The Armour of God- Part 2

We studied our enemy last week, and so this week we are going to look at the first 3 parts of the armour of God. Now remember, we are fighting the ruler of the Kingdom of the air, (Ephesians 2:2), so we are engaged in a spiritual battle.  We need to stand and hold our ground firstly, then ultimately attack, but standing firm and holding ground is our first priority. Ephesians 6:13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. I actually love how the Message Bible translates this passage... Ephesians 6:11- 13 So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we'll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels. Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet. So, when facing the enemy, we know He will attack in many areas, and we highlighted 3 last week, society, the church and importantly, your mind. This last one is where we will concentrate our defence. The Bible never instructs you to flirt with the devil. It does not tell you to collaborate with him. But it does tell you to resist him... James 4:7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. If you struggle with a sin, run like crazy! If you struggle with sex, don't visit porn sites. If you struggle with gossip, don't talk to certain people. If you struggle with anger, find a way to defuse yourself before you explode! If you struggle with substance abuse This is why we don't like seeing Christians dating Non believers. Aside from the Biblical commandment to not be unequally yoked (2 Corinthians 6:14), it just makes sense. You might think you will win them to Christ, but 9 times out of 10 they will win you away from Christ. Don't flirt with it, it's a tough gig and it is just not worth it most often. Flip Wilson was an African American comedian in the 1970s, and he had one famous skit about a black lady who bought a dress and, when her husband asked her why she bought it, she said it was not her fault because, "The devil made me do it!" That is not resisting, right? And collaborating, well we know about that from the war. Collaborators were those who, when the Nazis invaded, decided to work with them rather than join the resistance. After the war, the men were shot and the women had their heads shaved and were ostracised from the community for the rest of their life. You don't want to flirt with the devil, or collaborate, you need to resist.

PUT ON THE FULL ARMOUR Of GOD

If you are going to resist, put in the full armour of God The Greek word for "full armour" is panoplia, which refers to the complete armour of a heavily armed infantry soldier. It is not light, it is sometimes a little uncomfortable, but it is the maximum protection for a soldier. With this you can not only stand, you can withstand. So you can stand your ground, and you can withstand the onslaughts of the enemy and his troops... the underlying meaning of withstanding is resisting. So let's start to look at the various pieces of armour God gives you.

