3 P’s: Prepare, Present and Pray the Gospel

1. Be filled with the love of Jesus Christ (God so loved the world that He gave… We love God because He first loved us…  He who has been forgiven much loves much… The love of God compels us… )

2. Be filled with Holy Spirit Acts 1:11 And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world.”

3. Pray for opportunities and specific people Col 4:2-4 2-4 Pray diligently. Stay alert, with your eyes wide open in gratitude. Don’t forget to pray for us, that God will open doors for telling the mystery of Christ, even while I’m locked up in this jail. Pray that every time I open my mouth I’ll be able to make Christ plain as day to them.

4. Prepare and practice sharing your testimony 2 Timothy 1:7-87 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 8 So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. 

5. Be familiar with the gospel story and the call to follow Jesus in his kingdom  1Cor 15:1-6 Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance[a]: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Peter and then to the Twelve.6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living…

ABC’s of the kingdom of God

A - Admit my need – Acts 2:37-41 Repent, believe, be baptized

B – Be Born again – Jn 3:3-7 from above to enter (begin) in the KOG

C – Continue together – Acts 2:41-42 belong in small group and gatherings

How will Jesus build His church? Mt 16:16-18

Other helpful passages include the “Roman Road” Romans 3:23 (everyone has sinned); Rom 6:23 (sin causes separation from God); Rom 5:8 (Christ died for us); Rom 10:9-10 (believe and confess Jesus as Lord of your life) Rom 5:1 (no more condemnation for those in Christ) 

Instead of the Old Four Spiritual Laws, or the old simple “Sinner’s Prayer, and instead of using Rev 3:20 and just “asking Jesus into your heart, give them the full gospel.

Ask if they know the real Jesus.

Ask if they know the whole story from creation to restoration. (That means you need to know the story.)

What is the whole Gospel story in your own words?

In a few words, what is your story in the Gospel story (testimony)?

A Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, I am sorry for my sin. I confess my sin to you. God forgive my sin through Jesus Christ. I choose to take up my cross, deny myself and follow you with my whole life. Fill me with the Holy Spirit and help me believe and obey your word. Place me within your body, the church, to grow and become more like you. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Worldview presuppositions (objections) and answers

1.      Truth is relative.  How do you know that is the truth? What if you are wrong? Jesus said, “I AM the Truth.” What if He is and you are calling him a liar?

2.      “I’m a good person compared to others.” (See Romans Road) and James 2:8-9  If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. 9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.

3.      “Jesus was a good man but I believe there are many truths and ways to God.” Jesus said, “I AM the way.” C.S. Lewis said, “Either Jesus is a liar, a lunatic or He is who He said He was.”

4.      “I’m not ready. Someday I intend to be a Christian.” What is really hindering you: friends, addictions or pleasures you don’t want to give up, possessions, or are you genuinely seeking to know if Jesus if God but just not believing yet? The first step is not complete faith but repentance. “Repent and believe.” Begin by asking forgiveness and calling on Him for help. “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

A Blind Teacher Can Teach The Blind To See

A Blind Teacher Can Teach 

The Blind To See

by Dwight Cunkle

 

My first piano teacher was blind, Mrs. Fumigalli. Dad bought a piano and wanted we three kids to take lessons while providing a little income for this single mother. On Thursdays we would all eat his version of lasagna or spaghetti and I would try to convince Mrs. Fumigalli that I had practiced that week. She was not fooled. She was hard to understand with her thick Italian accent, and though blind she could not only “see” but correct my mistakes.

It never, ever occurred to me that Jesus could or would heal her blind eyes.

On the other hand, Blind Bartimaeus, on hearing that Jesus was passing by, cried out, "Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me" (Mark 10:47). He lacked eyesight, but he possessed “True Vision.” His experience of bitter darkness did not led him to despair, but rather to look forward to encountering Jesus. 

Bartimaeus refused to measure himself by what was lacking in his life. The fact that he had eyes which couldn’t see was a sign to him that he had been made to see. It filled him with expectations. His insight turned his life into one of hopeful vigilance..

