Apicontent – Page 70

37112 Sin and God’s Love

Have you ever felt trapped in sin—like there seemed to be no way out? Have you done something so terrible you think God can never forgive you or love you? Do you sometimes feel like you are irreparably bad and that change is impossible?

I once felt and thought this way, but now I understand differently. Take courage, there is hope!

Sin is a reality in all of our lives. Romans 3:23 says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” In the story of Bathsheba, David, “a man after [God’s] own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14) and God’s anointed king of Israel, fell into sin (see 2 Samuel 11). He coveted another man’s wife, committed adultery, plotted that the husband be killed and then lied to cover up the whole mess.

I can relate to David. The sin of adultery is one I also committed. I too had an affair.

Since that time, I’ve had 20 years to better understand a few things about sin and God’s life-changing love. I want to share those things with you—so that you can more quickly come to a place of repentance, restoration and transformation—in the arms of our loving Father.

The Bible clearly tells us that Jesus—the Son of God—died on the cross for our sins. “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). We in the church today understand that when we believe in Jesus, we are forgiven of all of our past sins.

But this article is not about the forgiveness of past sins; it is about being set free from future sins. It is about being set free from the propensity to sin. It is about dying to Adam’s old sin nature and taking on the new nature of Christ. Every single one of us—no matter how “good” our religious upbringing, group of friends or culture tells us we are—falls far short of the person God made us to be. Scripture encourages us to, “Put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him” (Colossians 3:10). Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

But how do we do that? How do we get to that place where our minds are renewed, where we put on the new man/woman God created us to be, where we are fashioned after the image of Christ? Is such a place even possible this side of heaven? What, at the core, is the cure for our sin problem?

First of all, let me mention a few things that are not the solution.

Three Approaches That Will Not Bring Transformation

#1: We will not be set free from our sin by increasing its negative consequences. In David’s time, both adultery and murder were sins punishable by death, but that didn’t stop him. Think about people in your own life. Maybe someone you knew continued to drink until their liver failed. Maybe a neighbor ended up in prison for life because of illegal financial dealings. Maybe a friend had an affair that ultimately led to the splintering of marriage and the disintegration of family. Clearly, dire consequences aren’t enough to hold sin in check.

#2: Transformation will not come about by changing God’s definition of sin or making excuses for it. Yet, we all have a tendency to edit God’s laws. We can’t live with our sin; it creates a horrible discord within us. We hear this anguish raging in David after his affair with Bathsheba and before he came to God in repentance. “When I kept silent, my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was turned into the drought of summer” (Psalm 32:3–4).

From 20 years ago, I remember that gut-wrenching discord in myself. The Holy Spirit was convicting, but I was resisting.

One wrong way to reduce this anguish is by changing the definition of sin so that it does not apply to us. Satan tries to distort our definition of sin. He calls evil, good, and good, evil. Satan could not stop Jesus’ atoning sacrifice for our sin, but he can stop us from receiving the benefits of that sacrifice by telling us we have no need for it. “You are okay. That isn’t sin,” he hisses in the same sly voice he used with Eve. “Did God really say …?”

Another way to reduce the anguish is by whitewashing our sinful behavior by making excuses for it. “My husband was too busy at work.” “My mom was my best friend and she was dying.” “I needed someone to listen to me.” But the blood of Jesus does not cleanse excuses. It cleanses sin confessed as sin.

Beware the trap of rewriting the 10 Commandments or any of God’s laws to accommodate sin. Sin is sin. Painting it as anything else is hurtful to the person caught in the sin because it hides the real need for repentance and restoration. By refusing to call sin “sin” we mask the need for God’s complete, unconditional love that covers the sin and brings transformation.

#3: The solution is not to become rule-focused like the Pharisees. We are not supposed to try and prevent sin from expressing itself in our lives by putting more and more rules on ourselves. God doesn’t want us to try and keep sin bottled up inside so that it cannot escape. The Pharisees lived such lives and Jesus called them, “whitewashed tombs” (Matthew 23:27). Think about those words. The Pharisees looked clean and proper on the outside, but inside death lay hidden.

Jesus said, “You Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness …. Woe to you Pharisees! For you … pass by justice and the love of God” (Luke 11: 39, 42).

After the affair, I fell into the trap of cleaning myself up on the outside—while leaving the inside a mess. To keep the wrong behaviors from coming out of me, I slapped more rules on myself so the sin inside wouldn’t escape. “Keep your guard up.” “Never be alone with a man except your husband.” “Keep yourself so busy with other things that you don’t have time for it.” “Pray every morning that God will protect you.”

But good-intended rules can’t keep us from sin. That’s why God sent His Son! He intends that transformation come from the inside!

When I put more rules on myself, I put more rules on others too. After the affair, I became judgmental. I was on the look out for temptation and feared I would fall into it again. In fact, I become so sin conscious that I lost sight of Jesus.

At one point in his writing, Paul loses sight of Jesus in the mess of his sin. See Paul’s misplaced focus: “For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. If, then I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice” (Romans 7:15–19). At the center of the word “sin” is the little word “I.”

But then Paul’s focus changes. He breaks free and writes: “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! … There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (7:24–8:1).

By the end of Romans 8, Paul, who had persecuted and killed Christians, writes: “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (vv. 38–39).

This gives us a clue to the solution!

We Set Our Eyes on Jesus and Trust in His Unfailing Love

God loves us and has our best interests at heart. Believing deep in the core of ourselves—knowing beyond doubt—that God loves us will allow us to lay our heart open before Him so He can clean us from the inside out. God will bring about transformation when we come to trust Him as really is—full of unfailing, unconditional love for us.

We see this transformation with David in Psalm 51. After Nathan came to him with the story of the poor man and his little lamb (see 2 Samuel, chapter 12), David saw his sin for what it was. Boldly then, he went to God and cried out, “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love: according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin” (Psalm 51:1–2, NIV). “Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow” (v. 8, NIV).

