What the Inarnation Means to a Missionary

http://www.charityministries.org/audio/4085.mp3

The Church in Philadelphia

The church in Philadelphia is a great inspiration to me. Jesus kindly commends them for a number of things, and He has no criticism at all for them. He does say that they have only a little strength. This may mean that they had many new Christians who had not yet grown strong in the faith. It could mean that they were few in number. Yet, He tells them that even though they have a little strength, they have remained faithful. We may feel that way today. Most of the people in the world are not serving God. The true church may seem weak and outnumbered. Yet with the strength of God, we can keep the faith and spread the gospel to the world around us. Lord, give us strength to remain faithful until You come back to take us to heaven.

The Church in Sardis

Jesus addressed the church in Sardis, and it was evident that it was in sorry shape. They had a name that they were living, but they were dead. The spiritual life had gone out of them. Jesus told them to strengthen the things that remained. He warned them to repent and be saved. He also encouraged the few true believers who were still in the church. What a sad commentary on a church.

 
 

Is this the story of my church, of your church? Is my church vibrant and alive. Is it reaching out to the world? Is it a place where the Holy Spirit lives in the hearts of each believer? Or, is it a dead church. Has the life gone out of it? Does it have a name that it lives, but is really dead? Am I the kind of member I should be? Am I contributing to church life? Am I among the church members who have not defiled their garment? What would Jesus say to me if he gave me a report card?. Lord, help me to be the kind of church member I should be. Help me to contribute the church I belong to. Help me to put my whole life into it so that it can be a church that is alive and growing for you.

The Last Be More than the First

The next church that Jesus spoke to was Thyatira. He told them, "I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first." This is what Jesus desires for all of us. He wants us to grow in the faith. He wants us to increase in good works. He wants faithful service that gets better through the years, not something that fades and eventually dies. He doesn't want us to lose our first love as the Ephesians did. The Christian life is a growing experience by its very nature. We cannot be standing still. We are either moving forward or losing ground, because any time that we are not fighting for God, the devil is winning. He doesn't give us any reprieve. We need to constantly be on our guard. There is no time to waste.

 
 

Lord, help me to be like the people at the church of Thyatira. Help me to increase in faith and in the knowledge of You. Help me to draw closer to You throughout my entire life. Help me to constantly choose to move on, leaving behind the things of this life and pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God.

The Church at Pergamos

The second church that Jesus addresses is the church at Pergamos. This was a very wicked city. In describing it, Jesus said that Satan's seat was there. Yet, in the middle of all this evil, there was a church faithfully living for God. It was very difficult to live right in such a city, and Jesus commended them for it. Yet, in this church Jesus saw some of the affects of the evil culture creeping into the church. There was immorality and false doctrine in the church. They evidently had not kept themselves pure from the filth that was all around them. In addition, they failed to remove the erring members of the church and Christ had some harsh words for them.

 
 

It's very similar in our day. We live in a world where evil and crime are commonplace and even glorified. If we're not careful, it can rub off on us. We can begin to think that sin is not so bad. We can even begin to tolerate it in our church, but if we do that, it will spread through the church like a cancer. Before long, our church will no longer be a bastion of holiness. Instead it will be a stronghold of the devil where people feel good because they think they are Christians. But instead, they are deceived and lulled into a sleep of death. Let's work hard to maintain the holiness of the church through the power of Jesus Christ. With Him on our side, we will always win!

I Know Thy Works

As Jesus was giving a message to the church at Smyrna, He said, "I know thy works." Of course, He knows everyone's works. He sees everyone everywhere all the time. To the church in Smyrna, this was a comfort. He saw what they were doing. He saw the difficulties they were facing and He would reward them for what they had done. To anyone who is not obeying Jesus, this is not good news at all. Jesus also knows the wrong things that people do. He is watching all the time and will also reward those people for what they've done. So, which camp are you in. Does that fact that Jesus is watching all the time strike fear in your heart, or does it give you confidence in what you're doing?