1. THE BELT OF TRUTH

The first piece of armor mentioned is this belt of truth. IN Ephesians 6:13, it says Stand firm, there's that word again, with the belt of truth. In older translations it says, gird your loins, which is very poetic, but it actually means tighten your belt. Now the Greek word for truth is halētheia, which refers to the state of the heart answering to God's truth; or the agreement of our convictions with God's revelation. Certainly we must be faithful in holding the truth of God’s word, but it is also necessary for the truth to hold us. We must apply God's truth to our daily lives. As we test everything by the truth, we find strength and protection in the combat. So the belt is not our truth, it is God's truth, and because it is a belt or a girdle, it surrounds the central point of your body. In fact, the loins was described by ancients as the seat of power. So "To smite through the loins" is to strike a fatal blow. "To lay affliction upon the loins" is to afflict heavily. And the belt or girdle holds everything together, it is the common bond of the whole of your body armour. You see, truth gives unity to and surrounds all the different virtues, and it also gives determination and consistency to your character. All the virtues are exercised within the sphere of truth. Compromise truth, and you compromise everything! Now my wife pointed out to me that at some point everybody lies. Who has ever ticked a box on the internet labeled "I have read and agreed to the terms and conditions" without actually reading them? I would argue that I have skimmed them, but there you go! However, outside of that, we need to be totally honest. Now we all know that when your belt slips, it can be very embarrassing. Try running, jumping or fighting with your pants around your ankles because your belt has slipped! Not exactly efficient, in fact it could be dangerous and cause your demise, right? I scuba dived a few weeks ago, and tightened my weight belt before descending.  The pressure caused my 7ml wetsuit to contract, and my belt was slipping. I had to stop swimming and continually haul it up, otherwise I could lose it and float too fast to the surface.  To be honest, it distracted me and ruined my first dive. So what does this mean for you?  It means you need to truthful and honest, and frankly some of you aren't doing that. You need to be careful at being honest 100% of the time, and not bend or warp the truth to suit your own ends. I know Christian businessmen who lie and are not honest. I know Christian mums who lie to their kids. I even know pastors who lie and twist the truth so they can get their own way. No matter who you are, no matter what the excuse or circumstances, it is not right! So, are you absolutely honest in everything you do, or do you bend the truth when it suits? In my life and business, I am a stickler for honesty. I will not permit my staff to lie either, so if someone calls and I don't want to talk to them, they are instructed to say, "Darin can't talk right now," they cannot say, "Darin is not here." Even with the kids, how do you speak to them? If they ask for something in a shop, do you say ,"We can't afford that?"  What about with friends? What about at church? Do you say the occasional "white lie" to get your own way. "White lie", now there's a fallacy... All lies are black in God's eyes! Integrity is a bit like pregnancy... You cannot be half pregnant, or 90% pregnant! You either are pregnant or you are not. Same with integrity. If you are honest 98% of the time, then you are dishonest. You can't have 98% integrity! And remember, the belt is what your sword hangs on, so if you want to be powerfully used by God, you can't be a liar! And if you want to stand against and be protected from the devil, the first thing you need to do is to covenant with God to be truthful... 100% honest. With yourself, and with others!  This is the first piece of the Armour of God. And this leads to the next piece of armour...

2. BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

The breastplate is the Greek word thorax, which we use of the central part of an insect body, which looks a little bit like the original breastplate piece of armour. It was a form of protection from the neck to the bottom of the ribs, and consisted of 2 pieces, a front and a corresponding back section.  Each section could be solid, or chain mail, often with pieces of horn or other hard material sown in for protection. It's a bit like an ancient Kevlar vest. The breastplate protects the vital organs of a soldier, and it needs to be serviceable but also comfortable. It guards your heart, stomach and other organs. The Greek word for righteousness is dikaiosune is “the character or quality of being right or just”;  It is used to denote an attribute of God, e.g., Rom. 3:5, the context of which shows that “the righteousness of God” means essentially His right nature, which is the same as His faithfulness, or truthfulness, that which is consistent with His own nature and promises. Essentially, righteousness is doing right, not by our standards but by God's. So what this element of the armour tells us is that doing right protects our heart. Jeremiah tells us that the natural heart of man is deceitful and desperately wicked... Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?   Proverbs tells us to guard our hearts... Proverbs 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. We are instructed to “put on” this armor, which implies that we do not automatically wear it all the time, which means that sometimes, our hearts are vulnerable, especially if we flirt or collaborate instead of resist. Putting on the armor of God requires a decision on our part. To put on the breastplate of righteousness, we must first have the belt of truth firmly in place, because one is fastened onto the other. You see, without truth, our righteousness will be based upon our own attempts to impress God by trying to be right. This leads to legalism or self-condemnation (Romans 8:1), so trying to be good enough is never going to protect you properly... It has to be His righteousness! We must choose to acknowledge that, apart from Him, we can do nothing (He is the vine, we are the branches, devoid of life if not connected to Him...John 15:5). If we truly have accepted Christ into our lives, we can see ourselves as being “in Christ” and that, regardless of our failures, His righteousness has been credited to our account. It's His righteousness, not ours! So it is almost like Jesus looks at our righteousness, which is like filthy rags, and says, "Oh, that will never protect you, you'd better put mine on!" We “put it on” by seeking His Kingdom and His righteousness above everything else (Matthew 6:33). That shows you how much God values righteousness and integrity. Yet so many of us compromise our righteousness and integrity for things, for stuff, yet if we seek first His righteousness, we get the stuff we need anyway! When God reveals an area of change to us, we obey and allow Him to work in us. At the point where we say “no” to God, we open a little crack in the armor where Satan’s arrows can get through (Ephesians 6:16). As we wear Christ’s breastplate of righteousness, we begin to develop a purity of heart that translates into actions. Wearing this breastplate creates a lifestyle of putting into practice what we believe in our hearts. As our lives become conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29), our choices become more righteous, and these godly choices also protect us from further temptation and deception (Proverbs 8:20; Psalm 23:3). Why not be like the prophet Daniel? Daniel 6:4 At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. Daniel’s steadfastness, strength of character and faith grew out of his habits of holiness. He consistently did the right thing, and the more he did right the harder it became for him to do wrong. So righteousness becomes a habit if we put on the breastplate daily. Studies show that of we maintain a behaviour for 30 days straight it become a life changing habit. It becomes our norm, so whether it is having a quiet time, praying or flossing, making something valuable into a habit takes 30 days but is life changing. So if you put this piece of the armour on daily, you will, over time, see you actions change to be more Christ-like, and less you-like! And your heart will be protected. And remember, this piece of armour is protecting your heart! Remember Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Do you want peace? Then be righteous, because a righteous man has no fears of being found out. This week I met someone who had tried to dig up dirt on me. Was I ashamed to see them? Not at all! Why? Because I knew in my heart I had acted righteously with regards them. I had peace. My heart was guarded. So righteousness is the way to guard your heart and mind, and the more you put it on, the more your ways will become truly righteous, because you will conforms to His will,

