Christians go to Jail

As I was reading this morning I read this verse

Acts 4:3 And they laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening.

The words I emphasized in Italics really stood out to me. First i thought.... Well that did not take long... here we are only in the 4th chapter of Acts and they are already getting thrown in Jail. This is something I have said a few times "Christians go to Jail."

The Lord has given me a ministry in the Jails in our county and a few of the surrounding counties. On Monday nights when I am at the Jail when someone calls for me at home the kids always tell the person calling that I can not come to the phone because I am in Jail. This of course turns out to be good laugh.

I thank God for the experienc I had last year by the grace of God.

I was able to travel a little this last year and found myself and a friend taken into Police Custody. It was not for anything that would be wrong in the USA. My friend and I were in this foreign country and were arrested by about 10 or 12 plain clothes police for handing out Bibles. The only reason I mention this is because I think we need to be aware that many countries in the world do not enjoy Freedom of Religion and Freedom of Speech. Many of our brother and sisters in Jesus do not enjoy the freedoms we do in the USA.

There are many people in China who are in Prison today because they are Christians. There are people in prison in Vietnam because they are Christians. The same goes for Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Laos, Afghanistan, Eritrea, Iran, and there are probably others.

Hebrews 13:3
Remember the prisoners as if chained
with them--those who are mistreated--
since you yourselves are in the body also.

Right now Abdul Rahman is in the headlines. He reportedly became a Christian 16 years ago while working with a Christian aid group. Evidently a person does not have the right to change religions in Afghanistan. Especially if you are changing from Islam to another faith.

Recent reports suggest that charges against Rahman may be dropped due to his mental fitness for trial, they say that he has suffered from depression in the past. These issues may give the Afghan governement a face-saving way out in a case that has drawn international attention and criticism.

The new Constitution of Afghanistan states that "followers of other religions (other than Islam) are free to exercise their faith and perform their religious rites within the limits of the provisions of law." (Exercising your faith does not include evangelizing.) But the same document declares that, "the religion of the state is the sacred religion of Islam," and that Sharia Law is the controlling legal authority. The way sharia Law is interpreted by many in Afghanistan is that a person who leaves the Islamic fath should be put to death by beheading.

Please Remember to Pray for Abdul Rahman and the people of Afghanistan.

This kind of information and much more can be found at a few different web sites.

Voice of the Martyrs
http://www.persecution.com/

Compass Direct
http://www.compassdirect.org/en/index.php

International Christian Concern
http://www.persecution.org/newsite/index.php

Fishers of Men

FISHERS OF MEN

Being a fisher of men is being a a person who is going after the lost and following Jesus.
Proverbs 11:30 – “He who wins souls is wise.” Soulwinning is not something we do but it is who we are

Jesus called His disciples to follow Him – Matthew 4:18-22.
in verse 19 he actually said – “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

If you follow Him you will be a fisher of men, which is the gospel to people. Being a fisher of men is telling people of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.

Luke 19:10
“For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Going to church doesn’t make you a fisher of men.
Having a Bible doesn’t make you a fisher of men.
You can pray and not be a fisher of men.
You can be a good person and still not be a fisher of men.

Tips to make you a better fisher of men.
Make time in your schedule to be a fisher of men.
Be enthused and avid about soulwinning.
Keep a supply of gospel tracts available to pass out.
Study evangelism.
Find someone to teach you how to be a Fisher of Men.

George Macleod of Scotland

This quote inspires me...


"We simply argue that the cross be raised again at the center of the marketplace as well as the steeple of the church. We are recovering the claim that Jesus was not crucified in a cathedral between two candles, but on a cross between two thieves; on the town garbage heap; at a crossroad so cosmopolitan that they had to write His title in Hebrew, in Latin and in Greek...at the kind of place where cynics talk smut and thieves curse, and soldiers gamble. Because that is where He died. And that is what He died about. And that is where Christians ought to be, and what Christians should be about." -George Macleod of Scotland

Signs and Wonders V

Signs and Wonders V

In the discussion of signs and wonders a person can not leave out all the supernatural things God does for the believers. I include them in the discussion because they are a sign that God is with them.

Acts 8:38-40
38 So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And
both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water,
and he baptized him.
39 Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit
of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw
him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.
40 But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing
through, he preached in all the cities till he came to
Caesarea.

