Please open your Bible and read: Hebrews 12:25-29

Television news is often filled with interviews and images of people who have suffered some unimaginable tragedy. One day we’re shown tornado survivors whose homes were torn apart by winds. Another day we may see massive floods sweeping through an unsuspecting neighborhood. Occasionally, we even view homes that are swallowed whole by terrible earthquakes. The expressions on the faces of those who have suffered loss can be haunting.

Such losses always draw our attention toward the fragility of those things we hold most dear…our homes, families and careers, for example. We seldom like these “wake-up calls” that remind us of the inherent instability of earthly life.

In a world that is shaking apart, believers in Jesus Christ have the privilege of sharing the best news imaginable: there is something that is stable, something that is completely secure. There is a rock on which we are able to stand and it cannot be shaken. That unshakable foundation, of course, is almighty God.

The Lord gives us other immovable truths as well. We can trust that Scripture is His unchanging, always-relevant truth for all time. We can depend on a secure, eternal relationship with Him through His Son. And we can be sure that a heavenly home awaits all those who place their faith in Christ. We can have stability, even in this unstable world.

Who in your life needs this life-saving Good News? Who is drowning around you, desperately needing you to throw a lifeline? Don’t wait; do it today.

Question: Who in your life needs the life-saving good news of the gospel?

“And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. . . Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.” (Acts 8:1,4)

What an extraordinary thing! The newly converted Christians didn’t hide away in houses and caves, but continued to proclaim the Good News. They didn’t cower when they faced opposition and persecution, did they?  Luke tells it almost as a matter of fact statement, but what a huge sentence that is. In spite of persecution, they went on preaching.

There was a time, not too long ago, when it was a good thing to be a woman or man of faith. People admired your steadfastness, and  it testified to your morals and integrity.  Not now. Today, being labeled a Christian can be a derogatory thing. It means you are “un-evolved”, stubborn, behind the times, not accepting of others.

Not everyone in our neighborhood, workplace, even in our church, is a Christian. People say the church is dying.  I disagree. I think, in the face of public persecution, the sheep are being separated from the goats. We are now being scattered,  just like the believers of the first century.  We are now a remnant, and God has always used His remnant for great and wondrous things. Will we let Him use us?

Today, that which was once only whispered about in back alleys is being proclaimed as the norm by the media, and it is us Christians who are now whispering in the wind. Scattered amongst a growing sea of non-believers, will we stand up, speak up and proclaim the Gospel? Or will we cower in our pews, shake our heads and lament the world has gone the wrong direction?

Some whisper we are in the end times. They crouch and wait for His coming to take them away from the madness. Is that what God wants from His people?  Should we not instead be screaming from the rooftops, and on the street corners, and in the pews  about the King of Glory? When legislation after legislation is passed to stifle us from praying in public, and affirms lifestyles the Bible clearly states is wrong, what will be our response? Slink away back to our prayer corners shaking our heads, or be like the first of our brothers and sisters who went on to proclaim Christ risen and left the reception of that message up to God?

This simple, matter-of-fact sentence in Acts chapter 8, verse 4  convicts me to the core of my being. I have always been one to cower to opposition, and swallow my opinion in order to keep the peace. Perhaps I should leave the peace keeping up to God and not try to control the situation so everyone likes me.  Maybe,  instead God is calling me to stand firm and proclaim Him as my Lord. Maybe I should no longer be content to whisper prayers in the wind.

Question: Are you content to whisper in the wind?

“By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” 1 John 4:9-10

One of the wonderful things about God is that through Scripture, He reveals what matters to Him. In the parables of the lost coin, the lost sheep and the “lost” prodigal son, Jesus discloses the heart of God. Those who have missed the saving truth of God as well as believers who have wandered away from His ways learn that they matter greatly to Him.

Just as the woman scoured her room to find a coin, the Lord pursues us so that we might accept His gift of faith. Like the shepherd who left those ninety-nine sheep in safety to find the one who had wandered away, our Shepherd cares about us.

His priority is not only to bring us into relationship with Himself but also to keep us close to Him. What’s more, His concern is the same whether we are roaming for the first or the hundredth time. And just as the prodigal’s father welcomed and forgave his son, our heavenly Father promises the same to us. Because of the saving work of Jesus Christ, God’s love “keeps no record of wrongs” (1 Corinthians 13:5). The prodigal’s father threw a party; Scripture tells us heaven also rejoices when one who was lost has been found. (Luke 15:6, 9-10, 24)

Our loving Father desires each person in His creation be “found.” Since He knows we all start life in a “lost” spiritual condition (Romans 3:10-11), He offers each of us a place in His family through Jesus’ redemptive work. He’s entrusted believers with spreading the message of hope. Does your heart beat as God’s does for the lost? If not, pray for a heart change.