 
 

Lord, help me always to remember that Your are watching all the time: that You know our works, and nothing goes unnoticed. Help me to live in such a way that I'll have nothing to regret. Help me to live my life in such a way that You can say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."

Lost Their First Love

In the next few days, we'll be reading through the book of Revelation. Some of the chapters are very hard to understand and can be controversial. So, please feel free to comment with your ideas and opinions. I will be taking a very literal approach to the interpretation of the book. I believe that most of what is spoken here will literally come to pass. However, it is obvious that there are many figures of speech given as well.

 
 

In chapter 2, Jesus starts with a message to the church at Ephesus. He commends them for a number of things, but they had lost their first love. They no longer had a vibrant fellowship with Jesus. Maybe their commitment was waning. Maybe they were too busy with other things and left their spiritual life fall behind. Maybe they forgot what they had been saved from. At any rate, they weren't loving God and each other as they should have.

 
 

We, too, can fall into this trap. When we first become a Christian, we are so happy to be saved. Our love for Jesus is warm and vibrant. We tell other people about Him. But, sometimes we get to busy and distracted with the less important things in life. We allow them to take priority over the more important things, and we lose our first love. Lord, help me to remain in close fellowship with You all my life. Restore, me when I begin to lose that first love. Help me always to remember that my relationship with You is more important than anything else in this world.

The Battle for Who You Are

http://www.charityministries.org/audio/4090.mp3

Christian Confidence

Christians are some of the most confident people in the world. They know that God has saved them and they are bound for heaven. They can know that Jesus is coming again. They know Whom they have believed, and they know that the Bible is true. However, all this confidence is based on God. We dare never put any confidence in our own strength. If we do, we will always be disappointed. Humans fail. We may be able to do some things in our own strength, but we can never go far without relying on God's strength. Only in Him can we have complete confidence. Only in Him will we never be disappointed.

 
 

Lord, help me to put all my confidence in You. Help me not to confidence in man. Help me to trust You without reservation. Help me to throw my whole life into Your service because You hold the future!

Judge Not

Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. --Luke 6:37

 
 

Jesus calls us to be tolerant and understanding toward those around us. Everyone has grown up with different circumstances and life experiences and so they have become different people with different preferences and ideas. This is what makes a church or any other organization rich and diverse if people learn to be tolerant. Intolerance began in the church before it ever was the church. Jesus disciples once met a man who was casting out devils in the name of Jesus and they told him to stop because he was not with them. Today things are not much different. There are church feuds within the church or between church groups. This is not what God had in mind for the church. God wants His people to get along with each other and work together. However, he does not want us to tolerate sin. He does speak very clearly, in the Bible, about how to deal with sin, and He does not want us to tolerate it. How many friendships have been ruined, lives lost, and wars fought that could have been eliminated if people only had tolerance.

 
 

Lord, help me to be tolerant of people around me. Help me to understand that just because someone thinks differently than I do, it doesn't make it wrong. Help me to do my best to understand things from their point of view. Help me to reach out and befriend the friendless, help the unlovely and bring them to You.

Is Jesus Enough

http://www.odb.org/devotionals/our-daily-bread/2009/05/21/devotion.aspx

Attitude of Worship

"If you limit worship to where you are, the minute you leave that place of worship you will leave your attitude of worship behind like a crumpled-up church bulletin."

 
 

________

 
 

Tony Evans

Hospitality

As Paul was on his way to Rome for his trial, the ship he was travelling on faced some very bad storms. It eventually was shipwrecked on the small island of Melita. The people were very kind to those poor, shipwrecked folks. They built a fire for them and took them into their houses for lodging even though they spoke a different language.

 
 

This is something we can each learn from. God wants us to be hospitable to others: even those that we don't know. Hospitality is a mark of a true Christian. This can also give us an opportunity to witness as well.

 
 

1 Peter 4:9

"Use hospitality one to another without grudging."