3. SANDALS OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE

Ephesians 6:15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. What Paul is referring to here is the caligal, or Roman military boots. These were one of the most important parts of the Roman soldier’s equipment. They were designed for marches over every kind of tough terrain, and it has even been said that the attention given to soldiers’ boots was the secret of Roman conquests across the then known world. The gospel of peace is the message that Jesus gave to those who trust in Him (John 14:27; Romans 10:15). And it is not just the Gospel message, because when you come to Christ you also receive the assurance from God that you are His child and nothing can snatch you out of His hands (John 10:29; 1 John 5:13). The word readiness implies constant vigilance. A victorious soldier had to be always ready and prepared for battle. He had to have studied his enemy’s strategy, be confident in his own strategy, and have his feet firmly planted so that he could hold his ground when the attacks came. You see, a Roman soldier’s battle shoes were studded with nails or spikes to help him keep his balance in combat. He knew that, if he lost his footing and went down, it wouldn’t matter how good the rest of his armour was; the enemy had him, and he would be doomed. When we are ready with the gospel of peace, we live with the understanding that we are continually under attack from Satan. Second Timothy 4:2 says to “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season.” So the gospel itself is to be the firm footing of the believer, and his walk needs to be worthy of it and therefore a testimony in regard to the gospel. These shoes are defensive helping us to stand our ground, and also offensive as we attack by sharing the good news with others... Isaiah 52:7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!” So let me finish this message by asking you, how's your belt, how's your breastplate and how's your shoes? Do you struggle to live the life of integrity you long to live? Are you fearful to share your faith with others? Take a few moments right now to examine your heart carefully, Jeremiah 20:12 Lord Almighty, you who examine the righteous and probe the heart and mind, Let Him probe your heart and mind right now. If you long to have truth and integrity as the foundation of your life, and if you feel unrighteous but long to be more righteous and Christ-like, respond to His Spirit and ask Him to fill you with integrity, truth, righteousness and the gospel.  Then you have pu on the first three pars of the Armour of God!

https://ignitechurch.org.au/?p=1519

Spiritual Success 6- Shining and Sharing Your Faith

Shining and sharing your faith is an important part of becoming a spiritual success. And we have seen that the steps involve reading the Bible daily, praying constantly, fellowshipping at the right church, giving of yourself and your money, and now the final step in becoming a true spiritual success is shining and sharing your faith.