The Holy Spirit supernaturally transported Philip to Azotus and then as he traveled on through the other cities Philip continued to preach in all the cities between Azotus and Caesarea.

Can God still do this today. I would say of course and He probably even does. However this is not a sign that is promised, so it is hard to claim. Even here in these scripture I would say Philip is not expecting this to happen. However it does show me that nothing is impossible for Jesus. I just want to praise Him for He watches over me.

Signs and Wonders IV

Signs and Wonders IV

Starting where we left off last at Acts 6:8.

Acts 6:8
8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great
wonders and signs among the people.

Stephen did great wonders and signs among the people. I wonder why this is designated as GREAT wonders and signs. Are they different from just the regular signs and wonders that were being done by the Apostles and other believers?

This reminds me that Jesus said to the disciples that they would do even GREATER works than He did...

John 14:12-14
12"Most assuredly, I say to you, he
who believes in Me, the works that I
do he will do also; and greater works
than these he will do, because I go to
My Father.
13 "And whatever you ask in My name,
that I will do, that the Father may be
glorified in the Son.
14 "If you ask anything in My name, I
will do it."

So once again Jesus tells us what is going to be happening in the future among not only the Apostles, but among believers. This statement is in line with Mark 16:15-18 where Jesus makes another statement concerning signs and wonders and their operation among believers.

The next testimony of something supernatural happening in these early day of the church is found in Acts chapter 8...

5 Then Philip went down to the city of
Samaria and preached Christ to them.
6 And the multitudes with one accord
heeded the things spoken by Philip,
hearing and seeing the miracles which
he did.
7 For unclean spirits, crying with a loud
voice, came out of many who were
possessed; and many who were
paralyzed and lame were healed.
8 And there was great joy in that city.

Philip goes to the Samaritan city and preaches Jesus to them and they all listened to him, because the power of God was being manifested. People were being healed and demonically posessed people were being delivered. Philip was seeing the works that he saw Jesus do in his own ministry. He must of known and had great assurance that Jesus was with him. Jesus has told us that he would never leave us nor forsake us. We need to believe that He will manifest the power of God like He did for Stephen and Philip, for us. God is not a respector of persons and He said that these signs and wonders would be done for those who believe.

Signs and Wonders III

Signs and Wonders III

Jesus made a statement about signs and wonders and the church before He ascended into heaven....
Mark 16:15-18
15 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
16 "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
17 "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;
18 "they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

In the above passage Jesus makes it quite clear that supernatural signs and wonders will follow the believer. He specifically mentions...

#1 Casting out demons;
#2 Speaking with new tongues;
#3 Taking up serpents;
#4 If they drink anything deadly it will not harm them;
#5 They will lay hands on the sick and see them recover or be healed.

Five supernatural signs that will follow the believer.

In Acts 2:1-4 We learn about the first manefestation that the Holy Spirit is now with the church.
Acts 2:1-4
1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

What a awesome supernatural experience this was, the sound of a wind storm, flames of fire or so it appeared on each believer, and they all began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. WOW.

On down in verse 22 Peter is speaking and tells his audience that God was doing signs and wonders through Jesus to prove that he was from God.

22 "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know--

This chapter is just abundant with this phrase signs and wonders because as we look at vers 43 we see that even the Apostles begin to see signs and wonders happen as they minister.

Acts 2:42-43
42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.

In the Acts 3:1-13 we see another sign where Peter and John are used by Jesus to Heal a man.
Then in Acts 4:23-31 the group goes into prayer and in vers 30 they pray that God would begin to perform healings, with signs and wonders.
In the next chapter we see the Apostles once again seeing these miraculous signs and wonders being done through their Hands.
Acts 5:12
12 And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon's Porch.

Then in Acts chapter 6 the scriptures testify of someone who is not a Apostle doing great signs and wonders among the people, and it is Stephen.

Acts 6:8
8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people.

So that is a lot to think about. What Jesus said would happen happened in the Book of Acts the Apostles saw the power of God manifest in signs and wonders and so did some people who were not Apostles. Remember Jesus did not say it was just for the 12 he said these signs will follow those who believe.

This "Following Jesus" is wild.