KJV

Believing the Master of the Ship

As Paul was on his way to Rome as a prisoner, they stopped on the way. It was getting too late in the season for safe sailing and Paul advised them not to sail any further. However, the captain of the ship thought it would be safe. So, the centurion believed the captain instead of following Paul's warning. Isn't that how we are sometimes? We tend to follow human reasoning instead of the advice of godly people. We like to take our own way. We think we know best, but how can we know better than God. We do well to follow the advice of godly people around us and not trust in our own wisdom.

 
 

Lord, help me to humble enough to accept help and advice. Help me to live for You even when it's difficult or unpopular. Help me to reach out and give others a lift whenever I can. Thank You for all the godly people around me that can give me advice and encourage me when I need it. Thank You for the wonderful provision of salvation that allows me to live a victorious life for You.

Abba, Father

http://www.charityministries.org/audio/4091.mp3

All Things Work Together For Good

The life of Paul is a great example of how God works all things together for good to those that love Him. Paul was unjustly accused and put in prison, but it was the means for the Gospel to be shared with many people who may not otherwise have heard it. He was able to speak before the chief captain in Jerusalem, Governor Felix and Governor Festus, and finally the Emperor in Rome as well as many other people along the way. I'm sure Paul didn't enjoy being in prison, but God had a plan and Paul faithfully fulfilled it.

 
 

We need to remember that God has a plan for our lives too. It may seem like we face many difficulties and we don't know what to do, but let's always remember that God is working everything out for our good and His glory.

Keeping Peace in the Church

Paul was a missionary primarily to the Gentiles even though he was Jewish. This made his job very sensitive. There were many Jews who still believed the Jewish people were required to keep the Old Testament Law even after they became Christians. This caused some unrest in the early church. So, when Paul returned to Jerusalem, the leaders there asked him to take a vow to show that he was still obeying the Old Testament law (even though God did not require it. Paul could have said, "These people just need to grow up and realize that the law is dead. We are Christians with the Holy Spirit. We don't need the law anymore." But, he didn't. He took the vow and did all the other necessary things just to keep the peace in church.

 
 

What am I willing to do in order to keep the peace in church? Am I meek enough to do as I'm directed even if I disagree? Lord, help me to follow you and our church. Give me the humility to accept direction even if I feel it is uncessary.

No Small Stir About "That Way"

While Paul was in Ephesus preaching, the book of Acts tells us that "There arose no small stir about that way." That way being the way of Christianity. In fact, it even got the whole city in an uproar. Why, Christianity is radical. It can change people's lives. It shifts our thinking and our priorities. It has the power to change the world. It was powerful in Paul's day and it is still just as powerful today, but God often chooses to work through us: "Expect Great Things from God, Attempt Great Things for God." So, we must be prepared to do our part and God will always do His part.

True Christianity Costs Us Something

In Acts 19, we have the account of many of the Ephesians becoming Christians. Now Ephesus was famous for its black arts: sorcery, witchcraft, magic and the like. So, many of these people who became Christians had books on all these things. As they became Christians they wanted to leave all the things of the old life behind. So, they brought their books together and burned them. When they counted up the worth of the books they burned, it came to 50,000 pieces of silver, a tremendous sum of money.

 
 

So it is today. Being a Christian will cost us something. We will need to lay down the things of the old life. It will take commitment to the new life. It will take sacrifice. When we follow Christ, He wants our whole life. If we can't give Him everything, He doesn't want it at all. Living for Jesus takes everything we have. Let's give it our all.

 
 

They Opposed Themselves

Paul was preaching to the Jews in Corinth, but they would not listen to him, and the Bible uses a very interesting phrase. "They opposed themselves." It doesn't say that they opposed Paul. Rather, they opposed themselves. It was really themselves that they were hurting. This is something that we need to remember when we are witnessing and people don't like what we are saying. It's no us that they are opposing. They really are opposing themselves. We needn't take it personally. We are only sharing the truth of the Bible and people who oppose us aren't rejecting us. They are rejecting God and His truth that can save them.

