Repent And Be Saved! I Said, REPENT!!! - Jack Kinsella - Omega Letter Editor – www.omegaletter.com

I believe that the Bible calls us to be witnesses of Christ, and that there is no more perfect expression of God's will in the life of a Christian than when he works to lead others to Christ,

That said, what does one do, as one of our readers related recently in one of our forums, when somebody is clearly not interested in hearing the Gospel?

The forum comment describes an experience we've all shared in some variation. You strike up a conversation, and somehow, Jesus comes up in the discussion.

Your conversation suddenly stalls, and when you try to revive it, you meet a wall of stony silence.

Eventually, you come to recognize the signals and past experience tells you its time to say something cheery and take your leave.

But then it bothers you all the way home. . . "why didn't I press the issue? Am I a coward for Christ? Jesus endured the collective hatred of the human race. Am I so weak I can't bear a little rejection?"

You are convinced you failed Him. You had a chance to share the Gospel, and you blew it.

Maybe if you had tried a little harder, they might have listened. But no, you were too chicken!

It isn't like you don't know what is at stake -- especially if you have been an OL member for any length of time at all.

You know that every person you meet is destined to spend eternity somewhere. You already know that they will either spend eternity in the joyful presence of Christ.

Or they will spend a Christ less eternity alone, tormented by the punishments of hell and their memory of rejecting their chance to escape it.

You know it because I remind you of it every chance that I get to do so. The redemption of a single sinner is worth the whole world, the Scriptures say. When one sinner repents, the angels rejoice.

Nothing in our walk though this world is of greater eternal value than leading a lost sinner to Christ.

But instead of pressing the issue, you walked away.

Knowing all that you know, you gave up without a fight. What kind of soldier are you?

If that is your story, or you have one like it, then the answer is, a smart one. A smart soldier would not press a battle against the odds -- just so he could say he was in the fight.

Once you've use up all your resources in an unwise and ill-prepared assault, then those resources are no longer available to be deployed elsewhere where they can be of greater tactical value.

You offered Jesus, the offer was rejected. But in making the offer, you planted a seed. What you do next will affect the probability that your seed will take root.

You can continue to pour water on it until it drowns. Or you can plant it, give it as much water as conditions demand, give it a chance to germinate, and let nature take its course.

Planting the Gospel is sometimes like that. You plant it by sharing the Gospel, but sometimes, like planting in saturated ground, you can overwater and drown the seed.

Sometimes, just planting the seed is all that is necessary, and then its time to let the Holy Spirit take care of the nurturing.

Instead of drowning the seed in your eagerness to get it to take root, sometimes its better to let it germinate, even if it means somebody else will get to reap the harvest.

If your concern is for the health of the seed rather than your profit from the harvest, then it is not such a big deal if somebody else gets to harvest it.

Should you have pressed that person who clearly didn't want to be pressed?

Ask yourself how you react when a salesman keeps pestering you after you tell him you'll think about it.

Not only won't you buy from that salesman, odds are that you won't buy that brand, either, even though the salesman had nothing to do with the quality of the product.

Jesus knows whether or not you've done the job He sent you to do. How does He tell us to handle rejection? Does He tell us to press the issue until it comes to blows?

No. He says: "And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet." (Matthew 10:14)

"And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them." (Luke 9:5)

"He that heareth you heareth Me; and he that despiseth you despiseth Me; and he that despiseth Me despiseth Him that sent Me." (Luke 10:16)

When Paul and Barnabas attempted to preach the Gospel, "the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts."

Paul and Barnabas did their best. They preached the Word, the offered the salvation of Christ, and the Word was rejected. What did they do next?

"[T]hey shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium." (Acts 13:50-51)

"And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the Spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ."

Notice that Paul and Timothy were moved by the Holy Spirit to witness to the Macedonians. Notice also what happened when the Macedonians didn't want to hear it.

"And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean; from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles." (Acts 18:6)

This was the Apostle Paul, and the Bible says it was the Holy Spirit moved him to preach. But the Macedonians were free to choose.

Paul and Timothy didn't browbeat them, but rather, Paul said, "I've done what the Lord sent me to do. From here on out, it is up to you."

Paul was not a bad Christian. He wasn't weak, he wasn't wishy-washy, he wasn't uncaring. Paul was God's chosen evangelist to the Gentiles.

But Paul understood that the seeds he planted would grow unto the Lord, or they would NOT grow unto the Lord.

There is an old saying to the effect that "you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink."

And if you try, you'll probably drown the horse.

It wasn't up to Paul to do more than the task that God put before him. Neither is it up to you.

It is our duty and our solemn responsibility to make sure everyone we meet has a chance to choose whom they will serve in this life and where they will spend eternity.

But it is not up to them to make the choice for them. Or to feel responsible when they choose badly. It's not we that we failed Him.

The seed we plant may not germinate for decades, but that's up to God, not us. That's where the 'trust' part takes over.

"Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." (Ephesians 6:13)

Don't beat yourself up. Your job is to take the stand as a witness. It's up to the Holy Spirit to obtain a conviction.

"Faithful is He that calleth you, Who also will do it." (1st Thessalonians 5:24)

There are times when its our job to plant the seeds, then get out of the way and let Him take it from there.

No matter what your gift is, we are all called to spread the Gospel. Don't let the fear of what might be keep you from sharing your faith in Love! The "What ifs..." will neutralize you. These are lies of the enemy. As a true Christian you have the power of God on your side. If God be for us who can be against us. Romans 8:31. We need to be like Johhny Appleseed. Throwing seeds around wherever we go. Time is short! Get busy for the sake of the Gospel.

Take Care of Your Heart – Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org

But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.