He was looking for God, His Maker and “recognized” him in Jesus Christ when the Lord drew near. His blindness brought him to conviction of faith and action-calling out for healing, for faith is a way of seeing… seeing in a manner that goes beyond the eyes.

Is Jesus passing by? Does faith move us to cry out, "Jesus,  have mercy on me!" Jesus hears your cry. Jesus is calling you to come to him. "Take courage get up, throw off the cynic’s cloak or the prideful mindset that you have to try harder or do better. Ask Him what you will. " Bartimaeus threw aside his cloak sprang up and came to Jesus” (Mk 10:49-50).

Exchange those cloaks for what Christ says and gives you.

(based on an article in “The Magnificat” February 2013)

Mismanaged Anger and the Pride of Self-Absorption

Mismanaged Anger and the 

Pride of Self-Absorption     

  

  by Pastor Dwight

Part six based on The Anger Trap by Dr Les Carter

Anger is tied to the craving for love, admiration and significance-sometimes it is 

a cry to be relieved from pain. To relate to others with respect or disrespect 

indicates the degree to which we are free from self-absorbed pride.

 Note the exalted “I” imprisoned here: prIde &  sIn 

“Positive Pride”: a parent or leader may feel pride in their children or team and express affirmation of their character.

The “Prison of Pride”: self-absorption is a prison of selfish, self-centered, insecurity, which often stems from unresolved hurts, pain or fears. These strongholds are protected by pride.
We become so inwardly focused that it isn’t just about persevering our needs but we can act smug, un-teachable, rudely, hurtful or mean. Our pride justifies our sinful way of mismanaging anger, instead of humbling ourselves and being assertive in a constructive way about our needs or feelings.

All of us need to Exchange Pride with Humility in Christ: If we say we have no denial or self-protection in us then we are in bigger trouble than we know. But if we admit our need for the mind of Christ (humility) He can help us choose to exchange our prideful ways of control and reaction with his own fruit of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, etc…

Pride on display in Debates: Vice-President Joe Biden treated Paul Ryan with condescension, sarcasm and at times mean anger. President Obama in the first debate was sulky and avoided eye contact with Romney which also showed disrespect. Romney and Ryan don’t always act humble any more than you or I do. But it is easy to see why this administration have fomented division, class envy, blame, irresponsibility and anger. Wisdom and blessing are not present when leaders are filled with self-absorbing pride.

The strong person admits fault in order to improve. Humility is not a “milk-toast doormat.” Christ. acted with righteous anger which was helpful and attractive to the humble.

The Beloved Disciple

By Richard Lineberry

The Four Gospels present Jesus from four different viewpoints.  Matthew was specifically writing to Jews.  Mark wrote for the Roman mindset.  Luke wrote for Gentiles (particularly Greeks).  John wrote to try to attract all of them. 

If you want theology, read Paul.  If you want the heart of Christianity, read John’s writings.  Before he met Jesus, he and his brother James were fishermen with their father, Zebedee.  Simon Peter was his long term partner.  Having a tender heart, John was evidently a little hot headed whereas Jesus called him and his brother “sons of thunder” because they wanted to call fire down from heaven upon the heads of some other men who were preaching about Jesus but weren’t a part of the main 12 disciples.

John was an extra loyal disciple and the only one who followed Jesus to the crucifixion where Jesus delegated the care of his own mother to John as He was about to return to heaven.  At the last supper, John is known for leaning on Jesus’ breast as they reclined at the table, thus signifying a deep desire within John for intimacy with the Lord.  John saw something about Jesus that many of the others seemed to miss.  He saw that the heart of the Lord’s mission to earth was the Father’s love for humanity.  John proceeded to reflect this understanding in writing five books which are included in our New Testament.  History tells us that when John was very old and people would gather to hear him talk that all he would say was, “Little children, love one another.”  That’s a great summation of the Christian life.

History tells us that John outlived all the other disciples and was the only one that didn’t die a martyr’s death.  It’s no wonder that the symbol the church has used to stand for John is the eagle.  It was a long hard road to travel from bad temper to a heart of tenderness.

“He that has the Son has life.”

The Beloved Apostle, I John 5:12