WE ARE CHRIST’S BILLBOARDS

  As you drive along the motorway you see billboards, and they are designed to capture your attention. They are easily seen, and often have a slogan in them that intrigues, shocks or otherwise makes you look. Most people in our nation will never enter a church building apart from maybe a wedding or funeral. They will never read the Bible. You and I are the only Bible they will ever see, the only contact with a church they will ever experience.   Romans 10:14-15 (ESV Strong's) How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”   You are the billboard, you are the one who is sent and you sharing your faith, church, not the pastor, not the guy with evangelism as their spiritual gift, you and I are the ones to show Jesus and preach the good news to them!   Spiritually successful Christians make others look and you are constantly sharing your faith, even if they themselves are quiet and unassuming.   And remember, kindness, love, respect, miracles, signs and wonders, all of these are links in the chain of salvation, but none of them actually save people.   Ten million signs and wonders would not make this world turn to Christ, because belief is a choice. Ultimately people choose to either accept Christ, or reject Him. You’re responsible in sharing your faith, but you are not responsible for the decision they make.    

WE ARE ALL CALLED TO SHINE

  John Stott said, “We should not ask, “What is wrong with the world?” for that diagnosis has already been given. Rather, we should ask, “What has happened to the salt and light?”   Matthew 5:13-16 (ESV Strong's) “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.   Every one of us is called to shine for Jesus, to be salt and light to a world that is a mess. Whether you fancy yourself as an evangelist, whether you have that gift or not, sharing your faith starts with you shining for Jesus. Very often it’s what you do rather than what you say that is the most important thing in reaching out to others.   Uncle Erick story… On his way to church in his Sunday suit and saw a neighbour digging out his grease trap. He went home, changed into his overalls, skipped church and got down and dirty and smelly in the hole with the man… a few weeks later that man came to Christ.   If you are not living a life they respect, why should they bother to listen to you?  If you’re gossiping, exploding in anger, manipulating people or holding grudges, your words carry little power. If they see you as honest, stable and kind, someone with their life together, they will listen to you, I promise you! Especially if their life is a mess.   But don’t think you need to be a stellar Christian to share your faith. I’ve seen drug addicts lead other drug addicts to the Lord. You don’t have to be perfect to shine, but you cannot influence others for Christ if you do not have the right to speak into their life. When they see a change in your life, you earn that right.   And the reality is, you need to be sharing your faith as much as they need to be hearing about it? Shining for Jesus builds builds upon your credibility as a person, but you need to couple shining with something else… sharing your faith, or speaking about Jesus.   Check Dr Billy Graham being interviewed by Woody Allen on out Facebook page…   https://www.facebook.com/ignitechristianchurch    

DON’T BE THE DEAD SEA

  If you are alive in Christ you should be sharing your faith.   The Dead Sea in Israel is the lowest point on earth, more than 400m below sea level. It is renowned as being deadly because of the lethally high salt content. Why is it so poisonous? The river Jordan flows into it, but nothing flows out, that’s why it is dead. And so many Christians are like that… we get plenty of teaching, tons of input but give nothing back.   Greg Laurie said, “Input without output is hazardous to our faith.” We become like the Dead Sea.   2 Timothy 2:15 (ESV Strong's) Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.   If you are getting good teaching, if you are growing in Christ reading His Word, start using it, start handling the Word of truth correctly. Let God’s truth flow through you to others, don’t be a typical Christian and stagnate!  

SHARING YOUR FAITH EFFECTIVELY

  I would like to run a seminar to detail how to effectively share your faith. Please don’t be put off by this, it is a very simple thing. The gospel is simple, not complicated. It is just one beggar telling another beggar where to find food.   1 Corinthians 1:18 (ESV Strong's) For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.   Sharing your faith should be natural and reflect our relationship with Christ. I don’t want to Bible bash people, I don’t want to offend them or manipulate them into a decision they are not actually making. Jesus made you the way you are so that you can gently and naturally share your faith in a way that sits right with your personality.   So what are the steps to sharing your faith effectively, even for a non evangelist?    