— Romans 2:5

Where is the easiest place to get a hardened heart? In church. The same truth that will set one person free can cause another person to become more hardened against the things of God.

It really depends on how you listen and respond when you are in the presence of God's Word being proclaimed and God's people as they are worshiping. The same sun that softens the wax also hardens the clay. And the same truth that liberates one will cause another to say, "Well, I have heard that before. I know this. You can't tell me anything new."

Here is the problem: people with a hardened heart have never turned from darkness to light. They are just educated unbelievers. They may know more than the person who has never set foot in a church, but they are not one step closer to the kingdom of God. In fact I would venture to say they may even be a little further from the kingdom of God than the person who hasn't been to church. Why? Because when someone who has never been to church comes and hears it all for the first time, he or she might believe on the spot. But those who have heard it their whole lives and think they know it all might be so hardened and resistant that they might not believe.

They will end up like Herod Agrippa who put off a decision to believe, or the rich young ruler who said no to following Jesus, or Judas Iscariot who spent hours on end with God in human form, only to betray Him for 30 pieces of silver.

No matter how much we may try, we can't live in two worlds. It is not enough to be exposed to the truth. We must act on it.

Life as you know it will change forever....very soon!!! Eternity is not that far away. Our lives are as a smoke, a vapor. We are all, believers and unbelievers, only here for a short time. If the Lord Jesus tarries, we will all die and be in eternity. For the believer, indescribable joy, unlawful to even talk about in human terms according to Paul. For the unbeliever, indescribable torment. How then shall we live? Praying, Reading, Fellowshipping, Worshipping? Of course!! Without a doubt but, let us Love as we are Loved and let us Give as it has been Given to us. Freely you have received, freely give. I am convinced that what is missing in so many "Christian" lives is evangelism. We are all called to go into all the world and preach the Gospel. Where is the Sacrifice? Where is Concern, the Compassion, the Love? Time is short!! Let us be about the Lord's business.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ik-XOVZcwow
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyxoqHBkwqY

"There cannot be a better thing for us, than for us to be with the best of beings! 'To me to live is Christ--and to die is gain!' Philippians 1:21
Let our condition now be ever so great--it is Hell without Christ! let our condition now be ever so bad--it is Heaven with Christ!'I had rather be in Hell with Christ--than in Heaven without Him!' said Luther."
~ William Dyer

This sentiment of Jesus being worth far more than all treasures on Earth and in Heaven is astounding to me. Look again at what the great reformer, Martin Luther, had to say about his Savior. Read the last sentence again. Would you be able to say and truly mean those words? Could you really say you'd rather forfeit all of Heaven and suffer in a literal Hell if Jesus was there with you? How did Luther and other spiritual giants down through the ages acquire such extreme, other worldly devotion to their Savior? I believe it must come through a deep understanding of what Jesus did for them at the cross. When you understand who Jesus is (pause...) and what He did for you (pause...), the only suitable response for a redeemed human being is to live in complete devotion and unreserved allegiance to his Master, even if it costs him every last drop of comfort or pleasure. Why? Because Christ deserves it. Luther's secret was to not think of what he wanted for himself after he died, but to think about what his Savior deserved from him both in this life, and the next. Let these thoughts challenge you this week to live in such a way that your life declares, "May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering!" Kirk Cameron

Committment, what does it mean to you? Sacrifice, does your committment to Christ cost you anything? Daily examine yourself. Surrender is the first order of business. My Father God I present my body as a living sacrifice to you this day. I thank you for loving me and saving me and counting me worthy to be called your slave. My life is yours to do what you will.

The Genuine Article – Greg Laurie – http://www.harvest.org/

"For I know this that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock."
— Acts 20:29

The story is told of an inspector who worked for the counterfeit department of Scotland Yard. His job was to detect the false currency from the real. When asked if he spent a lot of time handling and examining counterfeit money, he said no. He spent so much time handling the real thing that he could immediately detect the counterfeit.

The best way to detect what is false is to know what is true. And I believe that if you have a good working knowledge of the Bible, then you will be able to detect the false rather quickly, because you are so familiar with the genuine article.

I have found that people who are into false teaching don't seem to go out into the culture and win people to their convictions, because they are so weird. Instead, they come into strong, growing churches and infiltrate their ranks, saying things like, "Hey, do you want to get into the real deep things of God? Do you want to really get into heavy-duty truth? Then come over to this little meeting we are having." They go about their deception in a clandestine, secretive way.

The apostle Paul warned about false teachers who would creep into the church: "For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves" (Acts 20:29–30).

We need to be equipped. We need to be prepared. We need to know the truth, because when we are conversant with the Word of God, we will recognize when something weird comes along. We will be aware that it does not jive with Scripture.

So be a student of the Word of God.

How important it is to feed on the Word daily! If you don't feed yourself, you start to get weak. And if you start to get weak, you are susceptible to all kinds of attacks, physically, mentally, and spiritually. Be strong in the Lord, be of good courage. Keep stuffing those spiritual calories in!!
In Him

Just Doing Our Duty – Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org

And yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand.
— Isaiah 64:8

In Luke 17, Jesus told a parable about servants who were given a task to fulfill. At the end of the story, Jesus said, "And does the master thank the servant for doing what he was told to do? Of course not. In the same way, when you obey me you should say, 'We are unworthy servants who have simply done our duty' " (verses 9–10).

You see, true servants of Jesus want to do what God wants them to do. We are just doing our duty. And as God's servants, we need to remember that everything we have is on loan from Him: our lives, our health, our careers, our ministries, our possessions, our families, and our future. It all belongs to God.

So the idea is not finding out how God can bless our dreams and ambitions and goals. Rather, our objective is to discover His goals, His purposes, and then align ourselves with them. Why? Because we are His servants.