David was able to throw himself on God’s mercy because he knew God’s unfailing love. He trusted God to “blot out” his past sins and he trusted God to “cleanse” him from the sin nature—so that he could be “whiter than snow.”

After the affair, I didn’t do what David did. I saw my sin and prayed to God to forgive me, but I didn’t open myself to Him for deep cleansing … because I was afraid … because I didn’t think that God could possibly still love me.

For six years, I condemned myself. The Holy Spirit convicts; Satan condemns. I was listening to the wrong voice, but I didn’t know it.

I felt that God couldn’t possibly love me after what I had done. But He did love me and He does love me. Our sin doesn’t keep God from loving us. However, Satan uses our sin to keep us from believing in God’s life-changing love.

I fell into the trap of thinking that I needed to work hard and clean myself up before God could love me. So, I tried to fix my sin problem from the outside—by obeying more rules and putting on “good” behaviors to compensate for the bad. I built strong walls around my soul to hide my sin from the world.

But walls built for hiding sin and keeping the bad from coming out also keep God’s good from coming in. With the walls firmly in place, I couldn’t receive God’s love for cleansing and transformation. And because I couldn’t receive God’s love, I couldn’t love myself or others. “We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19, NIV). And so, I became a hard, unyielding, self-righteous Pharisee Christian.

That was the condition I was in—still going to church, but unable to receive God’s love—when a wise, old, Christian friend told me, “Mary, you don’t love.”

The moment she said those words, I knew they were true. The first few verses of 1 Corinthians 13 flashed through my mind. “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.”

With sudden, sickening clarity I realized I was just a loud, irritating noise-maker. All the “good” things I had been doing were worth nothing. I slumped onto the floor and prayed, “God whatever it takes, work your love into me.”

That was 14 years ago. Since then I have learned …

Experiencing Transformation

God loves me unconditionally and always. My bad behaviors don’t make Him love me less. My good behaviors don’t make Him love me more. He loved me before I became a Christian … before I was even born. He loves each one of us with infinite, unwavering love. His compassion extends to all. He loves Muslims, Christians, atheists, gays, straight-people, transsexuals, drug dealers, pastors, child molesters …. We simply can’t get our heads around God’s kind of love.

Human love is fickle. It gives up if pushed too far. It wants to be paid back. Human love sulks when it doesn’t get its way. It seeks to stop the sin before it will embrace the sinner. It often whitewashes sin, or calls it acceptable, before it will befriend a sinner. At other times, human love, for fear of being labeled intolerant, comforts the one trapped in sin while ignoring the underlying sin itself.

But God’s love is an unchanging reality. It is truth. God hates sin. He hates sin because it destroys the people He loves. God hates sin, but He loves each and every sinner. And as we embrace this truth, it begins to change us from the inside out.

As I began to understand more of the depths of God’s love for me, it gave me the courage to go to God and open my heart to Him. And I realized, the root of my sin was buried in my soul—in my mind, will and emotions. The wrong behaviors that expressed themselves out through my body came from wrong thoughts and feelings embedded deep in my soul. Proverbs 23:7 tells us, “As he thinks in his heart, so is he.”

But these wrong ways were so much a part of me—engraved in my soul—that I couldn’t see them for what they were. Only when I felt something wrong or uncomfortable (like lust or anxiety) or when I did some blatant sin, did I realize something inside wasn’t right. And so, these became indicators to me that deep inside I was in desperate need of God’s loving care and restoration. In this way I came to see sins and uncomfortable feelings as red flags my soul was waving in silent cries for healing: “Help! Something isn’t right in here. Set me free.”

Only God could dig out the false, hurtful thoughts and feelings that caused my sinful actions. And so my daily prayer became, “Search me, oh God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23–24). My short version of that prayer is: “Whatever it takes, God. Get the garbage out of me.”

And I found out that way down in the core of myself I did not really understand God’s love. Even though I knew my past sins were forgiven, I didn’t trust His love enough to realize that He really did have my best interests at heart. And because of that wrong thinking about God, I had run off to fix the sin in my own way and search for love in all the wrong places.

Today this journey of healing continues. God’s love is so much greater than I can even think or imagine. And as I learn to rest in that love, it is gradually washing out the wrong thinking and feelings in my soul. I am gradually coming to a position of no longer working to receive God’s love—and always falling short. More and more I am living in awareness that I am loved. Rather than working toward a place of feeling loved, I am living from a place of being loved.

Our hearts need love and we were designed to be continually connected to God. That love connection is the cure for our sin problem. Knowing God and abiding in His love cleanses us from sin from the inside out. God’s love forgives our past sins and sets us free from Adam’s old sin nature. When we abide in His love our minds are changed—our thoughts come into alignment with His—and we become the people He created us to be, fashioned after the image of Jesus.

God created us in His image: He said, “Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness” (Genesis 1:26). We were made by God to radiate His nature of love: “God is love” (1 John 4:8, 16). When we see and know the depth of His love—with all the walls (veils) surrounding our souls torn down—we shall be transformed into His image: “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

We are changed—transformed—as we come to know God’s love for us. Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34–35). The world will know we are followers of Jesus when we become loving even as He is loving.

John says, “And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. Love has been perfected among us … because as He is, so are we in this world” (1 John 4:16–17). In knowing and believing God’s love, Jesus’s nature becomes ours; we become like Him “in this world.”

Paul prays, “That you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:17–19). Knowing God’s love will fill us “with all the fullness of God.” That sounds like transformation to me!

There is a cure for our sin nature this side of heaven! God’s love will get us there. Our need for love and God’s love for us holds us, with magnetic attraction, in the abiding relationship in which we are transformed into His image. Just like with the forgiveness of past sins, our only part is to believe. Our only part is to know and trust in God as He really is—full of love for us.