1.      CONNECT WITH PEOPLE

  People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. I’ve been involved in all kinds of evangelism around the world, and have traveled with Dr Bill Newman across the globe, but he would tell you that the mass evangelism campaigns we have are just a platform for personal evangelism.   Romans 12:15-16 (ESV Strong's) Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.   Aussies hate arrogance, so don’t be superior, don’t be self absorbed and don’t preach at them. Step one is to just connect with people, where they are at.   Brett plays in a band and often tells people about his faith in the club where they are playing. Some of you mums share with other mums at school. Glen shares Jesus from his Harley. Some of you builders talk to tradies on the building site. I often talk to people who come for an eye test and get the gospel as well. Last week I spent half an hour sharing my faith with one of my staff.   Whenever you meet people, the first step is to connect with them, and love them with gentleness and respect.  Don’t Bible bash them, take the time to talk to them, connect with them, listen to them about their life and their struggles…   1 Peter 3:15 (ESV Strong's) but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,   If I meet a salesman who pitches vigorously in my face… I feel disrespected. If I meet someone I can trust, someone who listens and seems to care about me, I am more inclined to respond positively.    

2.      KNOW THE WORD

  When Peter preached the first sermon in Acts 2, he quoted Scripture. Now you don’t have to quote verse and reference, but you ought to have enough of the Word in your life so the Lord can quicken it to your heart as you need it sharing your faith.   Artists know their brushes, builders know their tools, musicians know their instruments, so you should know your tools. Your tool is the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, and God promises this…   Isaiah 55:11 So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.   I have memorised, learned and studied the Bible, and so as I speak to people in I find verses popping into my head, quickened to my spirit as the bible calls it.   Hebrews 4:12 (ESV Strong's) For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.   The Word of God is living and active, and it penetrates people’s hearts, and divides or separates good from evil, right from wrong, sin from righteousness. That verse says it discerns, which in Greek means judges, the thoughts and intentions of their heart, which is very handy when sharing your faith.   Using Scripture as you talk to others sharing your faith penetrates more than the best of your words or your fine sounding arguments.   You can not argue someone into Heaven, only the Holy Spirit breaks the yoke, and only the Holy Spirit can save a soul, and He uses the Word of God.   Ask the Gideon’s, who have countless testimonies of people coming to Christ just by reading a bible in a hotel room or prison cell.   Salvation is a spiritual act. You may feel that people need convincing, but behind it all there are demons and principalities that need to be overcome, and your words do not cut it. The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God, and if you don’t know the Word, when sharing your faith you are fighting with bare hands with your sword still in its scabbard!    

3.      BE CHRIST CENTRED AND CLEAR

  There are so many issues people talk about, and you need godly opinions, but don’t get diverted, keep the main thing the main thing. You will not win people to Christ arguing about same sex marriage, creation science or the Shroud of Turin. Facts may be part of the journey, but they alone will not save people.   Titus 3:9 (ESV Strong's) But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.   2 Timothy 2:23-24 (ESV Strong's) Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil,   If you want people to come to Jesus, talk about Jesus! You might have an opinion on various issues, but getting on Facebook and offending people about non salvation issues will not bring them to Christ. You might win the argument and send them to hell for eternity, is that a good deal?   As you are sharing your faith you can share your testimony, you can share your experiences by all means, because a person with an experience is never at the mercy of a person with an argument.   Why not memorise a few verses about Jesus and the gospel, like John 3:16 or Romans 5:8?    