Some people just want Jesus along for the ride. But God does not want to be our copilot. He is the Master, and we are the servants. He is the Potter, and we are the clay. When you put your faith in Jesus Christ, you become His: "You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body" (1 Corinthians 6:19–20).

We like the fringe benefits, if you will, of being a follower of Jesus. But our Master, the one we are following, is not only a Friend who loves us, but a Potter who is molding us. And the more we know of Him and His plan and purpose, the more willing we will be to do what He wants us to do.

Every time you read, servant, bondservant, bondslave, it is the literal meaning as we know it, SLAVE. We are God's slaves. We have no rights of our own, only those Jesus has given us as believers. Pray earnestly to be the slave God wants you to be so you can truly call Him Lord! To obey is better than sacrifice. How much do you sacrifice? How obedient are you?
Love and Compassion
In Him

In It to Win It

In It to Win It – Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org

But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

— Acts 20:24

The analogy of running was one the apostle Paul favored in his writings. He often compared the believer to a runner in a race. For example, he wrote that we need to run in the race of life to win: "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it" (1 Corinthians 9:24).

When I participate in a competitive sport, I always try to win. That doesn't mean I do. In fact, it seems like I lose most of the time. But at least I try, and I enjoy the competition. And when we are in the race of life, we need to run to win. When we watch athletes compete in the Olympics, we primarily celebrate those who win the gold. In the same way, we need to run the race to win—not to get second or third or fourth place or an honorable mention.

But in running to win, we also need to understand who our competitors are. I am not competing with you. I am not trying to beat you in the race of life. You are not trying to beat me. Our real enemies—our competitors, if you will—are the world, the flesh, and the devil (see 1 John 2:16). That is what we are trying to overcome.

I have my lane that I'm running in, which is the life that I have to live and the challenges that I have to face. And my job is to complete my race. You have your lane as well, with your unique challenges and goals.

But ultimately we all have the same goal of running for God and honoring and glorifying Him. And we must run to win.

Good morning troops. Let me first say that I appreciate the comittment of the soldiers of the Lord doing their duty as He has called them to action. We all serve One Master, One General, and occasionally we get into skirmishes together to fight the good fight. Other times we are alone(not really) doing battle against the enemies of God. We are slaves to a Prophet, Priest, and King.
We are to be Soldiers, Surgeons, and Healers. We go to the front lines,....in Love. With the wisdom of our Lord, we seek to save the lost, using the Word of God to separate between Soul and Spirit. As surgeons we carefully, again in Love, cut through the sins of this world that so easily beset us, removing them as the cancers they are, by the Grace of God. As Healers, we offer Grace, Peace, Restoration to the Father, Love, Joy.... Our lives are full if we are Obedient with the things of the Spirit which lasts Forever. Courage and Honor and Blessings

Those that do indeed make conscience of the law of God themselves will, in their places, vigorously oppose sin, and bear their testimony against it, and do what they can to shame and suppress it. They will reprove the works of darkness, and silence the excuses which are made for those works, and do what they can to bring gross offenders to punishment, that others may hear and fear.
Matthew Henry
This means if we are lax in calling sin sin, we are not presenting the whole gospel.

Do you love the gift or the Giver?

"Would you be satisfied to go to heaven, have everybody there in your family that you want there, have all the health and restoration of your prime and everything you dislike about yourself fixed, have every recreation you have ever dreamed available to you and have infinite recourses of money to spend?... Would you be satified, if God weren't there?"
- John Piper -

"Heaven will be inhabited by poeple you LOVE GOD! God is our treasure! Whom have I in heaven but thee, nothing! And on earth there is nothing I desire besides thee! My whole life is devoted to helping people fall OUT of love with the world and fall IN love with God."... "Behold the beauty, the glory, the justice, the goodness, the wisdom, the truth, the grace, the mercy, the patience, the whole panorama of the perfections of Almighty God, and let yourself fall in love with HIM, as the satisfaction of your soul. And that will be the pathway that leads to glory!"
- John Piper -

Psalm 73:25 -26

"Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."

Even in heaven there is NOTHING that will ever satisfy our souls besides GOD HIMSELF!


In love with Him,
Chrissy

The Christian as "gaijin"

The Lord is firmly leading my family to become missionaries in Japan, to share the law of God and the love of Jesus Christ to a nation and culture that has little understanding of what either of these even are.  

As it has been shared with me by many brothers and sisters in Christ who have served and currently serve in Japan, beyond the barrier of lacking the cultural exposure to Jesus (which is something we Americans often take for granted in our own country), there also exists a cultural barrier against the foreigner; the Japanese word is "gaijin."

This is not to say that this concept is racist in tone, because I don't believe it is. Naturally, there are racist people in every country and culture.  Instead, whoever put in the Wikipedia entry on the term gives it fair treatment, and is worth checking out:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaijin

Now, what about the Christian being gaijin to the world?  This is something I have faced every time I am on the street, and indeed I have also faced it among some I talk with in the church.  It is a daily struggle for me to not feel like I am on an alien planet, but I must remember I should not struggle against it!  

"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, and perfect, will of God." Romans 12:2 (KJV)

As I continue in street ministry in anticipation of when I can do it on the streets of Japan, I wish to exhort you and remind myself to follow the strength of the early Ephesian church but to not make the mistake of forsaking my first love, my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

"2 I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars;

3 "and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name's sake and have not become weary.

 4 "Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

 5 "Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place--unless you repent."

Revelation 2:2-5 (NKJV)

The Lord bless you and keep you!

5 things a disciple of Christ does

I have had this devotion for years, but recently sent it to a friend, and thought I would post it, as well.  