Signs and Wonders II

Signs and Wonders II

In my last Post we acknowledge that there is such a thing as false Prophets and false Christ's who will perform signs and wonders. So with that comes the question, How can we tell which "miracles, signs, and wonders" are of God?
You can tell what signs are from God and what signs are not from God.

Here is How:
Test #1 Who gets the Glory.
Is God getting the Glory or is it the man. Is the man directing the glory to God? If he is not then he is a False Prophet. Anyone who glorifies himself should be shunned no matter how extraordinary the signs that follow him.

Test #2 The sign stands the test of external verification.
"Go, show yourselves to the priests" (Luke 17:14)
When a miracle or Healing appears to have occurred we should welcome impartial verification.

Test #3. It builds up the church.
"In the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles" (1 Cor. 12:28).
Apostles, Prophets, and Teachers are God-given for the functioning of the church, so are workers of miracles. Both teaching and miracles, word and deed, occurring in unity are to be part of the church and it's outreach.
Acts 8:5-7
5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them.
6 And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.
7 For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.
Signs and wonders should work in conjunction with our proclamation of the Gospel to the building up of the Church.

Test #4 From a righteous source.
When Jesus was speaking of false prophets He said, "By their fruit you will recognize them" (Matt. 7:15-16). Is the person laying on hands above reproach?

Don't be deceived by accepting all signs and wonders, some will be false done by False Prophets and False Christ.
Also be assured that Jesus is still Alive in His disciples today just like He was in the Book of Acts and He is still performing miracles and signs and wonders because He is a miracle working God.
God is Awesome.

One last word on False Prophets
Deuteronomy 13
1 "If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder,
2 "and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, 'Let us go after other gods' -which you have not known-'and let us serve them,'
3 "you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the LORD your God is testing you to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
4 "You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice, and you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him.
5 "But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has spoken in order to turn you away from the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of bondage, to entice you from the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk. So you shall put away the evil from your midst.

Signs & Wonders

Signs & Wonders

The first time I see these words used in the Bible it is during the deliverance of God's people out of the land of Egypt (Exodus 7:3) In these verses it is talking about all of the mighty Miracles that God did as Moses announced each coming plague. Then later Daniel mentions that it was God that delivered Him with mighty signs and wonders out of the mouths of the lions. And many more miracles, signs and wonders are recorded in the Old Testament which God did on behalf of His people.

Then in the New Testament in the Gospels this phrase is mentioned a few times but only with a warning as it appears that False prophet's and False Christ's will arise and try to deceive people doing mighty signs and wonders(Matthew 24:24, Mark 13:2). There are some people that would begin to form a anti signs and wonders doctrine with these phrases. However signs and wonders do not only occur in the Bible when it is mentioned under signs and wonders, sometimes the Bible calls signs and wonders healings and or maybe miracles. Jesus Healed thousands of people and set thousands loose from the possessions and oppression of the Devil. Acts 10:38 states God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. These were mighty signs and wonders also. So as there are those false prophets and False Christ's who perform signs and wonders to deceive, we cannot judge everyone that is doing signs and wonders as false because even Jesus did many signs and wonders(Acts 2:22).

In John 3 Nicodemus even declares that these mighty works that Jesus was doing proved that he was from God.

Signs, wonders and miracles appear very commonly among the people of God throughout the Bible. After the Gospels signs and wonders begin to appear as the Apostles and the early church take up the commission to go and preach the Gospel to the whole planet. Jesus told the disciples that the signs and wonders would continue to follow those who believe in the Gospel of Mark 16:17-18).

When the day of Pentecost came there where great signs and wonders manifested on those in the upper room and Peter declared that these signs and wonders were prophesied by the prophet Joel (Acts 2:18-20)

The reason these signs and wonders are with the early Church is because Jesus is with them. He promised that He would be with them always even to the end of the age Matthew 28:20. If Jesus is going to keep this promise then as we read the Bible, the miracles, signs and wonders should still be happening in the book of Acts just like they did in the Gospels because Jesus will still be there. And that is indeed what we find. In Acts chapter 3:1-16 John and Peter are used by God to heal a man in Jerusalem and no small stir begins and Peter gives al the credit to Jesus for the man being healed. This healing is proof that Jesus was keeping his promise to be with them always.

After this incident they had some real problems with the city officials. The city Priest and Sadducees really came down hard on them for preaching the Gospel and healing this man. When they were finally released they prayed (Acts 4:23-31) to God to give them Boldness and asked for God to continue to do miracles, signs and wonders among them.