32901 God’s Plan for You

“For we are his creative work, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we can do them.” —Ephesians 2:10

In the quiet assurance of Scripture, we discover a profound truth: each life is not the result of chance, but the deliberate masterpiece of a loving Creator. God has fashioned you with intention, preparing good works in advance and equipping you through His grace to walk in them. His master plan invites us to surrender our own designs to His perfect will, trusting in His providence as we step forward in obedience and faith.

Formed by the Hand of God

You are not an accident. Before the foundations of the world, the Creator of the universe knew you and shaped you in His image. As Job reflected in humble awe:

“You guided my conception and formed me in the womb. You clothed me with skin and flesh, and you knit my bones and sinews together. You gave me life and showed me your unfailing love. My life was preserved by your care” (Job 10:10-12, NLT).

The Psalmist echoes this wonder:

“You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion… You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book” (Psalm 139:13-16, NLT).

What comfort and dignity this brings! Your existence finds its beginning and end in a deep, eternal relationship with the Father. In Christ, your life revolves around knowing Him, walking with Him, and joining in the works He has ordained. Just as we delight in the presence of those we love—simply being together and sharing in meaningful pursuits—so our souls find their truest joy in gazing upon the splendor of the Lord (Psalm 27:4) and laboring alongside Him.

A Plan Both Universal and Personal

God’s plan unfolds in two harmonious dimensions. Universally, He calls every believer to worship Him in spirit and truth, as Jesus declared:

“The Father seeks such people to be his worshipers” (John 4:23-24).

Worship is the heartbeat of eternity, uniting the saints in reverence before the throne.

Yet alongside this shared calling lies a purpose uniquely yours. No one else can fulfill the particular good works prepared for you. As you draw nearer to the Lord, He gently reveals both the common path of His saints and the personal mission crafted for your life. This revelation comes not in haste, but as you grow in readiness—through prayer, Scripture, and surrendered obedience.

Walking Worthy of the Calling

Realizing God’s plan requires active participation, balanced by humble dependence. We must avoid the pitfalls of fatalism, which idly waits for destiny to unfold, and self-reliance, which strives in human strength alone. Jesus reminds us:

“Apart from me you can accomplish nothing.” (John 15:5)

True fruitfulness flows from a life aligned with the Holy Spirit—obedient, empowered, and daily yielded to His guidance.

Ask yourself often: Who is directing my steps today—my body, my emotions, or the Spirit of God? Spiritual alignment is essential, for we are created as spirit, soul, and body. Only Christ can fill the inner vacuum of the heart; no worldly pursuit or self-improvement can satisfy what was made for Him.

Your S.P.E.C.I.A.L. Design

The Lord has equipped you with a custom design, summarized helpfully in the acrostic S.P.E.C.I.A.L. These elements reveal how God has prepared you for your unique mission:

Spiritual Gifts: At salvation, the Holy Spirit imparts gifts for service in the body of Christ (1 Peter 4:10). These are not natural talents alone but divine enablements for kingdom work. Identify them, steward them faithfully, and use them to bless others.
Personality Traits: Your temperament—whether reflective or outgoing, steady or adventurous—was woven into you in the womb. God redeems both strengths and weaknesses for His glory, shaping you precisely for the tasks ahead.
Extraordinary Background: Every experience, relationship, and circumstance has been orchestrated or permitted by a sovereign hand (Proverbs 20:24). Your story equips you to fulfill purposes no one else can.
Central Motivation: Deep within lies a God-given drive that stirs you to action. When channeled toward eternal ends, it becomes a powerful force for good. Examine what truly energizes you and offer it fully to Christ.
Inherited Abilities: Natural skills and aptitudes—artistic, mechanical, relational, or intellectual—come from the Father’s wise design (Exodus 35:10). They are tools for His service.
Approved Adversity: Trials, though difficult, refine us like vessels in the Potter’s hands (James 1:2-4; Romans 8:28). Even hardships permitted by God prepare us for greater usefulness and compassion toward others.
Lifelong Mission: All these facets converge in the good works God prepared beforehand (Ephesians 2:10). Your mission is distinct, and through dependence on Him, you will accomplish what He intends.

A Life of Intimacy and Purpose

You were created for intimacy with God above all else. Nothing else satisfies the soul as deeply and perfectly. He offers unconditional acceptance, perfect security, and eternal significance—gifts the world cannot provide. Imitate His love, forgiveness, and holiness rather than the fleeting patterns of culture.

Pause and reflect: Are you pursuing Him with humble diligence, or settling for distance? Do your choices reflect trust in His promises, or the empty assurances of the world? Thanksgiving for your special design replaces comparison, freeing you to embrace the uniqueness God has bestowed.

Jeremiah 1:5 reminds us that God knew and set us apart before birth. He who formed you calls you now to participate actively in His beautiful plan. As you seek Him daily, aligning your heart with His Spirit, you will discover the joy of a life lived in step with your Creator.

May this truth anchor your days: You are deeply loved, intentionally designed, and invited into an eternal partnership with the One who holds every moment in His hands.

Walk forward in confidence, for the God who began this good work in you will faithfully complete it—all for His glory and your ultimate good.

32292 El

El is an ancient Semitic word for deity. In English, it will be translated as “god.” El is not a name. It refers to a divine being. So, YHWH (Yahweh/Jehovah) is the name of the Jewish el (deity) whom we call God in English.

Elohim is technically the plural form of eloah, another word for “god” or divine being. So, elohim can be translated as gods as in Exodus 20:3. In the Old Testament, El, Eloah, and Elohim are all used to refer to YHWH. But the most common term is Elohim.

ELOHIM —God, the Great Creator and Powerful Authority.

In the beginning God [Elohim] created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)
For the LORD your God [Elohim] is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God. (Deuteronomy 10:17)

EL ELYON —The Most High God.

