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First Love Matt 28:19-20 (KJV) “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: (20) 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.” The command to evangelize was given to this group of men who had learned to follow Christ. They were called disciples then, just as those who follow Christ today are also called His disciples. In those days, there would have been no Disciples of Christ, if it were not for the willingness of the Lord to leave the comforts of His glorious realm to come to earth. Today, there would be no Disciples of Christ if those disciples and the disciples that they taught, would not have been willing to abandon their normal way of living for the sake of the command to find and make disciples. In the future, there will be no disciples if we are not willing take the gospel into our world today in like manner. John 14:15 (KJV) “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” John 14:21 (KJV) “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” Too many times I have heard Christian people making excuses as to why they don’t witness and make disciples. The most common excuse is that they don’t feel it to be a part of their calling. I tell them it is not just a part of their calling; it is what Christ has commanded them to do. The bottom line is that some Christians don’t think they have what it takes to do the job, but we must remember that Christ is with us, and He will supply what is needed if we are willing and obedient. Mark 8:4-9 (KJV) “And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these [men] with bread here in the wilderness? (5) And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven. (6) And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before [them]; and they did set [them] before the people. (7) And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before [them]. (8) So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken [meat] that was left seven baskets. (9) And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.” If we start with what we have, God will supply the rest. It is time to stop making excuses, and to do something with what we have! According to Eph 6:15 failure to evangelize will be a detriment to ourselves as well as to those that we fail to reach. Eph 6:15 (GW) “Put on your shoes so that you are ready to spread the Good News that gives peace.” This scripture is referring to one of the most needed pieces of our armor. If we don’t shod-shoe our feet with the Gospel, the Gospel is not going to go anywhere. This scripture also implies that if our feet are not prepared to go forth with the Gospel, then they are vulnerable to damage and even impairment. If we can’t walk the walk, we won’t talk the talk, and we won’t bare any fruit. John 15:8-10 (KJV) “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. (9) As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. (10) If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.” Sowing and reaping is always a determining factor for the amount of any harvest to be yielded, and spreading the Gospel is the only way to harvest souls. Everyone who has been born again can remember how at first they just could not keep quiet about finding Christ, and how glorious it was to tell others about what He was doing in their lives. That is our first love. It is “loving Christ because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). If our lights are not shinning as brightly as at the first, it could well be that we have neglected the first works of our love toward Christ. Rev 2:2-5 (KJV) “I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: (3) And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. (4) Nevertheless I have [somewhat] against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. (5) Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” Thanks be unto God for His grace when we repent, and then do what He has commanded us to do. Mark 16:15 (KJV) “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” -Kurt Thurston February Newsletter 2005 | Spiritual Winter | You Ravish My Heart Pastor's Journal February 2004 | First Love | Storehouses and Treasures part 2 of 3 |
Biblical Counseling for Leaders
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