We are continuing this week with Evangelism Made Easy and we are going to talk about consistent effort. Let's look in Mark chapter 5 and we will see the example of Jesus and how he evangelized.
This chapter gives us 3 examples of Jesus out among the people showing them love and compassion. It begins with him delivering a man with an unclean spirit, then he heals a woman who had suffered for 12 years while on his way to raise Jairus's daughter from the dead. Simply put Jesus gave of himself to win the lost. He saw their need, met the need and then they wanted to follow him.
I like what Jesus said to the man with the unclean spirit after he was delivered and wanted Jesus to stay with him...let's look at verse 19.....
Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him. "Go home to thy friends and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee".
Last week we talked about how that the greatest tool that a person in Network Marketing has is their own personal success story or experience and how that in Evangelism the greatest tool we have to use is our own personal testimony. Well in Mark 5:19 we have Jesus instructing this man to do that very thing. GO HOME AND TELL WHAT THE LORD HATH DONE FOR THEE.
The problem is that Christians are not out among the world sharing their testimony. Let's face it most of us won't even stand up among fellow Christians in a church service and testify. If we are going to win the lost for Christ we must find our voice once again and noise abroad with the excitement of a first love, what Christ has done for us.
The best person to Evangelize for Christ is a new convert. Why? Because they have the excitement and passion for Christ because of what they have been delivered from and they want to tell everyone about their new found freedom.
Do you remember the first time you fell in love. How you talked about your new love like they were the greatest thing on the planet. You talked about them constantly...how awesome they were, every word they spoke was as brilliant as an academy award performance, every deed they did was right up there with the greatest humanitarian...simply put...they were fantastic and you wanted the whole world to know.
How much more should we as Christians who have been brought out of the pit of sin and delivered from a life of torment...be talking about Christ to everyone we meet. Jesus died for us. He defeated death, hell and the grave so that you and I don't have to face the awful punishment for our sins. How can we go even one day without finding someone to tell about Jesus?
In network marketing consistent effort is the first principle to building your business. In evangelism...consistent effort is the first principle to enlarging the Kingdom of God. Simply put you must consistently be in front of prospects for the Kingdom showing them Jesus not only by what you say, but also by your actions.
As an independent jewelry representative every time I go out in public I dress nice, wear some of the jewelry and always have catalogs, business cards, brochures etc to give out. I am always ready for any opportunity. Funny thing is...99% of the time I do not have to mention my business...people see the jewelry and comment about it and there is my open door! When I talk about Premier Designs Jewelry I am upbeat and excited and share how Premier Designs has enabled me to fulfill my dream of being a stay at home mom. If you are excited and have a personal experience, people want to listen to you.
Question....when we go out among the world...do people see enough Jesus in us to comment? Whether we open our mouths and mention Jesus or not...can they see Him in us? We want people to know Him but I believe they need to see Him first in us before they will want to know Him!
As blood bought children of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords we have no reason to hang our heads. We should be out there with a smile on our face and spring in our step, showing the Love of Christ to everyone we meet. Get up everyday and seek the face of God in prayer and study of the Word...then go out and show Jesus.
Meet their need and then you have an open door to their heart. How?
If someone needs food...give them food.
If someone needs clothing....give them clothes.
If someone needs shelter...provide them shelter.
If someone is crying...give them your shoulder to cry on.
If someone needs to talk...give them your ears and undivided attention.
If someone needs compassion...show them compassion.
Maybe there is a single mother or father that could use some time away from the kids for a few hours...offer to take care of their kids for them. Maybe there is an elderly person who cannot get out...take them a meal and spend time with them. Maybe there is someone who can't clean their house because of physical difficulties...go clean their house, or mow their lawn, or run their errands etc. You get the idea. Don't ask them for anything in return. They could hire someone to do what you are doing for them...Jesus gave freely and we should do the same as His representatives.
Once you have done something for them and ask nothing in return...they will want to know why you are doing it? Therein lies your opportunity to say...."There is a man named Jesus who one day took my place on an old rugged cross willingly so that I could have eternal life and not have to pay the penalty for the sin that was in my life. Asking nothing in return He freely gave and because of what He did for me I desire to represent Him by doing for others freely". You may not see the fruit of your labor immediately but be consistent and one day you will see the results.
Look for every opportunity...in the check out line...at the park...in the waiting room at the doctor's office...and on and on. Listen to others around you...you will hear and see who needs Jesus. You may not be able to do something for every person you meet, however 99 times out of 100 you will have an opportunity to say something about Jesus before you leave their presence.
Please remember....we are not talking about a religion but a relationship!!!!!!
So this coming week....get out there among the people and consistently take advantage of every opportunity to represent Christ and to share His love with others.
Next week we will be talking about the principle of duplication.
See You In The Word,
Janetta
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Monday, April 5, 2010
New Series - Evangelism Made Easy
Most of you know that I am an Independent jeweler/distributor with Premier Designs, Inc. A few weeks ago I attended an all day training session and they were talking about the book "Dare to Dream and Work to Win" by Dr. Tom Barrett. This book is a must have for growing a network marketing type business. I purchased a copy and immediately started reading it. As I was reading a light bulb went off and I realized.........
