What’s so, not so, and just won’t go. Man, what’s Easter all about?

What’s true, what's untrue, why stew -- why are ya feelin' so blue? 

Got some broken dreams or friendships? Broken lives and relationships.. I mean broke off outward, upward.. they don’t really have to stay broke forever. That’s what it’s about. 

I am feelin' amped over my favorite holiday.. all stoked inside, totally thrilled and grateful for Easter.

“I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God. § I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.” See Job 19:25–26; and Psalm 17:15

Q. How could the greatest crime of all time actually be good for us? I'm talkin' about Easter. Prestonwood.Live

Right now does it look like a dark Friday in your life? It’s Friday but Sunday’s coming!

It’s Good Friday and I’m good with it (happy inside) – Good Friday to you! You can enjoy communion and fellowship. Harvest.org/Live

It sure was good for me. For you too. The Bible says... 

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

What’s not so and so today? I can only earn a life I love by doing things I hate doing. False. I can gain that beautiful life of grace.. one that I’d really enJOY.. by doing religious stuff or other things I can’t stand. False. 

Real FREEdom is a gift; it’s what Easter (a.k.a. Ress-day) is all about. True! I’m good with it. Good Friday, it sure was good for us. I am responsible to change people, to convince them, to save em, and to change this world. False. 

I am responsible for any problem in my close proximity. False. I am responsible for all of my personal choices. True. I cannot reasonably ask for an abundant life in this world that's filled with so much suffering. False. 

I can't reasonably turn from wrong-doin's and ask for or a free unending life--the one I was meant to experience. False. That's why we celebrate Christ and Easter. 

Listen, you can live the life that you were always meant to enjoy. True. You can obey the Lord in the power of His Spirit with JOY, GLADNESS, ENTHUSIASM, PEACE and obey those flawed delegated authorities over you as well.. short of sin. And you can make a good impact in this world -- it's from Him really. Yeah, Jesus is the one that does that and for some reason that I really don't fully get.. He still delights to use us people for His glory. True. Read through the Bible His love letter to believers everywhere!

I am the sum of other people’s opinions of me -- I must become what they say I’ll be. False. Misdirection, fake news, and then living ill-informed or confused to various degrees.. are good for you. False. 

Relationships are meant to be hard and complicated -- they’ve been designed to be this way. False. Broken people with broken hearts, broken dreams, and broken relationships -- it just need to stay that way minus God’s comfort, healing or restoration. False. 

Living disloyal or with deception in mind.. or with spiritual-compromise, or with selfish-lust, and greed, and fear, or feelin’ all angry at God or people, or with that emptiness, boredom or infidelity.. is natural for people. False. 

In Christ you can have a new start. True. You can be forgiven, you can enjoy real life -- life more abundantly, yup non-stop for all eternity. True!

The restlessness inside was my godlessness, but now I enjoy His rest. Man, freely forgiven ain’t at all overrated. Let Jesus take over the reigns of your life and learn of Him. 

“For whoever enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from His. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following the same pattern of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart..” Hebrews 4:10–12

Come to.. or come back to Him! No puttin’ it off, no lame excuses. Follow Christ closely. Know Him well, make Him well known, start right now. You won’t regret it.  E v e r !

Clearly hear, continue to hear and grow in grace and truth.. muse on, get, wisely apply the Good News and go tactfully tell.

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Luke 19:10

Listen, pray for, share.. showing respect for all people. Expect God to honor His Word and do the work. The Message doesn't return void.  

In a couple days it's Easter.

Where will you go? Think I'll be takin' that trip past my livin'-room to the loft to do Easter this year. (Yeah, here).  And you?.. bring your sis, dad, brother or mother. Facebook.com/shareJesus

On to maturity; Christian follow up is basically family nurture and friendship-building.

Yes your mission.. if you choose to accept it.. no matter your vocation in life.. is to go fish and follow through. Go where the hungry fish (peeps) are. And our goal (as Christians) is to do our part in helpin' any willing ..to hook-up with: 1.) The greatest Fisher [Christ], 2.) With other people just like you.. who are sincerely wantin' to make a lastin' difference here with Him, and with 3.) Your long-planned-out God-given evangelistic purpose! All. Hey, you can do this!