Of course, there are many more things a disciple of Jesus Christ does, but these are for me fundamental and I share them with those the Spirit allows me to on the street.  Not listed, but placed above all else, is of course to  "'...love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment." (Mark 12:30, NKJV)

5 things a Christian disciple does

1) reads and studies the Word daily

2 Pet 3:18

2 Tim 2:15

Joshua 1:8

Acts 17:11

     Psalm 119:9-16

Phil 4:8-9

     2 Tim 3:16-17

2) prays constantly

    1 Thes 5:17, "Pray without ceasing."

3) works toward the Great Commission

    Matt 28:19-20 "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."  

4) stays in fellowship with Christians

    Heb 10:24-25 "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching."

5) shows love and concern for others with exhortation and accountability

    2 Cor 9:5 "Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness."

    2Ti 4:1-5 v5- "But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry."

(image on this post is from the evangecube product)

Jesus is Lord

Phillipians 2: 8- 11

"And being found in appearence as a man, He humbled Himself and became obidient to the point of death, even the death on the cross. Therefore God has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tounge should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Be encouraged, Christ is Lord!

In His service,
Chrissy

The Law of God

So I have been listening to some really good teachings lately, for those who havent heard the John MacArthur one from the Preach The Word conference do yourself a favor and get it from Mitch, but I have found that I have started to really examine myself and I think that God is showing me and growing me in something that I would like to share. This Country is in a moral downward spiral that I personally dont think we are going to recover from, at least not any time soon, and Im asking myself, where is the Church? Then yesterday I listned to a teaching by Voddie Bauchum and he quoted something that really hit me, it was this:

"The root of our trouble putting it quite plainly seems to be that we neither know nor care much about the law of God. On the one hand we do not give ourselves to studying and applying the law, in the way that our evangelical forefathers did. Our neglect of the Old Testament in particular bears witness to this, on the other hand our thinking unlike theirs has a lawless tinge, there is a antinomian streak running through it. We act as if our freedom from the law has made it a matter of comparative unimportance whether we keep the law in daily life or not. We appear to care more for right faith than we do for right living, we show a greater concern to be orthodox than to be upright. We seem to be more anxious to know the truth than we are to adorn it by our behavior. We are it appears more interested in feeding our own souls than in doing good to our neighbor. We lap up the doctrinal chapters of the epistles but we skate over the ethical ones. Our Lord accused the Pharisees of antinomianism, telling them that they had overlooked the weightier demands of the law, justice, mercy, good faith. Would he not have reason to bring a similar accusation against us? Here then is the root cause of our present moral flabbiness, we have neglected Gods law."

-J.I. Packer

Then as if that wasnt enough he followed that by reading what Jesus said:

"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:17-20

I am as guilty as anyone in buying into what I know rather than what I do. Now I realize by Jesus saying they had to be better than the most moral upright people of their day, was to point them to himself and say apart from Him there is no other way. But the law was not Gods failed attempt at saving us, the law is perfect. So I asked myself, what I was striving for, was it to gain knowledge and truth or was it to be like the Christ? Sadly I realized I wasnt where I should be and I thank God for showing it to me. To quote I believe it was G.K. Chesterton when he was asked what was wrong with the world, he replied "I am!". In asking where is the church, God showed me where I am and if a revival is ever going to start it will start in the church. Anyways, if youve read this far thank you for joining me in this public self examinaton of myself and I looking forward to seeing some of you down on Alvarado tonight.
Tom
2 Corinthians 13:5

God of Wonders

The more I come to realize how great God really is, the more I come to fear Him and what He is able to do!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJJVe3s79UA&feature=related

Be encouraged today! God is greater than.......

In His service
Chrissy

Run!!!

Run like Joseph! Flee youthful lusts! Resist the devil and he will flee!! Run from the ideas of man that lead to hell. Run from anything that does not bring you closer to Jesus!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6A6lWl_XzKA

Romans 1:16

This is a sobering video that challenged me. Its been around for a while but if you haven't seen it, its definitely worth the 4 minutes. When I read about Christine's experience of getting yelled at and being told you cant do and say what we're doing, it made me think of this video.
Tom

"If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our bodies. If they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees. Let no one GO there UNWARNED and UNPRAYED for."
C.H. Spurgeon

After an interesting conversation with a dear brother of mine, I had to ask myself this question: What draws the unbeliever to repentence and faith in Christ? The answer to this question is LOVE! Nothing else. While Theology is very important and needs to be sound, it is not what will draw the unbeliever. It is the LOVE of Christ with which He, while we were yet sinners first loved us. (Rom 5:8) This is what makes the true body of Christ so different from the world. We love those who persecute us, we love those who slander us or treat us wrong for Christ's sake.

Jesus said in Matthew 22: 37- 39
"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment and the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

We can depate and argue over theological issues all day long. But there is one thing that all believers have to agree on, we must show the Love of Jesus Christ both through actions and words.
Even rebuke and correction can be shown in love. And so often when we are down at Alvorado St. we have to correct, but it is always out of love and in hope that this person would come to repantence and put their faith in Jesus Christ. We do not seek arguments, but want people to know the TRUTH!!!

Sometimes we get into debates with people because they are so greatly offended by the signs we hold up or by telling them about heaven and hell. People may slander us, shout profane things and sometimes come closer then we like, but the LOVE OF CHRIST in us, that motivates us to go out every Friday and Saturday to preach the Gospel to a lost and dying world is greater, then the fear of non acceptance or even "persecution" (and I use this word very carefully here, since we have a great freedom in this country, compared to what other brothers and sisters in other countries face on a daily base for believing in Jesus! God bless them!!!)

John 3:16
"For God so LOVED the world, that HE gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him, shall nor perish but have everlasting life."