Creating a Love to Learn

http://www.charityministries.org/audio/4099.mp3

Wholly Given to Idolatry

As Paul arrived in Athens, his spirit was moved because the city was wholly given to idolatry. Isn't that how our world is today? No, people don't actually bow to statues in many cases, but they have other idols that are more important to them than God. This is just as wrong. God condemns idols very vehemently. It was the cause for much of Israel's suffering when God punished them for idolatry. Once again today, so many people (even Christians) have fallen into idolatry. They worship their money, jobs, cars, houses, celebrities, sports heroes, and even our president. We even have "American Idol" and many Christians don't think twice about it. It's time for us to wake up and give God His rightful place. We need to put all these other things out of our life or at least in a much lower position. We need to put God back on the throne in our hearts. We must stop this idolatry and repent of it.

Singing in Prison

I'm sure you know the story in Acts 16 how Paul and Silas were falsely accused, unjustly beaten, thrown in to prison, and put in the stocks. I've had bad days already, but nothing like this. What did they do? Did they sit there and act like martyrs bemoaning their situation. Did they blame God. Did they give up on preaching the Gospel? Not in the least. They spread the Gospel right there in prison at midnight. They began singing! What an amazing testimony to the power of the Holy Spirit! These men had every reason to be discouraged, but instead of moping, they were singing. And the story doesn't end there. God brought an earthquake that opened the jail doors, and instead of escaping, they used the opportunity to witness to the jailor and he and his household were baptized that night.

 
 

God will do wonderful things, but He often uses His people to accomplish them. How often has God wanted to use me, but I was complaining instead of singing? How often have I missed a chance to witness because I was worrying about my own troubles instead of reaching out to someone who needed Christ? Lord, help me be willing to reach out and go beyond my troubles and difficulties. Help me to see the bigger picture. Help me not to be discouraged by my petty problems. Help me to see the cause of the Kingdom. Help me to sing in the rain.

The Signs of His Coming

http://www.charityministries.org/audio/4102.mp3

The Fickleness of Man's Praise

One Paul and Barnabas's first missionary journey, they came to Lystra. As they were preaching there, they healed a lame man. The people of Lystra were so impressed that they thought Paul and Barnabas must be gods. The priest even brought oxen and garlands to sacrifice to them. I'm sure Paul and Barnabas were glad to be accepted, but they didn't want the people to sacrifice to them, and they were barely able to stop the people before they offered sacrifices to them. However, their popularity didn't last long. Some antagonistic Jews came from another city and stirred up the people against them and a few days later (so it seems) the people stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city for dead.

 
 

What a contrast! But, so it is today; it may be popular to be a Christian now, but that could change rapidly. In fact, it is changing. Will you and I have the courage to stand up for what's right no matter what other people think. Can we live for Jesus no matter what our friends and neighbors think of us? God can give us the strength to live for Him no matter what we face. Let's trust Him and He will help us.

All Things to All Men

In his ministry, Paul learned a valuable lesson: he learned to become all things to all men. When he was with the Jews, he began his teaching in the Old Testament and lead them to believe that Jesus was the promised Messiah. When he was with the Gentiles, he pointed out God in nature. He began teaching with something that was familiar to his audience. He started on their level and lead them to God. He didn't cheapen the Gospel or change it for his listeners. He just began where they were and ended with God. This is a valuable skill that we all would do well to learn from. It doesn't matter who we're talking to or where we are, we can lead people to God. We can point them in the right direction. We can say a word for the Lord in any situation.

 
 

Lord, help me to willingly speak up for You. Help me to be a living witness for the Gospel. Help me not to be ashamed of being a Christian. Help me to have the wisdom to begin on the level of the people I'm speaking to. Give me courage to speak up for You whenever I have the opportunity.