4.      CALL THEM TO REPENTANCE

  We rarely hear about repentance these days, even sadly in gospel preaching, but for people to come to Christ they must acknowledge their need of Him.   How can people agree to be saved when they have no concept of what they are being saved from? They might look at their life and be sorry for what they’ve done, but that’s not the same as repentance.   Remorse is being sorry. But repentance is being sorry enough to change.   2 Corinthians 7:10 (ESV Strong's) For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.   People are generally sorry not for what they have done, but they are sorry for being caught or suffering the consequences.   In our modern society, we have a huge tendency to pass blame for our bad behaviour or decisions.  We abdicate responsibility, we blame others, we always have.  Adam blamed Eve, Eve blamed the snake, and the snake didn’t have a leg to stand on!   So often today we excuse bad behaviour because we’ve convinced ourselves it is someone else’s fault. I only did this because you did that to me. My sin is because of my parents, my partner, my upbringing, my circle of friends, my church, my job and anyone else… except me!   Here’s the top 7 ridiculous lawsuits won, all from the US…  

1. I tripped over my own toddler in your furniture store and broke my ankle… $750,000
2. I spilled hot coffee on my lap and burned myself… $2.5m
3. I locked myself in your garage while robbing your house and could not get out because you were on vacation… $500,000
4. Your chained up beagle bit me after I climbed your fence and fired pellets at him… $14,500
5. I slipped on the soft drink I threw at my boyfriend in your restaurant and broke my tailbone… $113,500
6. I burned myself on an uninsulated wire while trespassing on your property… $24m
7. Red bull didn’t give me wings… $13m

  Listen, regardless of upbringing, relationships, friends  and the tough life you’ve been dished, at some point if you want to change your life you need to acknowledge your guilt, and step up to take responsibility for your decisions.   Ezekiel 18:20 (ESV Strong's) The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.   In other words, man up and take responsibility for what you’ve done or become!   And so it is with the gospel… when people have the revelation that they are sinners, destined for hell, but that Jesus paid the price for them and died in their place, then they are truly ready to receive Christ.   And we need to understand that too. People out there are lost. We call them sinners, unchurched, unbelievers, non-Christians, but the reality is that they are lost. If they die tonight, they face judgment and eternity in hell, so you need to find the best way to reveal that fact to them when sharing your faith.  

5.      ASK THE QUESTION WHEN SHARING YOUR FAITH …

    If you talk to someone about the Lord, if you share you faith and don’t ask a question, it’s like a preacher who preaches well but never asks for a response. At Ignite that doesn’t happen, because I always preach to a verdict, to a response. It’s like a salesman, who does the greatest pitch ever then fails to close the sale by simply asking, “Do you want to buy it?”   I will often ask people to pray to ask Jesus into their lives in church. Often no one responds. I’m not embarrassed. It’s God’s problem, not mine, I just need to keep faithfully asking as I feel led.   So don’t be afraid, just ask and let God be God. We are responsible to ask, but we are not responsible for their reply to that question. Peter said,   Romans 10:9-10 (ESV Strong's) because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.   Peter spelled out exactly how to be saved, and challenged the crowd, and 3,000 came to Christ that day. Be bold, be courageous and just ask. The worst that can happen is that they say no or not right now. The best is that they accept Christ and live with Him for eternity!  

BE A LINK IN A CHAIN

  When people come to Jesus it is usually a long and convoluted journey. Long before they meet you or anyone else, the Holy Spirit has been working in their life, preparing the soil for a harvest of salvation. You might be the first Christian they have ever talked to, you might be one of many in their journey, or you may have the privilege of leading them right through for the Lord.   1 Corinthians 3:6-7 (ESV Strong's) I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.   In the chain of their salvation you could be the first link in the chain, the middle link or the last link.. Just don’t be the missing link!   You do not have to force every person you talk to into making a decision to receive Christ on the spot.  Just be faithful, take them a little further on the journey, as far as they are prepared to go, and believe the Lord to complete the rest.   You cannot save them, they have to make the decision, and God’s grace is there for them…   Ephesians 2:8-10 (ESV Strong's) For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.   Arthur Stace was a quiet, unassuming ex-alcoholic who walked the streets of Sydney before dawn every day for 37 years, and never led one person to Christ personally. But every day he wrote a single word in the pavement in yellow chalk, and that word led to the conversion of thousands of people to Christ… the Word was “Eternity”.  

