Search And Save Mission

 

Jesus looks at his disciples and tells them, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it."Luke 9:23

Our job as believers is to go and seek and save the lost. You don’t just live for yourself but you live to help disciple others and help win the lost to Christ. 

Your mission field may not be in a foreign land but right in your own community and with people you come in contact with daily. 

You were not born just to hang out, have a job, raise a family and so forth but to impact the world around you for the Kingdom. Now go and search out those hurting needing to come to Jesus. 

PRAYER: Lord give me strength daily to look for ways around me to share your love with others. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

GOD'S EXTREME MAKEOVERS

Recently I had the awesome privilege of attending the Moms in Prayer Southeast Regional Retreat in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina at the Billy Graham Conference Center near Asheville. The event director in speaking one day said something to the effect that "God was a God of extreme makeovers" so I thought, "what an awesome title" for a devotion. God really is in the business of doing some miraculous jobs on some people who absolutely could not stand him or mocked Him.

Think of conversion experiences of drug addicts, alcoholics, prostitutes, Rap artists, Satan worshippers, Muslims and those who do not believe in Jesus like Christians do or may even hate us, thieves, homosexuals who turned their backs on God to try to justify their lifestyle, those living in sin with boyfriend or girlfriend, compulsive liars, and a host of all sorts of things. First let me point out that we are not to judge and assume just because someone looks a certain way or acts a certain way that they do not know Jesus. But think of in the Bible when evil Saul became Paul. Now that indeed was an extreme makeoever wouldn't you say?Read Acts Chapter 9 when you get a free moment.

During the Watergate scandal in 1973 several people went to jail to include the late Charles Colson who was a mastermind of this plot. .In 1974, he served seven months in the prison in as the first member of the Nixon administration to be incarcerated for Watergate-related charges. Even the worst possible person has hope of being redeemed and set free. After being in prison he turned his heart to God and later founded Prison Fellowship International. Pretty miraculous I would say.Even the serial killer and rapist Ted Bundy accepted Christ before being put to death in the electric chair in 1989.

Even the worst and most vile person has a chance for redemption and salvation. 2 Peter 3:9(NIV) reminds us 'The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.' We are not to hate others or wish them evil either, God loves and we need to love and forgive too.

Where are you at today? You may not have this story of being set free from things like pornography or drugs but have you asked Jesus to be Lord of your life. He is the great transformer of life.2 Corinthians 5:17(NIV) says 'Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!' Do you want to have that perfect peace of being forgiven and knowing that when you die you will be in heaven? Then say this simple prayer. "Lord Jesus I ask you to forgive me of ___________ and set me free. I would like you to come into my heart today and change it. I want to live for you and serve you. Thanks for letting me be your child.Amen."

PRAYER: Lord Jesus I know that I am not perfect. Keep me from wrongly judging others. Help me to show your love for all of mankind. I remember we are all sinners and it is only by the grace of God I am where I am. In Jesus name. Amen.

Click link and praise God in song.

http://youtu.be/FaUTv1pXRyU

THE WRONG DIRECTION

Which way in life are you headed? Do you know for a fact if you were hit by a semi and killed today or died of a heart attack or something else tragic like that that you would be in heaven? How do you know? Because you were baptized as a baby? Because you joined a church? Because you are a member of a certain exclusive denomination? Because you attended Vacation Bible School?
The direction in life to go is to follow Jesus. He did not make up a bunch of man made rules of do's and don'ts to keep you out of his kingdom although some churches make you feel that way.The main thing is have you asked him to be Lord of your life? Have you? You should want to be baptized as an outward sign of an inward change but it is not what saves you alone.

Several years ago a lady at a particular church we attended at the time which believed in infant baptism asked me if I knew if a little 2 year old that had died had been baptized. I had met the child and his mom once at a birthday party. They were both tragically murdered. Anyway I told her "no" as the family attended a church where babies were dedicated. She then said "oh that is so sad" and I politely said " God does not send babies to hell". Let's say you are at a Billy Graham crusade and walked forward to give your life to Christ at the altar call at the end of his message. There is no baptismal pool there at the crusade. Then let's say you are killed on the way home before having a chance to follow your decision by being baptized. God isn't going to say "Sorry. Can't come in my kingdom. You forgot to be baptized."

The way to heaven is to live for Jesus and to ask him to be Lord of your life. Once you do this you should hunger and thirst for knowing Him better. This does not mean magically everything in life is going to be okay because struggles and heartaches are part of life. But it does mean you will be able to go through things with a better attitude.

John 14:6 says "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me." John 10:9 says "I am the gate, whoever enters in through me will be saved. He will come in and go out and find pasture." John 11:25 says "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me shall live even though he dies." Matthew 7:7 says "Ask and it will be given to you. seek and you shall find. Knock and the door will be opened unto you." Romans 10:13 says "Call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved." Revelation 3:20 says " Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears the door and answers, I will come in to him..." Romans 10:9 says "Then if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart, you will be saved."

There you have it. Pretty simple. Not meaning to step on any denominations rules but all we have to do is say "Lord Jesus I am a sinner. I want to be saved. Come into my heart today and change me Lord. Thank you for hearing my prayer."

So what direction in life are you headed? Did you take a wrong turn or detour somewhere and need to get back on the right road leading to Jesus? He is  waiting to let you back in you have left Him or if you are unsure you were saved in the first place. Why not do it today?

Let me leave you with one final verse which is 2 Corinthians 5:17 and it simply says "Therefore if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation. The old is gone,the new has come!"

PRAYER: Lord Jesus I thank you for the free gift of salvation. I thank you Lord that I can come to you and cry out and you hear me. I want to always go in the right direction. Lead me Lord and help me avoid pitfalls that will take me away from you. In Jesus name. Amen.

