Don't get caught up in what you have to do for God

Matthew 12:1-8 1 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. And His disciples were hungry, and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. 2 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!”
3 But He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: 4 how he entered the house of God and ate the showbread which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? 5 Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless? 6 Yet I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple. 7 But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’[a] you would not have condemned the guiltless. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord even[b] of the Sabbath.”

So many people get caught up in how many bad things they have done, that it keeps them from getting to church, praying to God, and even asking him for forgiveness. Many times when I go to talk to people about God I get a response like "I'm such a sinner if I walk in to God's house it will be struck by lightning." or "If I go to church it will burn down I'm so sinful." This is just some stupid excuse not to face the truth about how sin has affecting their lives. They rather keep on sinning and not think about the consiquences of their sins. Sooner or later your sin will catch up to you. let's look at sin for what it is. It's the devil's influence on a human life. He moves through our thoughts and through our circumstances to to get us to make poor choices. Jjust like trying to trap a mouse with bate into a cage, he sets the bait and waits for you to grab on to it and SNAP your caught. 

James 1:14-15

New King James Version (NKJV)

14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

We all have a sinful nature, because we were born in a sinful world. We have a choice to make. The devil comes to entice us. The rest is up to you. You are the one with the true power not satan. He has no control over any of us. he just sets a trap.  We do all the rest. The word says God's mercies are new every morning. He is always giving us the opportunity to make right choices. Choices that are better then yesterdays. I said in another post of mine that the past does not exist and the future hasn't happened yet so all that matters is the present. Well that is so true. We have the power over satan day by day minute by minute by just making the right choice and resisting the temptation to do what is wrong. God gave us his word so we would know what is right and what is wrong and not be confused by the enemy of our souls. See even Jesus was tempted by satan in the desert with the word of God. If Jesus did not know the word of God he could have been decieved just like satan does to us . But Jesus is the word of God incarnate. So he was fully equiped to fight off the devils schemes. When we deside to go to church, read the bible, and pray to God, we are empowering ourselves against satan. Knowledge is power right. So when we feel we have to change and make all kinds of sacrifices before entering God's house we have been decieved by satan to believe a lie that would keep us from coming into God's presence. No Jesus gave the sacrifice his very own life so you wouldn't have to. Now he desires you. A relationship with you is what Jesus wants. The rest is easy for God. His presence in your life will change you. So don't keep putting it off. God is waiting for you. He loves you very much and he will forgive you all your sins and give you a new fresh start. Amen!

Living for today

Matthew 6:34   Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Reality only exists in the moment not in the past which has passed away and not the future that hasn't happened yet. If you spend your present moment worrying about your future or regretting your past you are letting life pass you by, you're not living. To live life now your mind has to be alert and attentive to your present activity. Weather that is praying or washing dishes or working at your job or tending to the children your focus needs to be  on the task at hand. All your attention , motivation, love, passion, zeal, and commitment must be in the moment. That is how you achieve excellence. That is when you will be constantly working at your best and giving life your all. How can you have time for regret or worry when you live this way.There just isn't time for that and you will realize how stupid it is to even bother with such thinking. The present is all that really matters. Now I'm not saying that you go out and blow all your money because the present is all that matters, that's just crazy. What I am saying is not to waist time worrying how you are going to make it through tomorrow or dwelling on your mistakes from yesterday. Instead set your heart on today because yesterday you can't change and tomorrow will come soon enough. Amen!

Love is unruly

Songs of Solomon 8:6-7 Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned 

Love is a very unruly emotion. It is often said that you can't help who you fall in love with. I believe that is why God desires to have our hearts before we might fall in love( Proverbs 23:26). God can help us add reason to our love. He can keep us from making decisions based solely on our loving feelings. Loving God first means you will do anything to please him. His opinions will matter to you the most. You will seek his advice when you need to make a dicision just so you won't have to feel like you have disapointed him later. God in his infinite knowledge knows what is best for you and his love for you is unwavering. He loves you so much he sent his son to die to prove it. Jesus loves you so much he laid his life down for you. His love is unconditional and can't be measured. So we should trust that he has our best interests at heart. When searching for a person to love and be loved by always consider Gods thoughts on the subject. He can save you a lot of heart ache latter. So many people had wished they had some inside information that would have told them what their relationship would have been like, a sort of time machine that would show them the future result of their dicision. God may not show you all the details but he definately will let you know to either go forward in a relationship or to put the brakes on, make a U turn and drive away as fast as you can. Don't question just follow his loving direction because no one knows better then he. Better to heed him now them cry out to him latter. Amen!

Evangelism

Witnessing is one of the most neglected commands in all of Scripture. While Bible reading and prayer are also disregarded by the average Christian, I dare to say that witnessing has to be the least practiced of the Christian disciplines.