If God so loved us and still does, then we ought to love one another! (1. Corinthians 13)

See you friday!
Chrissy

Saturday night, Mitch and Dean, 7:00pm, "East Village", going over battle plan. Strategy: Speak the Truth in Love. Psalm 19:7 says the law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul. You give the Law to the proud hard heart, breaking it so God can heal the humbled broken heart with Grace. It was a great evening! Both of us had many opportunities to tell a lost and dieing world that there is a God who cares, who loves, and who died for their sins. It's always great downtown because every body gets touched. People are either open to hear the Gospel, getting touched, or they are antagonistic which means they are getting touched(convicted) by the Holy Spirit. There were also a few true believers that we prayed with that was a real encouragement to us. Remember, it's not about your ability or inability. It's about your availability! We plant seeds and water, but God gives the increase. We are just being obedient to the call of "Go out into all the world and preach the Gospel..."

Lighting The Fire

From Spurgeon:

Oh, my brothers and sisters in Christ, if sinners will be damned, at least let them leap to hell over our bodies; and if they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees, imploring them to stay, and not madly to destroy themselves. If hell must be filled, at least let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go there unwarned and unprayed for.

If we had to preach to thousands year after year, and never rescued but one soul,
that one soul would be a full reward for all our labour, for a soul is of countless price.

http://www.spurgeon.us/quotes.htm

Thanksgiving for deliverance from death- Psalm 116

This psalm was on my reading schedule this week, and it struck me hard that I have personally taken this heart, but I just pray I will more effectively communicate this on the street, and that is:

JESUS DID NOT COME TO EARTH TO MAKE BAD PEOPLE GOOD,

   HE CAME TO MAKE DEAD PEOPLE LIVE

As you sing this psalm in your heart, may you rejoice as the Lord does in the death of his saints because they will be in His presence in Heaven, and may you feel the fire within to desire that the Lord use you to reach the lost before their death leads to eternity without Him.

1 I love the LORD, because He has heard
         My voice and my supplications.
 ² Because He has inclined His ear to me,
         Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live. 
         
 ³ The pains of death surrounded me,
         And the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me; 
         I found trouble and sorrow.
 ⁴ Then I called upon the name of the LORD:
         “O LORD, I implore You, deliver my soul!” 
         
 ⁵ Gracious is the LORD, and righteous;
         Yes, our God is merciful.
 ⁶ The LORD preserves the simple;
         I was brought low, and He saved me.
 ⁷ Return to your rest, O my soul,
         For the LORD has dealt bountifully with you. 
         
 ⁸ For You have delivered my soul from death,
         My eyes from tears, 
         And my feet from falling.
 ⁹ I will walk before the LORD
         In the land of the living.
 ¹⁰ I believed, therefore I spoke,
         “I am greatly afflicted.”
 ¹¹ I said in my haste,
         “All men are liars.” 
         
 ¹² What shall I render to the LORD
         For all His benefits toward me?
 ¹³ I will take up the cup of salvation,
         And call upon the name of the LORD.
 ¹⁴ I will pay my vows to the LORD
         Now in the presence of all His people. 
         
 ¹⁵ Precious in the sight of the LORD
         Is the death of His saints. 
         
 ¹⁶ O LORD, truly I am Your servant;
         I am Your servant, the son of Your maidservant; 
         You have loosed my bonds.
 ¹⁷ I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving,
         And will call upon the name of the LORD. 
         
 ¹⁸ I will pay my vows to the LORD
         Now in the presence of all His people,
 ¹⁹ In the courts of the LORD’s house,
         In the midst of you, O Jerusalem. 
         
         Praise the LORD!

Alvarado St- an overview- by Maxx

I thought it would be good to offer up an overview of one of the main locations the SWAT Team ministers to, as a way of letting visitors to the blog get a better feel of things. Now, I'm not a long-standing native to Monterey like most on the Team, I've lived here since June 2008, but I'll offer what I've observed.

Alvarado Street in Monterey is in many ways considered the historic center of the town. There are historic buildings surrounding the Street, and Alvarado itself has a long-standing history going back to the 19th century.

The Street is a small, one-way, two-lane road lined with retail shops, restaurants and coffee houses, bars and nightclubs, a couple of hotels, and a couple of theaters. The transit center is at the entrance to the Street, where the majority of Monterey's public buses link up. It is only a few blocks from other attractions like Fisherman's Wharf and the Monterey State Beach.

While it is well visited during the day, as a location it seems to get more business at night. You can't miss it at night, since there are always white lights in the trees that line the Street. On Tuesdays a long-standing Farmer's Market takes over the Street in the late afternoon until early evening. In the evening and night, there are several nightclub bars that feature live music which attracts a large number of people. Also, the two theaters bring crowds; a major motion picture theater offers more alternative titles, and there is a historic performance theater that showcases a variety of live acts and film festivals.

The bars and restaurants stay open until 2 a.m. on the weekends. That's when the Team is on the Street, Fridays and Saturdays from 8 p.m. until around midnight or so. I speak for myself only that this time works for me because of my schedule during the week, and also for my intense desire to reach those who have never heard the truth about the Law of God and the love of our Savior Jesus Christ.

There is an incredible mixture of people who walk the Street on these nights, due to the variety of attractions there. There is a substantial number of homeless people, the majority of them young adults, who hang out there. The rest of the crowds are all ages, either to come and eat, see a show, or as the younger crowd does, cruise the bars and clubs. The only other night life scenes in Monterey are the Del Monte Center shopping mall and the Cannery Row district; the shopping center is private property and Cannery Row gets very quiet earlier than Alvarado. There is also a very large police presence on the weekends, which is always reassuring.