NO FOOLING. JESUS IS LORD!

Welcome to April Fool's Day! The wonderful day we can pull little pranks on people and then say "April Fools"! Not sure how this day came to be celebrated but you have to be prepared for all sorts of jokers on this day. For me, when I was in the Army, I was notified by a clerk in the generals office at Ft Campbell, Kentucky that I was on the promotion list on April 1!! Now I did not see this in writing and I guess I did not have much confidence in myself as I said, "not funny, April Fools right?" Well it was  not until 6 hours later til I called my branch in Washington DC that I confirmed, in fact, I would go up one rank.  Not a good day to not have 'official paperwork' to look at.

We can joke all we want in life but there is no fooling around with God. When you do not accept Him as Saviour and follow Him it will be no joke where you spend eternity. Eternal life is not something to joke around about.


Do you know if you were to die right now where you would spend eternity? No one knows when they will take their last breath. You know there is a saying that "there are no atheists in foxholes" meaning in times of war when your life could be snuffed out at any moment not too many want to gamble with the 'here after'.  The Freedom from Religion group and Atheists can try to say God does not exit or try to shut Him out of our lives but God is not going anywhere. It is HIS world after all.

Church membership does not save you or guarantee you admission. Baptism alone does not save you. Being a certain denomination does not save you as some denominations claim they are the only way to heaven.  Being a good person will not save you.

John 15:5 says "I am the vine and you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit, for without me you can do nothing."  Pretty clear I would say. But the enemy is out the trying to trick people in to believing they do not need God or they are good enough. Satan is a liar and a deceiver who is out to destroy Christians and he is working hard pretty hard in America to remove God. God is not going anywhere, have no fear. Unless you stay in the word of God you will not know the truth. The word is TRUTH. Do not let them enemy lie to you and try to get you to edit the scriptures to fit the lifestyle you want to live.

Say this prayer if you are not sure Jesus is Lord of your life. " Lord Jesus I need you in my life. I confess my sins to you. Forgive me for when I did not listen to you and went my own way. I want to live for you and serve you. Come into my life today and take control of my life. "  Remember the Bible reminds us there is "none righteous no not one" (Romans 3:10) and in Romans 3:23 that "all have sinned and fallen short of God's glory"? When you ask Jesus to come into your life "old things are passed away and behold all things became new" it says in  2 Corinthians 5:17. Once you do have Jesus living on the inside of you, your life should start to show evidence of the 'fruits of the Spirit' in your life. Galatians 5:22-24 says " But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires."

There is no fooling around with eternal life. Do the right thing and ask Jesus to come into your life today and take the controls.

PRAYER: Father many mock your name and joke about heaven. Many make light of the devil making him into a comic strip character instead of the evil sinister character he actually is. Lord help my eyes stay open always to the truth in your word. Take the blinders off anyone in my family who is being deceived by the enemy as well. In Jesus name. Amen.


Note: Today I am including a song by a Christian band called Rush of Fools since it is April Fools Day. Be blessed!
http://youtu.be/iN_DMuahD5o

LIFE COMES TO THIS....DEATH

This past Saturday, pop icon Whitney Houston, was laid to rest after an untimely death at an early age, which stunned her many fans. Throngs of her adoring fans stood with signs, pictures, balloons, and flowers outside the  Baptist church in Newark, New Jersey where her funeral was held.

Famous people seem to get a better break at funerals. Lots of folks there, many news stories at no charge to them, and non stop talk of the wonderful life they led. Everyone seems to be great  at the end so it seems.

The indisputable fact of life is we all will die. Many people live like there is no consequence and atheists laugh off the after life or heaven and hell. Guess what? You will either go to heaven or you will go to hell whether you believe the Bible or not. Period. End of story. Why chance it? Your life could end today in a head on crash, a heart attack, a stroke, an unexpected illness, or a myriad of other things. No one knows when. Young people die, babies die, celebrities die in their forties like Miss Houston, and people die late in life. Nobody can predict it. This could be your last day on earth. We are all valuable to God whether we are a platinum album singer, bank president, business leader, politician, teacher, homeless man  or factory worker. There is not some social class to get into heaven. It boils down to have you asked Jesus into your life.

Do you know if you were to take your last breath you would spend eternity in heaven?  I did not say "are you a good person" or "are you a church member" or "have you worked on lots of church committees" or "have you gone to Sunday School class" or "are you baptized"  but do you know Jesus as your saviour and has your life been lived for Him? Does your life reflect Him?

Is your life ready for a 'Home Going' to heaven? Are you sure? We can not assume just because we were in church every Sunday that is what is required. People who have rejected Jesus during their life will not be with Him in heaven but it is never too late to ask Him into your heart.

1 Timothy 2:4 says "who wants everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth." Ezekiel 18:23 says "do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather am I not pleased when they turn from their wicked ways and live?" James 4:13-15 says "Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”

Psalm 90:12 tells us "Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Do not live like death will never come because believe me it will and it may catch you off guard. But guess what, once you are dead you can not decide to accept Christ. Ecclesiastes 7:2 says "It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this to heart."


 I can not imagine someone not wanting to be sure they are going to heaven. In Romans 3:23 it says "All have sinned and fallen short of God's glory." Acts 3:19 says "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord". Repent means to turn away from. When you know something is wrong do not keep doing it. Ask God to help you. He is ready to save. Give your heart to Him today.

PRAYER: Father I know my days are numbered here on this earth. Help me to make a difference for the kingdom of God during the short time I am here. Help me to not get caught up in the craziness and sinfulness of the world but to be set apart for the work of Christ and let me leave an imprint for you when I leave this earth. In Jesus Name. Amen.


Click on link to worship the Lord in song.
http://youtu.be/iB-yX5p0p4I