The oracle of the one who hears the words of God,
and who knows the knowledge of the Most High [El Elyon],
who sees a vision from the Almighty. (Numbers 24:16)

EL OLAM —The Everlasting God.

Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beer Sheba. There he worshiped the LORD, the eternal God [El Olam]. (Genesis 21:33)

EL ROI —The God who sees.

So Hagar named the LORD who spoke to her, “You are the God who sees me [El Roi],” for she said, “Here I have seen one who sees me!” (Genesis 16:13)

EL SHADDAI —God Almighty.

When Abram was 99 years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am the Sovereign God [El Shaddai]. Walk before me and be blameless. Then I will confirm my covenant between me and you, and I will give you a multitude of descendants.” (Genesis 17:1–2)

For an extensive study on spiritual beings as well as the names of God in the Bible, watch a video series, “Spiritual Being” by BibleProject.com.

32293 Names of Jesus

The following is a list of names by which Jesus is called in the New Testament. The list is not exhaustive. As you read the Bible, make your own list of the names and titles by which Jesus is called.

What do these names and titles mean to you and to the world?

Christ (Messiah)

Christ comes from the Greek word, christos. Messiah is a Hebrew word, Mashiach. Both mean “anointed one”. In the Old Testament, God instructed to anoint with oil those who are chosen by God to be a prophet, a priest, or a king.

And Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ. (Matthew 1:16)

Emmanuel

“Look! The virgin will conceive and bear a son, and they will call him Emmanuel,” which means “God with us.” (Matthew 1:23)

Son of Man

This title signifies the humanity of Jesus.

“Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28)

Son of God

This title signifies the divinity of Jesus.

The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called the Son of God. (Luke 1:35)

Savior

Today your Savior is born in the city of David. He is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:11)

Logos (Word)

Logos is a Greek word. It is found in the original writing of the New Testament.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was fully God. The Word was with God in the beginning. (John 1:1–2)

Lamb of God

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29)

Bread of Life

Jesus said about Himself in seven statements that began with “I Am”. This is one of them.

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. The one who comes to me will never go hungry, and the one who believes in me will never be thirsty. (John 6:35)

Light of the World

This title is found in Jesus’ second “I Am” statement. These statements are all in the Gospel of John.

Then Jesus spoke out again, “I am the light of the world. The one who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

The Door

This title is found in the third “I Am” statement.

I am the door. If anyone enters through me, he will be saved, and will come in and go out, and find pasture. (John 10:9)

Good Shepherd

This title is found in Jesus’ fourth “I Am” statement.

“I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me.” (John 10:14)

Resurrection and the Life

Jesus used this title in this “I Am” statement.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.” (John 11:25)

The Way, the Truth, the Life

Jesus used this title in this “I Am” statement.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)

True Vine

This title is found in Jesus’ seventh “I Am” statement.

“I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener.” (John 15:1)

Originator of Life

You killed the Originator of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this fact we are witnesses! (Acts 3:15)

Cornerstone

This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, that has become the cornerstone. (Acts 4:11)

The Last Adam

So also it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living person“; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. (1 Corinthians 15:45)

Head of the body, the Church

He is the head of the body, the church, as well as the beginning, the firstborn from among the dead, so that he himself may become first in all things. (Colossians 1:18)

Apostle

Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, partners in a heavenly calling, take note of Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. (Hebrew 3:1)

Great High Priest

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. (Hebrew 4:14)

Mediator

And so he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the eternal inheritance he has promised, since he died to set them free from the violations committed under the first covenant. (Hebrews 9:15)

Pioneer and Perfecter of Our Faith

Keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set out for him he endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)

Lion of Judah

Then one of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has conquered; thus he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” (Revelation 5:5)

Faithful and True

Then I saw heaven opened and here came a white horse! The one riding it was called “Faithful” and “True,” and with justice he judges and goes to war. (Revelation 19:11)

King of kings and Lord of lords

He has a name written on his clothing and on his thigh: “King of kings and Lord of lords.” (Revelation 19:16)

Alpha and Omega

I am the Alpha and the Omega,
the first and the last,
the beginning and the end! (Revelation 22:13)

Morning Star

“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star!” (Revelation 22:16)

32712 The Kingdom of God

Jesus frequently spoke about the kingdom of God or the kingdom of heaven. It appears throughout the New Testament. Jesus ushered in the kingdom of God.

What is the kingdom of God?

A kingdom is a domain ruled by a monarch. God is the King of all kings and Lord of lords. So, the kingdom of God is where God the King of all creation reigns. More specifically, it is any place where the will of God is honored and obeyed.

The Father has given to Jesus “all authority in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:19), and “as a result God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow —in heaven and on earth and under the earth— and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11).

Even though Jesus now has all authority in heaven and on earth, God still allows human free will and the freedom of action. Even though Jesus brought on earth the kingdom of God, we do not see his rule and reign everywhere in the world.

As we mature in our walk with God and become more fully obedient to the will of our Father both individually and as a church, the kingdom of God is more fully realized in our personal and communal life. As more people come to know Jesus as their Savior and Lord and walk in the fullness of the Holy Spirit, the kingdom of God expands to every segment of society.

So, the kingdom of God is both here and not yet. It is first ushered by Jesus and is expanding through his people (church), but the kingdom of God will be fully realized at his second coming when “at the name of Jesus every knee will bow—in heaven and on earth and under the earth— and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” (Philippians 2:10).

In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, he was the king over all of his creation. Then he created and appointed humans to rule the earth in partnership with him. But we rebelled against the king and lost our relationship with God and position and rights to rule with him. Instead, we became enslaved to the devil. Now the devil had the right to rule the earth. Sin became our nature, and death our destiny.

What the first Adam lost, the second Adam, Jesus, redeemed for all humanity. Jesus came to seek and save that which was lost.

