Posts Tagged ‘salvation’

Encouragement For the Journey: What Will Your Legacy Be?

Encouragement For the Journey: What Will Your Legacy Be?

WHAT WILL YOUR LEGACY BE?

EVERYBODY NEEDS JESUS!  The Bible says, “Jesus is the only one who can save people.”  Acts 4:12  NCV

THINK ABOUT THIS…   If I possessed the information that held the cure for cancer and kept that life-saving information to myself, would it not be a criminal act?

NOW CONSIDER THIS…  Is it not far worse to withhold life-saving information that determines where people will spend eternity?

(1) YOU AND I ARE ON THIS EARTH FOR AN ASSIGNMENT

The apostle Paul said, “My life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus… the work of telling others the Good News about God’s wonderful kindness and love.” Acts 20:24  NLT

A recent survey reported that over 70 percent of those surveyed wanted to know:

(a)  What is the meaning of life?

(b)  Why are we here?

There is no doubt that our society is imprisoned in a mindset that never sees the bigger picture The purpose and the assignment of life is a “cause beyond ourselves.”  When young David heard the giant Goliath roar his threats, David immediately looked past his personal safety and said, “… Is there not a cause?”  I Samuel 17:29 KJV

Personal fulfillment can never exist until we understand that God’s assignment for each of us must be carried out.   The “cause” for our existence is about others and not about self.

(2)  YOUR ASSINGMENT CARRIES WITH IT A SENSE OF URGENCY 

Jesus said, “All of us must quickly carry out the task assigned to us by the one who sent me, because there is little time left before night falls and all work comes to an end.”

 John 9:4 NLT

This verse heightens the urgency of our assignment because the clock is ticking down and we must not delay in snatching lost souls before it is too late.

II Corinthians 6:2 says: “… NOW is the day of salvation.”  In my four decades of giving invitations to receive Christ, I always deal with explaining the danger of delay.  I believe the most successful way Satan convinces people to put off receiving Christ is the word tomorrow.”  Hell will be filled with those who waited until “tomorrow!”

Partners, I really want you to feel the urgency of the next point:

(3)  DOES GOD HOLD YOU AND ME RESPONSI BLE TO COMPLETE OUR ASSIGNMENT TO REACH THE LOST AT ALL COST? 

One of the most stirring and compelling verses I have ever read is in the book of Ezekiel.  It says:   “You must warn them so they may live.  If you don’t speak out the warning, to warn the wicked to stop their evil ways, they will die in their sin.  But I will hold you responsible for their death.”  Ezek 3:18 NCV

WHY DOES GOD HOLD US RESPONSIBLE FOR THE UNBELIEVERS AROUND US?  Think about this for a moment…The only hope the unbeliever has is for someone who knows Christ to share the good news of Christ’s saving power.  If we don’t… WHO WILL?

While I realize these are strong words and I further realize that you and most Christians are unaware that God holds us responsible to witness to those who need to know the Good News of Jesus Christ

As you can tell, my heart aches for the lost.  I am not hesitant to tell you that over the last several weeks, my heart has been broken over the cold indifference the average Christian has toward the lost.

Jesus said, “A Man’s heart determines his speech.”   Matthew 12:34 LB

Too many want us to ignore the lost… But I cannot, and I will not.  In this my 48 years of soul-winning evangelism, I cannot be silent.  “Your message burns in my heart and bones, and I cannot be silent.”  Jeremiah 20:9 CEV

If not now… THEN WHEN!

If not here…  THEN WHERE!

If not you… THEN WHO!

Remember Jesus said, “The good news about God’s kingdom will be preached in all the world, to every nation.  Then the end will come.”  Matthew 24:14 NCV

The only thing that matters, when we stand before God as Christians, is His question to us:  What did YOU DO about the lost?”  WHAT WILL OUR ANSWER BE??    “He who wins souls is wise.”   Proverbs 11:30  NIV

 

 

A New Person

A New Person

Second Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

When you accept Christ, YOU ARE A NEW PERSON. Your concept, your understanding has changed. You now realize that God and the Bible are right, and that you have been wrong.

You have made the adjustment and you have confessed that you were wrong and that God was right…and this is REPENTANCE (which simply means… a change of mind). You have been transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Romans 12:2 says, “And be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, an perfect will of God.”

Now you have a brand new idea about life and death. “To live is Christ; to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21).

You have new attitudes toward others. No longer is there hate, but now you are motivated by love for others. Now, you are not afraid to live and to love, and to be loved.