ALL – Psalm 26:1-12
ALL – Proverbs 20:19
OT – 2 Chronicles 33:14-34:33
NT – Romans 16:8-27
Interesting passage for the day: This is God’s plan of salvation for you Gentles, kept secret from the beginning of time. But now as the prophets foretold and as God commands, this message is being preached everywhere, so that people all around the world will have faith in Christ and obey him. – Romans 16:25b-26, The Living Bible
Thought: Salvation is God’s idea. When a natural disaster strikes and tons of lives perish, and thousands of people are left homeless and without access to clean water or food, those people can’t really save themselves. It takes someone who is already safe and who has the resources to save others – this person has to initiate a Search and Rescue Mission.
That’s what God has done. All of us have been struck by the natural disaster of our own sins and their consequences. But God had the idea to save us. He’s implemented His plan, called the gospel—the Good News. And it is God’s command that those who have the Good News make sure it keeps spreading to others, so that they can be saved, too.
Question: Some people are really gifted at spreading the good news. But while some will spread the Good News more successfully than others, we all have some way to obey God’s command. Even if it seems small, what can you do to spread God’s Good News?
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
Showing posts with label witnessing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label witnessing. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Monday, August 2, 2010
First-Time Faith
ALL – Psalm 25:12-22
ALL – Proverbs 20:16-18
OT – 2 Chronicles 32:1-33:13
NT – Romans 15:23-16:7
Interesting passage for the day: Greet my good friend Epaenetus. He was the very first person to become a Christian in Asia. – Romans 15:5b, The Living Bible
Thought: Isn’t it amazing that we know who the very first Christian was in Asia (Roman Asia, mind you, not the continent of Asia, necessarily)? What exciting times those must have been for the early believers, going to new places with good news that no one had ever heard!
As each generation passes away, opportunities like this keep being renewed. Missionaries around the world continue to encounter remote people who have never heard the gospel—the good news that Jesus died to save them from their sins, and that He rose again to offer them an eternal, untarnished life. Even here in Swanton, OH, there are people who do not know Jesus Christ, people who would be the first Christians in their families if they would put their hope in Him (at VBS last night, we had some children who did not know what the Bible is, and some who were very confused because they didn’t know what was expected of them during our prayer time).
Christianity is always one generation from extinction. Fortunately, we have Jesus’ promise, “I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” Many people are still waiting to hear the good news for the first time—and when they receive it, it will be just as transforming as it was for Epaenetus, the first believer in Asia. Sharing the gospel is still a history-making enterprise—it makes history for each new person to receive Jesus Christ as Lord.
Question: Who was the first person you led to the Lord? How many people do you know for whom turning to Jesus would be a first-time experience in their lives?
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
ALL – Proverbs 20:16-18
OT – 2 Chronicles 32:1-33:13
NT – Romans 15:23-16:7
Interesting passage for the day: Greet my good friend Epaenetus. He was the very first person to become a Christian in Asia. – Romans 15:5b, The Living Bible
Thought: Isn’t it amazing that we know who the very first Christian was in Asia (Roman Asia, mind you, not the continent of Asia, necessarily)? What exciting times those must have been for the early believers, going to new places with good news that no one had ever heard!
As each generation passes away, opportunities like this keep being renewed. Missionaries around the world continue to encounter remote people who have never heard the gospel—the good news that Jesus died to save them from their sins, and that He rose again to offer them an eternal, untarnished life. Even here in Swanton, OH, there are people who do not know Jesus Christ, people who would be the first Christians in their families if they would put their hope in Him (at VBS last night, we had some children who did not know what the Bible is, and some who were very confused because they didn’t know what was expected of them during our prayer time).
Christianity is always one generation from extinction. Fortunately, we have Jesus’ promise, “I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” Many people are still waiting to hear the good news for the first time—and when they receive it, it will be just as transforming as it was for Epaenetus, the first believer in Asia. Sharing the gospel is still a history-making enterprise—it makes history for each new person to receive Jesus Christ as Lord.
Question: Who was the first person you led to the Lord? How many people do you know for whom turning to Jesus would be a first-time experience in their lives?
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
I Laugh in the Face of Danger
ALL – Psalm 45:1-17
ALL – Proverbs 10:22
OT – Leviticus 25:47-27:13
NT – Mark 10:32-52
Do you laugh in the face of danger? Or at least, can you look into the eyes of danger and calmly step forward, knowing the pain that you will definitely experience and choosing to go through it fearlessly? Jesus did. And Christians should. As Jesus headed toward Jerusalem with His disciples, He said:
They will mock me and spit on me and flog me with their whips and kill me; but after three days I will come back to life again. – Mark 10:34, The Living Bible
Jesus sounds so matter of fact. He knows what’s coming. Yet His disciples aren’t giving Him a pep talk; Jesus is leading them to Jerusalem.
How could Jesus do this? Here’s how. “For the joy set before Him” (Hebrews 12:2). He knew He would rise again. And He knew that He would enable us to join Him in rising from the dead.
So what about us? Do we really believe we’ll rise from the dead? Our unwillingness to boldly and courageously stand for the gospel and for our King might say otherwise. Do we look at danger and flee? Or do we walk through danger, gladly and vibrantly carrying the gospel in our hearts and mouths, knowing that on the other side of the cross is the resurrection? Let’s trust in God’s power to raise the dead; let’s carry the gospel into the face of danger.
What makes you fear sharing the gospel? Are you willing to trust Jesus with it and move forward anyway?
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
ALL – Proverbs 10:22
OT – Leviticus 25:47-27:13
NT – Mark 10:32-52
Do you laugh in the face of danger? Or at least, can you look into the eyes of danger and calmly step forward, knowing the pain that you will definitely experience and choosing to go through it fearlessly? Jesus did. And Christians should. As Jesus headed toward Jerusalem with His disciples, He said:
They will mock me and spit on me and flog me with their whips and kill me; but after three days I will come back to life again. – Mark 10:34, The Living Bible
Jesus sounds so matter of fact. He knows what’s coming. Yet His disciples aren’t giving Him a pep talk; Jesus is leading them to Jerusalem.
How could Jesus do this? Here’s how. “For the joy set before Him” (Hebrews 12:2). He knew He would rise again. And He knew that He would enable us to join Him in rising from the dead.
So what about us? Do we really believe we’ll rise from the dead? Our unwillingness to boldly and courageously stand for the gospel and for our King might say otherwise. Do we look at danger and flee? Or do we walk through danger, gladly and vibrantly carrying the gospel in our hearts and mouths, knowing that on the other side of the cross is the resurrection? Let’s trust in God’s power to raise the dead; let’s carry the gospel into the face of danger.
What makes you fear sharing the gospel? Are you willing to trust Jesus with it and move forward anyway?
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Weekly Sermons in Swanton: Experience Life to the Full
The message, preached on January 10th, 2010, covered 1 John 1:1-4, and it can be heard via streaming audio at http://www.swantonalliance.org. As John begins to write, he wants his readers to know what’s coming. He’s experienced life, and John invites his readers into his experience of life, urging them to be part of God’s family. John wants more and more readers to share in the joyous life he has in community with God the Father and the Son. Note: Past sermons can be accessed through the resources page.
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
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