Question: What opportunities in your life are there to speak of God’s grace to those who do not know Him?

“We work together with God, and we beg you to make good use of God’s kindness to you. In the Scriptures God says,
“When the time came, I listened to you,
and when you needed help, I came to save you.”
That time has come. This is the day for you to be saved.” 2 Corinthians 6:1-2, CEV

Imagine that you give someone a fabulous gift. When they receive it, they positively beam with excitement and enthusiasm, and thank you profusely for giving them for giving them such a great present.

Then they toss it into their closet and ignore it forever.

You might wonder about the authenticity of their praise.

We might also wonder about our own spiritual walk when we do not “make good use of God’s kindness” to us (2 Corinthians 6:1). Although we are not saved by our own works, our response in faith to God’s grace given by Jesus’ death and resurrection reflects the change which has occurred in our hearts as the Holy Spirit has come to live and work inside us.

If we believe we have found the greatest hope, the greatest love, the greatest truth in the world, how could we not share this truth with others? The apostle Paul has a stern warning for us: “Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.” (Romans 11:22) That’s pretty harsh, but underscores the importance of making use of the kindness God has shown to us.

According to a survey of over 700 Muslims who came to faith in Christ, by far the largest single thing that influenced them to become Christians was seeing the lives of Christians that stood out due to the kindness and love they demonstrated. Therefore, let’s accept God’s kindness with thanksgiving, and not just put it on the shelf, but in turn offer kindness to others, so that they too might come to know the gracious God who proves such a wonderful gift for all who are willing to accept it.

Question: How has God shown you kindness, and how can you through everyday actions show kindness to others?

“… Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
“Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”
Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”
Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.” John 9:1-38

Have you ever considered the sheer power in your simple testimony?

John’s gospel tells a wonderful story of a blind man whom Jesus healed. If the story ended with the man opening his eyes and praising God, it would certainly be powerful. However, John carries the account a bit further; as a result, we witness the events that happened next.

The Jewish authorities did not know what to make of this miraculous healing. They had all the facts before them -a man they knew was born blind, the crowd that overheard his interaction with Jesus, the proof of identity provided by his parents- and yet they refused to believe what was clear to so many. Essentially, they challenged the man’s testimony.

In this way, the religious authorities voiced their disbelief: “We know that this man [Jesus] is a sinner” (John 9:24). The assumption is that He could therefore perform no miracle.

The response was brilliant in its simplicity: “Whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see” (John 9:25).

No matter what else was said, the man knew the Pharisees could not refute the basic fact that he had been healed. The Bible shows the authorities lost their tempers because they could not argue their way around that fact.

People simply cannot argue against the truth of your experience with Jesus. Rejoice that the Lord has given you such a powerful weapon in the midst of so great a spiritual battlefield.

“Telling It Like It Is” by Dr. Charles Stanley appeared in In Touchmagazine, March 2004. Copyright ? IN TOUCH MINISTRIES. P.O. Box 7900, Atlanta, GA 30357. All rights reserved.? www.intouch.org. Used with permission.

Question: Can you tell someone your testimony of how you came to faith succinctly and powerfully?

“And the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.’”  Luke 3:22

Today, would God say He is pleased with you? Would you say He is pleased with you? He wants to say that- and He is, if you have accepted Christ into your heart, life and soul. But there is more to that formula, isn’t there?

God said this at Jesus’ baptism, which at the time was only a cleansing act. Anytime a Jew felt they had sinned and were unclean, they went to be washed by baptism.  Today we must undergo mini baptisms and call upon the blood of Christ to wash us white as snow. How? Confession.

I recall a time that I had done something I should not have done. For the life of me I can’t remember what that deed was, but to this day I remember how horrible I felt. If I told my mother, I knew I’d be disciplined. I didn’t want that. I was afraid she’d find out because moms always do, so I pulled away from her and avoided her the rest of the day.  I barely spoke to her the next day.

Each hour the fear and anguish grew. She paid attention to my siblings but I’d walk away. I actually became jealous that they were in good with her when I was not. I began to think she didn’t love me as much as she loved them. I became the victim instead of the offender. I stewed and stewed until it all burst out in tears. Once I’d confessed, my relationship with my mother was restored. Only then did I learn how much I had hurt her, and myself.