Do you know anyone who cannot sit still? They always have to be doing something. Even when sitting, their motor is running [leg shaking]! The Apostle Paul was like that…he always had to be preaching or witnessing, or sharing your faith, or visiting. He could have settled down comfortably in the large church at Antioch, but he didn’t…not as long as there were more people who needed to be reached, he had “itchy feet.”

“It is easy to determine when something is aflame. It ignites other material. Any fire that does not spread will eventually go out. A church without evangelism is a contradiction in terms, just as a fire that does not burn is a contradiction” H. Richard Niebuhr

We need to be on fire for evangelism. We need to desire to share Jesus with others. At the very least we could just invite them to attend a service at our Church and let the pastor talk to them about Jesus. How hard is it to extend an invitation?

(Matthew 4:19) “And he saith unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Jesus is the one who makes you the evangelist. It is his power in you so no matter what, you can't fail. You don't need special training, or be a master of scripture to do it, you just need the knowledge of what God has done in your own life and a will to share that with those who need to know Jesus the way you do.

Jesus called very ordinary people to be his disciples. Peter and John were fishermen. Matthew was a tax collector. At least one was active in the politics of the day. Yet, Jesus took their humble occupation and transformed it into something special. Jesus used some very basic principles and then encouraged these men to be doers. We can use these same basic principles today.

How can we follow after Jesus so that we can be fisher’s of men?

LETTING PEOPLE SEE OUR LIFE: Jesus lived an open public life and was available to anyone who wanted to come see Him. (Mark 12:37) His life was open both to his friends and enemies. “And the common people heard him gladly.” Sixteen times Matthew refers to the multitudes following him. Jesus preached that we should have an open life for all to see. (Matthew 5:14-16) “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it givevth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

(Matthew 10:32) “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.”

How do we let people see our lives?

1. Get into the public.

2. Join a community group.
3. Talk to your neighbors.
4. Volunteer at the schools or in the community somewhere.
5. Visit the nursing homes. Or an elderly neighbor (expand)
6. Visit the hospitals. Or just someone who is sick.
7. Visit the prisons.
8. Write on a card Jesus Loves you and give it to someone who is going through a difficult time.
9. Buy a bag of groceries for someone in need and put in the bag a card that says Jesus will provide all your needs.
10. Make dinner enough for two families and take some over to a family and a card that says Jesus loves you and He is the bread of life.
11. Invite a family over for dinner and read some scripture before you pray and give thanks for the meal.
12. Hold a fund raiser for the church and invite people who don't attend church at all to come.

Someone once said, “I would rather see a sermon than hear one any day.” In order for this to happen, someone MUST SEE YOU!

Another way to evangelize is to simply talk about your church to others. Invite them to a church function.

1. Special Sunday services. Try to have one every month.
2. Man's and woman's breakfasts.
3. Invite friends and family to come see you perform in drama group (youth)
4. Tell friends and family they could have their child's dedication to the lord at your church explain what a dedication is.
5. Invite friends and family to your baptism celebration.
6. Form a group for fellowship like a christian baseball team, or a christian horse riding group, or a christian family game night. Then invite every one you know to come.
7. Start a book club for christian authors and invite every one you know to take part in the group.

All these things can allow people to see you live out Christ likeness in your life without the pressure of them having to make a decision about their own belief's right away. Christianity is contagious, you know, so all people have to do is spend time with you and they will catch the Jesus fever. The bible says “ you will know them by their love for one another.” So many people are looking to be loved. What better place to find it then the house of God. God is Love! When people see us in fellowship with one another they will want what we have. So throw a party just to invite the church and some friends and let the lord draw them in. Most of all Just be yourself cause God chose you just the way you are and wants you to share your faith with others.

Most of all when you are going to preach the gospel at any service invite your friends and family come to hear you preach. Jesus extended invitations to everyone to come hear Him teach and preach.

(Matthew 11:28-30)

“Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

(John 7:37) “In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.”

Last but not least Pray. Pray for God to fill the church with souls.

Jesus prayed.

He told us to pray for more laborers. “Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest.”

Matthew 9:37, 38.

He told us to pray for our enemies. “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which spitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matthew5:44).

He prayed for those who would believe on His word. (John 17:20)“Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;”

How can we do this?

1) Ask God to open doors for you and us to teach the gospel.

2) Pray that each of us will have the courage to tell others about the gospel.

3) Pray for the individuals that each of us meet in the community.

Jesus was able to take a bunch regular men and even social cast outs and change them into apostles. Do you doubt he can do the same with you today? If you do, then you have already lost the battle. Resolve in your mind now that you are going to do more then you have been doing to fulfill the great commission Christ gave us. (Matthew 28:16-20) Let's read it together. In Jesus Name Amen.