29 "Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants
that with all boldness they may speak Your word,
30 "by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and
wonders may be done through the name of Your holy
Servant Jesus."

This is a prayer I believe we the Church in the 21st century need to pray.

In Acts chapter 5 we see that signs and wonders are still being manifested and Jesus is still keeping His promise to be with them because he is the one doing the signs, wonders and miracles.

Acts 5:12 And through the hands of the apostles many signs
and wonders were done among the people. And they
were all with one accord in Solomon's Porch.

There is more to this subject, I will continue this thought in a later Blog. I want to rejoice that our miracle working God has not left us but He is with us in the POWER of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8).
God is God and He does not change Jesus is the same Yesterday, Today and Forever. Praise the Lord!!

J.I. Packer on the "modern gospel"

Here are some words from
J.I. Packer on the "modern gospel"

---

"It fails to make men God-centred in their thoughts and God-fearing in their hearts because this is not primarily what it is trying to do. One way of stating the difference between it and the old gospel is to say that it is too exclusively concerned to be 'helpful' to man - to bring peace, comfort, happiness, satisfaction - and too little concerned to glorify God. The old gospel was 'helpful', too - more so, indeed, than is the new - but (so to speak) incedentally, for its first concern was always to give glory to God.....Its centre of reference was unambiguously God. But in the new gospel the centre of reference is man....Whereas the chief aim of the old was to teach people to worship God, the concern of the new seems limited to making them feel better. The subject of the old gospel was God and his ways with men; the subject of the new is man and the help God gives him. There is a world of difference. The whole perspective and emphasis of gospel preaching has changed."

From A Quest for Godliness, p. 126

I think we should contemplate these words.
The Gospel you preach is it Jesus Centered or people centered?
Think about it, it could make a world of difference.
Who is J.I. Packer? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._I._Packer

Who Is Jesus?

Who is Jesus?

For a couple thousand years people have been answering that question. Many think He is just a myth and that He never really walked on earth. Others say he was good man, a great teacher, or a prophet, some have called him a demon possessed man or something even worse.

Napoleon Bonaparte said, "I know men and I tell you that Jesus Christ was no mere man. Between Him and every other person in the world there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creation of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded His empire on love; and at this very hour millions of men would die for Him."

When H.G. Wells was asked what person had left the most permanent impression on history, he replied that judging a person's greatness by historical standards, "By this test Jesus stands first."

Jesus Himself said, "I and the Father are one." He also stated, "If you have seen Me you have seen the Father." Jesus said He was one with God the Father. He also said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man may come to the Father but by ME." He repeatedly forgave sins something only God can do.

C.S. Lewis said, "I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him, I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claim to be God. That is one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the kind of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic -- on level with the man who says he is a poached egg -- or else He would be the devil of hell. Either this Man was the Son of God; or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come up with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to."

So what are you going to do with Jesus?
Who do you think He is?

Jesus is the Only way to God. We must follow Him or we will surely perish
You may not think you need a savior and that your good deeds will outweigh your bad deeds on judgment day. why don't you take this Goodness Test and let's see if you need a savior.

Have you ever lied (even once--fibs, white lies, etc.)? Ever stolen (anything--the value is irrelevant)? Jesus said, "Whoever looks upon a woman to lust after her, has committed adultery already with her in his heart." Have you ever looked with lust? If you have said "Yes" to these three questions, by your own admission, you are a lying, thieving, adulterer at heart; and we've only looked at three of the Ten Commandments. That's how God sees you. Nothing is hid from His holy eyes. Will you be innocent or guilty on the Day of Judgment? Listen to your conscience. You know that you will be guilty, and therefore end up in Hell. That's not God's will. He provided a way for you to be forgiven. He sent His Son to take your punishment: "God commended His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." He was bruised for our iniquities. Jesus then rose from the dead and defeated death. The wages for your sin is death, " . . . but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Make Jesus your Master and King. Place your faith in Him, and He will separate Your sins from you as far as the east is from the west. Therefore on judgment day you will go to live with God Forever in Heaven.

Do You want Your Prayers Answered?

I saw this on a web site today...