You know how the Bible says, “Jesus called out to them, ‘Come, be my disciples, and I will show you how to fish for people!’” (Matt.4:19). Maybe at this point.. like that seasoned fisher of old, the Apostle Pete, you kinda feel like a failure in life, or worthless, or pretty insignificant at times? Well i’m here to remind you that God loves you and has a purpose for your life. He gave you talents to use as bait if ya will, and you can become a vital part of God's fishing plan so to speak! Jesus Christ is so there for you, yes, to encourage you to freely receive what you need most.. to grab a pole, a net, some effective proverbial worms. Yup, the right bait for fishin' perhaps. to righteously go catch em with. Bait that they like and really.. is good. Christ was lifted up on a Cross, came out of that dark hole alive, and now God draws people to Himself...yet we work with the Chief to net people ..and for their own benefit. Remember how He encouraged Simon when He said, “Don't be afraid! From now on you'll be fishing for people!" (Lk. 5:10).

Have you made the thrilling discovery yet, that second only to experiencing the blessing, the righteous fun if ya will, the great privilege and glory of worshiping the Lord in Spirit and in Truth, comes the tremendous J-O-Y of leading another person to Christ? Let's do this! 

Why? Well, at this point there are still 6.8 million people still waiting to simply hear the name Jesus. He's their hope--He's our living hope as well. Yup, that's "missions" and Christ calls all believers to be a part of this effort. He calls us to go fish for souls that He loves, but not just to stop there. 

Yes, He told us to go tell.. that's the Great Commission. Imperative. But after we obey with that.. after He uses a Christian to reel in, to rescue, to actually save a person who was once dead inside and lost.. we Christians can then be used of God to help that new baby Christian go on with Christ to spiritual maturity in connection with a Bible teaching local church. That's also so important and it's exciting to be involved with. I've covered this follow up process at length before, but hear are a few simple reminders for you.  

What to always keep in mind...

* Prayer for the new believer remains a vital part of follow-up ministry. 
* God, not any of us Christians, can save or produce growth in the life of another person. Duh.
* God changes our desires after then second birth. He gives new Christians the desire and the ability to live in a way that pleases Him. We start to loathe what we used to love [sin, personal destruction], and start to love what we used to loathe [church fellowship, pure Bible truth, prayer, serving and aiding others] (Philippians 2:13).
* No amount of time, effort, or anything that we can do will ensure that new believers will go all the way with Jesus, I mean on to spiritual maturity in Him.
* Be confident that in Christ's new and living way, and in His time, He will do what He promises to do.. accomplishing what He has begun in each believer. He's the Author and Finisher of our faith. We all need to keep on growing in the Word of God. (Philippians 1:6).
* God uses various Scriptures inside our minds, uses our inner conscience [and His Holy Spirit now lives inside our once dead human spirit], and uses genuine instead of religious friendships to prompt us, and uses other means like trials to bring about spiritual growth in a Christian's life. His agape love and truth draws us closer. That's what His sanctification process is all about. 
* He's always used people for this purpose, uses events, His Word as we wisely apply it, and uses daily circumstances to help or cause the willing to grow up.
* He deals with each of us in a gentle very unique way, because He made each of us unique.
* Ultimately God our loving Father is responsible for saving us and for spiritually bringing about growth in us. We believers follow Jesus' clear commands when involved in follow up ministry, and then we of course leave the results to Him. Doin' my best (working here), I commit the rest. Follow up is fun. Do you now need some discipleship or follow-up ministry?
* God respects our choices in the sense that He won't pressure any us to do His will. As a real Gentleman, Christ allows every person to respond differently when hearing His Gospel and when they respond to all His other Bible Scriptures for maturation. (Mark 4:3-9; 14-20).

"What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you can to believe – as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building." ~ Paul, 1 Corinthians 3:5-9

"Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6

"For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose." Philippians 2:13, Facebook.com/shareJesus

He or she who would go fishin' ought to 1.) Like, and 2.) Pre-think the follow-up process of how to deal with those he...
Posted by Fish For Souls Evangelism™ - Kurt von Schleicher on Friday, July 10, 2015