As for the spiritual atmosphere of Alvarado, it is like anywhere else in the world, filled with people who are antagonistic about organized religion but yet are often concerned about where they are going when they die. The conversations we have there run the full spectrum; from encouragement by believers in Christ, to people who consider themselves Christian but aren't willing or able to discuss the tenets of their faith, to plenty of people who can get openly hostile to us exercising our First Amendment rights in a public location.

Overall, it is a wonderful location the Lord has for us there. For me, there is not a night that has gone by where I do not get to have a real conversation with someone about their eternal destiny, where I get to share the truth of God's Holy Law and the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ who was crucified, died, buried, and was risen from the dead to be the Savior to everyone who repents of their sins and trusts in Him for their eternal salvation. I speak to plenty more people, and hand out plenty of tracts, without that level of conversation, but I trust the Lord to work in the hearts of all who hear me proclaim Him. Not that I do anything by my power- this ministry is completely fueled by the grace of God, and to Him alone be all the glory!

And that makes all the difference to me.

Please pray---

---For those lost souls on Alvarado Street, that the Lord would convict them of their sins and give them the grace to trust Jesus as the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

---For believers to join us there to participate in the Lord's work, as a testimony to the presence of Christ in their lives and their obedience to His calling.

---For the Team to be united in Christ to the ministry He has given us, that we would surrender all to His grace, to be bold in love and truth, for the salvation or sanctification of every soul we meet.

Thanks for reading!

Hello Friends!

Since research shows that only 2% of all Christians share their faith on a regular basis, I am very concerned for this country and this world. Why do we just keep the hope and the forgiveness that Jesus Christ has shown us, hidden inside of us? What a selfish thing to do!!! Who are we to not share what Jesus has done for us? What is the Church doing? What are followers of Christ thinking, while they know that their co-worker, father or mother, friend or even spouse would spend eternity in hell and suffering once they die? And even more I wonder what Jesus thinks about the Church right now.

As we know 10 out of 10 people die. 150,ooo people die every 24 hours. Most of them without knowing Christ.
We can no longer hide this hope and faith but must share it with a lost world that needs a chance of hope and a life in Jesus! If we do not show them, who will??? Jesus himself gives us this commandment, "Go ye in all the world and preach the gospel to every creature."

For the longest time I was afraid of what people would think of me, when the truth is, that doesn't matter one bit. It matters what Jesus thinks of me. We are not trying to impress people, but to share the hope with others that Jesus gave us. We are not better then anyone else, just FORGIVEN! I can not and will not hide the hope of an everlasting life with Jesus from others, but I have a desire and obligation to share this with the rest of the world!

"Have you no desire for others to be saved, then you are not saved yourself, be sure of that."
Charles Spurgeon

"Let your light so shine..."

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."  Matthew 5:16

Brothers and sisters of the SWAT Team, another weekend is before us!  Time to share the light and truth of Jesus on the streets.  Though I know the Lord has given us divine appointments throughout the week, I always get excited to participate in this ministry.

I recall last Saturday, especially when right around 11:30 all four of us on Alvarado St (me, Mitch, Dean, and George) all began strong conversations with four competely separate men who the Lord brought to us all within the space of a minute!  That was really awesome.  It truly is better to give than to receive.

It can be hard to talk with those who declare themselves Christians but then criticize us for the works the Lord is doing through us out there.  But be encouraged!  Ours is a mission of sanctification as well as salvation.  As iron sharpens iron, let the sparks fly!

God bless you all this weekend.  Let's share some posts on here in the coming week of what the Lord is doing in our lives, and how this ministry is being furthered, amen?

Your brother in Christ,

Maxx

Oh yeah, here's a link to a whacky video from one of my favorite bands, Newsboys, who recorded this single in the early 90s based on the Matthew verse, but it has remained one of their greatest hits up to the present, they play it in every concert they do.  The video is defintely 90s!

"Iron sharpens iron..."- From Maxx

Proverbs 27:17 may be a familiar verse to you, but I thought it a fitting one to dwell on for a bit, as I see this blog developing in the direction the Lord wills.

"Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend."

This verse has meant different things to me at different times.  While I used to think of it as a call to fellowship in a general sense, I find it now to be much more specific than that, at least in my own walk.  Here are some of my thoughts, in bullet form, take them for what they are worth to you:

--Iron sharpening iron creates a lot of sparks and makes a real spectacle to watch.

--Iron sharpening iron makes a lot of noise.

--Iron sharpening iron makes a strong smell.

--Iron sharpening iron makes the one doing the sharpening sweat and exert himself.

--Iron sharpening iron changes both tools into something new.

--The Hebrew for "countenance" is "Paniym" (paw-neem').  It means face or presence.

So...some questions:

--How do I want my presence to be sharpened?

--How willing would I be to let a friend sharpen me, knowing that it can very likely make a lot of sparks, noise, smell, and possibly even sting in the process?

--Since my best friend first and foremost is Jesus Christ, how willing am I to let Him do that to me?

--How willing am I to sharpen the countenance of my friends?  Am I willing to do it in love, knowing that it could be received with pain?

That's a small list of thoughts that come to mind.  I'm sure you could add or change them, and make the exercise even richer and more pleasing to the Lord!  Great!  Post a comment then, please.

Bottom line is that we all know that street evangelism is a sharp sword in the hands of the Lord.  We on the Team submit to the Lord's work through us in using that sword to reach the lost.  Among ourselves, I think this blog could very well be a sharpening tool, as well.  As we submit posts to encourage and convict and share our hearts with one another (and anyone else happening to read them), let us continue to do so in love and affection, being courageous enough to sharpen one another, knowing that the process creates sparks and might even be painful in some way.

God bless you this coming week.  I look forward to hitting the street again this weekend! 