Where are you with God? Are you afraid to go to Him and confess your sins in fear He might discipline you?  Do you pull away because you know He knows? Are you stewing in jealousy of others’ closer relationship with Him?  Do you cry out “Please God love me” forgetting it is you who pulled away?

Ever hear of getting back in good graces with someone? It means to restore your relationship with them so they will think of you in a favorable way – they are pleased to be in your company. Each night, before we close our eyes, we should wipe the slate clean with our Lord. It is a good time to touch base with Him, receive His forgiveness, discipline and loving embrace.

To get back in good graces with God, i.e. receive God’s mercy and grace, we must be the ones willing to come forward and be cleansed. Once we do, He will say to us as He said to Jesus, “You are my child. I am pleased with you.” His Spirit will once again rule in us and we will be thankful.

Question: Do you feel the need to earn God’s love?

We know the Gospel, so why is it so hard to share the Gospel?

When we see a great movie or find an awesome deal we can’t wait to tell our friends. But when it comes to talking about spiritual things we clam up. We tell ourselves that they’re not interested, that they might be offended.

On March 31, a small film crew set out to interview 300 people about faith, fear and whether or not Canada is ready for the Gospel. Over 14,000km and 300 interviews later, they had an answer.

These are our stories. What’s yours?

You can see all the stories at the Power to Change Staff Pages.

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The Resurrection: Reason to rejoice

“For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith” (Hebrews 4:2).

It is sadly true that the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection is meaningless to many who hear it. The message has no value to those who don’t believe it. Some don’t believe Jesus really died. Or they don’t believe He rose from the dead. They don’t believe He was completely sinless. They don’t believe He is God.

Maybe they don’t even believe they are sinners in need of a savior. Or maybe it is simply they don’t believe God cares about them personally. Whatever the reason, it all boils down to one thing. If you don’t believe the truth, the truth will not change you. It is worthless to you.

This is the point the writer of Hebrews is making. Many people in the past had heard that God would provide a way for them to enter His rest. But they didn’t combine the message they heard with faith.

And in this present time, many have heard of Jesus’ love, of His sacrifice on the cross, and of His promise of abundant life for both now and the future…but they don’t combine the message they hear with faith.

We must believe the truth about Jesus. We must act on what we have heard. We must combine it with faith.

Later in the same book we are told, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).

Holy God, I come to You now, believing that You exist. You created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them. I thank You and praise You that You have made a way for me to know You. Help me to seek You with all my heart. Amen.

Questions: Is there something you have heard about Jesus but haven’t yet combined with faith? How have you experienced reward from God for earnestly seeking Him?

On one ministry afternoon, as the sun was setting and the team began to pack up, one of the younger girls in our group was stopped by a Jehovah’s Witness. As Shayne stood there and listened to this middle aged man give his address about what is to come in the afterlife, I happened to be strolling by with the DRIME bag in hand.

I immediately introduced myself to the gentleman, engaged in the conversation, and listened to this man share his faith with us. I then began to share with him texts which gave the truth regarding our future existence, our roles on the earth at the end of the age, and what is offered to us presently.

We then transitioned into a dialogue regarding the difference of our positions on the Deity of Christ. I provoked this conversation due to the fact that we could spend all evening defending our points of view on secondary issues if we chose to, but what is at the core of both of our seemingly similar worldviews is actually the crux of  The Gospel, and that is who Jesus actually is. After allowing me to share the gospel with him, the gentleman had a curious look on his face. He then said, “You really believe that?” I responded, “Believe what?”

He then began to ask strangely philosophical questions that were stemming from the reasoning of his own belief system, as it was being directly challenged. Some of the questions were: “If Jesus were God, how could he create beings like us, who are so much weaker than himself, then let them kill him?” and “How could God be a man?” These questions were a great way to transition into the misunderstanding of a lot of misleading worldviews that tend to limit God. All in all, alongside the Gospel of course, the one thing that was asserted, that left him in a quizzical mood, was that God’s Glory is the all- encompassing purpose of our enjoyment and experience as His creation. All of the implications in this truth began to flood into his face, and I knew that he was beginning to understand the truth of the Gospel. This conversation showed me how God is using us to convey the Gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit to turn hearts toward Him in San Diego.

Anthony is one of the new leaders of DRIME San Diego. They will be starting their ministry year in September. Pray for them as they share God’s truth with people in California!

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