Stepping Out
Christianity has fallen far away from it’s original intent.
Christianity isn’t based in doing good things. It’s not based in knowing scriptures. It’s not based in going to church. It’s not even based in telling people about Jesus.
That is not to say that those things aren’t good things, and it’s not to say that those things aren’t a part of the gospel, because they are. And it’s not to say that we shouldn’t do those things, because we should… but no matter how good those things are, and no matter how much we should do them, they are not the foundation of the gospel.
The basis, or foundation of Christianity, is in our relationship with Jesus Christ.
We get so wrapped up in all the noise from outside, and all the wrong mindsets, that we lose sight of how great God really is, and because of that, we never really understand the true gospel!
And it’s from that relational foundation in Christ, that everything else stems… like seeking the lost. If you don’t have a good relationship with Jesus, you won’t be faithful to the things of God, like church, and you certainly won’t be passionate about sharing the love of the Savior who humbly gave His life for our lives Matthew 28:18-20
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. - Jesus Taught His Disciples First How To Become disciples themselves, then He Told them to Go and Be Disciples, by Going and Making Disciples
Jesus told us to go and do. He told us to go and act like Christians
He didn’t tell us that we would always feel like Christians, but that shouldn’t stop us from acting like Christians.
That’s why we are told to walk by faith and not by sight! 2 Corinthians 5:7 1 Corinthians 3:5-8 5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one?
6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.
7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.
8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.
Notice the reward is not on the harvest, but the labor. That's because of two things... - First, free will. No matter how bad you try to lead people to Jesus... there is always a choice! The person has to exercise their free will, and choose to accept the sacrifice of Jesus, or reject the sacrifice of Jesus. Free will! And the second reason why the labor matters, is because every job is important. You can't reap a harvest, without first planting a seed. And you can't reap a harvest, if that seed is not cared for from the time the seed is planted, until that crop is harvested. If you can only plant a seed, trust that God will send other laborers to water, and help that seed to reap a mighty harvest! Don’t feel like you have to win person for the Lord… just do what you can!
Sometimes you will lead people to the Lord, and other times you will be the one sowing seeds… however, every job is important!
- The same way, every job, both inside and outside the church is important! But you may be saying to yourself, I'm not good enough to minister to people. Are you always going to feel like you can minister? Probably not! But know that God made you for this. As soon as you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you are called to be like Him… a new creation in Christ! 2 Corinthians 5:16-17
16 “Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
Once you accept Jesus, you become a new creation, the old one is gone, and the new one has come…
So, we just need to get rid of the old restricting mindsets that continue to hold us back... like the mindset that says you're not good enough to pray for people. Or the one that says, you can't pray for others, because you're prayers never get answered. Those are lies from the enemy, to try to get you to stop doing what you've been called to do... Be A Disciple!
Romans 12:1-2
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Live the life that you've been called to live... the life of a Disciple Of Christ! Have A Blessed Day! Pastor George Finney New Life Church NewLifeKenefick@yahoo.com