These same principles can be used in Evangelism!!!!!!
How? Very easily. Evangelism is network marketing for Christ! Before you think that I have completely lost my mind let me explain.
What is the basic #1 element in network marketing. Presenting your business to people. Well, isn't evangelism presenting Christ to others?
What is the best tool that you have in a network marketing business...your own story or success. Well, the best thing a Christian can use to win others for Christ is their own testimony. What Jesus did for you and me is the most effective tool we have.
What is the # 1 purpose for a network marketing business? To bring as many other representatives as possible into the business. Did not Jesus tell us to go shake some salt and shine some light so that others would see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven.
THE MOST EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR CHURCH GROWTH IS EVANGELISM!!!!
The problem that we have in the modern day church is that evangelism or witnessing as we used to call it is either no longer a priority in most churches or it has become so complicated that congregations feel like they must be near seminary credentials before being effective.
My goal over the next few weeks is to teach you how to simplify evangelism by using the basic principles that have made network marketing companies highly successful. Evangelism made easy is for all Christians no matter how long they have know Christ. Whether you have been a Christian for 50 years or 5 minutes you can be an effective and successful Jesus representative to others who need Him.
It is very well known that not everyone is a candidate for a network marketing type business...however
EVERY PERSON ON THE PLANET IS A CANDIDATE FOR SALVATION THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD. THE PRICE HE PAID FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS HE PAID FOR ALL NOT A SELECT FEW!!!!!
The only requirement needed for candidacy is that they do not know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
JUST AS EVERY UNSAVED PERSON IS A CANDIDATE FOR SALVATION....EVERY CHRISTIAN IS A CANDIDATE FOR THE NETWORK MARKETING FOR JESUS BUSINESS WE CALL EVANGELISM!!!!!
The Word of God tells us to WIN THE LOST yet we sit in our churches and homes and pray that God will bring them in. You might have some come in ... however the altars filling up with the unsaved that have simply come to church on their own is not happening. We must go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to come (Luke 14:23). The only way we are going to see the altars lined up in the end time church is for Jesus reps to go out and find candidates, show them the plan of salvation and give them an opportunity to join the family of God, then train those converts to go out and duplicate the process.
Just as a network marketing business will not grow if the reps are not out before the public consistently looking for opportunities to present the business....
The Kingdom of God cannot grow without true followers of Christ going out among the public consistently looking for opportunities to present Jesus to a lost and dying world.
In this series we will learn about the following principles:
1.) Consistent Effort
2.) Duplication
3.) Give It Enough Time
We will learn the power of simple duplication and we will discover how the invisible infrastructure that creates success in network marketing businesses can be used to create an Evangelism Explosion.
So....if you want to learn how you can win the lost for Christ by simplifying evangelism keep following this blog every week. Also, invite your pastor, church leaders and fellow believers to read it. The skills you will learn will forever change the way you view the activity of Evangelism. Every Christian will want to be a Jesus rep once they understand how simple it really is.
See You In The Word,
Janetta
These same principles can be used in Evangelism!!!!!!
How? Very easily. Evangelism is network marketing for Christ! Before you think that I have completely lost my mind let me explain.
What is the basic #1 element in network marketing. Presenting your business to people. Well, isn't evangelism presenting Christ to others?
What is the best tool that you have in a network marketing business...your own story or success. Well, the best thing a Christian can use to win others for Christ is their own testimony. What Jesus did for you and me is the most effective tool we have.
What is the # 1 purpose for a network marketing business? To bring as many other representatives as possible into the business. Did not Jesus tell us to go shake some salt and shine some light so that others would see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven.
THE MOST EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR CHURCH GROWTH IS EVANGELISM!!!!
The problem that we have in the modern day church is that evangelism or witnessing as we used to call it is either no longer a priority in most churches or it has become so complicated that congregations feel like they must be near seminary credentials before being effective.
My goal over the next few weeks is to teach you how to simplify evangelism by using the basic principles that have made network marketing companies highly successful. Evangelism made easy is for all Christians no matter how long they have know Christ. Whether you have been a Christian for 50 years or 5 minutes you can be an effective and successful Jesus representative to others who need Him.
It is very well known that not everyone is a candidate for a network marketing type business...however
EVERY PERSON ON THE PLANET IS A CANDIDATE FOR SALVATION THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD. THE PRICE HE PAID FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS HE PAID FOR ALL NOT A SELECT FEW!!!!!
The only requirement needed for candidacy is that they do not know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
JUST AS EVERY UNSAVED PERSON IS A CANDIDATE FOR SALVATION....EVERY CHRISTIAN IS A CANDIDATE FOR THE NETWORK MARKETING FOR JESUS BUSINESS WE CALL EVANGELISM!!!!!
The Word of God tells us to WIN THE LOST yet we sit in our churches and homes and pray that God will bring them in. You might have some come in ... however the altars filling up with the unsaved that have simply come to church on their own is not happening. We must go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to come (Luke 14:23). The only way we are going to see the altars lined up in the end time church is for Jesus reps to go out and find candidates, show them the plan of salvation and give them an opportunity to join the family of God, then train those converts to go out and duplicate the process.
