I Must Do Better

Walking through the streets of London's East End, my daughter Cathy and I were approached by two Christians handing out gospel tracts. Standing in front of the entrance to the Underground, these two street evangelists were eager to engage us in conversation and share their personal testimony. I mentioned to them that I was a Salvationist and, somewhat surprised, they commented, "We don't see you good folks out here much anymore"!

Well, I am not sure how much visibility The Salvation Army has on the streets of the East End these days. I know they are there in a big way, albeit in less visible ways. 

Of course, here in the States our ministries have changed with the times. Street ministries may not be as practical as they once were. People congregate in malls rather than the old 'downtown' areas that were once so effective for us to minister in. Management of today's Malls are not very encouraging as it regards our presence for evangelistic  purposes and The Salvation Army has had to find new ways to reach out with the Gospel....and it is!The same realities are true for the Church community as a whole.

The most effective way of sharing the Gospel remains the one on one personal testimony of God's people! As we go about our daily routine, God presents us with opportunities to minister to people individually as they cross our path. It may be in the workplace, school or some other situation within which we find ourselves but, rest assured, God will bring them to us. We must always be on the lookout and ready to respond, "in season and out"!

Well, I thanked this London group for their testimony and Gospel sharing and we went on into the Underground to catch our train. As we did I thought to myself , "We must continually seek to do better....I must do better!" The Christian Church must always be on the lookout for new, effective ways to share the love of God, even when old opportunities pass. May it be so!

Should Christians Have Social Ministries ?

Some Christians feel that they have no social responsibility toward the poor and otherwise oppressed people of the world. They maintain that God has only called them to a 'spiritual' ministry! This is what the Bible says:

Isaiah 58:6-14

“No, this is the kind of fasting I want:
Free those who are wrongly imprisoned;
lighten the burden of those who work for you.
Let the oppressed go free,
and remove the chains that bind people.
Share your food with the hungry,
and give shelter to the homeless.
Give clothes to those who need them,
and do not hide from relatives who need your help.

Then your salvation will come like the dawn,
and your wounds will quickly heal.
Your godliness will lead you forward,
and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind.
Then when you call, the Lord will answer.
‘Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply.

“Remove the heavy yoke of oppression.
Stop pointing your finger and spreading vicious rumors!
Feed the hungry,
and help those in trouble.
Then your light will shine out from the darkness,
and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.
The Lord will guide you continually,
giving you water when you are dry
and restoring your strength.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like an ever-flowing spring.
Some of you will rebuild the deserted ruins of your cities.
Then you will be known as a rebuilder of walls
and a restorer of homes.

Keep the Sabbath day holy.
Don’t pursue your own interests on that day,
but enjoy the Sabbath
and speak of it with delight as the Lord’s holy day.
Honor the Sabbath in everything you do on that day,
and don’t follow your own desires or talk idly.
Then the Lord will be your delight.
I will give you great honor
and satisfy you with the inheritance I promised to your ancestor Jacob.
I, the Lord, have spoken! ” (NLT)

FYI

By His Stripes has surpassed 9500 views since first published online. Praise the Lord for this exposure!

There Must Be Something More!

Every seeker has a deep feeling that there must be something more to life, a great truth to be discovered. That was the case with Nicodemus, who came to Jesus Christ at night because he suspected this young teacher might be the Messiah promised to Israel by God.
Nicodemus learned that he must be born again, and he was. Together with his friend Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus lovingly cared for the body of the crucified Savior, placing it in Joseph's tomb. Nicodemus is a model of faith and courage for all Christians to follow.

Nicodemus' Accomplishments:

Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a leader of the Jewish people. He was also a member of the Sanhedrin, the high court in Israel.
He stood up for Jesus when the Pharisees were conspiring against him: Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, "Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?" (John 7:50-51, NIV)
He helped Joseph of Arimathea take Jesus' body down from the cross and lay it in a tomb, at great risk to his safety and reputation.
Nicodemus also donated 75 pounds of expensive myrrh and aloes to anoint Jesus' body after Jesus died.

Nicodemus' Strengths:

Nicodemus had a wise, inquiring mind. He was not satisfied with the legalism of the Pharisees.
He had great courage. He personally sought out Jesus to ask questions and get the truth directly from Jesus' mouth.
He also defied the Sanhedrin and Pharisees by treating Jesus' body with dignity and assuring that he received a proper burial.

Nicodemus' Weakness:

When he first sought out Jesus, Nicodemus went at night, so no one would see him. He was afraid of what might happen if he spoke to Jesus in broad daylight, where people might report him.

Life Lessons:

Nicodemus would not rest until he found the truth. He wanted badly to understand, and he sensed that Jesus had the answer. After he became a follower, his life was changed forever. He never hid his faith in Jesus again. Jesus is the source of all truth, the meaning of life. When we are born again, as Nicodemus was, we should never forget that we have forgiveness of our sins and eternal life because of Christ's sacrifice for us.

Laying Hold of Victory!

While preaching in Carthage, Missouri this summer, I spoke on Joshua Chapter 6. Highlighting the importance of the laity in the ministry of evangelism, it was pointed out that had Joshua answered God's instruction by going it alone, the walls of Jericho would not have fallen!

As we approach the ministry of evangelism in our churches, Christians must realize that for such outreach to be effective, THEY must play the critical role if victory is to be achieved!