God’s salvation in Jesus is more than our personal salvation from sin, death, and hell. Jesus is restoring the rule and reign of God over all things. God’s original plan still stands. He wants to rule the physical universe through us. That is why our personal salvation is so critical. That is why our life here on earth really matters to God for his glory. We are saved not only from the domain of darkness but also for the kingdom of his Son. We are meant to rule with Christ. That is our destiny.

32905 Understanding God’s Eternal Plan

To better understand God’s will for your life, you must see how your life fits into the big picture of God’s eternal master plan. We must learn to make choices for our lives within the timeline of eternity. As we learn about God’s plan for his world, we can hold on to the promise of Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

1. Before the beginning of creation, God was alone.

[*This point has been adapted from the message “What is God Up to?” by Pastor Erwin W. Lutzer of Moody Church, Chicago, Illinois.]

God was everything. Man and creation were non-existent. God had no beginning and he will have no end. He is forever. Can you imagine no people, no world, no universe – only God.

God is all-knowing and all-wise. God is self-sufficient. God is immense. God is bigger than the universe!

Before God ever spoke the first word of creation he was fully aware of all the pain, suffering, and problems that he and mankind would have to endure in the future. But our all-knowing and all-wise God determined that in the end it would all be worth it. In time it would become obvious that God had chosen a course that was the best.

Choosing God’s best will often involve sacrifice for us as well. We must be willing to endure difficulties and suffering for God. But the ultimate gain will be worth the initial pain.

2. God created angels.

[*This point is based on material presented in The Invisible War by Donald Grey Barnhouse.]

Lucifer was created the most grand of all angels. Upon his creation, he took his place as the highest, most beautiful, most powerful, and wisest of the creatures of God.

There was only one will, God’s will, and so the universe was filled with harmony. Until … Lucifer became preoccupied with his own splendor. Focusing on his own greatness gave birth to pride which became the basis for his desire to be even greater. In his self-absorption and desire for the best, Lucifer wanted God’s position of preeminence. He chose to step outside of God’s will. He decided to exert his own distorted will in opposition to God’s plan. Through misdirected ambition, Lucifer chose to exalt himself.

There were now two wills at war in the universe.

But when Lucifer chose rebellion he lost his privileged position and was doomed to become an example of God’s judgment.

You are never choosing the best when you try to be greater than what God has planned for you. Misdirected ambition will never lead you to best. Self-promotion and self-exaltation do not produce greatness in God’s economy.

It is not possible to achieve a higher position and role in life than that which God has determined for you before creation. As you walk in obedience and service to God, he will place you into that position and help you fulfill that role within the Body of Christ for which he created you.

3. God created mankind.

Adam and Eve were created perfect. They lived in a perfect environment. They had a perfect relationship with God. And yet, there came a time when both believed that disobeying God would lead to greater happiness. Genesis 3:1-6 tells us what happened:

Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”

The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ’You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”

“You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

And so, through misguided longings, Eve chose to seek fulfillment outside of God’s parameters. Satan persuaded Eve to adopt a different perspective than the one God had given her. Instead of focusing on what she had, Eve was manipulated into focusing on what she didn’t have. She began to doubt God’s goodness and love. She believed God was holding back on her and so she reached outside of God’s will for more.

She believed Satan instead of God. She decided to reach for something that seemed to be better than what God had already given her.

You are never choosing the best when you step outside of God’s stated parameters in the pursuit of fulfillment.

But we see that Adam also stepped outside of God’s plan. When Eve was deceived into disobeying God, Adam was faced with a choice—follow Eve or follow God.

Adam imagined it would be best to stick with Eve. Life was more ideal with her than without her. Together they enjoyed all that God had given them.

Adam was Satan’s ultimate target because he was the head of the human race. Satan decided to use Eve to get to Adam. What Adam did not realize is that his sin would forever alter his relationship with Eve as well as with God.

And so we learn that we are never choosing the best when we follow someone we love into disobeying God. We think that by disobeying God we will continue to receive love and acceptance. But our mutual sin will become a barrier in our relationship with them and with God.

Reaching beyond the boundaries defined by God never leads to more fulfillment. It only leads to judgment for our disobedience. God’s parameters help us experience the his best, they don’t keep us from it.

4. God sent Jesus Christ to redeem mankind from the eternal death penalty of sin.

Through the fall of Adam and Eve, Satan appeared to have ruined God’s master plan. But God had already decided that He would send the Messiah—a Savior who would be born of a woman and who would offer his sinless life as the payment for man’s rebellion.

In submission to Father God, Christ chose to set aside his rights for our benefit. Philippians 2:6-11 says, “Jesus Christ, Who, though He was God, did not demand and cling to His rights as God, but laid aside His mighty power and glory, taking the disguise of a slave and becoming like men. And He humbled Himself even further, going so far as actually to die a criminal’s death on a cross. Yet it was because of this that God raised Him up to the heights of heaven and gave Him a name which is above every other name, that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (TLB).

Imagine what it must have been like for Christ to leave his glorious position in heaven, to set aside his magnificent power and capabilities, so he could come to earth in the form of a man. Christ stepped out of the throne room of heaven into a manger in a stable.

As God, he was totally self-sufficient and had the power to speak the universe into being. As a mere man he would be dependent on his earthly parents for care.

Having thrown Lucifer out of heaven for rebellion, Jesus would now enter into Satan’s domain.

In the throne room of heaven Christ had countless angels who were constantly praising and worshipping Him. On earth He would be ridiculed, tortured and even killed on a cross as a common criminal.

But He was willing.

Christ knew He was choosing the best. He knew it would all be worth the sacrifice. God always rewards obedience.

For us, choosing the best requires setting aside our rights and privileges to better serve God.

5. Christ Builds the Church

God has a specific role for you. He wants your life to fit in with his master plan. He wants us to advance his purposes. But he has given us the freedom to choose. Each one of us has a role in God’s eternal master plan!