Just as a network marketing business will not grow if the reps are not out before the public consistently looking for opportunities to present the business....
The Kingdom of God cannot grow without true followers of Christ going out among the public consistently looking for opportunities to present Jesus to a lost and dying world.
In this series we will learn about the following principles:
1.) Consistent Effort
2.) Duplication
3.) Give It Enough Time
We will learn the power of simple duplication and we will discover how the invisible infrastructure that creates success in network marketing businesses can be used to create an Evangelism Explosion.
So....if you want to learn how you can win the lost for Christ by simplifying evangelism keep following this blog every week. Also, invite your pastor, church leaders and fellow believers to read it. The skills you will learn will forever change the way you view the activity of Evangelism. Every Christian will want to be a Jesus rep once they understand how simple it really is.
See You In The Word,
Janetta
Monday, March 29, 2010
Word Life Ministry Update
This weeks entry is a little different because I want to share with you some exciting new things taking place at Word Life Ministry.
Website
Currently Word Life Ministry is in the creative stages of a new website. We are working diligently to get the site up and running in a few weeks. Some of the features on the website will be......
Statements of Faith - What does Word Life Ministry believe
News - Ministry Updates
Word Life Daily Blog - Starting with John 1:1 everyday there will be a short bible study
to get your daily Word Life started.
Sermon Archives - You can access sermons that have been preached by me and other's on
a wide range of topics.
Calendar - Upcoming ministry events.
Discipleship Training - To assist you in discipling others for Christ.
Ministry Store - Purchase books, Cd's etc
This is just some of the things the website will contain. To say that I am excited about this is an understatement. I have had a vision for a website for many years and now it is coming to pass.
Music CD
We are in the beginning stages of recording a new music CD. Right now we are choosing songs and plan to start recording in the near future.
Monthly Newsletter
Every month a monthly newsletter will be coming your way either by email or U.S. mail whichever way you decide you want to receive it.
Book
I am writing my first book. For almost a year I've felt the leading of the Lord to write a book and doing this weekly blog has motivated me to get started on it. I will keep you updated.
These are just a few of the new and exciting things that are happening here at Word Life Ministry. God is so awesome and I am so humbled by all that he is doing in our life. It has been a long time coming.
Back in 1995 I was holding a revival in Virginia and the Lord spoke through the pastor and said "This is my handmaid and I have anointed her and sent her to do this ministry." Then again in 1998 an evangelist was praying for me and my husband Kelly and the Lord spoke through this man and said "You are going to have a world changing ministry". At the time I could not figure out how that was going to take place however now 12 years later I can see what God was telling us.
Every since I was a child I have wanted to be used of the Lord. I wanted to be a vessel of honor for him. I can remember right before I met my husband I was praying and I told the Lord that if he never sent me a mate I was okay with that because he was more than enough for me and I was content serving him and preaching the gospel. I was 29 years old at the time and was fully committed to living my life single and working in the ministry. A few months later I met Kelly and within 8 months we were married. Kelly has said often over the last 13 years that his purpose is to support me and help me with this ministry. How wonderful it is to have a soul mate who has the same vision you have.
Yesterday morning in Sunday School class our teacher was talking about spiritual disciplines. He was speaking about training versus trying. I realized at that point that since I was first called to preach the gospel in 1989 I have been trying to do what God called me to do and over the years I have been frustrated when the vision that I felt God had given me was not coming to pass in the time frame that I thought it should. However now I realize that I have been in training all these years. I needed to prepare myself and work on my spiritual muscles (so to speak) so that when the vision came to pass I would be ready.
Praise God...I can see that the vision is beginning to unfold. Am I still in training? Absolutely!! However I make the decision today to stop trying and to continue training. Therein lies the difference. If you are trying that means your not doing, however if you are training then you are in preparation for something to happen. Glory to God I am training and preparing myself for what God has in store for this ministry.
Please continue to pray for us as we train and prepare for this awesome journey. We couldn't do it without the prayer support of our christian brothers and sisters. You are a vital part of everything this ministry is doing.
I will continue to post weekly on this blog while we are working on the website and then once it is up and running you can access the blog through the website.
Blessings to you my dear friends and until next week............
See You In The Word!
Janetta
Sunday, March 21, 2010
The Immediate Presence of God
Psalm 139:7 - Where could I go from your Spirit? Or where could I flee from your presence?
The presence of the Lord could arguably be considered the single most important part of our lives.
God is omnipresent meaning that he is everywhere at all times. David concluded in our text that there is no place that we can hide from God's presence. He is everywhere and sees everything. Because of this we can know that we are never alone and that he shall never leave us nor forsake us.
As well as being omnipresent, God also dwells in the believer. The indwelling presence of God is given to all who believe.
I Corinthians 3:16 says - Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit has His permanent dwelling in you?
However, his omnipresence and the indwelling of his Spirit does not stop us from longing after the presence of God. How can we long and hunger for something that is already all around us and dwells within us?
God's Presence is:
1. Physical - God is always present to us. Physically, as the omnipresent divine reality
2. Spiritual - When we are aware and respond to the physical presence of God, then he is spiritually present to us.
A person may be physically present in a room, but unless we are somehow aware of that person being there, and respond to that presence, he or she might just as well not be there.