"If you want your prayers answered, Pray what's on God Heart"
http://www.prayercentral.net/

The Pathan (or Pushtun) are a mountain people living in the eastern regions of Afghanistan. This large people group makes up nearly one half of Afghanistan's total population. The origins of the Pathan people are unclear; but legends say that they are the descendants of Afghana, grandson of King Saul. However, most scholars believe that they probably arose from an intermingling of ancient Aryans with subsequent invaders.
The Pathan people consist of about sixty different tribes. Tribal genealogies establish rights of succession and inheritance, rights to use tribal lands, and rights to speak in the tribal council. Disputes over property, women, or personal injury often result in blood feuds between families and clans. These "family feuds" are often passed down from generation to generation, unless settled by clan chiefs or the tribal council.
What are their lives like?The Pathan tribes range from the highly educated who live in cities, to tent-dwelling nomads. Some of the nomadic tribes live in the warm plains throughout the winter months, then migrate to mountain pastures for the summer months.
Tribal customs and traditions make up the biggest part of the Pathan society. The true essence of Pathan culture can be seen in the "code of ethics" that every Pathan lives by. This unwritten code of life is called "Pushtunwali," (the way of the Pushtun), and is closest to the heart of every Pathan. Pushtunwali is followed religiously, and it incorporates the following major practices: "melmastia" (hospitality and protection to every guest); "nanawati" (the right of a fugitive to seek a place of refuge, and acceptance of his bona fide offer of peace); "badal" (the right of blood feuds or revenge); "tureh" (bravery); "sabat" (steadfastness); "imamdari" (righteousness); "'isteqamat" (persistence); "ghayrat" (defense of property and honor); and "mamus" (defense of one's women).
Pathan men usually wear sleeveless, embroidered vests over long sleeve, cotton shirts that are buttoned at one shoulder and hanging over baggy trousers. They also wear unique turbans, which have the cloths tied in such a way that indicates tribal identity. In certain zones of Afghanistan, rifles, pistols, knives, and other weapons are considered essential items of dress. Pathan women wear basically the same type clothing as the men, but they generally use more colorful material.
What are their beliefs?Since the time of Alexander the Great, Afghanistan has been the site of both Eastern and Western invasions. As a result, the Pathan tribes have been influenced by Indian Buddhists as well as African Muslims. However, Islam has been the chief religion of Afghanistan since the 10th century. Presently the Pathan people are 99% Muslim.
What are their needs?The Pathans are a people who have known frequent war. In 1979 the Soviets, fearing loss of communistic control over the Afghan people, led a massive invasion into Afghanistan. Since that time, approximately 3 million Afghans have fled across the border into Pakistan; many of them were Pathans. The nation is in extreme turmoil as a result of Soviet occupation and the on-going civil war.
Due to unsanitary living conditions (mainly poor water) and the harshness of the lifestyle, the average life expectancy in Afghanistan is only 46 years. Statistically this is one of the world's lowest figures. Only 25% of the adults are literate. The need for qualified medical teams and school teachers is great.
The Islamic religion is very difficult to penetrate. Converts to Christianity will more than likely be "banished" from their families. Consequently, there has been very little growth of Christianity among the Pathan. Most of the work by various missions agencies has ended due to unrest in the country. More recently, some of the "freedom fighters" have attacked Western relief agencies, causing them to flee from Afghanistan. Presently there are no Bibles in the Pakhtu language, and Christian radio and television broadcasts are strictly forbidden by the government.

Prayer Points
Ask God to call those who are willing to go to Afghanistan and share Christ with the Pathan people.
Pray that God will encourage and protect the small number of Pathan believers.
Ask God to soften the hearts of the Pathan towards Christians so that they will be open to the Gospel.
Pray for the Afghani children who grow up in fear and hatred of outsiders.
Ask God to once again open the doors for Christian agencies desiring to work among the Pathan.
http://www.global12project.com/2004/profiles/p_code/1504.html

This profile is some what dated but it still has plenty of great information. I know these people are on the Heart of God, Please join with me in praying for them and their salvation.
for even more information on the Pathan you can go to....
http://www.global12project.com/2004/profiles/clusters/8027.html

Thank you for praying for the Pathan.

If God is for us, who can be against us?

Romans 8:31 If God is for us, who can be against us?