Ephesians 4:11-16 teaches:

“Some of us have been given special ability as apostles; to others He has given the gift of being able to preach well; some have special ability in winning people to Christ, helping them to trust Him as their Savior; still others have a gift for caring for God’s people as a shepherd does his sheep, leading and teaching them in the ways of God. Why is it that He gives us these special abilities to do certain things best? It is that God’s people will be equipped to do better work for Him building up the Church, the body of Christ, to a position of strength and maturity; until finally we all believe alike about our salvation and about our Savior, God’s Son, and all become full-grown in the Lord—yes, to the point of being filled full with Christ.

Then we will no longer be like children, forever changing our minds about what we believe because someone has told us something different, or has cleverly lied to us and made the lie sound like the truth.

Instead we will lovingly follow the truth at all times – speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly – and so become more and more in every way like Christ who is the Head of His body, the Church. Under His direction the whole body is fitted together perfectly, and each part in its own special way helps the other parts, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love (TLB).

God wants us to advance his purposes. He wants us to live in such a way that we will experience the best which he has planned for all eternity. Are you hanging on to some right or privilege that is standing in the way of what God wants you to do? Whatever your situation, your choice matters. God wants you to submit to his plan for your life.

6. Our eternal destination will be determined by our relationship with Jesus Christ.

The choices you make today do not just impact your life on this earth but will also affect the quality of your eternal existence.

There are actually two questions that will need to be answered at the end of your life.

The salvation question: Have you accepted God’s offered forgiveness and pardon for your sins?

If yes, you will be admitted to heaven. If no, you will become a resident of hell. That’s a pretty blunt way of putting it … but it’s true.

Christ’s forgiveness and pardon is freely offered, but it is up to you whether or not you accept it. You have a choice and you will live with the consequences of that choice.

You are spiritually born again into God’s Kingdom family when you admit that you are a sinner, you ask Christ for his forgiveness and pardon, and then you grant him the right to rule your life.

But beyond that initial questions, there will be a second question.

The stewardship question: How well did you use the time, talent, and treasure which were entrusted to you?”

This stewardship question will be the basis for the rewards we receive in heaven. The way we live on earth determines whether we will receive great rewards, some rewards, or no rewards. But if you do not have a relationship with Jesus Christ then the question of rewards is irrelevant. The Bible does not reveal what the rewards will be, but it is clear that they are well worth pursuing.

We will all give an account to God for our lives.

Romans 14:10 tells us, “For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.” And the Bible is clear that God rewards faithfulness and obedience.

Matthew 25:23 says, “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’”

When you choose God, his ways, and his plan for you, you are choosing the best for today, tomorrow, and forever.

32510 Renewing the Mind for Transformation

“Do not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God—what is good and well-pleasing and perfect.” —Romans 12:2

In a world that pulls relentlessly at our thoughts and affections, the Lord invites us into something far deeper and more beautiful: a transformed life shaped by His truth. This transformation does not begin with external effort alone, but with the quiet, powerful renewal of the mind. As we open ourselves to God’s Word, we discover not merely information, but the living pathway to knowing Him more intimately and walking in His perfect will.

The Bible: God’s Living Road Map

The Scriptures stand as our primary source of truth and direction. Far from an ancient text gathering dust, the Bible is “living and active” (Hebrews 4:12), able to pierce our hearts, renew our thinking, and reveal the very will of God. It serves as His instruction manual for abundant and supernatural living—an enduring guide to righteousness, truth, and holiness.

God has given us both His written Word and His indwelling Holy Spirit so that we might view every situation from His eternal perspective. The truths contained in Scripture are vital for experiencing His best, both in this life and for eternity. As D. L. Moody wisely observed, “The Scriptures were not given for our information, but for our transformation.”

Yet transformation requires more than knowledge of principles. The Christian life is first and foremost a dynamic relationship with the living Christ. While God’s kingdom principles are precious and worthy of application in every area of life, they must flow from a cultivated intimacy with Jesus Himself. To rely solely on rules and commandments while neglecting personal fellowship with the Lord is to miss the heart of it all. True discipleship flows from seeking His face, listening for His voice, and following His leading in even the smallest decisions.

The Influence of the Mind on Our Walk

Have you paused to consider why you do the things you do? The answers matter more than we often realize. Scripture declares, “For as he thinks within himself, so he is” (Proverbs 23:7, NASB). What we allow into our minds—every word, image, and idea—takes root and eventually shapes our behavior. Much of this influence operates beneath the surface, in the vast storehouse of subconscious thought. Science affirms what the Bible has long taught: the content of the mind finds expression in the conduct of life.

This truth calls us to holy discernment. When choices are clearly right or wrong, the path is plain for the believer who honors God’s Word. Yet life often presents morally neutral decisions or multiple good options—whom to disciple, how to order our days, which opportunities to pursue. In these moments, a renewed mind becomes our greatest ally. As we draw near to God, the Holy Spirit brings His perspective into focus, guiding us toward what is not only good, but well-pleasing and perfect in His sight.

Practical Paths to Renewal

Reading God’s Word is foundational. Approach the Scriptures not merely for duty, but with the desire expressed in Philippians 3:8—to know Christ Jesus more deeply and intimately. Let each page encourage you, strengthen your faith, and draw you closer to the One who authored it.

Hearing the Word provides another powerful avenue. Sermons, Bible studies, Christian teaching, radio, books, and conversations with fellow believers all allow God’s truth to wash over us. In a world filled with noise, intentionally opening our ears to Scripture can plant seeds that bear lasting fruit.

Studying takes us deeper still. With prayer for the Holy Spirit’s illumination, we 1) observe, 2) interpret, and 3) apply what we read. This disciplined pursuit yields richer insight into God’s character and His purposes for our lives.

Memorizing Scripture anchors truth in our hearts. Research reminds us that the one who memorizes retains far more than one who merely hears or reads. What we hide in our hearts becomes readily available in moments of decision or temptation.