WE NEED A PRESENT DAY REFORMATION IN OUR CHURCHES!- From Dean

After being part of the street ministry on Alvarado street for the past several years, I've heard many times from believers say, "I could never do what you guys and gals do down town." Or "It's not my gift etc..." Whenever I hear people say things like that I think, do you really believe the promises of our Lord and Savior. In Philippians 4:13 it says that I (we the believer) can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (us). I think that our fear of man has paralyzed us into unbelief in the promises of Jesus. In Jeremiah 1:5-6 God tells Jeremiah that He knew him before He formed him in the belly, and sanctified him in the womb, and ordained him as a prophet to the nations. Yet Jeremiah in verse 6 says "Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak for I am a child." 7 God tells him to not say that he is just a child, but go to all that I shall send you, and whatsoever I command you, you shall speak. 8 Do not be afraid of their faces: for I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD. 

Just as God knew Jeremiah before the belly, He also knew us and gives us the same promises. He commands us to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15). Why then don't we believe His promise, that He'd be with us always. And not to fear man. Why do we still fear when God commands us not to fear? Why do we continue to be shaken with the things of this world? He tells us to be in the world, but not of the world. What I'm getting at is this, the gospel that is being taught in many of today's churches, is lukewarm at best. There's little or no conviction in the message as well as little accountability to our walk as Christians. 

Church discipline is almost non existent. We had a pastor stand in for our pastor this weekend and he taught on Revelation regarding the church of Philadelphia and the Laodicean church. At the end of his message he asked, what church are we? I thought to myself, we'd be vommitted out of his mouth. Now that may offend many, but if were being honest and examined ourself to the scriptures, we'd see that we were vomit and repent and get busy to the things of God. Jesus tells them in Rev. 3:19 "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent." May we all learn from the scriptures the entire truth and stop settling for the watered down version of His Holy Word. I pray that GOD would raise up men today such as Luther and others to bring about a new present day Reformation. Now that would bring about true revival!

C.T. Studd (British Missionary who served in China, India and Africa between 1860-1931) said "We Christians too often substiture prayer for playing the game. Prayer is good; but when used as a substitute for obedience, it is nothing but a blatant hypocrisy, a despicable Pharisaism... To your knees, man! And to your Bible! Decide at once! Don't hedge! Time flies! Cease your insults to God. Quit consulting flesh and blood. Stop your lame, lying, and cowardly excuses. ENLIST!

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all,
Dean

Hear the call!- from Mitch

"Not called!" did you say? "Not heard the call," I think you should say. Put your ear down to the Bible, and hear him bid you go and pull sinners out of the fire of sin. Put your ear down to the burdened, agonized heart of humanity, and listen to its pitiful wail for help. Go stand by the gates of hell, and hear the damned entreat you to go to their father's house and bid their brothers and sisters, and servants and masters not to come there. And then look Christ in the face, whose mercy you have professed to obey, and tell him whether you will join heart and soul and body and circumstances in the march to publish his mercy to the world."

--William Booth (April 10, 1829 - August 20, 1912) was a British Methodist preacher who founded The Salvation Army and became its first General (1878-1912).

"The times of the signs..."

The end times are approaching and the signs spoken of by Jesus Christ in Matthew 24 are spilling out continually onto the scene today and are pointing dramatically to Christ’s soon return. Believers can see the signs if they are alert and watching. As Dr. Chuck Missler puts it “We must be well versed in the scriptures to accurately ascertain the time of the signs”. There is a preordained time that the signs are going to appear, and what we see happening all around us are the birth pangs that are so aptly spoken of in the scriptures.

I for one can’t imagine this world going on the way it has in the past. Signs that point to the end time when Jesus will return aren’t just subtlety appearing on the scene, they are exploding with a fierceness that’s unparalleled in mans history. We can watch this explosion on our television sets, radios, internet, newspapers, and from every other direction one can imagine. This was not the case even ten years ago; the birth pangs have arrived.

So just what are our options as believers now that we are beginning to witness a plethora of recurring signs which we are assured will occur just before Jesus return? We have many options. They include such things as witnessing fervently to our family and friends. Being in constant prayer is an admonishment from the Apostle Paul, maintaining a close relationship with our Church family. Create and maintain an atmosphere of love and support for those who are shut-ins and especially provide for those who lack provisions.

In these last days all Christians should be intent on always keeping abreast of whatever intrusions the enemy might devise against the brethren. In these last days Satan is going to hit hard against anyone who promotes the name of Jesus and diligently proclaims His message. The last thing any Christian will want is to be caught alone and off guard when the evil comes down, and it is coming. Solitude creates evil bedfellows. Continue in fellowship, the breaking of bread together, encouraging one another.

None of us know when Jesus is going to remove His Church from the wickedness this world offers. It could be within the next few days, weeks, or even years. I know what you’re going to say, “Well, if we are seeing the time of the signs as you’ve suggested could the Rapture of the Church still be years away”? Yes, but everything is lining up perfectly (prophetically speaking that is) and this gives us tremendous optimism that our remaining days here on earth are indeed few.

Here’s the rub. Believing the truth of the Rapture view and believing that the time for the Rapture is near has led some to become complacent in their duty to Christ. Believers should not ease up on witnessing. Complacency is of the devil, he would love it if those who are born again would all just sit back and relax and wait on the Rapture. In the meantime Satan will be hard at work convincing the lost that they are in good shape and not to worry or take seriously what those wacky Christians are promoting.

Satan knows the Rapture will occur at some point in time, but similarly to believers he hasn’t any idea of the exact moment when this will happen. God has kept it a mystery. More intense persecution of Christians on his part will become commonplace in the near future, which will attest to very fact that the Rapture is close at hand.