If God is for us who can be against us? Is the question but the answer is obviously no one. No one can contend in anyway with our God.
The Psalmist put it like this ... The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? in Psalm 118:6. With these words in holy Scripture the people of God should be a tremendous force on the earth. Many people however shrink back from the call to go and tell people of our wonderful Lord Jesus.
Most people will not admit it, but the real reason they will not go into the highways (streets) and compel them to come to Jesus is because of FEAR.
We need to put fear aside by meditating on the scripture and what it says in these verses.

Hebrews 13:6
So we may boldly say: "The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?"

Psalm 146
1 ¶ Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul!
2 While I live I will praise the LORD; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
3 Do not put your trust in princes, Nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help.
4 His spirit departs, he returns to his earth; In that very day his plans perish.
5 ¶ Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, Whose hope is in the LORD his God,
6 Who made heaven and earth, The sea, and all that is in them; Who keeps truth forever,
7 Who executes justice for the oppressed, Who gives food to the hungry. The LORD gives freedom to the prisoners.
8 The LORD opens the eyes of the blind; The LORD raises those who are bowed down; The LORD loves the righteous.
9 The LORD watches over the strangers; He relieves the fatherless and widow; But the way of the wicked He turns upside down.
10 The LORD shall reign forever-Your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the LORD!
(NKJV)

With words like these we should be the most optimistic people on the planet!!!

Father God Help us to renew our minds and and cast off the fear that cripples us in our obedience to You. Help us stand up in Your strength, and in Your boldness, and proclaim Your Gospel to this lost and hurting world. Father I know that it is Your will that none perish, and that all would come to repentance. Please Lord make us workers in Your vineyard. That You would be magnified in our lives, and that with our lives we would bring glory to You.
in Jesus name Amen

They Shall Speak of the Glory of Your Kingdom, and Talk of Your Power

Psalm 145:11-12 11 They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom, And talk of Your power. 12 To make known to the sons of men His mighty acts, And the glorious majesty of His kingdom.

This is what the Church is to be about. Making known the Greatness of our God to all the earth to every man woman and child on the face of the planet.

What we do is sit, week after week in our comfortable seats and listen to another sermon. Is that why Jesus Died? Is that what the Christian life is about? If we are really radical we take it on the road. We get on a bus, full of others from our church, or maybe even with guys or gals from other churches, and travel to listen to some more sermons.
I am not saying there is anything wrong with traveling to Bible conferences etc. However I have rarely seen the Church get excited about going to preach the gospel. The Church gets excited about packing buses to go to Promise Keepers, Women of Faith or to the Pensacola Revival meetings. Just ask the Church to go to some city to canvas that city with the Gospel you won't get bus loads traveling 3 or 4 hours.
Training is great but how long do we need to be trained before we get in the game.
Jesus said "Go into all the world and Preach the Gospel."

In the back of our Bibles we have the maps, those maps do not show us where Paul went and sat down and listened. Paul's desire was to go to where the gospel had not yet been, to where no other Christian had been, to preach the Gospel to the lost himself.
Today in the USA we seem to want to go and Huddle in big crowds of other believers and then listen to someone else preach the gospel to thousands who have heard it at least once before.

Is not the main objective of the Church to spread the Gospel.
Why is it we think churches are successful by the amount of people that show up on Sunday morning. Is that the great commision, "don't miss church on sunday." I contend you are living the life that is a follower of Jesus, if you are a doer of the Word of God. I am all for the Local Church however church attendance is not the purpose to which we have been born again.
God is calling out from the world a people for Himself, and His purpose for them is to be sent back into the world to be His servants, and wintesses to extend His kingdom.
We the children of God need to confess that we have often failed in our mission, by becoming conformed to the world, lazy and apathetic to the heart of God. We need to Repent and begin to take up the task of making the Gospel known to all people everywhere in the power of the Holy Spirit, to this task we need to dedicate ourselves while we live and breathe on this earth.

God forgive us for wanting our own way more than Yours, Help us to die to our selfish ambitions and seek first Your kingdom and Your righteousness and rest in faith that You will take care of us. Father help us just to be obedient and not lean on our own understanding but in all of our ways acknowledge You and let Your Spirit direct us. and Father help us to speak of the glory of Your kingdom, And talk of Your power. To make known to the sons of men Your mighty acts, And the glorious majesty of Your kingdom.
In Jesus Name