WHOSE LINE  IS IT ANYWAY?

  Remember, ultimately a person is responsible for their own decision to accept or reject Christ. It is the Holy Spirit’s responsibility to save souls, and our job is simply shining and sharing our faith.   Ultimately, salvation is a choice, and it is a choice they make, not you. Only the Holy Spirit can draw people into the Kingdom, not you, so we do not need to see a result or try and make people get saved… those are the Holy Spirit’s lines, not ours.   Our job is to shine, but to shine brightly in this dark world. Yet we must not fool ourselves or compromise our witness for Christ.   St Francis of Assisi said, “Preach the gospel at all times, and where necessary use words.” What he is suggesting is that you let your life shine for Christ, but I believe He is wrong on the second part… you must also use words. Otherwise, they think you’re a nice person and a great guy, and Christ isn’t honoured, you are! So couple your shining with words that tell them the reasons why you act in such a noble way…   Let me finish with 2 verses we have already used…   Matthew 5:16 (ESV Strong's) In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.   1 Peter 3:15 (ESV Strong's) but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,  

THE SHINING AND SHARING CHALLENGE

  If you have never asked Jesus into your heart, now is a great time to do it. The Bible says we have all sinned, the Bible says we are all guilty and are destined for hell. You don’t need to be good enough to be saved, you just need to be humble enough to accept Jesus’ free gift of salvation.   Think of one person you know who doesn’t know Christ, and then pray for an opportunity to shine and to share. It’s not enough just to do good and shine, and it’s not enough just to tell them you’re a Christian, you need to do both!

https://ignitechurch.org.au/?p=2494

YWAM Ministering

YWAM Music visiting... We had the joy of YWAM ministering to us at Coast Church last Sunday, so here is a recording of Gunnar's message and Alex's song... YWAM’s Music & Worship Discipleship Training School is an experience of a lifetime. Encounter God, make new friends, take part in missions, and find purpose as you minister with your music. The Music & Worship DTS is a 5 month long program created to strengthen your relationship with God while finding purpose in the field of music & worship ministry. This school is specifically for singers & musicians and those passionate about supporting musicians in ministry (photographers, sound engineers, graphic designers etc). If you are a singer or worship leader but don’t play an instrument, you are still more than welcome to be a part of the school!

https://ignitechurch.org.au/?p=1907

305- Unity in Worship Leading

Unity in worship is a key ingredient in taking your worship leading from good, or even great, to anointed and amazingly powerful worship. Psalm 133 says this... Psalms 133 Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore. Unity in worship is more than just having peace around you.  Unity is not simply about people being tense but not fighting, unity is an essential, and it has everything to do with the blessing that the Lord bestows upon you and your worship team ( and therefore your church)! Unity in worship leading doesn't mean everybody agrees all the time, but it does mean that your team (and yourself) need to agree to disagree agreeably. I have seen great worship teams full of great singers and players torn apart and effectively rendered useless by disunity.  Churches split, team fight, homes are torn apart all through disunity, and the devil has a field day!  We need unity in worship desperately! Oh, and worship leaders, I know you have opinions and so do all of the members of your team, but this podcast will provide the breakthrough that your team and your church need to truly worship in spirit and in truth.  Ask yourself if being right or feeling justified in your own eyes is worth the cost of disunity, and losing the presence of God in your worship team because you want to feel like you're right!  Do you want to be right, or do you want unity in worship? This could be one of the most important podcasts you will ever hear, so please listen and enjoy and be blessed by this amazing teaching on unity and how it can bestow a blessing, even life forevermore on your worship team and your church!    

https://praiseandworshipleader.com/?p=5504