As believers we must combat the lies put forth by Satan and those who follow him. Jesus, at one point, speaking directly to the Apostle Peter said, “Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men”. Matthew 16:23. Whenever we hear someone spouting off against believers, and most importantly against our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we can know without a doubt that we are hearing Satan speak. I can tell you this, the Holy Spirit has a louder voice and can drown out Satan at every turn if Christians will only speak up.

Faithfulness is adhering to Jesus’ strict set of commandments in every aspect of our lives. As believers we all have our own miniature world to evangelize. You are a Christian and that means that no matter where you go you are to spread the Gospel of Christ. If you are out on a business trip to another state that doesn’t mean you leave your Christianity at home. When you’re on vacation or you’re just out watering the lawn, remember your Christianity. Our lives should reflect our faith in Christ. We never know when God’s going to ask us to step out in faith and talk to someone about their salvation.

You may feel you’re without sufficient resources or knowledge to speak to others about your faith. If this is the case, you’ve probably been neglecting a regular Bible study routine. Our boldness to witness is provided by the Holy Spirit through prayer and study. You receive more boldness as you become more familiar with God’s word. If you’re willing, know this, the Holy Spirit will move you into position to confront the next person that you encounter with the Gospel of Christ. If you’re not willing then you’re not following Christ’s commandments. “If ye love me, keep my commandments”. John 14:15. Do you love Him or are you just play acting?

The resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ was the most important event in history, and now we are rapidly approaching the second most important event in history, in the believer’s life, and that is the Rapture. Christians must step out in faith to follow Jesus’ commandment to spread His Gospel to the entire world. There is no doubt of the many extreme measures which will be coming against His Church. I believe some huge obstacles will be thrust directly into the lives of those Christians who are faithfully following through with Christ’s commandments. Satan isn’t just going to sit idly by whilst we take away his followers. Not at all, and you can take stock in the fact that you will be battered and bruised by his minions of evil. Like Paul, as he was being pummeled by the enemy over and over again, you too will feel the heat of battle.

Witnessing can be one of the most daunting tasks for believers especially now days when it seems people are so repulsed by and demonstrate such violent tendencies toward our Christian faith. Nevertheless we aren’t to shirk from our duty and keep silent. Paul was persecuted by a “thorn in the flesh” but still continued evangelizing. He prayed for relief, but didn’t let this “thorn” stop him. As you face the barriers that Satan has in store for you, you too can be comforted by Jesus’ words, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness,” 2 Corinthians 12:9.

Non-believes are blind to the truth, they aren’t able to understand the consequences surrounding their decision to reject Jesus until those blinders come off. You and I can help remove those blinders.

God will be glorified by our witnessing efforts because He is certainly able to equip us with all we need to complete our task. If we use the strength of Christ as we confront the lost, the enemy won’t be much of a hindrance, but relying on our own strength will be our Achilles heel.

If we allow the current events we see going on around the world to affect our witness in that we become silent, we are allowing the enemy to get the upper hand. Can you just imagine what would have been the outcome of the Apostle’s ministry if they had simply gone about their pre-Jesus routine after the Lord had ascended into Heaven instead of spreading the good news of His Gospel as they were commanded to do? No Gospel proclaimed throughout the world, no Christian movement, and no Christian Church, just a world of lost sinners vying for whatever scraps of meaningless existence that could be grasped.

Today Christians are standing in the sandals of the disciples of yesterday. It’s our responsibility to proclaim the Gospel of Christ to all nations. We must not retreat from our assigned task. Think about this, someday we’ll stand before Jesus Christ face to face. How can we possibly explain to our Savior our apathy? “I was too sacred”, “I didn’t trust You to protect me”, “My faith was too small”, “I didn’t care about others just myself”. Which of those excuses will you use?

Certainly the Rapture of the Church is nigh, and we rejoice in knowing that soon we will be taken up to be forever with our Lord Jesus. We read and study our Bibles and those commentaries posted on various websites that all proclaim the end is in sight. Every day we grow more and more assured of what we believe about the times of the signs because of what we see happening around us. But if the majority of Christian believers continue in their stubborn refusal to spread the Gospel of Christ many of their family members and friends will be left behind to fend off the wiles of the devil without the help of the restrainer which is the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit is removed hell will break loose on earth.

If your family is anything like mine, you have some relatives who, in their current state of mind, aren’t going to spend eternity with Jesus. They remain in unbelief. You’re okay though, you’re doing just fine. If that is your attitude you may very well be living in a false sense of security. As Charles Spurgeon puts it “If you have no heart for the lost you may not be saved yourself”, and you may find yourself spending eternity with your unbelieving family members after all.

Don’t let the ever nearing Rapture of the Church keep you from your assigned task. We should be witnessing now more fervently than ever before. Christians are to be salt and light to a lost world, but if that salt loses its saltiness then it’s absolutely worthless. Are you absolutely worthless? Say NO!

Written by Ron Graham

http://www.prophecyupdate.com

Maranatha ! - (Lord Come Quickly)

"On CHRIST the SOLID ROCK I stand, all other ground is sinking sand"

Let us make the short time we have left count for all eternity!

Weekend of February 7-8, Alvarado St

Here are some photos from this past weekend's time on Alvarado St.  Harsh weather won't stop people from hitting this street looking for a good time, so it won't stop us either!

Many awesome God-delivered appointments were met, and the Gospel was sent forth in truth and in love.  All praise to our Lord of Lords Jesus Christ!

You can click on the photos to enlarge them on your screen.  Pictures of the many great conversations with people were not taken to ensure their privacy.

Have a great week, team!

Friday Night!- From Tom

This is a video of one of my favorite Pastors, Leonard Ravenhill. I am really looking forward to tonight, and getting back out there, especially after watching this.

Then Jesus cried out, "When a man believes in me, he does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. When he looks at me, he sees the one who sent me. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.
John 12:44-46