It is hard to believe, my friends, but next week we'll be starting our third month of your online church service. We have endeavored to live up to our promise of sharing the Word of God with you. Our mission has been and always will be to share Jesus and to relate how the Bible is the Word of God, and how it relates to today.
Our first posting was August 2, 2009. I stated at that time that we would strive to make our services interesting and truthful. By God's grace and mercy, I believe we have been true to our word. Thank you for your amazing response to this work of God. Many of your e-mails, comments and prayers have been a great source of encouragement to us.
Our desire is to present the gospel of Jesus Christ in a way that will cause nonbelievers to ask Jesus into their hearts and lives; to draw the believer that has strayed off the narrow road back home, and to minister healing to the physically or mentally sick.
God has blessed us with anointed messages and is moving us step by step in the right direction. He has provided us with “words of life” that we are freely sharing with you. This week we are led to revisit some of the previous messages. We understand that some of you may not have seen or read all of them. Week 1: God led us to give a message “Choose Wisely.” We started by declaring that “Today is the day that the Lord has made” Psalm 118:24:
“This is the day which the Lord hath made; we shall rejoice and be glad in it.”
What a great direction for each day, my friends. Everyday is a day of salvation God has provided for us. Let us be thankful each day for this gift of God. We then reached out to the lost, those that have not accepted Jesus as Lord of their lives, we quoted John 3:16, one of the most read and glossed over of scriptures.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Nonbeliever, God does not want you to perish. He wants you to have an abundant, eternal life with Him. Let today be the day of acceptance for you. If the Spirit of God is drawing you to Him, just say “Lord, in Jesus name I ask for forgiveness of my sins. I believe Jesus died and rose again from the dead so that I may be saved. Jesus, come into my heart and become my savior. I will make you Lord of my life. I believe in my heart and confess with my mouth I am saved.” Did you mean it? If so, welcome to the family of God!
On the theme of choosing wisely we went to Deut. 30:19:
“I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing (sin): therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed (your children) may live.”
You see how good God is? He gives us a choice and even tells us the best way to choose, but still leaves the choice up to us. What do you choose – life or death?
Week 2: The title was “Stir it Up.” This message mainly addressed believers, but invited nonbelievers to eavesdrop. We asked the question – Who are we (Christians) and why are we here? Turn in your Bibles to II Cor. 5:20:
“Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ stead, be ye reconciled to God.”
God's Word to us that day, and still today, is that our mission is to represent Jesus Christ and the kingdom of God here on earth. Our citizenship, since receiving Christ and being born again, is the kingdom of God. We are on this earth in an official capacity. We are to represent and present Jesus to the lost so they may be set free from their burden of sin by receiving Jesus as their Lord and Savior. We also pointed out that one of the pitfalls ambassadors face is becoming too familiar with the land or kingdom they are to influence and forgetting what kingdom they really represent. When that happens, the ambassador becomes useless and ineffective to the kingdom they are supposed to represent. The question was then asked – is that the kind of ambassador you desire to be? Hopefully not. I have often stated there is no such thing as “dual citizenship” in the kingdom of God. Stay true to God and represent Christ well. We then pointed out that sometimes we allow our spirits to become like fallow ground. Refer to Jeremiah 4:3, where God says break up that fallow ground, and sow not among thorns. So we must rake up our spirit. We must stir up what God has put in us. We stated clearly – be a light!! Reconcile the lost to God and watch them grow in freedom, love and the mercy and grace of God as will you, my good ambassador of Christ.
Finally, we pointed out to our unbelieving friends: If you have met an ambassador of Christ, it is because God loves you and wants you in His kingdom. What will your answer be to God today?
Week 3: We titled the message “Dead Men Walking.” This message was a very important reminder, that all around us, there are people who are walking, talking and alive physically, but are dead spiritually. This statement is backed up by the Bible in many different scriptures. We quoted a few of them. Turn to II Cor. 5:14:
“For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead.”
The truth is, we were all dead spiritually after the fall of Adam and Eve. But, thank God, He sent His Son to redeem us. The Bible presents this truth again in Ephesians 2:1-6:
“And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience; Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us. Even when we were dead in sins, hath
quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved); And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”
quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved); And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”
So as you can see, God is not the God of the dead but of the living, those that have accepted Christ as illustrated above. I believe God was pointing out to us believers that we have a high urgency of responsibility placed upon us. We must understand that we are walking among the dead (spiritually speaking). I got the title from a movie entitled “Dead Men Walking.” It was a true story of a man on death row. When they were walking to the gas chamber, the guards would shout out “Dead man walking!” Yes ladies and gentleman, all around us today there are dead men and women (spiritually). We may be their last hope. God has commissioned us to be His witnesses on the earth. I asked the question – how many of you remember the witness who led you to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, that brought you out of death unto the light? There were two examples of believers who shared Jesus with me. Yes, I was once a dead man walking. But because of their faithfulness, I am now alive in Christ and sharing with you.
I implored you to listen to the Spirit of God and tell others the story of your redemption; to put on the hat of compassion, mercy and love that Christ has shown us.
Well my friends, we have recapped three of the anointed, powerful messages God had for you and me. As we enter our third month, we will finish the recap of God's Word through our online church services. I hope this review of past messages has been a blessing to you as it has been to me. Feel free to go back and read weeks one through three fully for yourself.
Each week I ask God to fill me with the words He wants preached. I strive diligently to only say what God desires to be said. This week God impressed on me to share from Psalm 91 with you. The verses we will be looking at will be Psalm 91:1 and verses 14-16. It is believed that Psalm 91 was written by Moses as was the preceding Psalm 90.
“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”
One thing I must point out, my friends. It is impossible to be under the shadow of anything if you are not close to it. Therefore, it is impossible to abide under the shadow of the Almighty if you are not close to Him. Knowing our heavenly Father, which can only be done through the knowledge of His Son Jesus, is so very important. In Psalm 91:14-16 God is now speaking through the psalmist. Listen carefully to what God is saying.
“Because he (you) hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.”
There it is, my friends!! Our heavenly Father is speaking to you today. He states clearly, because you love him, He will deliver you. What do you need delivered from? Set your love upon Him. God is telling you He will set you on high. Why? Because you know His name. (Do you know His name today?) These are His promises to you if you do. God says you can call on Him and He will answer you. He says He will be with you in your trouble. Are you in trouble, my friends? Marriage trouble, financial trouble, health trouble, any trouble? God will be with you. Not only will He be with you in trouble, He will deliver you and honor you. Imagine that!! God honoring you! Praise God!! With long life He will satisfy you and show you His salvation. I know you are excited by now!! This is His promise to you. Your part is: 1. To set your love upon Him. 2. Know His name. (not just 'know about' His name). Know His name through the acceptance of His Son Jesus Christ as Lord and savior of your life. 3. Call upon Him. This is good news for today!!
God Bless You,
Bro. Bob
Bro. Bob
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