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Teach the Word

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You know, many times people feel they cannot share the Good News because they havent been believers very long. But, one of the best ways to learn more is by sharing. The more you share, the more you will grow. Shortly before Jesus went back to Heaven he told his disciples to go and make disciples of all the nations. He also comforted them saying, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Do not be held back by your lack of experience- the Lord is with you always. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians, “Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has God not made foolish the wisdom of this world?”

God has different standards than this world- and your humility is something that God can work with. A theology degree doesnt necessarily equip you to be effective for the Lord… though education is important, but without an attitude of humility and love for other people, all the education in the world is useless. God looks at the heart first.

So, dont be held back by being new to the faith or by feelings of inadequacy. Depend on God and His Holy Word when youre sharing the Good News, and the Lord will be with you every step of the way.

The Foundation of the Word

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When I first began to follow Jesus, at 12 years old, I would often pray that God would open doors for me to reach the whole world with the Good News. Since I was new in my faith, and still a boy, I had a lot of learning and growing to do. I felt that a wonderful place to start was studying the Bible, and getting to know it well. And so even as a boy I found myself pouring over the Bible.

Some people wonder if the Bible is a divinely inspired book, or simply a work of literature that men wrote. The Bible is written by men, yes, but these men were under the direct inspiration of God. St. Peter writes, “We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty.”

Reading Gods Word, meditating on it, and studying it, are great ways to become effective in sharing the Good News with others. After all, the Good News is found in scripture. What better way to reach the lost then to share with them what God has said in His Word.

So try it this week, wont you? Set aside time in your day to read the Bible. You will find, in time, that sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ is easier when you have the power of Gods Word on your mind and in your heart.

Christ’s Ambassadors

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Its easy to get discouraged in evangelism, isnt it? Sometimes youre criticized, given the cold shoulder, or cant see the fruit of sharing your faith. When were feeling low, we often forget that God has called each of us to be His ambassadors.

Second Corinthians 5:20 says, “We are therefore Christs ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.” Thats so important to remember!

What does it mean to be Christs ambassador? First of all, an ambassador doesnt invent the message. His president tells him what to say. This means that you dont have to come up with the message. You simply give out the beautiful Good News Gospel, wherever God has put you.

Leave the rest to the Holy Spirit. Also, since youre an ambassador, youre not just some nobody praying for your neighborhood. You have power. You have authority. You have an important mission to spread the Good News message to your world!

No matter how people may respond, it doesnt change the way God sees you. You are His messenger – His ambassador. So keep sharing Gods message of Good News, with dignity and power. After all, thats exactly what an ambassador is called to do!

The Body of Christ

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Many Christians today are in the habit of not going to church. Most are good-hearted believers, who simply dont think they need the local church. But Hebrews 10:25 tells us, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing.”

Why do we need church? Because the local church is Gods way of shaping us, molding us, and then using us to reach our world. Although there may be people there who rub us the wrong way, thats part of the genius of Gods design!

He wants to stretch us, and cause us to grow. We may get bothered by the style of this, or the sound of that. But its good for us! Its humbling, its purifying, its “iron sharpening iron.”

As we are sharpened by others in the church, we become more like Jesus Christ. We also learn how to work with those who are different than us. And working well with other believers is one of the best expressions of Jesus Christ to our world.

So, dream great dreams for your church! Be faithful to it! Pray for it! And get involved. Ask God to use your church to reach your neighborhood, your city, your country for Jesus Christ. Thats exactly what He wants to do!

Your Family

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Theres a wonderful promise in the Old Testament that I came to understand when I was a young boy. The promise is found in Genesis 26:6. God says to Abraham, “Through your descendants all the nations on earth will be blessed.”

When I read that as a boy, I remember thinking, This is something I can pray for my own kids someday! So, as my wife and I started our family, we prayed that prayer for each of our four boys. We said, “Lord, through these boys, please bless all the nations of the world.”

Now, there were some rough years. One of our sons, Andrew, took a big spiritual hike for about 13 years. We experienced a lot of sadness. But we kept praying, “Lord, bless the nations of the world through our boys.” And praise God, Andrew did finally surrender his life to Jesus Christ!

Now, hes an evangelist – sharing the Good News all around the world. In fact, each one of our boys is serving the Lord in different capacities. Its thrilling to watch how God has answered that prayer of ours!

So, dream great dreams for your family. No matter where your kids are right now with the Lord, dont despair. Pray for your children by name, asking God to bless the nations of the world through them. The Lord will hear, and answer!