For instance....I went to church this morning and there was approximately 75 to 100 people present there, however I actually engaged with approximately 25 people. The other 50 to 75 people were there however they were not in my presence so they had no effect on me.
God is always present but unless we engage with him and respond to him, we are not in his presence and we do not have the benefits available to us that those who do engage and respond have. We have to purposely place ourselves in his presence.
Repentance brings us into the spiritual presence of God, however we must remain there. How do we do that?
I. Earnestly Seek Him
Deuteronomy 4:29 tells us - You will search for the Lord your God and you will find him when you seek him with all your heart and all your soul.
If we want to walk in the presence of the Lord, then we need to be practicing the presence of God. Pray without ceasing and keep the Word of God on your lips and in your heart. For the Lord is always present when his Word is being spoken. We seek him and we find him in his Word!
II. We Must Have Him On Our Minds
If we wish to cultivate living in the presence of God, we must set our minds to think about God. We must place him before the eyes of our mind. Some people have the ability to turn their thoughts easily and almost instinctively towards God however for others it is not so easy. It demands some effort to stop thinking about other things less than God, but we must take every occasion to use or, if need be, create situations where we become "thought-full" of God, where our thoughts are full of God.
What we have to convince ourselves of is that we have the power to turn our minds to whatever we want. II Corinthians 10:5 says - Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
I Corinthians 2:16 tells us that we have the mind of Christ...and we know that Christ had his mind on the will of his father at all times.
III. Abiding In The Word
Jesus said "If you abide in Me and My words abide in you, you will ask whatever you will and it shall be done unto you." John 15:7 This is because abiding in him means we will ask according to the Father's will. Jesus is always present with his word. Abiding in the Word of God will always bring an increase in the sense of his manifest presence.
Joshua 1:8 says - This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
IV. Say "Yes" to God's Will
At the last supper, among other things Jesus said. "If anyone loves me he will keep my word" (meaning he will do my will) "and my Father will love him and we shall come to him and make our home with him."
The "if" is up to us, the "and" is up to God. We take care of the "if" and he will take care of the "and".
The deep sense of intimacy of God's indwelling is not something we can acquire cheaply. If we wish to experience that intimacy with God, we have to carry the cross. We have to surrender our will. If we do this, he will do his part. We give him our wills and he gives us the intimacy of his presence as only God, making his home in our souls, can effect.
Glory Hallelujah! Who wouldn't want to surrender their will and carry the cross when having the intimacy of God's presence is the benefit.
V. Worshiping Him
By placing ourselves before him in a place of adoration, we make room for him, and through focusing our attention on him we increase our awareness of being in the presence of God in our lives. Paul tells us in Colossians 3:2 to Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Learning how to soak in God's presence through worship is one of the most valuable things we can do with our time. God has promised that as we draw near to him, he will draw near to us and we will experience him with us in ever increasing measures.
In Closing....Psalm 91:1 says - He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the almighty. Shadow means "immediate presence".
Think about it...if you are close enough to be in someones shadow you are in their immediate presence. So let's read it like this....He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide under (or in) the "immediate presence" of the almighty.
My little girl sometimes will wonder away from me when we are in a public place and I will run after her. I always tell her that if she leaves my presence then I will be unable to protect her from any danger that is waiting for her.
If we purposely leave our heavenly Father's presence then we are opening the door for the enemy of our souls to move in and try to snare us. Even though God is not limited as we earthly parents are and he can protect us no matter what, if we leave his presence and head into danger he is not obligated to rescue us and when he does it is only because of his mercy.
Do you want to remain in the IMMEDIATE PRESENCE of the Lord? If so determine from this day forward to earnestly seek him, keep him on your mind, abide in his Word, say yes to his will, and worship him...then you will be a secret place dweller and abide in his immediate presence.
See You In The Word,
Janetta
The presence of the Lord could arguably be considered the single most important part of our lives.
God is omnipresent meaning that he is everywhere at all times. David concluded in our text that there is no place that we can hide from God's presence. He is everywhere and sees everything. Because of this we can know that we are never alone and that he shall never leave us nor forsake us.
As well as being omnipresent, God also dwells in the believer. The indwelling presence of God is given to all who believe.
I Corinthians 3:16 says - Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit has His permanent dwelling in you?
However, his omnipresence and the indwelling of his Spirit does not stop us from longing after the presence of God. How can we long and hunger for something that is already all around us and dwells within us?
God's Presence is:
1. Physical - God is always present to us. Physically, as the omnipresent divine reality
2. Spiritual - When we are aware and respond to the physical presence of God, then he is spiritually present to us.
A person may be physically present in a room, but unless we are somehow aware of that person being there, and respond to that presence, he or she might just as well not be there.
For instance....I went to church this morning and there was approximately 75 to 100 people present there, however I actually engaged with approximately 25 people. The other 50 to 75 people were there however they were not in my presence so they had no effect on me.
God is always present but unless we engage with him and respond to him, we are not in his presence and we do not have the benefits available to us that those who do engage and respond have. We have to purposely place ourselves in his presence.
