 3 BIBLE VERSES:
"All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth, therefor, go and make disciple of all nations, baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Teach them to obey all that I have given to you and low I am with you always even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20
"And when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8
"Jesus said to them again, 'Peace to you! As the Father has sent me, I also send you." John 20:21
ANSWER THESE FOUR QUESTIONS:
From the verses you just read:
1. Which of Jesus' words most convict, challenge or encourage you to live life on mission? Why?
2. How can you use your influence in your community to be involved in God's redemptive mission?
3. Whom did God use to share the Gospel with you? Share in a few short sentences the way you came to faith in Christ.
4. When has God used you to share the Gospel? Have you shared the Gospel?
Take A Few Moments & Share Your Answers As A Comment Below! Let's Get A Good Conversation Going & Encourage Each Other To Shine The Light Of Christ!
Do We Have The Right Attitude For Living A Missional Life?
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Proper Missional Living always starts with having a proper missional attitude! Does our attitude reflect that of God the Father and Jesus Christ? Do we have the a Christ-like attitude towards sinners coming to faith in Christ like we should? What does that missional attitude look like? What does a bad attitude look like when it comes to missional living?
These are some of the questions that we will be answering as we take a look at a true story from the Word of God.
If you found this to be helpful in living a life on mission with Christ and would like to be notified when new material is being presented then sign up for my free newsletter and devotional that I send out 2 to 3 times per week. You can sign up on the righthand side of this post.
Also, leave a comment about your thoughts on this subject. Let's get a good conversation started and encourage one another.
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Powerful Missional Living Requires A Powerful Missional Prayer Life
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If it is your desire to live a powerful missional life that shines the Light of Christ brightly in your part of this dark world you will need to develop a powerful prayer life. Watch this video and learn what I mean!
If you haven't already take a few moment and sign up to receive my free missional living devotional/newsletter and in addition get a free training report on transitioning any conversation into one that talks about Jesus. From this you will receive some powerful content that will help you live a powerful missional life. YOU CAN SIGN UP TO THE RIGHT OF THIS POST.
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What To Do With People Who Hear The Gospel But Won't Follow Christ
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Missional Living is all about sharing Jesus and the Good News of how Jesus' death, burial and resurrection can bring a person forgiveness of sin if they'd only leave everything to follow Jesus. In other words to make Jesus the most important thing in their life.
But what if that person isn't willing to follow Christ after hearing the Gospel and unwilling to follow Christ? What do you then? How do you respond to them?
In this weeks Missional Living Devotional we are going to address that issue and answer those questions by looking at how Jesus responded to a person who was unwilling to meet the conditions of being Christ disciple.
Take a few minutes and see how Jesus responded that situation!
If living a powerful missional life that shines the Light of Christ brightly in your part of this dark world is an all encompassing desire and passion in your life then I want to invite you to get a FREE subscription to my newsletter and video devotional. When you sign up I will keep you updated on new devotionals and trainings that will help make you a better trained for Christ's mission. These are powerful training that you will have access to. As an added bonus, when you subscribe I will also send you a FREE training report entitled HOW TO TRANSITION ANY CONVERSATION TO TALK ABOUT JESUS. Sign up to the in the form to the right.
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6 Fears That Keep People From Sharing Jesus With Others
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Recently I ask is question to my Facebook Friends: What's the #1 FEAR you have about telling others about Jesus and how to have their sins forgiven?
Here are the some of the top 6 responses!
#1: Fear That People Belittling You For Your Faith
This is a fear that people will make fun of you thinking that you are a simple minded person needing to believe in a fairy tale of a God as if belief in God is simple unreasonable.
#2: Fear That You Might Say Something Wrong
Some people fear that they might not have the right answers and actually give out misinformation.
#3: Fear Of Being Called A Bible Pusher
In my day this was called being afraid of being called a “Jesus Freak”. No matter what you call it: Bible Pusher, Jesus Freak or little good Christian boy the intent is to make fun of you.
#4: Fear That Someone Might Cuss You Out.
When you share Jesus with people you really don’t have any control how they will respond or react. Some people are afraid that they will get cussed out and cursed at for sharing Jesus with people.
#5: Fear Of Being Rejected For Your Faith
This is a fear that you might not be accepted in a group or family because you share and believe in Jesus. It’s a fear that people no longer want to have anything to do with you because of your faith in Christ.
#6: Fear Of Not Being Able To Defend Your Faith.
This is a fear that you won’t be able to answer questions that people have about Christ or even worst if people challenge you with intellectual arguments you won’t know how to answer them.
The reality is that all of these fear could be actualized by you regularly and intentionally sharing your faith in Jesus Christ. But should that stop us? Should we allow our fears control us or should we allow our faith in Christ control us?
Listen to this wonderful promise that God has given each of us in 2 Timothy 1:7 (HCSB)
“For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.”