Meditating on God’s Word brings the richest transformation. This is not empty contemplation, but a prayerful, extended reflection upon a verse or passage, with the sincere intent of conforming our lives to His will. Through meditation, we move from acquaintance to intimacy with the Lord, resulting in trusting obedience out of love.

A Life Transformed by His Presence

The Lord does not call us to a mechanical faith, but to a vibrant walk with Him. As you commit to these practices—reading, hearing, studying, memorizing, and meditating upon His Word—you position yourself to experience the priceless privilege of knowing Christ more fully. Your mind will be renewed. Your behavior will increasingly reflect His character. And your life will become a living testimony to the goodness and presence of God.

The same Spirit who inspired the Scriptures is ready to illuminate them for you, leading you step by step in the good, pleasing, and perfect will of your heavenly Father. As you “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Colossians 3:16), you will find not only direction, strength, and encouragement for your days, but also the deeper joy and peace in your unity with Christ.

40101 What Is Evangelism?

Definitions

Evangelism is an act of believers who participate with the Holy Spirit in telling people about God’s love for them and inviting them into a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Evangelism comes from a Greek word, euangelion which means good news or good message. A distant runner in wartime would bring messages from a distant battle to a city to let the residents know what was happening. The ones that brought good news from the battle were called evangelists – “those who bring good news”.
The Gospel is ultimately about Jesus. The word “Gospel” means “good news”. Jesus went from town to town preaching the good news.
“God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). God’s motivation is Love.
“While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8, NKJV). Jesus died for sinners.
I Corinthians 151-6 in summary says that Christ died for our sins; came back from the dead
The Greek word for “witness” is martus from which the English word, martyr, comes. Often, those in the early Church were martyred for this faith as a result of their witness for Christ.

Someone said: Evangelism is “One beggar telling another beggar where to find food.”

A good witness is one who shares the truth about what they have seen. John says: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched – this we proclaim concerning the Word of life” (I John 1:1).

Exercise

Make a list of your “good news” about Jesus and then share this good news with someone who doesn’t know Christ this week.

40102 Reasons Why Believers Should Witness

Here are 10 reasons why a Christian should share their faith using the word EVANGELISM:

E – Because of the EXAMPLE of CHRIST.

The Lord set the example as the supreme evangelist. “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). Jesus’ mission on earth was to sacrifice His life so that we could be saved (John 3:16-17). In Luke 4:43 (ESV), Jesus said, “I must preach the Good News of the Kingdom of God in other towns, too, because that is why I was sent.”

V – Because of the VALUE of BEARING FRUIT

Every believer is commanded to bear fruit. John 15:16 (ESV) says “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit.” “Fruit” includes such things as godly attitudes, the fruit of the Spirit, exercising our spiritual gift, and definitely includes sharing our faith in Christ (Romans 1:16). Evangelism assumes we will bear fruit as the Holy Spirit can use us whether we sow or reap.

A – Because the believer will receive an AWARD

There will be an award for being an Ambassador for Christ. The apostle Paul said to the Thessalonian believers, “For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy” (I Thessalonians 1:19-20). When Paul preached in the city of Thessalonica, his greatest joy was seeing people come to Christ and knowing that he would be rewarded someday for this when Christ returns. Whether we sow the seed of the Gospel or reap and see people come to Christ, the Lord will reward us for our efforts in sharing the good news!

We are AMBASSADORS for CHRIST. We are to be a messenger representing the King of the Universe with the Gospel to plead with people to be reconciled to God. “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, making his appeal through us” (2 Corinthians 5:20, ESV). Just as an ambassador is a highest-ranking diplomat who represents his or her own country in a foreign country, we are appointed as a representative of the King of Heaven to share the good news of the Gospel. We as citizens of Heaven are dispatched to share Christ with those on earth.

N – Because of the NATURE of a WITNESS

A witness may be defined as a person who has knowledge of an event or who has been changed from personal experience; one who has personal knowledge of something. We who know Christ as our personal Savior and Lord have first-hand knowledge of how the Lord has transformed our lives. We’ve “been there”; therefore, we can testify from first-hand experience of what the Lord has done in our lives. Our subjective experience is based on tremendous objective historical facts.

G – Because of a GUARANTEED HARVEST.

A great motivation for sharing our faith is that there is a guaranteed harvest Jesus said, “Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that the sower and reaper may rejoice together” (John 4:35-36, ESV). Sharing the gospel involves sowing and reaping and takes preparation and planting but in God’s perfect timing there can be a harvest. The more we sow, the more opportunity for people to come to Christ whether it be immediate or whether it takes many years before a person we’ve shared Christ with comes to Christ (cf. Matthew 9:37-38).

E – Because of the ETERNAL CONSEQUENCES.

People are lost without Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:3, 4 says that “And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ who is the image of God.” Paul recounts his conversion before King Agrippa where Jesus commissioned Paul: “I now send you to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sin and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me” (Acts 26:17b -18, NKJ).

Sharing our faith has eternal consequences. “For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life” (2 Corinthians 2:15-16; cf. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4). The two-fold result of sharing the gospel is that some will come to Christ and receive eternal life while others will reject Christ and experience eternal separation from the Lord forever. Hell is an eternal reality.

L – Because the LOVE of CHRIST

The love of Christ motivates us to share our faith in Christ. The believer is constrained by the love of Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:14 (NIV) says that “For the love of Christ compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all.” Christ’s loving, sacrificial death should motivate us to share our faith and live for Him. We are simply one beggar telling another beggar where to find food. Apart from Christ, people have no hope (Ephesians 2:12). We are Ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). As an ambassador of the King of Heaven and earth, we are sent to a foreign country (earth) to represent the Good News (the Gospel) of Christ’s Kingdom. As we go through this world, we represent another Kingdom (John 18:36).

