Pray, invite, and bring some people with you!
Yes, bring people to Christ, then to a church where they actually preach the Gospel and cast a net.. yes, bring them to heaven with you. You can't bring your money or stuff there, but you can bring people. How should we do that, Kurt? Simple. Do it confidently in Christ. Let's do it by faith and in His love..without being ashamed or embarrassed about Him. Do it by exalting Jesus. simply tell people of the Good after you explain the bad new of sin and judgement for those outside of Christ. Why do this? Well cuz, "The Great Commission is not an option to be considered; it is a command to be obeyed." ~ Hudson Taylor
Yes, bring people to Christ, then to a church where they actually preach the Gospel and cast a net.. yes, bring them to heaven with you. You can't bring your money or stuff there, but you can bring people. How should we do that, Kurt? Simple. Do it confidently in Christ. Let's do it by faith and in His love..without being ashamed or embarrassed about Him. Do it by exalting Jesus. simply tell people of the Good after you explain the bad new of sin and judgement for those outside of Christ. Why do this? Well cuz, "The Great Commission is not an option to be considered; it is a command to be obeyed." ~ Hudson Taylor
Let's all know and exalt the Christ of the Cross. Let's make Him known both here and to the ends of the earth as He told us go to do! Let's elevate this priority of all priorities. And today is a good day for this. Are you praying that God harvests America and beyond? More than ever, we need Him to do this. So go tell, adequately explain, tactfully proclaim, make clear ..and even sing new and old songs about the essentially of Christ and His Cross!
Paul said, "For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God." 1 Corinthians 1:22-24
My old fleshly nature tells me, Hey Kurt, you don't need to take up the cross to follow the Lord. Pride, says you only need a boost-up from below when we all really need God's darling Son and Savior ..from above. It says you only need elocution, reform, energy from within, education, religion, self-will, or etiquette.
Say bye bye to boasting about yourself. "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." Ephesians 2:8-9
The Cross is about the truth of God's love for us, but it also tells us the truth about ourselves—yes, we're sinners in need of a Savior. Not a popular term, that "S"-word.
On the Cross God opened His arms wide and said I LOVE YOU! Preach the Word of the Cross and about Calvary's blood shed. That's where the power is, and the Word doesn't return void.
"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8 nkjv
"I argue that the cross be raised again at the center of the marketplace as well as on the steeple of the church... 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 crossroads so cosmopolitan that they had to write his title in Hebrew and 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... that is where churchmen should be and what churchmen should be about." ~ George MacLeod
"I argue that the cross be raised again at the center of the marketplace as well as on the steeple of the church... 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 crossroads so cosmopolitan that they had to write his title in Hebrew and 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... that is where churchmen should be and what churchmen should be about." ~ George MacLeod
Tell em about the Resurrection of Jesus too!!! Over 500 eyewitnesses saw Christ after He came out of that hole in the ground.
Experience the power of the Cross and of the resurrection. Paul did saying, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me" (Gal. 2:20 kjv). If he can, why can't we deny ourselves and die to our own way? Some Christians today and other religious people as well.. like to wear a Cross (nothin' wrong with that..), but many don't live the Message of the Cross. The later is far more important. Choose not to be like them. Listen, Jesus can fill you with His Spirit and help us live the life!
"Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart.." 2 Corinthians 4:1
The Church exists primarily to worship and glorify the Lord. We are here to fellowship with God, to win people to faith in His Son, and then of course to biblically disciple em. On the horizontal plane.. the Church is here to be used in sharing the Gospel.. drawin' people unto Christ, and helping each one mature to become more like Christ. You know the truth, but do our friends? Liney and I have been on the phone today inviting people to join us tonight at www.DFW.harvestamerica.com (do get friends to watch online Oct 5 5:30p CT..if you live far away).
"The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became Man for no other purpose." ~ C.S. Lewis
Why tell em about the Cross? Here's why.."The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Meditation. The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God." Psalm 9:17
“Just a tiny little boy stood in tears, on a busy street corner, what
was he doing here? As he tried to explain, all he knew was his name, but it was
late and beginning to rain, so I asked him 'bout the place where he lived. He
remembered the old church where the big cross was lit; then his eyes opened
wide and he said with a smile, 'If you can get me to the Cross, I can find my
way home.'" ~ Terry and Barbi Franklin (lyrics)
We all need to come to the Cross. More than in any other
generation gone by, people these days are feeling down. Many have given up. In my
Land many have lost their jobs and have quit looking for jobs. Did you know
that one in ten Americans are now taking anti-depressant medications, and 1 in
4 women are taking anti-depressant medications? When I come home and watch the
news I really don’t blame them. And it’s not at all wrong for some people. Illicit
drug use and sales, sure! It’s wrong.
But I’m not saying that anti-depressant medications are
wrong for all because I am simply not a doctor. Sometimes medications are
absolutely called for. It’s true.
But I say that there is something even more called for than medication
..it’s meditation (upon the truth of the Bible). Yes, this is really called
for!
The Bible says, “Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression,
but a good word makes it glad.” Proverbs 12:25 nkjv
“Those who love Your law have great peace, and nothing causes them to
stumble.” Psalm 119:165
Today we Ebola here. We see Islamic Isis beheading and crucifying Christians. Erwin Lutzer says, "Right now [by choice for the most part, sadly] we see America in submission to Islam." We see Islamic Isis taking over towns by force in the name of their war-loving Allah. Listen friend, in a world where
an estimated 170,000 plus Christians are being martyred for their faith each
year, you and I need to hear and apply the
truth of God’s word regardless of what happens. We are in the end times.. “And when these things begin to come to
pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.”
Luke 21:28
“Beloved, now we are children of
God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when
He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And
everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. “
1 John 3:3
Everyone believes in someone or in something. In our day
people will worship themselves, another person, money, meth, the waves they
surf on, the nature they camp in, a non-existent deity not found in the Bible
called Allah, their company they work for, they government that over taxes em,
or even tech thinking that will meet all their needs. But Jesus says to all of
us, "BELIEVE IN ME.”
It’s really not as hard as people make it. Just have just one
clear map, not a bunch of maps if ya will—it's meant to remain simple, never confusing
or over complicated. Yes, God the Father has given us a map to Heaven and it’s
THE BIBLE. And there is only one way into Heaven and that is through Jesus
Christ. By His Cross and resurrection He alone was uniquely qualified to bridge
the gap between a holy God and sinful people.. like you and me. You are not
your own, you have been bought at a price. So how will you respond to Him? Will you accept Christ, put it off and/or reject Him?