Repentance brings us into the spiritual presence of God, however we must remain there. How do we do that?
I. Earnestly Seek Him
Deuteronomy 4:29 tells us - You will search for the Lord your God and you will find him when you seek him with all your heart and all your soul.
If we want to walk in the presence of the Lord, then we need to be practicing the presence of God. Pray without ceasing and keep the Word of God on your lips and in your heart. For the Lord is always present when his Word is being spoken. We seek him and we find him in his Word!
II. We Must Have Him On Our Minds
If we wish to cultivate living in the presence of God, we must set our minds to think about God. We must place him before the eyes of our mind. Some people have the ability to turn their thoughts easily and almost instinctively towards God however for others it is not so easy. It demands some effort to stop thinking about other things less than God, but we must take every occasion to use or, if need be, create situations where we become "thought-full" of God, where our thoughts are full of God.
What we have to convince ourselves of is that we have the power to turn our minds to whatever we want. II Corinthians 10:5 says - Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
I Corinthians 2:16 tells us that we have the mind of Christ...and we know that Christ had his mind on the will of his father at all times.
III. Abiding In The Word
Jesus said "If you abide in Me and My words abide in you, you will ask whatever you will and it shall be done unto you." John 15:7 This is because abiding in him means we will ask according to the Father's will. Jesus is always present with his word. Abiding in the Word of God will always bring an increase in the sense of his manifest presence.
Joshua 1:8 says - This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
IV. Say "Yes" to God's Will
At the last supper, among other things Jesus said. "If anyone loves me he will keep my word" (meaning he will do my will) "and my Father will love him and we shall come to him and make our home with him."
The "if" is up to us, the "and" is up to God. We take care of the "if" and he will take care of the "and".
The deep sense of intimacy of God's indwelling is not something we can acquire cheaply. If we wish to experience that intimacy with God, we have to carry the cross. We have to surrender our will. If we do this, he will do his part. We give him our wills and he gives us the intimacy of his presence as only God, making his home in our souls, can effect.
Glory Hallelujah! Who wouldn't want to surrender their will and carry the cross when having the intimacy of God's presence is the benefit.
V. Worshiping Him
By placing ourselves before him in a place of adoration, we make room for him, and through focusing our attention on him we increase our awareness of being in the presence of God in our lives. Paul tells us in Colossians 3:2 to Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Learning how to soak in God's presence through worship is one of the most valuable things we can do with our time. God has promised that as we draw near to him, he will draw near to us and we will experience him with us in ever increasing measures.
In Closing....Psalm 91:1 says - He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the almighty. Shadow means "immediate presence".
Think about it...if you are close enough to be in someones shadow you are in their immediate presence. So let's read it like this....He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide under (or in) the "immediate presence" of the almighty.
My little girl sometimes will wonder away from me when we are in a public place and I will run after her. I always tell her that if she leaves my presence then I will be unable to protect her from any danger that is waiting for her.
If we purposely leave our heavenly Father's presence then we are opening the door for the enemy of our souls to move in and try to snare us. Even though God is not limited as we earthly parents are and he can protect us no matter what, if we leave his presence and head into danger he is not obligated to rescue us and when he does it is only because of his mercy.
Do you want to remain in the IMMEDIATE PRESENCE of the Lord? If so determine from this day forward to earnestly seek him, keep him on your mind, abide in his Word, say yes to his will, and worship him...then you will be a secret place dweller and abide in his immediate presence.
See You In The Word,
Janetta
Saturday, March 13, 2010
The Comfort of Christ Return - Part 2
Last week we had part one of this sermon that I preached a few months back. This week we will pick up where we left off.
3.) The Mystery of the Rapture
Look back to 1 Thessalonians 4:17
"Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."
There are going to be millions of saints still living when Jesus comes. When the shout comes, they will be changed before you can blink your eyes, and will be caught up in the air to meet the Lord. We call this glorious event the rapture.
The word rapture itself is not found in the bible. Rapture is from a Latin word that means "to seize" or "to catch away". It can mean, for example, "to seize with force", as in John 6:15 when the crowd was about to seize the Lord Jesus and make Him a king.
When the rapture comes, you and I are going to be seized by force. That force is our Lord, and neither the grave nor gravity will be able to hold us down.
This word can also mean to take someone from one place and put him in another place. Paul used the word when he described being "caught up" into the third heaven in II Corinthians 12:2. In the rapture, we are going to be taken from this place and put into another place.
Another possible meaning of this word is to "deliver from danger". The church is going to be taken out of this world into a safe haven when the horrors of the tribulation take place on earth.
The bible calls this a mystery. In the first part of I Corinthians 15:51 Paul says, "Behold I show you a mystery". The bible says in II Peter 1:4 that we are partakers of the divine nature. If you are heaven born, you will be heaven bound.
If the Lord Jesus Christ lives in you, you will share in the majesty of His return, the miracle of our resurrection and the mystery of the rapture.
But that's not all!!!!
4.) The Marvel of our Reunion
The rapture also means a marvelous reunion with those who have gone before. Verse 17 of our text in I Thessalonians 4 says, "Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."
The Thessalonian believers were worrying about their loved ones who had died in Jesus. Paul put those fears to rest forever. There is going to be a reunion, a glorious homecoming in the sky someday.
Conclusion
In closing let's look at another truth concerning the rapture. It's that little phrase in verse 17 "to meet the Lord"
Do you ever think about meeting the Lord? Paul is not talking about a casual meeting here. It's a technical word that would be used to speak of going out to meet a returning ambassador or welcoming a returning dignitary, going out with an entourage to greet him.
Jesus is the King, and we are going to meet Him because He is returning. We are His ambassadors. One of these days soon, we are going to give an account of our lives to Him. What a challenge the Second Coming of Jesus should be to us!
Are you ready for Jesus Christ return? Are you ready for the rapture? Are you saved? As a Christian, are you ready to say, "Lord Jesus, I have loved you, I have served you, I have witnessed, I have been faithful."
Mark 8:38 says, "Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed, when He cometh in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."
Are you ashamed of Jesus? Have you confessed Him as Lord?
Romans 9:33 says "Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed."
The fact that Jesus is coming back soon, and that we'll be going out to meet Him, should be a challenge to all of us as His people.
We can rely on the certainty of Jesus coming. We can rest in the comfort of Christ return. Jesus is coming back for His own! Be Ye Ready!!!!!!!!
See You In The Word,
Janetta
3.) The Mystery of the Rapture
Look back to 1 Thessalonians 4:17
"Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."
There are going to be millions of saints still living when Jesus comes. When the shout comes, they will be changed before you can blink your eyes, and will be caught up in the air to meet the Lord. We call this glorious event the rapture.
The word rapture itself is not found in the bible. Rapture is from a Latin word that means "to seize" or "to catch away". It can mean, for example, "to seize with force", as in John 6:15 when the crowd was about to seize the Lord Jesus and make Him a king.
When the rapture comes, you and I are going to be seized by force. That force is our Lord, and neither the grave nor gravity will be able to hold us down.
This word can also mean to take someone from one place and put him in another place. Paul used the word when he described being "caught up" into the third heaven in II Corinthians 12:2. In the rapture, we are going to be taken from this place and put into another place.
Another possible meaning of this word is to "deliver from danger". The church is going to be taken out of this world into a safe haven when the horrors of the tribulation take place on earth.
The bible calls this a mystery. In the first part of I Corinthians 15:51 Paul says, "Behold I show you a mystery". The bible says in II Peter 1:4 that we are partakers of the divine nature. If you are heaven born, you will be heaven bound.
If the Lord Jesus Christ lives in you, you will share in the majesty of His return, the miracle of our resurrection and the mystery of the rapture.
But that's not all!!!!
4.) The Marvel of our Reunion
The rapture also means a marvelous reunion with those who have gone before. Verse 17 of our text in I Thessalonians 4 says, "Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."
The Thessalonian believers were worrying about their loved ones who had died in Jesus. Paul put those fears to rest forever. There is going to be a reunion, a glorious homecoming in the sky someday.
Conclusion
In closing let's look at another truth concerning the rapture. It's that little phrase in verse 17 "to meet the Lord"
Do you ever think about meeting the Lord? Paul is not talking about a casual meeting here. It's a technical word that would be used to speak of going out to meet a returning ambassador or welcoming a returning dignitary, going out with an entourage to greet him.
Jesus is the King, and we are going to meet Him because He is returning. We are His ambassadors. One of these days soon, we are going to give an account of our lives to Him. What a challenge the Second Coming of Jesus should be to us!
Are you ready for Jesus Christ return? Are you ready for the rapture? Are you saved? As a Christian, are you ready to say, "Lord Jesus, I have loved you, I have served you, I have witnessed, I have been faithful."
Mark 8:38 says, "Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed, when He cometh in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."
Are you ashamed of Jesus? Have you confessed Him as Lord?
Romans 9:33 says "Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed."
The fact that Jesus is coming back soon, and that we'll be going out to meet Him, should be a challenge to all of us as His people.
We can rely on the certainty of Jesus coming. We can rest in the comfort of Christ return. Jesus is coming back for His own! Be Ye Ready!!!!!!!!
See You In The Word,
Janetta
Thursday, March 4, 2010
The Comfort of Christ Return - Part 1
1 Thessalonians 4: 13-18
13) But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14) For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15) For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16) For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17) Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18) Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Introduction
Paul ends 1 Thessalonians 4 by saying, "Wherefore comfort one another with these words" (v18). Sometimes the second coming of Jesus is preached to threaten and frighten people.
Now, it's true that we ought to be threatened by Jesus coming if we are not ready to meet Him. We ought to be frightened if we are not prepared to stand before Him. But, these verses are written to comfort, not to threaten or frighten.
What the Apostle does in verses 16 & 17 is give an outline of what will happen at the rapture when our Lord comes. There are four basic events here which should give us great comfort.
1. The Majesty of His Return
It's clear that the Lord Jesus is the central figure here. "For the Lord Himself shall descend..." Acts 1:11 says the same thing: "This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven." It's the same Jesus, the Lord Himself.
Some people want to doubt the second coming. They are the same ones that doubt Jesus was born of a virgin, the same ones that doubt the crucifixion and resurrection, the same ones that doubt the sinlessness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the same ones that doubt that He is the Son of the living God, the same ones that doubt the empty tomb.
56% of so called evangelical Christians no longer believe that Jesus is the only way to make it to heaven.
To those people I say, Jesus Christ of Nazareth was born of the virgin Mary, lived a sinless life, died on a cruel cross, was buried in a borrowed tomb, descended into hell, defeated death, hell and the grave, rose again on the 3rd day, ascended into heaven where He is seated at the right hand of His Father the almighty God, creator of Heaven and earth, where He ever liveth to make intercession for us.
Make no mistake about it. Jesus is literally, visibly coming back - just like He did the first coming and His return will be majestic.
One day our Lord will rise from His throne, step from the lofty heights of heaven's splendor, and begin His descent to this earth. He will come in the glory of the Father with all of His holy angels.
2. The Miracle of our Resurrection
The second event that should give us comfort is the resurrection. We are going to be raised. "For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God" and the dead in Christ shall rise first" (v16)
There are signs of Christ's coming all around us, but right now let's listen for the sounds of His coming.
A. With a shout...the word shout here means "command". Not a shout like at a sports event. This is and authoritative shout. John 11:43 gives us some insight to what Christ will say. When He raised Lazarus from the dead Jesus called "Lazarus, come forth". I believe the Lord's shout will again be "Come Forth"!
13) But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14) For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15) For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16) For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17) Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18) Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Introduction
Paul ends 1 Thessalonians 4 by saying, "Wherefore comfort one another with these words" (v18). Sometimes the second coming of Jesus is preached to threaten and frighten people.
Now, it's true that we ought to be threatened by Jesus coming if we are not ready to meet Him. We ought to be frightened if we are not prepared to stand before Him. But, these verses are written to comfort, not to threaten or frighten.
What the Apostle does in verses 16 & 17 is give an outline of what will happen at the rapture when our Lord comes. There are four basic events here which should give us great comfort.
1. The Majesty of His Return
It's clear that the Lord Jesus is the central figure here. "For the Lord Himself shall descend..." Acts 1:11 says the same thing: "This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven." It's the same Jesus, the Lord Himself.
Some people want to doubt the second coming. They are the same ones that doubt Jesus was born of a virgin, the same ones that doubt the crucifixion and resurrection, the same ones that doubt the sinlessness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the same ones that doubt that He is the Son of the living God, the same ones that doubt the empty tomb.
56% of so called evangelical Christians no longer believe that Jesus is the only way to make it to heaven.
To those people I say, Jesus Christ of Nazareth was born of the virgin Mary, lived a sinless life, died on a cruel cross, was buried in a borrowed tomb, descended into hell, defeated death, hell and the grave, rose again on the 3rd day, ascended into heaven where He is seated at the right hand of His Father the almighty God, creator of Heaven and earth, where He ever liveth to make intercession for us.
Make no mistake about it. Jesus is literally, visibly coming back - just like He did the first coming and His return will be majestic.
One day our Lord will rise from His throne, step from the lofty heights of heaven's splendor, and begin His descent to this earth. He will come in the glory of the Father with all of His holy angels.
2. The Miracle of our Resurrection
The second event that should give us comfort is the resurrection. We are going to be raised. "For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God" and the dead in Christ shall rise first" (v16)
There are signs of Christ's coming all around us, but right now let's listen for the sounds of His coming.
A. With a shout...the word shout here means "command". Not a shout like at a sports event. This is and authoritative shout. John 11:43 gives us some insight to what Christ will say. When He raised Lazarus from the dead Jesus called "Lazarus, come forth". I believe the Lord's shout will again be "Come Forth"!
All of the sleeping dead in Christ will hear the voice of the Son of God. The Savior's voice will reverberate throughout Satan's kingdom of death and bring it crashing down.
At the Savior's command, the sea will give up from it's heaving bosom the dead who are in it. The winding sheets of the desert will deliver up the dead who are there. The battlefields will give up the dead who are buried there. Every graveyard will look like a plowed field when our Lord issues the shout.
B. We'll also hear the voice of the archangel, who Daniel 10:13 points to Michael. Why is Michael needed? Because the bible calls Satan the prince of the power of the air. Satan is a fallen angel, and Michael, still his superior, will say to all of the demons (fallen angels) and to Satan, "Make way for the saints of God as they go to meet our Lord in the air". Glory hallelujah to God I want to be in that number.
C. And the last sound will be the trumpet. Trumpets were very important in Israel. They were sounded primarily for worship and warfare. At Christ's coming, the saints will be caught up to the throne to worship, and the great tribulation war will begin here on earth. This is the miracle of our resurrection.
You may say, this is beyond my understanding. How can I really believe in a miraculous resurrection. Truth is the fact that we are here right now is beyond our understanding. We don't even understand birth. If God can make man out of nothing, He can surely raise up something from a tomb! The same miraculous God will raise the dead.
1 Corinthians 15:51 & 52 says,
"Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed".
The bible also says in Philippians 3:21
"He shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body"
And the Psalmist said in Psalm 17:15
"I shall be satisfied when I awake, with thy likeness".
What are we going to be like in the resurrection? We are going to be like the Lord Jesus Christ. Glory hallelujah to the Lamb of God!!!
This concludes part one...next week we will cover events 3 & 4.
In closing let me ask you....Are you ready for Jesus Christ to return? Are you ready for the rapture? Are you saved? As a Christian, are you ready to say, "Lord Jesus, I have loved you, I have served you, I have witnessed, I have been faithful".
Jesus is soon coming again...if you do not know Him today please call upon Him while there is still time. Ask Him to forgive your sins, cleanse you from unrighteousness and come into your heart. The Word tells us that if we ask, He will come into our heart and save us from our sins. That is the whole purpose for Christ death on the cross. That we might be saved!!!
See You In The Word,
Janetta
Saturday, February 27, 2010
A Very Present Help In Time Of Trouble
Psalm 46:1-3
1) GOD IS our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
2) Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
3) Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah
This psalm expresses trust and confidence in God during a time of instability and insecurity.
As we listen to the news on the radio, watch it on tv or read the headlines in the newspaper or here on the web we are bombarded with disasters on every hand. There is so much instability and insecurity. The economy is collapsing, not only here in America but in many countries around the world. Natural disasters.....earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and fires. Domestic problems.....murder, rioting, stealing, hatred, racism, abortion, pornography, infidelity, sexual, physical & mental abuse and on and on and on.....this earth is rocking and reeling.....teetering on the brink of extinction.
We look for help from the government, political figures, disaster relief agencies, clergy, family and friends....and although we may find a helping hand there are no assurances and confidence that we are safe and secure. The power and ability to face the uncertainties and adversities of life are found in God and Him alone.
"Refuge" pictures shelter from danger, indicating that God is our true security in the storms of life. "Strength" refers to His might when battling our foes and includes His power that works in us and enables us to overcome obstacles in life.
The end result..... is that He is "a very present help in trouble". God is available to His people and wants us to call upon Him for help in any time of need. Hebrews 4:16 says.....Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
He is sufficient for any situation and never leaves our side. Therefore, we need not fear.
Because Christ sympathizes with our weaknesses, we can confidently approach the heavely throne, knowing that our prayers and petitions are welcomed and desired by our heavenly Father.
One of the greatest blessings of salvation is that Christ is now our high priest, opening a way to His personal presence whereby we can always seek the help we need.
How about you? Have you approached the throne of grace today. Are you resting in Christ or are you fearful, stressed, anxious, depressed, nervous.....Psalm 46:10 says....Be still and know that I am God.
How can you BE STILL in the midst of turmoil.....because if you have accepted Christ into your heart you have the Prince of Peace residing within you. Isaiah 41:10 says....Fear thou not, for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
If you do not know Christ.....the first step to obtaining peace is accepting Him as your personal Savior. You may ask how do I accept Christ? Romans 10:9-10, 13 says....That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Call upon Him today..repent of your sins and ask Him to come into your heart. He will not turn you away. Then you can rest in Him and Be Still!
See You In The Word,
Janetta
1) GOD IS our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
2) Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
3) Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah
This psalm expresses trust and confidence in God during a time of instability and insecurity.
As we listen to the news on the radio, watch it on tv or read the headlines in the newspaper or here on the web we are bombarded with disasters on every hand. There is so much instability and insecurity. The economy is collapsing, not only here in America but in many countries around the world. Natural disasters.....earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and fires. Domestic problems.....murder, rioting, stealing, hatred, racism, abortion, pornography, infidelity, sexual, physical & mental abuse and on and on and on.....this earth is rocking and reeling.....teetering on the brink of extinction.
We look for help from the government, political figures, disaster relief agencies, clergy, family and friends....and although we may find a helping hand there are no assurances and confidence that we are safe and secure. The power and ability to face the uncertainties and adversities of life are found in God and Him alone.
"Refuge" pictures shelter from danger, indicating that God is our true security in the storms of life. "Strength" refers to His might when battling our foes and includes His power that works in us and enables us to overcome obstacles in life.
The end result..... is that He is "a very present help in trouble". God is available to His people and wants us to call upon Him for help in any time of need. Hebrews 4:16 says.....Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
He is sufficient for any situation and never leaves our side. Therefore, we need not fear.
Because Christ sympathizes with our weaknesses, we can confidently approach the heavely throne, knowing that our prayers and petitions are welcomed and desired by our heavenly Father.
One of the greatest blessings of salvation is that Christ is now our high priest, opening a way to His personal presence whereby we can always seek the help we need.
How about you? Have you approached the throne of grace today. Are you resting in Christ or are you fearful, stressed, anxious, depressed, nervous.....Psalm 46:10 says....Be still and know that I am God.
How can you BE STILL in the midst of turmoil.....because if you have accepted Christ into your heart you have the Prince of Peace residing within you. Isaiah 41:10 says....Fear thou not, for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
If you do not know Christ.....the first step to obtaining peace is accepting Him as your personal Savior. You may ask how do I accept Christ? Romans 10:9-10, 13 says....That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Call upon Him today..repent of your sins and ask Him to come into your heart. He will not turn you away. Then you can rest in Him and Be Still!
See You In The Word,
Janetta
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