I – Because of the INTENDED RESULT

The motive for sharing our faith is because it honors the Lord for which we will be rewarded. We are to do this out of reverential awe of God. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others” (2 Corinthians 5:10-11). Because of how great God is and how He has delivered us from judgment, we persuade people to come to Christ. We should passionately desire that men and women come to Christ. See also Revelation 7:9-12 where a great multitude who are saved give glory to God for salvation!

Believers are given the ministry of reconciliation. “All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation … and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18-19, ESV). It is our Lord’s desire for those who are estranged from Christ to return to Him and for those who don’t know Him to be reconciled to God. He has called believers to proclaim the gospel of reconciliation so that non-believers can be on friendly terms with God (see Ephesians 2:1-4).

S – Because of the SHORTNESS of TIME

We should witness because the time is short. Jesus said, “Night is coming when no one can work.” Paul in Romans 13:11 said, “Our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.” The return of Christ is drawing closer with each passing day, and Matthew 24:14 says when the Gospel is preached throughout the whole world, the Lord will come. The return of Christ is getting closer every day and the only opportunity to witness is now before our Lord returns in glory. There will be no witnessing in Heaven!

M – Because of our MANDATE

If for no other reason, the Believer is commanded to witness for Christ by our Lord (Matthew 28:19a; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8; Luke 24:46-48). In all four Gospels, the Great Commission is given by our Lord as a command. Jesus said in Matthew 28:19a, “Therefore go” which assumes evangelism! Jesus commanded every believer to witness or share the Gospel. It’s not an option. The Great Commission has unfortunately been called the Great Omission.

Right before Jesus’ ascension into heaven, he commanded his disciples to be His witnesses: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

Ask yourself these two questions

“What is the greatest thing that has happened to you?” The answer should be “coming to know Christ as my personal Savior and Lord.”
“What is therefore the greatest thing that you can do for another person?”

Answer: To share the greatest news of the Universe (the Gospel) with those who don’t know Christ.

What is the Great Commission?

Text: Matthew 28:18-20.
The Great Commission has two great promises that inspire faith and victory!
1. The first promise is a promise of His Authority. Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”
2. The promise of His presence – verse 20b: “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
There are 4 action words of the Great Commission. They are:
1. Go
2. Make disciples
3. Baptizing
4. Teaching
The main verb is “Make disciples” which is a command.
Go. The very act of going assumes evangelism. Jesus is saying “as you go” or “while you are going”, make disciples. After people come to Christ, they are to be baptized and taught the Word of God.
The Great Commission has:
1. Presence: Believers are to establish a presence with the lost to win them to Christ.
2. Proclamation: We are to “preach the Gospel” to the whole world (Mark 16:15).
3. Persuasion: We are to persuade people to come to Christ and to follow His commands.
4. Incorporation: Baptism breaks the ties to one’s former life and incorporates them into the visible body of Christ, the church.

40105 Evangelism Is A Process

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. 1 Cor 3:6-7 (NIV)

Paul relates the parable that Jesus gave on the Parable of the Sower when Jesus said: “A farmer went out to sow the seed . . (Mark 4), or “The kingdom of God is like a farmer walking across a field when .. . . “(Matt 13).

Most evangelism is either event-oriented like an evangelistic large gathering with a speaker, or decision-oriented to pressure a decision now with little or no ongoing contact. But what if people are not at the point to make an intelligent decision for Christ.

Often in evangelism, we sow the seed that the Holy Spirit cultivates the soil and then it may be that years later someone else leads that person to Christ. Bill Fay, author of Share Jesus Without Fear, says: “I found that Christians heard the gospel an average of 7.6 times before surrendering to Christ after the seventh time.”

We can cultivate the soil in people’s lives and heart by such things as:

Asking a question about their faith they had never considered before (planting).
Sharing a scripture verse to a person.
Offering to pray for them about a need.
Inviting them to church or to a special event at your church.
Inviting them to join them in a bible study in your home or their home.
Emailing them an article or video from JesusOnline Ministries.
Directing them to the website: Jesusonline.com
Sending the Video “Has Science Discovered God” or on the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Walking through a gospel Tract with them.
Visiting them in the hospital and praying with them (with their permission).
Taking them a meal when there is a crisis (planting)
Giving them a book on Apologetics like More Than A Carpenter by Josh McDowell or The Case for Faith by Lee Srobel, etc.

We live in a place where most people may not be knowledgeable about the gospel message. Thus,

WE need to spend more time building relationships with people whether or not they are interested in the gospel (Matthew 22:39).
It may take many years before a person gives their life to Christ. We should not give up on a person who is a non believer just because they don’t seem interested in the gospel.
Sometimes, the Lord may use a crisis in a non believer’s life to speed up the process.

Evangelistic Styles

In the book, Becoming A Contagious Christian, there are a different approaches or styles in evangelism.

Confrontational: Peter, Acts 2.
Intellectual / Philosophical: Paul, Acts 17.
Testimonial: Blind Man, John 9
Invitational: Woman at the Well, John 4
Serving: Dorcas (Tabitha), Acts 9: 36ff
Signs and Wonders: First Corinthians 2:1-5.

Whichever style fits you most, it is always important to have a Gospel presentation learned so that you can articulate the basics of the Gospel message.

It’s always important to see personal evangelism in light of the PROCESS which gives us freedom from having to “seal the deal” and see conversions immediately which often are aborted decisions. Remember, the Holy Spirit is ultimately the “Lord of the Harvest”. .

Today’s prayer

Lord, I want to be involved in the process of evangelism in the lives of people you send to me, my friends, my relatives or any acquaintances that you bring my way. Give me wisdom as you want me to be on mission as your witness in this lost and dying world. I am your servant. Help me to be a sower of your gospel and in your perfect timing and by your will, a reaper also. Without you Lord, people have no hope in this life and especially in the life to come. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen!